Italian cartoonist Pierluigi Sangalli dies at 87

Pierluigi Sangalli, the Italian cartoonist known for drawing Popeye and Topo Gigio comics, has died. Born in Monza in 1938, Sangalli began drawing caricatures in school, where he befriended fellow artist Alberico Motta (1937-2019). Initially trained as an accountant, he met publisher Renato Bianconi in 1958 through Motta, launching his career. From 1963, Sangalli drew Popeye adventures for the Italian edition, creating nearly all covers until the title closed in 1998. He also created the bumbling wizard Mago Merlotto in the early 1960s, parodying the Merlin from Disney's The Sword in the Stone. In 1970, with Motta, he adapted the TV puppet Provolino into comics, producing 124 stories between 1970 and 1974. In 1993, he revived Topo Gigio for a new generation. Sangalli's style was cartoonish, with rounded lines and vivid brushwork, influenced by the Italian Disney school but more eclectic. He also worked on characters like Nonna Abelarda, Felix the Cat, Geppo, Trottolino, Poldo, and Trinchetto.