Milo Manara's tribute to women fighting COVID-19

Italian comic artist Milo Manara (born 1945 in Luson) published a series of illustrations on his social media channels honoring women working on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic. The drawings depict researchers, doctors, nurses, Red Cross workers, policewomen, postwomen, pharmacists, veterinarians, cashiers, riders, sanitation workers, and agricultural laborers—all wearing masks and protective gear. Manara, known for erotic comics and art books like "Caravaggio – La tavolozza e la spada" and "Caravaggio – La grazia," set aside his usual themes of malice and seduction to highlight strength, perseverance, professionalism, and sacrifice. He accompanied the images with captions: "Without forgetting those seeking effective cures and vaccines" for researchers; "Without forgetting… those who continued to face other dangers" for a firefighter; and "Without forgetting those who ensure we don't lack necessities" for a grocery clerk. He also posted a short animation showing an exhausted doctor collapsing against a wall, then getting up to return to fight the virus, depicted as a giant COVID-19 molecule—a David vs. Goliath imagery for the pandemic era. The tribute was posted on April 7, 2020, and echoes recent photographs by reporter Alberto Giuliani of medical personnel.