New Comic Explores Franco Battiato's Film and Painting Career

A new comic book titled "Battiato l'artista" will be released on October 24, 2025, focusing on the lesser-known film and painting work of Italian singer-songwriter Franco Battiato. The volume is authored by Maurizio Di Bona (aka The Hand) and Alessio Cantarella, following their 2023 book "Battiato l'alieno." Published by Mimesis in the "Il caffè dei filosofi" series, the comic covers Battiato's artistic output after 1993, when he began painting. It highlights his painting "Caffè de la Paix," used as the cover for his 17th studio album. The book also explores Battiato's work under the pseudonym Sūphan Barzani and includes a text by Guidalberto Bormolini, his friend and spiritual father. Di Bona describes the project as a humorous and affectionate homage, not a scholarly analysis.