Ratigher: Italian cartoonist on underground, Coconino, and new collection

Ratigher, born Francesco D'Erminio in Popoli in 1978, is one of the most active and innovative figures in the new Italian comics scene. He recently became editorial director of Coconino Press. In an interview with Artribune, he discusses his latest book 'Fortezza Pterodattilo', a collection of short and medium-length stories published over the last ten years, many of which are now hard to find. He describes the collection as arranging his 'mineral collection', putting the smallest and rarest stones at the front. Ratigher expresses a desire for the term 'underground' to disappear from comics, as it has from other artistic fields, while emphasizing the need to maintain a critical perspective on stories and production dynamics. He also shares that his style can be defined as 'death and adrenaline, in the right doses'. Regarding his new role at Coconino, he notes that he has so far completed work started before his arrival, with 2018 being his first true year of direction. He finds it challenging to balance the constant, hectic pace of directing a publishing house with the need for idle time to let creative clouds condense into stories. When asked what he looks for in young debutants, he answers: 'insecure people who fear nothing.' The interview also features an unpublished comic by Ratigher titled 'La famiglia di Dodò'.