Sitcomicshas reached a licensing deal with Milan-based Sbam! to translate and publish Sitcomics in Italy.
The four-year agreement gives Sbam! exclusive rights to publish hardcover, Italian translations of all Sitcomics Binge Book titles including The Blue Baron, Super ‘Suckers, and upcoming super-hero team book The Heroes Union from Roger Stern, Ron Frenz and Sal Buscema.
Sitcomics’ unique Binge Book format, which delivers a self-contained, 64-page storyline for only $3.99, is similar to the “album” format that has been the European standard for decades.
Sbam! will begin releasing Sitcomics in print this January. English language Binge Books are available now at select comic shops across the USA and Canada via Sitcomics’ Sell-Thru Distribution System. Sitcomics’ current and upcoming creative roster includes David Michelinie, Tom DeFalco, Corin Howell, Jeff Shultz, Craig Rousseau, Renee Reeser Zelnick, Tom Richmond, Al Milgrom, Randy Bishop, Blair Shedd, Neil Vokes, Mike Vosburg, and Todd Dezago.
Legendary Italian artist Milo Manara has a niece that works as a nurse, an essential worker. She’s in the trenches, right smack in the middle of one of Europe’s most worrying Coronavirus hotzones: Italy. Manara, inspired by the work his niece and every other essential worker takes on daily despite the risk of infection, has taken to pen, paper, and ink to recognize the degree of heroism each one represents in a series of illustrations dedicated to them.
by Milo Manara
Fans of Manara expect erotic and sensual explorations of female beauty, the politics of sex, and even the more deceitful aspects of sex as a means of control (see his work on The Borgias, co-created with Alejandro Jodorowsky). For his COVID-19 Heroes illustrations, Manara reins in the eroticism to focus entirely on showing his gratitude to the women who brave the virus to fulfill essential duties.
Manara started posting these illustrations on his Facebook and Instagram pages on March 15, starting with a piece called “It’s You Against Me, Now!” in which a nurse stares down a giant COVID-19 molecule. He captioned the post with a simple yet resounding “Grazie.”
“It’s You Against Me, Now,” Milo Manara
The illustrations feel like an attempt at preserving the memory of these workers as a means to keep a visual record of the things women have put on the line to help keep the world turning. They still have the overall look and feel of the women Manara is famous for illustrating, but the purpose is to provide a visual profile that kind of speaks for itself at a mere glance. And it succeeds in every aspect.
Another valuable and important point Manara makes through this project relates to the very definition of ‘essential.’ We see nurses and teachers, but we also see vendors, women doing deliveries, supermarket cashiers, and crossing guards, all presented as equally important. It’s as if Manara’s urging us to recognize that all work is essential, regardless of its nature.
by Milo Manara
Milo Manara is currently 74 years of age, so he’s in one of the more vulnerable groups of people affected by the pandemic. According to a Heavy Metal article, he’s surviving by staying inside with the help of his daughter, who brings him groceries and supplies. In essence, this is Manara paying his debt back.
For the full gallery of Manara’s COVID-19 heroes, click here.
The Italian political party PD has decided to start using a modified picture from Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer in their political campaign. A graphic featuring Nichi Vendola as Mr. Fantastic, Pier Luigi Bersani as The Thing, Laura Puppato as Invisible Woman, Matteo Renzi as The Human Torch, and Bruno Tabacci as The Silver Surfer. The image adorns their website. On November 25th, the party is holding its primary elections.
The Italian media reacted asking if the party website had been hacked. The image is so amateurish with Photoshop work that I’d think was a joke if presented to me. The fact this is an Italian political party makes me feel like I need to look into Italian politics more. Is this normal, because you wouldn’t get away with this level of crap here in the United States.
