At Lucca Comics & Games this week, Italy’s best-known paranormal detective received an unmistakable birthday: the city’s streets briefly resembled his London address as publisher events, new editions and cross‑media plans underscored why the character still matters 40 years on. Fans and industry figures gathered for a packed panel, a public zombie march and several product launches that signal both nostalgia and fresh directions for the franchise.
Organisers decorated lamp posts around the festival to echo 7 Craven Road, the fictional London home of Dylan Dog, turning Lucca into a festival‑wide homage. The visual stunt underlined a larger point made at the publisher’s stage: this anniversary is not only celebration but platform for new creative work and commercial rollouts.
The panel “News From the World of Dylan Dog” at the Auditorium del Suffragio brought together editorial director Michele Masiero, series curator Barbara Baraldi and long‑time editor Franco Busatta. They reviewed recent releases, previewed upcoming stories and confirmed that multiple multimedia projects—including television—are in active development, with fuller announcements expected in the coming months.
Stage show, immersive foyer and sold‑out nights
Theatre audiences in Rome have already seen a high‑profile expansion of the brand. The Dylan Dog Horror Show, a stage adaptation co‑written by Tiziano Sclavi and Nicola Russo and staged by director Valter Malosti, opened at Teatro Eliseo on 28 October and quickly sold its opening night. The production has been extended through 6 December and features Gabriele Graham Gasco as Dylan and Loris Fabiani as his iconic sidekick, Groucho.
Theatregoers enter an immersive lobby billed as the “Casa di Dylan Dog,” and festival attendees at Lucca could claim a special discount via a QR code at the Bonelli pavilion. Publisher representatives said the theatrical run is one element of a broader push to move the property into different media.
New issue, a small editorial reveal, and collector details
Released at the end of September to coincide with the anniversary, #481, titled Before the Dawn, is written by Barbara Baraldi with art by Davide Furnò and colours by Giulia Brusco. The narrative follows Dylan as he uncovers a mysterious diary that triggers questions about memory, fate and Death.
Baraldi used the Lucca panel to disclose a previously private editorial change to the issue’s ending made by Tiziano Sclavi: in the final sequence Dylan now leaves to join the other characters at a location tied to the series’ origins. The adjustment preserves the issue’s cross‑cut structure while adding that concluding beat—an authorial touch Baraldi described as Sclavi’s personal mark. The panel also confirmed Sclavi continues to review every new script before production proceeds.
The newsagents edition of #481 launched in a sealed “blind bag” format with four variant covers (by Gianluca and Raul Cestaro, Claudio Villa, Corrado Roi and Angelo Stano) printed at different rarities; the run was 100,000 copies. A separate bookstore hardcover appears in larger black‑and‑white format and includes eight additional pages not in the newsstand version.
Tribute, restorations and special editions
A colour special dedicated to the late Carlo Ambrosini is due imminently. The issue collects Ambrosini’s final, unfinished story—originally about sixty pages—and expands it to 94 pages with completion and redraw work from his former students, including Giulio Camagni and Paolo Bacilieri. Colours for the restoration were contributed by Francesca Zamborlini and Erica Bellazzoli. Bonelli framed the release as a collaborative, family effort reflective of Ambrosini’s legacy.
At the festival the Italian Post Office also debuted an official Dylan Dog stamp sheet designed by Angelo Stano, part of the “Eccellenze del Patrimonio culturale italiano” series. The sheet contains 41 stamps and four illustrated seals showing classic covers; first‑day stamped editions were made available at Lucca’s postal stand.
What creators announced next (high‑level)
- De Feo & Giulio Camagni — a mystery timed to Agatha Christie’s anniversary, with a Christie‑like author character (legal naming restrictions apply).
- Aragoni & Fregieri — Trial Of A Nightmare (a scene was reworked to remove explicit nudity).
- Barbara Baraldi, Poretti, Mericone & Corrado Roi — a “What If” lighthouse tale set in the early 20th century featuring Inspector Bloch.
- Massimiliano Filadoro & Paolo Massagli — series debut with an experimental piece, “They Live Among Things.”
- Lo Manto (art) & Marzano (writing) — provisional title Pain Killer, continuing experimental page layouts.
- Silvia Califano & Claudio Chiaverotti — Taglia il personale, an office‑set story openly inspired by Battle Royale.
- Allesandro, Bilotta & Ponchione — sequel to Old Boy 2, nearly complete.
- Six‑handed ColorFest anthology — contributions from Xella, Gabos, Mignacco, Baralsi, Bondi and Torti.
- Additional entries from Gigi Simeoni, Poretti/Mericone/Ripoli and others; regular Horror Stories releases will continue twice yearly with covers by Angelo Stano.
These notes reflect creator teases made on stage rather than final release schedules; Bonelli ran through the line‑up as a mix of experimental work and returns to classic tones.
Anecdotes from the panel offered human context: Busatta remembered buying the very first issue and reading it in a dentist’s waiting room, while Baraldi relayed reader messages describing how the character shaped friendships and romances across decades. After the session, a public zombie parade processed from the Giardino degli Osservanti past the Auditorium to the PalaBonelli stand at Piazza Antelminelli, underlining the series’ festival‑level engagement.
Earlier in the week, a live showcase featured Davide Furnò and Sergio Gerasi sketching for the crowd while Masiero and Baraldi discussed their editorial approach; many of the creators present also held signings at the PalaBonelli area throughout the event.
Reissue of the origin story and what to watch for
Sergio Bonelli Editore issued a deluxe 208‑page black‑and‑white hardcover of the original 1986 story L’alba dei morti viventi, which includes the complete original script by Tiziano Sclavi as an appendix—granting readers access to Sclavi’s directions to the artist. The volume goes on sale in bookstores and comic shops from 3 November; copies were available early at Lucca. A new regular cover by Gigi Cavenago accompanies the edition, while a variant by Angelo Stano—offered through select stores—has already sold out.
For readers and industry watchers, the immediate takeaway is clear: the 40th anniversary is being used strategically to refresh the catalogue, elevate archival material, and prepare the property for audiovisual expansion. Expect further production updates and concrete release plans in the months ahead as Bonelli moves some of these projects from festival reveal to market reality.
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Hello, I’m Jax. I guide you through the latest comics releases and enrich your geek universe.