EXTRACTS: Illustrators issue 25 © 2019 The Book Palace (96 PAGES in Full edition)

6 vigilante. Genius , like many other Italian comics of the era, was inspired by Diabolik , a series created by the sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani, relating the adventures of a masked crook. The popularity of this series produced a myriad of other imitations, featuring masked criminals (Italy’s answer to American superheroes) published in a small pulpish black-and-white paperback format, and sold only at newsstands. Although the series Genius had first started out as a photo-fumetti, with actual models being photographed and presented within panels in a comic book format, it was later switched to being drawn by cartoonists to cut down the costs of production (cartoonists cost less than hiring actual actors or models). Nonetheless, Manara’s work on Genius got noticed by publisher Renzo Barbieri (who along with Giorgio Cavedon were the heads of ErreGi, a publishing house specializing in erotic comics). For ErreGi Manara worked on the series Jolanda de Almaviva , an erotic pirate series inspired by the non-erotic character of Jolanda, the daughter of the Black Pirate created by popular Italian writer Emilio Salgari. Although Manara’s artwork was pretty crude at the time, it still managed to save this floundering series that lasted until 1974 (when the publishing house finally closed down). By the mid-seventies Manara worked for the journal Corriere dei Ragazzi , and in collaboration with writer Mino Milani worked on a series of short stories based on real events and characters. But it was when he discovered a French comic magazine by the name of Métal Hurlant ( Screaming Metal , later known as Heavy Metal when published in the US) that everything changed for him. In that science-fiction magazine he saw the work of French artist Jean Giraud who under the alias of Moebius created a graphic-style that would FACING PAGE: A series of limited prints Manara did based on different Fellini films. From top left, and going clockwise, we see Boccacio 70 , Casanova , Ginger and Fred , and La Strada . Manara worked with Fellini on two occasions, drawing scripts from some unmade films. Their collaboration ended on a misunderstanding, but the artist’s love for his friend’s films remained a major point during his career. ABOVE: Night Follies , watercolour on paper, 2010. One of the various ad illustrations Manara did for a brand of female lingerie.