The Most Famous
COMIC ARTISTS from Italy
This page contains a list of the greatest Italian Comic Artists. The pantheon dataset contains 226 Comic Artists, 6 of which were born in Italy. This makes Italy the birth place of the 6th most number of Comic Artists behind United Kingdom, and Belgium.
Top 8
The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Italian Comic Artists of all time. This list of famous Italian Comic Artists is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.
1. Hugo Pratt (1927 - 1995)
With an HPI of 63.33, Hugo Pratt is the most famous Italian Comic Artist. His biography has been translated into 38 different languages on wikipedia.
Ugo Eugenio Prat (15 June 1927 – 20 August 1995), better known as Hugo Pratt, was an Italian comic book creator who was known for combining strong storytelling with extensive historical research on works such as Corto Maltese. He was inducted into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame in 2005, and was awarded the 15th anniversary special Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême at the Angoulême Festival. In 1946 Hugo Pratt became part of the so-called Group of Venice with Fernando Carcupino, Dino Battaglia and Damiano Damiani.
2. Milo Manara (b. 1945)
With an HPI of 60.43, Milo Manara is the 2nd most famous Italian Comic Artist. His biography has been translated into 24 different languages.
Maurilio Manara (; born 12 September 1945), known professionally as Milo Manara, is an Italian comic book writer and artist.
3. Guido Crepax (1933 - 2003)
With an HPI of 54.47, Guido Crepax is the 3rd most famous Italian Comic Artist. His biography has been translated into 19 different languages.
Guido Crepas (15 July 1933 – 31 July 2003), better known by his pen name Guido Crepax, was an Italian comics artist. He is most famous for his character Valentina, created in 1965 and very representative of the spirit of the 1960s. The Valentina series of books and strips became noted for Crepax's sophisticated drawing, and for the psychedelic, dreamlike storylines, generally involving a strong dose of erotism. His work was often politically motivated too, inspired by his Communist convictions. A film based on his work called Baba Yaga, featuring the character Valentina, was made in 1973.
4. Marco Rota (b. 1942)
With an HPI of 54.36, Marco Rota is the 4th most famous Italian Comic Artist. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Marco Rota (Italian: [ˈmarko ˈrɔːta]; born 18 September 1942) is an Italian Disney comic artist who served as editor-in-chief of Disney Italia from 1974 to 1988. His Disney stories feature a style largely influenced by Carl Barks.
5. Romano Scarpa (1927 - 2005)
With an HPI of 53.87, Romano Scarpa is the 5th most famous Italian Comic Artist. His biography has been translated into 16 different languages.
Romano Scarpa (27 September 1927 – 23 April 2005) was one of the most famous Italian creators of Disney comics.
6. Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri (b. 1944)
With an HPI of 50.70, Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri is the 6th most famous Italian Comic Artist. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri (born 29 February 1944) is an Italian comic book writer and illustrator, noted for his works of highly detailed renderings of the human form, particularly erotic images of women. He is best known for his work on the Druuna erotic science fiction series.
7. Sergio Toppi (1932 - 2012)
With an HPI of 50.64, Sergio Toppi is the 7th most famous Italian Comic Artist. His biography has been translated into 15 different languages.
Sergio Toppi (11 October 1932 – 21 August 2012) was an Italian illustrator and comics author.
8. Iginio Straffi (b. 1965)
With an HPI of 46.33, Iginio Straffi is the 8th most famous Italian Comic Artist. Her biography has been translated into 22 different languages.
Iginio Straffi (born May 30, 1965) is an Italian animator and former comic book author. He is the founder and president of Rainbow SpA, which he co-owned alongside the American media company Paramount Global from 2011 until 2023. Straffi is the creator of the studio's animated series Winx Club and Huntik: Secrets & Seekers, as well as the co-creator of its comic book series Maya Fox. While at university, Straffi published his first comic story in a 1985 issue of Tilt. He continued to work as a comic book illustrator through the 1990s, eventually drawing an issue of Sergio Bonelli Editore's Nick Raider series. In 1995, Straffi founded Rainbow with the assistance of Lamberto Pigini and Giuseppe Casali. The studio began with a capital of 10,000 euros, which was mostly used to purchase computers and software for digital design. Rainbow initially provided creative services for other companies until securing funds for original projects. In 2004, Iginio Straffi's creation Winx Club premiered in Italy. The series became internationally successful and attracted the attention of the American media company Viacom, owner of Nickelodeon and Paramount Pictures. After a "long courtship," in February 2011 Viacom became a co-owner of Rainbow, purchasing 30% of the studio and leaving the remaining 70% to Straffi. The purchase was called "Straffi's most important agreement" by L'espresso, as it led to the worldwide distribution of Rainbow's shows by Paramount and Nickelodeon, as well as various co-productions. Straffi later took full ownership of the studio after buying the remaining stake from Paramount Global in January 2023. As of 2019, Straffi continues to work in creative roles at Rainbow, but he has shifted his focus from animation to live action. Among his first live-action works are Nickelodeon's Club 57 and Fate: The Winx Saga, an adaptation of Winx Club.
People
Pantheon has 8 people classified as Italian comic artists born between 1927 and 1965. Of these 8, 4 (50.00%) of them are still alive today. The most famous living Italian comic artists include Milo Manara, Marco Rota, and Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri. The most famous deceased Italian comic artists include Hugo Pratt, Guido Crepax, and Romano Scarpa. As of April 2024, 2 new Italian comic artists have been added to Pantheon including Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri, and Sergio Toppi.
Living Italian Comic Artists
Go to all Rankings
Milo Manara
1945 - Present
HPI: 60.43
Marco Rota
1942 - Present
HPI: 54.36
Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri
1944 - Present
HPI: 50.70
Iginio Straffi
1965 - Present
HPI: 46.33
Deceased Italian Comic Artists
Go to all RankingsHugo Pratt
1927 - 1995
HPI: 63.33
Guido Crepax
1933 - 2003
HPI: 54.47
Romano Scarpa
1927 - 2005
HPI: 53.87
Sergio Toppi
1932 - 2012
HPI: 50.64
Newly Added Italian Comic Artists (2024)
Go to all RankingsOverlapping Lives
Which Comic Artists were alive at the same time? This visualization shows the lifespans of the 4 most globally memorable Comic Artists since 1700.
