| Dylan Dog | |
|---|---|
 Dylan Dog No. 62 cover by Angelo Stano | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Sergio Bonelli Editore |
| Publication date | October 1986 – present |
| No. of issues | 445 |
| Main character(s) | Dylan Dog |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | Tiziano Sclavi Paola Barbato Claudio Chiaverotti Pasquale Ruju Michele Medda Alessandro Bilotta Barbara Baraldi Mauro Aragoni |
| Artist(s) | Angelo Stano Bruno Brindisi Corrado Roi Claudio Castellini |
| Collected editions | |
| Dylan Dog Casefiles | ISBN 1-59582-206-2 |
Dylan Dog is an Italianhorror comics series created byTiziano Sclavi and published bySergio Bonelli Editore since 1986.[1]
The series features the eponymous character, aparanormal investigator who takes on cases involving supernatural elements such as ghosts, demons, vampires, undeads, werewolves and other creatures, but also horrifying sociopathic criminals and serial killers. It defies the whole preceding horror tradition with a vein of surrealism and an anti-bourgeois rhetoric. Dylan is supported mainly by his trusty sidekick Groucho (aGroucho Marx lookalike) who adds humour to this grisly genre and Dylan's sombre temperament. The series is mainly set inLondon, where the protagonist lives, though he occasionally travels elsewhere.[2]
Dark Horse Comics has published the English version ofDylan Dog in the United States in 1999, 2002 and 2009; a new edition was published by Epicenter Comics as of 2017. Sergio Bonelli Editore also released a limited English variant edition in 2018. The series has sold over 60 million copies worldwide,[3] and is the second best-selling comic book in Italy after theTex series, another publication by Sergio Bonelli Editore, with over 120,000 copies sold each month.[4]
The filmCemetery Man (original title:Dellamorte Dellamore, 1994) starringRupert Everett, was loosely based on the comics, but its main reference was Tiziano Sclavi's novelDellamorte Dellamore. A direct American film adaptation,Dylan Dog: Dead of Night, starringBrandon Routh, was instead released in 2011, although it was significantly different from the source material. A television series based on the comics is also in development.[5]
Dylan Dog was created byTiziano Sclavi, a comics and novel writer, while the graphic representation of the character was elaborated mainly byAngelo Stano, who was its first cover artist too, taking the inspiration from the English actorRupert Everett, as he saw in the movieAnother Country.[6] The character was named for poetDylan Thomas,[7] while his surname derives from "Dog figlio di...", the Italian title ofMickey Spillane's 1972 book "Erection Set", which was the provisional name Scalvi gave to his characters during the creation phase of his books before completing them.[8]
Dylan Dog series debuted in October 1986 with a comic book entitled "L'alba dei morti viventi" ("Dawn of the Living Dead"), plotted and scripted byTiziano Sclavi and illustrated byAngelo Stano; it proved to be a huge publishing success in the years to come.[2] May 2003 saw the publication of Issue 200, entitled "Il numero duecento" ("The Number Two-Hundred"), plotted and scripted byPaola Barbato and drawn byBruno Brindisi. In August 2011, the series has reached the number 300, entitled "Ritratto di famiglia" ("Family Portrait").
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In August 1987 a special annual release was added to the monthly series, calledNumero Speciale (Special Issue), with one story longer than usual and, in addition, small extra books on varioushorror-related subjects.[9]
Another annual release was added in March 1991,L'almanacco della paura ("The Almanac of Fear"): together with Dylan Dog stories, it includes articles and curiosities about film, literature, and other topics, all related to the horror theme.[9]
January 1993 saw the appearance of a new annual book, theDylan Dog Gigante ("Giant-Size Dylan Dog"), so called because it was much larger than the monthly book and because it contained more stories.[10][11]
Dylan Dog maxi came out in July 1998. This was another annual release that collected together three previously unpublished stories.[10][11]
In October 1990 an irregularly numbered issue came out:Dylan Dog e Martin Mystère – Ultima Fermata: l'incubo! (Dylan Dog and Martin Mystère – Last Stop: Nightmare!). It presented an unpublished story in which the nightmare investigator teamed up with another famousBonelli character,Martin Mystère.Alfredo Castelli andTiziano Sclavi wrote and plotted this story, and Angelo Stano did the drawings. The story had a sequel in 1992.[12]
The first reprint series came out in July 1990, the second in June 1991, and the third in June 1996, this time calledCollezione Book (Collection Book); in October 2006 the bi-monthly reprintGrande ristampa was released.[13]
February 1997 saw the release of theSuper Book, a tri-monthly release that reprinted the special annual issues that had come out ten years before.
In August 2007, a new annual was released. Containing 4 new stories, the new comic book was called "Dylan Dog Color Fest" because it contained only stories full colored and not black and white like the regular series. In 2010 it became bi-annual (coming out in April and August every year). By 2016, each album would contain 3 colored stories – even though some albums also contain one individual story – and it would get published each number every three months. In November 2018, the 27th album will be released.[13]
Dylan Dog (like all Sergio Bonelli comic books) is printed in black and white. However, there are some issues that came out full colored to celebrate certain anniversaries. These include numbers that are multiple of 100, decade anniversaries of the series and other rare occasions.[13]
The first full colored issue was # 100, titled "La storia di Dylan Dog" ("The Story of Dylan Dog"), which told the final chapter of the adventure of Dylan. It was written by Tiziano Sclavi with drawings by Angel Stano. Color issue 121, "Finché morte non vi separi" (Till Death Do Us Part) celebrated the 10th birthday. Issue number 200 "Il Numero 200" ("The Number 200"), written by Paola Barbato with art by Bruno Brindisi, was also full colored and was the "sequel" of number 121 and the "prequel" of the very first issue ("Dawn of the Living Dead"). It tells what happened after Dylan's wife dies and how he became the "nightmare investigator". Issue 241 and 242 celebrated the 20th birthday of the series. Also in color was Sclavi and Brindisi's #250, "Ascensore per l'inferno" (literally "Elevator to Hell"). The next full colored issue would be #300, "Ritratto di famiglia" ("Family Picture"). Other coloured issues are number #131 "Quando cadono le stelle" ("When the Stars Fall", only final pages not in black and white), #224 "In nome del padre" (In Father's Name), #350 "Lacrime di pietra" ("Tears of Stone"), #361 "Mater Dolorosa" and #375 "Nel Mistero" ("To Mystery"), which celebrates the return of Tiziano Sclavi in writing the script.[13]
Dylan Dog is a penniless "nightmare investigator" ("L'indagatore dell'incubo") who defies the whole precedinghorror tradition with a vein ofsurrealism and an anti-bourgeois rhetoric.
His clothes are one of his defining characteristics: he always dresses the same way, in a red shirt, black jacket, and blue jeans; he bought twelve identical outfits after the death of his lover Lillie Connolly. Even during the worst weather, he never wears an overcoat or even carries an umbrella, since, according to him, an overcoat "would ruin his look", and he thinks that an umbrella is a "useless invention. Especially when it doesn't rain."
One of the principal supporting characters in the series is his assistant (or rather, comic relief), Groucho, a punning double ofGroucho Marx. Another supporting character is Inspector Bloch, who was his superior when he worked atScotland Yard and remains his father figure (in fact he calls Dylan "Old boy") even after Dylan struck out on his own to become a private investigator specializing in the supernatural.[14]
Dylan lives with Groucho at 7 Craven Road in a cluttered apartment with a doorbell that screams. His hobbies include playing theclarinet (he only knows to playDevil's Trill, but plays it often) and constructing amodel ship which he apparently never manages to finish; he has manyphobias, including claustrophobia,fear of bats andacrophobia. Dylan is also particularly susceptible tomotion sickness, which is one of the reasons why he rarely travels, and anyway never by plane. Once an alcoholic, he now never drinks. He is a vegetarian andanimal rights supporter. Dylan cares little for many aspects of modern life. He hates cellphones and to record his memories, he still uses a feather-pen and an inkpot. Naturally, he loves literature (poetry in particular), music (his tastes range from classical to heavy metal), and horror films. Though perpetually penniless, he does not seem to be interested in money. In fact, the usual first piece of advice he gives to numerous clients who have found themselves in his study over the years is to go to a psychiatrist or psychologist. He does not believe in coincidences.
He is also a hopeless romantic who loves and loses a new woman in nearly every issue. In fact, in a majority of his cases, his clients are women, with whom he often has a sexual relationship.[15]
The series is mainly set in London, where the protagonist lives, though he occasionally travels elsewhere, such as imaginary realms such as "La zona del crepuscolo" (Twilight Zone). His address is 7 Craven Road, London, in reference to directorWes Craven.[16]
The Cafe at 7 Craven Road, Paddington, London, was renamed Cafe Dylan Dog in 2013. In 2012, the cafe offered "Dylan Dog Meal" with beef or pork included, even though Dylan himself is a vegetarian.
Some crossover stories combining Dylan Dog with characters from different comics were published, including, withMartin Mystere,Mister No,Ken Parker,Nathan Never, andDampyr.
In October 2019, DC Comics and Sergio Bonelli Editori announced a crossover series between Dylan Dog andBatman. Issue #0 of the crossover, titled "Relazioni pericolose" ("Dangerous liaisons"), script by Roberto Recchioni with art by Gigi Cavenago and Werther Dell'Edera, was published in December 2019. As well as Batman, the series heavily featuresJohn Constantine. It was published in English byDC Comics on 12 March 2024.[18]
Italian authorUmberto Eco said: "I can read the Bible,Homer, orDylan Dog for several days without being bored."[19]
Dylan Dog is the second most widely sold comic book in Italy (the first one is another publication of Sergio Bonelli Editore,Tex): including both reprints and new stories, it sells over 120,000 copies each month.[4] As of 2017, the series has sold over 60 million copies worldwide.[3]
The series is also published in Croatia by Ludens, in Serbia by Veseli Četvrtak and Expik Publications, in North Macedonia by M-comics, in Denmark by Shadow Zone Media, in the Netherlands by Silvester, in Poland by Tore, in Spain by Aleta Ediciones, in Sweden by Ades Media, in Turkey by Rodeo and Hoz Comics, in Greece by Mamouth Comix, Jemma Press and Mikros Iros Publications and in Mexico byPanini Comics.[20]
American publisherDark Horse Comics released an English translation of a selection ofDylan Dog stories in 1999. This six-issue miniseries was later completed by a one-shot released in 2002. To avoid legal complications regarding Groucho Marx's estate, the art was altered so that Groucho no longer sports the Marx brother's signature moustache, and was renamed "Felix".[21] Every cover in the six-issue mini featured art by American comics artistMike Mignola.
As of 2016, Epicenter Comics published a new English version of some Dylan Dog stories.
In 2018 and 2019, Sergio Bonelli Editore published a limited English variant edition.[22]DC Comics published theBatman/Dylan Dog crossover series in March 2024.[18]
A 680-page volume,Dylan Dog Casefiles, was released in 2009 (ISBN 1595822062), to tie in with the movieDylan Dog: Dead of Night. It reprinted the seven stories Dark Horse previously released. This volume also includes cover art byMike Mignola.
The covers of the first 41 issues are byClaudio Villa, those of issues 42 to 361 were created byAngelo Stano. No. 362 had a completely white cover, therefore without an illustrator, while from issue 363 they are by Gigi Cavenago with the exception of issues no. 418-419-420 in which the front cover is by Fabrizio De Tommaso and the back cover is by Gigi Cavenago. From no. 421 the covers are entrusted to illustrators Gianluca and Raul Cestaro.
In 1994 Italian directorMichele Soavi directed the filmDellamorte Dellamore (known abroad asCemetery Man orOf Death and Love), with a screenplay written by Giovanni Romoli and based onTiziano Sclavi's similarly titled novel.[26]Francesco Dellamorte (his mother's surname was Dellamore) – a sort of Italianalter ego for Dylan Dog – appears for the first time in the third special issue of Dylan Dog,Orrore nero (Black Horror), released July 1989, in which he met the Nightmare Detective, but Sclavi's novel was written before the special issue.
Francesco Dellamorte also appears in a short (comic book) sequel to Orrore nero, entitledStelle cadenti (Falling stars), where Dylan, Groucho, Francesco and Gnaghi are walking together during saint Lawrence's night, watching shooting stars and talking about life and death.
English actorRupert Everett, who inspired Dylan Dog's design,[6] played the protagonist, Francesco Dellamorte, while Italian model and actressAnna Falchi played the female lead. Although having Everett in the main role, the Dylan Dog character did not appear in the movie.
Kevin Munroe has directedDylan Dog: Dead of Night, an official American film adaptation of Dylan Dog starring actorBrandon Routh as the title character.
Differences between the comic result in the film being set inNew Orleans instead of London, the character of Groucho being replaced by an un-dead sidekick called Marcus due to issues for the production to acquire the rights to use theGroucho Marx name and style, another difference is Dylan Dog's Volkswagen Beetle being black with a white hood instead of the opposite like in the comic. The film also appears to be much lighter in tone and more action-oriented, lacking the surreal feeling, the black humour and the melancholy of the comic book, and the Dylan character is portrayed like more of a scientist-adventurer in the vein ofIndiana Jones, rather than the romantic loner he is in the comics. Accordingly, Dylan's physical appearance changes to that of a muscular action hero rather than the slightly built in the comics.[27]
It was originally going to premiere onHalloween 2010 in Italy but was since pushed back to a 29 April 2011 release. The film has been produced by the independent companyPlatinum Studios.
A television series based on the comics, produced byJames Wan and his production companyAtomic Monster, was announced by Sergio Bonelli Editore in August 2018.[5][28] In December 2022, Wan stated that the series was still in development, and that he was also working with the publishing house to find investors.[29] On 2 June 2023, Michele Masiero, editorial director of Sergio Bonelli Editore, said that the series will be faithful to the comics, and that they were preparing the casting.[30]
