Comics magazine series is published by the Archivio Internazionale della Stampa a Fumetti dell’Istituto di Pedagogia dell’Università di Roma in Italy throughout the 1970s and 1980s. The magazine series covered various aspects of comics, including articles, reviews, interviews and short comic strip stories, covering both American and European comic traditions.
The Archivio Internazionale della Stampa a Fumetti dell’Istituto di Pedagogia dell’Università di Roma’ (International Archive of Comic Press of the Institute of Pedagogy of the University of Rome) was a significant entity in the early academic and cultural recognition of comics in Italy and internationally.
It was established in the early 1960s, initiated by Professor Luigi Volpicelli, director of the Institute of Pedagogy at the University of Rome, and his assistant, Romano Calisi. Its primary purpose was to collect, study, and promote comics as a subject worthy of academic research and cultural appreciation. This was a pioneering effort at a time when comics were often dismissed as mere children’s entertainment.
Key figures include:
- Luigi Volpicelli: As director of the Institute of Pedagogy, he provided the institutional backing and intellectual framework for the archive.
- Romano Calisi: A young assistant, he was instrumental in the practical development and advocacy for comics. He was also involved in the creation of the “Comics Club” to further engage with the subject outside of strict academic circles.
- Rinaldo Traini: A notable editor, historian, and scriptwriter of comics, he was invited by the Institute of Pedagogy in 1960 to help organize the archive. He played a crucial role in its development and in promoting comics through various initiatives.
- Umberto Eco and Claudio Bertieri: These prominent intellectuals and critics were also involved in the early initiatives linked to the archive.
The Archive played a crucial role in the organization of the 1st Salone Internazionale dei Comics (International Comics Convention) in Bordighera in February 1965. This event is considered the first of its kind globally, bringing together scholars, artists, and enthusiasts to discuss and analyze the comic medium. The Archive, along with the Centro di Sociologia delle Comunicazioni di Massa, organized this landmark event. This convention later moved to Lucca and evolved into the internationally renowned Lucca Comics & Games festival.
The existence of such an archive within a university institute of pedagogy signified a groundbreaking step towards the academic legitimization of comics. It fostered interdisciplinary studies and encouraged a deeper understanding of comics’ educational, sociological, and cultural implications. The Institute of Pedagogy itself dedicated pages in its journal ‘I Problemi della Pedagogia’ to the educational and pedagogical aspects of comics.
In essence, the Archivio Internazionale della Stampa a Fumetti dell’Istituto di Pedagogia dell’Università di Roma was a foundational institution that helped elevate the status of comics from a marginalized form of popular culture to a recognized subject of academic inquiry and cultural significance in Italy and beyond.
Comics magazine edition number 7 was published in Italy in 1973. It contains 96 black and white pages measuring 21.5cn x 30.5cm in Italian text. Color is only found on the covers, with the front cover featuring a crowded and vibrant illustration depicting a large number of iconic comic characters illustrated by Lino Landolfi. The front and back cover can be seen below.
Amongst the characters seen on the front cover is the Phantom, illustrated in a red costume as he’s traditionally published in Italy. Other comic book characters featured include Superman, Spider-Man, Popeye, Mickey Mouse, The Yellow Kid, Mandrake the Magician and Lothar, Felix, Batman and many more. The Phantom is not featured within the magazine.
Page 1 found within the magazine provides an explanation behind the inspiration for the front covers illustration, translated to English, it reads:
The cover of this issue of COMICS, which is a prelude to the now fateful LUCCA 9, is by Lino Landolfi. An interpretation of the first comics “character” (Yellow Kid, do we still need to say it?) as a matrix for the many “heroes” who followed him and who, as Landolfi says, only needed to change sides to assert new characteristics and renew suggestions. This is the poster that LUCCA 9 dedicates to collectors (of printed strip paper, of course) who will be present on October 31st at a sensational NOSTALGIA DAY dedicated to them under the spotlight of an attention that everyone already knows is cosmopolitan. It will not be difficult for connoisseurs and scholars to discover the great heroes of comics from all over the world under the guise of so many “Kids”. At LUCCA 9 this fun research will be done alongside the most celebrated authors of “cartooning”. Have fun!
thephantom.fan 