Lucca Comics & Games is an annual

comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...

and

gaming convention A gaming convention is a gathering centered on role-playing games, collectible card games, miniatures wargames, board games, video games, or other types of games. These conventions are typically two or three days long, and often held at either a u ...

in Lucca, Italy, traditionally held at the end of October, in conjunction with

All Saints' Day All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the saints of the church, whether they are know ...

. It is the largest

comics a medium used to express ideas with images, often combined with text or other visual information. It typically the form of a sequence of panels of images. Textual devices such as speech balloons, captions, and onomatopoeia can indicate ...

festival in

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

, and the second biggest in the world after the

Comiket , more commonly known as or , is a semiannual ''doujinshi'' convention in Tokyo, Japan. A grassroots market focused on the sale of '' doujin'' (self-published) works, Comiket is a not-for-profit fan convention administered by the volunteer-ru ...

History

The Salone Internazionale del Comics ("International Congress of Comics") was launched by a Franco-Italian partnership, consisting of Italians Rinaldo Traini and Romano Calisi and Frenchman (forming the International Congress of Cartoonists and Animators) in 1965 in

Bordighera Bordighera (; lij, A Bordighea, locally ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Province of Imperia, Liguria (Italy). Geography Bordighera is located from the land border between Italy and France, and it is possible to see the French coast with a nak ...

. In 1966, it moved to a small piazza in the center of Lucca, and grew in size and importance over the years. Funding issues reduced the frequency of the festival to every two years, beginning in 1977. In the 1980s, the festival was moved to a sports center outside the city walls, where it remained until 1992, when it was moved to another city. (Funding issues also forced the cancellation of the 1988 festival.) After the Salone internazionale del Comics ended in Lucca, city leaders launched a new convention called simply Lucca Comics that was a reprise of the old one. In 1996, it changed its name to Lucca Comics & Games. The festival attracted 50,000 attendees in 2002. Meanwhile, the Salone internazionale del Comics was held in Rome from 1995 to 2005. In 2006, for the festival's 40th anniversary, the Salone merged with Lucca Comics & Games and moved back to Lucca's city center, with numerous tents and pavilions arranged in different squares within and outside the walls of the medieval city. In 2022 the festival sold 319,926 tickets, beating the record established in 2016 when it had attracted 270,000 attendees.

Awards

Comics awards

From 1970 to 2005, the festival presented the — named in honor of

Richard F. Outcault Richard Felton Outcault (; January 14, 1863 – September 25, 1928) was an American cartoonist. He was the creator of the series ''The Yellow Kid'' and ''Buster Brown'' and is considered a key pioneer of the modern comic strip. Life and career ...

's seminal comic strip character The Yellow Kid — in such categories as Best Cartoonist, Best Illustrator, Best Newcomer, Best Foreign Artist, and Lifetime Achievement. Yellow Kid Awards were also presented to publishers, both domestic and foreign. The festival also (since 1967) presents a special award called the (named after Lucca's Guinigi Tower). In 2020, as the festival redubbed itself Lucca Changes amidst a shift to virtual programming during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

, the awards shifted to a new system under the umbrella term Lucca Comics Awards, consisting of 9 categories (3 Yellow Kids, 5 Gran Guinigis, and one Stefano Beani Award named for a former festival director), "regardless of nationality, editorial format or distribution method."

Yellow Kid Award recipients

* 1970:

Johnny Hart John Lewis Hart (February 18, 1931 – April 7, 2007) was an American cartoonist noted as the creator of the comic strips '' B.C.'' and ''The Wizard of Id''. Brant Parker co-produced and illustrated ''The Wizard of Id''. Hart was recognized ...

, for Best Cartoonist of the Year — first time this award was given to an American cartoonist * 1971:

Mauricio de Sousa Mauricio Araújo de Sousa (; born October 27, 1935) is a Brazilian cartoonist and businessman who has created over 200 characters for his popular series of children's comic books named "Turma da Mônica" or "Monica's Gang (Currently known as: M ...

, for Best Cartoonist of the Year. His work, the first edition of

Monica's Gang ''Monica's Gang'' or ''Monica and Friends'' (Portuguese: ''Turma da Mônica''; British English: ''Monica & Friends'') is a Brazilian comic book series and media franchise created by Mauricio de Sousa. The series originated in a newspaper comic ...

, also won Best Publication. * 1972: ** Hergé, for "una vita per il cartooning" (lifetime award) ** ''

Tintin Tintin or Tin Tin may refer to: ''The Adventures of Tintin'' * ''The Adventures of Tintin'', a comics series by Belgian cartoonist Hergé ** Tintin (character), a fictional character in the series ** ''The Adventures of Tintin'' (film), 2011, ...

'' magazine, for Best Publication * 1973:

Guido Buzzelli Guido Buzzelli (27 July 1927 – 25 January 1992) was an Italian comic book artist, writer, illustrator and painter. Biography Buzzelli was born in Rome into a family in which his grandfather had been a decorator, his father a painter, and his m ...

, for Best Illustrator and Author * 1974:

Vaughn Bodé Vaughn may refer to: Places in the United States *Vaughn, California, former name of Bodfish, California *Vaughn, Montana * Vaughn, New Mexico * Vaughn, Oregon * Vaughn, Pennsylvania * Vaughn, Virginia * Vaughn, Washington Name *Vaughn (surname) ...

* 1975: ** Jean Giraud, for Best Foreign Artist **

Dan O'Neill Dan O'Neill (born April 21, 1942) is an American underground cartoonist, creator of the syndicated comic strip ''Odd Bodkins'' and founder of the underground comics collective the Air Pirates. Education O'Neill attended the University of Sa ...

Frank Hampson Frank Hampson (21 December 1918 – 8 July 1985) was a British illustrator. He is best known as the creator and artist of Dan Dare and other characters in the boys' comic, the ''Eagle'', to which he contributed from 1950 to 1961. Biogra ...

, declared ''Prestigioso Maestro'' and the best writer and artist of strip cartoons since the end of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

* 1977:

Fred Fred may refer to: People * Fred (name), including a list of people and characters with the name Mononym * Fred (cartoonist) (1931–2013), pen name of Fred Othon Aristidès, French * Fred (footballer, born 1949) (1949–2022), Frederico Ro ...

* 1978: **

Bobby London Robert "Bobby" London (born June 29, 1950) is an American underground comix and mainstream comics artist. His style evokes the work of early American cartoonists like George Herriman and Elzie Crisler Segar. Biography As a child, London was "pen ...

, Best Artist-Writer ** Milo Manara **

Carlos Trillo Carlos Trillo (May 1, 1943 – May 8, 2011) was an Argentine comic book writer, best known for writing the '' Cybersix'' comics. Biography Born in Buenos Aires, Trillo began a prolific career as writer at the age of 20, penning his first story fo ...

, for Best International Author *1980: **

Didier Comès Didier Comès (11 December 1942 – 7 March 2013) was a Belgian comics artist, best known for his graphic novels published in the magazine ''(À Suivre)''. Biography Didier Comès was born as Dieter Hermann Comès in Sourbrodt in 1942.De ...

, for Best Foreign Artist ** Jean Giraud, for Best Foreign Author **

Frank Margerin Frank Margerin (born 9 January 1952, in Paris) is a Franco-Belgian comics, French author and illustrator of comics. Biography After lycée, secondary school, Margerin went to a school of applied art, where he met Denis Sire. He joined Sire's ba ...

* 1982: Art Spiegelman, for Best Foreign Author * 1983: ** Gilbert Hernandez ** Jaime Hernandez * 1984:

Strip Art Features Strip Art Features (SAF) is a comic-book publishing house and rights agent currently based in Celje, Slovenia. SAF was founded by comic book author and publisher Ervin Rustemagić in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1972. The company is known t ...

, for Best Foreign Comics Publisher * 1986: Bill Sienkiewicz, for "bridging the gap between American and European artistic sensibilities" * 1990: **

Neil Gaiman Neil Richard MacKinnon GaimanBorn as Neil Richard Gaiman, with "MacKinnon" added on the occasion of his marriage to Amanda Palmer. ; ( Neil Richard Gaiman; born 10 November 1960) is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, gr ...

Massimo Rotundo Massimo Rotundo (born 11 April 1955) is an Italian comics artist. Biography After attending the Academy of Fine Arts in his native city, Rome, Rotundo made his debut as comics artist in 1978 in collaboration with Eura Editoriale. Later he worked ...

, for Best Italian Comics Artist ** Leonardo Ortolani, for Best Newcomer * 1993: ** John ByrneOriga, Graziano. "Lucca Exhibition is Un Grande Successo: Yellow Kid Awards for John Byrne, François Boucq, Frank Thomas, and Ollie Johnston", ''The Comics Journal'' #156 (Feb. 1993), p. 41. **

François Boucq François Boucq (; born 28 November 1955 in Lille), is a French comic book artist. He is most famous for his Surrealism, surreal comics revolving around the main character . Career Boucq published cartoons in magazines like ''Le Point'' or ''L'E ...

** Frank Thomas ** Ollie Johnston * 1998:

Paul Gillon Paul Gillon (11 May 1926 – 21 May 2011) was a French comics artist. He won the 1982 Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême. Born in Paris, he considered fashion, theater and cinema, and only by accident made a career as a comics author. In the maga ...

* 1999: Jeff Smith, Best Author

Gran Guinigi recipients

* 1969: Hugo Pratt, for ''Una ballata del mare salato'' * 1975:

for ''The Penny-Ante Republican'' * 1978:

* 1986: Bill Sienkiewicz * 1990:

* 2001:

Aldo Di Gennaro Aldo may refer to: * Aldo (given name), male given name ** Aldo (footballer, born 1977) ** Aldo (footballer, born 1988) * Aldo Group, a worldwide chain of shoe stores * Aldosterone in shorthand * Aldo Bonzi Aldo Bonzi is a town in La Mata ...

* 2005:

Grazia Nidasio Grazia Nidasio (9 February 1931 – 25 December 2018) was an Italian comic artist and illustrator. Life and career Born in Milan, Nidasio graduated from the Liceo scientifico in her hometown and later from the Brera Academy. In the 1950s she sta ...

* 2006:

Gino D'Antonio Gino may refer to: * Gino (given name) * Gino (surname) * ''Gino'' (film), a 1993 Australian film * ''Gino the Chicken'', Italian TV series See also * *Geno (disambiguation) *Gino's (disambiguation), various restaurants and fast-food chains *Gi ...

* 2007:

Sergio Toppi Sergio Toppi (11 October 1932, Milan – 21 August 2012, Milan)Vittorio Giardino * 2009: Robert Crumb * 2010:

Jirō Taniguchi was a Japanese manga writer/artist. His works belong to the gekiga, or "dramatic pictures", genre of manga. In France he was knighted a Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2011. Career Taniguchi began his career as an assista ...

* 2011:

Enrique Breccia Enrique Breccia (born 1945) is an Argentine comic book artist and writer. Biography Enrique Breccia, the son of noted comic artist Alberto Breccia, drew his first work in 1968, when together with his father illustrated '' Vida del Che'' ("Life ...

* 2012: Hermann Huppen * 2013:

Silver Silver is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European wikt:Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/h₂erǵ-, ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, whi ...

(Guido Silvestri) * 2014:

Gipi Gianni Pacinotti, better known by the pseudonym of Gipi, is an Italian cartoonist, filmmaker, and author. Biography Born in Pisa in 1963, he began his career illustrating for the publishing and advertising industries. He began illustrating storie ...

* 2015:

Alfredo Castelli Alfredo Castelli (born 26 June 1947) is an Italian comic book artist and writer. Biography Born in Milan, Castelli began his comic book career at an early age, creating the strip '' Scheletrino'', a humor series for Italian comic book ''Diabolik' ...

* 2016:

Albert Uderzo Alberto Aleandro Uderzo (; ; 25 April 1927 – 24 March 2020), better known as Albert Uderzo, was a French comic book artist and scriptwriter. He is best known as the co-creator and illustrator of the ''Astérix'' series in collaboration with Re ...

* 2017: José Muñoz * 2018:

Leiji Matsumoto is a Japanese mangaka, creator of several anime and manga series. His wife Miyako Maki is also a manga artist. Early life Matsumoto was the middle child of a family of seven brothers, and, in his early childhood, Matsumoto was given a 35m ...

* 2019:

Chris Claremont Christopher S. Claremont (; born November 25, 1950) is a British-born American comic book writer and novelist, known for his 17-year stint on ''Uncanny X-Men'' from 1975 to 1991, far longer than that of any other writer,Claremont, Chris. ''Marvel ...

Games awards

* 1999:

Murat CELEBI Murat may refer to: Places Australia * Murat Bay, a bay in South Australia * Murat Marine Park, a marine protected area France * Murat, Allier, a commune in the department of Allier * Murat, Cantal, a commune in the department of Cantal Elsewhe ...

's kirmish miniature game ''[CONFRONTATION', for Best of Show. * 2002: Emiliano Sciarra">ONFRONTATION.html" ;"title="kirmish miniature game ''[CONFRONTATION">kirmish miniature game ''[CONFRONTATION', for Best of Show. * 2002: Emiliano Sciarra's Wild West-themed card game ''Bang! (card game), Bang!'', for Best of Show * 2003: ''Sine Requie'', for Best Italian Game * 2004: Helena Bulaja's ''Priče iz davnine'' ("''Croatian Tales of Long Ago''"), for Best Multimedia Award * 2010: ** '' 7 Wonders'', for Best Card Game ** ''Eden: the Deceit'', Side Award for Best Game Mechanics * 2011: **

Vincent Baker David Vincent Baker is a designer of tabletop role playing games and the owner of Lumpley Games which also hosts the archives of The Forge. His most notable games are ''Dogs in the Vineyard'' and '' Apocalypse World''. ''Dogs in the Vineyard' ...

's ''

Apocalypse World ''Apocalypse World'' is a post-apocalyptic roleplaying game by D. Vincent Baker and Meguey Baker, published in 2010 with only an implied setting that is fleshed out by the players in the course of character creation. It was the game for which th ...

'', for RPG of the Year ** ''

Twilight Struggle ''Twilight Struggle: The Cold War, 1945–1989'' is a board game for two players, published by GMT Games in 2005. Players are the United States and Soviet Union contesting each other's influence on the world map by using cards that correspond to ...

'', for Best of Show in Boardgame for Experts

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lucca Comics and Games Comics conventions Gaming conventions Multigenre conventions Lucca Tourist attractions in Tuscany Recurring events established in 1965 1965 establishments in Italy