Biography of Dylan Dog

Profession: inquiring of the nightmare

October 26, 1986
In 1985
Tiziano Sclavi told his publisher Sergio Bonelli (son of the great Gianluigi): "in addition to science fiction, other series of 1986 may be the horror ... in my opinion it's worth trying." A couple of months to finalize the project: early Sclavi thought a detective "black", a little chandleriano, no shoulders comic, set in New York. The discussions (animated) with Ballard were crucial: London, a young light-hearted, with one shoulder comicissima. To Claudio Villa was asked to put a face to Dylan Dog (the name had to be temporary). A month before Sclavi had seen "Another Country," with Rupert Everett, being impressed by the actor's face "comic", giving for the task the designer of relying on the face of the actor for the hero. With regard to the comedic Sidekick, you thought of Marty Feldman, but drew was more monstrous monsters was to fight the main character, so they opted for Groucho, Groucho Marx lookalike. In September were ready the first three stories; covers made of evidence both Villa that are more traditional and Villa Bonelli was preferred (the number 42 will change). 26 October 1986: appears on number 1, "dawn of the dead". A few days after the petrol station called: "the roll is dead on newsstands, a fiasco". The news was kept in Sclavi until a week later, the dealer phoned again: "it's a boom, virtually exhausted, maybe we should reprint it".
Today, over 20 years later, Dylan Dog sale surpassed stars like Mister No and Zagor, coming in second place after the myth Tex. Real phenomenon, the inquiring of the nightmare is enjoyed by all age groups, not just among young people, as you would expect from a comic book. Umberto Eco called it "authoritative"; He was quoted in "Corriere della Sera" by the philosopher Julius Giorello, who, to console himself by a meager literary season, invited readers to engage in Dylan Dog. In the traditionally male world of Italian comic another important novelty is the growing interest and growing female audience. The burgeoning series has required the Bonelli of fuoriserie: the "summer Special", the series of "Dylan Dog & Martin mystery", and "Almanacs of fear".
However, the more the register monthly, edited so maniacal Sclavi himself, whose dream was to create in Italy the first "comic strip" which was also popular, a large print run. Broadly speaking, the character reflects the complex character of its creator (by his own admission): a closed character, difficult and shady. Dylan Dog is a private detective who only deals with "unusual" cases, in all the nuances of the term. It has just over 30 years, living in London in a house full of monstrous and gadgets with a Bell that instead of the classic sound launches a bloodcurdling scream.
Former agent of Scotland Yard, has a mysterious past. His clients are all particulars, and all United by the fact that no one believes their events, except Dylan Dog himself, the only one able to listen to them and help them. It is not a classical meaning of the term hero: afraid, very often resolves cases partially, is contradictory, always has doubts about himself and the world, although this is always ready to jump into the unknown, hoping to understand it thoroughly. She loves music and playing the clarinet ("the Devil's trill" by Tartini), doesn't smoke, doesn't drink (though it is a recovering alcoholic), vegetarian, animal rights and environmentalist, an advocate of non-violence. All traits of character that, along with darker ones, impose the vision of a man, in short, steep difficulty with most of the world, but especially with himself, incapable of having a stable relationship with a woman or establish a social relationship satisfactory but with the strength to move on to the right path, comforted by his old friendships than Scotland Yard Inspector Bloch, and from that of his hare-brained Assistant, real comic Sidekick, an expert in launching the gun, and even more in chilling and terrible puns, jokes that very often you administer to clients of his boss, causing them to flee.
Cultural phenomenon, we said. Yes, no doubt (Dylan Dog also has "participated" in many campaigns against drug and alcohol abuse) but also alter-ego of its creator, who succeeded really in enterprise to make a comic strip, it's not just for kids, but he can make you think and reflect on the day, and especially to win, with its million copies sold per month , the excessive power of Japanese manga. After years in which he spoke, finally in 2011 goes to the movies "Dylan Dog: the movie" (Dylan Dog: Dead of Night) feature film directed by Kevin Munroe where the figure protagonist is played by Brandon Routh.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.