Lucca Comics & Games 2024
From 30 October to 3 November great guests, national and international previews, new publications, game sessions, workshops and exhibitions
Lucca Comics & Games 2024, the largest event dedicated to comics, videogames, cinema and cosplay, takes place in Lucca from 30 October to 3 November. This year's theme is a clear homage to Giacomo Puccini (whose centenary since his death falls in 2024) articulated in three acts, each represented by an image by Sensei Yoshitaka Amano. The first poster is dedicated to Tosca, the second to Madama Butterfly, and the last - which sees the light at the inauguration of Lucca Comics & Games on 30 October - to Turandot.
On the first evening of Lucca Comics & Games, 30 October, there will be the brand new show Concerto a due per Puccini: an unpublished bio-pièce on the great Italian composer, produced by the Teatro del Giglio of Lucca in collaboration with Lucca Comics & Games
The Comics area conquers the city centre and continues to accompany visitors to discover all the nuances of the Ninth Art. A universe that continues to expand not only within the city walls, but that ideally embraces four continents, with the stands of international publishers from France, the United States and Taiwan and authors arriving not only from all over Europe but also from the United States, Canada, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Argentina, Venezuela, Mexico, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia.
Lucca Comics & Games 2023Programme and guests of Lucca Comics 2024
The extensive cultural program of this edition includes dozens of offerings that bring powerful emotions to readers, who will have the chance to meet some of the most authoritative names in comics in person. Among the first events, a series of ten discussions will see Italian authors explore current challenges, visions of the future, moments of reflection and introspection, timely topics, major anniversaries, and celebrations.Highlights include:
The first 30 years of Panini Comics at Teatro del Giglio (October 30);
All My Beautiful Things Are Remade
at San Girolamo (October 30), an intimate yet public event where Fumettibrutti will ideally conclude their trilogy, now a tetralogy;
Also at San Girolamo (October 31)
The Bluest Hour: The Dawn of Italian Comics
with Valentina Gallucci (aka VAGA), Federico Pace, QuasiRosso, and SPAM, the psychic mandarin, representing a generational new wave of Italian comic talent;
Tuscany for Women
at Lucca Comics & Games in Sala Tobino (November 1), featuring Alice Milani, Rita Petruccioli, Margherita Tramutoli, Cristina Manetti (Tuscany Region), and the curators of Lucca Comics & Games, as part of the third edition of
Tuscany for Women
, which aims to raise awareness against violence towards women. This collaboration with the festival includes a collective exhibit by Alice Milani, Rita Petruccioli, and Margherita Tramutoli, where their art will reflect the annual theme that guides the entire project;
In Auditorium del Suffragio (November 1),
You Can't Say Anything Anymore: The Importance of Words in the Era of Censorship
with Fumettibrutti, Zeinab Fasiki, Emiliano Pagani, Andrea Coccia, Gianluca Costantini, Elettra Stamboulis, and Mara Famularo, curated by Marco Rizzo, discussing whether censorship still exists in the age of social media and increasingly aggressive communication, and how it limits creativity and journalism;
The Gigacircus is in Town!
at San Romano (November 1), where among humans of all kinds, laser humans, unicorns, space creatures, singing caterpillars, ducks, pandas, frogs, and plenty of dogs, you can discover the fantastic world of Sio, Dado, Fraffrog, Giacomo Bevilacqua, and all the other stars of this gigacircus;
The keynote by Sergio Bonelli Editore at Teatro del Giglio (November 2), an unmissable event-show where the publisher’s latest editorial and multimedia releases will be presented to the public;
At San Giovanni (November 2),
How Are You?
with Giacomo Bevilacqua, Francesca Torre, Sara Malucelli, and Edo Massa, where graphic novels will be discussed in a journey within ourselves, reflecting on emotions, perceptions of the world, and introspection from different points of view and sensitivities;
Valentina is Real!
also at San Giovanni (November 2), with Sergio Gerasi and the Crepax family presenting the first new story of Guido Crepax's Valentina, written and illustrated by Sergio Gerasi and set in present-day Milan;
The Wonder Around Us
at San Romano (November 2), where authors reveal the secrets of their fantastic stories and the characters that captivate and guide readers on extraordinary adventures, featuring Barbara Canepa, Florent Sacré, and Matt Dixon;
Finally,
Lucca Comics & Games: One Story, Many Stories
at San Girolamo (November 3), where fathers and daughters, mothers and sons come together to share their stories and connections born during Lucca Comics & Games, featuring Marco Rizzo, Lelio Bonaccorso, Marco Di Grazia, Pio and Marco Corveddu, Riccardo and Silena Moni, Stefano and Giulia Prodiguerra.
Tunué celebrates its 20th anniversary at Lucca Comics & Games 2024. To mark the occasion, it brings to Lucca an extraordinary lineup of international guests, starting with Gene Luen Yang, coinciding with the release of his new graphic novel A Year to Love You.
Japan Town
Returning this year to the Polo Fiere is Japan Town, Italy’s most eagerly anticipated slice of Japan, and one of the largest and most beloved areas of Lucca Comics & Games. This year, Japan Town will be even bigger, featuring over 120 exhibitors offering everything from action figures to traditional crafts, gadgets to clothing, retro video games to martial arts, and information on traveling and studying in Japan. Japan Live stage events are back, along with the coin-op area for gaming. The food area will be larger and more comfortable. There are also some exciting new additions: the Mangaka Area, featuring themed showcases for aspiring manga artists; an exhibition celebrating 50 years of Chogokin, the iconic metal robots loved by collectors worldwide, curated by Fabrizio Modina and created in collaboration with Cosmicgroup and Tamashii Nations. A special spin-off exhibition will focus on the mecha design of master Shoji Kawamori, who will be visiting Italy for the first time as a guest of Lucca Comics & Games, Cosmicgroup, and Dynit.
Lucca Comics & Games 2023Area Movie
Prime Video will be present at Lucca with two events dedicated to two highly anticipated titles for the upcoming season. The first event, on November 1, will focus on Citadel: Diana, a new Italian series from the Citadel universe, featuring appearances by Matilda De Angelis and Lorenzo Cervasio. For animation fans, an unmissable event on November 3 will showcase Hazbin Hotel, the animated musical dark comedy created by Vivienne Medrano, with Italian voice actors Rossa Caputo, Riccardo Suarez, Gabriele Patriarca, Edoardo Stoppacciaro, and a familiar radio personality in attendance.
Disney+ also returns to Lucca with the Marvel Television live-action series Agatha All Along. On Wednesday, October 30, at 6:00 p.m. at Cinema Astra, audiences will have the chance to preview the final two episodes of the series centered on Kathryn Hahn’s character, Agatha Harkness, from Marvel Studios' acclaimed WandaVision, who embarks on a perilous and mysterious adventure filled with challenges and obstacles.
Netflix returns to Lucca Comics & Games with a series of must-attend events, starting in Piazza Anfiteatro, where an exclusive pavilion and store dedicated to Squid Game will bring fans fully into the world of the show, still one of the most popular on Netflix more than two years after its release. The main event is set for October 31, when creator, writer, and director Hwang Dong-hyuk and stars Lee Jung-jae and Wi Ha-Jun will be in Lucca to meet fans and reveal global updates about the eagerly awaited second season of Squid Game, premiering exclusively on Netflix on December 26. Throughout the festival, more surprises await around the city, including the iconic doll in Piazza San Michele, challenging fans in a classic game of Red Light, Green Light.
The major previews
There will also be space for major cinematic premieres, including Lucky Red's presentations of Hayao Miyazaki and The Heron, a documentary by director Kaku Arakawa dedicated to the master filmmaker, along with a new Looney Tunes film. Additionally, The Visual Effects of Naples - New York, a documentary by Stefano Germinal and Manuel De Pandis, delves into the creative work behind the stunning visuals of Naples - New York, the new film directed by Gabriele Salvatores, produced by Paco Cinematografica with Rai Cinema, set to release in theaters on November 21 through 01 Distribution. This event will include a discussion with Gabriele Salvatores and Victor Perez. Also featured is Flow, a mesmerizing animated masterpiece that captivated the Cannes Film Festival, coming soon to theaters through Teodora Film. Prophecy, the new film by Brandon Box inspired by the popular Japanese manga written and illustrated by Tetsuya Tsutsui, published by J-POP Manga, brings Paperboy’s thrilling story to the big screen. Lastly, 2025 Armageddon by Michael Su will be digitally distributed by Minerva.
Lucca Comics 2023Games
The Carducci Pavilion will be the focal point for all board game activities. After a successful debut last year, the Games Stage returns, offering activities, presentations, and thrilling live games. Among the many presentations, fans of power metal, epic metal, and more will enjoy the German band Blind Guardian's presentation of From the Other Side, the official board game of the band.
The 2024 edition of Lucca Comics & Games will also feature the opening of the Lucca Games Café, a special surprise for fans of analog gaming. This space, featuring over 70 tables dedicated to players, will be an addition to the main pavilion at Carducci. The Lucca Games Café will host many of the classic activities tied to the gaming world, such as the Game Library, the Ruolimpiadi, the Mastering Tournament, Play with the Designer, the Boar’s Corner, Game of the Year, multi-table game sessions in collaboration with role-playing game publishers, and much more.
The LEGO Group returns to Lucca, opening its first LEGO® Certified pop-up store in partnership with Percassi. Located in Piazza San Romano, the 90-square-meter store will offer a full range of products, including the latest releases, LEGO sets dedicated to the gaming world, exclusive items from LEGO Certified Stores, and many activities for brand fans.
