Lucca 2026: Passing the Torch to a New Generation of Creators

Lucca Comics & Games is swinging for the fences with its 60th-anniversary celebration in 2026, and it all starts with a poster that's pure genius. Legendary Italian artist Claudio Castellini, whose career literally began the same year as Lucca, crafted a "meta-poster" for the Diamond Anniversary. It's a rich tapestry of past festival icons, all leading to a symbolic moment: a giant superhero placing a pencil in the hand of a young girl. This isn't just an inheritance; it's a call to action. Castellini underscored the theme by personally passing his pencil to ten-year-old French prodigy Louise Stéphant, a two-time winner of the Petit Fauve at Angoulême, who will sign a variant poster. This generational passing of the torch is a powerful statement about the future of comics and pop culture.

The guest list is nothing short of an industry titans summit, spanning three continents and decades of creative impact. From Japan, manga pioneers Go Nagai (Grendizer, Mazinger Z) and Tōru Fujisawa (G.T.O. – Great Teacher Onizuka) are set to ignite the manga fandom. They're joined by Korean webtoon sensation Jung Ji-hoon (The Horizon) and Taiwanese artist Chang Sheng, who broke ground with a double Eisner nomination.

American comics royalty is well-represented. Frank Miller, a living legend known for redefining Batman: The Dark Knight Returns and Daredevil: Born Again, returns. Superstar writer Jonathan Hickman (Fantastic Four, Avengers, X-Men) makes his first Italian appearance. Peach Momoko brings her unique "Momoko-verse" interpretation of Marvel characters rooted in Japanese folklore. And "Generation Z voice" Tillie Walden, a multiple Eisner winner, brings her acclaimed graphic novels, including the upcoming Charity and Sylvia.