Dylan Dog is an Italian horror comics series created by Tiziano Sclavi and published by Sergio Bonelli Editore since 1986.

The series features the eponymous character, a paranormal investigator who takes on cases involving supernatural elements such as ghosts, demons, vampires, undeads, werewolves and other creatures, but also horrifying sociopathic criminals and serial killers. It subverts the traditional horror genre with a vein of surrealism and an anti-bourgeois rhetoric. Dylan is supported mainly by his sidekick Groucho (a Groucho Marx lookalike) who adds humour to Dylan's sombre temperament. The series is primarily set in London where the protagonist lives, though he occasionally travels elsewhere.

Dark Horse Comics has published the English version of Dylan Dog in the United States in 1999, 2002 and 2009; a new edition was published by Epicenter Comics as of 2017. Sergio Bonelli Editore also released a limited English variant edition in 2018. The series has sold over 60 million copies worldwide, and is the second best-selling comic book in Italy after the Tex series, another publication by Sergio Bonelli Editore, with over 120,000 copies sold each month.

The film Cemetery Man (original title: Dellamorte Dellamore, 1994) starring Rupert Everett, was loosely based on the comics, but its main reference was Tiziano Sclavi's novel Dellamorte Dellamore. A direct American film adaptation, Dylan Dog: Dead of Night, starring Brandon Routh, was instead released in 2011, although it was significantly different from the source material. , a television series based on the comics was also in development.

Publication history

Dylan Dog was created by Tiziano Sclavi, a comics and novel writer, while the graphic representation of the character was elaborated mainly by Angelo Stano, who was its first cover artist too, taking the inspiration from the English actor Rupert Everett, as he saw in the movie Another Country. The character was named for poet Dylan Thomas, while his surname derives from "Dog figlio di...", the Italian title of Mickey Spillane's 1972 book "Erection Set", which was the provisional name Scalvi gave to his characters during the creation phase of his books before completing them.

Dylan Dog series debuted in October 1986 with a comic book entitled "L'alba dei morti viventi" ("Dawn of the Living Dead"), plotted and scripted by Tiziano Sclavi and illustrated by Angelo Stano; it proved to be a huge publishing success in the years to come.

Another annual release was added in March 1991, L'almanacco della paura ("The Almanac of Fear"): together with Dylan Dog stories, it includes articles and curiosities about film, literature, and other topics, all related to the horror theme.

Dylan Dog maxi came out in July 1998. This was another annual release that collected together three previously unpublished stories.

Reprints

The first reprint series came out in July 1990, the second in June 1991, and the third in June 1996, this time called Collezione Book (Collection Book); in October 2006 the bi-monthly reprint Grande ristampa was released.

February 1997 saw the release of the Super Book, a tri-monthly release that reprinted the special annual issues that had come out ten years before.

Dylan Dog Color Fest

In August 2007, a new annual was released. Containing 4 new stories, the new comic book was called "Dylan Dog Color Fest" because it contained only stories full colored and not black and white like the regular series. In 2010 it became bi-annual (coming out in April and August every year). By 2016, each album would contain 3 colored stories – even though some albums also contain one individual story – and it would get published each number every three months. In November 2018, the 27th album will be released.

Dylan lives with Groucho at 7 Craven Road in a cluttered apartment with a doorbell that screams. His hobbies include playing the clarinet (he only knows to play Devil's Trill, but plays it often) and constructing a model ship which he apparently never manages to finish; he has many phobias, including claustrophobia, fear of bats and acrophobia. Dylan is also particularly susceptible to motion sickness, which is one of the reasons why he rarely travels, and anyway never by plane. Once an alcoholic, he now never drinks. He is a vegetarian and animal rights supporter. Dylan cares little for many aspects of modern life. He hates cellphones and to record his memories, he still uses a feather-pen and an inkpot. Naturally, he loves literature (poetry in particular), music (his tastes range from classical to heavy metal), and horror films. Though perpetually penniless, he does not seem to be interested in money. In fact, the usual first piece of advice he gives to numerous clients who have found themselves in his study over the years is to go to a psychiatrist or psychologist. He does not believe in coincidences.

thumb|Dr. Xabaras is Dylan Dog's worst enemy.

He is also a hopeless romantic who loves and loses a new woman in nearly every issue. In fact, in a majority of his cases, his clients are women, with whom he often has a sexual relationship.

Setting

The series is mainly set in London, where the protagonist lives, though he occasionally travels elsewhere, such as imaginary realms such as "La zona del crepuscolo" (Twilight Zone). His address is 7 Craven Road, London, in reference to director Wes Craven.

The Cafe at 7 Craven Road, Paddington, London, was renamed Cafe Dylan Dog in 2013. In 2012, the cafe offered "Dylan Dog Meal" with beef or pork included, even though Dylan himself is a vegetarian.

Supporting characters

thumb|Groucho, Dylan's assistant, on the cover of a spin-off devoted to his solo surreal adventures.

  • Inspector Bloch, Dylan's superior when he worked at Scotland Yard, remained his friend and father figure even after our hero quit the force. Bloch and Dylan often help out in each other's cases. Bloch is more rational and grounded than Dylan and often disregards supernatural explanations. He is an old but competent officer who dreams of retirement. Though Dylan causes enough trouble on his own, Bloch is also plagued by his hapless underling, Jenkins, whom he constantly threatens to sentence to a life of directing traffic. His graphic representation was inspired by English actor Robert Morley and is named for crime, horror and science fiction author Robert Bloch.
  • Groucho was a Groucho Marx impersonator whose character became his permanent personality. Now he lives and works with Dylan Dog as his professional sidekick. Like his famous namesake, Groucho enjoys cracking puns and women, though he does not share his employer's luck with the ladies. Groucho's goofy, off-beat personality helps temper Dylan's moodiness. He also reminds his boss when their finances are in dire straits (almost always), shows up with a pistol in the nick of time and throws it in Dylan's hand right on time, and makes tea. At some point in every issue Groucho makes one or two jokes that annoy Dylan and the person listening to the joke (often a client of Dylan's). An example: "...once, I had a dog which could utter its own name. It was named Woof."
  • Lord H.G Wells is an eccentric inventor who helps Dylan in some of his cases. Named after the author H. G. Wells.

Crossovers

Some crossover stories combining Dylan Dog with characters from different comics were published, including, with Martin Mystere, Mister No, Ken Parker, Nathan Never, and Dampyr.

In October 2019, DC Comics and Sergio Bonelli Editori announced a crossover series between Dylan Dog and Batman. Issue #0 of the crossover, titled "Relazioni pericolose" ("Dangerous liaisons"), script by Roberto Recchioni with art by Gigi Cavenago and Werther Dell'Edera, was published in December 2019. As well as Batman, the series heavily features John Constantine. It was published in English by DC Comics on 12 March 2024.

Cultural influence

Italian author Umberto Eco said: "I can read the Bible, Homer, or Dylan Dog for several days without being bored."

Sales

thumb|Some Dylan Dog stories re-published by [[Arnoldo Mondadori Editore]]

Dylan Dog is the second most widely sold comic book in Italy (the first one is another publication of Sergio Bonelli Editore, Tex): including both reprints and new stories, it sells over 120,000 copies each month.

English translation

American publisher Dark Horse Comics released an English translation of a selection of Dylan Dog stories in 1999. This six-issue miniseries was later completed by a one-shot released in 2002. To avoid legal complications regarding Groucho Marx's estate, the art was altered so that Groucho no longer sports the Marx brother's signature moustache, and was renamed "Felix". Every cover in the six-issue mini featured art by American comics artist Mike Mignola.

As of 2016, Epicenter Comics published a new English version of some Dylan Dog stories.

In 2018 and 2019, Sergio Bonelli Editore published a limited English variant edition. DC Comics published the Batman/Dylan Dog crossover series in March 2024.

  • Batman/Dylan Dog #2 (9 April 2024)
  • Batman/Dylan Dog #3 (4 May 2024)

Covers

The covers of the first 41 issues are by Claudio Villa, those of issues 42 to 361 were created by Angelo Stano. No. 362 had a completely white cover, therefore without an illustrator, while from issue 363 they are by Gigi Cavenago with the exception of issues no. 418-419-420 in which the front cover is by Fabrizio De Tommaso and the back cover is by Gigi Cavenago. From no. 421 the covers are entrusted to illustrators Gianluca and Raul Cestaro.

Awards

  • 2000: Nominated for the "Favourite comic" Eagle Award
  • 2008: Nominated for the "Favourite European Comics" Eagle Award
  • 2012: "Favourite European Comics" – Winner Eagle Award

Adaptations

Films

Cemetery Man

thumb|100px|[[Rupert Everett]]

In 1994 Italian director Michele Soavi directed the film Dellamorte Dellamore (known abroad as Cemetery Man or Of Death and Love), with a screenplay written by Giovanni Romoli and based on Tiziano Sclavi's similarly titled novel.

Francesco Dellamorte (his mother's surname was Dellamore) – a sort of Italian alter ego for Dylan Dog – appears for the first time in the third special issue of Dylan Dog, Orrore nero (Black Horror), released July 1989, in which he met the Nightmare Detective, but Sclavi's novel was written before the special issue.

Francesco Dellamorte also appears in a short (comic book) sequel to Orrore nero, entitled ' (Falling stars), where Dylan, Groucho, Francesco and Gnaghi are walking together during saint Lawrence's night, watching shooting stars and talking about life and death.

English actor Rupert Everett, who inspired Dylan Dog's design, Italian critics, with more connection to the original comics, were slightly kinder to the film.

The film adaptation differs significantly from the original comic series. It relocates the setting from London to New Orleans, and replaces the character of Groucho with an undead sidekick named Marcus, due to the production’s inability to obtain the rights to use the Groucho Marx name and likeness. Dylan Dog's Volkswagen Beetle is depicted as black with a white hood, the reverse of its appearance in the comics. The film adopts a lighter tone and a more action-oriented style, omitting much of the comic’s surreal atmosphere, black humor, and underlying melancholy. The protagonist is reimagined as a scientist-adventurer reminiscent of Indiana Jones, rather than the romantic loner of the original series, and his physical portrayal is that of a muscular action hero rather than the slender figure seen in the comics. In December 2022, Wan stated that the series was still in development, and that he was also working with the publishing house to find investors. On 2 June 2023, Michele Masiero, editorial director of Sergio Bonelli Editore, said that the series will be faithful to the comics, and that they were preparing the casting.

See also

  • Dylan Dog Books out of series

References

<!-- following WP:ELMAYBE to reduce bloating of the EL section, rather than add links here think about submitting them over there -->

  • Bonelli Comics
  • Dark Horse Info
  • Dylan Dog Special
  • Website Dylan Dog on TexBR
  • Tiziano Sclavi/Dylan Dog-Portrait
  • Dylan Dog, Spanish edition
  • Dylan Dog Italian edition
  • Dylan Dog Website
  • Swedish publisher Ades Media
  • List of every Italian issue on comicvine
  • List of every issue in the Dark Horse miniseries on comicvine
  • "Dylan Dog: Zed" one-shot on comicvine
  • List of every Hungarian issue on kepregenydb.hu
  • Dylan Dog Parody Italian edition