Lucca Comics & Games 2024 Presents The Butterfly Effect: Act II – Crescendo 30 October – 3rd November

Squid Game 2, Agatha All Along, Wicked at LC&G

Special celebrations for the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons

40th anniversary of Tetris

Wednesday, 25th September 2024, Milan, Italy: Today, Lucca Comics and Games 2024 are delighted to announce the launch of their second poster from their The Butterfly Effect themed artwork, as well as a host of new announcements.

Lucca Comics and Games 2024’s second poster, CRESCENDO, is inspired by Madame Butterfly, and portrays a figure dressed in white, surrounded by butterflies, flying into the night sky, towards the moon, in a crescendo of colours and emotions. A tribute to Giacomo Puccini, The Butterfly Effect is divided into three acts, designed by the world famous Japanese artist, Sensei Yoshitaka Amano. The first image, which was released in June, OUVERTURE, was dedicated to Tosca.

HOMAGE TO PUCCINI

To continue the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of Puccini’s death, on the first evening of LC&G, 30th Oct, the brand new show Concerto a due per Puccini will be held: an unpublished bio-piece on the great Italian composer, produced by Teatro del Giglio of Lucca in collaboration with Lucca Comics & Games. The work provides a portrait of the man and the artist created by Francesco Niccolini, the Tuscan playwright, and brought to life by Italian actor Alessio Boni. Alessandro Quarta, the great composer and violinist, author of the original music, will also be on stage. illustrations of Sensei Yoshitaka Amano, author of the three posters for Lucca Comics & Games 2024 in homage to Giacomo Puccini will form the opera’s scenography.

MOVIES

Cinema and TV meet at Lucca Comics & Games in the Movie area curated by QMI, which will offer the public of the community event highly anticipated previews of films and series, as well as exclusive meetings with the stars, special screenings and unmissable events.

Netflix returns to Lucca Comics & Games with a series of unmissable events, starting in Piazza Anfiteatro, where the pavilion and exclusive store dedicated to Squid Gamewill come to life, fans will be able to immerse themselves in the most popular series on Netflix to date, more than two years after its release.

A special event is set for October 31st, when the creator, writer and director Hwang Dong-Hyuk and the stars Lee Jung-Jae and Wi Ha-Jun will be in Lucca to meet fans and reveal to the world details of the highly anticipated second season of Squid Game, which will be available only on Netflix from 26 December. During the event there will also be other surprises to discover throughout the city, starting with the iconic doll that will dominate Piazza San Michele.

Disney+ also returns to Lucca with the live action series Marvel Television Agatha All Along. On Wednesday 30 October at 6:00 pm at the Astra cinema, the public will be able to preview the last two episodes of the series centred on Kathryn Hahn’s character, Agatha Harkness, from the acclaimed Marvel Studios series WandaVision, who embarks on a dangerous and mysterious adventure full of challenges and obstacles.

Universal Pictures will welcome fans to an exclusive space dedicated to Wicked, one of the most anticipated titles of the season, with a pavilion where they will be able to enjoy an unmissable experience with costumes from the film and other surprises.

Prime Video will be present in Lucca with two events dedicated to two highly anticipated titles for the next season. The first appointment – on November 1st – will be dedicated to Citadel: Diana, a new Italian series from the world of Citadel, with the participation of Matilda De Angelis, Filippo Nigro and Lorenzo Cervasio. For animation enthusiasts, the unmissable appointment – on November 3rd – is with Hazbin Hotel, the animated musical dark comedy, created by Vivienne Medrano, which will see the Italian voices in Lucca, Rossa Caputo, Riccardo Suarez, Gabriele Patriarca, Edoardo Stoppacciaro.

Crunchyroll returns to Lucca Comics & Games with a dedicated pavilion where fans will be able to experience games and activities, music and dance sessions and have the chance to win unmissable prizes. In addition to the exhibition space, Crunchyroll will present a panel with highly anticipated new programs arriving on the platform with surprise guests, as well as exclusive screenings.

Toei Animation Europe returns to Lucca Comics & Games 2024 with many guests and initiatives. At Caffè delle Mura this year too there will be the One Piece stand, celebrating 25 years. Guests Tatsuya Nagamine and Kenji Yokoyama will be present for screenings, panels and more. PreCure returns with the screening of the film Wonderful Precure!, Producer Aki Murase and an exhibition on the franchise. It is also the 25th anniversary of Digimon, who will also present a screening, exhibition and with the producer Yu Kaminoki. Also coming soon is Dragon Ball Daima with the first 3 episodes of the series that will be screened in theatres for the first time in the original version with Italian subtitles, and many other surprises for Dragon Ball fans.

FOUR DOCUMENTARIES ON THE COMMUNITY OF LUCCA C&G – Ahead of its 60th Anniversary in 2026, Lucca Comics & Games presents a one-of-a-kind project created together with I Wonder Pictures, an independent film distribution company. During the 2024 edition, filming will begin on the first of four documentaries that will tell the story of the universe and community of Lucca Comics & Games. The four films will hit theatres over the next four years, distributed by I Wonder Pictures and subsequently on the IWONDERFULL platform.

NEW FOR 2024, THE HORROR NIGHTS – For thrill-seekers, QMI is also launching a great new feature for this edition, The Horror Nights of Lucca Comics & Games, four evenings from 30 October to 2 November introduced by director Roberto De Feo with a selection of genre gems. Among the films scheduled: Longlegs by Osgood Perkins (Be Water Film in collaboration with Medusa Film), The Substance by Coralie Fargeat (I Wonder Pictures), Demoni in the presence of the director Lamberto Bava and The Primevals (Minerva Pictures together with Bizzarro Movies).

THE BIG PREVIEWS

Lucky Red‘s Hayao Miyazaki and The Heron, a documentary by the director Kaku Arakawa dedicated to the great master.
A new Looney Tunes film – More information to come!
The Visual Effects of Naples – New York, documentary by Stefano Germinal and Manuel De Pandis which explores the work behind the incredible effects of Naples – New York.Gabriele Salvatores and Victor Perez will meet the fans
Flow – an animated masterpiece that enchanted the Cannes Film Festival soon to be launched by Teodora films will also be shown.
Prophecy, the new film by Brandon Box inspired by the famous Japanese manga written and illustrated by Tetsuya Tsutsui and published by J-POP Manga, which brings the gripping story of Paperboy to the big screen.
2025 Armageddon by Michael Su, distributed digitally by Minerva Pictures and presented in collaboration with Full Action, a film set in a dystopian future in which the Earth is devastated by a global catastrophe.

FANTASY

BIG NAMES AND UNMISSABLE ANNIVERSARIES – After the already announced R.L. Stine, author of Goosebumps, Stuart Turton and Felicia Kingsley, the panorama of fantasy literature and illustration expands and welcomes to Lucca Comics & Games big names of the international scene and promising debuts renowned anniversaries and exhibitions that explore from the most classic Fantasy Art to the acid neon hues of Cyberpunk up to the horrors that hide in the human soul.

GAMES

TRIBUTES, DOCUMENTARIES AND EXHIBITIONS CELEBRATE 50 YEARS OF D&D- Fifty years have passed since, in January 1974, the imagination of David Lance “Dave” Arneson and the systematic thinking of Gary Gygax gave birth to the publication of Dungeons & Dragons, making the idea of collectively telling a story in which players can take on the roles of heroes and protagonists possible for the first time. A cultural revolution in interactive storytelling that has had a decisive influence on popular culture.

To celebrate this anniversary, Lucca Comics & Games will dedicate two unique tributes to Dungeons & Dragons. The Koder Collection will be exhibited with original masterpieces by Larry Elmore, Jeff Easley, Clyde Caldwell, Keith Parkinson, Brom, Todd Lockwood, in an exhibition unique in the whole world: “Gateway to Adventure: 50 Years of D&D Art”. It will be curated by Jon Peterson, one of the most important historians of the game and by Jessica Lee Patterson, an art historian who has been working on cataloguing the collection since 2022, the two will be present at the festival. The exhibition will be hosted at the extraordinary Chiesa dei Servi, redesigned to accommodate an editorial and artistic journey that also leaves a lot of space for the experience and the game play. To leave a permanent trace in the city, the city of Lucca will permanently name the dungeon of the San Paolino bastion after Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, creators of Dungeons & Dragons.

Jeremy Crawford, lead rules designer of Dungeons & Dragons and lead designer of the new 2024 Player’s Handbook, will be in Lucca to talk about the present and future of the first and longest-running role-playing game. The Dungeons & Dragons stand will be also located at the San Paolino bastion where fans will meet some of the artists who have signed the recent history of D&D with their works. The basement will be used as a gaming area, where you can participate in Dungeons & Dragons sessions with famous content creators.

Francesco Lancia, accompanied by new special guests, will be the star of the Dungeons & Deejay Lucca Comics & Games Special Edition show. Lancia will also host a new edition of RPG Night Live, in which a new adventure set in Lucca will be played with special guests such as Zoltar, Camihawke and Barbascura X. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the most famous role-playing game, Rai Cultura and Rai4 will dedicate a special episode of the magazine to D&D entitled Wonderland: In the Dragon’s Den – 50 Years of Dungeons & Dragons. Written by Andrea Fornasiero and directed by Giuseppe Bucchi, the special, in the form of a documentary with numerous nationally and internationally famous interviewees, is structured on a double register and a double story.

At the center of the narration is the history of Dungeons & Dragons : from its genesis to the latest versions and the success of Baldur’s Gate III, the videogame derived from the game. A special aimed at demonstrating the essence of the game itself with sections framed by scenes from a game of Dungeons & Dragons played by Italian actors, writers and artists. In the Dragon’s Den will be previewed during the 2024 edition of Lucca Comics & Games, the special will then be broadcast on Rai4 on Monday 4 November and immediately available on RaiPlay. Rai is the main media partner of Lucca Comics & Games and like last year, Rai Cultura will tell the story of the five days of the most important “community event” in Europe with a daily spin-off of Wonderland.

VIDEOGAME

THE BEST FROM THE MAJOR VIDEOGAME PLAYERS – With a stand dedicated to the new video game Assassin’s Creed Shadows, out on November 15, Ubisoft returns to Lucca Comics & Games 2024. A recurring presence at the Lucca fair, Assassin’s Creed will catapult fans into feudal Japan to surprise and entertain them with multiple activities and a special collaboration with Red Bull.

Bandai Namco and BANDAI SPIRITS will be making with a grand return to the Palestra Ducale Maria Luisa (home of the 2023 edition), where fans will be able to have their own meeting point and contact with the company in over 400 square meters dedicated to 360-degree entertainment. On the video game side, Bandai Namco will bring Little Nightmares III (due for release in 2025) to Italy for the first time and as a preview, giving fans the chance to try it out first-hand. Released just a few days ago, the other large area will be dedicated to DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO, which marks the return of the Budokai Tenkaichi!! series after more than 15 years. The Banpresto, Gunpla, Ichiban Kuji, Gashapon areas will also be present. Last but not least, the company’s official stores will also be there to buy video games, figurines, collectibles and much more.

Nintendo returns within the walls of Lucca Comics & Games. The most recent exclusives released on Nintendo Switch and many activities and surprises will liven up the monographic stand located as per tradition in Piazza Bernardini every day. A big new feature this year will be the presence, in the same square, of the first Italian Nintendo Pop-Up Store, full of exclusive themed gadgets and accessories, unmissable for all fans. In addition, the fun will continue throughout the city with a special area dedicated to the Pikmin saga, set up in the Giardino degli Osservanti, and the opportunity to visit, on October 30th, the official The Legend of Zelda train of the Trenitalia Regionale.

Riot Games is also returning for the 2024 edition in what is now the Italian headquarters of its community: The Riot Stadium in collaboration with PG Esport. Many activities are scheduled, including the finals of the VALORANT Italy-vs-Spain Console Tournament, the Watch Parties dedicated to the League of Legends WORLDS 2024 Finals, the unmissable final of the Cosplay Grand Tour, which will crown the best Italian Riot Games cosplayer and many other activities related to the Riot universe that will be announced soon.

A special surprise for all fans, Fortiche Productions will be in Lucca. On the occasion of the imminent release of Arcane: Season 2, the highly anticipated final chapter of the beloved series inspired by League of Legends, the French animation studio will bring Martial Andrè, Animation Supervisor, to the festival for a series of activities dedicated to the TV show that will be revealed soon.

For fans of Fallout 76, the post-apocalyptic video game by Bethesda Game Studios, there will be a large parade on 1st November, with all the most iconic characters impersonated by professional cosplayers or enthusiasts. During the parade, personalised gadgets will be given away and at the end, everyone will have the opportunity to take a photo with the participants and receive a ticket for a themed lottery with prizes drawn on the video game’s social media the following week.

Lucca Comics & Games is pleased to welcome some of the main creative minds behind the critically acclaimed Baldur’s Gate III. Jason Latino, cinematic director, Joachim Vleminckx, art director, and Borislav Slavov, music composer, guests of the festival, will share with the people of Lucca background, curiosities and insights into the birth and development of one of the most beloved titles of recent years.

Having entered the hearts of millions of players thanks to Broken Sword, Charles Cecilwill be in Lucca to retrace with fans some of the fundamental stages that led to the birth of the graphic adventure par excellence, capable of still fascinating the collective imagination today. Originally published in 1996 and since then acclaimed as one of the greatest point and click works of all time, Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templarsreturns in style with the Reforged Collector’s Edition, ready to relive emotions never forgotten.

40 YEARS OF TETRIS – In 1984, Alexey L. Pajitnov, a programmer at the Moscow Academy of Sciences and a great lover of puzzle games, introduced the world to what would become a true universal phenomenon: Tetris. One of the most iconic and beloved video games of all time, with hundreds of millions of copies sold on over 50 platforms, Tetris continues to enthuse fans of all ages around the world. Alexey L. Pajitnov, creator of Tetris, and Henk B. Rogers, co-founder of The Tetris Company, will discuss the history of the game, its impact on pop culture and will share their thoughts on the direction the brand is taking with Lucca Comics & Games attendees. The celebrations for Tetris’ birthday will continue during the Matera Film Festival, with which Lucca Comics & Games is happy to announce an extraordinary multi-year collaboration characterized by transmediality and attention to new and renewed languages. Scheduled from November 3 to 10, the film festival will see the participation of Henk Rogers, among the guests of its fifth edition.

COMICS

The Comics area occupies the city centre and continues to introduce visitors to all the nuances of the Ninth Art. A universe that continues to expand not only within the city walls, but embracing four continents, with international publishers spanning the globe. There will be 82 Italian and foreign publishers spanning four Continents present at Lucca Comics & Games, for an edition that sees the record of mangaka and Asian guests, with twelve authors from Japan, four from Taiwan, three from China and three from South Korea.

CLOUDS AND INK FROM THE EAST – Gou Tanabe (J-POP Manga), Yuto Tsukudaand Shun Saeki (Planet Manga), Akane Torikai (Dynit Mang), Usamaru Furuya(Coconino Press), Shintaro Kago (Hollow Press), Atsushi Kamijo (SaldaPress), Kyoutarou, Azuma (artist of the adrenaline-filled Tenkaichi!! and the epic Versus , published by Star Comics), Baron Yoshimoto (manga dean, exponent of gekiga and among the guests of Coconino Press), Yamada Sansuke (which closes the trio of mangaka brought by Coconino Press), Asagi Yaenaga (horror author of Enki, published by Hollow Press) and Miyako Cojima (the artist who intertwines horror with beauty brought by Hikari ) will be in attendance from Japan.
From China, Liang Azha (author of All of You among other titles And Checkmate! ) and ChenXi (creator of Of Machines and Beast, which has more than 1.8 billion views on the KuaiKan Comics platform) – both brought by Jundo – and Yi Yang (who has been living in Italy for over ten years and who created a secret thematic stand brought to Lucca by his publisher BAO Publishing).
From South Korea, Paskim (author of Lost in the Cloud at her first international appearance with Jundo ) will be in Lucca, Keum Suk Gendry-Kim (author of The Naked Tree published by BAO Publishing) and Kim Myeongmi (very well known to the general public for What’s wrong with Secretary Kim?, in Italy with ReNoir Comics).
Thanks to the collaboration between Toshokan and Dala Publishing, Lucca Comics & Games will also welcome a large representation of the Taiwanese comics world composed of Ruan Guang-min (The Corner Store , Railway Sonata), HOM (Priceless) and Ding Pao-Yen (Console, 2073 previewed in Lucca) and also Monday Recover(whose works are still unpublished in Italy).

AROUND THE WORLD IN 25 ARTISTS – Brice Cossu, Alexis Sentenac and Xavier Dorison (BD Editions and J-POP Manga with the volume Goldrake, the official sequel to the iconic series by Gō Nagai), Georges Ramaïoli arrive in Lucca from France (Zululand, Segni d’Autore), Laurent Hopman and Renaud Roche (BAO Publishing, in Lucca with the Star Wars universe in Le guerre di Lucas), Frédéric Pillot, specialised in children’s works (Logos Edizioni).

Franco-Belgian comics enthusiasts will also have the opportunity to explore Lee’s stand Humanoids associés and discover the publisher’s fundamental contribution to the world of comics with the exhibition dedicated to his magazine Métal Hurlant. Directly from Great Britain comes the father/son duo formed by Sean and Jacob Phillips (SaldaPress) and Zoe Thorogood (All Alone at the Center of the Earth, BAO Publishing).
The American and Canadian team is also enriched with new elements such as Scott Snyder (guest in collaboration with Star Comics and SaldaPress), Tula Lotay (Star Comics) and Kazu Kibuishi (The Beaver) with his exhibition at Palazzo Ducale.
In addition to Peach Momoko (born in Japan and working in American comics for over a decade, winner of an Eisner Award), Panini Comics will bring to Lucca a true superstar of the world of screenwriting, Jeph Loeb (author of Batman: The Long Halloween, Batman: Hush). And again, Daniel Clowes (Coconino Press); Sweeney Boo (Edizioni BD), Craig Thompson (Rizzoli- Lizard), Dustin Nguyen (BAO Publishing) and SkottieYoung (in preview with Ain’t no serious).

The Venezuelan Jorge Corona will come to Italy from South America, like the Argentine Carlos Barocelli, who will be present at the festival with Il Passeggero dell’U-977 (Edizioni Segni d’Autore). The journey continues touching the coasts of North Africa with the three artist-activists Takoua Ben Mohamed (Beccogiallo), Zainab Fasiki (001 Edizioni) and Deena Mohamed (Coconino Press) who will be at the center of the already announced exhibition at Palazzo Ducale Kalimatuna: le nostre parole di libertà.

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