Dylan Dog
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Dylan Dog is a comic book character created by Tiziano Sclavi for the Italian publishing house Sergio Bonelli Editore, or, in English, Bonelli Comics. Dark Horse Comics has published the English version of Dylan Dog.
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The character
Dylan Dog, the penniless nightmare investigator, defies the whole preceding horror tradition with a vein of surrealism and an anti-bourgeois rhetoric. The true monsters in many of these stories are human beings. Dylan Dog's graphic representation was inspired by English actor Rupert Everett. The series is mainly set in London, where the protagonist lives, though he occasionally travels elsewhere. His clothes are one of his defining characteristics: he always dresses the same way, in a red shirt, black jacket, and blue jeans. He bought twelve identical outfits after the death of his wife Lillie Connolly on the advice of Inspector Bloch, who was his superior when he worked at Scotland Yard and remains his father figure (Dylan calls him "Old boy") even after Dylan struck out on his own to become a private investigator specializing in the supernatural. Inspector Bloch is one of the principal supporting characters in the series, together with his assistant (or rather, comic relief), Groucho, a punning double of Groucho Marx.
Dylan lives with Groucho at 7 Craven Road in a cluttered apartment with a doorbell that screams. His hobbies include playing the clarinet and constructing model ships; he has many phobias, including bats and heights (Acrophobia). Dylan is also particularly susceptible to motion sickness, which is one of the reasons why he rarely travels. Once an alcoholic, he now almost never drinks. He's also a hopeless romantic who loves and loses a new woman in nearly every issue.
Dylan Dog seems to have an Oedipus complex: many of the numerous women he pursues resemble his mother Morgana, and he dramatically collides with the shadow of his father -- Xabaras -- (Slight transformation of Abraxas) cut into two halves, which seems to allude to the ambivalence of this father figure and of Dylan's feelings for him.
Sclavi's progressive disinvolvement has left other authors the task of carrying forward character continuity. After being absent for several years, Xabaras returned in 2004.
Supporting characters
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. Bloch enjoys alcohol.
Groucho was a Groucho Marx impersonator whose character became his permanent personality. Now he lives and works with Dylan Dog as his professional sidekick. He enjoys 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 makes tea.
New issues
In October 1986, this series made its debut with Issue 1, 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. May 2003 saw the publication of Issue 200, entitled Il numero duecento (Number Two-Hundred), plotted and scripted by Paola Barbato and drawn by Bruno Brinidisi.
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).
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.
Annuals
In August 1987 a special annual release was added to the monthly series, called Numero Speciale (Special Issue), with one story longer than usual and, in addition, small extra books on various horror-related subjects.
Another annual release was added in March 1991, L'almanacco della paura (The Fear Almanac), together with the usual Dylan stories, one could also find articles and curiosities about film, literature, and other topics, all related to the horror theme.
January 1993 saw the appearance of a new annual book, the Dylan Dog Gigante (Gigantic Dylan Dog), so called because it was much larger than the montly book and because it contained more stories.
Dylan Dog maxi (Maximum Dylan Dog) came out in July 1998. This was another annual release that collected together three previously unpublished stories.
Specials
In October 1990 an irregularly numbered issue came out: Dylan Dog e Martin Mystère - Ultima Fermata: l'incubo! (Dylan Dog and Martin Mystère - Last Stop: Nightmare!). It presented an unpublished story in which the nightmare investigator teamed up with another famous Bonelli character, Martin Mystère. Alfredo Castelli and Tiziano Sclavi wrote and plotted this story, and Giovanni Freghieri did the drawings. The story had a sequel in 1992.
Covers
Claudio Villa created the covers for this series up until Issue 41 (1990), after which he was replaced by Angelo Stano. Both have also illustrated many stories.
The movie
In 1994 Italian director Michele Soavi directed the film Dellamorte dellamore (known abroad as The Cemetery Man or Of Death and Love), with a screenplay written by Giovanni Romoli and based on Tiziano Sclavi's similarly titled novel. This novel was inspired by the third special issue of Dylan Dog, Orrore nero (Black Horror), released July 1989, in which Dylan met Dellamorte, a sort of Italian alter ego.
English actor Rupert Everett played the protagonist, Francesco Dellamorte, and Italian model and actress Anna Falchi played the female lead.
Dark Horse
American publisher Dark Horse Comics has released seven English volumes of Dylan Dog -- six in 1999, and one more in 2002. In this version, Groucho becomes a cleanshaven fellow called Felix. Mike Mignola drew new covers for the 1999 releases.
Trivia
Italian author Umberto Eco has said, "I can read the Bible, Homer, or Dylan Dog for several days without being bored."
Dylan Dog was named for Dylan Thomas.
Dylan's address is Craven Road n°7, London. A reference to the director Wes Craven
Dylan's license plate number is "DYD 666."
Dylan Dog outsells Tex, Bonelli Comics' flagship series. In fact, it's the most widely sold comic book in Italy: including both reprints and new stories, it sells over a million copies each month.
Outside links
- Bonelli Comics (http://www.sergiobonellieditore.it)
- Dylan Dog Online (http://www.dylandogonline.com)
- Dark Horse Preview (http://darkhorse.com/profile/preview.php?theid=97-550&p=0)
- IMDB entry for Dellmorte dellamore (http://imdb.com/title/tt0109592/)