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The Professor is an independent Italian comic series in the horror, thriller, and adventure genres.[1] It was created by Andrea Enrico Corbetta with contributions from various writers, artists, and editors.[1]
Overview
[edit]The narrative follows Benjamin Lowe. He is 40-years-old man of Jewish origin and he is a professor of occult sciences and esotericism at University College London whose adventures unfold in late 19th-century Victorian London.[2][3] The series includes both a historical setting and supernatural elements, with Lowe fighting monsters in a battle between good and evil.[1] The series draws strong inspiration from classic British horror cinema, especially the works of Hammer Film Productions.[2]
Publication history
[edit]The series made its debut in 2016 at the Conference Hall of Villa Devoto in Rapallo, on the occasion of the International Cartoonists Festival known as Rapallonia Comics.[4]
First series (2016–2017)
[edit]The first series, released in pocket format and distributed across Italian newsstands, consists of six issues published by Erredi Grafiche Editoriali beginning in 2016.[2][5]
Relaunch and second series (2021–)
[edit]In 2020, the project was relaunched via a crowdfunding campaign started on the Facebook group with the slogan "The Professor wants you!".[6]
The second series, which began with "Nistarim", is structured as a trilogy and inspired by the Franco-Belgian comics format. It features radical changes compared to the newsstand series, starting from the 30x21 cm format and the French-style page layout grid, up to the partial reboot of the character.[3] The publication began in 2021 and the stories from this series have also appeared in the weekly magazine Lanciostory, a weekly comic book magazine founded in 1975.[3][7]
Characters
[edit]The character was initially conceived by Corbetta, in 1995 but was not fully realized until over twenty years later. Initially inspired by Van Helsing (Dracula's antagonist), the character was influenced/contaminated by figures such as Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who.[1][4] The protagonist's appearance is deliberately modeled on the actor Peter Cushing, noted both for his Hammer films and his portrayal of Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars.[6]
Production
[edit]The series has involved numerous artists.[4] Illustrators include Andrea Cuneo, Paolo d'Antonio, Germano Giorgiani, Riccardo Innocenti, and Francesco Mobili. Writers include Cristiana Astori, Giulia De Carlo, Roberto Leoni, Carlo A. Martigli, and Giancarlo Marzano.[1]
Since 2017, veteran comic writer and editor Roberto Leoni has served as a leading figure in the creative direction of the project.[3]
Issues
[edit]First series (2016–2017)
[edit]Six standalone stories[6] forming part of a larger narrative arc.
| No. | Title | Year | Creative Direction | Writer(s) | Artist(s) | Cover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | — | 2016 | Andrea Corbetta | Giancarlo Marzano | Andrea Cuneo | Andrea Corbetta |
| 1 | Golem | 2016 | Andrea Corbetta | Carlo A. Martigli | Paolo d'Antonio | Andrea Corbetta |
| 2 | Revenant | 2016 | Andrea Corbetta | Giancarlo Marzano | Francesco Mobili | Andrea Corbetta |
| 3 | Follia | 2017 | Andrea Corbetta | Cristiana Astori | Riccardo Innocenti | Andrea Corbetta |
| 4 | Sirena | 2017 | Andrea Corbetta | Giulia De Carlo; Roberto Leoni | Germano Giorgiani | Andrea Corbetta |
| 5 | Troll | 2017 | Andrea Corbetta | Giancarlo Marzano | Paolo d'Antonio | Andrea Corbetta |
| 6 | Polvere | 2017 | Andrea Corbetta | Cristiana Astori | Francesco Mobili | Andrea Corbetta |
Second series (2021–2025)
[edit]Planned as a trilogy.[7]
| No. | Title | Year | Creative Direction | Writer | Artist(s) | Cover | Lanciostory publication |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nistarim | 2021 | Andrea Corbetta | Roberto Leoni | Riccardo Innocenti | Francesco Mobili; Francesco Tomaselli; Giuliano Piccininno | n. 2455–2458 |
| 2 | La notte del maleficio | 2023 | Andrea Corbetta | Roberto Leoni | Paolo Massagli; Dario Iannaccone | Paolo Massagli; Toni Viceconti | n. 2574–2577 |
| 3 | Ruse de guerre | 2026 (announced) | Andrea Corbetta | Roberto Leoni | Dario Iannaccone | Lorenzo Scipioni; Toni Viceconti | forthcoming |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Felix, A. (2016-09-27). "L'HORROR GOTICO DI "THE PROFESSOR"". GIORNALE POP (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-03.
- ^ a b c "The Professor - Recensione fumetto - Nocturno.it". Nocturno (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-11-21.
- ^ a b c d Bocchino, Valentina (20 April 2022). "The Professor, fumetto genovese, approda sulla rivista "Lanciostory"". GenovaToday (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-03.
- ^ a b c "A Rapalloonia l'anteprima di "The Professor"". Lo Spazio Bianco (in Italian). 2016-09-21. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
- ^ "The Professor, il nuovo paladino contro le potenze occulte". Dimensione Fumetto (in Italian). 2017-02-21. Retrieved 2025-11-21.
- ^ a b c Maino, Paolo M. G. (2020-01-12). "The Professor wants you!". Fumetti Avventura (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-12-03.
- ^ a b giornale (2022-04-19). "Il fumetto The Professor approda su Lancio Story". politicamentecorretto.com (in Italian). Retrieved 2025-11-21.
External links
[edit]- https://www.garage11.it/wp/ Official website