Valentina (comics)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Valentina with her Hasselblad camera

Valentina is one of the most influential European comic books, created in 1965 by the Italian artist Guido Crepax.

Originally a minor character working for the comic hero Neutron, Valentina became the sole protagonist of the series in 1967. Valentina Rosselli, whose appearance is inspired by silent film actress Louise Brooks, is a Milanese photojournalist. Her boyfriend, Philip Rembrandt, the super-hero Neutron, has the ability to paralyze people, animals or machines he has seen in the flesh or pictures. Later a child was born to Philip and Valentina, Mattia.

The first episode was intitled La Curva di Lesmo (referring to a curve of the Italian Formula 1 Grand Prix of Monza), and was followed by other 30, collected in a total of 7 books, along with two others Lanterna magica ("Magic Lantern", 1977) and Valentina pirata ("Pirate Valentina"), the first in full colour.

Valentina was born on December 25, 1942 in Milan and grew older during the series, the last episode of which was published in 1995.

As the time passed, in Valentina's stories Crepax abandoned the fantasy-science fiction or detective themes of the beginning, introducing a complex, weird mix of erotism hallucinations and dream. The strips also dealt with bisexuality, autoerotic ecstasy, super-sensual abandon, and sadomasochism.

In 1973 a feature film called Baba Yaga was based on the comicbook. Valentina was played by French actress Isabelle De Funès. The film was directed by Corrado Farina, who had previously made a documentary on the comics by Guido Crepax.

An Italian TV series based on the comicbook was released in 1989. Valentina was played by American actress Demetra Hampton and Philip Rembrandt by Russel Case. Only 13 episodes were filmed, each 30 minutes long.

Valentina became increasingly an erotic comic book

Valentina in one of her dreams

[edit] Chronology

Valentina (1968), Milano Libri
Valentina speciale (1969), Milano Libri
Valentina con gli stivali (1970), Milano Libri
Baba Yaga (1971), Milano Libri, all'interno di Alì Baba Yaga
Ciao Valentina! (1972), Milano Libri
Valentina nella stufa (1973), Milano Libri
Diario di Valentina (1975), Milano Libri
A proposito di Valentina (1975), Quadragono Libri, edited by Francesco Casetti
Valentina in giallo (1976), Milano Libri
Valentina assassina (1977), Milano Libri
Ritratto di Valentina (1979), Milano Libri
Riflesso di Valentina (1979), Arnoldo Mondadori
Lanterna Magica (1979), Edizioni d'arte Angolare
Valentina pirata (1980), Milano Libri, in colour
Valentina sola (1981), Milano Libri, in colour
Valentina, storia di una storia (1982), Olympia Press
Per amore di Valentina (1983), Milano Libri
Io Valentina, la vita e le opere (1985), Milano Libri
Nessuno (1990), Milano Libri
Valentina e le altre (1991), Mondadori, collana Oscar
Valentina, la gazza ladra (1992), Rizzoli-Milano Libri
Valentina a Venezia (1992)
E Valentina va... (1994), Rizzoli-Milano Libri
Al diavolo, Valentina (1996)
In arte... Valentina (2001), Lizard Edizioni
Valentina (2003), Panini Comics