Convention - COMICON Napoli 2026 : The Road to a Landmark Edition Begins with Troy Baker, Austin Wintory, Andrea Pessino and Major International Guests

By Mulder, 11 december 2025

After celebrating a historic 25th anniversary crowned by record attendance and an ever-growing cultural footprint, COMICON Napoli officially opens the road to its 26th edition, and the first announcements already set the tone for what promises to be one of the most ambitious festivals in its history, both in scale and artistic vision. Scheduled from April 30 to May 3, 2026, once again at the Mostra d’Oltremare, the International Pop Culture Festival confirms its unique positioning at the crossroads of comics, video games, animation, cinema, and contemporary visual culture, while reaffirming its deep connection to the city of Naples through an extensive OFF program spread across the urban landscape. As editor-in-chief of Mulderville, and having followed COMICON’s evolution closely over the years, it’s impossible not to feel that this early lineup reflects a clear editorial statement: bold creativity, cross-generational appeal, and a genuine respect for authors who reshaped their mediums rather than simply following trends.

The official key art for COMICON Napoli 2026, unveiled alongside the first guests, is signed by Aurélien Predal, one of the most influential art directors currently working in international animation. With nearly two decades of experience across studios such as Pixar, Sony Pictures Animation, DreamWorks, Illumination, Aardman and more, Aurélien Predal has helped define the visual identity of modern animated cinema, from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to Inside Out 2, Despicable Me, Hotel Transylvania, Star Wars: Visions Volume 2 and Ron’s Gone Wrong, without forgetting European gems like Mune: Guardian of the Moon and Astérix & Obélix: Le Combat des Chefs. His vision for COMICON is described as a vibrant, almost organic jungle of colors and forms, populated by curious explorers arriving from distant horizons, and that metaphor feels particularly apt for a festival that thrives on discovery and joyful creative chaos. Beyond the poster itself, Aurélien Predal will be at the heart of the festival with an exhibition dedicated to his major projects, a masterclass, and daily signing and commission sessions in the Artists’ Hall, reinforcing COMICON’s tradition of putting creators directly in contact with the public.

Another strong signal of intent comes with the appointment of Leo Ortolani as Magister for the 2026 edition, a role that has historically embodied the spirit and thematic backbone of COMICON. Born in Pisa in 1967 and adopted by Parma, Leo Ortolani is a cornerstone of Italian comics, best known for the legendary Rat-Man series published for twenty years by Panini Comics, but his career extends far beyond that single universe. From Tapum! La storia delle armi to popular science comics, children’s books for the Italian Space Agency, graphic novels like Cinzia, stage collaborations with Stefano Bollani and Arturo Brachetti, and even TikTok videos created with his daughter Lucy, Leo Ortolani embodies an eclectic, deeply human approach to storytelling. His humor, oscillating between pop parody and sharp social satire, has connected generations of readers, and his presence as Magister will be celebrated through a dedicated exhibition, talks, and special initiatives that promise to be among the emotional highlights of the festival.

On the international front, COMICON Napoli 2026 makes a particularly strong statement by welcoming, for the first time in Italy, two towering figures of Japanese pop culture: Kazuhiko Torishima and Koji Igarashi. Kazuhiko Torishima, the legendary editor of Shonen Jump, is widely regarded as one of the most influential editors in manga history, having discovered and shaped the careers of creators such as Akira Toriyama, Masakazu Katsura, and Koji Inada, and pushing them to create cultural phenomena like Dr. Slump and Dragon Ball. His presence alone is a masterclass in editorial vision and creative risk-taking. Alongside him, Koji Igarashi, often referred to as “IGA,” will bring the video game perspective of Japanese innovation, having revolutionized the Castlevania series with Symphony of the Night and effectively giving birth to the “Metroidvania” genre. For anyone who grew up navigating labyrinthine castles and nonlinear gameplay, this is a landmark appearance.

The American video game world will also be prominently represented by an exceptional trio whose careers have shaped how games sound, feel, and resonate emotionally. Troy Baker, one of the most recognizable voices in the industry, arrives with a filmography that reads like a modern gaming hall of fame, from The Last of Us Part I and II to Death Stranding, BioShock, Fortnite, Call of Duty and the recent Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, as well as the Emmy Award-winning series Love, Death & Robots. His ability to bring nuanced, deeply human performances to digital characters has fundamentally changed audience expectations. Alongside him, composer Austin Wintory, a three-time Grammy nominee and two-time BAFTA winner, will bring his lyrical approach to game music, forged through works like Journey, ABZÛ, The Banner Saga, Assassin’s Creed Syndicate, LEGO Fortnite, Hades II and the upcoming Sword of the Sea. Completing this trio is Andrea Pessino, co-founder of Ready At Dawn®, whose technical innovations at Blizzard Entertainment contributed to defining the WarCraft series, and whose career bridges creative vision and cutting-edge technology in a way few developers manage to achieve.

Comics enthusiasts will find equally compelling reasons to mark their calendars, with the announcement of Alex Maleev and David Mack among the first international guests. Alex Maleev, Bulgarian by birth and American by adoption, is inseparable from his groundbreaking collaboration with Brian Michael Bendis on Daredevil, but his career spans Moon Knight, Spider-Woman, Scarlet, Iron Man, and projects for DC Comics and Dark Horse, distinguished by his innovative use of photographic textures and digital techniques. David Mack, creator of the acclaimed Kabuki series and co-creator of the character Echo, has navigated seamlessly between comics, film design and illustration, from Captain America: The Winter Soldier to collaborations with Neil Gaiman’s universes and Star Wars. His recent return to Marvel Studios for the Echo Disney+ series, creating original illustrations for the episode credits, underlines a career defined by artistic versatility and emotional intensity.

The Japanese creative presence continues with artists Shintaro Kago and Satoshi Shiki, two radically different yet equally influential voices in manga. Shintaro Kago, master of the Ero-Guro genre and known for his “Fashionable Paranoia” aesthetic, blends grotesque satire with extreme visual experimentation, gaining international recognition through collaborations with Flying Lotus and work connected to the Netflix film In the Tall Grass, while currently developing the dystopian series Parasitic City. Satoshi Shiki, celebrated for action-driven works such as RIOT, KAMIKAZE and XBLADE, has reached global audiences through Attack on Titan – Before the Fall and Dororo and Hyakkimaru – The Legend, reinterpreting Osamu Tezuka’s classic with modern energy. Adding a musical dimension rooted in Japanese pop culture, producer and DJ Naz Chris, founder of “Tokyo Dance Music Week” and co-creator of KosoKoso Broadcasting Station, will bring his unique crossover between manga, radio and electronic music culture to Naples.

Beyond the festival grounds, COMICON Napoli 2026 will once again extend into the city through COMIC(ON)OFF, highlighted by a major exhibition dedicated to Robert Crumb, one of the founding fathers of American underground comics. Thanks to the support of Mayor Gaetano Manfredi and contemporary art councillor Vincenzo Trione, Naples will host, for the first time in one of its most prestigious venues, an extensive retrospective celebrating Robert Crumb’s satirical, autobiographical and socially incisive work, an event that alone would justify a cultural pilgrimage. This exhibition will stand as a cornerstone of the OFF program, reinforcing COMICON’s role not just as a festival, but as a genuine cultural engine for the city.

All of this builds upon an already extraordinary foundation: COMICON Napoli is now firmly established among the top five European festivals for size and cultural relevance, with the 2025 edition welcoming a record 183,000 visitors and generating an economic impact that reached €42 million in 2024. With over 600 events, vast indoor and outdoor spaces, a predominantly young audience and a strong commitment to sustainability through partnerships with CIAL, COREPLA and RICREA, COMICON continues to grow without losing its identity. Online ticket sales for COMICON Napoli 2026 are now open, and if these first announcements are any indication, this next chapter won’t just celebrate pop culture—it will actively redefine how festivals can connect creative courage, international voices and local energy into a single, vibrant experience.

(Source ; press release)