Gianluca Piredda presents his new Dago and Sherlock Holmes comics at Lucca Comics

Gianluca Piredda is taking part in this year's Lucca Comics & Games, which opened its doors today. The writer born in Sassari arrives at the Italian festival with two projects that expand his career in European comics: the return of Dago and a new work dedicated to Sherlock Holmes.

The first announcement has to do with Dago, the character created by Argentine Robin Wood. He is a Venetian nobleman fallen from grace who stars in historical adventures. The author's family gave their approval for an Italian-South American team to pick up the series with new stories.

Piredda writes the script for the first issue of this new stage, titled Risorto dalle acque, with art by Tejada. The publication is handled by Sprea Editori, which acquired Edizioni Lancio. Unlike the previous stories, which followed a chronological order, this new cycle takes a different approach to the character.

An encounter with Dante on the beaches of Sardinia

The writer explained why he included Dante Alighieri in the plot. He said the editor asked him to explore part of Dago's origin to attract new readers. That's why he wrote a dream sequence in which the protagonist imagines himself talking with Dante on the beach of Cala Goloritzé, in the Gulf of Orosei.

Piredda also revealed that a Dago adventure set in Sardinia, his homeland, will arrive in the future.

Sherlock Holmes narrated by his creator

The second project is a full-color monograph titled Sir Arthur Conan Doyle racconta Sherlock Holmes, published by Allagalla Edizioni. The comic arrives in Italy after its success in Belgium and France. Piredda writes the text and Giacomo Rosati handles the art.

The work comes from a podcast called Heure H, produced by La1ère, the station of Belgian public broadcaster RTBF. The program examines decisive moments in literature and other fields. In this case, it looks at the real inspiration behind Sherlock Holmes.

Piredda recalled that Conan Doyle traveled to London at age 16 and there met doctor Joseph Bell, a surgeon and professor at the University of Edinburgh. Bell was a pioneer of forensic medicine and worked with Scotland Yard on several cases, including that of Jack the Ripper.

Lucca Comics & Games is being held these days in the Italian city of Lucca. Piredda is taking part as one of the guest authors in the festival's program.