by Noemi Capoccia 22/10/2026
Categories: Cinema, theater and TV / Disclaimer
Airing on Rai 5 on October 27, on the eve of the 2026 edition, Enrico Platania’s special program traces six decades of Lucca Comics & Games through interviews and archival footage, from the origins of the International Comics Fair to the emergence of a world-class event.
Rai Cultura is celebrating the 60th anniversary of Lucca Comics & Games with *60 Times Lucca: The Adventurous History of Lucca Comics & Games*, a television special that traces the history of the event, considered the world’s oldest comic book and pop culture festival. Written and directed by Enrico Platania, the program will air on Rai 5 on Tuesday, October 27, in the late evening, on the eve of the 2026 edition, and will subsequently be available on RaiPlay.
The narrative unfolds through the testimonies of those currently working on the event’s organization and archival footage from Rai Teche, reconstructing the key milestones of a journey that also reflects changes in Italian and international cultural imagination. Reexamining the history of the event means delving into the complexity of an occasion that, over the course of six decades, has progressively expanded its scope, transcending the boundaries of comics to encompass various sectors of entertainment and popular culture.
The history of Lucca Comics & Games began in September 1966, when the Tuscan capital hosted the event following a first edition organized in Bordighera (Imperia). Originally named the International Comics Fair, the event was initially conceived as an opportunity for academic exploration dedicated to a medium that was already widely popular commercially but still largely unrecognized on an artistic and cultural level. Over time, the festival helped change this perception, becoming a point of reference for authors, publishers, collectors, and scholars.
The evolution of Italian and international comics is also documented in the hall of fame for the Yellow Kid Awards presented in Lucca. Among the Italian creators who have received the award are Guido Crepax, Hugo Pratt, Dino Battaglia, Grazia Nidasio, Guido Buzzelli, Bonvi, Sergio Toppi, Altan, Milo Manara, and Vittorio Giardino, as well as the team behind the magazine *Frigidaire*. On the international front, the list includes names such as Lee Falk, Milton Caniff, Alberto Breccia, Jack Kirby, Philippe Druillet, Will Eisner, and Art Spiegelman.
The event gradually became a space where creators—who until then had been known primarily through their works—gained public visibility, while publishers found a venue to showcase themselves on the market and collectors could meet and cultivate their interests. The rediscovery of classic comics was accompanied by experimentation and innovation in narrative style, while critical discourse expanded—anticipating later developments—into fields such as animation and illustration.
Over the decades, Lucca Comics has also identified and accompanied the transformations of the publishing and entertainment industries. Among the milestones highlighted in the program are the resurgence of superheroes in the 1980s and the growing popularity of manga in the following decade—phenomena that helped redefine the audience and the scope of the target market.
The various names the event has taken on over time also reflect the diversity of its functions. From the “Salone dei Comics” to the “Mostra-mercato,” and on to “Lucca Incontri” and “Lucca Comics,” these name changes have accompanied the evolution of an event that goes beyond mere exhibition, progressively integrating opportunities for interaction, in-depth exploration, and participation.
A decisive turning point came in 1993 with the launch of Lucca Games, which expanded opportunities for audience engagement and systematically introduced the world of gaming. In the new millennium, role-playing games and cosplay further contributed to transforming the event’s character, strengthening its participatory and community-oriented aspects.
Lucca Comics & Games thus emerges as an event with multiple identities: it maintains a diverse cultural program, featuring exhibitions and in-depth discussions, while simultaneously establishing itself as a world-class convention in terms of variety and exhibition space. Added to these characteristics is its ability to bring together communities of enthusiasts, transforming the city into a place of collective participation. The Rai Cultura special captures this evolution, chronicling an event that today stands as the largest community event in Europe.
Among the testimonials featured in the program are those of Emanuele Vietina, the current director of Lucca Comics & Games; Renato Genovese, who led the event from 2000 to 2016 and founded Lucca Games, and comic book historian Pier Luigi Gaspa, who has curated numerous exhibitions in Lucca. Their accounts help reconstruct the organizational and cultural transformations of the festival, alongside archival materials that document its various phases.
 |
| What Was Lucca Comics Like in 1966? A Special on Rai 5 to Mark Its 60th Anniversary |
Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.