Italian
Forte Marghera is getting ready to become the capital of comics and gaming for 3 days with the 13th edition of Venezia Comics
MESTRE – Forte Marghera is set to once again become the capital of comics and gaming. During the long weekend of May 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, the iconic Napoleonic fortress will host the thirteenth edition of Venezia Comics. With market exhibitions, educational workshops, Cosplay, K Pop, international authors, music, and streamers, the Forte will experience 3 days dedicated to art and play.
A special event called “MUTATIONS”, full of news to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the organizing association VeneziaComix.
First of all, a new board, chaired by Tobia Berti, and the artistic direction of the festival entrusted to a name of international prestige like Giulio De Vita, a renowned cartoonist and creator of the PAFF! International Museum of Comic Art in Pordenone. It is precisely the latter who presents the main novelties:
“It is a delicate and complex process that requires patience and consistency and the collaboration of everyone. The Venezia Comics festival is a seedling that has already sprouted and can become a wonderful oak, but it needs to be nurtured at every moment, with the surrounding soil prepared and protected from the elements. Expecting it to grow too quickly without strong and solid roots carries risks of naivety. However, every step forward should be celebrated and encouraged to ensure that the growth is ever more flourishing.”
Artists and streamers
Many internationally renowned authors will be present. First of all, Otto Schmidt, who also created the official manifesto for the event. The Maltese-born illustrator, known for Marvel and DC comics, such as the Guardians of the Galaxy and Batman, has conceived a poetic and elegant work; one of the exhibitions during the festival will be dedicated to him, and Schmidt will be present at the Forte for the entire duration of the event.
With him also Gradimir Smudja, a brilliant and virtuous comic and illustration artist, known for some comic masterpieces related to art history “Au fil de l’art”, “Van Gogh” and “Toulouse Lautrec”, for which an exhibition of original watercolor panels from the album “Mausart à Venise” will be dedicated. Smudja will also be awarded the “Nuvole in Veneto 2026” prize.
The third international star is Enrico Marini, an Italian residing in Switzerland famous for series such as “Lo Scorpione”, “Le Aquile di Roma”, “Noir Burlesque” who recently created the two original volumes of “Batman, the dark prince”
In addition to the mentioned authors, the new Artist Alley will host other excellent names from the national and international scene. Among them are Laura Zuccheri, Eugenio Sicomoro, Mario Alberti, Bonfa, Clod, Valerio Held, Subeep Menon, Paolo Cossi, Luciano Piccininno, Edym, Alessandro Micelli, Donald Soffritti, Giada Belviso, Nico Picone, and many others.
And it is right here that “The Print Corner” will take place, an exclusive space where limited editions in screen printing and lithography of unpublished works will come to life, created live by the festival guests.
There will also be two exceptional streamers: on Friday Ender Girl, a content creator with 200k subscribers on YouTube, known for reaction videos, cosplay, anime, and Minecraft, and on Saturday Poly, a gaming streamer and YouTuber, creator of brilliant and dynamic formats, and quiz shows that skillfully combine nerd culture with the enthusiasm of guests and viewers.
From Role-Playing Games to Retrogaming
Of course, there will also be a fun part. Marco Maggi and Francesco Nepitello will receive the career award, there will be a preview of the new pocket escape room from Officina Mening, and then ample space for board games and role-playing games.
The big news of this edition will also be the presence of a large area dedicated to Retrogames, featuring over forty arcade machines, fully functional and available for free use, in collaboration with Arcade Story, the Vicenza-based company – known for the television program on Dmax – that imports original arcade video games from America and Japan branded Nintendo, Midway, Atari, Gottlieb, Taito, Capcom, and many others.
For more information: www.veneziacomics.com | info@veneziacomix.com
