The illustrated novel, once a cornerstone of 19th-century literature thanks to authors like Charles Dickens and illustrators like Gustave Doré, is experiencing a new spring thanks to The Summer of the Blue Comets, a work by writer Piergiorgio Pulixi and artist Daniele Serra, published on October 7 by Camena Edizioni.
In a publishing landscape where the text-image formula had been relegated mainly to children's books, Camena Edizioni decided to challenge the rules .
The collaboration between Pulixi, winner of the 2019 Scerbanenco Award for Best Noir, and Serra, known for his covers of Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Joe R. Lansdale, as well as the celebrated comic Dylan Dog, has resulted in a book that captivates the reader not only with its compelling narrative but also with its striking visuals. Serra's watercolors don't just illustrate the story: they expand it, drawing the reader into a world suspended between dream and unease.
"Just as great writers and illustrators in the past have brought luster and narrative power to the novel, so today Camena Edizioni, together with Pulixi and Serra, breathes new life into this genre," explains Stefano Obino, editor of the publishing house, emphasizing the work's immediate success both in bookstores and online. The enthusiastic response from readers confirms the ability of this format to enchant, excite, and surprise, making The Summer of the Blue Comets a book to read and reread, to leaf through again and again to capture new details in the texts and images.
The illustrated novel's journey continues with presentations : on Thursday, November 13th at 6 pm, Pulixi and Serra will be at the Teatro Massimo in Cagliari together with the managers of the Edumondo bookshop, accompanied by Christiana Piras and Ilenia Loddo, to talk about the work and sign copies for readers.