From Funnies to Adventures: Translation, Censorship, and Adaptation of American Comics in Fascist Italy

The development of modern Italian comics is intertwined with American culture. American funnies started to be published in Italian children's magazines at the beginning of the twentieth century and were adapted to the Italian tradition that saw comics as a means of education. It was only in the 1930s that comics became a form of entertainment, thanks to the publication of American adventure comics and Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse, which revolutionized the Italian comics landscape. However, the popularity of fumetti was challenged by the Fascist regime's restrictions and censorship, which specifically targeted American comics from 1938 and led to their forced disappearance in 1941. Despite the Fascist effort of creating a purely Italian popular culture—and comics—the success of American comics outlived the Fascist regime. This paper outlines the phases of modernization of Italian comics, paying particular attention to the impact of American comics and how they contributed to shape Italian comics in the Fascist era.