Dylan Dog

Created by Tiziano Sclavi

From Italy comes this comic book featuring a rather bizarrely-named London-based private eye, DYLAN DOG, put out by. comic publisher Sergio Bonelli Editore since 1986.

And it isn’t just his name that’s rather peculiar.

Nope, not for the former Scotland Yard detective the humdrum banal world of marital affairs and divorce work.

Nope — he’s known as the “Nightmare Investigator,” a supernatural shit magnet specializing in the strange and inexplicable. Accompanied by his trusty sidekick/assistant/butler, Groucho (who seems to occasionally be the ghost or at least the reincarnation of the famous comedian), Dylan looks into some pretty squirrelly business, often involving werewolves, poltergeists, vampires, zombies, ghosts, serial killers who won’t stay dead, and other manifestations of the supernatural and occult, although often the true monsters in many of his cases turn out to be human.

He’s also a bit of a flake, regularly interupting investigations for a date, a movie, a vacation, a little impromptu clarinet playing or maybe a bit of work on the model ship he’s been building forever.

Too bad he doesn’t seem to make much money at it–he always seems to be broke. He lives in a rundown, cluttered apartment, and drives a battered Volkswagen convertible. It usually takes much prompting on Groucho’s part to even get Dylan off his butt. But when he puts on his signature untucked red shirt, black jacket, and blue jeans, you know he means business.

Think of it as an early, slacker P.I. version of the X-Files. It’s also, as far as I can tell, the longest consecutively running comic series to feature a private eye.  A global phenomenon, it’s published in Croatia, Serbia, Denmark, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Greece and in Mexico.

Dylan Dog was created by Italian cartoonist Tiziano Sclavi back in the mid-eighties, and has consistently been the most popular comic book in Italy, regularly selling over a million copies each month, even after Sclavi grew bored with the series and allowed other writers and artists to continue it, including American writer/artist Mike “Hellboy” Mignola. Of course that sort of popularity couldn’t long be ignored by filmmakers, although nobody’s quite hit the mark… yet.

In 1994, Michele Soavi directed the film Dellamorte Dellamore. Rupert Everett (whose appearance Dog was originally modelled after) played Francesco Dellamorte, a sort of alter ego of Dylan Dog, and although Everett wears Dog’s trademark costume, Dog does not actually appear in the film and Everett’s character is in fact a cemetery watchman.

In 1999, North American fans were finally given a chance to check out Dog, with Dark Horse presenting an ambitious series of reprints, in English. A sign of the times–or perhaps simply the stricter copyright laws and the American love for litigation–is that Groucho was now Felix and he’d lost the thick black mustache.

In 2011, a new, American-produced feature film, Dylan Dog: Dead of Night, starring Brandon “Superman Returns” Routh as Dog, was released, with Dylan relocated to New Orleans, and much of the quirky humour of the original comics not so much missing as flattened out. Groucho/Felix is gone–replaced by an eager beaver smart ass assistant, Marcus, who later becomes a zombie. Unfortunately, there’s nothing particularly engaging about the film, and Routh in particular seems strangely wooden.

UNDER OATH

• “I can read the Bible, Homer, or Dylan Dog for several days without being bored.”
  — Umberto Eco

BANDES DESINEES

• DYLAN DOG
  (1986, Sergio Bonelli Editore)
  Italian, Monthly
  445 issues (and counting)
  Created by Tiziano Sclavi,
  Written by Tiziano Sclavi, Paola Barbato
  Art by Angelo Stano, Claudio Villa, Roi, Gustavo Trigo, Carlo Ambrosini, Luigi Piccatto, Bruno Brindisi, Angelo Stano
  • “L’alba dei morti viventi” (October 1986, #1)
  • “Jack lo Squartatore” (November 1986, #2)
  • “Le notti della luna piena” (December 1986, #3)
  • “Il fantasma di Anna Never” (January 1987, #4)
  • “Gli Uccisori” (February 1986, #5) (February 1987)
  • “La bellezza del Demonio” (March 1987, #6)
  • “La Zona del Crepuscolo” (April 1987, #7)
  • “Il ritorno del mostro” (May 1987, #8)
  • “Alfa e Omega” (June 1987, #9)
  • “Attraverso lo specchio” (July 1987, #10)
  • “Diabolo il grande” (August 1987, #11)
  • “Killer!” (September 1987, #12)
  • “Vivono tra noi” (October 1987, #13)
  • “Fra la vita e la morte” (November 1987, #14)
  • “Canale 666” (December 1987, #15)
  • “Il castello della paura” (January 1988, #16)
  • “La Dama in Nero” (February 1988, #17)
  • “Cagliostro!” (March 1988, #18)
  • “Memorie dall’invisibile” (April 1988, #19)
  • “Dal profondo” (May 1988, #20)
  • “Giorno maledetto” (June 1988, #21)
  • “Il tunnel dell’orrore” (July 1988, #22)
  • “L’isola misteriosa” (August 1988, #23)
  • “I conigli rosa uccidono” (September 1988, #24)
  • “Morgana” (October 1988, #25)
  • “Dopo mezzanotte” (November 1988, #26)
  • “Ti ho visto morire” (December 1988, #27)
  • “Lama di rasoio” (January 1989, #28)
  • “Quando la città dorme” (February 1989, #29)
  • “La casa infestata” (March 1989, #30)
  • “Grand Guignol” (April 1989, #31)
  • “Ossessione” (May 1989, #32)
  • “Jekyll!” (June 1989, #33)
  • “Il buio” (July 1989, #34)
  • “La scogliera degli spettri” (August 1989, #35)
  • “Incubo di una notte di mezza estate” (September 1989, #36)
  • “Il sogno della tigre” (October 1989, #37)
  • “Una voce dal nulla” (November 1989, #38)
  • “Il Signore del Silenzio” (December 1989, #39)
  • “Accadde domani” (January 1990, #40)
  • “Golconda!” (February 1990, #41)
  • “La iena” (March 1990, #42)
  • “Storia di Nessuno” (April 1990, #43)
  • “Riflessi di morte” (May 1990, #44)
  • “Goblin” (June 1990, #45)
  • “Inferni” (July 1990, #46)
  • “Scritto con il sangue” (August 1990, #47)
  • “Horror Paradise” (September 1990, #48)
  • “Il mistero del Tamigi” (October 1990, #49)
  • “Ai confini del tempo” (November 1990, #50)
  • “Il Male” (December 1990, #51)
  • “Il Marchio Rosso” (January 1991, #52)
  • “La Regina delle Tenebre” (February 1991, #53)
  • “Delirium” (March 1991, #54)
  • “La mummia” (April 1991, #55)
  • “Ombre” (May 1991, #56)
  • “Ritorno al Crepuscolo” (June 1991, #57)
  • “La clessidra di pietra” (July 1991, #58)
  • “Gente che scompare” (August 1991, #59)
  • “Frankenstein!” (September 1991, #60)
  • “Terrore dall’infinito” (October 1991, #61)
  • “I vampiri” (November 1991, #62)
  • “Maelstrom!” (December 1991, #63)
  • “I segreti di Ramblyn” (January 1992, #64)
  • “La belva delle caverne” (February 1992, #65)
  • “Partita con la morte” (March 1992, #66)
  • “L’uomo che visse due volte” (April 1992, #67)
  • “Lo spettro nel buio” (May 1992, #68)
  • “Caccia alle streghe” (June 1992, #69)
  • “Il bosco degli assassini” (July 1992, #70)
  • “I delitti della Mantide” (August 1992, #71)
  • “L’ultimo plenilunio” (September 1992, #72)
  • “Armageddon!” (October 1992, #73)
  • “Il lungo addio” (November 1992, #74)
  • “Il tagliagole” (December 1992, #75)
  • “Maledizione nera” (January 1993, #76)
  • “L’ultimo uomo sulla Terra” (February 1993, #77)
  • “I killer venuti dal buio” (March 1993, #78)
  • “La Fata del Male” (April 1993, #79)
  • “Il cervello di Killex” (May 1993, #80)
  • “Johnny Freak” (June 1993, #81)
  • “Lontano dalla luce” (July 1993, #82)
  • “Doktor Terror” (August 1993, #83)
  • “Zed” (September 1993, #84)
  • “Fantasmi” (October 1993, #85)
  • “Storia di un povero diavolo” (November 1993, #86)
  • “Feste di sangue” (December 1993, #87)
  • “Oltre la morte” (January 1994, #88)
  • “I cavalieri del tempo” (February 1994, #89)
  • “Titanic” (March 1994, #90)
  • “Metamorfosi” (April 1994, #91)
  • “Il mosaico dell’orrore” (May 1994, #92)
  • “Presenze…” (June 1994, #93)
  • “La donna che uccide il passato” (July 1994, #94)”
  • “I giorni dell’incubo” (August 1994, #95)
  • “La sfida” (September 1994, #96)
  • “Dietro il sipario” (October 1994, #97)
  • “Lo sguardo di Satana” (November 1994, #98)
  • “Sinfonia mortale” (December 1994, #99)
  • “La storia di Dylan Dog” (January 1995, #100)
  • “La porta dell’Inferno” (February 1995, #101)
  • “Fratelli di un altro tempo” (March 1995, #102)
  • “I demoni” (April 1995, #103)
  • “Notte senza fine” (May 1995, #104)
  • “L’orrenda invasione” (June 1995, #105)
  • “La rivolta delle macchine” (July 1995, #106)
  • “Il paese delle ombre colorate” (August 1995, #107)
  • “Il guardiano della memoria” (September 1995, #108)
  • “Il volo dello struzzo” (October 1995, #109)
  • “Aracne” (November 1995, #110)
  • “La profezia” (December 1995, #111)
  • “Incontri ravvicinati” (January 1996, #112)
  • “La metà oscura” (February 1996, #113)
  • “La prigione di carta” (March 1996, #114)
  • “L’antro della belva” (April 1996, #115)
  • “La governante” (May 1996, #116)
  • “La quinta stagione” (June 1996, #117)
  • “Il gioco del destino” (July 1996, #118)
  • “L’occhio del gatto” (August 1996, #119)
  • “Abyss” (September 1996, #120)
  • “Finché morte non vi separi” (October 1996, #121)
  • “Il confine” (November 1996, #122)
  • “Phoenix” (December 1996, #123)
  • “Il Picco della Strega” (January 1997, #124)
  • “Tre per zero” (February 1997, #125)
  • “La Morte Rossa” (March 1997, #126)
  • “Il cuore di Johnny” (April 1997, #127)
  • “Il richiamo della foresta” (May 1997, #128)
  • “Il ritorno di Killex” (June 1997, #129)
  • “Il negromante” (July 1997, #130)
  • “Quando cadono le stelle” (August 1997, #131)
  • “L’uomo che vende il tempo” (September 1997, #132)
  • “Ananga!” (October 1997, #133)
  • “L’urlo del giaguaro” (November 1997, #134)
  • “Scanner” (December 1997, #135)
  • “Lassù qualcuno ci chiama” (January 1998, #136)
  • “La città perduta” (February 1998, #137)
  • “Cattivi pensieri” (March 1998, #138)
  • “Hook l’implacabile” (April 1998, #139)
  • “Verso un mondo lontano” (May 1998, #140)
  • “L’Angelo Sterminatore” (June 1998, #141)
  • “Anima nera” (July 1998, #142)
  • “Apocalisse” (August 1998, #143)
  • “Belli da morire” (September 1998, #144)
  • “Il cane infernale” (October 1998, #145)
  • “Ghost Hotel” (November 1998, #146)
  • “Polvere di stelle” (December 1998, #147)
  • “Abissi di follia” (January 1999, #148)
  • “L’alieno” (February 1999, #149)
  • “Il bacio della vipera” (March 1999, #150)
  • “Il lago nel cielo” (April 1999, #151)
  • “Morte a domicilio” (May 1999, #152)
  • “La strada verso il nulla” (June 1999, #153)
  • “Il battito del tempo” (July 1999, #154)
  • “La nuova stirpe” (August 1999, #155)
  • “Il gigante” (September 1999, #156)
  • “Il sonno della ragione” (October 1999, #157)
  • “Nato per uccidere” (November 1999, #158)
  • “Percezioni extrasensoriali” (December 1999, #159)
  • “Il Druido” (January 2000, #160)
  • “Il sorriso dell’Oscura Signora” (February 2000, #161)
  • “Il dio prigioniero” (March 2000, #162)
  • “Il mondo perfetto” (April 2000, #163)
  • “La Donna Urlante” (May 2000, #164)
  • “L’isola dei cani” (June 2000, #165)
  • “Sopravvivere all’Eden” (July 2000, #166)
  • “Medusa” (August 2000, #167)
  • “Il fiume dell’oblio” (September 2000, #168)
  • “Lo specchio dell’anima” (October 2000, #169)
  • “La Piccola Morte” (November 2000, #170)
  • “Possessione diabolica” (December 2000, #171)
  • “Memorie dal sottosuolo” (January 2001, #172)
  • “Per un pugno di sterline” (February 2001, #173)
  • “Un colpo di sfortuna” (March 2001, #174)
  • “Il seme della follia” (April 2001, #175)
  • “Il progetto” (May 2001, #176)
  • “Il discepolo” (June 2001, #177)
  • “Lettere dall’Inferno” (July 2001, #178)
  • “La terza faccia della medaglia” (August 2001, #179)
  • “Notti di caccia” (September 2001, #180)
  • “Il marchio del vampiro” (October 2001, #181)
  • “Safarà” (November 2001, #182)
  • “Requiem per un mostro” (December 2001, #183)
  • “I misteri di Venezia” (January 2002, #184)
  • “Phobia” (February 2002, #185)
  • “L’Uomo Nero” (March 2002, #186)
  • “Amori perduti” (April 2002, #187)
  • “Il Labirinto di Bangor” (May 2002, #188)
  • “Il prezzo della morte” (June 2002, #189)
  • “Il segreto di Mordecai” (July 2002, #190)
  • “Sciarada” (August 2002, #191)
  • “Macchie solari” (September 2002, #192)
  • “L’eterna illusione” (October 2002, #193)
  • “La strega di Brentford” (November 2002, #194)
  • “Uno strano cliente” (December 2002, #195)
  • “Chi ha ucciso Babbo Natale?” (January 2003, #196)
  • “I quattro elementi” (February 2003, #197)
  • “La legge della giungla” (March 2003, #198)
  • “Homo homini lupus” (April 2003, #199)”
  • “Il numero duecento” (May 2003, #), #200)
  • “Daisy e Queen” (June 2003, #201)
  • “Il settimo girone” (July 2003, #202)
  • “La famiglia Milford” (August 2003, #203)
  • “Resurrezione” (September 2003, #204)
  • “Il compagno di scuola” (October 2003, #205)
  • “Nebbia” (November 2003, #206)
  • “Il Tempio della Seconda Vita” (December 2003, #207)
  • “Un mondo sconosciuto” (January 2004, #208)
  • “La Bestia” (February 2004, #209)
  • “Il Pifferaio Magico” (March 2004, #210)
  • “La casa dei fantasmi” (April 2004, #211)
  • “Necropolis” (May 2004, #212)
  • “L’uccisore di streghe” (June 2004, #213)
  • “Manila” (July 2004, #214)
  • “Il pozzo degli inganni” (August 2004, #215)
  • “Il grimorio maledetto” (September 2004, #216)
  • “Il grande sonno” (October 2004, #217)
  • “L’incubo dipinto” (November 2004, #218)
  • “La decima vittima” (December 2004, #219)
  • “Concorrenza sleale” (January 2005, #220)
  • “Il tocco del diavolo” (February 2005, #221)
  • “La saggezza dei morti” (March 2005, #222)
  • “Le due vite di Dream” (April 2005, #223)
  • “Sul filo dei ricordi” (May 2005, #224)
  • “Insonnia” (June 2005, #225)
  • “24 ore per non morire” (July 2005, #226)
  • “Istinto omicida” (August 2005, #227)
  • “Oltre quella porta” (September 2005, #228)
  • “Il cielo può attendere” (October 2005, #229)
  • “L’inquilino misterioso” (November 2005, #230)
  • “Nightmare Tour” (December 2005, #231)
  • “Un fantasma a Scotland Yard” (January 2006, #232)
  • “L’ospite sgradito” (February 2006, #233)
  • “L’ultimo arcano” (March 2006, #234)
  • “Sonata macabra” (April 2006, #235)
  • “Vittime designate” (May 2006, #236)
  • “All’ombra del vulcano” (June 2006, #237)
  • “Gli eredi del Crepuscolo” (July 2006, #238)
  • “Il gran bastardo” (August 2006, #239)
  • “Ucronìa” (September 2006, #240)
  • “Xabaras!” (October 2006, #241)
  • “In nome del padre” (November 2006, #242)
  • “L’assassino è tra noi” (December 2006, #243)
  • “Marty” (January 2007, #244)
  • “Il cimitero dei freaks” (February 2007, #245)
  • “La locanda alla fine del mondo” (March 2007, #246)
  • “Tutti gli amori di Sally” (April 2007, #247)”
  • “Anima d’acciaio” (May 2007, #248)
  • “I ricordi sepolt” (June 2007, #249)
  • “Ascensore per l’Inferno” (July 2007, #250)
  • “Il guardiano del faro” (August 2007, #251)
  • “Poltergeist!” (September 2007, #252)
  • “I mostri di Sullivan” (October 2007, #253)
  • “Vite in gioco” (November 2007, #254)
  • “La stanza numero 63” (December 2007, #255)
  • “Vite in gioco” (November 2007, #254)
  • “La stanza numero 63” (December 2007, #255)
  • “Il feroce Takurr” (January 2008, #256)
  • “Il custode” (February 2008, #257)
  • “La furia dell’Upyr” (March 2008, #258)
  • “Da una lontana galassia” (April 2008, #259)
  • “La condanna di Casper” (May 2008, #260)
  • “Saluti da Moonlight” (June 2008, #261)
  • “L’incendiario” (July 2008, #262)
  • “La collina dei conigli” (August 2008, #263)
  • “Liam il bugiardo” (September 2008, #264)
  • “Reincarnazioni” (October 2008, #265)
  • “Gli artigli del drago” (November 2008, #266)
  • “Cose dell’altro mondo” (December 2008, #267)
  • “Il modulo A38” (January 2009, #268)
  • “I professionisti” (February 2009, #269)
  • “Il re delle mosche” (March 2009, #270)
  • “Il piccolo diavolo” (April 2009, #271)
  • “La strage dei Graham” (May 2009, #272)
  • “Seppelliti vivi!” (June 2009, #273)
  • “Fuga dal passato” (July 2009274)
  • “Il tredicesimo uomo” (August 2009, #275)
  • “Uno sconosciuto sulla strada” (September 2009, #276)
  • “Il giorno del licantropo” (October 2009, #277)
  • “Discesa nell’abisso” (November 2009, #278)
  • “Il giardino delle illusioni” (December 2009, #279)
  • “Mater morbi” (January 2010, #280)
  • “Il cammino della vita” (February 2010, #281)
  • “Relazioni pericolose” (March 2010, #282)
  • “Il persecutore” (April 2010, #283)
  • “Nel segno del dolore” (May 2010, #284)
  • “Il ladro di cervelli” (June 2010, #285)
  • “Programma di rieducazione” (July 2010, #286)
  • “I nuovi barbari” (August 2010, #287)
  • “Lavori forzati” (September 2010, #288)
  • “La via degli enigmi” (October 2010, #289)
  • “L’erede oscuro” (November 2010, #290)
  • “Senza trucco nÈ inganno” (December 2010, #291)
  • “Anime prigioniere” (January 2011, #292)
  • “Gli ultimi immortali” (February 2011, #293)
  • “Piovono rane” (March 2011, #294)
  • “Tra moglie e marito…” (April 2011, #295)
  • “La seconda occasione” (May 2011, #296)
  • “Il sortilegio” (June 2011, #297)

SPECIALS

• NUMERO SPECIALES
  (1987 –)
  Annually
  Each annual features one story longer than usual and several small articles on various horror-related subjects.
  • “Il club dell’orrore” (August 1987, #1)
  • “Gli orrori di Altroquando” (July 1988, #2)
  • “Orrore nero” (July 1989, #3)
  • “Mefistofele” (July 1990, #4)
  • “La casa degli uomini perduti” (July 1991, #5)
  • “Sette anime dannate” (July 1992, #6)
  • “Sogni” (July 1993, #7)
  • “I vivi e i morti” (October 1995, #7
  • “Il monastero” (October 1996, #10)
  • “Il treno dei dannati” (October 1997, #11)
  • “La preda umana” (October 1998, #12)
  • “Goliath” (October 1999, #13)
  • “Il padrone della luce” (October 2000, #14)
  • “La scelta” (October 2004, #18)
  • “Profondo blu” (October 2008, #22)
• DYLAN DOG E MARTIN MYSTÈRE – ULTIMA FERMATA L’INCUBO!
  (1990)
  Written by Alfredo Castelli and Tiziano Sclavi
  Art by Giovanni Freghieri
  Dylan teams up with another popular Italian-created detective, Martin Mystére.
• L’ALMANACCO DELLA PAURA
  (1991)
  Annual
  Along with the usual Dylan stories, this annual also featured articles and curiosities about film, literature, and other topics, all related to the horror theme.
• DYLAN DOG GIGANTE
  (1993)
  Annually
  A large-size annual.
• DYLAN DOG MAXI
  (1998)
  In Italian
  Annually
  Another annual release that collected together three previously unpublished stories.
• BATMAN & DYLAN DOG: RELAZIONI PERICOLOSE
  (2023)
  Written by Roberto Recchioni
  Art by Gigi Cavenago, Werther Dell’Edera,
  A dream team-up, featuring the Night mare Detective and DC Comic’s Dark Knight. DC reprinted this in English in 2024 as a three-part mini-series..

ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS

• DYLAN DOG
  (1999, Dark Horse/Bonelli Comics)
  6 issue mini-series, in soft bound trade paperbacks
  Written by Tiziano Sciavi, Mauro Marcheselli
  Art by Angelo Stano, Andrea Venturi, Giampiero Casertano
  Cover art by Mike Mignola
  Translations by Bojana Dozic, Violeta Jurkovic
  • “Dawn of the Living Dead” (No. 1, March 1999, English reprint of #7)
  • “Johnny Freak” (No. 2, April 1999, English reprint of #105)
  • “Memories From the Invisible World” (No. 3, May 1999, English reprint of #201)
  • “The Return of the Monster” (No. 4, June 1999, English reprint of #297)
  • “Morgana” (No. 5, July 1999, English reprint of #395)
  • “After Midnight” (No. 6, August 1999, English reprint of #491)
  • DYLAN DOG: ZED | Buy this book
    (November 2002, Dark Horse Comics)
    English reprint of issue #84, September 1993 of Dylan Dog.
• THE DYLAN DOG CASE FILES | Buy this book
  (2009, Dark Horse Comics)
  Collects the 1999 mini-series, plus one additional story, Zed, from # 587.
• BATMAN & DYLAN DOG
  (2024, DC Comics)
  3 issues
  Written by Roberto Recchioni
  Art by Gigi Cavenago, Werther Dell’Edera,
  English reprint of 2023 crossover, with Dylan teaming up with Batman.

FILMS

• DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE | Buy the DVD
  (English title: “Cemetery Man”)
  (1994)
  Based on characters created by Tiziano Sclavi
  Screenplay by Giovanni Romoli
  Directed by Michele Soavi
  Starring Rupert Everett as Francesco Dellamorte
  Also starring Anna Falchi, François Hadji-Lazaro, Mickey Knox, Fabiana Formica
• DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT | Buy the DVD | Buy the Blu-Ray  | Watch it now!
  (2011, Fox/Platinum Studios)
  Based on characters created by Tiziano Sclavi
  Screenplay by Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer
  Directed by Kevin Munroe
  Produced by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg
  Co-producer: Tawny Ellis
  Executive producers: Gary Hamilton, Ervin Rustemagic
  Starring Brandon Routh as DYLAN DOG
  Also starring Sam Huntington, Peter Stormare, Taye Diggs, Anita Briem, Kurt Angle, Brian Steele, Kimberly Whalen, Ashlynn Ross, Courtney J. Clark, Courtney Shay Young, Randal Reeder, Ada Michelle Loridans, Marco St. John, Kent Jude Bernard, James Hèbert, Laura Spencer, Scott Mitchell Rosenberg

FURTHER INVESTIGATION

• I Ain’t Afraid of No Ghosts: Fantasy and Occult Eyes
  Eyes that specialize in things that go bump in the night.

Report respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith. And yes, I know this page needs some serious updating…