The 26th edition of COMICON, the international pop culture festival, returns to the Mostra d’Oltremare in Naples, Italy, from April 30 to May 3. The event will bring together influential figures from contemporary comics, manga, animation, games, and music, with Italian artist and “Rat Man” creator Leo Ortolani as the master of ceremonies, and more international guests.
The official artwork for COMICON Napoli 2026 was created by Aurélien Predal, an art director, concept artist, and character designer who helped shape the visual identity of internationally acclaimed films such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Inside Out 2, the Despicable Me saga, and the Hotel Transylvania universe.
When creating the main art for COMICON Napoli, Aurélien imagined the festival as a vibrant jungle full of characters from different worlds. This piece seems like the perfect visual metaphor for an event that encompasses various forms of pop culture and where there is always something new to discover, with a broad purpose and a spirit of exploration.
The event will also feature a special exhibition and master class dedicated to Predal.
Other big names announced for the 2026 edition include legendary Japanese manga artist Makoto Yukimura, creator of Vinland Saga, one of the most influential historical manga series of the last two decades. Makoto will be making his first appearance at the event in Italy, where he will present the final issue of Vinland Saga and an exhibition dedicated to the series.
Also participating from Japan are Kazuhiko Torishima, the historical editor of Dragon Ball and one of the most influential figures in modern manga publishing, as well as Shintaro Kago and Satoshi Shiki.
Guests from the UK include Liam Sharp, recognized for works such as Wonder Woman: Rebirth, Green Lantern, and the Eisner Award-nominated StarHenge. From Serbia, R. M. Guéra, known for films such as Scalped, Goddamned, Django Unchained, and Judge Dredd, will be joining the cast.
From the United States, Alex Maleev and David Mack bring two unique and highly influential visions of American comics to Naples, while one of the greatest Disney writers of all time, Don Rosa, will return to COMICON after ten years.
Italian comic book craftsmanship will be represented by Sara Pichelli, co-creator of Miles Morales and one of Marvel’s most prominent contemporary artists, and Simone Bianchi, renowned for his powerful and painterly interpretations of iconic superheroes.
The 2026 edition will also aim to highlight the intersections between comics and new collecting cultures, with the participation of Tomodachi Press founders Dario Moccia and Davide Masella, and illustrator Agnese Innocente. For the first time, Tomodachi Press will have a dedicated booth and artists’ alley, focusing on trading card art.
In the gaming space, guests will include Koji “IGA” Igarashi, known for revolutionizing the Castlevania saga and defining the Metroidvania genre. He will be joined by voice actor Troy Baker, composer Austin Wintory, Andrea Pessino, co-founder of Ready At Dawn, and Tomoyuki Tanaka, composer and sound director behind franchises such as Castlevania, Metal Gear Solid, and Yakuza.
You can learn more at the COMICON website.
Meanwhile, make a space in your diary for a comics art festival on a luxury tip, with the ‘crowd-free’ Hawaiian Islands Comic Art Festival coming in 2027.
