Pages and Panels At Lucca Comics & Games 2025
Written by Rossano D’Angelo
Lucca Comics & Games 2025 sold more than 280,000 tickets, hosted 900 guests, 730 exhibitors, 1,500 events, and 12 exhibitions in the record breaking 59th year.
This year’s theme, “French Kiss,” paid tribute to France. Like a kiss that bridges different worlds and languages, French Kiss inspired the official poster illustrated by the renowned Rébecca Dautremer, who turned artistic freedom into the guiding thread of an unforgettable edition.
Lucca Comics & Games lasts 5 days, and this year Pages and Panels was there to cover a fraction of the event that takes over the entire city of Lucca in Tuscany, Italy.
Lucca’s stellar comic and manga guest lineup
Every year Lucca Comics & Games brings talent from around the world. This year’s guests included Italian superstar Gabriele Dell’Otto, legends John Romita Jr., Charlie Adlard, Chip Zdarsky, Dan Jurgens, Kevin Eastman and Tetsuo Hara, the creator of Fist of the North Star.
Three Unique Showcases
The event schedule was packed with panels, live drawings, parades, and much more, but three showcases especially caught our attention: those of Kevin Eastman, John Romita Jr., and Tetsuo Hara.
These showcases featured the three artists answering fascinating questions about their careers and personal lives - all while drawing live in front of the audience. What made Kevin Eastman’s talk truly memorable, though, was the way he spoke about still drawing the Turtles after more than forty years. He said that seeing new generations discover Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael “never stops feeling surreal” and that he still approaches every sketch “with the same excitement Peter and I had back in that tiny room”. Hearing him talk about how the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles grew from a bedroom indie project into a global franchise - with cartoons, films, toys, and generations of fans - was genuinely inspiring.
John Romita Jr. reflected on some of the valuable lessons he learned from his father, John Romita, about what it truly takes to become a good artist. One lesson that stood out was his father’s insistence on discipline before talent: “You don’t need to be the best in the room” he said, echoing his father’s words, “but you do need to be the one who never stops improving”. He also shared how his father taught him to draw with empathy - to focus on storytelling, expression, and humanity over perfect lines. Hearing him say that “success comes when you believe in your work long enough for others to believe in it too” was surprisingly moving, and it gave real weight to his message about self-confidence and persistence.
Finally, Tetsuo Hara discussed the Japanese manga industry, his creative process, and shared some fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from his work on Hokuto no Ken (Fist of the North Star). What struck me most was how methodical and physical his process still is. He talked about starting every page with loose, almost chaotic pencil strokes to “find the emotion first,” and only then refining the anatomy and action. He also admitted that some of Kenshiro’s most iconic poses came from him acting them out in front of a mirror, trying to capture a sense of weight and tension before putting it on the page.
Hara also explained how tight deadlines shaped the manga industry in the ’80s: “We didn’t have time to doubt ourselves,” he said with a smile, describing weeks where he slept at the studio, drawing until sunrise. Hearing him openly share how much pressure went into creating such a legendary series made his artwork feel even more impressive — every page carries not just skill, but endurance and dedication.
Fans of Metal Gear… Assemble!
Lucca Comics & Games 2025 also hosted Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding 2 World Strand Tour, one of the very few stops in Europe and a rare chance to see Kojima in person ahead of the game’s release. His arrival electrified the entire Centro Storico: you could feel the energy shift as hundreds of fans packed the streets hours before he even appeared. For me, it was surreal - seeing such a legendary figure walk the red carpet in the middle of Lucca felt like the festival had suddenly turned into a once-in-a-lifetime premiere event.
The luckiest fans not only made it onto the red carpet but also had their games and memorabilia signed by Kojima himself. The excitement he brought with him lingered for the entire day.
Image courtesy of Lucca Games & Comics
From Hawkins to Lucca
Lucca’s red carpet also welcomed the (partial) cast of Stranger Things—along with the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers. All of us Stranger Things fans - Pages and Panels included - gathered in front of the impressive Netflix booth, which featured a massive and terrifying Vecna installation.
One of the highlights of Lucca Comics & Games was an exclusive Q&A with the cast and creators of the hit Netflix series. For a show that started in 2016, when most of the actors were barely teenagers, to nearly ten years later, emotions ran high as the cast reflected on their favorite moments and teased the upcoming season.
Finn Wolfhard (Mike) shared his excitement about the new season: “We’re going to see one of the best seasons among all five of Stranger Things - it’s my favorite since season 1.” Meanwhile, Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin) initially didn’t want to reveal anything, but after repeated requests from the audience, he treated everyone to a live rendition of the NeverEnding Story song he sings with Suzie in the season 3 finale - a magical and hilarious moment that had the entire audience cheering.
The Duffer Brothers kept fans guessing about the fifth and final season, reminding everyone to tune in when it premieres on November 26, 2025. Seeing the cast and creators so genuinely invested in their work created an intimate and unforgettable energy that perfectly captured the excitement and magic of Lucca.
The Kevin Eastman and Tetsuo Hara Exhibits
Lucca Comics & Games 2025 also featured numerous exhibits, including two dedicated to Kevin Eastman and Tetsuo Hara. Eastman’s exhibit traced the evolution of his work on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, from the gritty, black-and-white illustrations of the original comics to the more polished, dynamic style of later issues and licensed adaptations. It was fascinating to see how his characters’ designs, facial expressions, and action sequences became more refined over the decades - reflecting not just his growth as an artist, but also the way the Turtles became a cultural phenomenon that resonated with multiple generations of fans.
Sensei Tetsuo Hara’s exhibit focused on his iconic manga Fist of the North Star, a post-apocalyptic saga following Kenshiro, a martial artist whose deadly fighting techniques bring justice to a lawless world. The exhibit featured full-page spreads, intense fight scenes, and intricate character designs, all rendered with incredible attention to detail. Fans of the series - myself included - were left in awe at the scale, precision, and sheer energy of Hara’s artwork, which conveys not just action, but emotion and drama on every page.
Cosplayers: the beating heart of the festival
Even though the festival was packed with activities, comic book artists, and booths to explore, Lucca’s Centro Storico was dominated by the festival’s greatest attraction: the cosplayers. Hundreds of fans in cosplay filled the streets over the five days.
Until next year, Lucca!
The dates for the 60th edition of Lucca Comics & Games have already been announced - the festival will take place from October 28 to November 1, 2026. Who knows, maybe we can expect something truly special to celebrate the 60th anniversary?