Edizioni Star Comics S.r.l, also known simply as Star Comics, is a major Italian publisher founded in 1987 specialized in publishing manga and comics, and is the official publisher of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series and other works by Hirohiko Araki in Italy.
Summary
Star Comics was founded in 1987 by Sergio Cavallerin and Marco Marcello Lupoi after the original publishing company, Labor Comics, was closed in 1986 due to poor sales. Early in its history, the company started out importing comics from other countries and selling them for very low prices. The company principally translated American comics such as Spiderman, Fantastic Four and several others. Later in 1992, in order to expand its market Star Comics began working on various manga such as Fist of the North Star, Dragon Ball, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and more.[1]
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Star Comics has been producing and distributing the Italian localization of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga since 1993. It has also worked on several other Araki Works related to the JoJo universe, such as Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan and Under Execution, Under Jailbreak; as well as Araki's earlier works, such as Cool Shock B.T., Baoh the Visitor and Gorgeous Irene.[2]
"SOTTILETTA" Release
JoJo's first began in 1993 in the "Sottiletta" format (A very thin book similar to American comics with occidental reading order, that was used up to Part 4). The Sottiletta format was used for all the parts up to Stone Ocean, before Star Comics switched to the tankōbon format.
Tankōbon Release
In 2006, Star Comics switched to the tankōbon format, after the release of Part 7, Steel Ball Run. This newer release provided better printing materials, a revised translation and was overall an improvement over the old Sottiletta format. The tankōbon format is still used to this day for the release of Part 8, JoJolion, although Steel Ball Run has been discontinued and is not produced anymore.
Bunkoban Release
In 2009, Star Comics started releasing the already existing Japanese bunkoban edition of the manga for all the seven parts. This new edition provided the before mentioned improvements and various interviews. The bunkoban release was officially concluded in 2019. In 2021, the bunkoban release began digitally, with a new volume releasing every week.
JoJonium
In 2019 during the Lucca Comics & Games Event, Star Comics revealed an Italian release for JoJonium, with different covers from the Japanese one. This new edition officially concluded on May 11, 2022, when the last volume of Stardust Crusaders was released.
Special Editions
A special limited edition release of the first volume of JoJolion was released at the Lucca Comics & Games 2019 event. This version features a different cover, taken from the May 2016 issue of Ultra Jump, the initial colored pages in coated paper, a colored internal folding poster, a sketch of Josuke Higashikata and Soft & Wet, and a note written in Italian by Hirohiko Araki.
Other Araki Works
During Lucca Comics & Games 2019, a collection of Araki's work called Il bizzarro universo di Hirohiko Araki (Hirohiko Araki's Bizarre Universe) was released. This collection includes Baoh the Visitor, Gorgeous Irene, Cool Shock B.T. and Under Execution, Under Jailbreak. All the volumes can be bought in a single bundle or as separate releases. Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan was also released in Italy in 2015, with the second volume being released in 2019.
Gallery
JoJolion Starter Pack
Vento Aureo Starter Pack
Phantom Blood first edition's cover
Phantom Blood promotional bookmark
Battle Tendency Poster made by Star Comics in 1994
Battle Tendency digital colored volume cover
Vento Aureo digital colored volume cover
Vento Aureo digital colored volume cover
JoJonium volume one cover
