Max Pezzali director of the new issue of Topolino

“And here I am at the helm of an entire issue of Mickey Mouse, a dream come true, like for a child going into a toy shop and being able to take anything – says Max Pezzali – When I was handed over the keys to the kingdom I felt a great responsibility. Mickey Mouse is one of the most authoritative realities from the point of view not only of the quality of the stories, of the comic itself, but also of the sociological meaning behind every cartoon, every single character. When Alex Bertani proposed a passage to me delivery, I started thinking about how to make this issue meet the standard of such a high-end publication, but at the same time contain elements that tell my story, in harmony with the world of Mickey Mouse.”

From music that crosses generations, to comics that never stop speaking to the future: on the pages of issue 3680 of the weekly magazine Max Pezzali lives a new chapter of his “golden years”. After having held the helm of the Sanremo ship, today he leads – for an issue – the universe of Topolino magazine, intertwining passions, catchphrases and pop memories. Because certain stories, just like certain songs, don’t end: they remain, they transform and continue to be passed down, becoming a myth.

Alex Bertani, director of Topolino, comments: “This issue of Topolino is a real gem, an experiment never done before. A concept comics built along the lines of a concept album, in which each rap story will present a kind of track and where each page will contribute to a larger, surprising and choral story. Different and heterogeneous stories united by the same common thread (or soundtrack I if you prefer). An unusual test. So “personal” that after 400 uninterrupted issues I decided, for a week, to get up from the director’s chair and enjoy Mickey Mouse from the armchair! I will leave it to Max Pezzali, an exceptional director, who brought so much energy and a precise idea of narration to the editorial team”.

All the stories arise from ideas, passions, ideas and themes dear to Max Pezzali, then developed by a team of talented Disney authors. The issue opens with Donald Duck and the Sound of Time, written by Tito Faraci and illustrated by Alessandro Perina, with Pezzali as the protagonist in an unprecedented “paper version”. And there is also a curious twist of fate behind this meeting on the pages of Mickey Mouse: Tito and Max have known each other since university, united by a passion for comics, music and the search for a space where they can play. «At a certain point we shared an unlikely rehearsal room in a building owned by a remote municipality in the lower Pavia area… And it didn’t go very well!», says Pezzali.

We continue with four one-offs – Inspiration comes when you least expect it – North, South, West and East – created by Claudio Sciarrone, which once again sees Max Pezzali in the Duck version. The issue is completed by five other stories, all inspired by the passions, narrative universe and language of the artist: Kilometers of letters, written by Marco Nucci and illustrated by Davide Cesarello, Manetta and the team that always wins, written by Roberto Gagnor and Luca Usai, The duckling who read Rider Duck, written by Francesco Pelosi and illustrated by Giampaolo Soldati, Donald Duck and the hero’s long day, by Marco Nucci and Andrea Maccarini, and Old story, same friends, signed by Corrado Mastantuono as the complete author. Naturally, the artist’s universe meets the Disney one also in the exceptional cover created by Alessandro Perina. The perfect beginning of the incredible journey that will guide readers in this special issue, in which Max Pezzali’s gaze and style become a story, transforming memories and passions into new stories to read, live and reread.