Salvatore Stizza

Salvatore Stizza
self-portrait ?
Biographical information
Born:	Venice, 1931
Died:	Ponte di Piave, September 16, 2008
Nationality:	Italian
Occupation:	Artist
Website:

Biography

Salvatore Stizza was an italian artist.

in 1933 there is a small notice^[1] in the newspaper "Gazzetta di Venezia" about a two-year-old boy who got away from his parents and managed to topple a glass door on himself. He suffered some injuries with the wounds healing after twelve days. The little boy was Salvatore Stizza and lived in Venice, Cannaregio 105 - interno 111.

The earliest work of Stizza that is known is when he completed the story "I naufraghi dell'Universo", a story created by Mac and Carlo Cedroni. This story was printed in the Italian magazine "Pioniere" issues 40 to 52, 1956. Based on the fact that the drawing style changes slightly in issue 49 Marco Pugacioff suggests that Stizza took over the art-work from this issue. Marco Pugacioff do mention that both Cedroni and Stizza worked for the "Atelier Barbato" at this time.

By 1961 he also did stories for the Italian "Il Vittorioso" like the story "I primi navigatori", using the name V. Stizza.

He started working on Mandrake stories for Fratelli Spada in 1964, and he signed four stories with S. Totty. It's worth to note that one of his Mandrake story, "La bambola drogata", was publihed in the regular American "Mandrake the Magician" series on an edited presentation.

Late 1960s Stizza worked for the "Alberto Giolitti Studio" drawing stories like "Top Brass Target" and "Spear Force" for Fleetway Publications' "Battle Picture Library" series. He also made several stories with "Il grande Blek" in the period 1966 to 1970.

In the 70s and 80s he worked for Edifumetto on more adults series such as: "Kondor" (1983-84: 4, 6, 7, 8, 10), "La Moschettiera" (1983: 14, 15, 16), "Orror" (16, Abbraccio mortale), "I Sanguinari" (1975-79: 9), "Top" (1975: 4, 8), "Vampirissimo" (1975-80; 22, 23, 68), "I Vitelloni" (1975: 7 - Mandracche), "Wallestein" (1975-80; 10/19, 21, 24, 26, 27, 30, 32, 35, 36, 39/41, 44, 46, 48, 50, 54, 57, 61, 63, 65/67, 69/71, 74/78), "Zora la Vampira" (1975-81; 7/9, 1981-85; 24/26) and others.

In the 80s he also made paintings, signed El Loco or Stizza el Loco.

Mandrake work by Salvatore Stizza

Fratelli Spada stories

1964

1965

1966

The last image is the French version of the story "Colpo grosso sul Bengala-Express" from the Italian "Phantom" magazine "Avventure Americane – L'Uomo Mascherato" #166 from 1966. It is included here because it is interesting to be able to compare the layout on the first page of the stories.

Easter Eggs

In "Un vecchio signore troppo bublone" there is a framed sketch hanging on the wall. Is this a self-portrait of the artist? In "L'evaso", "Una notte romantica", "Una vacanza per Lothar" and "Operazione droga" is the signature S. Totty.