I contacted the C.N.F. who are an Italian Comic Creators organisation whilst looking for Massimo Belardinelli. They passed my request on to an Italian comics journalist, Mr. Luca Bocha who knew some of the Giolitti's studio members. Although he didn't pesonally know the great man he was able to find a phone number...
Mr. Bocha reports -
He feels good and lives in a place not far from Rome and he's still working, even not in comics anymore.
He makes illustrations, not for the Italian market, and specifically he is involved in some visualizations of projects for Theme Parks, like in the past Marc Davis and his colleagues used to do for Disneyland...
So, a happy ending. And possibly the chance of speaking to Messimo. How's that for an early Christmas present?
Did he give you the phone number?
And if so have you given it to J-Bo/Tharg?
Yay Massimo!
Unfortunatley, but understandably, there was no chance of him passing on the phone number. But I've asked for a letter/message to be passed onwards.
Hats off. Good work DXB! And great to hear one of THE definitive 2000AD artists is still around.
Congratulations DXB - that's a great result. It's a shame he's not working in comics anymore, but it's nice to know that he's still with us, and still involved in illustration.
Now - editorial droids: how about trying to get an interview with Massimo?
Excellent news, DXB.
Hope we hear more from the man soon...
BELARDINELLI'S ALIVE!!!
Hey, that's amazing, well done Dave. I'd like to see even a one-off from the chap if he feels up to it. I wonder if Wagner and Grant feel they could carry on ACE Garp a bit, they may not I suppose.
Still, hurrah!
Well done DXB - its a Christmas story to gladden the heart even more than "Jingle all the Way" - Massimo is back in the land of the living...
Now by next christmas, we need him back on Ace Trucking - any means necessary Editorial droids - if only a pin up for prog 2005!
Excellent news, DXB! Well done on the detective work, too.
Congratulations to Sherlock X Brunt! That's really great news :)
How about a series of new poster progs. New drawings of Dredd by Ezquerra, Cam Kennedy's Rogue Trooper and the man himself with, well I'd say Angry Planet but I guess Dan Dare or Ace Garp would be more popular.
Monkeys in Hats off to you DXB.
That is an outstanding contribution to Thrill power!
Bolt-01
"How about a series of new poster progs. New drawings of Dredd by Ezquerra, Cam Kennedy's Rogue Trooper and the man himself with, well I'd say Angry Planet but I guess Dan Dare or Ace Garp would be more popular."
I'd go for dropping Future Shocks, running a couple of one/two-pager Alien Invasion strips & then throw in some star pinups of 2000AD characters - the perfect place for a new Ace Garp image from Belardinelli :-)
Brunt wants some sort of award for this... and good to hear the man is still around - even though I never liked is art much ;)
WOW
outstanding work.
thats fantastic. should you be able to contact him. do inform him of the fact many of sad ones here consider him of being one of the greats of he early days.
thats a great thing to bring to this board. at this specail time
well done. fantastic.
excellentnews - i had always wondered why he was such a mainstream collaborator pre fleetway and then sort of dissappeared??
now maybe we can get the skinny on this or maybe a few scripts from the master himself, id love a cover or two
limited edition portfolio of characters from yesterday, a sequel to the dead maybe
From the sounds of it, he won't be up for strip work. However, if he's doing concept illustrations, he might be available for covers or pin-ups. This certainly is a great opportunity for Alan or Matt (or Tharg!) to commission a last image from one of 2000 AD's true greats (and to not hamper him with a crappy script this time).
As for Ace Trucking, I truly hope that NEVER comes back. It ended, and it ended well. Bringing it back would be like what the Beeb did with Only Fools and Horses - going through the motions when there's clearly no need. (Mind you, I'm not entirely sure we need a sequel to Freaks, either...)
Bloody hell!
I've only just noticed this thread.
I'm delighted to hear rumours of Belardinelli's death were greatly exaggerated.
Never have I been so happy to be so wrong.
BRING BACK BELARDINELLI!
- Trout