Valentina

Valentina is a Milanese photojournalist created by Guido Crepax, whose surreal, erotically charged adventures became landmarks of Italian comics. Modeled visually on silent-film actress Louise Brooks, she navigates dreamlike narratives blending fantasy, politics, and bold graphic experimentation through the pages of Linus.

A product of the vibrant Silver Age European comics scene, Valentina made her debut in 1968 through Milano Libri Edizioni, stepping onto the page during an era when Italian comics publishing was bold, stylish, and utterly distinctive. With her own dedicated series bearing her name — a mark of genuine staying power — she remained a presence in the medium across nearly three decades, a remarkable span that speaks to the lasting affection readers held for her. Appearing in the pages of Linus as well as her eponymous titles, she belongs to a tradition of Italian sequential art that deserves far more attention from collectors who've only scratched the surface of the Silver Age beyond American shores.