Max Pezzali, the iconic frontman of the Italian pop band 883, has been appointed as the guest artistic director for a special issue of the long-running comic magazine *Topolino* (the Italian edition of Mickey Mouse). The issue, number 3680, will be released on June 3 and features a concept-comics format inspired by a concept album, with stories written and illustrated by various artists including Tito Faraci, Alessandro Perina, and Claudio Sciarrone. The cover, drawn by Alessandro Perina, references Pezzali's 1993 album *Nord sud ovest est*, and the issue includes autobiographical elements and nods to 1990s pop culture.
This collaboration matters because it represents a strategic evolution for *Topolino*, which has increasingly targeted adult and pop-culture audiences through special issues dedicated to figures like Dante Alighieri and Marco Polo. By enlisting a mainstream music star as artistic director, the magazine blurs the line between children's comics and adult-oriented cultural products, potentially expanding its readership and demonstrating how legacy publications can remain relevant by engaging with contemporary pop icons and nostalgia-driven content.