This article examines the intersections between sports and comics, illustrating how both are products of modern society and the cultural industry system. The discussion primarily focuses on the Italian context, analyzing Carmelo Silva’s so-called disegnate. It emphasizes the ways in which these visual representations have contributed to the construction of icons, myths, and collective memories, thereby fostering the emergence of fandom dynamics and patterns of cultural consumption. As digitalization advances, the disegnate undergo further transformation, evolving into NFTs and collectible items and raising questions about the nature of art and cultural value in the age of technical reproducibility. Adopting a historical, socio-cultural, and media- oriented approach, the article demonstrates how sports comics function as a narrative and identity laboratory, mirroring shifts in the media landscape from the print era to the current digital phase.
Lorenzo Di Paola (Fri,) studied this question.