Bianca Torturata / Valentina

Valentina, the surreal and erotically charged creation of Italian cartoonist Guido Crepax, began her run in 1975 with Bianca Torturata, a single issue published by Zweitausendeins. A landmark of European adult comics, the series blends dreamlike psychedelia with a sophisticated, experimental visual language, following its enigmatic photographer protagonist through a world of psychological intrigue and stylized sensuality. Crepax’s distinctive, panel-breaking layouts and elegant linework made Valentina an icon of 1970s counterculture comics, bridging fine art and the medium.