Strix: giornale di fumetti e altro - fatto da donne

Added by Simone Serrentino 1 on Jul 17th, 2025

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November 1978

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Strix was one of the first Italian feminist comic magazines, created entirely by women and published in just three editions between late 1978 and the summer of 1979. It originated from a cooperative of thirteen women – both established and emerging illustrators and cartoonists – with Antonella Barina and Lydia Sansoni as editors-in-chief.

The publication had a brief but impactful run. Self-managed and self-funded, Strix operated with full artistic freedom, free from commercial or ideological constraints – what the authors described as “the freedom to dream.” Distribution was handled primarily through feminist networks and bookstores, with Librellula, the women’s bookstore in Bologna, serving as a central hub. Despite positive sales – as noted in the third issue – the absence of paid advertising and delays in distributor payments ultimately led to the project’s closure. Due to budget constraints, the first two issues included a poster, while the third issue did not, but it featured eight additional pages.

The title Strix refers to the Latin word for owl as well as to the legendary creature “striga”, associated with witches in several Italian dialects. This ambivalent figure – a woman-bird hybrid capable of metamorphosis – was often accused of monstrous acts. The name also echoes “striscia” (Italian for “comic strip”), while the consonant cluster “S-T-R” – as in “strega” (witch) – suggests transgression and surprise. In a 2021 interview, Barina described the witch as a symbol of repressed female knowledge and a generative, creative figure associated with birth.

The year 1978, when Strix debuted, was a turning point in Italian history. Two key laws were passed: Law 194 (May 22), which legalized abortion and marked a major feminist achievement, and the Basaglia Law (Law 180, May 13), which reformed psychiatric care by closing mental institutions – an especially significant development, as many women had previously been institutionalized for social or moral reasons. In a completely different context, on October 15, Italy’s national broadcaster RAI aired the variety show Stryx. It was set in a theatrical underworld, incorporating satanic and erotic motifs, musical performances, and overt displays of female nudity, resulting in its premature cancellation. Although Strix was published shortly thereafter, the two projects were likely named independently, both drawing on the same mythological root.

Strix marked a departure from the prevailing didactic tone that characterized much of the feminist discourse of the period, creating a space for individual and experimental visual narratives. Each author developed her own story independently, without a fixed thematic guideline. The first issue, loosely centered around dreams, established an informal pattern continued in the second. What unified the project was not an editorial agenda, but a shared aim to present graphic testimonies. Produced “under the demonic influence of Strix,” the stories addressed motherhood (experienced, rejected, or questioned), gender roles, the unconscious, sexuality, power dynamics, and the body. Certain images – such as a girl retrieving her mother’s head from a swamp (Lydia Sansoni, Ho sognato che) or a child being devoured by its mother (Maristella Borotto, Un figlio buono) – sparked critical debate. Often read as symbolic, these narratives explored themes of birth, magic, and psychic depth. The reactions – published in newspapers, feminist journals, and letters to the editors (including some from the authors’ mothers) – revealed how Strix challenged long-held taboos and ideals, especially the idealized concept of motherhood, offering a more layered and embodied representation of women’s experiences.

The covers, each designed collaboratively by two contributors, reflected a strong authorial identity. The cover of the first edition was created by Antonella Barina and Lydia Sansoni, the second by Mariella Pisano and Sansoni, and the third by Sansoni with artwork by Alessia Fani. Across all three issues, Helvetica was used extensively in various weights and widths, particularly the black extended variant, which appeared prominently in the magazine’s masthead.
The first issue also featured Times, which was later replaced by a typeface similar to Bookman. Interior layout and design varied considerably from one story to another, adapting to the stylistic needs of each author. Within the comic panels, both typeset and handwritten text appeared, with hand lettering predominating – an approach consistent with the magazine’s overall graphic freedom. Likewise, the illustration styles were diverse, reflecting the varied backgrounds and visual languages of the creators. Narratives often blended elements of satire and visionary storytelling, moving beyond realism to explore timeless or fragmented dimensions.

Although short-lived, Strix remains a significant and pioneering milestone in the history of Italian comics and feminist publishing. It was among the first platforms to explore women’s experiences through visual storytelling, laying the groundwork for subsequent feminist publications such as Aspirina. Rivista per donne di sesso femminile, founded in 1987 by Lea Melandri – a magazine known for its satirical tone and playful yet incisive critique of gender and contemporary society.

Special thanks to the Centro Documentazione Donna of Ferrara, Italy, for their support and for providing access to the original issues of the magazine.

Strix: giornale di fumetti e altro - fatto da donne

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