Zerocalcare

Michele Rech (Italian: [miˈkɛːle ˈrɛk]; born 12 December 1983), known professionally as Zerocalcare ([ˌdzɛrokalˈkaːre]), is an Italian cartoonist. His pen name, literally meaning "zero limescale", was inspired by an Italian TV commercial jingle for a descaler product, and was chosen when he needed a nickname to quickly join a discussion on the Internet.

As of 2019, his books have sold over one million copies. His works were also adapted in other media, including the 2018 live-action movie The Armadillo Prophecy (Italian: La profezia dell'armadillo), based on the 2011 graphic novel of the same name, and the Netflix animated series Tear Along the Dotted Line (2021), This World Can't Tear Me Down (2023), and My Two Cents (2026), in which he also starred.

Biography

Early life

Rech was born in Cortona, Italy, to an Italian father from Rome and a French mother. He was raised in France, then later Rome (Rebibbia-Ponte Mammolo area), where he graduated at the Lycée français Chateaubriand.

Early career (2003–2012)

In 2003, at the age of 20, Rech began working as an illustrator for Liberazione, Carta, La Repubblica, and several other periodicals. At this time, he also wrote and drew a webcomic titled Safe Inside for Zuda Comics, the online division of DC Comics. In 2004 he created a comic about the G8 summit in Genoa, which had taken place three years before.

Zerocalcare published his first graphic novel in October 2011 titled The Armadillo Prophecy, and in November created zerocalcare.it, a website where he published autobiographical comic strips. In September 2012, the blog won the Macchianera Award as 'Best draftsman-Cartoonist' and the Gran Guinigi Award at Lucca Comics for best short story with The Armadillo Prophecy.

Career (2013–present)

In October 2014, Rech made a variant cover for Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, released during Lucca Comics by Panini Comics' Italian division.

In April 2016, his fourth graphic novel Kobane Calling: Greetings from Northern Syria was published. The material had been previously published in 'Internazionale' and focused on the conflict between the Kurds and the Islamic State. Kobane Calling won the Micheluzzi Award as best cartoon at Naples Comicon, 2017. In October, a film based on La profezia dell'armadillo entered production with Fandango (a Fremantle subsidiary) and Rai Cinema. Zerocalcare was one of four screenwriters on the movie.

On 14 January 2018 L'Espresso published a short comic by Zerocalcare titled Questa non è una partita a bocce, focusing on the rise of Neo-fascist movements in Italy. The same year, Zerocalcare was invited to attend San Diego Comic-Con following the English release of Kobane Calling, but only obtained his US Visa last minute, due to his travels which inspired the book.

On 3 September 2018 the film La profezia dell'armadillo was released, based on his comic of the same name. In November, the MAXXI museum of Rome hosted an exhibition of Zerocalcare's works, titled Zerocalcare. Scavare fossati, Nutrire coccodrilli. It lasted until March 2019. That same month a theatrical adaption of Kobane Calling: Greetings from Northern Syria debuted at Teatro del Giglio in Lucca, during Lucca Comics & Games 2019 and toured as part of the 2019/2020 theatre season. In 2020, Zerocalcare got high visibility, particularly thanks to the animated shorts Rebibbia Quarantine broadcast on LA7 on the Propaganda Live program during lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. On the same year, he made variant covers for Marvel's Absolute Carnage comic book miniseries, only released in Italy. He wrote an introduction for the Italian edition of TRANSito, a transgender-themed comic by Ian Bermúdez drawn by David Cantero, released in Italy in March 2020.

On 21 December 2020, Zerocalcare announced that he would be creating an animated series for Netflix titled Tear Along the Dotted Line. Ten months later, on 8 October 2021, Netflix released a teaser trailer for the show, which announced the show's 17 November 2021 release date. The show premiered ten days later, on 18 October, at the Rome Film Fest. On 16 November Ablaze Publishing announced that they would be releasing English translations of Zerocalcare's first three graphic novels, The Armadillo Prophecy (2011), Tentacles At My Throat (2012) and Forget My Name (2014). Tear Along the Dotted Line was released through Netflix on 17 November 2021. Early reviews have been positive. An animated series featuring the same team of creators, titled This World Can't Tear Me Down (Italian: Questo mondo non mi renderà cattivo), was released on Netflix on 9 June 2023.

On 4 October 2022, Rech's new graphic novel No Sleep till Shengal was published in Italian. It focuses on the persecution of Yazidis in Iraq.

On 1 November 2025, at Lucca Comics & Games 2025, Zerocalcare announced that he would be working on a new series titled My Two Cents (Italian: Due Spicci), which released in May 2026.

Works

Graphic novels

The Armadillo Prophecy (La profezia dell'armadillo). Edizioni Graficart. 2011.

Dodici. BAO Publishing. 2013.

Kobane Calling: Greetings from Northern Syria. Lion Forge Comics. 2017. ISBN 978-19-4130-249-1.

Macerie prime. BAO Publishing. 2017.

Macerie prime. Sei mesi dopo. BAO Publishing. 2017.

——; R/Push (2018). Prossima fermata. Una storia per Renato. Elementi Kairos.

Educazione subatomica. CNR Edizioni. 2018.

Tentacles At My Throat (Un polpo alla gola). Europe Comics. 2018. ISBN 978-16-8497-092-6.

A Babbo morto. Una storia di Natale. BAO Publishing. 2020.

Scheletri. BAO Publishing. 2020.

Forget My Name (Dimentica il mio nome). Ablaze Publishing. 2022. ISBN 978-19-5091-272-8.

No Sleep till Shengal. BAO Publishing. 2022.

Quando muori resta a me. BAO Publishing. 2024.

Short Comics

Sparare a zero. Best Movie. 24 September 2014–present.

"'Se Zerocalcare avesse scelto un panda anziché un armadillo?". Bevilacqua, Giacomo (2015). A Panda piace fare i fumetti degli altri. Panini Comics. ISBN 978-88-9120-954-2.