The list of special guests for the anniversary 20th edition of the Herceg Novi Comic Festival, taking place from **September 4–9**, is now complete with three more world-renowned artists who will be introduced to the festival audience for the very first time – Portuguese creator **Filipe Andrade** and Italian artists **Marco Castiello** and **Josephine Tomarchio**.

For the first time in its history, the Herceg Novi Comic Festival will welcome a special guest from Portugal – and what a guest he is. Acclaimed multidisciplinary artist **Filipe Andrade**, who graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Lisbon before earning a Master’s degree in Los Angeles, now divides his time between the United States, Hong Kong, Italy and Portugal.

From 2009 to 2019, Andrade worked extensively with Marvel Comics, illustrating titles such as *The Immortal Hulk*, *Jessica Jones*, *Fantastic Four*, *John Carter*, and *Captain Marvel*. His impressive portfolio also includes work for Boom! Studios, Passion Studios and Riot Games, alongside collaborations with numerous acclaimed creators on independent projects. As both writer and artist, he has published three original graphic novels – *The Closed City*, *Crossroads*, and *Solitude* – released by Lisbon-based publisher TLS.

Andrade is the recipient of the prestigious **Hugo** and **Ringo Awards** for *Cyberpunk 2077: Big City Dreams*, published by Dark Horse Comics. He has also received multiple **Eisner Award** nominations for the critically acclaimed graphic novels *The Many Deaths of Laila Starr* and *Rare Flavours*, both of which have been translated into numerous languages worldwide.

Joining the guest lineup is outstanding Italian illustrator **Josephine Tomarchio**, one of the leading representatives of the new wave of Italian comic art. Last year, *MegaNerd Magazine* described her as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Italian illustration.

Throughout her career, Tomarchio has collaborated with numerous international publishers, producing comic books, comic book covers, trading card artwork, book covers, and editorial illustrations. Her most notable collaborations include projects for major American publishers **Dynamite Entertainment**, **Zenescope**, and **SHP Comics**. She has exhibited at major festivals dedicated to women creators in comics, and her artwork has been widely recognized for its empowering portrayal of women. Her illustration *Anima Informe* was also featured in the prestigious feminist magazine *DonnaWomanFemme*.

The final addition to this year’s roster of special guests is Italian superstar **Marco Castiello**. He is best known for his work on two of the most iconic franchises of all time – *Star Wars* and *Halo* – for Dark Horse Comics.

Castiello has also collaborated extensively with other major American publishers. For Marvel Comics, he has illustrated *Spider-Man*, *Spider-Woman*, *Ant-Man*, *Captain America*, *Doctor Doom*, *Giant-Man*, *Secret Invasion*, and many other titles. For DC Comics, he has worked on flagship series featuring *Superman*, *Batman*, *Hawkman*, and the *Justice League*. He is currently illustrating *Perry Rhodan* for the German publisher Cross Cult.

In addition to his comic book career, Castiello is an accomplished 2D animation artist. His animation credits include *Space Jam: A New Legacy*, *Captain Laserhawk: A Blood Dragon Remix*, and the Academy Award-winning animated film *The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse*.

As a reminder, the 20th anniversary edition of the Herceg Novi Comic Festival had already announced an outstanding lineup featuring **Derek Robertson, Geoff Senior, Barry Kitson, Terry Moore, Jim Mahfood, Sean Crystal, Dani, Luana Vecchio, and Katia Vecchio**. With the addition of these final three internationally acclaimed creators, this year’s festival once again brings together some of the biggest names in the world of comics.

Combined with its outstanding music programme, the Herceg Novi Comic Festival continues to reaffirm its reputation as a true cultural phenomenon. As it celebrates two decades of excellence, the festival also hopes to finally receive official recognition as an Event of National Significance – a status it has unquestionably deserved for many years.