"A veritable treasure-trove of readings—inclusive of comic books, films, television series, and music videos—this book ushers in a new era of Italian American studies. The fantastic essays featured in DiPaolo's and Lioi's volume are theoretically rich and help us understand our deeply troubled twenty-first century." — Mary Jo Bona, author of Mothers, Mobility, Narrative: Maternality in US Literature"In this exciting and deeply researched collection, masterfully edited by Marc DiPaolo and Anthony Lioi, the various contributors explore the concept of what they call Italian/American 'fantastika,' through an exploration of genres like science fiction, horror, and fantasy. Written with great verve and intellectual depth, the essays powerfully explore the cultural and political significance of everything from robots to witches, from Dante to pirates, from Pinocchio to Star Trek while placing them within the context of utopian studies, literary studies, and Italian American studies. Precisely by bringing much-needed complexity and clarity to the meaning of Italian American speculative culture, the authors in this collection provide incredibly fruitful insights on the meaning of belonging, assimilation, nationalism, and identity that will be incredibly valuable to a wide audience." — Alex Zamalin, author of Black Utopia: The History of an Idea from Black Nationalism to Afrofuturism"The intersection of Italian ethnicity and the fantastika genre is a rich area that has long been neglected, and this book begins to repair that oversight. Its pioneering nature is perhaps its greatest strength, along with its broad understanding of the Italian diaspora."— Jonathan J. Cavallero, author of Italian Americans on Screen: Challenging the Past, Re-Theorizing the Future
