Which comic book characters with cinematic themes appeared in Italian comics (1930s and 1940s)? How did cinema intersect with adventure or humorous comics? Was cinema merely a side dish or a true "protagonist"? This essay attempts to answer these questions by analyzing part of the long and original history of the relationship between cinema and Italian comics. Indeed, between the 1930s and 1940s, a veritable publishing boom developed, with many comic book characters pursuing film careers. This essay explores the whys and wherefores.