Photo by Adi.darkblue, cropped (CC BY-SA)
Giancarlo Esposito revealed the cover of The Venetian on Wednesday, the first look at his debut graphic novel, a Venice-set crime story due from Gallery 13 on June 29, 2027.
The featured image shows Esposito at Comic-Con Oakland in May 2026.
The Lowdown
Esposito has spent years playing the most controlled men in the room. Now he is the one inventing the criminal world. The cover arriving more than two years after the project was first announced is a reminder of how long these books take, and of how personal this one is for him. He has already described the story as a reflection of his Afro-Italian heritage. Our read: this is Esposito building a world he can own, not just inhabit.
Key Takeaways
- Giancarlo Esposito revealed the cover of The Venetian on Nov. 11, 2026. It is his first graphic novel.
- He co-created the book with screenwriter Matt Wheeler and artist Jay Martin.
- Gallery 13, a Simon & Schuster imprint, will publish the 208-page hardcover on June 29, 2027.
- The story follows Matteo Moro, a retired assassin pulled back into Venice’s criminal underworld after the son he never met is kidnapped.
The Full Story
The First Look at the Cover
PEOPLE published an exclusive look at the cover on Nov. 11, and Fiction Horizon also reported the reveal the same day. This is not the first time the project has been made public. Deadline reported in March 2024 that Esposito was launching the graphic novel with Wheeler and Martin. Wednesday’s reveal is the first look at the finished cover art.
A Retired Assassin, Called Back to Venice
According to the official Simon & Schuster / Gallery 13 listing, the book follows Matteo Moro, an assassin who disappeared 17 years earlier after one last job. He left behind the woman he loved and their unborn son, hoping to keep them away from the life that had already consumed his family. When that son is kidnapped, Matteo is forced out of exile and back into Venice’s criminal world to find the boy he never knew. The hardcover is 208 pages and is now listed for preorder, with a publication date of June 29, 2027.
A Story He Has Called Personal
When the project was announced, Esposito called it “an unusual original story that exemplifies my deeply rich Afro Italian heritage,” in a statement to Deadline. Wheeler, a screenwriter, and Martin, a storyboard artist who wrote and illustrated the 2023 Dark Horse graphic novel Lost Boy, share the co-creator credit. More celebrity news is on our Celebrity page.
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More Context
- PEOPLE — Breaking Bad Star Giancarlo Esposito Reveals New Crime Thriller ‘The Venetian’ — See the Cover! (Exclusive) ↗
- Simon & Schuster / Gallery 13 — The Venetian, official publisher listing ↗
- Fiction Horizon — Giancarlo Esposito Takes on Venice’s Criminal Underworld in His Graphic Novel ‘The Venetian’ ↗
- Deadline — Giancarlo Esposito Launches Graphic Novel ‘The Venetian’ ↗