“Spirituality and Comics in Hugo Pratt, Alan Moore, and David B.: Esotericism as “unsettled knowledge”

This article describes the artistic production and intellectual and spiritual life of three of the most important artists in the field of comics and graphic novels: Hugo Pratt, Alan Moore, and David B. These artists share a common interest in esotericism: they have participated in esoteric and alternative spiritualitygroups,and in their artistic worksthey reproduce esoteric symbols, narratives, and doctrines.Scholars in religious studies have already described theconnectionsbetween contemporary art and esotericism, arguing that artists are “spiritual seekers”who representtheir spiritual quest.This articlegoes beyond such a perspective by describing how esotericism has changed in contemporary societies and,in particular,within the frame of comics and graphic novels.Esotericism is generally understood as a “rejected”, “absolute”, and “stigmatised” form of knowledge, characterisedby elitism andsecrecy.The esotericism of these artists (both in their life and in their artworks)is not “rejected”;on the contrary,it has become mainstream, with best-seller publications and museum exhibitions. Furthermore, it is not“absolute”or “hidden”;rather,it reveals doubt and deconstructs religion and spirituality, sometimeseven challengingor mockingthem. For these artists, esotericism is a form of “unsettled knowledge”, a never-ending quest for transcendenceanda means of learning about the unconsciousand humankind.It finds its legitimisation inreligious texts, revelations,and religious movements, but mainly in the power of storytelling. This article argues that the blurring between reality and narrationdoes not imply a process of disenchantment,nora“hyper-religion”, insteadrepresentinganother form of spirituality in contemporary societies. Finally, this“unsettled knowledge”is also unsettling for the reader, who is challenged by theseartworksandfinds in themwondrous, dazzling,and dreamlikeexperiences