For Wu Ming, we can use English, since multilingualism is part of their game.

You should definitely check out the Wikipedia entry on them (English Italian), as well as commentary on Luther Blisset (the image to the left) (English Italian). And of course, you should visit their home page (English Italian).

And, of course, we have some questions about Wu Ming.

1. 1.What is at stake in a collective name or identity?
   

2. 2.What can you say about the image of Luther Blisset above?
   

3. 3.What do you think of the fact that they offer their books for free on their website, as part of their “copyleft” policy?
   

4. 4.Is the “New Italian Epic” Italian if the name of the movement is in English?
   

5. 5.Wu Ming lists at least 7 characteristics that define the New Italian Epic: the first is avoidance of the cold irony of postmodernism? What does this mean, and why do they avoid it?
   

6. 6.Wu Ming strives to unite complex narratives (which we normally associate with high literary forms, especially modernism) with a pop sensibility (comic books, genre fiction, the internet): why?
   

7. 7.Almost all of their work is historical, but often strangely warped or fantastic versions of history. Comment.
   

8. 8.What is an Unidentified Narrative Object (UNO?)
   

9. 9.Wu Ming hopes to create communities around their works—on-line spin-offs, fan fiction, and the like. Comment.
   

10. 10.Wu Ming scrupulously avoids associating photographs with the individual members, using instead the image below. Why? What can you say about the qualities of this image? What is “good” or “bad” about it?
    

11. 11.Carla Benedetti, a literary critic, rejects the group, saying that all of their activities add up to a fairly shameless self-promotion (autopromozione). What do you think?
    

12. 12.Do any of the texts we’ve read qualify as New Italian Epics? Why or why not?