Story
Diabolik is a ruthless master thief. He typically steals from criminals (and has no issue with killing them
if need be, but rarely, if ever, kills the innocent or the police), and has a set of lifelike masks which he uses to fool
his opponents, assuming every identity at his will. He seems to have a deep knowledge in many scientific fields, including
chemistry, mechanics and computers.
He was raised as an orphan on a secret island hideout of a criminal combine, where he learned all his criminal
skills, including developing his special masks, before killing the head of the combine. Diabolik's true name had never been
revealed in the series, and he doesn't know it himself. "Diabolik" was the name of a dangerous black panther that lived on
the secret island that the head of the combine killed. Diabolik took his name from that. From issue #3 of the series, Diabolik
is aided by his "moll", Eva Kant, who has gained an increasingly equally role as partner.
Diabolik and Eva Kant portrayed by Sergio Zaniboni.
Diabolik always drives a black Jaguar E-type car. Graphically inspired by the actor Robert Taylor, he usually wears a skintight black body suit that leaves only his eyes and eyebrows (very distinctive ones)
exposed when going 'into action'. Diabolik does not use firearms: his main weapons are the daggers he throws with uncanny
ability, as well as a small dart gun with knockout darts. Eva drives a white Jaguar, and unsually goes into action wearing
a heavy sweater and pants, no mask and no revealing clothing. The stories are set in a fictional town, Clerville, loosely
inspired by Geneva, Switzerland.
Diabolik's main opponent is Inspector Ginko, known only by his surname, a fierce police officer who however is always cheated by the astute tricks devised by Diabolik.
The only other stable character is the noblewoman Altea, Ginko's fiancee.
Publication
Diabolik first appeared in print on November 1, 1962 with the title "Il re del terrore" (in English:"The King of Terror"). Since 1997 a series of annual books with more complex stories exists. The Giussani sisters wrote much of the stories until
1980s, passing them gradually to Patricia Martinelli's hands and others. The most significative artist working to the graphical part is Sergio Zaniboni, who has been drawing Diabolik since 1969 (currently sharing the role with Giorgio Montorio). Other artists working on the series include Brenno Fiumali, Franco Paludetti, Enzo Facciolo and Lino Jeva.
Some American reprints have appeared. The Pacific Comics Club published a couple in the 1980s. Most recently
an American publisher called Scorpion started to publish digests in 2000 and did six before stopping.
Film
Diabolik and Eva's Jaguar in the movie version.
Ginko is Diabolik's always unsuccessful opponent.
Italian filmmaker Mario Bava adapted the story for a 1968 feature film, Danger: Diabolik, produced by Dino DeLaurentis and starring John Phillip Law.
Note: This film was used in the final episode of the long running television series, Mystery Science Theater 3000.
Influence
The popularity of Diabolik spurred a long series of characters directly or indirectly inspired to him, generally
noticeable by the final "k" in their name. Some of them are a kind of satire.
