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Nick Raider FAQ
Frequently Asked Question, or: 27 questions, 27 answers!
by Marco Zucchi

translation by Susanna Giordani Logan


Nick & Co. (14k)
Nick Raider & Co. Drawing by Ramella
(c) 1998 SBE
  1. Who created Nick Raider?
  2. What kind of stories are those with Nick Raider as the main character?
  3. Where and when do the stories develop?
  4. Who are Nick's superiors?
  5. And who are the colleagues who usually assist him?
  6. Are there other important characters who revolve around Nick?
  7. What do we know about the origins of Nick's family?
  8. What about his past?
  9. Who are Nick's parents?
  10. Is Nick an only son?
  11. Who writes the stories?
  12. Was there ever an adventure that did not involve corpses?
  13. Which issue shows the highest number of corpses?
  14. Who is the cover artist for the series?
  15. Who is the killer who committed the highest number of murders in the same issue?
  16. Who are the drawers?
  17. Was there ever a case involving a murder that took place in a room locked from the inside?
  18. Which adventure does not take place in New York?
  19. Have unusual weapons ever been used to commit a murder?
  20. What is the highest number of coffee mixes suggested by D'Angelo in one story?
  21. Is there a story that is more "McBainlike" than the others?
  22. Are there ever unknown powers in Nick Raider's stories?
  23. Has Nick ever been in a compromising situation?
  24. What are the names of Marvin's parents?
  25. When does Violet, Nick's friend and journalist for the Post, appear for the first time?
  26. When was Lieutenant Art born?
  27. What do we know about Alfie?

  1. Who created Nick Raider?
    Claudio Nizzi did. Nizzi already worked with the publisher of via Buonarroti at the time (the first issue is from June of 1998) since he was in every respect the heir of Bonelli, father in writing the scripts for Tex. Claudio Villa is the graphic creator in all aspects even though he follows the directions given by Nizzi himself.

  2. What kind of stories are those with Nick Raider as the main character?
    They are police procedurals: the author himself stated that he was inspired by Ed McBain's police procedural in his 87th Precinct. Almost all of Nick's stories revolve around the Central Precinct.

  3. Where and when do the stories develop?
    All the cases take place in New York, even if only as a starting point, in our times.

  4. Who are Nick's superiors?
    Nick's direct superior is Lieutenant Arthur Rayan, a friend of his and his father's since Nick was a child. Besides being his superior he can also be considered a father figure. Above Art is Captain Vance, a somewhat slimy character. He is always careful not to step on the feet of important characters so not to impede the career and he is dominated by his wife (thus the nickname: "Ciao cara" - "Hi dear").

  5. And who are the colleagues who usually assist him?
    Aside from Art there is Marvin Brown, Nick's partner, a character of color who is obviously inspired by Eddie Murphy on both the physical and the personal aspects. Then there is Jimmy Garrett, a workaholic and computer expert who is always ready to go to the field when needed in spite of his shy nature. Lieutenant Bowmann from forensics and Sergeant Blum, forensic pathologist complete the picture of those who help with Nick's investigations most often.

  6. Are there other important characters who revolve around Nick?
    Playing the role of sidekicks, Sergeant Ward, the cop at the entrance known for his jokes and D'Angelo, who is always suggesting impossible coffee mixes should be remembered from the Central Precinct. Agent Mary Ford is also worth mentioning, she mostly makes her appearances when used as bait. Outside of the police circle we should mention Violet, the journalist friend of Nick with whom he has a rather stable relationship and Alfie, the shortest and nicest informant in New York.

  7. What do we know about the origins of Nick's family?
    His grandparents were Italian, they came from a village in the Apennines and they moved to the United States to seek their fortune in 1928. Originally Raidero, the last name was cut off by one of the registration clerks at their arrival as it often happened in those days, thus transforming it into Raider. Nick's grandfather died 5 years after his coming to the United States as a result of a fall from a scaffolding during the construction of a building on 42nd St. (see n.75/76 and n.100).

  8. What about his past?
    We know he was in Vietnam as a policeman where he was Sergeant Rafferty's pupil, who contributed to his formation in a determining way. He worked in the Bronx at Fort Apache at the start of his career under the guidance of another determining character: Abraham Reginald King also known as "Blackbear".

  9. Who are Nick's parents?
    His father, John C. Raider, born in 1929 and deceased in 1972, was a policeman. Nick had a turbulent relationship with him because he discovered he was cheating on his mother, but above all because he legitimately reported a colleague, something that Nick could not accept but that he will have to do himself once more mature. After one of many fights Nick leaves his home which he will visit again only on the occasion of his father's funeral supported by the presence of a young Arthur Rayan. His mother, of Irish origins, shaken by the discovery of her husband's affair, withdraws into herself more and more until she is reduced to an apathetic state in which she currently is. She is now living in a clinic and Nick visits her every now and then. Not too long after we are told about these developings Nick moves back into his home, motivated also by the notice of eviction he received.

  10. Is Nick an only son?
    No, he finds out he had a sister (born from his father's relationship with another woman, Norma Butler) by investigating her murder (see n.77).

  11. Who writes the stories?
    After the initial big production of Nizzi (engaged in working on Tex more and more) a big contribute was given by Alfredo Nogara (the character of Louise Clementi is his between others), by Gino D'Antonio (creator of Sarah Himmelmann's character) and by Gianfranco Manfredi (between his characters we would like to remind you of "Il Grigio" - "The Gray" - who appeared in the 1996-97 almanacs). Other authors could be added to the above mentioned, authors who sometimes were involved in just one story.

  12. Was there ever an adventure that did not involve corpses?
    Yes, the issue "Il Rapimento" ("The Kidnapping" - see n.19) distinguishes itself by not showing even one corpse, as well as being pervaded by a subtle irony from start to finish in spite of the drama of the story.

  13. Which issue shows the highest number of corpses?
    N.37 shows 26 corpses. The highest number of corpses killed by the same weapon - a gun - in the same issue is 12 in n.30.

  14. Who is the cover artist for the series?
    The first cover artist is Giampiero Casertano, his are the covers from n.1 to n.43. Bruno Ramella takes over from n.44 to n.99. Corrado Mastantuono is in charge of the cover from n.100. The internal title-page, though, has not changed and it is faithful to the one that Ramella modified starting from n.44 (he added Alfie's picture to the original of Casertano). This Bonelli series is the first one to have a title-page since the first issue.

  15. Who is the killer who committed the highest number of murders in the same issue?
    Yuri Sharko is, in n.37. Andy Creepy in n.94 and Kevin Norton in the Special n.2 are the two serial killers who, instead, committed more murders in the same adventure with a total of 7 each.

  16. Who are the drawers?
    We can consider Renato Polese and Bruno Ramella as the columns of the series. We could add many more names to those of these artists, between the others we would like to at least mention Jos� Eduardo Caramuta who draws at least one story a year since 1998.

  17. Was there ever a case involving a murder that took place in a room locked from the inside?
    No, but in n.90 the story develops only in the interiors of a group of houses.

  18. Which adventure does not take place in New York?
    The story in n.43 which develops in Badfield at the border between Mexico and the United States, where the problem of illegal immigration is very spread.

  19. Have unusual weapons ever been used to commit a murder?
    Various: Art used some sort of spear in n.20 and arrows were used in two separate occasions. Louise Clementi has two murders on her record both committed with her beloved golf clubs.

  20. What is the highest number of coffee mixes suggested by D'Angelo in one story?
    They are three in n.18: a high number justified by the fact that in this particular adventure, thanks to the help of Sergeant Ward as well as D'Angelo himself, a baby is born inside the Central Precinct.

  21. Is there a story that is more "McBainlike" than the others?
    The Special n.7 is undoubtedly the one, almost all the characters of the Central Precinct make an appearance.

  22. Are there ever unknown powers in Nick Raider's stories?
    ESP phenomena appear in n.45 and in the Special n.5; hints to voodoo rites are made in n.91 and 92.

  23. Has Nick ever been in a compromising situation?
    At least once in n.9, where Nick and Marvin are in bed together! (Even though it is just a precaution to protect Nick who has been receiving threats)

  24. What are the names of Marvin's parents?
    Elisa and Jonathan (see n.42), although his father becomes Marcus in an issue dedicated to Marvin and published a few years later.

  25. When does Violet, Nick's friend and journalist for the Post, appear for the first time?
    She appears for the first time in n.10 with the peculiarity of being drawn blonde just this once. Later on we also find out her address: 339 Thompson St. at the Village (see n.28).

  26. When was Lieutenant Art born?
    He was born in 1931, the same year Dick Tracy was born.

  27. What do we know about Alfie?
    In the issue "L'ultimo della lista" ("The last on the list", see n.46) we come to learn how he acquired his career of informant years before. In the same issue we also find out that he does have a private life by being introduced to one of his flames for the first time.


 
 


 
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