Diabolik #3
Diabolik #3, titled 'L'arresto di Diabolik' (The Arrest of Diabolik) and published on 1 March 1963, is the single most consequential issue in the entire run of the series because it introduces Eva Kant — the character who transforms Diabolik from a lone predator into one half of Italian comics' most enduring criminal partnership. Eva's debut fundamentally reshapes the moral and emotional architecture of the fumetti neri genre: where most female characters of the era served as trophies or victims, Eva enters the story as Diabolik's intellectual equal, orchestrating his escape from the guillotine by using Morse code and a lethal substitution scheme that neither Ginko nor the justice system can unravel. The issue also marks the first time Diabolik's death sentence — a narrative device the series would use for decades — is invoked in full, establishing the guillotine as the series' signature symbol of state menace against its anti-hero. Together, these story elements locked the triangular dynamic of Diabolik, Eva, and Ginko into place, a structure that would sustain more than 900 published volumes and inspire an entire wave of imitator titles across Italy.
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The issue was written by Angela Giussani — the sole credited author at this early stage, since her younger sister Luciana would not formally join the writing team until issue #14 — and drawn by Luigi Marchesi (who signed work as 'Gino Marchesi' on the official Astorina production sheet), the first professionally trained illustrator to work on the series after the mysterious Zarcone handled #1 and 'Kalissa' Giacobini drew #2. Marchesi was responsible for giving Diabolik a definitive visual identity; he also designed Eva Kant's appearance, reportedly drawing her face from Grace Kelly and borrowing his wife's hairstyle for the character. The issue appeared when the series was still commercially fragile — the first two issues had not sold strongly and were published three months apart rather than monthly — yet #3 triggered real legal jeopardy: Italian authorities seized copies on grounds of excessive violence, and the incident led to criminal proceedings against Angela Giussani; she was ultimately acquitted on 6 July 1964, with the court noting that Diabolik appeared on the cover in chains before a guillotine, implying punishment rather than glorification of crime. The Giussani sisters deliberately signed all issues of the period under initials only ('A. e L. Giussani'), fearing that a comics series openly written by two women would not be taken seriously by readers.
Trivia · 8 facts
- First appearance of Eva Kant, introduced as Lady Eva Kant, the wealthy widow of Lord Anthony Kant, in the story titled 'L'arresto di Diabolik' (The Arrest of Diabolik), published 1 March 1963.
- Inspector Ginko appears in this issue in his ongoing adversarial role; his first appearance was in issue #1 (November 1962), but #3 is the issue in which the complete triangular cast — Diabolik, Eva, and Ginko — interacts for the first time.
- The plot hinges on Eva saving Diabolik from execution by guillotine via Morse-code communication during his trial, bribing a prison guard for a secret meeting, and having a drugged decoy (George Caron, Eva's unwanted pursuer) beheaded in Diabolik's place.
- Art was produced by Luigi Marchesi (Gino Marchesi), the first professional draftsman on the series; Marchesi gave Diabolik his refined visual design and modeled Eva Kant's facial features on actress Grace Kelly.
- The issue was seized by Italian authorities for excessive violence, triggering a criminal prosecution of publisher Angela Giussani that concluded with her acquittal on 6 July 1964.
- The story's plot echoes the first Fantômas novel closely — including the issue title, which directly mirrors 'L'arrestation de Fantômas' — reflecting the Giussanis' deliberate positioning of the series within the French pulp tradition.
- Astorina published a deluxe facsimile edition of this issue (with original pencil and ink layers exposed) through Lo Scarabeo; a remake/anniversary reprint titled 'Eva Kant entra in scena' was issued in 2018 by Astorina and Oscar Ink on the 55th anniversary of Eva's debut.
- The issue is considered the effective starting point of the series by a segment of the collector community, owing to Eva Kant's introduction — a view noted in Italian fan literature and on Goodreads reader commentary.