Martin Mystère #1

History

Writer Alfredo Castelli had been developing the concept since at least 1978, when he wrote an Allan Quatermain adventure strip for the weekly magazine Supergulp; that short-lived feature about an archaeologist investigating fantastical mysteries became the direct creative seed for Martin Mystère. Castelli pitched the revamped concept to publisher Sergio Bonelli around 1980, with artist Giancarlo Alessandrini designing the new character, and Bonelli launched the series in April 1982 under the Daim Press imprint. Notably, Castelli was not fully satisfied with what would have been the 'natural' first story (later published as issue #2), so he wrote 'Gli uomini in nero' specifically as a purpose-built debut that would introduce the protagonist, his supporting cast, and the series' thematic preoccupations all at once — a rare case of a creator retrofitting a true #1 for clarity of entry. The series debuted only months after Raiders of the Lost Ark's Italian release, though multiple sources confirm the concept predated that film entirely.

Trivia · 8 facts

• First appearance of Martin Jacques Mystère (full name established from issue #1), archaeologist, anthropologist, and self-styled 'Detective of the Impossible,' born June 26, 1942, per the series' internal continuity set from this issue.
• First appearance of Java, a living Neanderthal discovered by Martin in Mongolia, who becomes his constant companion and the series' physical-action counterpart to Martin's intellectual role.
• First appearance of Diana Lombard, Martin's long-term romantic partner; Italian-language criticism notes Diana's characterization in this debut was still early-stage and was later refined — Castelli himself revised her dialogue scenes when the story was reprinted in a 1992 Mondadori collected edition.
• First appearance of the Men in Black as the series' central antagonist organization — a secretive sect devoted to suppressing forbidden knowledge, whose path crosses Martin and Java's for the first time in this issue.
• Sergej Orloff is listed among the series' recurring antagonists from the outset; he and Martin share a backstory as former allies educated by the same guru before Orloff chose an opposing path.
• The story's plot involves a murdered friend in Greece and a mysterious discovery in the Azores, leading Martin and Java to a suspected annex of the lost Library of Alexandria near the Temple of Luxor — firmly establishing the series' blend of real-world locations, alternative history, and Atlantis mythology.
• Scripted by Alfredo Castelli, drawn by Giancarlo Alessandrini, who illustrated the debut and contributed to over 100 subsequent issues while remaining the series' cover artist into the 21st century.
• The story was later translated and published in English by Dark Horse Comics in 1999 as the first volume of their six-volume 'Martin Mystery' paperback series, with cover art by Dave Gibbons; a loose animated adaptation, Martin Mystery, ran 2003–2006 as a French-Italian-Canadian co-production.

Cast · 5 characters

Full credits

Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers