Nathan Never #11

Apr 1992 · Sergio Bonelli Editore · 2300 ITL

🌐 Italian edition · synopsis shown in English

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“Fanteria dello spazio”

★ 1st appearance — Susan Connery

About this Issue

Nathan Never #11 — titled 'Fanteria dello Spazio' (Space Infantry) and cover-dated April 1992 — opens one of the most critically admired two-part story arcs in the series' early run, kicking off a narrative that critics and readers have consistently held up as representing the creative peak of the title's first years. The issue marks the debut of artist Roberto De Angelis on a full interior assignment for the series; his hyper-detailed, cyberpunk-inflected linework would prove so well-suited to the world that he eventually became the series' primary cover artist from issue #60 onward. Thematically, the story plants a flag for the series' willingness to fold hard science-fiction concepts — performance-enhancing drugs in military culture, genetic mutation, and cerebral cloning — into a grounded noir investigation, deepening the franchise's literary ambitions beyond simple action-adventure. The 'Fanteria dello Spazio' arc also introduced Captain Susan Connery, a recurring figure whose storyline threads forward across multiple subsequent issues, demonstrating the strong American-style continuity that distinguished Nathan Never from nearly every other Italian fumetto of its era.

In "Fanteria dello spazio," Nathan Never takes on a high-stakes investigation into the death of a space infantry cadet, infiltrating the ranks under a false identity as a lieutenant to uncover the truth. Written by Antonio Serra and illustrated by Roberto De Angelis, with inks by De Angelis and lettering by Francesca Piovella, the story unfolds in the gritty, grounded world of the 1992 Italian sci-fi series. The cover, a striking piece by Claudio Castellini, captures the tension of a mission where loyalty and deception blur.

writer Antonio Serra · artist, inker Roberto De Angelis · letterer Francesca Piovella · cover Claudio Castellini

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History

The series was created by the Sardinian writing trio of Michele Medda, Antonio Serra, and Bepi Vigna — all already active at Sergio Bonelli Editore as scripters on Dylan Dog and Martin Mystère — and was originally slated to launch alongside Dylan Dog as early as 1986, before technical and editorial complications delayed its debut by five years to June 1991. By the time issue #11 appeared, Antonio Serra — who served as the series' editorial curator in addition to scripting duties — personally contacted Neapolitan artist Roberto De Angelis and invited him to audition for the book; 'Fanteria dello Spazio' (issues #11 and #12) was De Angelis's first full story assignment for the series, effectively launching what would become his landmark long-term collaboration with the title. The cover for this issue was provided by Claudio Castellini, who served as the series' official cover artist from launch through issue #59.

Trivia · 8 facts

Published April 1992 by Sergio Bonelli Editore as issue #11 of the monthly Nathan Never series; titled 'Fanteria dello Spazio' (Space Infantry).
Script by Antonio Serra; interior artwork by Roberto De Angelis; cover by Claudio Castellini — this issue marks De Angelis's debut full interior story on the series.
The story opens a two-part arc continued in issue #12 ('L'ultima battaglia'), following Nathan as he infiltrates the Armstrong Academy under the false identity of Lieutenant Noah Bright to investigate the suspicious death of Space Infantry cadet John Hartman.
Captain Susan Connery — a Space Infantry officer whose cadets post suspiciously high exercise scores — appears in this issue; her storyline becomes a long-running thread revisited across later issues.
The title and military setting consciously echo Robert A. Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers (1959), continuing the series' practice of embedding science-fiction literary and cinematic homages into its stories.
Performance-enhancing drugs used to boost soldiers' combat capabilities serve as a central plot element, one of the series' recurring socially critical themes.
The issue has been reprinted at least four times: in Mondadori's Oscar Narrativa #1288 (January 1993), Nathan Never Grande Ristampa #4 (Bonelli, January 2010), the brossurato paperback collection 'Fanteria dello Spazio' (Bonelli, April 2017), and the Gazzetta dello Sport 'Edizione Cronologica' #6 (November 2017).
Nathan Never was the first science-fiction series published by Sergio Bonelli Editore, and its adoption of a tight American-style continuity — where every issue's events carry forward — was a landmark innovation within the Italian fumetto tradition.