The title character Nathan Never is a special agent in a semi-dystopian near future where crime-fighting is shared between the police and corporate detective agencies such as Never's employer Agenzia Alfa. Stories typically merge classic urban crime, noir, and drama, with occasional forays into political thriller, survival horror, and space opera. Many issues quote classic science fiction film and literature, for example in names, locations, technology, etc. Primary sources of inspiration are Blade Runner and Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. While most plots are self-conclusive within one or two issues, some storylines span five, ten, or even twenty issues, such as Alfa's quest to capture arch-villain Aristoteles Skotos, the Mutants' struggle to obtain equal rights, and the Earth's war with the rebelling space stations over food supplies. Continuity is a cornerstone of the series, with the effects of previous storylines accounted for and considered in subsequent plots.
Characters
Never's original partner is Legs Weaver, a character inspired by Sigourney Weaver in the film Alien. Legs eventually departs Nathan Never for her own spin-off, successfulcomic book. Alfa agents include:
Nathan Never, a rogue ex-cop with a penchant for ancient things ; his wife was brutally murdered and his daughter is severely mentally ill as a result of the assault
Branko, Never's new partner and a mutant fighting for equal rights
May Frayn, former art thief, now Alfa agent and Branko's wife. She and her sisters resemble the main characters of Cat's Eye
Sigmund Baginov, Alfa's computer guru
Link, an android whose looks and skills closely resemble those of Data from
Andy Havilland, a street PI and incurable dongiovanni. Later in the serie he becomes an enemy of Nathan Never
young triplets Melody, Harmony, and Symphony Ross, fighter pilots for Ross Aviation and Alfa affiliates
Edward Reiser, Alfa's rough and uncompromising founder
Solomon Darver, Alfa's manager after Reiser.
Eliana Elmore, ex UN president and Alfa's manager after Darver
Several series regulars die inthe course of Never's adventures, to be replaced by others. New characters are also introduced in the regular and in the spin-off series.
Legacy
Other than the long-lived Legs, the series also inspired Agenzia Alfa and the short-lived Asteroide Argo. Nathan Never itself produced numerous specials, giant issues, color issues, reprints, and almanacs. Most were published by Bonelli, with the exception of anthologies of stories selected for Arnoldo Mondadori Editore series such as Urania Fumetti and Oscar Fumetti.
