Nick Carter

Nick Carter was one of the most popular fictional characters of the late 19th century, appearing in hundreds of dime novels and story papers published by Street & Smith beginning in 1886. Nick is not only a master of detection and disguise, but capable of great physical feats thanks to the intensive training his father subjected him to as a child. (This despite a diminuitive 5'4" frame, which is why he is often referred to as "The Little Giant.") Unlike other contemporary detective heroes, Nick Carter relies more on violence than deduction to solve crimes.

The Little Giant operates a detective agency and school in New York City, counting among his protégés a revolving cast of young detectives like Chick Carter, Patsy Murphy, Ten-Ichi, and Ida Jones. Facing off against Nick and his assistants is an even more colorful rogues gallery, including his arch-nemesis, Dr. Jack Quartz. A psychopath with a kink for vivisection and torture, Dr. Quartz runs his own Crime School, where he trains supervillains to oppose Nick's do-gooders.

Nick Carter provided the model for many of the sleuths and superheroes that came after him, including Doc Savage, The Shadow, and Batman. The character persisted well into the 20th century, appearing in comics and pulps, a long-running radio series, several films, and hundreds of spy novels published as late as 1990.

The cover illustrations produced during the Golden Age of the character at the turn of the century are some of the best and most dynamic action covers Street & Smith would put out. While the art is unsigned, most was likely created by Marmaduke Russell. Many of Russell's covers feature Nick squaring off against cults and Satanists who are often attired in devil costumes.

This 2020 commission by Chris Samnee is based on the cover to New Nick Carter Weekly no. 395, published July 23, 1904, which features another Nick Carter supervillain, Dazaar the Arch-Fiend.