Joe Pike

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Joseph "Joe" Pike is the intimidating partner of fictional P.I. Elvis Cole, created by writer Robert Crais. Dubbed the "sociopathic sidekick," Pike is a quiet, joyless ex-marine, ex-LAPD cop who owns a gunshop as well as being a part-time soldier of fortune. Joe Pike is best known for always wearing sunglasses, day or night, the tattoos on his deltoids (two red arrows that point forward), and his no-nonsense attitude. Pike typically carries a Colt .357 Python with a four-inch barrel.

Pike was raised by an abusive alcoholic father, which caused him to harden. At the age of nine, after a terrible beating from his father he ran from their house and hid in the woods. While listening to his father beat his mother Joe made three promises to himself: It won't always be this way. I will made myself strong. I will not hurt. When Pike was 14, he was running through the woods when he ran into three seventeen-year-olds, two boys and a girl, as they were about to set fire to a live cat. Joe managed to distract them, allowing the cat to escape. The oldest boy then proceeded to physically assault him, mercilessly. Pike would shortly track the boy down, and maim him with a bat by breaking his knee and a Walther TPH .22,humiliating him.

Pike joined the Marines early, and was a model Marine. He was chosen for "Force Recon", serving in Vietnam in the last months of US involvement. He was awarded two Bronze stars and two Purple Hearts. Afterward he joined the LAPD, becoming a thoroughly decorated patrol officer. Questioned as to why he had joined the LAPD he replied, "I wanted to do good". His career was abruptly cut short when he was involved in the death of his partner, apparently in defense of a pedophile. In reality, his partner committed suicide, and rather than have the man's wife and children lose the death benefits Pike remained silent about the method of death and resigned from the LAPD. Finding nothing but scorn and derision from his former police colleagues, he then he became a soldier of fortune, and eventually went into partnership with Elvis Cole at the latter's detective agency.

Pike has often been accused of being a walking arsenal. Other than his customary Colt Python, he has also carried on his person or in his vehicle a Walther TPH .22, a .25 Beretta, a .380 Sig, a foot-long stock less shotgun and a Marine issue combat knife.

In 2007, Crais gave Joe Pike his own book, letting Elvis Cole take a back seat.

There are similarities between Joe Pike and the character Daisuke Jigen from the Lupin III Japanese animated show, in that Jigen uses a Python .357, as well as acting as the no-nonsense straightman to his partner.