Monsieur Zenith

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Monsieur Zenith the Albino (Savoy Books, 2001)

Monsieur Zenith the Albino is an ambiguous villain created by writer Anthony Skene for the Sexton Blake series of detective pulp fiction.

Zenith is a world-weary albino master thief, originally Romanian royalty but in exile for undetermined reasons. He is full of an ennui which can only be relieved by opium, danger and adventure. Zenith sets himself against Blake not out of avarice but for the joy of the game, and treats Blake with sportsmanship rather than anger or hatred.

Zenith is influenced as much by the anti-heroes of Gothic fiction as he is by the master villains of 20th century pulp fiction, notably Fantômas. Zenith remains one of Blake's most popular adversaries.

Monsieur Zenith was an important influence in the creation of Elric of Melniboné. Elric author Michael Moorcock influenced the publication of Monsieur Zenith: The Albino [ISBN 0861301099], for which he would write an introduction.^[1]

[edit] Other uses

Zenith is briefly mentioned in Kim Newman's novel Judgment of Tears as a possible leader of anti-vampire murders in Rome.
Zenith appears in Alan Moore and Kevin O'Neill's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Black Dossier as a member of Les Hommes Mysterieux, a French version of Britain's League.