Book Description
The dark underworld of espionage and crime is lit up by the fatal charms of the gorgeous Modesty Blaise — high priestess of pulp crime and goddess of cult thrillers!
Modesty Blaise has a close encounter in Take Me To Your Leader; Modesty and her friend, Willie Garvin, must save a young girl and her family with a little help from The Highland Witch; and in Cry Wolf, Sir Gerald Tarrant tries to hoodwink the duo with a false kidnapping... but all hell breaks loose when a real kidnapper strikes!
Featuring brand new story introductions by Modesty creator Peter O'Donnell, plus a very rare interview with O'Donnell, this latest addition to the Modesty Blaise library is not to be missed!
Customer Reviews:
Cry Wolf (Modesty Blaise graphic novel).......2007-01-10
Have been out of town, and haven't had a chance to read it yet. But I have almost everything Peter O-Donnell has written -- even the books he wrote under a pseudonym and not about Modesty. But I'll buy and read ANYTHING O'Donnell has written!
Bob Powers
Book Description
The rugged team of Modesty Blaise and her loyal lieutenant, Willie Garvin, take on impossible odds as they battle Simon Delicta, a man with a taste for death, and Swordmaster Wenczel in a duel to the death. As the adventure unfolds, and they travel from London to Panama to the depths of the Sahara desert, the pair will need all their killing skills to survive.
Customer Reviews:
Super Reader.......2007-08-30
Modesty is still hanging out with Steve Collier, but Willie is on holiday, pearl fishing in Panama, to make her a present.
Purely by accident, he witnesses the murder of one girl, and kidnapping of another, and decides to intervene. He is surprised to find their old enemy Gabriel pulling the strings.
Realising the girl is blind, he manages to get her out, with the help of Modesty and a police captain she is friendly with who does not take too kindly to gangsters on his turf.
Meanwhile, Tarrant tells Modesty about a strange dig a friend of his is on, in Algeria.
It gets stranger. The blind girl Willie and Modesty rescued, Dinah, is a diviner of amazing talents. Hence Gabriel's interest.
Gabriel is not their major enemy, but Simon Delicata, who is basically a superhuman freak, and Willie has tangled with him before, coming off badly.
"Yesterday Willie had been struggling to lift a block of stone bedded in the ground. It was a task that would have tested three men, and the lifting gear was in use elsewhere. Delicata had watched for a while, then stepped down into the trench and heaved the stone out with seemingly small effort. "
"'And then do you know what I discovered?' asked Delicata with a benign, teasing air. 'I discovered that I was rather clever, quite remarkably strong, and to a large degree invulnerable. My threshold of pain is perhaps uniquefy high. Nothing hurts. ... 'Then it dawned on me. My freakishness lay not only in my shape. It went deeper. Apart from scarcely feeling pain, I could sustain blows which would have maimed or killed another man.' ...
'I also realized,' Delicata went on, 'that I had a certain mental invulnerability as well. Neither drink nor drugs nor women had an addictive effect on me. I could use them without the slightest fear of b*ndage.'"
So, the buried treasure of a Roman tribune, a seriously dangerous supervillain, a betrayal by an old acquaintance, an a quest fo find out who is pulling Delicata's strings, after he decoys Modesty and Willie allowing him to snatch Dinah.
Throw in a swordmaster, as well.
Great stuff.
The Best.......2007-03-21
In the world of thriller books, I (purely subjectively based on total enjoyment) believe there are three great series: Peter O'Donnell's Modesty Blaise; James Bond by Ian Fleming; and Robert B. Parker's Spenser (the first twelve anyway). This is the best of the Modesty Blaise books, and that's saying a lot since it is hard to put down any of them once you start reading. Even if you don't buy into the whole series, as a stand alone this is one of the best action books I've read. Don't miss it.
Best of the Series........2006-11-12
I've read all the Modesty Blaise Books except "Pieces of Modesty" which I am trying to find. 'A Tatse for Death" is the best of Peter O'Donell's Modesty Blaise series with 'The Impossible Virgin', 'Last Day in Limbo', and 'I, Lucifer' coming in a very close second, third, etc.
'A Taste for Death' introduces the better half of Steve& Dinah Collier. We meet Dinah Pilgrim, a very special lady whose handicap is that's she's blind, but don't say anything to her because it's not a handicap to her. She might get 'narked'. A term Williw Garvin uses. This book follows Modesty and Willie, their adventures and capers with Dinah and Steve Collier. There is an old foe from O'Donelles first Blaise novel...Gabriel as well as a new villian Delicata. Very good read! I couldn't put it down!
"Well ... you'll have to win now, Willie love.".......2005-10-26
"A Taste for Death" was written by Peter O'Donnell in 1969 and is the fourth book in the Modesty Blaise series of books. In my opinion it is the best book in the series, and perhaps the best book I've ever read. (And re-read and re-read. I think I've probably read this book at least 10 times in the last 35 years.)
The book starts with two parallel stories, one in Panama and one in England.
In Panama, Willie Garvin (Modesty's loyal side-kick) runs into Gabriel and McWhirter, the two memorable bad guys from the first Modesty Blaise book. They are trying to kidnap Dinah Pilgrim, a blind girl they need because of her having a special talent. Willie saves Dinah and then a major confrontation ensues, with Modesty coming to Willie's aid and both Modesty and Willie surviving traps that should not possibly be survivable.
Meanwhile, in England Modesty Blaise has encountered Simon Delicata, an incredibly nasty villain and perhaps the scariest fictional bad guy I've ever read about. Delicata first kills an archeologist with ties to a research expedition in the Sahara Desert, and later strikes directly at Modesty's cottage in the English countryside.
In a very satisfying plot maneuver the two supposedly separate story lines merge. It turns out that Gabriel and McWhirter are in league with Delicata, and Modesty and Willie must travel to Algeria to face this trio of villains in a fight to the death. A fight that they have almost no chances of surviving against the combined force of Gabriel and Delicata.
The most fascinating thing about the Modesty Blaise books is the personality of the two main characters, Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin. They both have an amazing will to survive and to overcome the incredible dangers they are faced with. They have fantastic fighting abilities and can be cold and deadly when necessary. But they are also warm and loving, and intensely loyal to each other and to their friends.
The quotation at the start of this review is what Modesty says to Willie near the end of the book, when they suddenly and unexpectedly find themselves once again face to face with Simon Delicata, the main villain of the story. Modesty is already seriously injured from a previous fight and unable to move, and Delicata, a cold-blooded killer, has previously demonstrated that he can easily beat Willie in an unarmed fight.
This situation, and the ensuing fight between Willie and Simon Delicata, is one of several high points in the book, and one I'll remember for the rest of my days.
Incidentally, Stephen Collier, introduced in "I, Lucifer", is back, and he and Dinah Pilgrim remain recurring figures in the remaining books in the series.
This book is a bit special in the Modesty Blaise series due to there being an interesting love story with an unexpected twist.
I'm rather hard pressed to say anything negative about this book. It's too short, like all of the Modesty books, and there's too much smoking. And, unfortunately, being the best book in the series it marks the start of the slow decline in the rest of the series.
Incidentally, I've created a "So You'd Like To" guide about the books of Peter O'Donnell, which you are welcome to read for further information about the Modesty Blaise books.
Very, very highly recommended.
Rennie Petersen
The best of the best!.......1998-07-23
Long an admirer of Peter O'Donnell's creation Modesty Blaise, this is my favorite of his books. Willie Garvin is his usual funny, deadly self and Steve Collier was never better. The story involves pearl-diving, kidnapping, murder, sword-fights, esp, and buried treasure. The villain, Simon Delicata, gives me the shivers -- and his fight with Willie was a remarkable piece of writing. Everytime I think about this book, I wish O'Donnell hadn't retired.
Book Description
As dangerous as she is desirable, Modesty Blaise, the cult creation of best-selling writer Peter O'Donnell, returns for three more devastating adventures!
In The Stone Age Caper, Modesty and her partner, Willie Garvin, face a deadly Outback gang; The Puppet Master has a plan to brainwash Modesty into killing Willie to settle an old score; and humour and action mix when Modesty acquires a young admirer in With Love From Rufus!
Featuring brand new story introductions by Modesty creator Peter O'Donnell, a feature article on The Stone Age Caper and an introduction by author Jan Burke (Bloodlines), this latest addition to the Modesty Blaise library is not to be missed!
Customer Reviews:
Modesty Blaise excellence continues.......2006-12-14
Titan Books continues its series publication of every Modesty Blaise comic strip, in order. Each book contains an intro by the author, Peter O'Donnell, and every strip sequence another short description by Mr. O'Donnell. These comics are very well written and illustrated; they keep your attention from beginning to end and have thrilling espionage/murder/mystery/high adventure stories. This is the original Modesty, the character around whom the 13 novels were written and 2 movies made. The Puppet Master contains stories 22-The Stone Age Caper (strip # 2508-2627), 23-The Puppet Master (strip # 2628-2738) and 24-With Love from Rufus (strip # 2739-2846).
A must for all Modesty fans.......2006-08-06
The introductory comments by Peter O'Donnell are worth the price alone. The story lines, dialogue and illustrations are superb.
Average customer rating:
- Super Reader
- Long live Modesty and Willie!
- Outstanding caper novel
- Modesty Blaise is one of the most delightful characters in adventure fiction.
- Seen "Pulp Fiction"? Here's One of the Stars of the Movie
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Modesty Blaise (Modesty Blaise series)
Peter O'Donnell
Manufacturer: Souvenir Press
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Last Day in Limbo (Modesty Blaise series)
ASIN: 0285637282 |
Customer Reviews:
Super Reader.......2007-08-30
Modesty Blaise is the perfect woman. That is if the perfect woman is a different sort of beautiful, witty, funny, sophisticated, terrifyingly focused and a lethal killer without commitments.
If you like your superheroes or thrillers to be up close and personal, you need to read O'Donnell's Modesty Blaise. There are gadgets, guns, and impossible missions, not to mention hand to hand combat poetry.
In this book, Tarrant, of the British Secret Service, has a problem. He wants Modesty's help, but really has no leverage, except to play on how much she cares about Willie Garvin. The reasons why are revealed.
He does so, and they go into action. A very dangerous situation, and they must be captured by a ruthless man named Gabriel, to stop a diamond operation.
Long live Modesty and Willie!.......2006-10-31
I became an instant fan from the beginning pages of this lst of a series. Modesty and Willie are fascinating, likeable characters with almost superhuman powers between them. They fight the evil doers of the world and win against all odds. The strong, fast moving plot is deeply satisfying with unexpected twists and turns. Even though it was written over 40 years ago, the characters are still fresh and compeling. Modesty can hold her head high in the world of superwomen who break rules when necessary for the greater good. A winner for both male and female readers!
Outstanding caper novel.......2006-06-13
Modesty Blaise started life as a cartoon strip, but O'Donnell then put his creation into novel form, and did a superb job in both formats. This is the first novel in the series, and introduces the setting and most of the main characters.
Modesty Blaise is a former refugee and survivor of the terrible disruptions caused by the war, and as a child drifted across Eastern Europe and the Middle East in the company of an old professor. She had to be tough to survive; but her companion instilled in her a strong moral code. She took over a small criminal gang and built it up into a powerful criminal organisation infused with that moral code--they never touched drugs or vice, and occasionally co-operated with the police and intelligence services to help clean up such crimes. She retired a wealthy woman at the age of 24.
As the novel opens, Modesty and her friend and former second-in-command Willie Garvin are finding that retirement is boring and adrenaline an addiction they cannot shake. Sir Gerald Tarrant, the head of British Intelligence, exploits that addiction to recruit them for an intelligence operation for which they are peculiarly suited. What follows is a thrilling caper novel pitting Modesty and Willie against a bizarre criminal mastermind. Tight plotting and wonderful prose make this a very entertaining read, with a unique pair of heroes. It's wonderful to see Souvenir Press reissuing the novels, making them available again to both a new generation of fans and those with fond memories.
Modesty Blaise is one of the most delightful characters in adventure fiction........2005-11-26
It is hard to say whether the Modesty Blaise novels or the Modesty Blaise comic strips are better, but the lucky reader doesn't have to choose. Read both. The comic strips have been reprinted by Titan Books, Ken Pierce Books, Manuscript Press, and in Comics Revue magazine, and now the novels are being reissued. Also highly recommended are the books Peter O'Donnell wrote under the pseudonym Madeleine Brent.
Seen "Pulp Fiction"? Here's One of the Stars of the Movie.......2005-08-31
Okay, so you've seen Quentin Tarantino's movie "Pulp Fiction." And you've noticed that every time Vincent Vega (John Travolta) goes to the bathroom, he takes a book along to read. What's he reading? "Modesty Blaise."
Why would Vincent want to read Modesty Blaise? Because he's cool and Modesty's cool-- she's a product of British "cool," circa 1965-- and it doesn't get any cooler than that. Meet Modesty and her pal Willie and join them on their action-packed adventures, and you'll see why Tarantino worships Modesty, and why he (pretty obviously) patterned much of Uma Thurman's character "The Bride" after Modesty in the movie "Kill Bill." Modesty Blaise is the ultimate action heroine-- try this, her first adventure (in book form, anyway-- she'd been a comic book figure for awhile by the time this came out), and enjoy.
Book Description
The dark underworld of espionage and crime is lit up by the fatal charms of the gorgeous Modesty Blaise — high priestess of pulp crime and goddess of cult thrillers!
Modesty Blaise and her partner Willie Garvin face danger once more in The Gallows Bird. In The Wicked Gnomes, a dangerous organisation kidnaps an old friend of the duo... and it's down to them to get her back. And a crash-landing in the jungle spells trouble in The Iron God, as our heroes fall into the hands of diamond thieves!
Featuring brand new story introductions by Modesty creator Peter O'Donnell, plus a very rare interview with O'Donnell, this latest addition to the Modesty Blaise library is not to be missed!
Customer Reviews:
Great fun, high adventure, and hazardous daring-do! .......2006-08-08
That intrepid British adventurer, spy, smuggler, and "bad girl" Modest Blaise is back again in another collection of action adventure stories that involve her and her partner, Willie Garvin, into episodes of murder, blackmail, kidnaping, and a "rumble in the jungle". Featuring three of her best stories to date from the combined talents of Peter O'Donnell and Enric Badia Romero, Modesty Blaise: The Gallows Bird includes "The Bluebeard Affair", "The Iron God", and the title piece, "The Gallows Birds". No dedicated Modesty Blaise fan will want to miss this latest graphic novel installment of great fun, high adventure, and hazardous daring-do! Also highly recommended, especially for those new to Modesty Blaise and her adventures, are the earlier graphic novel compilations of her diverse and exciting adventures from Titan Books, including: The Gabriel Set-Up (1840236582); Mister Sun (184023721X); Top Traitor (184023-6841); The Black Pearl (1840238429); Bad Suki (184023864X); The Hell Makers (1840238658); The Green-Eyed Monster (1840238666); and The Puppet Master (1840238674).
Book Description
This installment of the Modesty Blaise adventures finds Modesty and faithful friend Willie Garvin trying to get to the bottom of another of Seff's evil plots. When it is discovered that a disturbed young man named Lucifer has the ability to foresee the death of those around him, Seff recruits the boy into his gang and uses his powers of premonition to evil ends, extracting ransom from rich victims who have been told of their impending death. During the course of her investigation Modesty's cover is blown, and she finds herself trapped on Seff's island stronghold and must use all of her guile and brains to escape.
Customer Reviews:
Super Reader.......2007-08-30
A truly bizarre adventure in this case. Modesty and Willie are in Paris, and via a lunch date with Vaubois, Tarrant's French counterpart, they learn of a bizarre blackmail ring. Various officials and wealthy people are told they must pay a certain amount, or die. A very large percentage of these people have died.
It looks impossible, but it appears that you need ESP to do this, as lots of these people die via accidents or natural causes.
Tied up in all this is a guy who believes he is the devil, 2 insane puppeteers, and an international assassin, as well as Modesty's current flint, who is actually an ESP researcher.
It all ends in a mini-siege, with dolphins!
Not The One To Start With..........2005-11-22
While I love the Modesty Blaise series, this third adventure takes a bit more suspension of disbelief than others in the bunch, so I recommend you start elsewhere. (Best begin with the first novel "Modesty Blaise" and then #2, "Sabre-Tooth," then skip this and read the others before coming back to it.) Why? The concept of ESP figures largely in the plot, and if you have even a smidgen of doubt about it (and I have plenty), it takes too much credulity to fully enjoy the plot-- pretty silly by O'Donnell's standards. Of course, one reads these and the Bond books for escapism, but the farther they stray from reality, the more they become fantasies untied to the Real World... so give this one a pass the first time 'round and pick it up after you've read the other, better, Modestys.
"I wouldn't know, Johnnie. I don't know what it's like to be dead.".......2005-08-23
Modesty Blaise's good friend John Dall can't understand why Modesty insists on risking her life to try to save the life of a person with an incurable and debilitating mental problem. "You really think he's better off alive?" he asks Modesty.
"I wouldn't know, Johnnie. I don't know what it's like to be dead," replies Modesty.
That's good enough for me. :-)
"I, Lucifer" (1967) is the third book in the Modesty Blaise series of action thrillers written by Peter O'Donnell back in the 1960's, 1970's and 1980's. This is a series of books that I really love, and you may wish to take a look at my "So You'd Like To" guide here at Amazon.com about reading books by Peter O'Donnell.
Although I love this series of books I've decided to only give four stars to "I, Lucifer". The reason is that the supernatural plays a very important role in the story, and I'm too much of a skeptic to believe in such things. In addition, a major coincidence occurs that also reduces the believability of the plot in my mind.
The bad guys are always a major element in a Modesty Blaise story. In "I, Lucifer" we meet Seff and his wife Regina, two elderly puppeteers who turned to crime when they could no longer find work due to the closure of the vaudeville theaters. Unlikely villains, but they are described as being so evil that one feels a chill running down one's back.
Seff and his wife have developed a diabolical way of threatening people and demanding protection money. But they happened to have René Vaubois (a friend of Modesty Blaise and Willie Garvin) on their list of targets, and he refused to pay when threatened. And René happens to be together with Modesty and Willie when a gang tries to kill him, to set an example for the other targets.
This is the start of a long and complicated story. First Modesty and Willie have to find the bad guys, then they suffer a major setback, and then we are led to the exciting final confrontation.
The high point in this book, in my opinion, is when Modesty and Willie are forced to fight a duel to the death against each other. Of course, I can't reveal what happens, but as usual Peter O'Donnell has created a story with many twists and surprises. And, as usual, the very special relationship between Modesty and Willie is an important and appealing part of the book.
This book introduces Stephen Collier, a recurring figure in several of the later Modesty Blaise books. I have mixed feelings about Stephen Collier, and am never really sure about what it is that Modesty sees in him.
One final point I'll mention is that the paperback edition of this book contains a couple of typographical errors not present in the original hardcover edition. Amazing as it sounds in our post-PC era, the text of books must have been manually re-entered back then when a book was copied from hardcover to paperback.
In conclusion, a great Modesty Blaise adventure, but not one of my favorites because of the emphasis on a certain supernatural ability of one of the characters in the story.
Rennie Petersen
Nobody does it better!.......2005-01-01
I'm a long-time big-time fan of the Modesty Blaise books. O'Donnell does a nifty job of combining action/adventure with humor and drama. This title is my sentimental favorite probably because this is the one in which the recurring character of sharp-witted, self-professed coward Stephen Collier is introduced. Collier is the Everyman we can identify with, who allows us as readers to partake of the action and observe Modesty and sidekick Willie Garvin's antics without pretending in any way to be their peer. Like Collier the reader is a passenger on this wild caper - you may hold your breath at times and burst out laughing at others. This book has all the hallmarks of a Blaise/Garvin outing: Ingenious villains, a Garvin girl story, wit, wonderfully detailed combat sequences -- if you've never read a Modesty Blaise book, no need to begin at the beginning because this book easily stands on its own and is thrilling enough to induce you to read the others.
Best of a good series.......2000-10-27
I loved the Modesty Blaise tales when they came out in the Sixties and seventies. All were good. I loved the interaction between Modesty and Willie. (By the way, anyone else notice the similarities with Skilly and Two-knife in Jerry Pournelle's stories of Falkenberg's Legion?) The other characters, including Modesty's and Garvin's love interests, were also interesting and well drawn, (although some of Willie's girls were a bit over the top). I Lucifer has one of the more interesting plots; a young man who can predict death with almost 90% accuracy, and thinks he is Satan, and the villains who take control of him for monetary gain. O'Donnell always had good villains for Modesty and Willie to foil, and this tale takes all their wits and skills. A good action spy-thriller with a horror/occult twist...
Book Description
Modesty Blaise, cult creation of best-selling author Peter O'Donnell, is back! The London Evening Standard newspaper strip adventures of this all-round bad girl and spy are now collected in this stunning new Collectors' Edition paperback!
Thrown into searing hotbeds of intrigue, and up against impossible odds, Modesty Blaise proves once and for all that the female of the species is deadlier than the male. With her trusted right-hand man, Willie Garvin, and the underworld resources of `The Network' on tap, no job is too big, no threat too great!
This volume features an updated design and exclusive special features, including character profiles and an all-new introduction by Peter O'Donnell.
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
An earlier collection of the classic strip. the style and look is of an earlier era than the later newspaper strips that I remember growing up with, but are still very nice, and you get to see some of the early adventures here that began to mold both the character and the artist.
A comic strip legend's legendary beginning.......2007-03-31
I cannot improve on Mr. Linguini's fine review, but here's mine. Prior to acquiring this volume, I had never read any Modesty Blaise. I'm pleasantly surprised.
The newspaper adventure strip has its special appeal and there is a small but devoted niche of readers for them. I have been reviewing the Checker Book Publishing Group Steve Canyon series, which is wonderfully drawn, imaginative, well-printed and bound, but the reproductions are unfortunately small. Also, I've contracted a seven-year itch after six years' worth of that series. So I tried a little Modesty.
The reproductions here are superb and their size is just right. (A daily strip is about 18 in² compared with the Checker Canyon's 11 in².) The binding is in signatures as are the Canyon strips. The stories have a freshness that is matched by the drawings.
The background story of the heroine is the stuff of legend (I leave it out here), inspired by a real life experience of the author. Her "sidekick" Willie Garvin is nothing like the bearded, buffoonish rustics we see in Canyon and some westerns (Lt. Blueberry, for example): he's her absolutely trusted, trusting and competent lieutenant. This makes for an effective team we care for, even if Garvin does hit no fewer than three women in the first three adventures. Our intolerance for such things today says quite a bit about some of the positive aspects of political correctness. Feminism, with Modesty in the avant-garde, had not yet quite gotten its bearings, but the strong, self-reliant, attractive woman, also being sketched in the co-temporal Avengers TV series, was a beacon for the future. The whole package is very sixties.
I haven't seen it mentioned elsewhere, but MB's looks are not conventional - that is, they don't quite fit into the comic strip mold of "beautiful woman." She comes close, though: she is very attractive, as if she's above-average looks-wise and takes perfect care of herself. She has a distinctive look. Whereas the Steve Canyon femme fatales vary in a few shorthand-type lines, Modesty Blaise has a largish nose, a narrow chin and high cheekbones, along with an expression in the eyes that is precisely hers, such that she can't be mistaken for anyone else. Most of the other characters in the series are also clearly distinct from each other. Holdaway's art stands out in this regard. In fact, a lot of Modesty's attractiveness is in her visual expression - a rare achievement in comic art.
This is the kind of strip that might entertain even non-strip readers. The stories are fun, action packed, superbly drawn, and so well paced that we wind up reading them too fast and wanting more when done. I can well understand the cult following this strip has. The Titan books are so well done that they are a sure bet for comic strip collectors or adventure aficionados. The Gabriel Setup is where you should begin: it has the first three adventures plus Modesty's origins. It's my first but by no means my last.
Absolutely fabulous .......2007-01-11
There isn't a better story strip from the last 50 years than Modesty Blaise by Peter O'Donnell in the years it was drawn by Jim Holdaway. This volume starts from the beginning of the strip and is one you will read and reread. O'Donnell's writing is top-notch, and Holdaway's art sets a standard that few other other comic strip artists can ever match - and the combination is MUCH greater than the sum of the parts. Titan's presentation is excellent - crisp, large reproduction so the strips really shine. Excellent editorial matter - good introductions and a very useful episode and artist guide to the entire run of the strip.
Over the years there have been several Modesty Blaise reprints. The volumes from Titan are still the best and unlikely to be surpassed. Go for it.
WONDERFULLY NOSTALGIC.......2006-01-09
Such warm feelings of when I was a kid and would see this in the newspapers. I'd even taken to cutting out the daily strips and pasting them into an exercise book in an attempt to compile an entire story. Each story is so well crafted; the art is dark and mysterious. Modesty herself is chic and mesmerising and her sidekick Willie is the coolest guy. What a team! Add internationl intrigue to the mix, and you have the makings of true James Bond-like adventure. What an excellent way to pass a rainy afternoon! More please, more!
When I was little, I wanted to BE Modesty Blaise.......2005-07-05
I used to read Modesty stories scattered across comic book albumes containing various comics. Now finally I got my hands on first five Modesty books, nicely bound, with creator's comments on almost each story. All in one place, at last.
Book Description
The dark underworld of espionage and crime is lit up by the fatal charms of the gorgeous Modesty Blaise — high priestess of pulp crime and goddess of cult thrillers!
Modesty stumbles from a babysitting job into a mob war in The Reluctant Chaperon; shoots for the heart in The Greenwood Maid; a lover’s betrayal puts both Modesty and Willie in the gladiatorial arena in Those About to Die; and in The Inca Trail, the duo save two children... and stop a revolution!
Featuring brand new story commentaries by Modesty creator Peter O’Donnell, plus an exclusive introduction, this latest addition to the Modesty Blaise library is not to be missed!
Customer Reviews:
More Modesty & Willie.......2007-08-29
This is a good addition for the collection of any fan of Modesty and Willie. Interesting story lines and good art.
Book Description
With a mind as sharp as her fashion sense and fighting skills worthy of any samurai, Modesty Blaise — cult creation of author Peter O'Donnell — returns to print!
In three thrilling, nerve-shredding stories — Top Traitor, The Vikings and The Head Girls — Modesty must rip deeply through her own organisation to uncover a spy, do battle with homicidal Norsemen, and cross claws with a pride of kittens-turned-feral cats — all this action jammed into one volcanic volume!
Collecting the classic rare newspaper strips from London's Evening Standard, this volume continues the previously unpublished interview with Peter O'Donnell and features an in-depth look at the cult Modesty Blaise movie from the 60s.
Customer Reviews:
A must for Modesty fans........2006-08-06
This compilation of Mosdesty strips is highly entertaining, and for Modesty fans, the interviews and Introductions by Peter O'Donnell are worth the price alone. Great fun and proof that comics are not just for kids.
Great adenture comic.......2006-01-08
This book reproduces the daily Modesty Blaise comic strips that cover three story lines. First, a high goverment official is kidnapped in a way that makes his disappearance look like defection. The next, The Viking, pits Blaise and her partner Willy Garvin against a modern-day raider and pirate. In the last story, Blaise and Garvin track murder and secrets with military potential to a school for - well, find out for yourself.
Blaise is a Jane Bond kid of spy character, living comfortably on in retirement from a shady past. As a free-lance, she and Garvin can go places and do things that legal agents can't. She's also deeply loyal to her friends, a fact that drives the plots of the first two stories. Not just interesting (if comic-ish) stories, these B&W comics are also records of their times. Blaise, of course, is a beautiful woman, built to a `60s view of beauty that has since passed out of fashion. Blaise is also the spiritual mother of later spy-babe characters, down to the current day.
In themselves or as records of their time, they're good illustrated stories. Enjoy!
//wiredweird
Book Description
Modesty Blaise - cult creation of best-selling author Peter O'Donnell - returns! Adventurer, spy, smuggler, racketeer and all-round bad girl, Modesty is as stylish as she is smart, as lethal and beautiful as a Japanese fighting sword!
Thrown into danger everywhere she turns, Modesty will need all her skills and instincts when she incurs the wrath of a Hong Kong master criminal. Trapped between saving a friend and sacrificing her own beliefs, she is caught up in the Vietnam War and must battle to survive the vengeance of Mister Sun!
Collecting the rare and classic newspaper strips from The Daily Express, this volume also includes an exclusive introduction by, and an interview with, Peter O'Donnell.
Customer Reviews:
Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Weng does something foolish after he finds out his sister is alive, and gets involved with a drug dealer, and Modesty and Willie end up fighting the Viet Cong to try and get to her. Apart from that, they deal with a psychic and a group of agent recruiters, and a pair of sociopaths running a large call-girl operation.
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Modesty Blaise: The Gallows Bird (Modesty Blaise (Graphic Novels))
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