EXTRACTS: The Modesty Blaise Companion Expanded Edition © 2018 The Book Palace (425 PAGES in Full edition)

E X P A N D E D E D I T I O N RANJIT (1) STORY 59 “KALI'S DISCIPLES” STRIP 6318 Son of ex-Prince Videgha. Rescued by Modesty from a three card trick gang in London when they beat him up for exposing their trickery. Modesty and Willie stay in his father’s palace on their way to visit Sivaji. RANJIT (2) STORY 62: “MILLION DOLLAR GAME” STRIP 6679 Amateur radio operator friend of Modesty and Willie in East Africa. They have talked to each other a great deal but have never actually met before. Willie stays in his home and it is he who provides the communications link with Modesty during their hunt for poachers. RANSHAW, James STORY 7: “TOP TRAITOR”: STRIP 776 One of the two Section Heads in Sir Gerald Tarrant’s Department suspected by Jack Fraser of being a traitor when his boss disappears and it is thought that he has defected. Abducted by Modesty, taken to her cottage in the country and “interrogated” by her actor friend Michael York. Found to be the guilty party and handed over to Fraser and the other Section Head to deal with. RAOUL (1) STORY 1: “LA MACHINE”: STRIP 76 French Police Officer who works for Nimeau. On surveillance duty watching over Modesty after she has made herself available to be kidnapped by La Machine. When they take her from her hotel he reminds his colleague to get the number of the car she has been taken in. RAOUL (2) STORY 8: “THE VIKINGS” STRIP 891 A Network operative seen taking part in the operation to hi-jack a consignment of diamonds from Krim. He was ordered to chill the over confident Olaf Nilsen if he came off the bridge, but was too late to stop him. The job failed due to Nilsen’s stupidity. RAOUL (3) STORY 52 “DEATH IN SLOW MOTION” STRIP 5706 Tabelbala airport radio operator in Algeria. Old friend of Jimmy who is flying Modesty and Willie to rescue Inspector Brook and his daughter Lynn. Asked by Jimmy to keep him informed of the whereabouts of the pursuing Cyrena Aquilina and does so. RATH, Baron Felix STORY 25: “THE BLUEBEARD AFFAIR”: STRIP 2847 The “Bluebeard” of the title. Now in his fourth marriage. Father of Celeste and Hortense by his first wife. His second and third wives, both rich and rather plain, died in what seem to have been unfortunate accidents. His present wife, Nicole, is the niece of René Vaubois. She is also rich but colourless. With his daughters he is currently planning Nicole’s murder. A master fencer whose speciality is the épée. Modesty is introduced to him as a rich but shy young woman and he sees in her the potential for yet another wife. When it becomes clear that Modesty has other ideas he faces her in a rapier duel from which there can be only one outcome. RATH, Celeste and Hortense STORY 25: “THE BLUEBEARD AFFAIR”: STRIP 2847 Homicidally inclined and sexually obsessed daughters of Baron Rath by his first wife. They are already responsible for the murder of at least one of their fathers previous wives and they very nearly manage to kill Willie when he is caught breaking into their villa. They entertain Modesty when she comes to dinner. It is their combined inability to cope with an enraged Chloe, the elephant Willie has borrowed from Gogol’s circus, that proves to be their undoing. They are seriously weird. 133 T H E M O D E S T Y B L A I S E C O M P A N I Drawn by Neville Colvin Strip 6318 26th November, 1985 Drawn by Romero Strip 6679 5th May, 1987 Drawn by Jim Holdaway Strip 788 10th November, 1965 Drawn by Jim Holdaway Strip 76 8th August, 1963 Drawn by Jim Holdaway Strip 893 15th March, 1966 Drawn by Neville Colvin Strip 5706 27th June, 1983 Drawn by Romero Strip 2866 5th September, 1992 Drawn by Romero Strip 2887 29th September, 1972