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 VASILI STORY 63: “THE VAMPIRE OF MALVESCU”: STRIP 6735 An elder of the remote Transylvanian village of Malvescu. When Modesty arrives in the village on her way to visit her friend Hans Braun, who lives in the nearby castle, he, as the father of the bride, invites her to join his daughters wedding festivities being held that day. He and the other elders try to warn her not to continue her journey until the following day as the path takes her through the wood in which a six hundred year old vampire has recently been seen. Leads the village in its final attempt to kill the vampire with a silver bullet which succeeds when Nicolai shoots down Greff. VASILY STORY 55 "THE RETURN OF THE MAMMOTH" STRIP 5939 One of the two guards at the Soviet Security H.Q. close to the frontier with Finland. When their boss Captain Novikov hands Willie over to him and his companion Basil, they decide to have a little fun and try to beat him up. Willie reports to the Captain that he and Basil seem to have “passed out” and suggests that it might well be something they have eaten. VASOV STORY 38: “DEATH TRAP”: STRIP 4242 Ambitious Deputy Director of Overseas Espionage in a minor Eastern European state. Brosini, his boss, assassinates the Head of State Chairman Sebek, in an attempted coup and plans to place the blame on him. Modesty, who has been lured to the country by Brosni and is being held in prison, is to be used as proof of the plot. He is put into the same prison as Modesty and she helps him escape using the cover of a street parade of Gogol’s Circus. She then has him delivered, unconscious, to John Kerr, the British Chargé d’Affaires. Kerr obliges him to make a written declaration of the innocence of Modesty and the guilt of Brosni and when he has signed it, allows him to contact General Kroda who was loyal to the late Chairman Sebek. With the backing of the army he is able overthrow and arrest Brosni and become the new Chairman. One of his firsts acts is to award Modesty The Supreme Order Of The Workers’, Heroine First Class. It causes Willie no end of amusement. VASSEY STORY 55: “THE RETURN OF THE MAMMOTH”: STRIP 5994 One of the team accompanying Zimm on his contract from Captain Novikov to assassinate Colonel Greb. One of the two man motor cycle reserve team. Ordered by Zimm to make a feint attack on the rear of the fort where Greb and Willie are hiding with Chloe, the elephant. Outflanked and knocked out by a rock thrown by Willie. VAUBOIS, René Head of the Deuxième Bureau, friend, colleague and the French equivalent of Sir Gerald Tarrant. Also a friend of Modesty and Willie who he dealt with in the days of The Network. Originally created in the first novel “Modesty Blaise” in 1965 (Léon/René) he did not appear in a strip story until two years later. He turns up at fairly regular intervals during the Modesty lifespan. STORY 11: “THE MAGNIFIED MAN”: STRIP 1249 Responsible for the security of a very large shipment of gold being brought from Marseilles to Paris over a secret route by a special train. He has learned that Herr Bilke,the clever and daring criminal, intends to steal the gold. Is advised by Sir Gerald Tarrant that Willie Garvin has inadvertently blown the cover Denise Rouelle, one of his agents who has penetrated Bilke’s gang. When Denise is very nearly killed by Bilke’s men, Willie and Modesty feel obliged to retrieve the situation. They foil Bilke’s plan and using Tarrant as their radio link, call him in with his special agents to collect the gang and tidy up. STORY 25: “THE BLUEBEARD AFFAIR”: STRIP 2851 Asks Modesty as a personal favour to investigate Baron Rath, to whom his niece Nicole is now married. She is the fourth rich wife of the Baron and the last two died after mysterious accidents. Modesty agrees and with the help of Willie and Chloe, an elephant from Gogol’s circus, rescues Nicole and kills the Baron. Arranges the fire at the Baron’s home, the Villa Beaumaris, to clear up the mess that Modesty and Willie left behind when they were finished. 177 T H E M O D E S T Y B L A I S E C O M P A N Drawn by Neville Colvin Strip 5939 30th May, 1984 Drawn by Romero Strip 4337 13th January, 1978 Drawn by Neville Colvin Strip 5996 17th August, 1984 Drawn by Jim Holdaway Strip 1319 29th July, 1967 Drawn by Romero Strip 2852 19th August, 1972 Drawn by Romero Strip 6739 29th July, 1987