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

T H E M O D E S T Y B L A I S E C O M P A N I O N I I NAUGA STORY 28: “THE IRON GOD”: STRIP 3212 Native of New Guinea and an orphan. When her parents were killed in a clan war she was taken away by the Australian Government, educated and trained as a nurse. Sent back to her home she escaped when the Mission Doctors and nurses were killed in another clan war. Initially rescued by Modesty and Willie they are all made prisoners of the tribe run by O’Mara, who forces Modesty to help him open the giant safe full of wartime Japanese loot. By cutting the rope holding the safe aloft so that it falls on O’Mara, she saves Modesty’s life. NAYLOR, Tex STORY 4: “MISTER SUN”: STRIP 441 Agent of The Federal Bureau of Narcotics and old friend of Modesty and Willie. Uses his contacts to have Mister Sun’s men arrested in Saigon and to locate the army unit with which Weng’s long lost sister is serving. Takes part in the final battle to defeat Mister Sun. NEDIC One of Modesty’s earliest supporters when she rallied the remnants of the Louche gang and forged it into The Network. He is one of the eight disability pensioners it supports. Lost half of his arm during the battle that put the Suleiman mob out of business. Now retired back to his native Yugoslavia where he has a vineyard and a family. First mentioned in the 1967 novel “I, Lucifer” when his location in Yugoslavia was of great help to Modesty and Willie in their plan to rescue Krolli. STORY 72: “THE GIRL IN THE IRON MASK” STRIP 7654A Now has a vineyard in his native country, a wife and young daughter. Receives regular annual visits from Modesty checking to make sure he is well and to see if he needs anything. Politely but firmly refuses the offer of an artificial arm. NEPTUNE STORY 45 “DOSSIER ON PLUTO”: STRIP 4933 One of the four dolphins Steve Taylor is studying. He tows Willie to Gaspar’s ship which Willie later scuttles in order to free the thirty or more other dolphins caught by Gaspar. NESTOR STORY 84: “HONEYGUN”: STRIP 8973 Member of Honeygun’s back up team for the assassination of an Israeli diplomat. She orders him to shoot the rear rotor off the helicopter to stop Willie using it to escape. NETWORK, The The criminal organisation created and led by Modesty Blaise. Basic information on the origin of The Network is provided in the special twelve strip story “In The Beginning” which was produced for syndication purposes only, and in Story 1, “La Machine” , from the file compiled by Jack Fraser for Sir Gerald Tarrant. We are told that when the old Professor Modesty had taken care of for several years and who had given her a remarkable education, died, Modesty made her way to Tangier and was soon employed in one of the casinos controlled by Louche, a small time gangster. When rivals killed him, Modesty took over the remnants of his gang and over the next two years forged it into The Network. Its many activities included smuggling, currency, insurance and gold scams, industrial espionage services and jewellery and art thefts. It never dealt in drugs or vice and if the need arose, would kill those who did. Regular personnel include Garcia, Phil Krolli, Nedic, Hans Braun and Sammy Wan. It was already well established when Modesty first saw Willie Garvin and gave him the opportunity to join. Within six months he had become her right arm and served Modesty for the next six years until The Network was finally wound up. Text references in the strip stories are too numerous to list and where characters are known from those day it is referred to in their personal index entry. Major Network operations are seen in flashback in the following stories: STORY 8: “THE VIKINGS” Operation to hi-jack diamonds from the Krim gang. It failed due to the stupidity of Olaf Nilsen. Unhappy with only a minor role to play he tried to impress Modesty and in doing so gave warning of the ambush that had been prepared. He suffered both a gunshot wound and retirement from The Network. STORY 23: “THE PUPPET MASTER” Operation to smash Mahmoud’s white slave traffic. It led to Mahmoud himself spending five years as a slave. STORY 40: “THE GOLDEN FROG” Operation to steal a consignment of gold destined for the Viet Cong. It somewhat blighted the career of the officer in charge, Sei Mong. A week earlier The Network had stolen a more or less similar amount from the government so that it could not be accused of political bias. 118 Drawn by Romero Strip 3226 2nd November, 1973 Drawn by Jim Holdaway Strip 457 16th October, 1964 Drawn by Romero Strip 7655 19th March, 1991 Drawn by Neville Colvin Strip 5006 8th September, 1980 Drawn by Jim Holdaway Strip 894 16th March, 1966 Drawn by Romero Strip 4466 13th July, 1978 Drawn by Romero Strip 8991 8th July, 1996