Modesty Blaise: The Puppet Master

Modesty Blaise: The Puppet Master 

By Peter O’Donnell & Enric Badia Romero (Titan Books)
ISBN 1-84023-867-4

The collection of begins by reprinting probably the most controversial story in the strip’s history, and as usual the furore was caused by the tawdry spectre of sex.

‘The Stone-Age Caper’ is a taut, action-packed chase-thriller that has our heroine, Willie Garvin and the mandatory innocent bystanders hunted by a scurrilous pack of thugs through the Australian Outback. It is however, usually remembered – despite being a very exciting and tension-filled episode in the never-dull life of our heroine – as the story where she first got her baps out.

Originally running from July to November of 1971, during a period that saw quite a few censorious doors flung open, the devastating sight of a pair of lady-nipples drawn in full-frontal mid-shot bade fair to bring down governments and topple countries, if the accompanying text feature is to be believed. And yet here we all are safe in the far-future and able to re-read a pretty good story without fainting, forcibly calming the livestock or having to replace the servants.

Next O’Donnell revisits the theme of mind-control (as seen in ‘The Hell-Makers’) with Modesty subjected to the Guantanamo Bay treatment when an old enemy tries to crush her by making her kill Willie Garvin. Despite the seeming repetition, this fresh look at real monsters committing despicable of acts is a sobering balance to some of the more fanciful exploits of this unique duo. ‘The Puppet Master’ is also notable as it features the introduction of home-grown British agent in training, Maude Tiller, of whom more in forthcoming volumes.

One such light romp closes the book in ‘With Love From Rufus’. When Modesty is burgled by a villain who breezes through all her security to leave a bouquet of roses in her safe, she becomes involved with a love-struck criminal prodigy who promptly gets himself, and her, in trouble way over their heads. She needs tact and diplomacy, as much as bullets and bravado to set things right and destroy another vicious gang.

These timeless tales of crime and punishments are as vital and enthralling now as they ever were, and provide much-needed relief in a world increasingly bleak and confusing. At least here you always know who to cheer for and who to boo at.

© 2006 Associated Newspapers/Solo Syndication.