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Modesty Blaise Story Strips #27
Ripper Jax
Continuing the only complete collection of Modesty Blaise adventures! The return of the 'ass-kicking femme fatale'. Full of classic action and adventure and dripping with ‘60's chic.
136 pages, Paperback
First published November 17, 2015
30 people want to read
About the author
Peter O'Donnell
373 books116 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Peter O'Donnell also wrote as Madeleine Brent.
http://www.cs.umu.se/~kenth/modesty.html
is an excellent resource on this author.
To help keep the novels and the adventure strip collections separate, here's some info about the Modesty Blaise works.
In 1963, O'Donnell began his 38-year run as writer of the Modesty Blaise adventure story strip, which appeared six days a week in English and Scottish newspapers. He retired the strip in 2001.
Each strip story took 18-20 weeks to complete. Several publishers over the years have attempted to collect these stories in large softcovers. Titan Publishing is currently in the process of bringing them all out in large-format softcover, with 2-3 stories in each books. These are called "graphic novels" in the Goodreads title.
Meanwhile, during those 38 years, O'Donnell also wrote 13 books about Modesty Blaise: 11 novels and 2 short story/novella collections. These stories are not related to the strip stories; they are not novelizations of strip stories. They are entirely new, though the characters and "lives" are the same. These have been labeled "series #0".
There is a large article on Peter O'Donnell on Wikipedia, with a complete bibliography.
Peter O'Donnell also wrote as Madeleine Brent.
http://www.cs.umu.se/~kenth/modesty.html
is an excellent resource on this author.
To help keep the novels and the adventure strip collections separate, here's some info about the Modesty Blaise works.
In 1963, O'Donnell began his 38-year run as writer of the Modesty Blaise adventure story strip, which appeared six days a week in English and Scottish newspapers. He retired the strip in 2001.
Each strip story took 18-20 weeks to complete. Several publishers over the years have attempted to collect these stories in large softcovers. Titan Publishing is currently in the process of bringing them all out in large-format softcover, with 2-3 stories in each books. These are called "graphic novels" in the Goodreads title.
Meanwhile, during those 38 years, O'Donnell also wrote 13 books about Modesty Blaise: 11 novels and 2 short story/novella collections. These stories are not related to the strip stories; they are not novelizations of strip stories. They are entirely new, though the characters and "lives" are the same. These have been labeled "series #0".
There is a large article on Peter O'Donnell on Wikipedia, with a complete bibliography.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 5, 2016
So sad that probably only 3 more graphic novels remain of the marvellous Modesty Blaise (but fortunately he finished close to 100 graphic novels and a dz novels before his death!). 4 powerpacked stories. Ripper Jax takes place in Ireland (bubbles of dry humour too), while Maori contract is about a heir hunted by bad gangsters (which are hunted down by Modesty -also quite funny). Honeygun is more dark, but also wonderful, as is also Durango. Much more than 11,99 pounds worth -even if I bought these pounds at a high price (today the book is 20% cheaper). I have to buy a second copy, yes!
March 1, 2016
*3 and a half stars*
It must be a least thirty years since I read any type of comic strip fiction, it took me a while to settle back into it but once I did it was great fun. I had never heard of the Modesty Blaise books even though they were published over a period of around forty years. They did feel a little dated with the style of writing and the illustrations but it didn't stop me enjoying the four different stories that are in this collection.
Ripper Jax, the first story in this collection was my favourite one, it was a good introduction to Modesty and Willie. There wasn't really any mention of how they met or previous missions so I just read each of the stories as stand alone. The main point that came across in each story was that every member of the team were loyal to their friends and devoted to each other. If they owed a favour or somebody was in trouble they would try their hardest to rectify the situation.
I imagine that the series has a big following for those that love this type of fiction, for me it was a complete change. Not something I would read regularly but one that I would dip into every now and again.
It must be a least thirty years since I read any type of comic strip fiction, it took me a while to settle back into it but once I did it was great fun. I had never heard of the Modesty Blaise books even though they were published over a period of around forty years. They did feel a little dated with the style of writing and the illustrations but it didn't stop me enjoying the four different stories that are in this collection.
Ripper Jax, the first story in this collection was my favourite one, it was a good introduction to Modesty and Willie. There wasn't really any mention of how they met or previous missions so I just read each of the stories as stand alone. The main point that came across in each story was that every member of the team were loyal to their friends and devoted to each other. If they owed a favour or somebody was in trouble they would try their hardest to rectify the situation.
I imagine that the series has a big following for those that love this type of fiction, for me it was a complete change. Not something I would read regularly but one that I would dip into every now and again.
April 10, 2025
A late 1990s collection of four Modesty Blaise strips. My favorite is easily Ripper Jax, with a knife throwing villain using psychic powers to discover the location of two million pounds in stolen loot. Three of the four stories show that Modesty and Willie will go anywhere and do anything if their friends are in danger (warning: putting their friends in danger is guaranteed to end very badly for you. Don't try it. Trust me, okay?).
Solid fun.
Solid fun.
March 6, 2023
Sometimes you just read a comic strip and other times you’re pulled into a world where you haven’t been before. This Modesty Blaise is something- the art is great and clearly a male-dominated gaze of the human figure and its glorious optimized perfection, and it is also a bit of a wish-fulfillment narrative wherein the protagonists are all proficient and highly intelligent an the bad guys are kind of ugly and inept.
And that’s okay too. The only drawback is that these graphic tales might be better colorized – it’s just an idea.
And that’s okay too. The only drawback is that these graphic tales might be better colorized – it’s just an idea.
March 28, 2017
More awesomeness, with 3 or the 4 titles actually villain names. In Ripper Jax, features the rescue of a bitchy teen girl/is a knife-wielding low-life with a great monkier in Ireland. New Zealand (der!) features nicely in The Maori Contract which recycles (or forecycles?) one of O’Donnell’s “kill will recipient” plots. Honeygun features a great Network-days prologue, and is a stone cold assassin who causes Modesty to wrestle with her code of honour back in Tangier. Best of the lot is Durango, featuring a lovely twist/is a South American guerrilla who kidnaps the Colliers and fights off a rescue mission from the good guys. Not the finest compilation, but they all can’t be perfect.
8/10
8/10
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews