Modesty Blaise: "The Bluebeard Affair," featuring a Dude in Distress

[stolisomancer]

Following the sudden death of Jim Holdaway in 1970, Erich Romero took over the art job on the "Modesty Blaise" strip for much of the rest of its run. In 1972's "The Bluebeard Affair," Romero had not yet evolved into the pin-up artist he was in the later strips, and while he never misses a chance to draw a good-looking woman, he comes off here more like he's trying to mimic Holdaway's style. It's interesting to see his early work, since this is, after all, the "Axa" guy.

This arc is collected in the Titan Books volume The Gallows Bird, along with "The Iron God" and "The Hanging Judge."


In "The Bluebeard Affair," Modesty is approached by her friend Rene Vaubois, the director of French intelligence. His niece Nicole has married the Baron Rath, a middle-aged widower, and Rene has a suspicion that Rath is a "modern Bluebeard," approaching shy well-to-do women, then marrying them and making their subsequent deaths appear to be accidental. He asks Modesty to investigate the situation unofficially.

While Modesty attempts to convince the Baron that she'd be a good candidate for his next wife, Modesty asks Willie Garvin to do some recon on the Baron's estate. Unfortunately, Willie discovers that the place has remarkably good security, and gets knocked out by one of the guards. When he wakes up, he's confronted by the Baron Rath's two daughters, Hortense and Celeste, who both really, really enjoy killing people:

Comments

[darkknightjrk]

"Romero had not yet evolved into the pin-up artist he was in the later strips"

...Go on...

Seriously, very cool stuff. I'm definitely going to have to get some of these books. :)

[stolisomancer]

One of the most frequent criticisms of "Modesty Blaise" is that Romero's probably its definitive artist. Romero has many strengths, but he's very fond of drawing unclothed women, and O'Donnell played to that in the scripts. Late-era strips kind of turn into this "let's see how we can sneak a bikini lady into this one" game of chance.

[darkknightjrk]

I'm kinda curious to see these late-era strips. I can't say I hate that kinda stuff, long as it's drawn well and there's a good reason for it.

[icon_uk]

Well helllllllooo Willie Garvin! :)

[stolisomancer]

I might as well have just mentioned you by name here.

[icon_uk]

I hope I'm not THAT predictable...

Oh, who am I kidding? I don't care if I am!

[ladyvyola]

Mmmmm, Willie!

I love his hands-behind-head pose and unbuttoned black outfit in the fourth strip. Modesty's been in that pose -- and that outfit -- more times than I can count.

[stolisomancer]

To be fair, the black coverall and boots are Modesty and Willie's "we're about to go get into trouble" outfit, and they both wear the same thing. Modesty just usually ends up with it unbuttoned for some reason.

[abates]

I wonder if a dingy that size would actually be able to support the weight of a concrete block to begin with.