Modesty Blaise, Cartoon Adventures - Book 1 of 2: In the Beginning

Okay, I will be totally honest. I have heard of Modesty Blaise many times over the years, but I've never actually read any books or stories starring the sexy spy. I just assumed she was something similar to Emma Peel from the British television show, The Avengers. So, when I happened across two books (technically graphic novels, as they are comic strip stories) at a comic convention last year, I picked them up, figuring I would give her a try.  I finally got around to reading the first book, In the Beginning, which collects two stories: "La Machine" and "The Long Lever." And quite frankly, I liked it.

Now, fair warning - there is no "origin story" for Modesty Blaise. The first story, "La Machine," jumps right into things. Modesty Blaise is on the verge of retiring - or so she hopes. But when agents of the foreign office come to her penthouse, asking for help, she has no choice but to offer her services, along with that of her partner, Willie Garvin.  It's just like old times for the dangerous pair, as they set out to infiltrate and take down the organization known as La Machine. By the end of the tale, Modesty and Garvin have faced down some very dastardly villains, Modesty is kidnapped and tortured, and Garvin is nearly killed. But, they save the day in the end, take down La Machine, and Modesty comes to the realization that retirement is simply not an option for her...

Which takes us directly into the second tale, "The Long Lever." Now, this title makes absolutely no sense to me, as it does not seem to have any connection to the story at all. In this tale, Modesty and Garvin are called upon to find a Hungarian refugee scientist who has been experimenting with a laser ray. The Hungarian government has been fighting to get him back, and it appears they might have succeeded. Modesty and Garvin must once again go undercover on the yacht of Hungarian agents, where they believe Dr. Kossuth is being held prisoner while he is being delivered to Hungary. This assignment is anything but usual, though, as Modesty soon finds out. Nothing is quite what it seems, and when she manages to get some one-on-one time with the refugee scientist, she discovers that she may not be working for the right side!

The writing is stellar, and the art is absolutely beautiful. Modesty manages to come across as both deadly and seductive, and the detail in the locales, vehicles, and weapons is amazing.  I'm not familiar with Peter O'Donnell, but after reading this, I'll have to look him up and see what other work he has done. The only complaint I have (and this has nothing to do with O'Donnell, but more to do with the publisher) is that with the mass-market paperback format, the comic panel sizes are so small, the words are extremely small and it takes a real effort to read it.  That being said, it's worth the effort, as the stories are so engaging. She is not female version of James Bond - she is a masterpiece all on her own.

I'm likely to put off reading book two for a while, as I know once I've read it, there won't be any more in my collection at this time to read...

RATING:  10 twenty-two caliber pen-guns out of 10 for making the spy business about more than just action and adventure but about character and style a well!