63 Years Later, the Stellar Action Comic Strip Most America Never Heard of Deserves Another Shot
Peter O’Donnell’s British newspaper strip *Modesty Blaise*, which ran from May 1963 to February 2001, was rarely published in the United States despite its enduring popularity elsewhere. The article argues that it deserves a wider American readership as a classic adventure comic, blending espionage, crime and action.
The strip follows Modesty, a former gang leader who built an international criminal network before retiring to London with her partner Willie Garvin. Their skills and past draw them into dangerous assignments, often for British intelligence; the article notes that some storylines have aged poorly. Titan Books collected the complete run in 27 paperback volumes between 2004 and 2017, which the article says were still in print when it was written.
- *Modesty Blaise* ran for nearly 38 years but found few US newspaper readers.
- The strip follows a retired criminal and her partner on dangerous assignments.
- Its full run is collected in 27 paperback volumes.
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Modesty Blaise is a British newspaper comic strip created by writer Peter O’Donnell, with artwork by Jim Holdaway and later artists. It follows Modesty, who once led an international criminal network, and Willie Garvin, her trusted partner; after leaving that life, they are drawn into adventures involving crime and espionage.
The strip ran from 1963 to 2001 and found a large readership outside the United States, where it was seldom published. Its mix of action, crime and intelligence work is part of its appeal, though some stories reflect attitudes of their time. Titan Books later collected the full run in 27 volumes.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Modesty Blaise’s long run, international following and mix of espionage, crime and action make a strong case that it merits a wider US readership. Complete collections give new readers a chance to discover a distinctive classic, while acknowledging that some stories reflect attitudes that have aged poorly.
The case against
A wider US release is not automatically warranted simply because a strip was popular elsewhere or ran for decades; publishers have limited space and may prioritise work with stronger current demand. Its dated elements could also make it a harder sell to new readers, and the existing collected editions may already offer a practical route for those who are interested.