The Case of the Black Sheep is the second of two stories in Issue 1 of the Adventures of Biggles comic series published by Action Comics of Sydney, Australia issued in 1953. The story is an adaptation of The Case of the Black Sheep from Biggles Air Detective. There is no byline on the title page but the artist is probably Albert de Vine.
In issue 1, the story is preceded by The Case of the Visiting Sultan. The inside back cover of issue 1 carries an advertisement for issue #2 and a picture from The Unregistered Operator.
Synopsis[]
Biggles is asked to investigate a nylon stocking smuggling operation.
Plot summary[]
(Click on expand to read)
This comic strip is a fairly faithful adaptation of the original but there are some differences in the details.
- The mathematics of how the smuggling turns a big profit is not spelled out in detail like in the original: "wholesale ten shillings a pair... in the black market twenty five to thirty shillings a pair ...a fifty pound parcel would show a profit of .... £2,000." In the comic Videll simply tells Biggles the profit is £2,000 per parcel. Presumably this was to keep the speech bubbles to a manageable length.
- The brand name "Du Pont Crystal" is not mentioned.
- Biggles and Ginger don't fly a Saro amphibian. Here it is clearly a Short Sealand, although the type is not specifically stated.
- Paullson's name is changed from R. Q. Paullson to P. Q Paullson. Here he does not fly a Moth seaplane but a Piper Cub seaplane. Biggles even reads out the maker's number R.1247 which is the same as in the original.
- Baltroone is mentioned as the inter-island steamer's destination, instead of Baltroonie.
- The same clue of the handwritten label on one of the bales of wool is depicted.
- When Biggles and Ginger go and see Paullson, Paullson does not pour himself a stiff drink. Neither does he tell them to speak softly because his mother is in the house. Here the mother does not occur at all.
- Biggles advises Paullson to turn Queen's evidence. In the original this was King's evidence. Obviously, since the comic came out after 1952.
- On parting, Biggles does not advise Paullson to lay off drink, obviously, since his drinking problem is not depicted.
- The way the story ends is the same.
Characters[]
The Special Air Police[]
- Air Commodore Raymond
- Biggles
- Ginger Hebblethwaite
Others[]
- Mr Videll - liaison between Board of Trade and H.M. Customs and Excise
- Flight Lieutenant P. Q. Paullson
- Louis Vanberger
Mentioned[]
Aircraft[]
- The Saro amphibian is replaced by a Short Sealand
- The Moth seaplane is replaced by a Piper Cub seaplane
Gallery[]
The Short Sealand is not mentioned by name--it would be in later issues of the comic series. However the shape of the overslung engines is quite characteristic of the Sealand. The number of windows and the shape of the nose and windscreen, these are all accurate.
For some reason the artist chose a Piper Cub floatplane. The struts on the floats are reasonably accurate but the engine nacelle is a bit too squared off and rectangular.