JEFF CURTISS

Full Name:	Jeff Curtiss
Nationality:	British
Organization:	British Military Intelligence
Occupation	Agent

Creator:	Unknown
Time Span:	1960 - 1963

ABOUT THE SERIES

Jeff Curtiss is an agent with British Intelligence.

Most of the over three dozen recorded operations that exist for this man take place during the Second World War though his area of operation will change quite a few times showing that he definitely got around a lot. The European Theatre was where he would spend most of his time though he does make trips to the Indian subcontinent and even closer to the Japanese theater.

Curtiss is a Commander in the British Royal Navy where he is considered by many to be that service's "ace trouble-shooter", especially by one of his commanding officers in Military Intelligence, Colonel Quentin.

In addition to being an experienced naval officer, trained in and capable of taking command of a warship, he is also a very accomplished pilot able to sit in the cockpit of either a fighter or a bomber and get the job done. It is not unusual to see him switch gears (or vehicles) like that often in the course of an adventure. That does not mean, however, that he is the least bit out of his elements when he works on land dealing with groups like the French Resistance - Curtiss is good at his work no matter what environment he is put in.

Curtiss is an extremely fit man of normal height likely in his late 30s with wavy blond hair. He speaks both German and French well enough to be able, when needed, to impersonate either nationality. He also has working knowledge of several other languages making him able to function in other regions such as in Burma.

In just about all of his missions, Curtiss is partnered with Leading Seaman Ernie Black (roughly the equivalent of a corporal in the Army). Black is, from the looks of him, several years older than Curtiss but looks up Curtiss younger not just because of his far higher rank but also because Curtiss has shown him, obviously, how very good he is at his job.

Note: in the graphic adventures we have of Curtiss, the action takes place during WWII but in the few text adventures, they transpire at least a decade and a half if not more later. Curtiss and Black are still teammates and partners in these later missions.

NOVELLAS AND SHORT STORIES

Number of Stories:	4
First Appearance:	1961
Last Appearance:	1961


1			The Mystery of Snake Island Written by Unknown Copyright: 1961 1st of 4 text adventures found in Combat Picture Annual 1962. Jeff Curtiss and his partner, Ernest Black, were in Jamaica when they got their latest mission to assist American authorities in a strange case. In recent weeks several rocket firing tests at Cape Canaveral had gone wrong and the rockets failed to arrive at their expected splash sites. They had apparently vanished! Click here to read the story.

2			The Windmill of Terror Written by Unknown Copyright: 1961 2nd of 4 text adventures found in Combat Picture Annual 1962. Jeff Curtiss is assigned the mission to meet up with a former Admiralty Signals Division member who fled with a number of secret documents that he is now trying to pass to the enemy. This will take he and Ernie Black to a windmill where danger awaits. Click here to read the story.

3			The Spy Cruiser Written by Unknown Copyright: 1961 3rd of 4 text adventures found in Combat Picture Annual 1962. It is in the harbor of Gibraltar that Jeff Curtiss and Ernie Black have come in advance of a visit to the region by a Soviet warship. There is concern that the visit coincides with the arrival of the latest nuclear submarine the Dolphin. Click here to read the story.

4			The Devil's Mountain Written by Unknown Copyright: 1961 4th of 4 text adventures found in Combat Picture Annual 1962. Both Jeff Curtiss and Ernie Black are in Africa trying to trace the steps of a man named Forrester who had disappeared on a trek for his employer, the Diamond Corporation. On a previous trip he had found signs of a possibly rich area but on his second trip to narrow the location, he vanished. Click here to read the story.

COMIC BOOKS, GRAPHIC NOVELS, AND MANGA

Number of Stories:	34
First Appearance:	1960
Last Appearance:	1963


1			The V3 Menace Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 04/1960 From Combat Picture Library #44 Jeff Curtiss is sent to find out about the new German weapon called the V3. Click here to read the story.

2			The Sea Wolves Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 06/1960 From Combat Picture Library #49 Jeff Curtiss is sent on a mission to hunt down and destroy the Sea Wolves. Click here to read the story.

3			Submariner - Special Duties Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 08/1960 From Combat Picture Library #57 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

4			The Giant Bomber Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 11/1960 From Combat Picture Library #69 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

5			The Q-Ship Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 12/1960 From Combat Picture Library #74 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

6			The Secret Weapon Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 01/1961 From Combat Picture Library #78 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

7			The Secret Valley Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 02/1961 From Combat Picture Library #82 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

8			U-Boat Captain Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 03/1961 From Combat Picture Library #87 - [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

9			The Arctic Menace Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 04/1961 From Combat Picture Library #89 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

10			Traitor! Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 05/1961 From Combat Picture Library #96 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

11			The Black Leopard Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 06/1961 From Combat Picture Library #100 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

12			The Missile Menace Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 07/1961 From Combat Picture Library #104 Jeff Curtiss is pulled from a short leave to travel to German-controlled France to look for a missing MI5 agent who had vital film and intel on a new launch set for V2 rockets. Click here to read the story.

13			The Last Zeppelin Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 08/1961 From Combat Picture Library #108 - [plot unknown]

14			The Phantom Cruiser Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 09/1961 From Combat Picture Library #112 - Reprinted completely in the Combat Picture Annual 1962 as the 2nd of 3 graphic adventures. plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

15			The Fighting Windjammer Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 10/1961 From Combat Picture Library #114 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

16			Jeff Curtiss Must Die Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 11/1961 From Combat Picture Library #120 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

17			The Golden Scarab Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 12/1961 From Combat Picture Library #124 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

18			The Red Falcons Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 12/1961 1st of 3 adventures published in Combat Picture Annual 1962 Curtiss and Blackie are sent to Russia to arrange a docking place for British ships and then he gets the chance to fly with the Russian flyers called "The Red Falcons!" But it appears there is a plant saboteur at work! Will Curtiss be able to catch him? Click here to read the story.

19			The Vanishing Island Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 12/1961 3rd of 3 graphic adventures published in Combat Picture Annual 1962 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

20			Forgotten Island Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 01/1962 From Combat Picture Library #128 - [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

21			The Foreign Legion Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 02/1962 From Combat Picture Library #132 - [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

22			Tiger By The Tail Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 03/1962 From Combat Picture Library #136 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

23			Cretain Steel Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 04/1962 From Combat Picture Library #140 - [plot unknown]

24			Midnight Raider Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 09/1962 From Combat Picture Library #160 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

25			The Flood Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 12/1962 From Combat Picture Library #172 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

26			Top Priority Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 02/1963 From Combat Picture Library #180 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

27			South To Freedom Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 03/1963 From Combat Picture Library #184 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

28			Enemy Base Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 04/1963 From Combat Picture Library #188 - [plot unknown]

29			The Death Of Berlin Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 05/1963 From Combat Picture Library #192 [plot unknown] Click here to read the story.

30			The River Of Death Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 06/1963 From Combat Picture Library #196 In 1943 Burma, a detachment of British soldiers is needing to make a strategic retreat but there are two routes, each with its own dangers. Jeff Curtiss is asked to fly to the areas to recon both. Click here to read the story.

31			Flight Into Danger Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 08/1963 From Combat Picture Library #204 German victories against Allied shipping is getting worse and with a flotilla of warships about to be delivered to England from the US. Cdr. Curtiss is assigned to find out if the Germans are using a new device to block communications and radar. Click here to read the story.

32			Operation Bulldozer Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 09/1963 From Combat Picture Library #208 It is September of 1943 and the Allies are preparing to make a landing on Sicily. Jeff Curtiss is on hand and volunteers to lend a hand on recon. Doing so he discovers the Germans preparing to solidify battlements and decides to do something about them. Click here to read the story.

33			Decoy Mission Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 10/1963 From Combat Picture Library #212 [plot unknown]

34			Sink The Osaka! Published by GM Smith Publishing Copyright: 11/1963 From Combat Picture Library #216 It is 1944 and both Commander Jeff Curtiss and Leading Seamon Ernie Black have been sent to the Far East via the Indian Ocean to 'assist the Yanks' in the war with Japan. When their ship is sunk by a Japanese ship named the Osaka, the two men make it to an island. They are surprised to find the dreaded Osaka pulling into a cove on the same island and they decide to get even. Click here to read the story.

MY COMMENTS

I could be so wrong about the following theory but what the heck....

While I enjoyed the Curtiss adventures, I got the impression they were stories that different people came up with that were then adjusted enough to make the protagonist be Jeff Curtiss. That is, he was dropped in rather than written about.

What that means to me is that we learn virtually nothing about Curtiss the person and that is a shame because each of these tales is rather long and there would/should have been opportunity to personalize them just a wee bit.

GRADE

My Grade: B

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