MIKE BRADY

Full Name:	Mike Brady
Nationality:	British
Organization:	SM 7
Occupation	Agent

Creator:	Unknown
Time Span:	1971 - 1971

ABOUT THE SERIES

Mike Brady is an agent with SM-7.

That designation represents a small but effective department in the British intelligence community, led by "a grey haired, distinguished man known as Sir Charles". It is likely connected to that nation's Defense Ministry. It has its headquarters "at the top of an unimpressive building in London's West End".

In the first recorded adventure we learn that to most people, Brady is a freelance reporter but in truth he is "something quite different - a tough secret agent". That difference extends to having an assistant, named Mandy though he calls her 'Beautiful'.

Brady appears to be in his mid 30's, with some shots making him look a good deal younger and some older. He wears moderately short (considering the period) dark hair and is considered quite handsome with his solid good looks and extremely confident demeanor.

It is not known if either SM-7 pays extremely well or Brady is independently wealthy but considering the clothes he wears and, more to the point, the very snazzy sportscar he drives, he has to have a lot of disposable income.

Mandy is an important member of the team. In a more modern setting she would undoubtedly be considered a junior partner. She maintains things in the office as would be expected of an assistant but she is much more than just that as she is up on everything her boss is doing as well as the bad guys he is likely to encounter, not to mention also racing to his aid when she rightly deduces he is in danger. In truth, in both the adventures we have of Brady and Mandy, she has to save him and even lightly admonishes, "you always get yourself in tight spots and I have to get you out. One of these days I won't be around..."

A couple things that help is the fact that she has a photographic memory and can pull up facts quickly, she is very skilled at judo and not the least bit hesitant to use it, and her throwing arm and quick reactions are quite impressive.

Her looks change over the two adventures with her having long blonde hair in the initial one and long black hair in the second. The two also have a personal relationship outside of work.

Together these two make a pretty impressive and enjoyable pair of operatives.

COMIC BOOKS, GRAPHIC NOVELS, AND MANGA

Number of Stories:	2
First Appearance:	1971
Last Appearance:	1971

The British publisher Thorpe & Porter had several titles on the newstands in the late 60's and early 70's. One of those was the Picture Detective Library (PDL). Each issue was 64 pages of action with each page having two large panels. The magazine was in black and white with cover covers. The writing and the artwork were both unattributed but whoever was doing them was good.

PDL ran for 67 issues though the final 10 issues, from 58 on, were reprints of the first 10 issues. Although the title of the magazine clearly indicated Detective, most of the adventures inside the covers dealt with spies, not policemen. It is true, of course, that most of the time these operatives were trying to uncover the bad guys and their plots so 'detective' is not really a misnomer.

Out of two-thirds of the issues that I have been able to check, the only repeating character is Mike Brady with Mandy there to rescue him (to be fair, he does rescue her back).


1			Web of Evil Published by Thorpe & Porter Copyright: 1971 Published in Pocket Detective Library #8 and reprinted in #65 There is a leak of highly secret intelligence about projects at a British government research facility. The agent assigned to investigate is murdered. Mike Brady is sent in to replace him and is immediately set upon by the gang. Click here to read the story.

2			Island of Terror Published by Thorpe & Porter Copyright: 1971 Published in Pocket Detective Library #10 and reprinted in #67 "Why was someone trying to keep holidaymakers away from an island paradise off the South American coast? That is the question that Mike Brady and his assistant, Mandy, are sent to discover. One of their first discoveries is an assailant with an old Nazi identification card on him. Click here to read the story.

MY COMMENTS

All of the stories in the PDL line that I have read have been quite enjoyable and none of them have left me bemoaning wasted time. I enjoyed especially the two with Mike Brady and was sorry that there were only the two. Of course, of the two dozen I have not been able to check out, there might be another Brady adventure though I doubt it.

I was pleased with the way that Brady's assistant, Mandy, was portrayed in that though she was definitely the 'assistant' and not a colleague or partner, she was a part of the team doing her part to solve the problem and get them both out alive. Though there were a couple of throw-away comments that in these days might produce a disapproving frown, for the most part Mandy is treated well and it is Brady who shows a tendency to get himself knocked on the head and taken prisoner.

GRADE

My Grade: B

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