Möte Med Tigern (Encounter with the Tiger) was the third in a series of graphic novels first published in Swedish by the Stockholm based publisher Semic from 1977 onwards with text and artwork by Björn Karlstrom. Möte Med Tigern was translated and published in the UK by Hodder and Stoughton as Biggles and the Tiger in 1981. Translations of the book exist in Dutch and various Scandanavian languages.
Synopsis[]
Biggles and Algy are summoned to a secret meeting with Air Commodore Raymond but they then find that he has been kidnapped by a gang of international spies and have to spring him from capture.
Plot[]
(Click on expand to read)
Characters[]
- Biggles
- Algy Lacey
- Ginger Hebblethwaite
- Bertie Lissie
- Air Commodore Raymond - he is styled Air Marshal Raymond here
- Mrs Symes
- Bates - Algy's butler in Merioneth Towers
- John Tiger
- Butch
- Tragg
- Kurt
- Kotz
- Gregor
Aircraft[]
- de Havilland Leopard Moth
- Hawker Siddeley Harrier
- Consolidated Catalina
- Sepecat Jaguar
- Westland Sea King
Ships[]
- Submarine Sea Wolf - Z-27
Places[]
- Merioneth Towers
- Pennhale Sands, Cornwall
- Golden Trident Inn
- Sea Grange
- Little Down Airport
- Falryn Airport
- Scilly Isles
- Scotland Yard
- Biggles' flat, Mount Street
Research notes[]
Some plot elements have a familiar ring:
- Algy has an ancestral home at Merioneth Towers (mentioned in Biggles Flies Again in The Gold Rush, but the butler Bates appears to be an embellishment.
- Biggles, Algy and Ginger share a flat, presumably in Mount Street.
- Mrs Symes is still Biggles' housekeeper.
But there are significant departures and non-canonical embellishments:
- Algy drives a Jaguar and Biggles a turbo-charged Mini.
- Biggles, Algy and Ginger are definitely in the Air Police. Biggles tells the gang he is Inspector Bigglesworth and the three are seen in an office filing their reports.
- The role of Bertie is, however, uncertain. He shows up leading a flight of 3 R.A.F. Jaguar fighters like he is still a serving officer. He is not seen with the rest typing out their reports, he does not seem to be sharing the flat at Mount Street and he does not join them for the celebratory dinner at the end.
- The Air Police appears to be based at Little Down Airport instead of Gatwick.
- A Leopard Moth appears to have replaced the trusty Auster J1 Autocrat as the Air Police utility aircraft.
- Raymond is Biggles' boss, and also chief of the Air Section of the British Intelligence Service. He apparently lives in Pennhale Sands, Cornwall where Mr Tiger is his neighbour. He is given the rank of Air Marshal. Sweden didn't have the Air Commodore rank--at that time it only had 3 grades of flag rank officers. Perhaps this explains it.
Incongruities[]
- Strange that Raymond needs to summon Biggles and ALgy to Cornwall to brief them secretly. Why not just meet in the Scotland Yard office?