Site News
Just added a link to each title edition list (like this one) that exports that list in a shorter (more printable) format. Could be handy if wanting to print an edition list to take to the bookshop. Or just to tick off your own copies against.
Had to take a punt on what kinds of details/format would work. Let me know if wanting anything else on this export list.
Just got my edition of Biggles Look Back, the latest release from Norman Wright. Another fine addition to the collection; wonder what he'll think of next?
If you happen to be in the Netherlands on the 18 October (or Anywhere in Europe really - it's a small place!), there's a mega auction being held by the International Biggles Association (IBA). For those of unable to come up with a decent excuse for the trip, you can place postal/email bids.
Intrigued? Visit their site: http://www.biggles.nl/en/ for all details, including a catalogue.
Just uploaded a neat little film snippet taken (fair use - honest) from a movie I have on the Red Baron. Shows some great archival footage of dogfights, pilots and the baron himself.
All I can say is, he looks so young!
You may notice the site looks a little different!
Had been meaning to add a search function to the site for a while. However once I started I realised I needed to recreate the header to provide a space for it. And one thing led to another. And here we are....
Have tried to test most elements but please email me if I missed something in the translation. I did notice, ironically, the search engine is not working right as its index is needing a refresh. Might take a few days to get around to us unless I can find a reset button.
You might find this link amusing. It's Camel vs. Fokker as a card game. Take to the cockpit of a Sopwith Camel and duel away against your colleague the Fokker. Not technically a Biggles item, hence not listed elsewhere on the site. Still looks like something worth a trawl on eBay for.
Update: Mentioned this game at the Biggles yahoo group and it turned up some additional details on the game. The collector's guide in particular shows nearly 20 different variants and editions for was obviously a pretty popular way to pass the time.
Added details for Canadian publications (in English) as gleaned from Collecting Books and Magazines. To see what's listed, do an edition search for country = Canada.
If at first you cannot find an edition you're after, just add another set of editions to be searching for. That's my current motto, so today updated YABS to list all the Australian editions identified at Collecting Books and Magazines. And that's only because the list was surprisingly short: only 11 editions; although I've already increased that number since I appear to have a couple of 2nd editions, and because I came across The Silver Jacket magazine (from Australia) when reviewing serials.
Not that you probably noticed, but until today the list of updates shown on the Home page did not include details of any new images added to the database. That's now been rectified; any new artwork added in the past month is now included in the update count. Now all that's excluded are any updates within the miscellanea section. Will get back to you on that one....
Just broke my (recent) cardinal rule of starting to collect new Biggles's "genres". Unfortunately a couple of Boy's Own Papers were too tempting so have been added to the collection. They're great, not just for the Biggles content, but also for the other articles, advertisements and the like they contain. Fascinating stuff!
With the help of Daniel Tangri I've now added a miscellany topic for serials/magazines to start recording details of them all. And to provide a public demonstration of how far I've got to go for the set!
Just took delivery of the Biggles card game. Beautiful collection of miniature illustrations from Stead. Now just to work out which picture comes from which book.
Norman Wright is fair pumping out the new editions these past months. Just received my copies of Air Ace and it's another glorious piece of work. Even better, not only does it crack the 100th title, it also identifies a few more story volumes I need to seek out to add to the miscellany. Only have one of the listed volumes in the list so far. Poor show old chap.
Few items arrived from eBay so duly added to the catalogue. Apart from a couple of extra editions, including a lovely Children's Book Club edition of Biggles Goes Home, came across a beautiful collection of bookmarks based on first edition covers. The things you collect when you can't get the books!
Updated the title list to add a few bonus options for browsing the list. Use the new tabs to access a list by location the story is set, or by the decade the book the first was published in.
Adding these required a few check-ups on the database so let me know if anything went awry. And stay tuned for another list to come - this one by era (WW1 vs Between the Wars, etc).
Added images of the game pieces for the adventure books. Most are lifesize so should work if wanting to use to play a pieceless book. Else mail me and I'll send full size replicas to you.
Had a couple of visitors recently ask questions about whether some of the edition lists are complete. In honesty not all are. Still working through them. But in the meantime I've added a flag to each title to show whether (I think) the (UK) edition list is complete. Which explains why suddenly I've got a lot of titles listed as updated recently.
Reviewers, love your work. So much so I've tried to promote it still further. The Home page now shows a table of the top 10 reviewers (based on number of reviews) along with a list of your top 3 rated titles. See if your picks match the others. And if you agree with anyone else's selection, click their name (here, or when reading reviews for a title) to see a list of all reviews from that person.
Now this is intriguing. A Biggles badge appeared on eBay. Unfortunately I missed out. But am very much intrigued as to what it's history is. Anyone have any clues as to where this item comes from? If so, please let me know.
The Norman Wright edition of Deep Blue Sea has just arrived. And looks great alongside the earlier copy of Biggles Does Some Homework. Pity the story is not as good as the publication!
STOP PRESS! Copy of this same book just went up on eBay and sold for GBP152.50 (that's nearly $350 down under!). So glad I bought 10 copies - just kidding.
Just added a topic listing/explaining the different series used to group published editions. Currently just provides a list with descriptions and links to appropriate items in the catalogue. Eventually will include sample covers for each so you can see at a glance what each series looks like.
Been a few people adding their reviews to the site recently. Welcome and cheers to you all (especially you redbirdpete - love your work). However also attracting some spam too. Which means we must be successful I guess? Or the spammers have dramatically mis-calculated the audience. I'll keep reviewing to remove the cr*p but apologies if you come across it in your travels through the site.
Finished the first pass through the miscellaneous. Highlights include details (including trailers!) for both the movie and the videogame of the movie. Both worth a laugh, which you can then follow with a very cheesy 80s music video from the film soundtrack.
As an early birthday present to myself (don't ask how old) I've started to publish details of the miscellanous stuff, other than the titles, where Biggles appears. Eventually cover everything from comic books to jigsaw puzzles. Work in progress but first topics (collected works, stories in other books, and comics) are hopefully worth a read.
Through the wonders of Google I've come across an online competition to photoshop existing Biggles illustrations to add a touch of humour. And some of them are hilarious. Definitely worth a visit. Click on the thumbnail to see one of the entries, click here to visit the competition and see all the entries.
Just received my copy of the new edition of Biggles Does Some Homework. And it's gorgeous. Be interesting to see how many other titles Mr Wright gets permission to release in such a beautiful manner.