THE W. E. JOHNS
knight PAPERBACKS PAGE TWO OF FIVE 27 DIFFERENT
BIGGLES TITLES WERE PUBLISHED BY “KNIGHT” BOOKS PLUS 31 REPRINTS WITH
DIFFERENT COVERS |
PAGE ONE – Shows the very first Knight Biggles
paperbacks. These were 6 “Green
Knight” books with the white spine and surrounding white border. PAGE TWO – Shows 15 different book titles, but
two of those had slightly different covers, so 17 different covers are
shown. These 15 titles included
reprints of the first 6 original “Green Knight” paperbacks and so only added
a further 9 titles to the range of Knight paperbacks. This page also shows
the back of an 18th book but that is just to show an example of
the changes that occurred to the rear covers of the Knight books when the
books were reprinted. For example
“Green Knight” was changed to “Knight” by the removal of the word
“Green”. Of the 15 titles, 3 of these books were published in 1969, 8 were published in
1970, 3 were published in 1971 and 1 was published in 1972. PAGE
THREE – Shows 12 different Knight books. These 12 books have a distinctive
“stencilled” title font. 4 of them
were published in 1974 and 8 of them were published in 1975. 6 of them were reprints of earlier Knight paperbacks and 6 of
them were titles new in paperback, bringing the total number of different
Knight Biggles books up to 21. PAGE
FOUR – Shows the 12 Knight paperbacks with a cartoon like Biggles
head logo on a coloured title banner.
10 of these were reprints but 2 are first publications new to
paperback, bringing the total number of different Knight Biggles books up to
23. PAGE
FIVE – Shows the
final 11 Knight Biggles books which had the distinctive “posed” photographic
covers. 7 of these are reprints but
the other 4 are first publications in paperback bringing the total number of
different Knight Biggles books up to 27.
Some of these posed photographic covers are,
it has to be said, frankly ridiculous! IF YOU CLICK ON THE FRONT COVER OF ANY BOOK ILLUSTRATED BELOW, YOU GO TO THE STORY SUMMARY AND
DETAILS OF THE PUBLICATION OF THE FIRST EDITION. IF YOU CLICK ON THE REAR COVER OF ANY BOOK, YOU CAN SEE THE ILLUSTRATIONS FROM THE FIRST
EDITION OF THE BOOK (IF IT HAD ANY). |
Note how the photo of W. E. Johns
(which is initially the “right” way around looking at the book spines) is
printed the wrong way around for the last 4 books. |
BIGGLES IN
THE BLUE – FRONT Originally
published in 1953 – This
paperback was published in 1969. It is
interesting to compare the cover with the reprint the following year (see
right). The image has moved to the
left! 157
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as 3/6. |
BIGGLES IN
THE BLUE – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. However, if you
click on the back cover you can see the illustrations from the original
hardback first edition. |
BIGGLES IN
THE BLUE – FRONT Originally
published in 1953 – This
paperback was published in 1970. It is
interesting to compare the cover with the original the previous year (see
left). The image has moved to the
left! 157
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as (17½p) 3/6. |
BIGGLES IN
THE BLUE – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. However, if
you click on the back cover you can see the illustrations from the original
hardback first edition. |
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BIGGLES AND
THE DARK INTRUDER – FRONT Originally
published in paperback in 1967 – This reprint
paperback was published in 1969. It is
interesting to compare the cover with the reprint the following year (see
right). Note the title was on two
lines but this changes to three lines. The picture is a “zoomed in” version of the
original cover of the 1967 paperback. 190
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as (17½p) 3/6. |
BIGGLES AND
THE DARK INTRUDER – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. The most
remarkable thing about this book is that the title DID NOT appear
on the spine! It just says
“Captain W. E. Johns”! You can see
the spines of these books below and the missing title is obvious. |
BIGGLES AND
THE DARK INTRUDER – FRONT Originally
published in paperback in 1967 – This reprint
paperback was published in 1970. It is
interesting to compare the cover with the original the previous year (see
left). Note the title was on two lines
but this changes to three lines in 1970.
The “Knight” logo on the front was originally on the right but now it
is on the left. 190 pages. No cover artist is credited. The price still remains the same as the
original, that being (17½p) 3/6. |
BIGGLES AND
THE DARK INTRUDER – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. This reprint
DID have the title printed on the spine after the name “Captain W. E. Johns”. |
BIGGLES
BURIES A HATCHET – FRONT Originally
published in 1958 – This
paperback was published in 1969. 192
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as 3/6. |
BIGGLES
BURIES A HATCHET – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. However, if
you click on the back cover you can see the illustrations from the original
hardback first edition. |
BIGGLES
BURIES A HATCHET – ALTERNATIVE REAR This
paperback reprint was published in 1973. Again it is
192 pages and the book has exactly the same front cover illustration as the
original 1969 version to the left so there is no need to repeat it. Here, the price is now 25p. This image is shown to show a common change
to the rear of these Knight books when they were reprinted. If you compare the rear cover with the
“same” rear cover to the left you will notice at the bottom left cover, the
word “Green” has been removed from the logo.
The logo now just says that it is a “Knight” book. The text about “This is a Green Knight
book” is also removed and the “SBN” becomes an “ISBN” (International Standard
Book Number). |
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BIGGLES FLIES
WEST – FRONT Originally
published in 1937 – This was
first published in paperback in 1967.
This reprint paperback was published in 1970. The picture
is a “zoomed in” version of the original cover of the 1967 paperback. 192
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as (3/6) 17½p |
BIGGLES FLIES
WEST – REAR This book had
a map on page 49. There were no
other illustrations. However, if
you click on the back cover you can see the illustrations from the original
hardback first edition. |
BIGGLES’
CHINESE PUZZLE – FRONT Originally
published in 1955 – This was
first published in paperback in 1967.
This reprint paperback was published in 1970. The picture
is a “zoomed in” version of the original cover of the 1967 paperback. 191
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as (17½p) 3/6 |
BIGGLES’
CHINESE PUZZLE – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. However, if
you click on the back cover you can see the illustrations from the original
hardback first edition. The rear cover
shown here is from a 1973 reprint where the price has now risen to 25p. Note how all reference to “Green Knight”
has been removed. |
BIGGLES OF
THE INTERPOL – FRONT Originally
published in 1957 – This was
first published in paperback in 1968.
This reprint paperback was published in 1970. (This book still erroneously says it was
first published in 1965). The picture
is a “zoomed in” and darker version of the original cover of the 1968
paperback and this makes it clearer. 188 pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as (3/6) 17½p |
BIGGLES OF
THE INTERPOL – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. However, if
you click on the back cover you can see the illustrations from the original
hardback first edition. |
BIGGLES
INVESTIGATES – FRONT Originally
published in 1964 – This
paperback was published in 1970. 184
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as (17½p) 3/6 |
BIGGLES
INVESTIGATES – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. However, if
you click on the back cover you can see the colour frontispiece from the
original hardback first edition. |
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BIGGLES AND
THE PLOT THAT FAILED – FRONT Originally
published in 1965 – This
paperback was published in 1970. 157
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as (17½p) 3/6 |
BIGGLES AND
THE PLOT THAT FAILED – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. |
BIGGLES AND THE
BLUE MOON – FRONT Originally
published in 1965 – This was
first published in paperback in 1968.
This reprint paperback was published in 1970. The picture
is a “zoomed in” version of the original cover of the 1967 paperback. 190
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as (17½p) 3/6 |
BIGGLES AND
THE BLUE MOON – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. (As the
colour of the text makes it difficult to read this rear cover, you can click
on it in order to enlarge it). |
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BIGGLES IN
THE TERAI – FRONT Originally
published in 1966 – This was
first published in paperback in 1968.
This reprint paperback was published in 1970. The picture
is a “zoomed in” version of the original cover of the 1967 paperback. 190
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as (3/6) 17½p |
BIGGLES IN
THE TERAI – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. |
BIGGLES SORTS
IT OUT – FRONT Originally
published in 1966 – This
paperback was published in 1970. 158
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as (17½p) 3/6 |
BIGGLES SORTS
IT OUT – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. |
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BIGGLES AND
THE GUN RUNNERS – FRONT Originally
published in 1966 – This
paperback was published in 1971. 158
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as (3/6) 17½p |
BIGGLES AND
THE GUN RUNNERS – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. For some
reason the photo of Captain W. E. Johns
on the back cover has been printed the wrong way around (!) You can tell from the spines of the books
in the original picture which way around is correct. |
BIGGLES IN
THE UNDERWORLD – FRONT Originally
published in 1968 – This
paperback was published in 1971. 156
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as 17½p. The cover
illustration is the same as the first edition hardback of this book. |
BIGGLES IN
THE UNDERWORLD – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. For some
reason the photo of Captain W. E. Johns
on the back cover has been printed the wrong way around (!) You can tell from the spines of the books
in the original picture which way around is correct. |
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BIGGLES AND
THE LITTLE GREEN GOD – FRONT Originally
published in 1969 – This
paperback was published in 1971. 156
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as 20p. The cover
illustration is the same as the first edition hardback of this book. |
BIGGLES AND
THE LITTLE GREEN GOD – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. For some
reason the photo of Captain W. E. Johns
on the back cover has been printed the wrong way around (!) You can tell from the spines of the books
in the original picture which way around is correct. |
BIGGLES AND
THE NOBLE LORD – FRONT Originally
published in 1969 – This
paperback was published in 1972. 158
pages. No cover artist is credited. The original
price showed as 20p. The cover
illustration is the same as the first edition hardback of this book. |
BIGGLES AND
THE NOBLE LORD – REAR This book
contained no illustrations. For some
reason the photo of Captain W. E. Johns
on the back cover has been printed the wrong way around (!) You can tell from the spines of the books
in the original picture which way around is correct. |
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