Yellow Empire
Encyclopedia
The Yellow Empire is the primary antagonist in The Secret of the Swordfish
trilogy (the first books in the Blake and Mortimer
series of graphic novels). It is a totalitarian superpower ruled by Emperor Basam Damdu; its capital is Lhasa
and while its original territory is never defined, it rules over the entire world before its downfall.
for three years; in the first few pages, it launches a massive surprise attack against its enemies. Within a few days, the world is overrun, leaving Basam Damdu ruler of a global empire.
Through military occupation, and with the help of fifth columnists in every country, the Yellow take all necessary measures to bring the world completely under their boot. They also organize a system of concentration camps in the Himalayas
, where foreign scientists, political prisoners and others are imprisoned and forced to work for them.
However, this victory is not entirely complete; pockets of resistance survive all over the world, and remain ready to continue the fight. At the heart of the resistance movement is a secret Royal Navy
base in the Straits of Hormuz, where the British are working around the clock to produce the Swordfish, a new superweapon that will turn the tide of the war. The Yellow are aware of the weapon's existence; most of the novels follow their attempts to capture the Swordfish blueprints. Though they do not succeed, they do learn the location of the British base, and put together a task force to destroy it. The battle is almost a success, but the British finish their first two prototypes just before the base is overrun, and they turn the tide of battle; the Yellow task force is destroyed.
When news of this spreads, the resistance cells all over the world are put into action, resulting in a string of Yellow defeats (Paris, Madrid, Rome, New York, Buenos Aires and Shanghai are all mentioned as having been retaken by the rebels). Enraged, Basam Damdu decides to launch his nuclear arsenal against the world in revenge. Before he can do so, however, an entire squadron of Swordfish appears above Lhassa and nukes it; the Emperor is killed, and the Yellow Empire ends.
's Germany, Benito Mussolini
's Italy and Joseph Stalin
's Russia). The official ideology is never specified, but it seems to be a form of Asian supremacism, like Imperial Japan's propaganda
during World War II. A later novel reveals that Basam Damdu was a "great admirer" of Nazi ideology, and signed a secret accord with Adolf Hitler at some point during his reign; whether the Yellow played any role in World War II
within the Blake and Mortimer universe, however, is unknown.
The hierarchy and structure of the government are not well defined (though it is clear that the Emperor has final say in all matters). However, two government departments are shown in the comics;
tactics in World War II. After the initial victory, their military turns into an army of occupation; this leaves them vulnerable to guerrilla warfare
from local partisans, who have more success against them than conventional armies have had.
The Yellow Army's technology is world-class. Jet propulsion
and atomic weaponry
, in particular, have been extended throughout the entire Yellow military, even though both technologies were very new at the time the books were published.
The following is a partial list of Yellow weapons used in the comics.
, which is set in 1954 and leans much more heavily towards science fiction
.
In the new graphic novel, it is revealed that Basam Damdu, many of his advisers and his elite guard were rescued from Lhassa at the last moment by a race of time-travelers from the 81st century. 5,000 years in the future, the Earth has become a barren wasteland as a result of nuclear wars waged in the 21st century; the remnants of mankind, having recently discovered time travel, have decided to colonize the 20th century for their own survival. They believe Basam Damdu, the only man to have successfully conquered and ruled over the entire world, to be their only viable leader to help them take over the world.
Basam Damdu hatches a plan to steal a dozen hydrogen bombs from the U.S. Army; this being done, he believes he can blackmail the 20th century's leaders into surrendering the world, by threatening to launch the nuclear weapons from the future using time-travel technology. Blake and Mortimer, as well as the American Federal Bureau of Investigation
, discover his plan, prevent the theft of the bombs and destroy the technology that allows time travel from the future. Basam Damdu's plan fails, and with no more time traveling device, he is confined to the 81st century for the rest of his life.
imagery, and also from the Axis powers
that had recently been defeated. The Axis influence is especially shown in its flag (based on the Japanese Rising Sun Flag
), and in its tactics (an updated version of the German blitzkrieg
).
In addition, Basam Damdu's personality seems very much modeled on Hitler's. His fits of rage as his empire falls around him recall Hitler's well documented temper tantrums, while his tendency to blame his defeats on treason within his officer corps was also a Hitlerian trait. Finally, his decision to destroy the world upon his defeat is reminiscent of Hitler's orders to have the city of Paris mined and set ablaze should it fall into enemy hands.
The Secret of the Swordfish
The Secret of The Swordfish was the first story in the Blake and Mortimer comic book series by Edgar P. Jacobs. It describes how a far eastern empire takes over the world and the adventures of two Britons as they try to bring about the development of a weapon which will enable them to fight back...
trilogy (the first books in the Blake and Mortimer
Blake and Mortimer
Blake and Mortimer is a Belgian comics series created by the Belgian writer and comics artist Edgar P. Jacobs. It was one of the first series to appear in the Belgian comics magazine Tintin in 1946, and was subsequently published in book form by Les Editions du Lombard.The main protagonists of the...
series of graphic novels). It is a totalitarian superpower ruled by Emperor Basam Damdu; its capital is Lhasa
Lhasa
Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of , Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world...
and while its original territory is never defined, it rules over the entire world before its downfall.
History/plot
The graphic novels do not reveal the origins of the Yellow Empire or how Basam Damdu came to power. It is simply explained to be an expansionist power with the strongest army and most advanced weapons in the world, including a nuclear arsenal "capable of destroying the world in a few hours". At the opening of the novel, the Yellow Empire has been fighting a cold war against the free worldFree World
The Free World is a Cold War-era term often used to describe states not under the rule of the Soviet Union, its Eastern European allies, China, Vietnam, Cuba, and other communist nations. The term often referred to states such as the United States, Canada, and Western European states such as the...
for three years; in the first few pages, it launches a massive surprise attack against its enemies. Within a few days, the world is overrun, leaving Basam Damdu ruler of a global empire.
Through military occupation, and with the help of fifth columnists in every country, the Yellow take all necessary measures to bring the world completely under their boot. They also organize a system of concentration camps in the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
, where foreign scientists, political prisoners and others are imprisoned and forced to work for them.
However, this victory is not entirely complete; pockets of resistance survive all over the world, and remain ready to continue the fight. At the heart of the resistance movement is a secret Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
base in the Straits of Hormuz, where the British are working around the clock to produce the Swordfish, a new superweapon that will turn the tide of the war. The Yellow are aware of the weapon's existence; most of the novels follow their attempts to capture the Swordfish blueprints. Though they do not succeed, they do learn the location of the British base, and put together a task force to destroy it. The battle is almost a success, but the British finish their first two prototypes just before the base is overrun, and they turn the tide of battle; the Yellow task force is destroyed.
When news of this spreads, the resistance cells all over the world are put into action, resulting in a string of Yellow defeats (Paris, Madrid, Rome, New York, Buenos Aires and Shanghai are all mentioned as having been retaken by the rebels). Enraged, Basam Damdu decides to launch his nuclear arsenal against the world in revenge. Before he can do so, however, an entire squadron of Swordfish appears above Lhassa and nukes it; the Emperor is killed, and the Yellow Empire ends.
Government structure
The Yellow Empire is a totalitarian regime under the absolute control of Emperor Basam Damdu (in the tradition of Adolf HitlerAdolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's Germany, Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's Italy and Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
's Russia). The official ideology is never specified, but it seems to be a form of Asian supremacism, like Imperial Japan's propaganda
Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere
The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere was a concept created and promulgated during the Shōwa era by the government and military of the Empire of Japan. It represented the desire to create a self-sufficient "bloc of Asian nations led by the Japanese and free of Western powers"...
during World War II. A later novel reveals that Basam Damdu was a "great admirer" of Nazi ideology, and signed a secret accord with Adolf Hitler at some point during his reign; whether the Yellow played any role in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
within the Blake and Mortimer universe, however, is unknown.
The hierarchy and structure of the government are not well defined (though it is clear that the Emperor has final say in all matters). However, two government departments are shown in the comics;
- The High Council, a body of military, scientific, political and other leaders who advise the Emperor in matters of governance.
- The 13th Bureau, the organ in charge of state security. Like the SS and KGBKGBThe KGB was the commonly used acronym for the . It was the national security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 until 1991, and was the premier internal security, intelligence, and secret police organization during that time.The State Security Agency of the Republic of Belarus currently uses the...
, is serves both as an intelligence agency and a secret police. Despite its important position, it is not actually commanded by a Yellow but by a European, Colonel Olrik, who betrayed his country to Basam Damdu and is the main villain of the comics.
Military
Judging from the quick and crushing victory in World War III, it can be safely assumed that the Yellow Empire has the most powerful military in the world. Their doctrine rests on defeating their enemy quickly through the use of surprise and overwhelming force, similar to German blitzkriegBlitzkrieg
For other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
tactics in World War II. After the initial victory, their military turns into an army of occupation; this leaves them vulnerable to guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
from local partisans, who have more success against them than conventional armies have had.
The Yellow Army's technology is world-class. Jet propulsion
Jet engine
A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...
and atomic weaponry
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
, in particular, have been extended throughout the entire Yellow military, even though both technologies were very new at the time the books were published.
The following is a partial list of Yellow weapons used in the comics.
- Shark; a jet-driven fighter, which can fly as high up as the stratosphere, it is the workhorse of the Yellow Air Force and is well represented in all three episodes.
- Red Wing; Colonel Olrik's personal aircraft, a jet-driven version of the American Flying wingFlying wingA flying wing is a tailless fixed-wing aircraft which has no definite fuselage, with most of the crew, payload and equipment being housed inside the main wing structure....
. The Yellow appear to have an affinity for the flying wing design, as bomber and carrier variants of the Red Wing also appear intermittently throughout the comics. (The original aircraft is stolen by Blake, Mortimer and Sergeant Ahmed Nasir during an escape, and later shot down by pro-British guerrillas). - Super bazooka; a rocket launcher that fires five hundred rockets per minute; similar to Soviet Katyusha launchers. Featured at the Lhassa arsenal during the opening pages of the book, it is later used at the battle of the Straits of Hormuz.
- Dragon; a flame-throwing tank, weighing a hundred tons and strong enough to flatten a bunker. Appears in the opening pages of the book, but is never seen in battle.
- ICBMIntercontinental ballistic missileAn intercontinental ballistic missile is a ballistic missile with a long range typically designed for nuclear weapons delivery...
; years before this happened in real life, the Yellow Empire has developed an arsenal of nuclear-tipped rockets with global reach, enough to destroy the world if launched. Basam Damdu nearly fires the rockets at the end of the books, but they are nuked by British Swordfish before they can be launched. - GX3; a green-colored chemical gas, deployed by the Yellow at the battle of the Straits of Hormuz, almost bringing them victory. The filters in gas masks are useless against it; when Yellow forces go into a combat zone infected with GX3, they carry oxygen masks instead.
Attempted return
After The Secret of the Swordfish, the Third World War fades into the background and the Yellow are rarely brought up again, until the 2001 story The Strange EncounterThe Strange Encounter
Another connection is to Alex Rodson's "A Strange Encounter", where 12-year-old Carl Fern blackmails an alien in order to get the 'Ring of Power'. The Ring of Power enables him to turn into Demonflyte, Furocious, and Fryguy. The archvillain, Professor Steven Carp, is at first scared away but...
, which is set in 1954 and leans much more heavily towards science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
.
In the new graphic novel, it is revealed that Basam Damdu, many of his advisers and his elite guard were rescued from Lhassa at the last moment by a race of time-travelers from the 81st century. 5,000 years in the future, the Earth has become a barren wasteland as a result of nuclear wars waged in the 21st century; the remnants of mankind, having recently discovered time travel, have decided to colonize the 20th century for their own survival. They believe Basam Damdu, the only man to have successfully conquered and ruled over the entire world, to be their only viable leader to help them take over the world.
Basam Damdu hatches a plan to steal a dozen hydrogen bombs from the U.S. Army; this being done, he believes he can blackmail the 20th century's leaders into surrendering the world, by threatening to launch the nuclear weapons from the future using time-travel technology. Blake and Mortimer, as well as the American Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
, discover his plan, prevent the theft of the bombs and destroy the technology that allows time travel from the future. Basam Damdu's plan fails, and with no more time traveling device, he is confined to the 81st century for the rest of his life.
Behind the scenes
Though based in Lhasa, the Yellow Empire bears no resemblance to the Tibet of its time, and does not represent any real life nation. Rather, it was designed as a generic "enemy" nation, drawing most of its inspiration from traditional yellow perilYellow Peril
Yellow Peril was a colour metaphor for race that originated in the late nineteenth century with immigration of Chinese laborers to various Western countries, notably the United States, and later associated with the Japanese during the mid 20th century, due to Japanese military expansion.The term...
imagery, and also from the Axis powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
that had recently been defeated. The Axis influence is especially shown in its flag (based on the Japanese Rising Sun Flag
Rising Sun Flag
The is the military flag of Japan. It was used as the war flag of the Imperial Japanese Army and the ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy until the end of World War II...
), and in its tactics (an updated version of the German blitzkrieg
Blitzkrieg
For other uses of the word, see: Blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg is an anglicized word describing all-motorised force concentration of tanks, infantry, artillery, combat engineers and air power, concentrating overwhelming force at high speed to break through enemy lines, and, once the lines are broken,...
).
In addition, Basam Damdu's personality seems very much modeled on Hitler's. His fits of rage as his empire falls around him recall Hitler's well documented temper tantrums, while his tendency to blame his defeats on treason within his officer corps was also a Hitlerian trait. Finally, his decision to destroy the world upon his defeat is reminiscent of Hitler's orders to have the city of Paris mined and set ablaze should it fall into enemy hands.