Correct me if I'm wrong, but outside of Belloq, I don't think any of the novels or other Indy literature deals with any serious competitors of Indy, yet in Raiders it seems the pseudo-grave robbing field is full of competitors, some of whom, like Belloq and Forrestal, have professional and long term rivalries with Indy--sort of like a group of archaeologists who are also something like grave robbers. I wish that end--the darker, more mysterious side--of Indy was further emphasizd.
Also, Belloq says to Indy in the beginning of Raiders, "You thought I had given up." I wish we knew why Indy thought that. I kind of think that having them meet for the first time in 1933 as the novels do is kind of too soon to have the seemingly very personal rivalry they have--That it's something not just a professional rivalry, but a personal one. I kind of get the hint in Raiders that maybe Belloq stole Indy's girlfriend or something at some point, because he emphasizes, "There is nothing you can possess which I cannot take away"--It seems to go beyond just a rivalry.
Also, Belloq says to Indy in the beginning of Raiders, "You thought I had given up." I wish we knew why Indy thought that. I kind of think that having them meet for the first time in 1933 as the novels do is kind of too soon to have the seemingly very personal rivalry they have--That it's something not just a professional rivalry, but a personal one. I kind of get the hint in Raiders that maybe Belloq stole Indy's girlfriend or something at some point, because he emphasizes, "There is nothing you can possess which I cannot take away"--It seems to go beyond just a rivalry.