ComicsJames BondThe Boys' co-creator Garth Ennis on launching his “ruthless” new James Bond comicWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
ComicsJames BondThe Boys' co-creator Garth Ennis on launching his “ruthless” new James Bond comicWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Dynamite)
Dynamite Entertainment kicked off its popular line ofJames Bond comicswith the Warren Ellis-scripted ‘VARGR’ way back in 2016. The publisher has now recruited another leading comics author to chronicle the exploits of the world’s most famous secret agent: the legendary Garth Ennis.
Known for his gritty - and sometimes gross-out - series likeThe Boys, Preacher and Hitman, in addition to his forays into Second World War drama such as Battlefields, War Stories andBattle Action, the writer will be bringing his trademark acerbic humour and penchant for no-holds-barred action to Ian Fleming’s ubiquitous spy.
(Image credit: Dynamite)
Newsarama: Are you a long-time fan of Ian Fleming’s original James Bond novels and the various films as well?
Garth Ennis:I’ve seen the films and enjoyed most of them in a forgettable sort of way. The books I only took a look at recently, and I saw a lot of potential there. I thought Warren Ellis did an excellent job of exploring that in his comics.
So, how did you come to write James Bond: 007 for Dynamite Entertainment?
They’d asked me before but I was resistant, just because I didn’t see much that could be done with the character. This time around it was pointed out to me that the comics work off the books, and when I checked those out, I saw more of an inroad.
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The storyline ‘Your Cold, Cold Heart’ is described as a darker take on James Bond and harks back to his Cold War roots in the 1950s and 1960s…
It’s set in 2024 during what could be described as the new Cold War. The increasingly warm Cold War, it has to be said.
(Image credit: Dynamite)
Is it interesting to draw upon Ian Fleming’s original novels - as Dynamite’s comics all do - rather than the arguably better known films, and is this James Bond a harder-edged character than the one we’ve seen in the movies?
Yes, he’s more ruthless and seems to feel no particular need to justify himself. A nastier piece of work all round. Occasionally, you’ll hear talk of the films featuring a darker take on Bond and his world, but really there’s only so far big-budget movies can go in that direction.
In the story, Bond crosses paths with Archibald Tyron, a former 00 who is carrying a grudge against His Majesty’s Secret Service…
They’ve both worked as 00 agents for MI6 and as such have killed a great many people. Tyron sums up the job description in their first meeting, and they don’t clash.
Can we expect to see any other familiar faces such as M, Q, Moneypenny or even Felix Leiter?
Felix doesn’t appear - but he does play a role - but Q pops up briefly. I really enjoyed writing both M and Moneypenny. M is an excellent spymaster, who’s cold, ruthless and efficient, and Moneypenny’s almost as formidable a character as Bond. This is essentially the Naomie Harris version of Moneypenny, which I thought worked a treat.
(Image credit: Dynamite)
What’s the advantage of telling a Bond story in comics as opposed to other mediums like prose or film?
The same advantages of telling any story in comics: immediacy, brevity and creative freedom.
What have you liked best about artist Rapha Lobosco’s depiction of Bond and his world?
Rapha’s my kind of artist - he’s very capable with storytelling, character, humour and action.
What can you tell us about Stalvoda, the deadly Steel Water, which poses a serious threat in the story, and are you planning on staying on the book for the long term?
I’m doing six issues and then we’ll see. Stalvoda is the result of a very old MI5 operation that’s come back to bite them in the ass and could shift the global balance of power towards Moscow, which nobody wants to see happen. A lot of people are going to have to be taken out of the picture as a result, which is, of course, where our hero comes in.
We’ve ranked the 25 official James Bond filmsfrom worst to best.
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
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Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
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2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
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Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”