Courtesy of Garth Ennis and Dynamite Comics, James Bond will be going back to his gritty, scary, “nasty” roots in his upcoming comic book series. If the name Garth Ennis sounds familiar, it should because he is the mastermind behind modern classics such as The Boys and Preacher, along with his near-decade-long run with the Punisher.
The same nastiness that he brought to those characters is what Ennis promises to bring for his next series, James Bond: 007. The second volume of the series will see Ennis team up with artist Rapha Lobosco (Hack/Slash) to deliver the next thrilling chapter of the secret agent’s life, “Your Cold, Cold Heart.” Dave Johnson’s cover art for the first issue can be viewed below.
James Bond: 007 #1 is currently slated to hit shelves on January 17, 2024. In the meantime, Ennis took part in an interview with AIPT Comics about his new comic, including his approach to re-framing Bond in the way he used to be portrayed. Previews for the comic can be viewed below.
James Bond is a “Nasty Bastard”
For his latest mission at the center of this series, James Bond is tasked with seeking out a Cold War-era compound called Stalvoda. The mission promises to be deadly, especially when Bond is pitted against Archibald Tyron, a former agent whose long-lasting feud with Bond is rooted largely in them both being the only two men to hold the rare Double O rank within MI6. Ennis tells AIPT Comics that this story is influenced heavily by how Bond is depicted in the original Ian Fleming novels, more so than any of the movies. When asked how he plans to differentiate this version of the espionage specialist, Ennis had the following to say:
He’s a nasty bastard, although you wouldn’t know to look at him. Essentially Bond is the British establishment’s killing machine, and as such is unlikely to be a model citizen. I have him do something dreadful to someone at the end of part #3, and after I wrote it, I realized it was that kind of thing that in the movies would be done to James — he’d be the one having it happen to him, and would then be required to get out of the mess. This Bond, however, is the guy who can do things like this to other people without batting an eyelid.
It’s Time to Remind Old-School Fans Why They Love James Bond
Dating back to when Sean Connery played the part, the James Bond movie franchise would often lean harder into how smooth, calm, and cool the character was rather than how dangerous he was as a secret agent. Daniel Craig’s run with the character took James Bond in a bleak, gritty direction, but even then, Craig’s Bond remained the womanizer of old in most respects. Ennis is ready to give fans the version of Ian Fleming’s Bond that most readers longed for the movies to duplicate. And if any writer were perfect for the job, it would be Garth Ennis.
Ennis’ pedigree is filled with works that offer gory, violent sensibilities, but usually in a way that’s character-driven. The level of brutality that Bond would unleash in the books tells a story about the kind of deceptive nature that Bond would harbor behind the suave charm. If Ennis can find a way to provide that perfect balance for this new series, then his version of James Bond could wind up ranking among the most faithful depictions of 007 in any medium.
