196 replies to this topic

[Major Tallon]

For those interested in the new comic book adventures of James Bond, June 15 will be an important date.  "VARGR" will be published in hardcover format on that date, and a new adventure, titled "EIDOLON" will begin serialization.

[Walecs]

I certainly am going to buy VARGR once they release the hardcover format this June.

[Marcin]

As much as I am disappointed with VARGR, I'm looking forward to reading Eidolon. The idea of SPECTRE sleeper cells is quite intriguing. Maybe we'll get a proper spy story this time. Too bad Jason Masters is once again an artist, though.

[sharpshooter]

An interview with Ellis worth reading, where he speaks about Eidolon and his portrayal of Bond:

http://www.comicbook...es-bond-eidolon

[sharpshooter]

Dynamite have placed teasers and artwork for issues two and three of Eidolon.

 

James Bond is trapped in Los Angeles with a MI6 agent under fire and a foreign intelligence service trying to put them both in bags... and possibly more than one foreign intelligence service. And things may not be any safer in Britain, with bodies dropping and ghosts moving in the political mist...

 

Bond is sent to breach a secret base in the depths of England, alone, without back-up, and fully deniable: a place from Cold War history, with only one way in and one way out, while the forces of security services all over the world are seemingly ranged against MI6, and all Bond has is his gun and a few pieces of a bloody, dark puzzle...

 

[Harmsway]

I can't wait. Vargr was a great start, and Eidolon sounds even better.

[sharpshooter]

Stromberg has kindly posted an article I have written on the new Bond comics here:

http://commanderbond...the-comics.html

[Marcin]

Okay, the first issue of Eidolon is quite interesting. It has a good story - Ellis doesn't reveal much of the plot which makes me even more intrigued. The pace is well balanced, not to much action this time. Unfortunately, like in VARGR, Ellis once again misinterpreted the character of James Bond,who, unlike in Fleming's novels is a ruthless killer. I can't imagine him shooting an unarmed opponent in the back of the head. Many times did Fleming write how much he loathes killing with a cold blood. That was one of two biggest flaws of VARGR in my opinion. Anyway, I'm looking forward to reading the next issue.

[Orion]

Loved issue 7, its a good start to say the least. Would agree with Marcin that Ellis' Bond is much more brutal (at times he makes Dalton and Craig look like Moore and Brosnan) but he does seem to nail Fleming's darker humour and love for the stranger things in life. On a side; did anyone else spot the reference Bond made to Ellis infamous Hellblazer story "Shoot"?

[Marcin]

I'm intrigued, Orion. What reference is that? I've only read Jamie Delano's Original Sin (which was terrific) and The Devil You Know (which was medicore at best) collected editions. Why "infamous"?
I agree, though. The dark humor did work in this one, especially reference to US gun control.
Anyway, having read Transmetropolitan I was very disappointed with VARGR knowing how good screenwriter Ellis is. Both the plot and dialogues were unimaginative and uninspired, in my opinion. I hope this time we'll get a comic book that matches its creator's talent.

Edited by Marcin, 28 June 2016 - 03:19 PM.

[Syndicate]

Too bad Jason Masters is once again an artist, though.

Yeah, his drawing of James Bond looks a little like Archer. I want Bond to look like a cross between the Mike Grell and Serpent's Tooth comic book one. IF not at least cross between Mike Grell one and old Daily Strip one.

[Orion]

I'm intrigued, Orion. What reference is that? I've only read Jamie Delano's Original Sin (which was terrific) and The Devil You Know (which was medicore at best) collected editions. Why "infamous"?
I agree, though. The dark humor did work in this one, especially reference to US gun control.
Anyway, having read Transmetropolitan I was very disappointed with VARGR knowing how good screenwriter Ellis is. Both the plot and dialogues were unimaginative and uninspired, in my opinion. I hope this time we'll get a comic book that matches its creator's talent.

I'd recommend continuing with Hellblazer, it's never light reading but well worth the read. Also check out Global Frequency, it (oddly) goes between the approach he's taken with Bond and what he did with Transmetropolitan.

 

It was the US gun control joke. Ellis wrote a story during his run called Shoot which was examination of high school massacres, however the week it was due to be published another massacre happened (Columbine if memory serves) and DC cancelled it despite its being completely finished before the massacre happened. This led to a quite public argument between the publisher and Ellis and Ellis left Hellblazer in protest. Shoot has since been published - it's in "Vertigo Resurrected: Shoot" and "Hellblazer vol 13: Haunted" where it is put back where it would've gone had DC published it.

[sharpshooter]

I liked seeing Felix appear. From what I gather he matches the Fleming description of the character, having "a mop of straw coloured hair" and being "cool and quiet." And giving him futuristic limbs to explain away the events of Live and Let Die. I like how they update the spirit of Fleming like that. Overall, it's a good start to the new arc. I'm hoping we see Bond's romantic side touched upon in further issues. And the villain in the opening few pages makes Hinx look tame. 

[Marcin]

Yeah, his drawing of James Bond looks a little like Archer.

Masters is good in action scenes which are dynamic and well planned. But people are one-dimensional. Their face expressions are usually blank, reflecting no emotions at all. I'm not an expert on modern comic books. I remember in 80s and 90s comics had plenty of narrative boxes (at least I hope that's how you call them) which explained the mood of characters. In these days, with different kind of storytelling, proper drawings are even more important. And here Masters fails most. In my opinion of course.

[Marcin]

I'd recommend continuing with Hellblazer, it's never light reading but well worth the read. Also check out Global Frequency, it (oddly) goes between the approach he's taken with Bond and what he did with Transmetropolitan.

It was the US gun control joke. Ellis wrote a story during his run called Shoot which was examination of high school massacres, however the week it was due to be published another massacre happened (Columbine if memory serves) and DC cancelled it despite its being completely finished before the massacre happened. This led to a quite public argument between the publisher and Ellis and Ellis left Hellblazer in protest. Shoot has since been published - it's in "Vertigo Resurrected: Shoot" and "Hellblazer vol 13: Haunted" where it is put back where it would've gone had DC published it.

Okay, you convinced me. I've just ordered Global Frequency.
I'm planning on reading Hellblazer. I guess I just needed a pause. There are other classic series I need to finish first (I'm catching up. Trying to at least). Though this "Shoot" story is quite tempting. I've never heard of it. Thanks Orion.

[Harmsway]

GLOBAL FREQUENCY is great.

I like the first issue of EIDOLON. I love how briskly this arc moves along.

Ellis is definitely writing his own kind of Bond, not Fleming's Bond. This Bond is a sadistic killer with an adrenaline addiction and an affection for the finer things in life. The reason this works is that this Bond is a coherent creation, and not just a patchwork, which is what sets this Bond apart from many of the other Bonds we've encountered in literature and film.

[billy007]

Ask the risk of stating the obvious:

 

Eidolon means phantom phantom means Spectre.

[Jim]

Enjoyable, but very, very violent. Puts the graphic in "graphic novel", I guess. Don't know much about comic books (I'm an adult) but these are quite engaging. If, which I may have only hinted at before, incredibly violent.  

[sharpshooter]

Enjoyable, but very, very violent. Puts the graphic in "graphic novel", I guess. Don't know much about comic books (I'm an adult) but these are quite engaging. If, which I may have only hinted at before, incredibly violent.  

The violence is very apparent. I think Bond is capable of killing in cold blood, if he can justify it to himself. And when he's in a mood of revenge, he thinks about this less. I think Ellis' Bond has more things in common with Fleming's Bond than not. And in regards to killing, I think this passage fits: "It was his duty to be as cool about death as a surgeon. If it happened, it happened. Regret was unprofessional—worse, it was a death-watch beetle in the soul."

[Jim]

I don't disagree - it may just be a reflection on how neutered other media for disseminating Bond (a phrase I instantly regret for its pomposity) have become that this level of violence is a surprise.

[sharpshooter]

I don't disagree - it may just be a reflection on how neutered other media for disseminating Bond (a phrase I instantly regret for its pomposity) have become that this level of violence is a surprise.

I know what you mean. I guess this is how 'radical' Bond felt in the 50s. Smoking, drinking and killing his way through the story. 

[Orion]

The first of Fleming's novels to adapted for this run will be (unsurprisingly) Casino Royale. It is adapted by Van Jensen (The Flash, Cryptogracy) and is available for pre-order on Amazon with an expected release date of November 22nd.

I'm curious to know if these will be modern days takes to keep them in continuity with VARGR and Eidon (which Ellis says assumes that versions of Fleming's novels happened​)
 

[Marcin]

Product description on Amazon says Le Chiffre is a SMERSH operative, so I'm guessing it's a contemporary comic book (though it's possible it'll be some kind of modern reincarnation of SMERSH).
The price indicates that Casino Royale will be published in a graphic novel form, which is a good thing.
Do you know any previous works of this Van Jensen, Orion? I've never heard of him before.

[S K Y F A L L]

@JIM Adults read comics too! Don't understand why you would say that when you run a forum for Bond fans, how old are you?

 

I just rather my comics be X-Men. Why Bond comics? What next a Bond card game?

 

Bond is somewhat of an adult film series, sex , alcohol and murder but they are desperately trying to get a younger demographic... 

 

Stick with the films even if they can hardly manage that.

[Orion]

Product description on Amazon says Le Chiffre is a SMERSH operative, so I'm guessing it's a contemporary comic book (though it's possible it'll be some kind of modern reincarnation of SMERSH).
The price indicates that Casino Royale will be published in a graphic novel form, which is a good thing.
Do you know any previous works of this Van Jensen, Orion? I've never heard of him before.

I'm not sure if the description was actually for the graphic novel or Amazon just used the books description. As for Van Jensen, I've only read a little bit of his work on The Flash, it was good, but obviously a very different beast to Bond. Will try and track down some of his original work, see what it's like.

[Harmsway]

The CASINO ROYALE adaptation is set during the original time period of the novel. That was announced from the outset.

[Orion]

Ah cheers. Looking forward to seeing some 50's set artwork.

[sharpshooter]

The CASINO ROYALE adaptation is set during the original time period of the novel. That was announced from the outset.

Indeed, and it's the right decision in my opinion. We've already had Casino Royale filtered through a contemporary lens with the 2006 film. Hopefully they can adapt all the Fleming novels in graphic novel form. Undiluted without alterations.

[Orion]

http://www.bleedingc...ve-and-let-die/

 

Van Jensen talking Casino Royale (also reveals the plan is to do all Fleming's books and that he's just started going through Live And Let Die to decide how best to adapt it) He does briefly (because the interviewer frames the question so he has to) do the thing all writers hired by IFP do of being snobbish about the film's Bond, but thankfully quickly moves the conversation on to trying to find visual ways of doing Fleming's more lengthy prose (he cites Bond explaining the rules of baccarat and Bond's recuperation as examples)

[sharpshooter]

Good interview. I like that he's committed to adapting the book as is, and focused on Fleming's words alone, shutting everything else out.