007 is back...in comic form at least. And don't tell me you didn't start humming the classic, Bond theme tune after you read that line.
According to an article at Comic Book Resources, the iconic, British super-spy James Bond will be coming to the pages of Dynamite Comics in the near future.
No creative team or specific release plans have yet been revealed, but Dynamite's plans on publishing both "visual adaptations" of Bond creator Ian Fleming's stories, plus all-new stories focusing on Bond's pre-"Casino Royale" origins, is especially intriguing since its largely unexplored territory. Along with 007, Dynamite promises "other familiar faces," both friends and enemies (Felix Leiter? Oddjob? Jaws?), will appea in the new comic and graphic novels.
"Ian Fleming's James Bond is one the best-known characters in the world, yet we know very little of his background and beginnings," said Dynamite editor Mike Lake. "The Bond villains are some of the most memorable figures in popular culture... where did they come from? And in some cases, where did they go?"
Dynamite's "worldwide rights" deal is with Ian Fleming Publications Ltd., a company that controls the rights to Fleming's series of Bond novels as well as the "literary James Bond brand," including recent books by authors such as Samantha Weinberg and William Boyd.
"We're thrilled that 007 will be revisiting the world of comics, as Fleming's novels have a long and successful history in this medium, ever since they began to be published as newspaper comic strips in the late '50s," said Corinne Turner, managing director of Ian Fleming Publications. "Dynamite are the perfect partners to take on the challenge of continuing this legacy, and we are very much looking forward to working with them."
James Bond first appeared in Fleming's 1953 novel "Casino Royale." The first film starring the character – 1962's "Dr. No" starring Sean Connery – kicked off the film franchise, which is still going strong to this day.
It will be interesting to see what develops here and how far Dynamite can take this license because, as most of us know of Bond's adventures from the books and films, his legacy in comics has been somewhat spotty and underdeveloped – to say the least.
