I just bought the first issue from a local comic shop and was disappointed how short it was; maybe it's been a long, long while since I read a comic book in a monthly format (not the same as graphic novels) so I am unsure if the length is standard nowadays…the main content of the already thin comic seems like it was only half of the book, with the rest images of the alternate covers and miscellaneous promotional ads for Dynamite Comics. From a consumer's perspective, the cost of $4 for literature that's more like a pamphlet, e.g., it is not a good value. A word about the variant covers; sure, I get the concept, seeing comics and even magazines do about 4 variant covers, but for VARGR, there are enough variant covers for almost the whole alphabet (A, B, C, etc), which I think is extremely exploitive and predatory towards collectors.
.
Yeah the amount of covers is really extraordinary. Also you would have to have some deep pockets to track them all down. Yeah comics usually are like that, I would of waited for the collected issues to come out in a graphic novel. But that will be the end of next year by the time we see that.
"Sic Parvis Magna"
"Greatness From Small Beginnings."
What a disappointment, just another marketing money grab. My local comic store got me the original and blank cover. He called today stating he got me a collectors cover (which one, I don't know), it's $40 and waiting to be picked up....... 8-)
This is where we leave you Mr. Bond. (Pilot, Apollo Airlines)
I quit collecting comics long ago. I can't justify spending $4 for a monthly short story anymore. When I was a kid and they were 75 cents, that was a different story. I may check this one out, though.
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,852MI6 Agent
I would buy this if it was all collected together behind one cover; I take it this is what they are planning to do with this once they get all of the individual comics out?
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
I would buy this if it was all collected together behind one cover; I take it this is what they are planning to do with this once they get all of the individual comics out?
Yes they will indeed. Probably be around next September time.
"Sic Parvis Magna"
"Greatness From Small Beginnings."
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,852MI6 Agent
I would buy this if it was all collected together behind one cover; I take it this is what they are planning to do with this once they get all of the individual comics out?
Yes they will indeed. Probably be around next September time.
In that case I'm probably wait until then as my Bond reading list just keeps on piling up! -{
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
I've never read a graphic novel - although I'll freely admit that some of the best films/TV in recent years has come from that medium - and the last comic I read was Victory, but I'll definitely give this one a go when it comes out.
I've been meaning to pick up the Omnibuses one by one but haven't got around to it. You recommend them, AOS?
Graphic novels when done right can be breathtaking. The best non-super-hero graphic novels that I have read are:
1. Maus 1 & 2 by Art Spiegelman
2. Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography by Chester Brown
3. Logicomix: An epic search for truth by Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos Papadimitriou
You can get more info on them from Amazon. Would love to get more recommendations on books such as these.
I've read three issues of 'Vargr' - and it's a disappointment. True, Bond's look is traditional here, dating back to the 'Daily Express' incarnation with the trademark comma of black hair. And the 'world' of this comicbook is somewhat inflected by darker aspects of Daniel Craig's Bond movies. But after a possibly promising start, 'Vargr' degenerates into a series of brutal, gory shootings, pegged to a flimsy plot, and with very little of the popular 'feel' of Bond (from either books or movies).
Critics and material I don't need. I haven't changed my act in 53 years.
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,852MI6 Agent
I've read three issues of 'Vargr' - and it's a disappointment. True, Bond's look is traditional here, dating back to the 'Daily Express' incarnation with the trademark comma of black hair. And the 'world' of this comicbook is somewhat inflected by darker aspects of Daniel Craig's Bond movies. But after a possibly promising start, 'Vargr' degenerates into a series of brutal, gory shootings, pegged to a flimsy plot, and with very little of the popular 'feel' of Bond (from either books or movies).
This isn't particularly high on my "to get" list then by the sounds of things!
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,793Chief of Staff
^ indeed ! I'd contemplated buying these off eBay - for 'completest' means only...not too sure now
YNWA 97
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 8,852MI6 Agent
I think that they're collecting them all together into one book form of comics aren't they - best to wait for that to be released I feel, especially if the story's not very good. -{
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
As a former comic book collector (and now self-published comic creator) I was intrigued by this new series, and had my brother include this in his 'standing orders' at his local comic book store here in Melbourne.
But after reading the first 3 issues, I'm going to drop it when the VARGR storyline ends at issue #6. Issue #3 was an improvement but so far I've felt there's very little substance to the story, and the bland interpretation of James Bond leaves me feeling underwhelmed by the whole experience. Plus the fact I'm shelling out $5.50 Australian per issue makes me feel a bit ripped off.
Drawn Out Dad.
Independent, one-shot comic books from the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia.
twitter.com/DrawnOutDad
WHat I Like
* Plenty action with decent choreography
* And not over the top movie action, but down to earth, more realistic, ian fleming novel action
* entertaining
* Semi-continuous with the films: Moneypenny is black and they are using the post skyfall Mi6 building
* Bond has a face unique from any the actors
What I don't like
* The artwork - too flat
* M is black just for the sake of being PC ( And the ink color that they went with is weird)
* I'm guessing this is a 6 issue arc, and there isn't really much plot or story wise at all.
* there is no character development for bond
* bond keeps doing coded messages that are stupid and make no sense. and in issue #4 he does it right in front of who he knows is definetely the enemy. He wasn't fooling anyone with "Hello grandpa, my friend's cousing didn't work out." By the way, the first coded message he used text, in issue #4 he calls them and talks in front of the villain?????
Recomendations for improving:
* Get a better artist
* expand the next story arc after Vargr wraps up to 12 issues. they obviously need more time to tell these stories, 6 issues isn't going to cut it for bond.
* stop trying to be clever with the coded messages
If this was a novel, it would have plenty of action, at the bare bones, it just needs to be paced out more with story and character development.
My reviews:
#1 - a pre-title sequence, a title page if you will, followed by M's debriefing, and a visit to Q branch - Starts out just like a movie, and this Bond feels a bit like sterling archer - plenty of descent wit.
#2 - Fresh off the plane, Bond instantly gets attacked by 2 double agents [very Fleming-esque]. afterwards when he takes his suitcase and starts walking to station G it was badass and hilarious at the same time. Then we get to see German sector of Mi6 which probably takes up way too many pages, and then we get a decent infiltration with bond on what the villain is up to.
#3 - This is probably my favorite action scene so far. The action, however plot wise, just to have the villain send bond on a wild goose chase to a drug smuggling warehouse (with bad guys that aren't even working for the villain), is an excuse to have an action scene. And in storytelling its always better if story drives the action than if action drives the story. but it was action packed and well choreographed. i loved when bond pulls the shelves down on everybody, that was so awesome. Issue 3 is also where most of the ultra sadistic stuff happens, maybe too sadistic for some, in how bond ruthlessly kills the guy in cold blood, and then afterwards on how the henchman (who isn't rememerable enough to remember his name) shoots up all of sector G. I'll admit its a little Tarantino-esque, so it is way more bloody than anything bond fans are used to, but it works on some level. After the fight scene, the random bar that bond goes to and the shooting up sector G scene took way too many pages up, the warehouse could've taken up 10 pages instead of 15, and the sector g shootout could've taken 5 instead of like 8 .
#4 - The waste way too many pages with bond coding a secret message in front of the villain. in fact we can just drop m all together. We don't have to see bond reporting back to m, we can just asume it happens behind the scenes. The fight scene was great, with a villain that can't feel pain a la Reynard. i wish the oxycotin effect was explained better, i didn't get exactly what effect a pain killer was having on a guy that couldn't feel physical pain. and then when he started bleeding through his eyeballs, it went way over the top. im pretty sure oxycoton overdose doesn't do that. i think bond is ruthless enough to do that to a villain but i don't think he would bleed through his eyeballs. after the fight, bond gets in a very stick situation and it ends on a good cliffhanger.
PPK 7.65mmSaratoga Springs NY USAPosts: 1,254MI6 Agent
Even though I find myself wanting each issue to run longer than it really does, I am really enjoying reading this series. I keep hearing Timothy Dalton's voice in my head when I read James Bond's lines. Also I am really enjoying Jason Masters artwork(why I had not heard prior to picking up this series).
Is it just ME?
I went to my local comics store & looked over the Bond comics, and sad to say the art was pretty flat & unimpressive IMO. I have a few from the past by Mike Grell & Paul Gulacy that I treasure, but to me, it has to look interesting or else I'd rather just be reading a novel....
PPK 7.65mmSaratoga Springs NY USAPosts: 1,254MI6 Agent
Yes, I will agree that Mike Grell & Paul Gulacy's stories had better art, most of what I saw was not very interesting to me and I have been reading comic books since 1989. Hopefully, the next storyline will have nicer artwork and a stronger story.
PPK 7.65mmSaratoga Springs NY USAPosts: 1,254MI6 Agent
It seems that one of the covers is inspired by the the LTK poster photo, which is actually an improvement IMO.
"...the purposeful slant of his striding figure looked dangerous, as if he was making quickly for something bad that was happening further down the street." -SMERSH on 007 dossier photo, Ch. 6 FRWL.....
PPK 7.65mmSaratoga Springs NY USAPosts: 1,254MI6 Agent
Got the first issue of Eidolon and I must stay that I enjoyed so far. Hope that James Bond gets the girl this time.
Recently bought the graphic novel of VARGR, good series, beautiful art. Will wait for Eidolon to be published all in one book, I prefer having it like that!
Looking forward to reading both Hammerhead and the rest of Eidolon.
PPK 7.65mmSaratoga Springs NY USAPosts: 1,254MI6 Agent
Got issue #8 of Eidolon today, it was a great read with lots of action. Eidolon is an old term for spectre or ghost, as M mentions during his debriefing with Bond and Bill Tanner. Also both Tanner and Bond have correctly guessed that someone is working behind the scenes prevent the information Cadence Birdsong has from being learned. Looking forward to the next issue.
I hadn't read comics for years but have really enjoyed the marvel films and Dark Knight trilogy. When I found out there was a Bond comic series I got them added to my son's order and have enjoyed them . Only up to #2 of Eidolon
'Hammerhead' sounds interesting. Mine is something of a minority view, but I like it when the socio-political aspects of James Bond are explored, and I appreciate that Diggle asks "Is 007 a force for positive change, or a protector of vested interests?" It's a question worth asking.
—Le Samourai
A Gent in Training.... A blog about my continuing efforts to be improve myself, be a better person, and lead a good life. It incorporates such far flung topics as fitness, self defense, music, style, food and drink, and personal philosophy. Agent In Training
I just happened to read the first arc, "Vargr", and have to say I quite liked it. Ellis is always a sure bet, and even if some of the scenes are rehashes of already-made ones (Bond's escape at the beginning of #5 comes to mind) they're always edgy and witty. Definitely enjoyable, reads better as a book (out past August) yet the cliffhangers are well crafted. I could imagine this storyline becoming a Craig movie with some tweaking done to the script.
Will eagerly check Eidolon and Hammerhead.
"Enjoy it while it lasts."
"The very words I live by."
Just arrived today. Apart from Vagr I never read 007 Comics. However this being the classic version 1958-1960, it got me interested. Another addition or addiction (?) to the 007 literature collection.
this never happened to the other fellow
PPK 7.65mmSaratoga Springs NY USAPosts: 1,254MI6 Agent
edited April 2017
Just ordered issues #4 &5 of Hammerhead today, looking forward to finishing the story. Also I ordered the first issue of the Felix Leiter series as well. Finally their is another storyline called Black Box featuring 007 which arrives in March. It is written by Benjamin Percy with art by Rapha Lobosco. The story finds Bond being hunted by a world class assassin who targets other assassins. The story also has Bond investigating a digital security breach. Looking forward to reading this when it arrives.
PPK 7.65mmSaratoga Springs NY USAPosts: 1,254MI6 Agent
Got issue number 3 of the Felix Leiter series today, looking forward to reading it. Also I am hoping to get Hammerhead # 6 soon, as my local comic book dealer sold out of it before I could purchase a copy. Really enjoying seeing James Bond in comic book form again after having read all of the Daily Express newspaper strips(via Titan Books collections of them) and a majority of the Dark Horse stories as well. Permission To Die holds a special place for me since it was the first comic book adventure that I read and it took me two and half years to complete the series.
Comments
Yeah the amount of covers is really extraordinary. Also you would have to have some deep pockets to track them all down. Yeah comics usually are like that, I would of waited for the collected issues to come out in a graphic novel. But that will be the end of next year by the time we see that.
"Greatness From Small Beginnings."
What a disappointment, just another marketing money grab. My local comic store got me the original and blank cover. He called today stating he got me a collectors cover (which one, I don't know), it's $40 and waiting to be picked up....... 8-)
Yes they will indeed. Probably be around next September time.
"Greatness From Small Beginnings."
In that case I'm probably wait until then as my Bond reading list just keeps on piling up!
Graphic novels when done right can be breathtaking. The best non-super-hero graphic novels that I have read are:
1. Maus 1 & 2 by Art Spiegelman
2. Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography by Chester Brown
3. Logicomix: An epic search for truth by Apostolos Doxiadis and Christos Papadimitriou
You can get more info on them from Amazon. Would love to get more recommendations on books such as these.
I'll definitely second this. I have every one of these collections, the writing and graphics are brilliant.
This isn't particularly high on my "to get" list then by the sounds of things!
But after reading the first 3 issues, I'm going to drop it when the VARGR storyline ends at issue #6. Issue #3 was an improvement but so far I've felt there's very little substance to the story, and the bland interpretation of James Bond leaves me feeling underwhelmed by the whole experience. Plus the fact I'm shelling out $5.50 Australian per issue makes me feel a bit ripped off.
Independent, one-shot comic books from the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia.
twitter.com/DrawnOutDad
* Plenty action with decent choreography
* And not over the top movie action, but down to earth, more realistic, ian fleming novel action
* entertaining
* Semi-continuous with the films: Moneypenny is black and they are using the post skyfall Mi6 building
* Bond has a face unique from any the actors
What I don't like
* The artwork - too flat
* M is black just for the sake of being PC ( And the ink color that they went with is weird)
* I'm guessing this is a 6 issue arc, and there isn't really much plot or story wise at all.
* there is no character development for bond
* bond keeps doing coded messages that are stupid and make no sense. and in issue #4 he does it right in front of who he knows is definetely the enemy. He wasn't fooling anyone with "Hello grandpa, my friend's cousing didn't work out." By the way, the first coded message he used text, in issue #4 he calls them and talks in front of the villain?????
Recomendations for improving:
* Get a better artist
* expand the next story arc after Vargr wraps up to 12 issues. they obviously need more time to tell these stories, 6 issues isn't going to cut it for bond.
* stop trying to be clever with the coded messages
If this was a novel, it would have plenty of action, at the bare bones, it just needs to be paced out more with story and character development.
My reviews:
#1 - a pre-title sequence, a title page if you will, followed by M's debriefing, and a visit to Q branch - Starts out just like a movie, and this Bond feels a bit like sterling archer - plenty of descent wit.
#2 - Fresh off the plane, Bond instantly gets attacked by 2 double agents [very Fleming-esque]. afterwards when he takes his suitcase and starts walking to station G it was badass and hilarious at the same time. Then we get to see German sector of Mi6 which probably takes up way too many pages, and then we get a decent infiltration with bond on what the villain is up to.
#3 - This is probably my favorite action scene so far. The action, however plot wise, just to have the villain send bond on a wild goose chase to a drug smuggling warehouse (with bad guys that aren't even working for the villain), is an excuse to have an action scene. And in storytelling its always better if story drives the action than if action drives the story. but it was action packed and well choreographed. i loved when bond pulls the shelves down on everybody, that was so awesome. Issue 3 is also where most of the ultra sadistic stuff happens, maybe too sadistic for some, in how bond ruthlessly kills the guy in cold blood, and then afterwards on how the henchman (who isn't rememerable enough to remember his name) shoots up all of sector G. I'll admit its a little Tarantino-esque, so it is way more bloody than anything bond fans are used to, but it works on some level. After the fight scene, the random bar that bond goes to and the shooting up sector G scene took way too many pages up, the warehouse could've taken up 10 pages instead of 15, and the sector g shootout could've taken 5 instead of like 8 .
#4 - The waste way too many pages with bond coding a secret message in front of the villain. in fact we can just drop m all together. We don't have to see bond reporting back to m, we can just asume it happens behind the scenes. The fight scene was great, with a villain that can't feel pain a la Reynard. i wish the oxycotin effect was explained better, i didn't get exactly what effect a pain killer was having on a guy that couldn't feel physical pain. and then when he started bleeding through his eyeballs, it went way over the top. im pretty sure oxycoton overdose doesn't do that. i think bond is ruthless enough to do that to a villain but i don't think he would bleed through his eyeballs. after the fight, bond gets in a very stick situation and it ends on a good cliffhanger.
I went to my local comics store & looked over the Bond comics, and sad to say the art was pretty flat & unimpressive IMO. I have a few from the past by Mike Grell & Paul Gulacy that I treasure, but to me, it has to look interesting or else I'd rather just be reading a novel....
#1.TLD/LTK 2.TND 3.GF 4.GE 5.DN 6.FYEO 7.FRWL 8.TMWTGG 9.TWINE 10.YOLT/QOS
It seems that one of the covers is inspired by the the LTK poster photo, which is actually an improvement IMO.
Looking forward to reading both Hammerhead and the rest of Eidolon.
http://io9.gizmodo.com/how-james-bonds-new-comic-hammerhead-explores-the-two-s-1785144556
'Hammerhead' sounds interesting. Mine is something of a minority view, but I like it when the socio-political aspects of James Bond are explored, and I appreciate that Diggle asks "Is 007 a force for positive change, or a protector of vested interests?" It's a question worth asking.
A Gent in Training.... A blog about my continuing efforts to be improve myself, be a better person, and lead a good life. It incorporates such far flung topics as fitness, self defense, music, style, food and drink, and personal philosophy.
Agent In Training
Will eagerly check Eidolon and Hammerhead.
"The very words I live by."