Issue #7 of Dynamite’s James Bond Origin Welcomes New Fans & a Fresh Art Team

007’s early years continue in Dynamite’s James Bond Origin #7 featuring a fresh story arc by a new art team. Set in 1941, the series gives an in-depth look at how Bond transformed from a youth fighting for survival in World War 2 to his eventual role in the Secret Intelligence Service.

Issue #7 centers on a Norwegian supply ship carrying gold that mysteriously sinks. A Russian crew claims the Nazis are responsible, but Bond isn’t convinced. Writer Jeff Parker (Aquaman, Fantastic Four, Flash Gordon) continues his narrative with artist Ibrahim Moustafa (Mother Panic, The Flash) and letterer Simon Bowland. Roman Stevens handles colors for this issue with Michael Garland taking over on #8. Dan Panosian joins Bob Q, Christian Ward, Stephen Mooney, and Moustafa on covers.

Parker explains why now is the time to jump on. “All you need to know is that James has the double duty of serving in the Royal Navy and is also required in missions for the budding Special Operations Executive, which is where he gets the experience that will qualify him later to be a Double-0 agent in MI6.”

The scribe talks about how Moustafa’s art will continue the high caliber that former artist Bob Q started. “Ibrahim is one of the biggest James Bond fans I’ve ever known (go back and get his stand alone SOLSTICE issue), and he brings a wealth of opinions and knowledge on James. He loves designing interesting layout and storytelling approaches with action scenes. I love that I rarely have to dig up reference for weaponry and vehicles. Ibrahim already knows what to look for or has it already.”

Moustafa continues, “Jeff is right! I’m a Bond fanatic. My love of the character is steeped in the novels as well as the films, and that love for Fleming’s original creation is ingrained into the DNA of these pages in a way that I think will keep the exciting momentum going with these new arcs. We’re going to finish Bond’s 1941 just as strong as it started.”

Parker explains how important it is to see Bond as a youth and not “the tuxedo-wearing, martini-sipping Bond of later.” The novels and movies only teased tiny snippets of how 007 became the smooth ladies’ man we’ve come to respect. The team expanded on these brief references (The Clydebank Blitz) to fully lay out Bond’s early days.

“There’s one that I am particularly proud of in the second arc from Jeff and I where we flesh out Fleming’s original reference to Bond learning to play cards from Corsicans. Opportunities to canonize moments like that are priceless,” Moustafa says.

Further proof this new creative team is exactly what Bond lovers need—they even agree on who played the best version of the character in the movies.

 

“I really wish Timothy Dalton had gotten the royal treatment of directing and budget that the films just after his received, because I think he nailed Bond,” Parker says. “He has a quiet menace, a deep well of charm and is convincingly quick thinking.”

​“Yes. Dalton all the way. I love Craig and his films are the best, but Dalton looks like Fleming’s Bond stepped out of an intangible literary description and into real life, and his two outings are the most underrated in the franchise,” Moustafa agrees.

Check out James Bond Origin #7 in stores on March 13, 2019.