James Bond: Hammerhead #1 (re-post)

James Bond: Hammerhead #1

Written by Andy Diggle

Art by Luca Casalanguida

Colors by Chris Blythe

Letters by Simon Bowland

                In Caracas, Venezuela, James Bond tracks down intel stolen by computer hacker Saxson under orders of the mysterious Kraken. After coming upon a metaphorical and literal dead end, Bond is reassigned by M to “acquire intelligence” at the Dubai Arms Fair, to which Bond rephrases as “babysitting.” Despite his misgivings, Bond arrives in Dubai and meets Victoria Hunt, daughter of Lord Hunt, CEO of Hunt Engineering. Little does Bond suspect, a third party has arrived and has a vested interest in removing him from the playing field for good.

                James Bond is back and at it again, everyone. Kicking ass and taking names; Or in this case, trying to take names as he searches for Kraken, yet another super advanced bond villain with a tentacle fetish and high-reaching, seeming omniscient abilities. It’s a common trope for Bond, but one that seems tread-upon pretty firmly by previous tales. Anyone looking for variation or deviation from the usual fare might find this to be little more than set up for the same old song and dance. It’s a good song with a nice beat, but one we’ve heard before.

                Never let it be said that Bond stories, especially nowadays, were big on subtlety. The plot, by writer Andy Diggle, focuses on Bond’s search for the elusive “Kraken;” a “radical anti-capitalist” according to the exposition half of the issue provided by M. From there, 007 gazes upon the gorgeous Victoria Hunt, daughter of Lord Hunt, whom Bond is sent to “acquire intelligence” on.

                If the first half seemed somewhat interchangeable with the words “British agent” and “007” taken out, then look no further than the eponymous “Hammerhead” railgun on display near the end of the issue. While its firepower was not showcased in earnest, the design, rendered impressively by artist Luca Casalanguida slaps on the Camp stamp and it’s something of a saving grace in an otherwise lackluster issue.

                Speaking more on Casalanguida’s art, it’s nice that he captured the look of the Bond from the books rather than a rendition of one of the movie likenesses. Black hair, scar on the face, slim build. Although there are some panels where it almost looks like Sterling Archer. Considering what Archer is a spoof of, it’s not difficult to make the connection in a couple of panels. However, for the most part, the tone of the artwork is serious enough to where it’s gone almost instantly.

                If you’re a fan of Bond, this introductory issue may seem right up your alley and I can recommend it easily enough. It’s well within its wheelhouse and I don’t see much variation or deviation from the standard. But then again, if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it.