Javier E. Trujillo reviews the third issue of Dynamite’s newest James Bond thriller, 007: For King and Country!

Bond and Gann are on the run, chased by their former colleagues. Even with the help of a former Q, can they stop Myrmidon? Bond has a friend who may be able to help…

Plot

Bond and Gann, with Linus in tow, try to evade the Double-Os that have been sent after them. They have to separate to get away successfully, meeting up later under the cover of night to plan their next move. With the help of Linus’ secret lab, Bond dons yet another disguise to come to America to seek help from an old friend. Meanwhile, Myrmidon soldiers are dying from the very process that created them…

Opinion

The issue opens with an action sequence that takes up just over half the book, making for what felt like a quick read. However, I did manage to find it exciting. Spaletta varies up the page layouts, making the art look interesting and also creating a great pace to the action. His two-page spread was very unique and Segala’s colouring returned the use of yellow in key moments that we saw last issue.

Amidst all the shooting and chasing, Johnson wisely inserts some drama to up the stakes. 006, communicating with Bond whilst also shooting at him, is trying to insinuate that something isn’t right with Gann, that there are things going on with her that no one knew about. Bond chalks it all up to rubbish in an attempt to distract, but as a reader, I had to wonder-is he being played by 006? Or is there more to Gann that we don’t know about and she’s using Bond?

The questions get tabled once Bond gets away as the story transitions to Sebastian Fromm’s lab. Johnson, now aided by Avallone on art I believe, shows the readers firsthand what the Myrmidon’s nanotech does to those it inhabits and the results are gruesome. In true Bond villain tradition, Fromm is completely deluded, thinking that the ends justify the means as he gleefully watches a man die. Fromm’s scowl is menacing, with his stature making him come off suitably imposing to the scientist he is next to. The creative team succeeds here in making him feel like a world threat.

It should come as no surprise as to who Bond has travelled to meet when he arrives in Washington, DC. Bond’s disguise, constructed for him by Linus, felt like something out of Mission: Impossible, but I can forgive it because I really enjoyed the back and forth between Bond and his old friend. Johnson has their dynamic down pat, from the witty repartee to the years of trust between the two. It just feels classic.

Johnson has things take a turn at the end, calling into question once again who is Bond’s true ally. There’s a fair deal of suspense as we don’t know who is in the right, crafting a suitable cliffhanger to close on.

I am loving this current series! Whilst a Bond-gone-rogue feels done to death these days, this ends up feeling fresh for this book and with this iteration. Despite having two different artists, their styles complement each other fairly well, meaning I didn’t get taken out of the story when the art shifted. We are now at the halfway point and I can only imagine it’s about to get more perilous from here for everyone’s favourite gentleman agent!

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