Never say “shit” when opening up a nuclear warhead.
Creative Staff:
Story: Andy Diggle
Art: Luca Casalanguida
Colors: Chris Blythe
Letterer: Simon Bowland
What They Say:
Bond finds himself at the mercy of Malfakhar, a Yemeni smuggler and black marketeer. But both men are mere pawns in a far greater game, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. As the Hammerhead weapon is deployed and the true identity of the criminal mastermind Kraken is finally revealed, 007 makes a last desperate bid to prevent nuclear war!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The Hammerhead series has been one that has kind of reaffirmed my faith in the ability to produce engaging James Bond comics in a way as the locales, stories, and overall momentum has been very much in its favor. The first three issues introduced us to some good stuff and standard characters and balanced the needs of dialogue, exposition, and action very well. The third issue was largely action as we got Bond making some new discoveries which plants him into the hands of what seems like an opponent. Diggle excels at this kinds of stories and Luca Casalanguida has been doing some top notch work in bringing it to life and making these characters come alive well enough to make them engaging, distinctive, and interesting.
With Bond being captured by Karim, the sly old fox of days of yore, there’s definitely a lot to like in how he handles Bond and vice versa. It’s an interrogation to be sure but one that has Karim being wary of his own employer, Kraken, because he’s been around long enough to know better. I love the back and forth dialogue, and the kind of civility that comes from parts of it in how Karim treats him, but also just the way that Bond handles and composes himself under all of this pressure. Though it may not seem like it, it is a situation where it can go south very quickly and the stakes – his life included – are very high. But even though he’s not as old as Karim you get the sense that Karim sees someone who knows how to play the old game right and that makes for a delicate but engaging balance to watch.
Which makes the fun of dealing with the nuclear weapon just that, since there’s a lot of trust in play and a lot of fear. It’s no surprise that the weapon isn’t what it seems, however, and that the nuclear material itself is elsewhere as part of a larger gambit. One that Bond is able to figure out quickly as it all comes down to money and power with Victoria at the center of it as she’s intent on moving a lot of Hammerhead devices. That she’s the Kraken isn’t a surprise, you could see it early enough just in the way the introductions are handled, but I love that the situation turns bad enough because she and others such as M are meeting to figure out how to deal with her father’s death and more. The best piece of it is just seeing how Moneypenny operates in this particular version as she’s protecting M and is total and utter business to a delightful degree.
In Summary:
The James Bond: Hammerhead series is ticking all the right boxes off for me, though I wish it was ending at five issues instead of six as I fear a bit of padding ahead. The writing is spot on as I like the characters for what we know of them, the Bond interpretation works well, and the artwork is distinctive and strong without being so unique that it’s off-putting. The end result is another installment that reads very smoothly, builds upon what came before, and has me excited to see what’s next as Bond makes his confrontation with Kraken. Definitely recommended for fans of the Bond franchise that may have struggled with the ongoing series.
Grade: B+
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: Dynamite Entertainment
Release Date: January 18th, 2017
MSRP: $3.99
