Media Release -- Dynamite Entertainment and Ian Fleming Publications Ltd. are pleased to announce this fall's biggest series in James Bond Origin! Author Jeff Parker (Suicide Squad, Future Quest, Thunderbolts, Batman '66) and artist Bob Q (The Green Hornet) will kick off the ongoing definitive account of James Bond's exploits during World War II!
Hitting stands in September, James Bond Origin takes readers back to March, 1941. Seventeen-year-old James Bond is a restless student in Scotland, an orphan, eager to strike out and make his mark on the world. But a visit by an old family friend coincides with The Clydebank Blitz, the most devastating German attack on Scotland during the War! James will fight through hell to survive, coming out the other side determined to make a difference.
"It's a weighty challenge to reverse-engineer this icon into a young man on a life's journey of danger, but Nate Cosby paired me up with Bob Q, who not only brings the gravitas of war in 1941 Europe, but nails the promising hero in his youth," stated writer Jeff Parker. "James doesn't have the vast experience of a double-O agent yet, but he's tenacious and a lightning-quick study. Bob and I work to show the full force of Bond's spirit."
In 2014, Dynamite Entertainment made headlines across the comics industry and beyond with the news that the New Jersey publisher had secured the license from Ian Fleming Publications Ltd to produce the first James Bond comics in 20 years. The first series, Vargr, written by Transmetropolitan writer Warren Ellis and artist Jason Masters, launched the following year to widespread critical acclaim, and was a breakout success in the comics specialty market.
"James Bond has consistently been one of our strongest brands, both in talent and in history," said Nick Barrucci, Dynamite CEO and Publisher. "It's all been a culmination to get to tell this story in comics."
The debut issue of James Bond Origin features a wide selection of cover variants, providing fans and retailers with the freedom of choice! The cover artwork features the talents of John Cassaday (The Lone Ranger), David Mack (Kabuki), Kev Walker (Thunderbolts), Gene Ha (Top 10), Ibrahim Moustafa (High Crimes) and Bob Q. & Jordan Boyd (The Green Hornet '66 Meets The Spirit), respectively.
Dynamite is offering comic store retailers the opportunity to put their store name on aJames Bond Origin #1 to promote the launch of this long awaited series. This "shared retailer exclusive" will receive the cover art by Bob Q., plus the store logo on the cover! Additionally, limited variant in "Black & White," "Virgin Art," and "Blood Red Line Art" formats are also available as retailer incentives for comic shops that support the launch issue by achieving stocking thresholds.
James Bond Origin #1 will be solicited in Diamond Comic Distributors' July 2018 Previews catalog, the premier source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market, and slated for release in September 2018. Comic book fans are encouraged to reserve copies of James Bond Origin #1 with their local comic book retailers. James Bond Origin #1 will also be available for individual customer purchase through digital platforms courtesy of Comixology, Kindle, iBooks, Google Play, Dynamite Digital, iVerse, Madefire, and Dark Horse Digital.
About Dynamite Entertainment
Dynamite was founded in 2004 and is home to several best-selling comic book titles and properties, including The Boys, The Shadow, Red Sonja, Warlord of Mars, Bionic Man, A Game of Thrones, and more. Dynamite owns and controls an extensive library with over 3,000 characters (which includes the Harris Comics and Chaos Comics properties), such as Vampirella, Pantha, Evil Ernie, Smiley the Psychotic Button, Chastity, and Peter Cannon: Thunderbolt. In addition to their critically-acclaimed titles and bestselling comics, Dynamite works with some of the most high-profile creators in comics and entertainment, including Kevin Smith, Alex Ross, Neil Gaiman, Andy Diggle, John Cassaday, Garth Ennis, Jae Lee, Marc Guggenheim, Mike Carey, Jim Krueger, Greg Pak, Brett Matthews, Matt Wagner, Gail Simone, Steve Niles, James Robinson, and a host of up-and-coming new talent. Dynamite is consistently ranked in the upper tiers of comic book publishers and several of their titles - including Alex Ross and Jim Krueger's Project Superpowers - have debuted in the Top Ten lists produced by Diamond Comics Distributors. In 2005, Diamond awarded the company a GEM award for Best New Publisher and another GEM in 2006 for Comics Publisher of the Year (under 5%) and again in 2011. The company has also been nominated for and won several industry awards, including the prestigious Harvey and Eisner Awards.
About Ian Fleming Publications Ltd.:
Ian Fleming Publications Ltd and The Ian Fleming Estate work together to protect and uphold the legacy of Ian Fleming and his writing. Our aim is to promote and make available all of Ian Fleming's books worldwide. Ian Fleming Publications looks after the literary James Bond brand, keeping it alive through the publication of new stories by authors such as Anthony Horowitz, William Boyd, Jeffrey Deaver, Sebastian Faulks, Steve Cole and Charlie Higson.
