A review by zare_i
James Bond 007 Vol. 1 by Greg Pak

4.0

I liked this story a lot and I am particularly glad I read it as collection edition and not issue-by-issue because I am not sure I would have liked it that way as much.

James Bond in this story arc is for all means and purposes an assassin - he is sent to prevent transaction between a known and very dangerous terrorist organization and a crime syndicate and he is ready to do whatever is necessary to achieve the goal.

Everything in his path that does not help him he treats as an obstacle and he either disables it or kills it.

True surprise starts when he encounters his South Korean counterpart (Odd Job homage) - person as dedicated and dangerous as James but with his own agenda. So while chasing the same goal (mysterious package so much coveted by the terrorists) these two super-spies will clash, lie and try to kill each other so much that reader is kept to the very end ignorant of what is actually happening.

I said I am glad I have not read this one issue-by-issue and reason is simple - some of the chapters are just fillers and do deviate from the main story - focus does get back to our hero eventually but these jumps tend to break the story-line.

Art is very good and fight scenes are pretty well drawn - unlike some action comics of late there are no weird anatomical situations and you can figure out what is up and what is down.

All in all good [first half of the] story, interesting protagonists (especially new Odd Job) and rather formidable antagonists. Cannot wait to see what is waiting in follow up volume.

Recommended to all fans of James Bond.