From the publisher: Bond is assigned to hunt down and eliminate Kraken, a radical anti-capitalist who has targeted Britain's newly-upgraded nuclear arsenal. But all is not as it seems. Hidden forces are plotting to rebuild the faded glory of the once-mighty British Empire, and retake by force what was consigned to history. 007 is a cog in their deadly machine - but is he an agent of change, or an agent of the status quo? Loyalties will be broken, allegiances challenged. But in an ever-changing world, there's one man you can rely on: Bond. James Bond.
James Bond: Hammerhead, by Andy Diggle, is the latest in a line of James Bond comics/graphic novels. To this point, I've been very entertained by all that I've read. And Hammerhead is no different. It is very much a typical Bond story, and I mean that in the best possible way.
In Hammerhead, Bond is tasked with a British weapons manufacturer who also happens to be responsible for disposing of Britain's decommissioned nuclear warheads. Meanwhile, a mysterious anti-capitalist terrorist named Kraken (got to love those Bond villain names) is trying to obtain those warheads. Mix, shake, and stir and you've got a fast-paced, action-packed James Bond adventure.
Andy Diggle has a fine grasp on what makes a good Bond story. There is the traditional explosive beginning (the art, by Luca Casalanguida, even takes the reader through the title pages much like the movies do). Bond meets a beautiful woman (in this case, the daughter of the weapons manufacturer he is tasked to protect). There is a crazy new weapon (Hammerhead), gadgets from Q division, witty banter and one-liners, In addition, Bond globe hops as usual; locations include Venezuela, London, Dubai, and the North Atlantic.
While Diggle doesn't really develop the character of James Bond with any new depth (this is hard to accomplish with this type of long running character), he does stay true to who Bond is. His Bond leans more towards the Ian Fleming novels and more recent Daniel Craig movies. Bond is more serious, rather than cartoony. Personally, I like this portrayal a lot, and Diggle does a great job with it.
Andy Diggle's James Bond: Hammerhead is a great addition to the James Bond cannon. It is fun and non-stop, bringing out what is best (in my opinion) about Bond. I highly recommend this book to new and old readers alike.
I received a preview copy of this book from Dynamite Entertainment and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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