Edgar Chaput Comic Reviews

Omnibus 004 does not necessarily end on the highest of highs, but the concluding Black Ruby Caper represents an improvement over the preceding mission, the disappointing Phoenix Project. Lawrence and Horak would collaborate on a few more stories, and while the quality of their output is never of consistent quality, when they hit their stride the results are impressive, as with Isle of Condors and The Girl Machine. The Daily Express Newspaper strips are not perfect by any means, yet represent an adequately engaging interpretation of Ian Fleming's most famous and revered creation.

One should not put too much stock into the first issue of a new series. What matters now is can Ellis and Masters produce a lavish, sexy, dangerous adventure that can last several months. Still, first impressions are often very important, and Bond fans can rest assured that by picking up VARGR #1 they will happily ease into the world of a modern James Bond comic book. James has his tip up early.

It is interesting to note that the second and presumably final issue predominantly concerned with exposition arrives in December. Fans have been given two months to test the waters with the new series, get into the exceptional artwork, see Bond do his thing just a little bit and take in a fair amount of exposition. One gets the underlying sensation that by issue 3, which arrives in early January, things will really start flyingor explodingor doing whatever crazy things Bond is best known for. Ellis and Masters have our attention. In the New Year it will be time to deliver the goods.

While the secrets behind Kurjak's research and its effects on Britain will surely be revealed by the end of issue 6, incredibly dense plots are not a requirement to satisfy Bond fans. So long as Warren Ellis and Jason Masters can tow the line between some decent mystery, compelling supporting players (both villainous and otherwise) and the sort of rip-roaring action issues 2 and 3 have provided, then it feels safe to say that James Bond 007 is in reasonably safe hands and that Dynamite Entertainment knows what it's doing with the property. Some issues will have the task of divulging necessary plot. Others, like 3, serve more as jumping pads from one major plot point to another, which, in the world of 007, is code for blistering action that leaves death and destruction in its wake. The best that can be said about the monthly series thus far, keeping in mind that it is early, is its consistency.

Everyone knows that Bond survives his missions. He isnt the sort of characters franchises kill off to resurrect a few months or years down the road. 007 is, essentially, immortal, but without the cheap shock value of deaths that will clearly be reversed shortly thereafter by fantastical means. Part of the fun is witnessing how he remains alive despite the odds, with special joy provided in discovering how he flees traps laid out by his enemies. Whatever happens at the start of issue #5, odds are it will be a corker.

James Bond #5 gets the adrenaline pumping in the leadup to the concluding issue of the VARGR storyline. What could have been a meandering 24 pages of explanations, revelations, and set-up is really an action-packed, brisk read with critical tidbits communicated so the reader knows where Bond will be heading for the final lap of his mission, and why. There is maybe one nagging element that disappoints, but going into detail would spoil an important part of the book's plot, and since the issue is brand new, it is probably best to leave the subject alone so as to avoid spoiler. In any event, the positives grossly outweigh the negatives. Ellis and Masters are thus far earning their own Double-0 statuses.