King Of Spies #1
| Writer | Mark Millar |
| Artist | Matteo Scalera |
| Cover Price | $4.99 |
The world's greatest secret agent has six months to live. Does he die quietly in a hospital bed, or does he make up for a lifetime of bad decisions? He's been propping up an unfair system for over forty years. Now he knows where all the bodies are buried and has nothing to lose when he turns his guns on everyone who ever made a buck creating the mess we're in right now.
REGISTER PITCH: An action/adventure story that's part spy thriller, part revenge rampage-James Bond meets John Wick.
CRITIC REVIEWS Back to Top
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10
COMICON - Olly MacNamee
Nov 04, 2021King of Spies #1 is the story of a James Bond inspired character, if he were allowed to grow old and retire. But, it is so much more than this as Mark Millar and Matteo Scalera gives us a man who begins to question his past and the actions he took out of duty to Queen and country. A man who does more than question his role in Britain's place in the world, and how it got there. And a man willing to do something about it too. A brilliant addition to the spy-thriller genre, but with a somewhat left-leaning take on it as our hero, Roland King, really has no time to die. Read Full Review
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10
Comic Crusaders - Johnny "The Machine" Hughes
Nov 15, 2021Timing is everything in comedy and at times, comic books, With the public psyche all geared to the end (?) of a super spy, Millar has delivered an alternative viewpoint and raison d'etre. A fabulous read with a character you will hate to love! Read Full Review
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10
But Why Tho? - Charles Hartford
Nov 15, 2021King of Spies #1 brings a surprisingly fresh approach to a spy story. Where King's adventure will ultimately take him, as well as how much wreckage he leaves in his wake, are things I cannot wait to learn. Read Full Review
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10
GWW - Nick Friar
Dec 01, 2021Given Millar's working relationship with Netflix, this story has the potential to be a big hit for the streaming service down the line. And the role of Roland King is one that could draw the attention of some of the better talent in the industry. Read Full Review
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10
Nerdly - Dean Fuller
Dec 06, 2021Not so much Bond keeping his end up, as King cutting yours off. Read Full Review
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9.7
The Super Powered Fancast - Deron Generally
Dec 01, 2021Scalera delivers across the board with the art in this issue. The action is vibrant, energetic, and thrilling. The quiet character moments are beautiful and filled with detail. There is a great balance in the art that comes through on each page. Read Full Review
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9.6
SciFiPulse - Ian Cullen
Nov 30, 2021King of Spies will be available in all good comics stores on Wednesday 1 December. It's a fabulous early Christmas pressie, only minus the useless gift wrapping. Read Full Review
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9.5
Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles
Dec 01, 2021King of Spies hit all the right spots and seems poised to be a major hit for Millar and Scalera. Read Full Review
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9.0
Black Nerd Problems - Oz Longworth
Dec 08, 2021Millar seems to have a lot to say about the world his hero lives in and the parts he contributed (or didn't contribute) to, and it's one of the highlights of a book that's already off to a strong start as far as action and dialogue is concerned. Read Full Review
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8.5
AIPT - David Brooke
Nov 30, 2021King of Spies #1 is a sharp premise that'd work great in a movie or television show. Fans of espionage will love to see the secret agent story developed into their twilight years. Fans of Kingsman might be surprised to find a more gritty look and feel, but it gives it an edge that separates it from the pack. This is an edgy espionage story with dynamic action and a clever premise. Read Full Review
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8.1
Comic Watch - Brent Jackson
Dec 01, 2021As noted previously King of Spies #1 is a hard judge after the first issue, it does not offer up anything besides the basic one last run story. Will Millar switch up the format going forward and give us a different twist, only time will tell. Story wise though it is serviceable to the genre an exciting read, but nothing of real substance yet. The saving grace is that delectable Matteo Scalera artwork; it alone makes King of Spies #1 at least worth a flip through just to gander at its beauty. Read Full Review
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8.0
DC Comics News - Carl Bryan
Nov 30, 2021King of Spies #1 " This first of a four issue mini-series is worth investing in. The issue starts at a break neck pace, provides you a very Sean Connery 007 vibe, but it is so much more"a British agent that simply has decided the establishment is not all that it is cracked up to be. Sir Roland King is the King of "Take This Job and Shove It""invest in this one for the storyline and the art! Read Full Review
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8.0
Lotusland Comics - Hank Rea
Dec 09, 2021'King of Spies' is an exciting new action-thriller from Millar that once again subverts the spy genre. Described as James Bond meets 'John Wick,' it lives up to that and more. Throw in some 'Unforgiven' and 'Old Man Logan' and you have a potent mix of violence, intrigue, and retribution. Read Full Review
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7.8
Multiversity Comics - Alexander Manzo
Dec 06, 2021There's enough meat on the bone of this story to make you see what's coming next, but Millar's need for action-first story-telling may not be for everyone. Read Full Review
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6.0
COMICON - Brendan M. Allen
Dec 06, 2021Matteo Scalera's gritty and frenetic action scenes aren't enough to salvage King of Spies. There are only four chapters in this mini, and I just don't see how Millar is going to have enough space to pull this thing around and make it work. Read Full Review
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4.0
ComicBook.com - Chase Magnett
Dec 01, 2021Beyond the visual appeal, there's very little to be said about King of Spies and that seems to be a key selling point of the Millarworld brand now. Read Full Review
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3.0
BGCP - Daniel Boyd
Nov 18, 2021King of Spies #1 will release on the 1st of December and will be available wherever comics are sold. Read Full Review
USER REVIEWS Back to Top
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9.5
This is an amazing first issue, Millar's writing and Scalera's art are on form, and the story is good, kind of like James Bond turned on it's head.
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9.5
The first few pages had me worried that this would be non-stop action. Once we got through the preamble to the present day, this book really started to click for me. Good portrait of a man in crisis. Looking forward to what comes next.
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9.5
Excellent opening issue, a great story about an old man full of regrets that decides he has nothing to live but he has still some work to do. Vigilante work in a final mission as a super-spy. The first action scene set in his golden days was cool, but the story really starts to shine after it. Perfect execution by Scalera, we really feel the weight of it all and the action does feel relentless, Sir Roland King truly represents the calm in the eye of the storm. Mark Millar has done it again, and I am very excited.
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9.0
Wow, a good Mark Millar book
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9.0
Pencil/Ink: Very Good Writing: Great Story: Outstanding Layout: Good Color: Good Lettering: Good
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8.5
Millar & Scalera's outing with a retired London Spy brings an impressive appeal to a genre that needed a little boost. Kingsman provides the young, inexperienced but hot new spy. Daniel Craig's Bond gave us an agent from to start to a questionable finish. Now "King of Spies" dives into a retired spy, on the literal last few days of his life, beginning a tour of redemption & forgiveness. Not just to the people in his personal life but for the innocents who were harmed in his very flashy, boastful, & rather raw spy adventures. All this is propelled by Miller & Scalera's visual decisions. They offer deliberate action scenes & story panels, that are comical, staged but provide a sense of luck, implied camera angles/perspective & more. It all wo more
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8.0
Finally got a chance to read this. It's fun and well done. The art wasn't my favorite style but it worked.
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