James Bond: Felix Leiter

James Bond (Dynamite Entertainment) #4.5

by James Robinson, Aaron Campbell (Illustrator)

Felix Leiter finds himself in Japan, tracking down a beautiful, Russian spy from his past. But when the mission takes a turn for the worse, he will discover that there are more deadly schemes afoot in Tokyo and beyond! From a top-notch creative team starring James Robinson (Starman, Red Sonja) and Aaron Campbell (The Shadow, Uncanny) comes the Bond spin-off highlighting 007’s American counterpart, blending spy thrills with the dark alleys and darker deeds of crime fiction!

This hardcover collects issues 1-6 of James Bond: Felix Leiter and features strikingly moody artwork, original never-before-seen character sketches, the full script to Issue One, and an interview with writer James Robinson!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Thriller, Espionage, Media Tie In, Action

185 pages, Hardcover

First published November 21, 2017

About the author

James Dale Robinson is a British writer of American comic books and screenplays.

Reviews

[Sam Quixote · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Bond’s cyborg buddy Felix Leiter is brought in by the Japanese Bond, Tiger Tanaka, to identify a beautiful (but deadly – of course) Russian spy. Things are never that simple though and Felix and Tiger soon find themselves wrapped up in a complex web of intrigue involving a death cult and North Korea!

I’ve been quite impressed with Dynamite’s surprisingly good new James Bond comics. Felix Leiter is the latest spinoff and, while not as good as the others, it’s not bad either.

Nothing about James Robinson’s story really stands out – it’s your standard espionage thriller that’s not especially thrilling. The usual beats are there – femme fatale, villainous organisation, goons, punch-ups, shoot-outs, etc. – with no surprises. Felix isn’t that unique a character either. He’s written as a bit of a klutz who idolises Bond - except he can easily handle all the obstacles thrown his way. Besides the half-assed attempt at giving him a distinctive character, he – and Tiger for that matter – is essentially Generic Action Man.

That said, this is a perfectly readable comic – it’s just not that exciting or memorable. Aaron Campbell’s art though is outstanding and a lot of this book looks wonderful with Campbell capturing the beauty of the Far East.

Felix Leiter is a fine companion piece to Dynamite’s James Bond line though I’d recommend Warren Ellis’ Eidolon and Andy Diggle’s Hammerhead for more entertaining Bond books over this.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Robinson’s Felix Leiter is a kind of spin-off from Ian Fleming’s James Bond series, focused on a favorite American (former) C.I.A. character that sometimes worked with James, a kind of down-to-earth Texan foil to the more urbane Bond. This story also happens within the world/aesthetic created by Warren Ellis in his volumes that are seen largely as the best of this comics series produced by Dynamite that is an attempt to get us back to the darker, grittier feel of the original while removing the racism. Maintaining the sexy, maintaining the action, but with Bond’s sidekick (and fellow white straight male) Leiter sharing the stage with what is supposed to be a Bond equal, Tiger Tanaka, who calls him in to do a job, to find a woman who is plotting something sinister. The setting, Tokyo, is (well-researched, as with Ellis) cool and interesting, and the artwork by Aaron Campbell is great, maybe the best feature of this volume, keeping us within the world Ellis created.

The Leiter heavy (see what I did there, light heavy?!) in this one, Alena Davoff, a Russian agent, is as with any Bond story, both a great lover and a ruthless assassin. Killer bod, and bod killer (not quite right? Hey, I tried. Okay, I’ll stop.)? Leiter’s former lover that he can’t seem to forget, of course. It seems like it’s not that hard for her to forget him, though, as she throws him off a boat to let him drown. She is a member now of Spectre, teaming up with operatives in North Korea, involved in a Sarin gas-like (that was 1995) biological attack on Tokyo. What saves Leiter is the new prosthetic arm (the original arm partly lost in To Live and Let Die) which features a bit of Bond-style gadgetry. Fleming always liked cyborgs, so this fits well with Fleming’s original interests (though the cyborgs in his stories tend to be inhuman villains; this move shifts the negative disability/monster association Fleming is criticized for to a positive).

3.5 stars? It’s a noir-ish sort of typical Bond world thriller, and has places to go from where this ends.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felix Leiter teams up with the Japanese 007, Tiger Tanaka, to take the lead in his own miniseries from the folks at Dynamite. Felix is no longer a CIA agent, but now your washed up stereotypical private eye and cyborg. Tiger hires him to follow a Russian spy in Japan when a cult makes a nerve gas attack on Tokyo. The rest of the book is pretty straight forward as they track down the cult. The art and writing are solid but nothing special.

Received an advance copy from Dynamite and NetGalley in return for an honest review.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this from Edelweiss and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Not bad, I guess. Not real good, either. The biggest issue I have with this volume is that the plot involved very little of actual searching for the bad guys: the extent was two panels doing "research" to find them. There were some humorous parts, but I'm not sure it fit into the overall plot of finding a biological terrorist targeting Tokyo.

I'll probably keep reading this series; I do like the character of Felix Leiter, and he could be developed into something stronger than a comic foil to Bond's British seriousness.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.

JAMES BOND: FELIX LEITER is the latest James Bond comic book from Dynamite Comics written by James Robinson and illustrated by Aaron Campbell, and features Felix Leiter, who has had a recurring role in the bond stories from the beginning, although previously in a supporting role.

Felix is the main character in this one, and we find him sort of down on his luck having permanent disability and artificial limbs with special features that were gifts from Bond himself.

Alena Davoff is a beautiful Russian agent whom he’s worked with in the past, and previously had a physical relationship with, also someone he’s never really gotten over as his feelings ran much deeper than hers. Seeing her through a window in a bar, he pursues her, and when they meet up she bests him in hand-to hand-combat, leaving Felix even more depressed.

Tiger, an acquaintance from the past is a Japanese agent with a special skill-set who contacts Felix and invites him to look into a mass murder in a public place involving a suicide terrorist using biological warfare, and Felix being bored agrees very willingly to accompany him in the investigation.

Action befitting a Bond story ensues with pursuit of the suspected man behind the killings, and of course they find the actual source is further up the food chain.

Typical Bond espionage story done very well by both author and illustrator, and interviews at the end of the book are well done and give insight into the making of this one.

Although I’m relatively inexperienced at reading comics as an adult, I’ve gained interest due to reviews by friend’s reviews at Goodreads. I recommend this as it appealed to me even though this category isn’t exactly in my wheelhouse, although I’m guessing those of you who read comics will find it a good one.

4 stars.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too be honest Dynamite does serve the brand 007 well in their comics and I was not quite sure gow this particular title would be to read.
This is Felix Leiter a very good friend of a certain James Bond who got him in trouble in the novel "Live and let die" and Felix ended up with less of an leg and an arm. Could no longer work for the CIA but did some excellent work with detective agencies that he occasionally works for the big services.

The story from the comics in which Leiter is end to Japan because he is one of the only people who can point out an infamous female assassin, of course previous romance is included. When he gets there he finds himself in trouble because she seems to see him coming a long way of and almost kills him. This finds Leiter in the hands of Tiger Tanaka a major character in the Japanese Secret Police and Felix gets involved in a plot of incredible terrorism to strike at the heart of Japanese society.
With this comic they have tried to give Felix Leiter his own story and his own feelings and emations. Ever since his meeting with the shark that cost him his limbs he has been plagued by doubt. In this story he finds out that Bond & Tanaka are a special breed of men that he is not but he brings a lot to table too which offers the likes of Bond & Tanaka the chance to do the jobs they are good at.
A fairly decent comic in 6 parts, which is how I read it in the first place, as this complete book has yet to be released. A nice comic for mostly 007 aficionado's and well written. It makes you wonder what direction the next installment takes.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'James Bond: Felix Leiter' by James Robinson with art by Aaron Campbell is a graphic novel that features the American friend of James Bond.

Felix, in this series, has suffered a tragedy that has left him without a hand or leg. His friend James has helped with state of the art prosthetics, but Felix still feels like a lesser man.

This time around, he finds himself in Tokyo teaming up with another familiar Bond name, Tiger Tanaka. The plot involves a Russian spy, and Felix may find himself in over his head.

I like the character of Felix and this story was ok. The art was adequate. I just found the whole thing pretty average.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Dynamite Entertainment, Diamond Book Distributors, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, though not great, companion piece to Dynamite's ongoing series of original James Bond graphic novels. This one focuses on Bond's friend Felix Leiter, formerly of the CIA and now a somewhat down-at-the-heels private detective. He's still got some CIA ties, though, and is called on to travel to Japan to assist another supporting character from the Bond universe, Tiger Tanaka (from You Only Live Twice). A Japanese suicide cult has apparently gotten ahold of some sort of bio-engineered virus that turns people into walking suicide bombs and it isn't clear if the plot has its origins in North Korea or the old Soviet Union. Serviceable art and a less than compelling story make this a very readable, but ultimately rather forgettable story.

[Neil Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

After seeing a different style to Felix Leiter in the previous novels in the dynamite collection it was interesting to see what the spin off had to offer.

The storyline seemed like a good plot with a biological weapon, a love interest and set in Japan (As I love Japan).

But by the end of the 6 parts the story hasn't really concluded anything and in turn is just a setup for continuation. I found this a tiny bit disappointing based on the other novels and looking more closely I didn't think the graphics compared either.

Hopefully see Felix Leiter in more of the James Bond novels going forward but wouldn't say this has wet my appetite for more Felix Leiter efforts.

[Judah Radd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did not expect this to be nearly as excellent as it is. It’s one of the best Bond comics I’ve read, which is ironic, considering the lack of Bond. Especially enjoyed the moody espionage appropriate artwork courtesy of Aaron Campbell, and James Robinson’s noir spy script added that tinge of realism that made the otherwise over the top adventure fiction thrilling. I wish there was more. Loved it.

[Jesse A · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining look elsewhere in the Bond universe.

[doowopapocalypse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oafish.

[Derek Royal · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting spin-off story of Dynamite’s James Bond series. Here we have a “fallen” or more tortured Leiter, and Robinson does a fine job of representing this curious figure within Ian Fleming’s universe.

[Tim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Adds some to the Felix Leiter backstory but other than making him a pining romantic with unrequited love doesn't really that much. Some gritty bloody action scenes seemingly for the sake of blood, but this paint by the numbers story really is a bit trite.

[Comics Alternative · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://comicsalternative.com/episode-...

[J.M. Giovine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The newest entry in the James Bond's Dynamite series puts us in the shoes of Felix Leiter, one of Bond's closest allies, a former member of the CIA; a character that comes way back from Fleming's 'Casino Royale' and that, now, finally has the chance to have a protagonist role in this world.
As a freelance detective, Leiter still maintains touch with some former partners, this time around, he'll help Tiger Tanaka, the "James Bond" from Tokyo, and whose only cinematographic appearance limited to 'You Only Live Twice', from 1967. Together, they will investigate the relationship between the Russians and the North-Koreans, since the both are seemingly planning an attack against Tokyo, in order to create a warlike conflict, and all points to one name directly related to Felix's past: Alena Davoff, his former lover.
I was truly eager to read this, mostly because Felix is one of Bond's most underused characters in both, novels and films, so I was excited to see what kind of approach James Robinson would give him, and the results are pleasing enough. Setting the story on its majority in Tokyo, the designs and style surrounding this comic was gorgeous, and that's a full credit given to artist Aaron Campbell, who I believe was the ideal choice for this title. Ever since Ellis' issues, I was expecting the art to have a similar style, so finding Campbell's work in here was a visual delight, specially for what he accomplished for the scenarios presented; deep shadows and dirty environments for the landmark and backgrounds, it's a proper combination of classic noir, with Japanese stylized signatures. As I said, Tokyo looks amazing and such an ideal set piece for a Bond-adventure, even if Bond is not present in the main storyline.
However, Robinson truly paid justice to these secondary characters; there is much more depth to the persona of Leiter once we understand his viewpoint, and even if he constantly keeps comparing himself (negatively) with Bond, he still acknowledges his limitations and his ambitions, specially during the missions. Perhaps the highlight was the inclusion of Tiger Tanaka, since he steals the action in this, but the team-up segment of the comic was what moved the climatic moments. These two work great together, and even if the story promised to be focusing exclusively on Leiter, I like the alliance just fine.
Unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to explore Alena as a villain, aside from the relationship Felix and she had, I was looking forward to see how her ambitious motivations as a villain would work, in the end. Nevertheless, she's here a short amount of time, so there wasn't that much to do with her aside of showing her as a femme fatale character, directly linked to the protagonist.
Digging towards this, there isn't much to cling on, story wise, but the book had some exciting and well-presented moments that made it enjoyable enough. I personally was expecting some sort of "origin" story for Felix, but a spin-off mission with other secondary characters that–ultimately–will connect with Bond's current plot is pretty much welcomed in the library. I didn't think the "Bond universe" will be one that'll have a certain "expanding potential", but I was please to see that there are other characters from it worthy of a focus and a title on their own.

[Mjhancock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felix Leiter, James Bond's sometimes-CIA sometimes-helper, takes center stage in a story that's intriguing, but ultimately unfulfilling. Said plot is that, having been let go of the CIA, Leiter freelances as consultant for the Japanese government, helping them on a high profile case where biological suicide bombers are attacking large population centres. Tangled with the enemy bombers is a lost Soviet love of Felix's, though it becomes increasingly clear that the love part is only on his side.

What makes the story intriguing is that Robinson is clearly attempting to explore Leiter as an anti-Bond stuck in a Bond-like mission. Leiter is down two limbs, replaced with cybernetic prostheses, and nearly frozen with self-doubt, unsure of his place in a world of spies who seem more ruthless and more capable. (There's also some more than a little weird rhapsodizing about Japanese culture and complacency.) There's a lot you could do with that set up, including a satire that digs deep into the culture of a Bond story, but Robinson tends to make it more of a character study than a genre study.
The problem with such an approach is that without a clear turn, it feels sort of phyrric at best, and that's kind of what we get here. The result is interesting, but ultimately unsatisfying. The art is good, with some really good sequences (I liked the contrast of Leiter and his Japanese counterpart going about a mission), but the real hero is the colorist. Salvatore Aiala is doing truly sensational work. I don't always notice the colorist, but if they were all like this, I would.

[Paul Franco · Rating 3 out of 5]

A post-shark-encounter Leiter is in Tokyo, working for the Japanese to identify an old enemy/colleague/lover who’s off the grid. There’s a flashback with Bond, and then we find out why Tiger didn’t keep his end of the bargain in helping to catch his gorgeous adversary.
“You had me at ‘Not the French.’”
About halfway there’s a major plot twist that, quite frankly, was easy enough to guess. Though the story doesn’t actually end in a cliffhanger, there’s enough left unresolved that you’d certainly expect a sequel, especially when there’s a character like Alena to write about.
Tight hands and sphincters are a necessity when you’re pretending to be James Bond.
Too bad the writer made what was a proud character such an idiot, as he admits plenty of times. Then there’s the serious inferiority complex. It’s one thing to make the protagonist complicated, quite another to make him seem like a butt monkey.
Brightly painted poppy fields are a sharp contrast from Tokyo, which has a Blade Runner vibe. . . or maybe it’s all the rain. Florida is also brightly lit, but Helsinki looks like an impressionist painting.
There a whopping 35 pages of extras! Variant covers, author interview, and what looks to be the entire script of the first chapter.

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This focus on Felix Leiter aims for a less action-packed plot with more intrigue and information (and detective work), although there are still a couple of big action sequences, usually involving Tiger Tanaka, who Felix is assisting in an investigation in Japan. There's some intrigue, a cult with previously unknown chemical attack capabilities, and a mysterious woman from Felix's past. Felix himself is the worse for wear, with a prosthetic arm and leg that slow him down a bit. The art is very good, with some very memorable sequences. The story works, but isn't particularly memorable - it feels like a James Bond spy story, albeit with very little of Bond in it. Felix doesn't have an excess of personality here; he's kind of channeling a Raymond Chandler noir-ish detective feel, just in a modern and foreign environment. There's some resolution but not a whole lot; there's definitely more places for the story to go. I wouldn't mind reading more, but I don't think I'd go out of my way for it.

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but not a James Bond story. (he appears in a couple of flashback panels)
Felix is the main character of this, and Tiger Tanaka (from "You Only Live Twice") is very prominent.

They are in Japan, trying to stop a cult that has created some new horror in which “… a human being is LITERALLY a walking dirty bomb.” It's good 'till the end, when it just sort of wraps up with a quote like "hey, they caught the other two guys", and "oh, maybe SPECTRE did this!" Just a dud. And the whole book had Felix as a wimpy, self-doubting character, which I have never read in any books or graphic novels before. He always read as self-confident and self-assured in the Fleming books. It's definitely a take on the character that I didn't like. But Tiger, well Tiger kicks a lot of butt in this, and saves it from a two star rating, in my opinion. Love how he goes at it in this! Give HIM his own graphic novel!

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dynamite Comics finally did it; they put out a comic line that feels appropriately written for the James Bond universe. The ironic part is: Bond is barely in it! This six-issue arc covers a classy neo-noir tale featuring Bond's American ex-CIA counterpart, Felix Leiter, teaming up with Tiger Tanaka of You Only Live Twice fame. Together, they aim to take down a dirty bomb terrorist, as Leiter questions his place among these fantasy superheros he surrounds himself with. The story is interesting without ever becoming too grim, and the illustrations by Aaron Campbell are the best we've seen from this comic line thus far.

Time will tell if Dynamite can continue with content of this quality, but if they do we can safely move past the Warren Ellis debacles known as VARGR and EIDOLON.

[Juan José Abenza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esta vez no es James Bond, sino su colega estadounidense Felix Leiter el protagonista de esta historia. Retirado de la CIA y con secuelas de por vida al haber perdido un brazo y una pierna, Felix Leiter se desplaza a Japón en una misión de encargo que le llevará a reencontrase con una antigua amante rusa. No sólo Felix es el único colega de 007 protagonista de esta historia, sino que también comparte protagonismo con Tigre Tanaka, a quien los fans de 007 recordarán de "Sólo se vive dos veces". La historia está ambientada en el mismo universo de 007 que los otros relatos de James Bond de Dynamite (salvo las adaptaciones de las novelas) y podría ser el comienzo de una saga de este personaje en solitario. Se deja leer bastante bien, incluso mejor que "VARG", la primera de las aventuras Dynamite de James Bond.

[Jared · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. I heard a recommendation for it on YouTube and so I decided to give it a read. I’m glad I did.
Felix Leiter is a character from the James Bond novels and here he gets his own adventure. He’s down on his luck after losing part of an arm and a leg and leaving the CIA. But he still has secret agent friends and one of them in Japan hires him for a job. Cloak and dagger action follows.
The writing and art were both good and the story well told. I’d especially like to call out Salvatore Aiala who did the color on the book. His work over Aaron Campbell’s drawings really did a good job setting the mood. Simon Bowland’s lettering hit the spot too.
I read this comic digitally so I have to warn you that there are a lot of double page spreads. Those read a lot better in physical comics (which I prefer) so I just thought I’d note that.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felix is called to Japan to help Tiger Tanaka identify a Russian spy few others have seen, and he ends up helping Tanaka with a deadly biological attack in Japan. This is a Felix Leiter based on the book version that has left the CIA and is now a private investigator and consultant, feeling less sure of himself even with new prosthetic arm and leg provided by Bond early in the story. Felix is constantly unsure of himself but comparing yourself to James Bond and Tiger Tanaka would do that for almost anybody. The artwork does a good job of conveying the mood and location of the story whether on a crowded Tokyo street or the vastness of the ocean at night, in a cinematic style that works well with the plot

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Received an advance copy from NetGalley*

I would say that this title has been my favorite out of the recent run of Bond and Bond-related comics. Giving Felix center stage, we are offered a slightly different type of story. While still providing all the action and attitude of a typical Bond-like adventure, Felix takes a less self-assured stance on events. He is not James Bond and he knows this. He is more caution at moments and more doubtful of his own abilities, while still rising to the challenges he is faced with.

Effectively plotted and intriguing, this volume brings some refreshing differences to the franchise while still delivering everything that long-time fans expect.

[Shane Perry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now THIS is the kind of Bond story I love. Like a lot of Fleming’s great stuff, this one doesn’t even have Bond in it (minus one flashback)! James Robinson delves into the world of Felix Leiter perfectly, making the character more fleshed out. This feels like something Fleming could have written, which is the highest praise I can give. Love seeing the Japanese version of Bond and how Felix compares himself to his fellow spies. Aaron Campbell’s art is probably the best of all the Dynamite Bond books so far. While this story wraps up a bit too quickly, the ending of this threw me for a loop and has me demanding more of this comic.

[J.D. DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am tempted to begin this review with the phrase Leiter, Felix Leiter, but will avoid doing so. As a Bond fan, I found this to be an enjoyable entry in the series and in the larger Bond universe. There is much that can be explored with the Felix Leiter character.

Classic Bond elements are here, including intense action sequences and suspense, but the tropes have been respun into a bit of a new approach. This title would likely appeal to espionage and spy readers, comic book and graphic novel fans, and those of us who enjoy a good Bond (universe) story.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felix Leiter had what he thought was a simple job in Japan - identify a former Russian agent. But he was made and beat up when back-up did not show. Tiger, his Japanese contact had failed to show due to a mass killing outside a government building. The question them becomes what role did the Russian agent have in enabling the Japanese cult to make suicide weapons out of their members? Plenty of action in the Bond style but done by Felix who tries to use brain over brawn. A different perspective on the Bond universe.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good spy story! This is not a James Bond book, though he does make a couple of brief cameos, rather one set in the Bond Universe where SPECTRE are the bad guys. The main character of this book is James' friend Felix Leiter, ex CIA, missing half an arm and half a leg, now working as an independent contractor. The story involves a Japanese cult trying to start a war between Japan and North Korea. It looks like they are in cahoots with either North Korea or Russia, but you'll have to read more to find out! Good pacing and a good read.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good but not great entry in the James Bond series. Felix traipses around Japan with the far superior Tiger Tanaka, first tracking a potential Russian agent, then trying to crack a terrorist cell where the agents turn to poisonous dust. The action is splendid, if a bit hard to follow - Aaron Campbell's art gets murky at times, spoiled by too many shadows. We don't learn much about Felix by the end, but that's kind of the point with James Bond tales, right? Action, adventure, and not too much depth.