James Bond: Casino Royale

James Bond: Graphic Novel Adaptations

by Van Jensen, Dennis Calero (Illustrator)

Ian Fleming's literary debut of British Secret Service agent 007 is stylishly adapted to the sequential art medium by Van Jensen and Matt Southworth in the official James Bond: Casino Royale graphic novel. Sent to a French casino in Royale-les-Eaux, Bond aims to eliminate the threat of the deadly Le Chiffre by bankrupting the ruthless SMERSH operative at the baccarat table. However, when the luck of the draw favors his enemy, 007 becomes the target of assassins and torturers in a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Thriller, Comic Book, Espionage, Adventure

166 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2018

About the author

Van Jensen is the acclaimed author of the award-winning GODFALL trilogy (Grand Central). The sci-fi/thriller genre mashup series is in development for TV with Academy Award winner Ron Howard attached to direct and Jensen serving as executive producer.

Jensen was born and raised in the farm country of Western Nebraska where he wrote and drew stories as soon as he could hold a pencil. He became a newspaper crime reporter, then a magazine editor, and eventually an author of comic books and graphic novels. He has written some of the world’s biggest characters, including James Bond, Godzilla, and The Flash, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern for DC Comics. His original graphic novels include ARCA (IDW), Two Dead (Simon & Schuster/Gallery 13), Two Dead (Dark Horse), and Pinocchio, Vampire Slayer (Top Shelf/IDW).

He also writes and produces for film and TV.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is almost more of an illustrated novel laid out in comic book format. Jensen has kept most of Fleming's words, using them to provide narration and dialogue. Fleming's Bond is a harsher, colder Bond than we are used to from the movies. He can pretty much, straight up be a dick at times. And the treatment of women in the book, well Vesper Lynn (She's the only woman) is not great. The book also moves at a slower pace than one may be used to from the movies. That being said, there's still excitement to be had in the book and we get to see another side of the Bond mythos.

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dynamite is doing two Bond-related things; 1) new Bond stories for the present generation based on the spirit of original, darker, Fleming novels and 2) graphic novel versions of the original Fleming novels. James Bond: Casino Royale (2018) is a kind of illustrated novelization of Fleming's first 007 book, published in 1953, using quite a bit of Fleming's actual language to narrate it (rather than a graphic novel where the visuals tell much of the story.

The darker, muted visuals fit the tone of the original Fleming work (vs the glossy, debonair Sean Connery Bond, which I loved). There's an added contemporary commentary in the text which is sometimes amusing, such as counting the dozens of cigarettes he smokes every day.

One central part of the action I liked is Bond's winning at high stakes baccarat to undermine the financial backing of some stakeholders in the story. Hey, I know how to play baccarat! It may come in handy if I ever got on a table at Monte Carlo!

The Dynamite crew makes Bond a bit more of a bastard, more of a tough guy, than the Seasn Connery version we love, but it (necessarily) tones down the sexism of the original Fleming without losing the sexiness, as Bond gets his girl. Or she gets him?

In general, the Dynamite production is a pretty faithful adaptation of Fleming's original novel, and I think we'll see more coming out.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

"History is moving pretty quickly these days, and the heroes and villains keep changing parts . . . It's simple enough to say Le Chiffre was evil becaue he did evil things to me. If he was here right now, I wouldn't hesitate to kill him -- but out of personal revenge and not, I'm afraid, for some high moral reason of for the sake of my country." -- Agent 007, recovering after a very bad day

This is a graphic novel adaptation of Ian Fleming's very first James Bond tale which debuted in 1953. It worked best when providing glimpses into the thoughts (see above quote) and background (such as the two assassinations that earned him '00' status) of the storied Bond character. One humorous running joke of sorts was the increasingly outrageous count on cigarettes that he smoked in one day.

However, the plot is sort of creaky, or maybe understandably showing its age at 65 years old. It is heavy on dialogue and 'thought boxes' / narration - which were good, and I think are transferred directly from Fleming's actual work - but relatively light on the action. (No exploding brief cases or gadget-laden sports cars in this one, but those are from his cinematic incarnation.) So while it may be faithful to the original book it may not be a good fit for the casual or movie series-only Bond fans.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ian Fleming's first novel featuring James Bond has long been one of my favourites. I've read it many times before, but still find it a thrill to read.
This new graphic novel is almost like a tribute to Fleming. Not only is a large amount of his original dialogue used, but even his descriptions & chapter titles. Reading graphic novel versions of stories I am familiar with often leaves me frustrated with them being too severely edited, but this one works fine.
There are many inventive drawings throughout the story & the artwork is detailed without being overcomplicated. This is a worthy addition to my Bond collection & certainly one I will read again.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dynamite comics have been releasing some new 007 comics and with arrival of Casino Royale they have decided to tackle the original Fleming novels, this being the first one. Depending on sales of course we might get another book.
This comic did get various delays until its release and in my opinion it was worth the wait even if the art is not always that great. The coloring is very good and the story sticks to Flemings novel. James Bond in this novel/comic not the fully formed character he will become. He is a very cold person doing a job and does so very straightforward. The gambling gets explained very well as well visually.
The other thing I find very Fleming is the torture scene that must have been very graphic even for the days of its original release. And still feels very raw, the recent Craig movie showed it too and the idea behind is still feels very barbaric as torture should be.
The gambling & torture scene stand out in the book and are given their due in this comic. My favorite scene with the two Bulgars was not used in the movie but found its place in this comic. Which was good too see.

A very decent attempt but having read it I prefer the novel easily. The art is not always consistent with the face of 007, which I find annoying. Fro somebody not interested in reading Fleming this might be a decent alternative. It is one of the better Spy novels written and Fleming belongs with the best.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I obtained a copy of this ebook via Netgalley for my true and honest opinion.

Ian Fleming’s literary debut featuring British Secret Service agent 007 – Casino Royale but in a Graphic Novel format! I am definitely a fan. The illustration was lovely and would recommend for all James Bond fan.


3 stars

[Venero Armanno · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant and beautiful reimagining of Ian Fleming's best novel. It manages to maintain not just the storyline and character nuances of the original, but also the tone and feel of the book - two of the novel's greatest pluses. In this way this is a graphic novel that feels as immersive as a work of prose, maintaining the essence of Fleming's unique prose style. Not updated for modern sensibilities, which is a real plus. The original work remains a snapshot of a certain era, even within the genre of a (mostly) escapist spy novel. It's great to see that snapshot maintained and even fleshed out by the beautiful graphics - the shading is especially extraordinary.
Eon Pictures could do worse than use some of these images for a 007 series that brings James Bond to the 1950s roots of his original incarnation. Extra kudos for the great presentation of LeChiffre and Vesper Lynd, two of Fleming's most unforgettable characters.
James Bond:Casino Royale is a real work of art

[BookishDramas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bond and a graphical novel

Bond's oldest secret, his one love lost in a graphic novel which stays true to Fleming's story.
Much of the art is dark and sombre like the story which plays like a funeral.

Casino Royale, the graphic novel by Ven Jensen stays true to the original Ian Fleming story from which it has been adapted. A reader has to understand that the book is from another generation and Fleming's handling of female characters is a far cry from current climate where feminism, inclusion and equality are an integral part of most if not all books. There is enough nostalgia in the scenes to appeal to fans.

Recommended for anyone who's willing to try Bond.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This graphic novel follows the book pretty faithfully, and is divided into the same chapters. Fleming's text accompanies the comic panels, but it's pared down to the essentials, with surplus material stripped away and much of each scene's flavour conveyed by pictures instead of words. Some of the narrative also passes to Bond himself. In 'Bond view', we see his mind at work calculating odds and noticing the details of Vesper's outfit or the casino layout.

The cover is by Fay Dalton, who also did the illustrations for the Folio Society editions of Bond. Place the graphic novel next to the Folio Casino Royale and you see what must be the same table at different stages of the evening.

The internal artwork is full of movement and detail, with fantastic use of colour and shadow to make Le Chiffre thoroughly sinister and add an extra frisson to the most terrifying cane chair in Western literature.

Bond is drawn as cool, reserved, perhaps even a little boring, but better-looking than average and with smoulder below the surface. The face sometimes has a touch of Connery, sometimes of Craig, while towards the end, as he embarks on his vendetta against Smersh, it's Dalton's gunbarrel pose he assumes.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really nice adaptation of the novel (which I still haven't read, though now feel like I have). Moody artwork and a stripped-down narrative. If the company (Dynamite Entertainment) can follow through like this with the whole series, we've got a lot of treats headed our way.

[Bobby Nash]

The dynamic creative team of writer Van Jensen and artist Dennis Calero give us a great adaptation of Ian Fleming's novel. Jensen's writing style is crisp and Calero was born to draw the iconic noir that is 007's world. A great read for Bond fans and thriller fans alike.

[Martijn Van · Rating 2 out of 5]

The sad story of a gambler who is afraid his dick wont work and keeps calling the love of his life a bitch.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'James Bond: Casino Royale' by Ian Fleming with adaptation by Van Jensen and art by Dennis Calero is an adaptation of the first James Bond book.

We meet James Bond at the gambling tables in Royale-les-Eaux. In some backstory, we find out that he is out to bankrupt a shady man named Le Chiffre. Helping him out is a woman agent named Vesper Lynn and a CIA agent named Felix Leiter. Hiding in the shadoes is the spy group SMERSH.

If you are only familiar with Bond from the movies, this is a different character. It's also a book that was written in the middle of the last century, so there is lots of sexist behavior on behalf of our hero. The adaptation is pretty solid, and feels like lots of the dialogue is verbatim from the novel. The art is decent too. I enjoyed reading this.

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.

[Judah Radd · Rating 5 out of 5]

This script was composed almost entirely from Ian Fleming’s original eponymous novel.

It’s done exceptionally well. Having read both, I would call it a suitable (and perhaps even preferable) substitute for the prose novel. For fans of the movies who are curious what the original James Bond was like, this is not going to be what you expect; the action is minimal, the character is crude, sexist and conflicted. His insecurities are in the foreground and the plot is driven by his mistakes. This is a story about the last bits of humanity being driven out of a pitiable man. It’s also a meta commentary on the way toxic masculinity shields men from difficult feelings and introspections. I’m not sure if it’s what Ian Fleming intended, but if he didn’t, this is far more interesting.

The subdued and functional art is perfect for this bleak and humorless story. It’s incredible to imagine how this Janes Bond evolved to become a seemingly superpowered action hero.

I definitely recommend this to fans of James Bond, as well as people unfamiliar with the character.

[Druss · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read. The narrative and dialogue if the original text extremely well drawn. Spot the people the characters are based on. The tale is better a second time round.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

The real pleasure in this adaptation of the first Bond novel is that the story remains intact thematically: the racism, paranoia, sexism, and machismo that made this such a hit when it was released. We don't have rose-tinted glasses remaking this for a modern generation: the book is intact in all its antiquated glory. As well, the exposition and thought processes have been brilliantly integrated: this isn't about explosions and bullets in the head so much as a moody piece where a master spy seriously considers whether he wants to stay in the profession.

Story: The Soviets have an agent, Le Chiffre, who has double crossed them. But that agent has also made poor investments and needs to win back capitol from a casino in order to make sure the Soviets don't realize he has misused their funds. Bond, along with CIA agent Leiter, has been brought in to ensure that Le Chiffre does not recoup his losses. But there are double crosses everywhere in this high stakes world of gambling and espionage.

Out of all the movies and all the various homages and adaptations, this is about as true to Fleming's work as you can get. Because it was the debut novel in the series, Fleming gives great care to describe the processes that spies use when conducting their business - talc on a door handle, a hair stuck in draw handles, surveillance equipment through hollow walls, and the casual murder of one's own agents in order to achieve a goal. As well, we see how Bond evaluates every situation as it happens, from what someone is wearing to what he could be concealing. While these all seem obvious and trite in today's world of high technology, at the time, it was a 'wow' moment for readers to be able to peek into what goes on in the world of espionage.

Most importantly here, Bond is not a smirking cliche of a wish fulfillment Mary Sue. Rather, we have a brittle man who has become disillusioned after a vicious capture and torture. There is a lot of moralizing and sermonizing as he wonders if he really is no better than the men he is hunting/killing. These are given special treatment so there is no mistaking the difference between Bond's thoughts and Bond's regular dialogue. I greatly appreciated that because of these smart choices by the author/illustrator, we really get a feel for the Fleming Bond and the 1950s world of espionage.

If I had one let down, it's that the art was a bit frustrating for me. Yes, it was appropriately moody and shady. And yes, the author did an excellent job of making our characters and the milieu appropriately 1950s. Especially Vesper was perfectly drawn to capture the essence of Bond's fascination and frustration with the character. But that was contrasted with the many scenes where a) I couldn't tell what was happening and b) Bond always looked more like a mannequin than a person. Leiter, Bond's colleagues, and Le Chiffre had animated faces and many nuances. But Bond was a shadowy statue in most of the scenes and I had to wonder if that was done to 'cleanse the palette' of people's expectations of what Bond should look like from the movies. Whatever the reason, it diminished my experience by not seeing Bond's face/expressions more clearly as I did with other characters like Vesper.

While there were some scenes removed, I also respect that the author kept the sexism intact. It was a different time and there is no point removing that context from the era. "Dames are trouble" is a harsh tenet of noir and a lot of what Fleming was inspired by had to be from that genre. It certainly is eye opening to be reminded of how the female gender was viewed in England at the time.

In all, I greatly enjoyed Casino Royale because it perfectly captured the origin book. The novel's moody and atmospheric tension was not jettisoned in order to push the action - giving us a wonderful glance at the cold war and the 1950s and a fascinating glimpse of why the series captivated so many in the 1950s and 1960s. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Paul Franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been hesitant to try any more Bond graphic novels, as except for the one on Leiter they’ve all been so bad I didn’t come close to finishing them. But I figured since this story was already written it couldn’t be screwed up too badly. In fact it wasn’t screwed up at all, bringing back good memories of reading it for the first time, but not the movies, thankfully.
What’s most impressive is how condensed the text is while still telling the story. There’s a famous line that’s kept in, with Bond driving the car “with almost sensual pleasure.” I must be the only guy who doesn’t get that, but it’s cool to see it in there. It’s more surprising that also included is the long talk on good and evil toward the end. There’s even little factoids running through his brain—and on the page—right out of Sherlock.
“You ought to be tortured every day.” I love Mathis.
A thought I’ve had before: I wonder if any editor ever told Fleming to “cut all the stuff with the girl” at the end.
The illustrations are in an artsy 60s style. The text is in italics, making it difficult to read, but in the end it’s worth it.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

[Theediscerning · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is awful. No, wait. THIS. IS. AWFUL. In the first few pages alone you have grammatical errors in the exposition. You have S against F against Station P, so the whole thing sounds like a battle within a bottle of high-SPF sun cream. Worse, if that were possible, you have sentences like "He could feel his eyes filling their sockets" – I mean, seriously, what the fluck?! Get as close to the original Fleming as you wish – and for one, I don't think the sub-Terminator overlaid data is anywhere close to getting the spirit of the books – but this is just shite on a stick. One star for the subdued palette in the artwork, but that's not attractive – the well-known scene where he checks a hair in his draw has Bond kneeling thoroughly exposed, practically nose to furniture, as if he is Mr Magoo, and he points to the talc-laden handle as if we're all retards. The script, however, seems to have come from that band of monkeys and their typewriters. Next up, monkeys learn Tipp-Ex, and delete this crud. If I read a worse book this year I'll be both ashamed and surprised. Come back Peter Sellers, all is forgiven.

[Audrey Stars in Her Eye · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the most boring graphic novel I have ever read. An adaption of the book Casino Royale, this stays true to the time period that t was written in. While the old fashion setting is not a problem, the art that is meant to give an older look is. The art is less sharp and doesn't give much detail. To counteract this, something is written pretty much in every panel that is telling what is going on.
For example, a desk with a hair and powder on the handle. Instead of detailed art that shows us what Bond sees, there is a picture of a desk with the words written on it. In fact, most of the content on the panels is exposition and not dialog (or at least until page 65 when I decided to stop reading).
Graphic novels are a show media and this adaption was caught up in a yell instead of show mentality. This gets a huge thumbs down from me.
I received an ARC through NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

A graphic novel retelling of Fleming's debut novel Casio Royale. The book does a good job of condensing the written novels action into the essential words and pictures to keep the tension of the original in the new medium. The art supported the story well, with the technical items (cars, particularly Bond's Bentley, guns, radio's etc.) being well rendered but the coloring of some of the drawings distracted where it put in a hard line that the illustrator did not. Bond's "observational overlay" words over the pictures were a clever use of the medium. An enjoyable and faithful adaptation of the original 1953 debut of Agent 007, James Bond.

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much more better than the book but not as good as the movie, this graphic novel adaptation of the first book of Ian Fleming is absolutely good as it was able to convey the right atmosphere and left me speechless from time to time.

Molto meglio del libro e quasi bello come il film, questo adattamento del primo romanzo di Ian Fleming riesce in maniera esemplare a convogliare le atmosfere che l'autore (immagino) volesse descrivere, e mi ha lasciato, talvolta, anche senza parole.

THANKS EDELWEISS FOR THE PREVIEW!

[J.D. DeHart · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is no secret to anyone that knows me that I am a James Bond fan. When given the chance to review a graphic novel adaptation of the classic first Bond novel, I jumped at the chance. I was not disappointed at all by what I found in this book.



Edgy artwork
A faithful adaptation
A nice, polished product
Artful and excellent use of plotting

I recommend this book for those who spy fiction, comics, and graphic novels.

[Derek Royal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never read the original, so I’m not able to determine the fidelity of this comics adaptation (and the introduction touted this as a faithful adaptation). I assume it is, especially since this work is so text heavy. That, I feel, is one of the limitations of this book, a reliance on the words at the expense of letting the image telling the story.

[Spikeybär · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice artwork. The problems stem from the source material. Fleming's original Bond is quite a douche. And the endless descriptions of some intricate, overcomplex round of glorified poker can only be sufferable for hardened KGB officers.

[Dogfood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dieser Band ist der Außenseiter unter den James Bond-Comics von Dynamite Entertainment. Besitzen die anderen Comics die typische Handschrift von US-Comics, ist „Casino Royale“ eher eine Graphic Novel europäischer Schule.

Es steht nicht nur „Casino Royale“ drauf. Es ist auch „Casino Royale“ drin. Das Skript hält sich eng an die Romanvorlage und legt damit den Grundstein, für einen ganz großen Comic.

Der Roman ist vor allem für einen Comic sehr unsexy, weil sehr statisch. „Casino Royale“ ist ein Kammerspiel in vier Akten: ein Spieltisch an dem Baccarat gespielt wird, eine Foltersequenz in einem dunkler Raum mit zwei Stühlen, ein Zimmer im Krankenhaus und ein Gästezimmer am Meer. Das ist für ein optisches Medium per se, wenig Gestaltungsspielraum, sollte man meinen.

Autor Van Jensen und Zeichner Dennis Calero gelingt aber trotzdem eine packende Umsetzung.

Wir sehen diesen unterkühlten, zunehmend übermüdeten Bond, der permanent seine Umgebung abgescannt und bewertet und 24 Stunden am Tag im Dienst ist … bis er es nicht mehr ist und die Selbstzweifel und das Hinterfragen einsetzen.

Zeichner Calero und die Colorierung zahlen auf das kammerspielartige ein. Die Innenräume wirken kulissenartig. Trotzdem meint man den kalten Rauch an den Tapeten riechen zu können. Das Layout ist statisch – aber diese Statik wird bei der Autoverfolgungsjagd und der Folterszene durchbrochen. Calero zeigt hier große Kunst mit absoluten Minimalismus die Verfolgung und die Folter zu zeichnen. Ich kann nicht beschreiben, wie viel Respekt ich für Caleros Umsetzung habe.

Der Punch dieses großartigen Bands liegt im Gefühl, hier nach all den Filmen und all den Comic, zum ersten Mal den richtigen Bond kennen gelernt zu haben.

Nach „Casino Royale“ verstehe ich besser, was Warren Ellis und Jason Masters vor hatten – und mir wird erst jetzt bewusst, wie sehr sie, vor allem Ellis, mit „Vargr“ und „Eidolon“ daran zerschellt sind, einen Fleming‘schen James Bond zu kreieren.

„Casino Royale“ – einen enger an die Romanvorlage gelehnten Bond-Comic wird es nicht mehr geben.

[Bandit · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve seen a ton of James Bond movies. They are always good fun. Even for someone like me who doesn’t care for spy stories. I’ve never read any of the James Bond books, though. And going by this graphic novel which goes to great length to be a faithful adaptation, I’m not missing out.
Who knew that a James Bond story could be so dreadfully tedious, tepid, torpid? Are they all like that?
How exciting is it to spend so much of the book in a casino watched men gamble at cards? I suppose some people are into that sort of thing, but … really?
I mean, the entire plot is just silly. Let’s embarrass a deadly spy operative at cards … yeah, that’ll teach him a lesson. A lesson apparently only Bond, James Bond, could teach.
And when that backfires, let’s throw in a bunch more spies. Also, let’s get Bond all roughed up but to balance things out, let’s throw him in a sexy lady spy love interest.
Sure, it sounds like so many Bond movies, but those have the momentum and visuals to compensate for the plot’s shortcomings. This book doesn’t. The original text presumably offers even less.
There are some fun turns of phrase, sure, but Fleming wasn’t a writer; he was a spy turned writer. A man very much of his day and age.
And as such the obnoxious masculinity and the preposterous gender politics of the book are indeed toxic. And I am not, really not, one of those hyperwoke people who decry the outrages of bygone era’s social norms. I’m all about historical context. But even with that in mind, Fleming’s writing of men and women’s psychology and relationships is horrid. Or laughable, depending on your perspective. These things have been getting touched up and makeuped over in the movies (more and more as time goes by) and apparently for a good reason.
So yeah, a load of nonsense. A ploddingly slow read with not-all-that-impressive art. A far cry from the movies.
In fact, funnily enough, it’s the thing to ruin James Bond for you, if you’re mainly a movie fan. Avoid.

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Bond: Casino Royale von Ian Fleming in der Bearbeitung von Van Jensen und mit Zeichnungen von Dennis Calero ist eine Adaption des ersten James-Bond-Buches.

Wir treffen James Bond an den Spieltischen in Royale-les-Eaux an und erfahren, dass er einen zwielichtigen Mann namens Le Chiffre in den Bankrott treiben soll. Unterstützt wird er dabei von einer Agentenkollegin namens Vesper Lynd und dem CIA-Agenten Felix Leiter, im Hintergrund lauert die Spionagegruppe SMERSH.

Die meisten kennen James Bond nur aus den Filmen, der Bond hier in der Graphic Novel ist eine ganz andere Figur. Man merkt dem Buch allerdings an, dass es Mitte des letzten Jahrhunderts geschrieben wurde, so dass unser Held viel sexistisches Verhalten an den Tag legt. Die Umsetzung des Romans in einen Comic ist schon ziemlich solide, und man hat das Gefühl, dass viele der Dialoge auch wortwörtlich mit dem Roman übereinstimmen.
Es handelt sich eher um einen illustrierten Roman im Comicformat. Jensen hat die meisten Worte von Fleming beibehalten und sie für die Erzählung und die Dialoge verwendet. Flemings Bond ist ein härterer, kälterer Bond als wir es aus den Filmen gewohnt sind. Er kann manchmal ein richtiges Arschloch sein. Und die Behandlung von Frauen in dem Buch, nun ja, Vesper Lynd (sie ist die einzige Frau) ist nicht gerade toll. Das Buch bewegt sich auch in einem langsameren Tempo, als man es von den Filmen gewohnt ist. Davon abgesehen ist das Buch aber immer noch spannend und wir lernen eine andere Seite des Bond-Mythos kennen.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Esta es una fiel adaptación de la novela Casino Royale. Pero es tan fiel como adaptación que no camina la milla extra para justificar su existencia.

Por lo general me gusta el dibujo de Calero, pero parece que este escritor no lo desafía lo suficiente al momento de montar las escenas. Enfoques directos en todas partes y secuencias no muy dinámicas, salvo por unas cuantas páginas. Entre esas hay una que muestra a una pareja espiando a Bond y algunas páginas del juego de Baccarat.

El diseño de personajes fue bien característicos para los personajes masculinos, pero Vesper en particular no me gustó. En un medio visual, a veces hay que ser exagerado por más realista que quieras ser, y cuando Ian Fleming la describe tan hermosa, lo mejor es buscar una modelo que se apegue o supere esos estándares.

Después de un rato, parece que los ilustradores se estaban cansando ya que solo el último panel me pareció creativo. Lo demás es bastante seguro, faltó más atrevimiento de parte del equipo.

[Sirah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Agent 007 has been called in to work on a special case involving gambling, espionage, sex, and a lot of money. But enemy spy organizations are on his tail, just waiting for him to make a costly mistake.

I admit to a lot of curiosity about James Bond, but I don't think this comic is the right way to answer my questions. There's a lot just left unexplained (the where, the when, and the why). The aesthetic is cold with a dark realistic flair that is reminiscent of superhero comics but which just doesn't appeal to me. Bond himself makes some really offensive sexist comments, which he recants somewhat later on, but which still leave a bad taste in my mouth. Despite being full of action, this story moves really slow, which is likely because of the ridiculous amount of text stuffed into every available space. Maybe if the font weren't so tiny? Overall, the only thing that could make this any less my thing would be a graphic sexual assault scene. Needless to say, I won't be continuing with the series.

[Sylvaine Yvenou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quelle gageure ! pari risqué que celui-ci mais pari gagné.

Je me suis plongée avec beaucoup de plaisir dans cet album. le scénariste , Van Jensen , propose un découpage aussi précis qu'intelligible. J'ai même compris les règles du Baccara c'est vous dire. le personnage de Bond est bien cerné , sa façon d'observer le monde et les gens autour de lui, sa réactivité au danger, sa prise de risque.
Bien sur l'artisan sur lequel tout repose est Dennis Calero dont la réputation n'est plus à faire. Il sait créer une atmosphère oppressante, les expressions visuelles et corporelles de Bond nous sont visuellement accessibles. Beau travail. Les couleurs signées Chris O'Halloran viennent parfaire le résultat.

j'ai lu le roman titre il y a de nombreuses années, si j'en avais oublié les rebondissements, je gardais en mémoire l'atmosphère créee par Ian Fleming. Je suis ravie tout y est .
Et si je me replongeais dans la série , À SUIVRE ...