James Bond: Big Things

James Bond (Dynamite Entertainment) #12

by Vita Ayala, Danny Lore, Eric Gapstur (Artist)

When a priceless piece of art is found to be fake, investigations lead down a rabbit hole of international crime and corruption. But what the hell does James Bond know about the world of art forgery?

Agent 007 is a loner, by nature. But finally, he accepts that he needs help. But will trusting someone else help his mission...or lead to the deaths of innocents?

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Adventure, Espionage

132 pages, Hardcover

First published October 19, 2021

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 2 out of 5]

The weakest entry thus far in the Dynamite series featuring James Bond, 007. My theory was they wanted to release this in conjunction with the new Bond movie, and seeing they had nothing, they cobbled together a number of artists and writers to help Vita Ayala, and they produced this as a kind of cash grab. Here's the improbable story: Bond gets involved with a a former art forger and now insurance investigator, Brandy Keys, to nab some art thieves. Not clear why MI6 would have Bond do this. I am not a fan of the generic art, but the story is worse--begins slowly, continues in disjointed fashion, and drags. In one issue Bond hardly appears at all.

So why two stars instead of one? There is a connection to Live and Let Die in the last issue, if you have read that, and I have. I also was mildly interested in the connections, some parallels, between Bond and Keys. But over all I had a hard time concentrating and following it. Disappointing.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Felt a little more "Thomas Crowne" than "James Bond", but nonetheless I enjoyed the danger and repartee as much as one normally does with a OO7 caper.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

The weakest of Dynamite's James Bond comics yet. Bond barely appears in the first issue. It's all about an insurance investigator investigating art forgeries. Somehow that gets Bond involved and they just tell this woman all of MI6's secrets and let her assist on the case. It's boring and terrible with the complete waste of an old Bond villain that shows up in the final issue.

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I would have rated it 4.5 stars but I really did not want to round it down. I think the quote at the back from Comic Watch say it all:

"This has all the fun and excitement that a Bondobie does,"

It is true.

Why would an art forgery/insurance scam come to the attention of MI6? Bond is forced to team up with a "civilian" art investigator to uncover the truth.

This is set past Bonds early day, where he has seen action but still tends to make things personal, and definitely subtlety. I also like the Brandy Keys character I think she brings a bit of mentoring out of Bond, and she definitely has her own secrets.

The artwork is good plus there is a good ballance between the action and story. A but of a backstory on all the characters as well. What made this a 5 stars for me was as soon as I finished it I wanted to read the next book.

[Frédéric · Rating 2 out of 5]

After 5 not really interesting issues where Bond tag teams with an insurance expert-mercifully well-versed in self-defence, ain’t that peachy?- the authors remember they have to wrap up the snoozefest in a single issue. Ellipses have to be skillfully crafted, guys. If not, they’re called holes.

The plot is poorly executed. Too many wasted pages in the first issues that could have been used to better define Bond’s counterpart or establish the villain’s henchwoman as a real threat- which actually never materialises btw. The villain should have been a treat for fans but the sloppy pacing and storytelling as a whole disserve him and make him a spent bullet.

Various artists, the better half uninteresting hacks.

Shake it up, Dynamite. You used us to serve us better stuff than that.

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

3 out of 19. That's how many pages of a 'James Bond' comic James Bond appears on in the first issue.
It doesn't get any better after that.

[Donovan Mayne-Nicholls]

A word of warning because this gets released in book form: it's so bad it's rotten. Dynamite started their Bond comics with the promise that it would follow behind Fleming's literary character but I'd be amazed if the "writers" had ever held a James Bond novel in their hands (let alone opened it). The lack of structure makes me think they've never even read a book without pictures, either in it (meaning an actual novel). It reads like a spec script: formulaic, repetitive and lacking any craft. Mses Ayala and Lore go the same route as previous hack Greg Pak, relying on the return of Fleming's villain Mr Big in order to create instant interest in a story that goes nowhere. By the end of the six issue arc, it's never apparent why a cheap art forgery caper should be the subject of the secret service. Fleming wrote a story among those lines (The Property of a Lady) but, unlike here, that story at least introduced a reason for Bond to be assigned to such a case. The writers here aren't even capable of doing research: paintings are shown at a "museum". Clearly they´ve never even heard of a gallery. The fact that you're writing Bond for comics instead of novels does not mean you're exempted for creating a believable storyline. They seem to be more interested in pushing their feminist/non-binary/racial agenda. Why not write their own story without relying on Bond? Simple, because a recognisable property delivers their message to people who otherwise wouldn't spend their money on unproven "talent" and also in order to subvert said property. Even the artwork comes with an agenda, depicting the most effeminate version of Bond ever presented. It appears dynamite has had second thoughts about this particular one, there is no sign of the series continuing beyond the sixth issue, which can only be described as a blessing in disguise. SKIP IT doesn't do justice to this: it's still not too late for the publisher to recall this compilation and pulp the existing surviving issues.

[Craig · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, was this bad. Easily the worst volume in this entire series. A boring story about art theft and art forgery that barely features 007 at all, instead focusing more on a new character, art expert and insurance agent Brandy Keys(?). Even the last minute introduction of a previous Bond villain does little to spice things up in a story that is overly talky and outright clunky--for instance, when Bond has the villain on the ropes, there's a weird cutaway to the aftermath, suggesting Bond let the villain escape, but the reasons and the sequencing weren't at all clear. Wouldn't it be better to tell a story with action rather than exposition after the fact? The art isn't particularly notable in this volume, either. I really hope Dynamite's Bond properties rebound from this clunker.

[Iain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best of the Dynamite Bond series. There's a confusing plot around fake art, but why MI6 would send an agent to get involved with this is never explained clearly. Something about blackmail, who or what I have no idea. Why an insurance agent is brought in to team up with a secret service agent is brushed over. And if you haven't read the original Fleming novel 'Live and Let Die', then the entire final issue will mean nothing to you. Nice enough to look at, but hoping for better with future releases.

[Judah Radd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Vita Ayala’s take on Bond. It was a relatively grounded and straightforward story. I liked the flow, and I enjoyed some of the classic literary callbacks to Ian Fleming’s Bond.

I think in some ways, it halfheartedly attempted to deconstruct Bond by neglecting some of his tropes (always being the best, having sex with the woman,) and I’ll be honest… I kind of like those tropes. It’s Bond. But, that didn’t ruin it for me, and I was happy to enjoy a spin on the character from a writer who clearly doesn’t enjoy male power fantasies as much as I do.

All in all, a good read, and I would have liked to have a second arc from Vita.

[Joe Bogue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would. The plot structure feels like classic Fleming and the story very modern, but the two mesh really well. In my opinion Ayala's Bond dialogue/characterization is one of the closest to Fleming's Bond out of all of Dynamite's various 007 series.

[Darcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised at the identity of the head villain of this piece but understood why it was such a late reveal. However, I have no idea how he survived his previous demise. In this iteration it is clear he had met Bond before so I am content to accept that I must be missing something. I do hope they follow up on the character. In any case, a nice twist that caught me off guard. I also appreciate Vita Ayala trying something different. It is nice to have 007 inhabit a real world and to have him interact with other professionals. (In this case one with her own back story I would like to see more of). It does not always have to be super villains bent on world domination.

This time out the story follows an art forgery ring that is more than it seems. Our favorite agents ends up allying with an insurance investigator who also has her share of secrets, some of them relating to M. She is not mere arm candy rather is a kick ass cannon in her own right that is an aid rather than a distraction. No car chases this time out, but plenty of gritty combat that is portrayed brutally. I also like the fact that gadgetry is kept to a minimum. For me Bond is always at his best when he relies on his own devices. (Pardon the pun).

I will say the story jumps around a bit and is hard to follow in places. (I will see if a re-read fixes that) And, as mentioned, it is unclear how the chief villain shows up, but this could be an enticement to be dissected in a later book. These quibbles aside, I enjoyed this outing, presented as always, with excellent binding, art and attention to detail that is a hallmark of Dynamite. Can't wait for the next one!

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story focuses on Brandy Keys, an art forger gone straight with a military background and a father connected in some way to M, who crosses paths with Bond and is eventually brought in by MI6 to assist in finding art forgeries containing illicit weapon designs. A slow start and a lot of criticism of Bond and his tactics by the other characters made this a less appealing story but a Bond more true to Fleming's books and a big surprise villain from Bond's past redeem this story for me in the last few issues. The art is great but a little inconstant between artists (I didn't realize at first that Nadia Blank had appeared earlier in the story as she looked so different) and all of the artists do a good job of conveying the action, particularly the fights, visually. Collects James Bond (2019) Issues #1-6.

[Brandon Nichols · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn't exactly their best work. I've been a big fan of this series for a while now, but this story was confusing at times and just didn't feel like Bond.

It's hard to make forged art interesting on a comic book page. Already they're starting behind the 8-ball. James Bond seemed superfluous for the first act of the story. It was hard to figure out anyone's motivations.

The big villain reveal fell flat to me (did I miss a comic or something?). All in all, just not nearly as enjoyable or "classic" as the other books in this series.

Still, the art was fantastic and I look forward to whatever they come up with next.

[Donald · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely may be my least favorite of this series to date. Art fraud and insurance is not much of a double O topic in my opinion. And so much of it seemed like pieces put together from other stories and movies. And the two 'sidekicks' for 007 were dorky and silly. Even Bond seems more light hearted then he normally is.

My only reason for not giving it one star is the throw back to "Live and Let Die". I am such a sucker for nostalgia! And Bond getting slapped upside the head by a shark is pretty much worth a star all on its own!

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I normally like Vita's work more. The plot is okay but Bond feels too much like a guest star in his own comic. He's out of his depth with art forgeries. His new coworker has ties to MI6 but that feels forced and way too convenient as she ends up more than holding her own. Would have been more interesting if she had to win via non-Bond methods. And the art just didn't do this one any favors. A rare miss on the Dynamite Bonds.

[Aidan Brack · Rating 1 out of 5]

A really frustrating read and below the standards of some of the other Dynamite Bond titles I've read. The art is fine (there are some nice panels in the final few issues) but the story just didn't engage me until the villain of the piece finally appeared. Even then though, I felt that my enjoyment was based more on the Fleming source material rather than the way that material was being used here.

[Yosef Shapiro · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is kind of a weak story. Why is Bond involved in art theft? It seems like the wrong type of caper to involve him. The villain is an old one , that is featured in both the movie and book versions of "Live and Let Die". In both versions, Mr. Big dies at the end. Although, it is not unusual for a "dead" villain to make a reappearance.

[BookishDramas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting take of a Bond story and forays into territory where the central character is not Bond. The set up was good and there is a line of investigation in art forgery.
I liked the pace of the story and Brandy makes her presence felt in the story.
The story is fairly straightforward and the best part is the appearance of a Bond nemesis in the last chapter.

[Neil Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this entry into the dynamite series.

It seemed to have more depth than the previous entry and the storyline and baddies made for an exciting fast paced storyline.

The artwork was also good throughout and the imagery definitely played it's part in bringing the story to life.

I would certainly recommend and look forward to other entries in the series

[Jus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely really enjoyed this installment despite the clear unfavourable reviews surrounding this series. Keys and her parallels to Bond was an interesting dynamic to read.

[Tim]

I read this as individual issues.

[Druss · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plenty of Bond action. Better than some.

[Jesse A · Rating 3 out of 5]

They are starting to scrape for writers and the quality is showing.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one left me a bit cold, with an art forgery storyline that bogged itself down, and plot points that happened 'off screen'. Good artwork but a disappointing story.

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was different. I like that in the comics lately the female characters have been getting stronger and more able to act on an equal footing with 007. He's still a bit much, but overall he was not the sole focus of the books and I liked the equal time given to other characters and to characters who are not white. The diversity worked for me.