Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #5 (1982) as “Den Gyllene Triangeln”

Reprints: Translated and published in Denmark, Finland, and Norway under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond, Agent 007 #65 (1982) as “Den Gyldne Triangle”
• James Bond, Agent 007 #4 (1982) as “Kultainen Kolmio”
• Agent 007—James Bond #1 (1983) as “Den Gyldne Triangle”

Writers: Terje Nordberg and Eirik Ildahl under the pseudonym Johann Vlaanderen

Artist: Ramon Escolano Metaute, Swedish cover art by George Wilson

Image Restoration: IANCCS

Translator: IANCCS based upon French text from Commander 007 by Guy Eloi, with additional text by Clinton Rawls

Notes: From Alan J. Porter’s The History of the Illustrated 007, “The ‘Swedish Bond’ debuted in a fairly pedestrian and predictable tale that didn’t really need the character of James Bond to make it work.” While I largely concur with his assessment, this story does have some interesting moments which prefigure future Bond tales like Licence to Kill and Forever and a Day. Metaute’s art is nice and reminiscent of comic strip artist Yaroslav Horak’s style, albeit a little too reminiscent as he appears to use swipes, and his Bond is inconsistently rendered across the board. Still, there are some powerful visuals that give this story a lot of flavor.

Special thanks to friend of the site Lennart Guldbrandsson (@BondWriting) for pointing out that the pseudonym “Johann Vlaaneren” is a Swedish variation of “Ian Fleming”!

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #1 (1983) as “Operation Jungle Devils”

Reprints: Translated and published in Denmark, Holland, Hungary, Norway, Russia, and Spain under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond #1 (1983) as “Operation jungl djævlene”
• James Bond #7 (date unknown) as “Operatie ‘Jungle devils’”
• James Bond #1 (1989) as “A dzsungel ördögei akció”
• Agent 007—James Bond #5 (1983) as “Operasjon Jungle Devils” and James Bond #4 (1992) as “Jungelens djevler”
• James Bond #1 (1994) (title unknown)
• James Bond #1 (1985) as “Operación Diablos de la Jungla”

Writer: Sverre Årnes

Artist: Ramon Escolano Metaute

Image Restoration: IANCCS

Translators: IANCCS and Clinton Rawls

Notes: Everything about this issue feels rushed, from the by the numbers plot to the art which features reused panels and swipes from both Yaroslav Horak’s Bond strips in the Daily Express and William Vance’s work in the Belgian comic Bruno Brazil. Shortcuts aside, the action is still dynamic and overall this an enjoyable story, if a bit predictable.

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #2 (1983) as “Slavhandlarna”

Reprints: Translated and published in Denmark, Holland, Norway, and Spain under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond #2 (1983) as “Slavehandlerne”
• James Bond #2 (1984) as “Slavenhandelaars”
• Agent 007—James Bond #6 (1983) as “Slavehandlerne”
• James Bond #2 (1985) as “Traficantes de Esclavos”

Writer: Jack Sutter

Artist: Ramon Escolano Metaute

Image Restoration: IANCCS

Translator: IANCCS with additional text by Clinton Rawls

Notes: A decent story, though one which races to the end in the final pages and raises a lot of questions. Why does Bond take the word of his kidnappers and accept a mission without verifying first with M? Furthermore, the notion of Bond testifying in a trial feels a bit out of character. Bond also states he doesn’t speak the native language in the fictional Daba, yet he’s able to understand people when the story needs him to do so. A good portion of this story features Bond as a captive. While it’s nice to see his investigative process, it takes up time which leaves some parts feeling underdeveloped, namely the villains. It all feels rather rushed.

The most absurd aspect is that Bond is given a tan to go undercover as a “half-breed” African. He pretends to be mute which is a nice callback to Fleming’s You Only Live Twice, but his disguise overall lacks plausibility.

What does work though is Sutter provides nice insight into Bond’s viewpoints through character interactions, and Metaute’s heavily inked art provides a strong sense of mood. The villains may be a bit stock, but Bond’s moral fiber comes through well.

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #3 (1983) as “Kodnamn Nemesis”

Reprints: Translated and published in Denmark, Finland, Holland, Norway, and Spain under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond #3 (1983) as “Kodenavn Nemesis”
• James Bond, Agent 007 #3 (1983) as “Koodinimi Nemesis”
• James Bond #1 (1984) as “Codenaam Nemesis”
• Agent 007—James Bond #7 (1983) and James Bond #4 (1991) as “Kodenavn Nemesis”
• James Bond #3 (1985) as “Juicio Final”

Writer: Jack Sutter

Artist: Josep Gual

Restoration: IANCCS

Translators: IANCCS and Clinton Rawls, with special thanks to Lennart Guldbrandsson (@BondWriting)

Notes: A complex tale with a great opening, though one better served with more breathing room. According to Bond scholar Alan J. Porter, “The second half of the story reads more like an outline than a finished script…” and I couldn’t agree more. The book rushes through its most provocative set piece and a great deal happens off screen, leaving Bond (and us) in the dark. Furthering the frustration, popular characters like M and Felix Leiter act in uncharacteristic ways. That said, it’s at least interesting to see Bond out of his comfort zone, and Josep Gual’s art is nicely done.

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #6 (1983) as “Operation Burma”

Reprints: Translated and published in Denmark, Holland, and Norway under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond #4 (1984) as “Operation Burma”
• James Bond #3 (1982) as “Operatie Birma”
• Agent 007—James Bond #7 (1984) as “Operasjon Burma”

Writer: Jack Sutter

Artist: Juan Sarompas

Image Restoration: IANCCS

Translator: IANCCS based upon French text from Commander 007 by Guy Eloi, with additional text by Clinton Rawls

Notes: A complicated plot which features a couple of uncharacteristic moments for Bond and attempts to do too much in such a short page count, especially as many of the loose threads come to a head in the final pages. The confusion actually begins right off the bat when the opening narration makes the reader think we’re seeing Bond when in fact we are following someone else entirely. While the art doesn’t help make this opening clear, the work by Sarompas is still something of a saving grace for this comic. Sarompas draws strong action scenes and at times executes his pages with the moody, atmospheric style of a classic film noir.

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #7 (1983) as “Likvidera Bond!”

Reprints: Translated and published in Denmark and Finland under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond #5 (1984) as “Likvidér Bond”
• James Bond, Agent 007 #4 (1984) as “Tappakaa Bond!”

Writer: Jack Sutter

Artist: Josep Gual

Image Restoration: IANCCS

Translator: IANCCS based upon French text from Commander 007 by Guy Eloi, with additional text by Clinton Rawls

Notes: An interesting tale with, as author Alan J. Porter states, “a good solid premise.” The story recalls elements from Fleming’s The Man With the Golden Gun, along with aspects of later EON films GoldenEye and Die Another Day. The ending in particular is a nice, optimistic note to end on, particularly given the era in which the comic was published, and it is in keeping with many resolutions from the Moore and Dalton films.

Artistic Licence: On page 18, Panel 5, Bond comments that a bomb has nineteen seconds left in both the Swedish and Danish versions. However, the artwork makes it appear that 41 seconds remain. Perhaps the bomb counts up to 60 rather than down, or maybe Bond meant that 19 seconds had already been lost, but this is confusing nonetheless. For the sake of clarity, I made the text more vague.

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #8 (1983) as “Den Vita Döden”

Reprints: Translated and published in Denmark and Norway under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond #6 (1984) as “Den Hvide Død”
• Agent 007—James Bond #3 (1984) as “Den Hvite Døden”

Writer: Sverre Årnes

Artist: Juan Sarompas

Image Restoration: IANCCS and Clinton Rawls

Translator: IANCCS based upon French text from Commander 007 by Guy Eloi, with additional text by Clinton Rawls

Notes: This story references Bond having a previous mission to Sao Paolo and is most likely a callback to Årnes’ earlier Bond adventure, “Operation Jungle Devils”. Interestingly enough, in this issue Bond travels to the “River of Death” but no mention is made of a prior adventure on the River of Death, despite that being the title of a Daily Express strip Semic had earlier reprinted.

Story wise, this has better pacing than some of Semic’s previous issues, and Sarompas continues to shine with strong line work, heavy inks, and moody visuals.

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #5 (1984) as “Operation Juggernaut”

Reprints: Reprinted in Sweden and translated and published in Norway under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond, Agent 007 #1 (1995)
• James Bond #2 (1985) as “Operasjon Juggernaut”

Writer: Jack Sutter

Artist: Juan Sarompas (wrongly credited to Josep Gual in some editions)

Restoration: IANCCS

Translators: IANCCS and Clinton Rawls, with special thanks to Lennart Guldbrandsson (@BondWriting)

Notes: This book starts off with a bang and, in the worlds of Bond scholar Alan J. Porter, “reads more like an Austin Powers story than a James Bond one.” While I can’t argue with that, I find this one a lot of fun, and it never lets up from start to finish. That said, the art by Sarompas is so hard edged that it seems out of place. He’s much better suited to more grounded tales.

One interesting touch is that Bond and Leiter track down a criminal realtor who outfits supervillains with their lairs. This may jump the shark for some, but I actually enjoyed this development and wanted to see more. It’s reminiscent of filmmaker Kevin Smith’s bit about independent contractors on the Death Star in Clerks, though it’s strange that Jack Sutter would write such an over-the-top story and include an odd bit of real world explanation.

Despite the fantastic nature of the plot, the creators weave in political satire by having Ronald Reagan shine Blofeld’s shoes, Nancy Reagan trim his nails, and Groucho Marx serve as an advisor to the President of the United States. Yul Brynner seems to be a presidential advisor as well. A nod to Michael Crichton’s film Westworld perhaps? Given the nature of this comic’s plot, it’s certainly possible.

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #6 (1984) as “Operation UFO”

Reprints: Translated and published in Holland and Norway under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond #8 (1985) as “Operatie UFO”
• James Bond #1 (1985) as “Operasjon UFO”

Writer: Jack Sutter

Artist: Josep Gual

Image Restoration: IANCCS

Translator: IANCCS, based upon French text from Commander 007 by Guy Eloi, with additional text by Clinton Rawls

Notes: With a title like this, you know you’re in for a strange journey, but I’ll admit I had difficulty with this one. Bond acts so out of character at times, and his treatment of the female agent he’s assigned to is disreputable. I’m not the sort to get offended easily, but I think the writer took this one a bit too far.

Josep Gual’s art is a bit inconsistent and his panels can be repetitive, but his cartoonish style suits this story well enough.

I don’t normally discuss plot too much in my notes, but SPOILER ALERT…

This story combines two well worn tropes in science-fiction and spy thrillers. Presenting communism within a sci-fi context is nothing new, and likely dates back to Yevgeny Zamyatin’s novel We (1920). Other notable examples include Alexey Tolstoy’s Aelita, adapted as the fascinating 1924 film Aelita, Queen of Mars, and director Don Siegel’s B-movie masterpiece Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Likewise, many spy stories have utilized the trope of enemy agents training in a fake commune to better pass for Americans, something KGB agents were known to do during the Cold War.

If I had to praise to this story, I would admit it’s interesting the creators combine these two tropes and put a novel spin on it. It’s absurd and I agree with Alan J. Porter that it lacks tension, but I admire it when people swing for the fences, even if they miss.

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #8 (1984) as “Operation Blücher”

Reprints: Translated and published in Finland, Hungary, Norway, and Russia under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond, Agent 007 #4 (1985) as “Operaatio Blücher”
• James Bond #2 (1989) as “A Blücher Akció”
• James Bond #4 (1985) as “Operasjon Blücher”
• James Bond #2 (1994) (title unknown)

Writer: Svere Årnes (wrongly credited as Jack Sutter in some editions)

Artist: Josep Gual

Restoration: IANCCS

Translators: IANCCS based upon French text from Commander 007 by Guy Eloi, and Clinton Rawls, with special thanks to Lennart Guldbrandsson (@BondWriting)

Notes: I really enjoyed this story. Årnes uses historical facts as a backdrop for Bond’s mission, giving a sense of verisimilitude to the plot. This history of the Blücher and the Battle of Drøbak Sound is fascinating, and served as a pivotal moment in World War II that I was unaware of before my research.

Many Semic comics seem to rush through the third act, but this story is much better paced and has a natural flow. That said, the final twist could have benefited from more setup. And although I wish the female agent Bond works with was more integral to the climax, it is refreshing to see a woman in one of these Semic books who is all business until the job is done. Josep Gual’s artwork has a nice grittiness in this issue, and he excels at the underwater battles.

In 1988, writer Svere Årnes and director Oddvar Bull Tuhus released the feature film Blücher (posters below). I watched the film and while the MacGuffin is the same—secret Nazi documents aboard the sunken Blücher—the characters, their motivations, and the general story beats are quite different from this comic book. While I applaud Årnes for making both works engaging, each bear a strong resemblance to Len Deighton’s novel Horse Under Water.

Incidentally, a critically acclaimed 2016 film, The King’s Choice, depicts the German invasion of Norway. Although I have yet to see the film, it does star Bond series regular Jesper Christensen (Mr. White).

And finally, if you can’t get enough of James Bond on the Blücher, check out Peter Hunt’s excellent film Shout at the Devil starring Roger Moore and Lee Marvin!

Artistic Licence: In translating this comic, the editions available to me wrongly credited the writer of the book. Out of respect to Svere Årnes, I corrected this error. In addition, I updated some of the facts regarding the Blücher and made some references to World War II a bit more explicit for the purpose of clarity. Finally, one panel in the book featured mixed up word balloons, flip-flopping the text of a telephone call. I made an adjustment to the artwork to correct this error and eliminate any confusion.

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #1 (1985) as “Kodnamn Romeo”

Reprints: Translated and published in Norway and Hungary under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond #5 (1985) as “Kodenavn Romeo”
• James Bond #3 (1989) as “Fedöneve: Rómeó”

Writer: Svere Årnes

Artist: Josep Gual

Image Restoration: IANCCS

Translators: IANCCS, based upon French text from Commander 007 by Guy Eloi, and Clinton Rawls

Notes: As Alan J. Porter states, this is a “generic action story that doesn’t really need James Bond in it to make it work.” Although he’s not wrong, I still enjoyed the book, though it’s not without issues. One of my problems is that more of the story could have been dedicated to the villain and his motivations. Oddly enough, one of his subordinates seems to have a much stronger incentive to cause such chaos, so it all seems a bit undercooked. And while the secret weapon at the heart of the story is a memorable device, the Shakespeare allusion seems almost completely squandered. Herein lies my biggest issue with this story. I kept expecting Bond to throw out a bit of the Bard’s words as a pithy retort, but no such luck. A wasted opportunity for sure, but this is still a fun story. Upon finishing this translation, Shakespeare’s words rang true in my head:

“These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triump die, like fire and powder
Which, as they kiss, consume” - Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 6)

Artistic Licence: In the original comic, “Juliet” is referred to as “Julia”. In my research, I found this is common in Sweden so it’s not an error, though I did alter the name to be more in keeping with Shakespeare’s intent. In addition, I took the liberty of changing the artwork when the name is spelled out. Finally, the comic at times states Bond works for MI5 and I made the decision to change this to MI6.

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #3 (1985) as “Den Gröna Döden”

Reprints: Reprinted in Sweden and translated and published in Finland, Norway, and Hungary under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond, Agent 007 #2 (1995)
• James Bond, Agent 007 #5 (1985) as “Vihreä Koulema”
• James Bond #6 (1985) as “Den Grønne Døden”
• James Bond #4 (1990) as “Zöld Halal”

Writer: Jack Sutter

Artist: Juan Sarompas

Restoration: IANCCS

Translators: IANCCS based upon French text from Commander 007 by Guy Eloi, and Clinton Rawls with special thanks to Lennart Guldbrandsson (@BondWriting)

Cover Blurb: “Bond faces a new foe—a woman who experiments with genetic manipulation. Introducing DOMINIQUE!”

Notes: Batman fans may enjoy this tale because it’s essentially James Bond versus Poison Ivy, but as a Bond story it does come across as a parody save for the villain’s grim backstory. While the notion of deadly flora calls to mind Fleming’s You Only Live Twice, this comic veers into a more outlandish territory. The plot would be right at home in a spycraze sendup or any Eurospy film, and Sutter leans into the sexism and discussion of Women’s Lib so this is very much of its time. On its own, this story is entertaining enough and I still enjoy the art by Sarompas, but like most Semic stories, it rushes through the third act.

Originally Published: James Bond, Agent 007 #4 (1985) as “Döden på Tahiti”

Reprints: Reprinted in Sweden, and translated and published in Finland, Hungary, and Norway under the following titles, respectively

• James Bond, Agent 007 #3 (1996)
• James Bond, Agent 007 #6 (1985) as “Kouleman Tahiti”
• James Bond #5 (1990) as “Halal Tahitin”
• James Bond #1 (1986) (Døden på Tahiti)

Writer: Svere Årnes

Artist: Juan Sarompas

Restoration: IANCCS

Translators: IANCCS and Clinton Rawls, with special thanks to Lennart Guldbrandsson (@BondWriting)

Notes: Alan J. Porter in his book refers to this as “another generic action hero plot with Bond squeezed in,” and I can’t exactly argue with him there. This follows a similar structure to other stories written by Årnes, though it does take a campy turn late in the second act which I did not see coming. Sarompas’ art continues to be fine, though the book overall feels a bit rote.

One interesting aspect is the villain of this piece may in fact be a queer character. Not only is his nickname phallic in nature, but Bond’s plan hinges on the male gaze dominating his enemies. As his plan unfolds, Bond makes a disparaging comment about homosexuals only for the book to cut straight to the villain not falling for Bond’s sexual trap. It’s not much to go on, but it certainly stood out to me in a largely by the numbers comic. For an excellent and academic breakdown of queer representation in the Bond universe, check out the blog Licence to Queer by the ever so intellectual David Lowbridge-Ellis.

And if you absolutely can’t get enough of Bond taking on pirates, maybe you’ll enjoy the 1980 film Ffolkes (aka North Sea Hijack) starring Roger Moore sending up his Bond image as a reclusive woman-hating, cat-loving, underwater commando. Needless to say, he’s a blast!

Artistic Licence: In the Finnish copy which I derived most of my translation from, Sir Peter Bellstone is called Sir Peter Brillstone on page five. Thanks to a kind reader who spotted the error, I’ve corrected the page and have elected to call the character Bellstone in keeping with the majority of the book.