James Bond #11 Review: Striking Like A Hammerhead
By Alex Widen
A double dose of Bond this week! In the main title, James Bond and his allies take on the head of Eidolon! In the Hammerhead spin off, it’s a gun fight in a shark tank!
James Bond #11
Writer: Warren Ellis
Artist: Jason Masters
Colorist: Guy Major
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With two Bond titles out right now, it was inevitable that Dynamite Entertainment would ship both at once. This week sees the penultimate issue of Ellis and Masters’ second major arc on the main title. In the horizon, a third spin off, based on ex-CIA agent Felix Leiter, is coming out in January. Is a Moneypenny miniseries inevitable? At any rate, it’s a good time for fans of Agent 007, as all of these comics have been excellent thus far. They are full of smart plotting and tense action.
Image by Dynamite Entertainment
The latest chapter of Eidolon starts off where the cliffhanger from the last issue left off. Beckett Hawkwood has staged a coup of British intelligence and is set to finish off M and alter the course of the U.K. It is all part of his scheme as a splinter cell of the espionage group SPECTRE. Despite his violence and grandstanding, he didn’t count on a few things. One being Moneypenny being a quick draw, and the other being MI5’s agent Eve Sharma teaming up with 007 and the rest.
Image by Dynamite Entertainment
Double Your Pleasure, Double Your Bond!
After a tense standoff, much of the issue focuses on a car chase through Winnerden between Bond and Hawkwood. Car chases aren’t the easiest thing to pull off in comic books, which are a static medium compared to film. Masters has proven to be a master (pun intended) at this over the course of the series. Hawkwood escapes to plot his boldest scheme of the series, which may spell doom for not only MI6, but all of Great Britain. Warren Ellis is pulling out all the stops!
Image by Dynamite Entertainment
Writer Andy Diggle and artist Luca Casalanguida give the main series a run for its money with Hammerhead #2. James Bond is in Dubai to protect Hunt Engineering (a major arms supplier) from the anti-capitalist group “Kraken.” As usual, this has led to Bond meeting a beautiful woman and getting embroiled in a great deal of danger. This time around, he meets Bernard Hunt, CEO of the company and the father of its vice president, Victoria. He’s also a dead ringer for Michael Caine.
Image by Dynamite Entertainment
Unfortunately, the martinis and flirting don’t last. Agents of Kraken infiltrate the party at the Blue Pearl Aquarium. Almost immediately, Bernard is assassinated and both Bond and Victoria are fighting for their lives. What’s worse, the Kraken terrorists are using some of Hunt Engineering’s own weapons against them. These include bullets which can tear through thick marble like paper. It all leads to a standoff between Bond, a masked gunman, and an overhead shark tank.
Image by Dynamite Entertainment
Is One Title Better Than the Other?
Comparing the two comics is a bit like comparing two perfect martinis. It all will come down to taste and detail. The main James Bond series certainly has a better villain in Beckett Hawkwood right now. He can match Agent 007 in wit, gunplay, and even “car fu.” His scarred face is visually distinctive, which is always important in a Bond villain. The overall plot involving a sleeper cell in British intelligence is riveting. But Hammerhead had a giant shark this week, which makes it even.
Image by Dynamite Entertainment
Next: Check out how James Bond: Hammerhead #1 went down!
Dynamite is onto something with their 007 comics. It’s still unknown if Ellis and Masters will be back for a third arc on the main series. Ellis frequently leaves a title after a year for other projects. The success of Hammerhead is vital for Dynamite to prove they can have other creators tell stories within the franchise. Spin offs like Felix Leiter will help expand it. At any rate, it’s been a great week for Bond comics, with next month’s finale looking like a real view to a kill.