James Bond: Hammerhead #5 Review: Victoria Hunt On The Warpath

Victoria Hunt is revealed as the terrorist Kraken! How many lives will she kill to make a buck? Can James Bond stop her?

James Bond: Hammerhead #5

Writer: Andy Diggle

Artist: Luca Casalanguida

Colorist: Chris Blythe

James Bond has battled no end of maniacs, terrorists, and despots. Yet it always is still rare when his nemesis is a woman. Due to the era in which many of his stories were written or the hints of chauvinism within the franchise, it rarely occurs. Andy Diggle has chosen to change that with Victoria Hunt. Cleverly introduced at the start of the story as yet another woman Bond beds, she’s evolved into far more. She’s manipulated everyone into a deadly war game they may not escape.

M, Moneypenny, and the British minister of defense learn too late of Victoria Hunt’s true self. She has manipulated the entire events of her series. She plotted the execution of her father to gain control of Hunt Engineering. In addition, she’s seeking to make her Hammerhead weapon the hot military item on the globe. To do that, she’s willing to stage a massive terrorist attack upon London itself. Yet even the usually unflappable James Bond has been three steps behind her so far!

Seems Like the Devil Does Wear Prada!

Like any good Bond villain, Victoria Hunt makes sure to reveal her plans to a captive audience. She stands revealed as a British hard righter, at the very least. She yearns for the “classical” Britain which was a colonizing super power, and is utterly ruthless in what she desires. When a military force is assembled against her, she capitalizes on their aim of negotiation to launch a nuclear missile! Even James Bond is caught in the cross hairs of Hammerhead, a sophisticated rail gun.

Bond himself remains the only hope of thwarting her plans. Having survived her trap in Yemen, Bond departs the Fox and hooks up with more allies. His past in the British Navy is embellished upon as he touches down on the submarine Vengeance. As a result of Victoria Hunt’s actions, Bond is witness to the nuclear launch, and gets into a closer position to her stronghold. With all of his allies dead, Victoria Hunt may also find herself against the least “bleeding heart” Brit around!

Andy Diggle writes another simple yet excellently executed chapter. Considering the course of the U.S. election, reading Victoria Hunt say things like, “We’re going to make Britain great again” carry much more weight and meaning than otherwise. It seems like there are “hard right” figures in every country. Those whose loyalties lay closer to international commerce than any one nation seem to be even more so. War profiteers are as old as time, and Victoria Hunt stands with them.

Most of All, Great Character Moments Emerge!

Moneypenny also has an interesting scene during a brief stand off with Victoria Hunt’s mercenaries. She takes her job as assistant and bodyguard to the head of MI6 seriously. Moneypenny takes it so seriously that she is willing to kill M rather than risk him being captured for information. James Bond’s past remains an elusive thing even so long after Ian Fleming created him, so the discussion about his past in the Navy was enlightening.

Luca Casalanguida and Chris Blythe once again knock it out of the park on art. There is a bit of gun play, parachuting, submarine launches, and laser gun blasts to let them showcase their stuff. Casalanguida’s Bond retains the classic elements from the novels and Warren Ellis’ series, while having a distinctive edge all his own. The face is sterner, a slight scar or ware lines on his chiseled cheek is notable. Bond may be suave, but he is also a ruthless warrior who has seen many wars.

The main James Bond series relaunches in the spring, written by Benjamin Percy. Andy Diggle has crafted an entertaining interlude between volumes with Hammerhead. The plot is simple yet is effective in presenting what it is and what it wants to be. It uses some tried and true tropes from older James Bond stories while presenting them in new ways. As a mystery, Victoria Hunt as Kraken is basic. But as a villain, she can more than challenge 007. Look out for next month’s finale!