Review: James Bond: Black Box #6 (of 6)

James Bond is a badass. Now that we have established the obvious, and I“ve written the most simplistic and accurate synopsis of 007 maybe”¦ever, let“s move on, shall we?Â In James Bond: Black Box #6, (Dynamite Comics) we find our hero deep within the bowls of the nuclear reactor in Fukushima Japan, attempting to foil the evil Genji, who has stolen some of the most politically sensitive data on Earth and is preparing to release it to the masses. His goal is to throw the world into chaos, creating distrust and war, while facilitating Japan“s rise to fill the power vacuum.

My personal preference in the past has led me away from comics based on characters steeped in a long tradition of novels or movies, but without hesitation I will admit, I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The story is quick paced and works on two different levels for me. First, Benjamin Percy (writer) clearly understands his character. The story is definitely modern, but is writtenÂ in aÂ classic Bond style. Readers are presented with a representation that is familiar and contemporary at the same time. Second, the story seems as if it could be plucked from the nightly news and for a moment I found myself hoping that Genji would find a way to succeed with his plan. With his ultimate goal being to release the truth which is hidden from us in plain sight, I ask myself, what is wrong with this concept? Alas, this is a debate better held in a different forum.

Artistically, I could not help but feel as if the team of Rapha Lobosco (artist) and Chris O“Halloran (colors) had found a way to transport me to the late 1960’s with their superb images. I am indeed a fan of classic comic art direction and this book isÂ suffused Â in it. The colors by O“Halloran specifically are quite electric. Without a doubt this is a praise worthy effort.

This sixth issue of the book wraps up the story nicely, but if you“ve not yet had the opportunity to follow along, don“t let that keep you from picking up this release. You can read it and fully understand the plot without any unanswered questions. Fans of Bond, or classic comic art in general will enjoy this book. My expectations were without a doubt exceeded.

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Written by; Benjamin Percy
Art by; Rapha Lobosco
Colors by; Chris O’Halloran
Published by; Dynamite Entertainment

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Bryan Spaulding

In his free time, other than reading comic books, Bryan enjoys listening to his ever growing record collection and driving his 27 year old roadster named Mingo.