James Bond Is Getting A 'Darker' Makeover From The Creator Of The Boys

A new, darker era is just around the corner for Bond, James Bond. Dynamite Entertainment has announced that a brand new "James Bond" comic book series is set to hit shelves early next year, with none other than Garth Ennis writing the upcoming adventures for 007. Ennis, known for his work on "The Boys" and "Preacher," promises to bring a darker edge to the character more closely associated with author Ian Fleming's literary creation.

"When I took a look at the Bond of the Fleming novels, as opposed to the larger-than-life figure from the movies, I saw a great deal more potential — a much darker character in a more interesting world," Ennis said in a press release. 2023 marks the 70th anniversary of Bond, with the character first appearing in Fleming's "Casino Royale" in 1953. This announcement was made as part of the celebration. As for what Ennis has in store for Bond? The new story will be titled "Your Cold, Cold Heart" and a synopsis for the tale reads as follows:

This new story titled "Your Cold, Cold Heart" finds Bond dealing with a truly disturbing silent killer. A relic of the Cold War, the deadly compound Stalvoda — roughly meaning "steel water" in Russian — is thought to have achieved the impossible – the holy grail of arms manufacturers: is it possible to kill an enemy without inflicting any visible damage and leaving no trace whatsoever? Right as the weapon is perfected, though, it escapes the lab. MI6 naturally assigns their top operative to the hunt.

Ennis will be joined by artist Rapha Lobosco ("James Bond: Black Box") on the new series, with Dave Johnson ("Detective Comics," "Deadpool") providing the cover art. You can check out some preview art for the first issue below, including the cover.

"Your Cold, Cold Heart" will feature appearances from familiar faces such as M, Q, Moneypenny, and Felix Leiter. But Ennis is also introducing a new character named Archie Tryon. He is described as "an eccentric, old veteran who enjoys strolls into the sea [and] the man brought the earlier formula out of the Soviet Union in the first place." Bond will go to him and get more than he bargained for, "perhaps seeing a glimpse of his own future." With Tyron lies the first clues to unraveling a conspiracy that traces back deep into the heart of MI6.

Dynamite has been handling the "James Bond" comics for a decade now, publishing everything from direct adaptations of Fleming's novels to Bond origin stories set during World War II, as well as original story arcs. Speaking as a big Bond fan, I believe Dynamite has done some great work with the franchise during this time. I would personally recommend 2018's "Kill Chain" by writer Andy Diggle and artist Luca Casalanguida. But I digress. Ennis feels like the right guy to bring something fresh to the table and the early artwork, coupled with the story details, makes for a promising start.

Meanwhile, the world continues to wait for a new actor to be cast as Bond to take over now that the Daniel Craig era is over. His run concluded two years ago with the release of "No Time to Die." In the meantime, Ennis is here to help fill the void.

Look for "James Bond" #1 on shelves in January 2024.