The comic debuts on November 4, two days before the new Bond film James Bond: Spectre opens (see “New 'James Bond: Spectre' Spot”).
Here is Ellis on his approach to the character.
What aspects of the Bond character are most interesting to you, and how will you work those into your stories?
Psychologically, Bond is a fascinating character to write. It's all in the Fleming books: the vengeful nature, the physical and mental damage. Fundamentally, he's a man who's been broken by his job - the "blunt instrument of British foreign policy" in the famous phrase, a man on his own with a small gun and soft shoes placed into extraordinarily dangerous situations by a poor and prideful post-empire state.
How will your Bond be different from (or like) previous incarnations of the character?This is, very specifically, the Ian Fleming Bond. Not the Bond of the films, or any other version you've seen. This is the original, simply time-shifted to the contemporary space. (I didn't want to attempt a 50s/60s version, for various reasons, including wanting to avoid the possibility of camp or parody.) This is the same man you find in the books, with the same small supporting cast: M, Moneypenny, Bill Tanner, Major Boothroyd.
What are the biggest influences you’re bringing to your James Bond?
Only one. Ian Fleming. It's all about finding ways to adapt his style to comics: his story structures, the way he selected locales, his eye for detail (where Jason Masters is invaluable). The advantages of comics are helping - things like the little tours and journeys Bond takes can make marvelous visual sequences. It's all about bringing the breath of Ian Fleming to comics.
How does working with the estate compare with working with other IP owners you’ve worked with? Do you have the freedom you need to express your interpretation of the character?
It's been hugely different - the best experience I've ever had with a licensor outside of comics. I usually avoid gigs like this like the plague, but the estate offered me a sit-down in London, and we spent an afternoon talking about every aspect of the gig. And they've been true to their word ever since. I've had complete freedom to this point, and they've supported every choice I've made, as have Dynamite.
Many of our readers are retailers. What should they know about your James Bond?Well, it's going to be on time, despite my having been a guest of the Acute Stroke Unit of my local hospital during production...!
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