There are few figures in all of entertainment more iconic than James Bond. The fictional British Secret Service agent first created by writer Ian Fleming in 1953 has become an absolute institution, being wildly popular across books, movies, video games, and so much more and has captured the attention of generations of fans with his high stakes espionage adventures — and his romances as well. Right now, 007 may be having a bit of a lull in those adventures as the world waits to who will be the next actor to take up the beloved spy on screen but when it comes to Bond, you don’t have to wait much longer to dive back into his adventurous world.
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This fall, Titan Comics is publishing Ian Fleming’s James Bond Signature Comic Strip Collection Vol. 1, a brand-new book bringing together the first seven feature-length James Bond newspaper comic-strip adventures — stories that helped in spire the James Bond cinematic universe. The collection, by acclaimed artist John McLusky, collects Ian Fleming’s earliest literary adventures just in comic strip form — and ComicBook has an exclusive first look at the volume, coming out September 8th.
The James Bond Comic Strip Had Serious Influence on Big Screen Bond
Four years before Bond would hit the big screen with Dr. No, Fleming’s stories about the titular spy were adapted into comic strips for the Daily Express by illustrator John McLusky. The first strip Casino Royale ran from July 7, 1958, to December 13, 1958, with six more complete stories following soon after: Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia with Love, Dr. No, and Goldfinger. The series concluded in May 1961. What’s particularly fascinating about these strips is that they helped give Bond his signature look and style which would ultimately influence the live-action theatrical take brought to life by Sean Connery in 1962. When looking at the McLusky strips, it’s almost uncanny just how much of a perfect fit for Bond Connery ultimately was — he looks almost like he stepped right out of the strips themselves.
This upcoming volume from Titan Comics brings those six stories together and is a must-have for Bond fans. Not only does it offer up these classic stories as they were originally adapted for comics — in the years since, there have been numerous comics adaptations of Bond stories, but these strips are the original takes — but the volume also includes some unique content as well. Included in the volume is an extensive gallery of scanned original artwork, selected from the McLusky archive by his family. Together, it makes for a thrilling way to experience beloved Bond stories in a different and unexpected way — and perhaps, for some fans, for the very first time.
Ian Fleming’s James Bond Signature Comic Strip Collection Vol. 1 is set to be released by Titan Comics on September 8, 2026. It’s available for preorder now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Forbidden Planet for the UK & Europe.
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