JAMES BOND: AGENT OF SPECTRE #5 – Review

In JAMES BOND: AGENT OF SPECTRE #5, available from Dynamite Comics on July 21st, 2021, the final confrontation between 007, Blofeld, and Titania Jones comes to its explosive conclusion.

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The Details

• Written By: Christos Gage
• Art By: Luca Casalanguida
• Colors By: Heather Moore
• Letters By: Simon Bowland
• Cover Art By: Luca Casalanguida
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: July 21, 2021

Was It Good?

Yes, it was an impactful and fitting end to a stellar James Bond run. As a bonus, there’s a twist at the end that has a slight origin story feel to it.

I’ve praised Gage’s run since the first issue and there’s not been one dip in the quality of storytelling. Gage’s approach to 007 has captured the spirit and the flavor of the best Bond adventures from issue #1 until now.

In this final issue of the run. the pacing is practically a sprint as Bond rushes to escape the self-destructing base while fighting off both Titania Jones (in her mech suit) and Blofeld in alternating scenes. Just when you think one fight is done, the other tags in to keep the action going. This is stellar action writing.

“How about the art?” you say. The art is nearly great. Casalanguida alternates from dramatic inks and hard edges in some panels to thin, sketchy lines in others. When he goes for the dramatic inks, it suits the material better and gives the scene more depth. The thin, sketchy linework feels unfinished, slightly rushed. It’s not a hugely jarring difference in visuals from one panel to the next, but some panels definitely look more polished and work better than others.

Minor quibbles over the art aside, this is as good a James Bond run as Dynamite could hope for. The central plot is complex, 007’s “voice” feels dead center accurate, and the conclusion is wholly satisfying.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

First, read our JAMES BOND: AGENT OF SPECTRE #4 review to find out how James got himself into this mess.

007 and Blofeld are surrounded by Titania Jones’s forces in Blofeld’s underground lab facility. This looks like this is the end, but of course, Blofeld always has another card to play. The self-destruct is activated, and Blofeld activates a trigger on his ring that sets off a mean flash-band explosion to knock Jones’s forces out of sorts.

From then on, it’s an all-out melee of confusion as James fights to stay alive and beat a hasty retreat before the base explodes. When he makes it to the surface with the island disintegrating minute-by-minute, he still has to contend with Jones and Blofeld in a three-way battle.

In the end, only one will survive (or maybe not) before the island goes up in rubble and flames.

Final Thoughts

JAMES BOND: AGENT OF SPECTRE #5 is filled with intense action, edge-of-your-seat twists and turns, and a satisfying conclusion (with a twist) to bring this exemplary Bond adventure to a conclusion.

Score: 9/10