James Bond: Trouble Spot
The newspaper strips in this handsome British import deserve  reprinting in themselves, besides demonstrating Bond's continuing potency as a  cultural icon. After running out of novels to adapt into comics, theDaily Expresshad its crew of writer  Lawrence and artist Horak create original adventures. The four tales gathered  here, originally published in 1971–1973, offer solid storytelling and  above-average art that was much more detailed than anyone who saw the strips on  cheap newsprint could have imagined. They look good, and "Isle of Condors" and  "The League of Vampires" are as loopily entertaining as recent films in the  series. To be sure,Bondis a lesser strip  than its quirkily original contemporary rivalModesty  Blaise. Bond himself isn't so much a distinctive character as a  container into which male readers can pour their fantasies. However, Lawrence's  scripts efficiently set up the reliable mix of over-the-top villains,  underclothed damsels in distress and clever-looking puzzles for suave,  hypercompetent Agent 007 to solve. Horak's art presents baddies, babes and Bond  with a sophisticated, brisk style that is a pleasure to read. The formula  works, and this lovingly produced album shows how much fun vintage Bond still  can be.(Jan.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.