MI6 looks back at the issues of comic book "James Bond, Agent 007" published in Sweden by Semic Press in 1988...

Semic James Bond Comic Books - 1988
17th August 2009

Whilst the James Bond comic strip series was first published in UK newspaper The Daily Express from 7th July 1958, fans in Sweden had to wait seven years until the first translated versions of the strips landed on their shores. Rather than finding a national newspaper to run the daily strips, Swedish publisher Semic collated the stories in to a comic book titled "James Bond, Agent 007", releasing issues periodically through the years. Due to the switch from long narrow strips of 3 or 4 cells to a portrait comic book, Semic reformatted the original artwork by John McLusky and Yaroslav Horak - sometimes crudely adding artwork where needed, and sometimes removing redundant cells due to the shift away from the daily serialization. Semic continued to use the original strip material up until 1981, when it started to introduce original adventures for the Swedish readership. As the newspaper strip came to an end in 1988, Semic increasingly relied on their new stories, and this spelled the beginning of the end due to their varying quality. After merging with fellow ailing comic "The Saint", the comic book ceased publication in Sweden in 1996.

 

Kommando Kuba (Cuba Commandos)

Data Stream
Issue: #1 (1988 series)
Released: 12th January 1988
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 68
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 8:70 SEK

Featured Story
"Cuba Commandos" was the thirty-second original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 24 pages, it was drawn by Sarompas and written by Jack Sutter. Characters included Hearns; Callan; Lewis; Merry Hopper; Tre Skolpojkar; US President.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Blodspengar (The Saint)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Timothy Dalton and Maryam d'Abo in "The Living Daylights".


 

Dödlig Dos (Lethal Dose)

Data Stream
Issue: #2 (1988 series)
Released: 16th February 1988
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 68
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 9.00 SEK

Featured Story
"Lethal Dose" was the thirty-third original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 24 pages, it was drawn by Josep Gual and written by Sverre Årnes. Characters included M; Mary Moneypenny; Sir Henry Walters; Janice; Mark; Arthur; Major Simmons; Frank; Dr Helena Steiner; Dr Waldo Abrams; Julius Ferner; Sally Jordan.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Amazonen (The Saint)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Timothy Dalton in "The Living Daylights", one page pin-up photo of Roger Moore and Barbara Bach in "The Spy Who Loved Me".


 

Med Döden I Sikte (With Death In Sight)

Data Stream
Issue: #4 (1988 series)
Released: April 1988
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 68
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 9.00 SEK

Featured Story
"With Death In Sight" was the thirty-fourth original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 24 pages, it was drawn by Manuel Carmona and written by Bill Harrington. Characters included M; Mary Moneypenny; Magda; Claggart; Morag MacKenzie; Smith; Stead.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Den Grymma Jakten (The Saint)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Roger Moore, Barbara Bach and Richard Kiel in "The Spy Who Loved Me", one page pin-up photo of Roger Moore, Barbara Bach and Curt Jurgens in "The Spy Who Loved Me".


 

Diamantfeber (Diamonds Are Forever - Part 1)

Data Stream
Issue: #5 (1988 series)
Released: 10th May 1988
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 68
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 9.00 SEK

Featured Story
"Diamonds Are Forever" by Ian Fleming adapted by Henry Gammidge, artwork by John McLusky. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Express from 10th August 1959 (strip #340) to 30th January 1960 (strip #487).

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Bronsguden (The Saint)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Sean Connery and Lana Wood in "Diamonds Are Forever", one page pin-up photo of Sean Connery in "Diamonds Are Forever".


 

Diamantfeber (Diamonds Are Forever - Part 2)

Data Stream
Issue: #6 (1988 series)
Released: 14th June 1988
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 68
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 9.00 SEK

Featured Story
"Diamonds Are Forever" by Ian Fleming adapted by Henry Gammidge, artwork by John McLusky. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Express from 10th August 1959 (strip #340) to 30th January 1960 (strip #487).

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Mot Alla Odds (The Saint)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Roger Moore and Tina Hudson in "Octopussy".


 

Robo-Killer (Robo-Killer)

Data Stream
Issue: #7 (1988 series)
Released: 12th July 1988
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 68
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 9.90 SEK

Featured Story
"Robo-Killer" was the thirty-fifth original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 24 pages, it was drawn by Sarompas and written by Jack Sutter. Characters included M; Mary Moneypenny; Ludwig Robokiller; Michelle; Khaleem; general Neverof; Calculus; Beef.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
En Säker Död (The Saint)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of the Liparus tanker from "The Spy Who Loved Me", one page pin-up photo of Roger Moore and Madeleine Smith in "Live And Let Die", one page pin-up photo of Sean Connery and Lana Wood in "Diamonds Are Forever".


 

Danse Macabre (Dances Macabre)

Data Stream
Issue: #8 (1988 series)
Released: 16th August 1988
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 68
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 9.90 SEK

Featured Story
"Dances Macabre" was the thirty-sixth original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 24 pages, it was drawn by Josep Gual and written by Bill Harrington. Characters included M; Mary Moneypenny; Daniella Heim; Niko Kolyannis.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Konsten Att Göra En Tavla (The Saint)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Timothy Dalton in "The Living Daylights", one page pin-up photo of Andreas Wisniewski in "The Living Daylights", one page pin-up photo of Sean Connery as James Bond.


 

I Hennes Majestäts Hemliga Tjänst Del (O.H.M.S.S. - Part 1)

Data Stream
Issue: #9 (1988 series)
Released: 13th September 1988
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 68
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 9.90 SEK

Featured Story
"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" by Ian Fleming, adaptation by Henry Gammidge, artwork by John McLusky. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Express from 29th June 1964 (strip #1) to 17th May 1965 (strip #274).

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Tjallaren (The Saint)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of George Lazenby in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service".


 

Levande Död (The Living Dead)

Data Stream
Issue: #12 (1988 series)
Released: December 1988
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 68
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 9.90 SEK

Featured Story
"The Living Dead" was the thirty-eighth original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 24 pages, it was drawn by Sarompas and written by Jack Sutter. Characters included M; Mary Moneypenny; KGB-Agent Tanya [alias Wong Won]; Bunker; Felix Leiter.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Julklappsmorden (The Saint)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Roger Moore as James Bond, one page pin-up photo of Sean Connery and Rik van Nutter in "Thunderball", one page pin-up photo of Roger Moore and Christopher Walken in "A View To A Kill".

Missing In Action
1988 #3 - Dr No (Döden På Jamaica)
1988 #10 - I Hennes Majestäts Hemliga Tjänst Del (O.H.M.S.S. Part 2)
1988 #11 - Operation Uboki (Operation: Uboki)

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