MI6 looks back at the issues of comic book "James Bond, Agent 007" published in Sweden by Semic Press in 1983...

Semic James Bond Comic Books - 1983
29th April 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 1985, 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.

 

Jungle Devils (Operation Jungle Devils)

Data Stream
Issue: #1 (1983 series)
Released: 28th December 1982
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 6.35 SEK

Featured Story
"The Jungle Devils" was the second original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 26 pages, it was drawn by Escolano and written by Sverre Årnes.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
TBC

Miscellaneous
TBC


 

Slavhandlarna (The Slave Traders)

Data Stream
Issue: #2 (1983 series)
Released: February 1983
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 6.50 SEK

Featured Story
"The Slave Traders" was the third original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 24 pages, it was drawn by Escolano and written by Jack Sutter. Characters included Pensikov, Cogan, Absalom, Jade, Batu, Fowles and Rees.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Gamarnas Herre (Carolina Yes)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Sean Connery.


 

Kodnamn Nemesis (Codename Nemesis)

Data Stream
Issue: #3 (1983 series)
Released: 30th March 1983
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 6.50 SEK

Featured Story
"Codename Nemesis" was the fourth original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 24 pages, it was drawn by Josep Gual and written by Jack Sutter. Characters included Sir Argonaut Lumley, Amelia Pinkerton, Mary Moneypenny, M, Barnes Marsden, Fosberry, Grimsley, Felix Leiter, Aloysius Potter and Dunia Gudurin.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Skorpionen (Peter Scratch)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Sean Connery.


 

Dödsmasken (Deathmask - Part 1)

Data Stream
Issue: #4 (1983 series)
Released: April 1983
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 6.50 SEK

Featured Story
Original story "Deathmask" by Jim Lawrence, artwork by John McLusky. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Star from 7th June 1982 (strip #379) to 8th February 1983 (strip #552).

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Operation "Dårhus" (Peter Scratch)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007.


 

Dödsmasken (Deathmask - Part 2)

Data Stream
Issue: #5 (1983 series)
Released: 28th June 1983
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 6.75 SEK

Featured Story
Original story "Deathmask" by Jim Lawrence, artwork by John McLusky. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Star from 7th June 1982 (strip #379) to 8th February 1983 (strip #552).

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Uppdrag I Berlin (Peter Scratch)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Roger Moore [James Bond] and Maud Adams [Octopussy] in "Octopussy" (1983).


 

Operation Burma (Operation Burma)

Data Stream
Issue: #6 (1983 series)
Released: 16th August 1983
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 6.75 SEK

Featured Story
"Operation Burma" was the fifth original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 24 pages, it was drawn by Sarompas and written by Jack Sutter. Characters included Grok, Miss Freeman, M, Q, Svinin, Kyun, Lun Yan Chieng, Belinda and Omar.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Krypskytten (Peter Scratch)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Roger Moore [James Bond] and Louis Jourdan [Kamal Khan] in "Octopussy" (1983).


 

Likvidera Bond! (Liquidate Bond)

Data Stream
Issue: #7 (1983 series)
Released: 4th October 1983
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 6.75 SEK

Featured Story
"Liquidate Bond" was the sixth original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 24 pages, it was drawn by Josep Gual and written by Jack Sutter. Characters included John Winter Agent 002, M, Sally Matthew, Q and Colonel Lev Makar.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Intrig I Istanbul (Peter Scratch)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo of Roger Moore [James Bond] and Kabir Bedi [Gobinda ] in "Octopussy" (1983).


 

Den Vita Döden (The White Death)

Data Stream
Issue: #8 (1983 series)
Released: 22nd November 1983
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 6.75 SEK

Featured Story
"The White Death" was the seventh original James Bond story produced by Semic. Running over 24 pages, it was drawn by Sarompas and written by Sverre Årnes. Characters included Rosita Cortez, Dobrowny, Mary Moneypenny, M, Andujar, Dr Hencker [SS-Colonel Karl Heincke], Bill Wyler, Pedro Morales and Yayac.

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Orent Spel (Jeff Cobb)

Miscellaneous
Readers letters on the subject of 007, one page pin-up photo from "Octopussy" (1983).

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