MI6 looks back at the issues of comic book "James Bond, Agent 007" published in Sweden by Semic Press in 1969...

Semic James Bond Comic Books - 1969
14th November 2007

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.

 

Operation Spökflyg (The Spy Who Loved Me [Part 1])

Data Stream
Issue: #10 (1967+ series)
Released: 18th February 1969
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 1.50 SEK

Featured Story
"From A View to a Kill" by Ian Fleming, adaptation by Jim Lawrence, artwork by Yaroslav Horak. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Express from 18th December 1967 (strip #603) to 3rd October 1968 (strip #815)

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Fasornas Natt (Fredrik)

Miscellaneous
One page 'pinup' photo of Sean Connery as James Bond, one page photo special of Connery in "Goldfinger".


 

Skräcknatten (Fright Night - The Spy Who Loved Me [Part 2])

Data Stream
Issue: #11 (1967+ series)
Released: 13th May 1969
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 1.50 SEK

Featured Story
"From A View to a Kill" by Ian Fleming, adaptation by Jim Lawrence, artwork by Yaroslav Horak. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Express from 18th December 1967 (strip #603) to 3rd October 1968 (strip #815)

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Dödsdrogen ( Al Martino)

Miscellaneous
One page 'pinup' photo of Sean Connery as James Bond in "Goldfinger", on page photo of Connery as Bond in "You Only Live Twice", one page photo special on the Women of James Bond.


 

Fågelkvinnorna (Bird Woman - The Harpies)

Data Stream
Issue: #12 (1967+ series)
Released: 5th August 1969
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 1.50 SEK

Featured Story
Original story "The Harpies" by Jim Lawrence, artwork by Yaroslav Horak. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Express from 4th October 1968 (strip #816) to 23rd June 1968 (strip #1037)

Miscellaneous
One page 'pinup' photo of Sean Connery as James Bond in "Dr No", on page photo of Connery as Bond in "Goldfinger".

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