MI6 looks back at the issues of comic book "James Bond, Agent 007" published in Sweden by Semic Press in 1977...

Semic James Bond Comic Books - 1977
11th July 2008

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.

 

Kontraspionaget Slår Till: Intrig På Balkan! (Till Death Do Us Part)

Data Stream
Issue: #44 (1967+ series)
Released: 11th January 1977
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 3.50 SEK
Cover Artwork: Jordi Penalva

Featured Story
Original story "Til Death Do Us Part" by Jim Lawrence, artwork by Yaroslav Horak. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Express from 7th July 1975 (strip #2898) to 14th October 1975 (strip #2983)

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Han var James Bond i verkligheten (Dusko Popov)
Skeletten (Rånarna Seymour)
Pärlornas förbannelse (John Panyard)
Jobb från insidan (Vernon Mayberry)

Miscellaneous
One page photo of Roger Moore as James Bond in "Live And Let Die", one page photo of Sean Connery as James Bond in "You Only Live Twice".


 

Ubåt Saknas (The Hildebrand Rarity)

Data Stream
Issue: #45 (1967+ series)
Released: 22nd March 1977
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 4.50 SEK
Cover Artwork: Jordi Penalva

Featured Story
"The Hildebrand Rarity" by Ian Fleming, adaptation by Jim Lawrence, artwork by Yaroslav Horaky. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Express from 29th May 1967 (strip #429) to 16th December 1967 (strip #602)

Non-Bond Additional Stories
Polis-magistern (Pete Purcell)
Natt med fullmåne (Johnny)

Miscellaneous
One page photo montage of Tetsuro Tamba as Tiger Tanaka from "You Only Live Twice" and Roger Moore as James Bond from "Live And Let Die", 1 page text article on artist Yaroslav Horak "before Bond".


 

En Enkel, Acapulco! (The Torch-Time Affair)

Data Stream
Issue: #46 (1967+ series)
Released: 31st May 1977
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 3.50 SEK
Cover Artwork: Jordi Penalva

Featured Story
Original story "The Torch-Time Affair" by Jim Lawrence, artwork by Yaroslav Horak. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Express from 15th October 1975 (strip #2984) to 15th January 1976 (strip #3060)

Miscellaneous
Details TBC


 

Operation Spökflyg (The Spy Who Loved Me - Part 1)

Data Stream
Issue: #47 (1967+ series)
Released: July 1977
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 3.50 SEK
Cover Artwork: TBC

Featured Story
"The Spy Who Loved Me" by Ian Fleming, adaptation by Jim Lawrence, artwork by Yaroslav Horaky. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Express from 18th December 1967 (strip #603) to 3rd October 1968 (strip #815)

Miscellaneous
Details TBC


 

Dödsstrålen (Hot-Shot)

Data Stream
Issue: #48 (1967+ series)
Released: September 1977
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 3.50 SEK

Featured Story
Original story "Hot Shot" by Jim Lawrence, artwork by Yaroslav Horak. Reprinted from the comic strips published by the Daily Express from 16th January 1976 (strip #3061) to 1st June 1976 (strip #3178)

Miscellaneous
Details TBC


 

Bäddat För Bond... Skräcknatten (The Spy Who Loved Me - Part 2)

Data Stream
Issue: #49 (1967+ series)
Released: 197
Format: 17cm x 26 cm
Pages: 52
Publisher: Semic Press AB
Cover Price: 4.00 SEK
Cover Artwork: TBC

Featured Story
"The Spy Who Loved Me" by Ian Fleming, adaptation by Jim Lawrence, artwork by Yaroslav Horaky. 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
Den mänskliga flugan (Bert Baker)

Miscellaneous
One page 'pinup' photo of Roger Moore as James Bond.

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