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The Golden Ghost
| Publisher: |
Daily Express |
| Released: |
21st August 1970 to
16th January 1971 |
| Serial: |
#1394 to #1519 |
| Artist: |
Yaroslav Horak |
| Writer: |
Jim Lawrence |
Data Stream
| Villains: |
Felix Ignace Bruhl, Regan, Slater, Arno Kane, Kapski,
Vix, Madame Spectra |
| Bond Girls: |
Velvet Lee, Bridget Penwyn |
| Allies: |
Sutton, Miss Moneypenny, M, Bill Tanner |
| Locations: |
London, UK; Cannes, France; St. Tropez, France; Nice,
France; Island off the coast of Africa |
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Above: Bond is usually cautious of
superstition, and is proved right after Penwyn meets an
untimely end.
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Capsule Synopsis
James Bond volunteers to learn the true motivation of the mysterious
Madam Spectra - who appears in the opening panel only -
offering S.P.E.C.T.R.E. information in exchange for £1 million.
Following a failed rendezvous with a S.P.E.C.T.R.E. agent, Bond
soon realises a third party is at play and returns to London with
only his contact’s brief dying words and an ambiguous symbol.
The establishment finally takes Bond’s suspicions over the
Golden Ghost’s maiden voyage seriously when a clairvoyant
who predicted disaster for the nuclear powered ship is killed
under his nose.
Above: The opening panel of "The
Golden Ghost" |
Above: Bond survives his keel-hauling
and returns to confront Bruhl. |
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Source To Strip
Writer Jim Lawrence embarks on a fresh adventure following
the adaptation of Kingsley Amis' "Colonel Sun"
novel. The opening strip draws attention to this for the
first time with the caption "from an original story
by Jim Lawrence". The plot features a unique twist:
SPECTRE's old guard (loyal to Ernst Stavro Blofeld) seeking
revenge against Bond whilst also competing with the new
regime led by Madame Spectra. Due to this infighting, Spectra
actually assists Bond in his mission.
Although some of the cave backdrops are not up to his usual
high standard, Horak's action sequences carry the story
brilliantly, so much so that there is not a single word
of dialog uttered for 23 cells during the climatic fight
in the bowels of the airship.
The strip contains some notable future echo's with the
film series: Bond's keel hauling in shark infested waters
was used two years later in "Live And Let Die",
an airship controlled by a villain also appeared in 1985's
"A View To A Kill", and a brutal fight in a galley
kitchen would feature in 1987's "The Living Daylights". |
Best Line
Bruhl: "Our last conversation was cut short by James Bond.
This time, I trust, we are safe some any such annoying interruption!"
Trivia
Bond finds the initials 'GG' inscribed on a lighter that tips
him off to the villain - the same initials and clue were used
on a diamond in the 2002 film "Die Another Day".
MI6 Rating
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Available Now!
Publisher: Titan Books
Released: 21st April 2006
Titles Included: "The Golden Ghost", "Fear
Face", "Double Jeopardy", "Star Fire"
"The Golden Ghost"
by Titan Books
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Related Articles
Newspaper Strips Index
Comics Coverage
All Comics Articles
Images courtesy Titan Books and Amazon Associates.
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