Dynamite Announces 'Felix Leiter' From Robinson And Campbell

When Dynamite acquired the James Bond license in 2014, it announced its intention to do things in the comics that went well beyond the movies. Now we're getting our first glimpse at how Dynamite will deliver on their promise of expanding the James Bond comics universe with a series spotlighting 007's American counterpart, Felix Leiter.

Set to be solicited in November for release in early 2017, James Bond: Felix Leiter will be written by James Robinson, with art by Aaron Campbell. The series follows Leiter after he's left the CIA for a new career as a private investigator, only to find himself facing a threat from his past.

Here's the official word from Dynamite's press release:

"Felix Leiter is a fantastically interesting character," says writer James Robinson. "He combines the best elements of the James Bond universe with the dark alleys and darker deeds of crime fiction. A private detective, done with a life of spying, who is constantly dragged back into that world, like it or not. I'm excited for readers to see the tale of intrigue and big action that I've dreamed up for Felix."

"We are incredibly fortunate to be working with such talented creators and great properties. When it comes to James Bond, the character is both an icon and a great property, and we've worked with very talented creators, including Warren Ellis and Andy Diggle, to capture the very essence of literature's greatest spy on the comic page. Now, to work with James Robinson on an immediate follow-up to his current original Dynamite series, Grand Passion, is extremely rewarding," says CEO and Publisher, Nick Barrucci. "When we approached him about writing this particular Bond series, we knew he was the perfect writer to bring this character to comics in Fleming's original voice. This is a must-read series for any James Bond fan."

"I've been a lifelong fan of James' writing and it's beyond a thrill to be working with him on not one, but two comic book projects this year," says Joseph Rybandt, Executive Editor at Dynamite. "The expansion of the 007 comic book world this time out focuses on his American counter-part, Felix Leiter, and sends him into Japan. It's a trip all Bond fans are going to want to take this January!"

If you're unfamiliar with him, Leiter is one of the longest-serving supporting characters in the franchise, making his debut alongside Bond in Ian Fleming's first 007 novel, Casino Royale.

In the movies, he similarly debuted in the first film, Dr. No, serving as a counterpart and confidant to Bond throughout the films all the way up to License to Kill, in which his legs were eaten by a shark on his honeymoon.

Later, with the reboot of the Bond franchise in 2007's Casino Royale, Leiter returned, legs presumably unsharked, played by Jeffrey Wright.