IDW Publishing is developing a James Bond comic book series with acclaimed Scottish writer Grant Morrison attached to the project, according to exclusive reporting. The collaboration would bring one of comics' most celebrated and unconventional voices to the world's most enduring spy franchise, pairing a writer known for cerebral, reality-bending storytelling with a character built on suave, globe-trotting espionage.
The project remains in the works, and no release date, creative team beyond Morrison, or story details have been confirmed. IDW has not publicly commented on the reported development. Even in its early stages, though, the pairing has generated considerable interest among both Bond devotees and comics readers, who rarely see a franchise property handed to an author with Morrison's avant-garde reputation.
Morrison first made their name in the 1980s on British titles before moving to American publishers, where a run on Animal Man turned heads by folding metafictional commentary into superhero adventure. That was followed by a landmark stint on Doom Patrol and later a genre-redefining stretch on New X-Men. Perhaps the most cited work in Morrison's catalog is The Invisibles, a sprawling, conspiracy-laced series that drew on esoteric traditions and countercultural history. A lengthy Batman tenure and the psychedelic epic The Filth round out a body of work that has consistently resisted easy categorization.
That résumé makes Morrison an unusual but potentially inspired choice for 007. Bond has appeared in comics before, most notably in a long-running British newspaper strip and in various adaptations, but the character has rarely been treated as a vehicle for formal experimentation. A Morrison-penned Bond could push the series toward the surreal or the psychological in ways previous tie-ins have not attempted.
A Natural Fit for IDW
For IDW, landing Bond represents a notable addition to a catalog that has leaned heavily on licensed properties. The publisher has built a significant portion of its identity around franchise comics, and Bond fits that strategy neatly. The character arrives with a deep well of iconography - the martini, the Aston Martin, the tuxedo, the Walther PPK - and a rogues' gallery that spans decades of novels and films. That familiarity gives a creative team enormous latitude to either honor tradition or subvert it.
IDW's Bond comics would join a crowded field of licensed espionage and action titles across the industry, but the Bond brand carries a cultural weight few properties can match. The franchise has now spanned more than six decades on screen and even longer in print, beginning with Ian Fleming's novels in the 1950s. That longevity has produced multiple cinematic eras, each with its own tone and following, which raises an immediate question for any new adaptation: which Bond?
Which Bond Will Morrison Write?
The answer could shape the series considerably. A comic could draw on Fleming's original novels, the classic film continuity, or a wholly original interpretation. Morrison's instincts have often favored reinvention over reverence, and the writer has spoken in the past about the appeal of deconstructing established icons. Whether that means a psychologically fractured 007, a period piece, or something stranger remains unknown.
There is also the matter of format. IDW has not indicated whether the series would launch as an ongoing monthly, a limited run, or a series of original graphic novels. Each approach carries different commercial expectations, and Bond's appeal cuts across demographics in a way that could support either a mass-market monthly or a prestige release aimed at collectors.
Licensing questions add another layer. The Bond rights have historically been divided among various holders, and any comic adaptation would need to navigate those arrangements. IDW's reported deal presumably clears those hurdles, though the specific scope of what the publisher can depict - characters, storylines, likenesses tied to the films - has not been disclosed.
What seems clear is that Bond remains a durable property for publishers looking to reach readers beyond the traditional superhero audience. The character's blend of action, glamour, and Cold War-era intrigue has proven adaptable across media, and a comics line could serve as a testing ground for ideas that might later inform screen projects. Studios have long mined comic books for source material, and Bond's owners have shown interest in expanding the franchise beyond films.
For now, the Morrison-IDW project exists in that familiar early stage where enthusiasm outpaces information. No artist has been named, no storyline teased, no schedule set. What is known is that one of the medium's most distinctive writers is reportedly taking on one of fiction's most recognizable spies - a combination that, on paper at least, is difficult to ignore.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter