In the Ian Fleming James Bond novels, Miss Moneypenny has an even more minor role than in the movies. Which is genuinely pretty minor as well, there for Bond to spout a euphemism or two over, and she's grateful for it.

The private secretary to M, the head of MI6, she has the rank of Lieutenant RN, and and has Top Secret clearance for intelligence reports. In unrequited love with James Bond, her role in the films conflated that of the character in the books and Bond's own secretary.

It would take until the film Skyfall for us to learn any backstory, portrayed by Naomie Harris, and given a first name Eve and originally a field agent assigned to work with Bond, who she ends up accidentally shooting, and being given a desk job as a result, becoming the new M's secretary and after a further incident, retires from fieldwork

But in today's James Bond: VARGR #1 by Warren Ellis and Jason Masters, published by Dynamite, we get a very different, yet consistent take that marries both the Moneypenny of the books, the classic movies and the recent movies, as well a slightly more sophisticated and feminist take on the character.

Because when it comes to MI6, Moneypenny is far more important than Bond. M says so. And he's not happy with his consistent flirting with her, which these days would be interpreted as blatant sexual harassment in the workplace.

Yes, yes, a black M as well. Well, if Ellis can't cast Idris Elba, he'll find other ways to mix it up. But M is not paying lipservice to Moneypenny, or just saying something to put James Bond down. I mean he's doing that as well, but he means it.

So why is she so important? We discover as Bond is moaning about not being able to carry a gun in the UK anymore.

She is the last line of defence for the head of MI6. You break into the offices, make it past everyone else, she'll take you down personally. One shot, between the eyes. Also, she probably takes shorthand.

Damn entertaining first blast as a comic book goes too, and a Bond you'll love to hate.

Oh and handy coincidence, on my way back from Orbital Comics this morning, on the South West trainline from Waterloo to Putney, I happened to go through Vauxhall while I was reading the comic, and looked up….



Badum badaaa, badaa dum!



Comics courtesy of Orbital Comics, London, opening an exhibition of cartoonists paying tribute to creators, characters and stories that have had an impact in their own work, including Siobhan Alcaide, John Allison, Andy Barron,Hannah Berry, Robert Brown, , Alessandra Criseo, William Exley, Jack Fallows, James Gifford, Julian Hanshaw, Warwick Johnson-Cadwell, Mike Medaglia, Philippa Rice, Julia Scheele, Hamish Steele, Jack Teagle, Donya Todd and Tillie Walden. Opening night Friday 6th at 7pm, running through November.