James Bond is back in SPECTRE. Daniel Craig returns as 007 on a mission against the evil organization we haven’t seen on screen since Sean Connery’s final canon film in the series.
The latest Bond made us peer into the vault to pick four of our favorite spies from comics books.
No costumes. No masks. No problem.
These are the coolest covert operatives in the DC and Marvel Universes:
Grayson
No mask. No code-name. New mission. The man who was once known as Robin and Nightwing is his own man with a covert agenda. Dick Grayson is no longer a sidekick under Batman’s shadow and now operates in the shadow world of the DC Universe. Dick faked his death to infiltrate Spyral, a covert organization plotting against costumed heroes. Dick’s new adventures in Grayson are co-written by Tim Seeley and Tim King, a former CIA counter-intelligence officer.
Like James Bond, Grayson possesses no super powers but has pushed himself to be a top operative, a natural at spycraft and with mind-bending implants that would impress Q to help mask his identity. Grayson is a cool hybrid of Bond and The Prisoner and we may never want Dick to come in the cold and back in costume.
Nemesis
Thomas Tresser is the DC Comics master of disguise. The vigilante turned secret agent took the code-name Nemesis as his alias instead of his dishonored family name because of his brainwashed brother’s downfall. Batman later helped Tresser clear his brother’s name and find the men behind the betrayal. Tresser was the only non-criminal member in Suicide Squad and later partnered with Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) as agents of the Department of Meta-Human Affairs.
Natasha Romanoff
KGB operative, S.H.I.E.L.D. super agent. Avenger. The Black Widow is more than just her bite. Romanoff was a top assassin, martial artist and master of weapons. As a product of “The Red Room” and “The Black Widow Program” Natasha carried out her deadly missions with ruthless efficiency The Russian femme fatale is compelled to make up for her past as an assassin with her covert missions even keeping secrets from her fellow Avengers. Natasha is a true hero operating in the dark underworld of espionage to wipe the red from her ledger.
Nick Fury
Even his secrets have secrets! Bond may be an agent but Fury runs the whole show. The Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. never just barks orders from behind a desk. From his World War II Howling Commandos to modern day operations to cut Hydra, Colonel Fury is always leading the attack. Fury is willing to risk all for what’s right and protect us.
When Fury realized Earth’s heroes and villains had been infiltrated by Skrull shapeshifters, he went underground and had his own squad of Secret Warriors to take on the aliens then the corruption within the agency he built. During Original Sin, we learned Fury had been going on covert missions for decades taking out alien threats before they could strike Earth. From covert operations to recruiting an army of top talent to doing the dirty work, Fury is the ultimate spymaster. The first and still the best.
Who are your favorite comic book spies that didn’t make our list?
SPECTRE opens Friday.
By Editor