The S.C.U.M. baddies characteristic some new creations for the collection, together with the generic-looking Scumlord (Jeff Bennett), who hides behind a fedora and glasses, the French mad scientist Dr. Derange (Julian Holloway), and his lacky Skullcap (Jan Rabson).
Nonetheless, some characters from the primary franchise make their method to the present, albeit in redesigned kind. Jaws (Rabson) is beefier than Richard Kiel, however in any other case seems principally the identical. Nonetheless, Oddjob (Bennett) will get refit as an ’80s B-Boy, whereas Nick Nack (Bennett) from The Man With the Golden Gun turns into a barely undersized white greaser. Goldfinger (Rabson) principally matches his movie counterpart, however he does acquire a teen daughter known as Goldie (Kath Soucie). Conversely, Dr. No (Holloway) will get made up with each ugly Yellow Peril stereotype, making certain that the franchise’s signature racism stays intact.
Unusual because it all sounds, James Bond Jr. sort of is sensible. It’s not excellent, but it surely’s not almost as outlandish as different cartoon collection from the time, such because the Troma adaptation Poisonous Crusaders and even the Rambo children reveals. But, given Eon’s strict requirements for the Bond franchise, one has to marvel — how does one thing like this even get made?
Copyrights Are Perpetually
These most at fault for the existence of James Bond Jr. are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. No, the heroes in a half-shell by no means go to Warfield Academy, however the huge success of that present despatched animation studios and toy makers on a wild seek for the following huge factor. So when Eon and DIC approached animation studio Murakami-Wolf-Swenson, the group additionally liable for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it appeared like a match made in heaven.
However the origin of James Bond Jr. goes again additional, lengthy earlier than ooze dripped its method onto 4 younger turtles. In 1967, creator “R.D. Mascott” printed The Adventures of James Bond Junior 003½, a spin off of the Ian Fleming collection that includes Bond’s nephew. (Charlie Higson’s Younger Bond novels, starting with 2005’s Silverfin, would observe a long time later.) That ebook might have had one thing to do with Harry Saltzman’s plans, reported within the New York Instances in 1966, to make a film a few ten-year-old who thwarts a SPECTRE plot. That connection can also clarify talks to make 003½ right into a tv collection, shortly after the ebook’s launch.
Regardless of the genesis, James Bond Jr. stayed on the shelf till the late Nineteen Eighties, when the franchise stalled out. After Timothy Dalton’s two entries (together with License to Kill, by which poor Gordo Leiter’s dad Felix will get partially fed to sharks) met with blended critiques, Eon stepped again to vary their method.
