Kingsman: The Golden Circle is in cinemas in September, and Millarworld and Image Comics have launched the sequel to the hit comic book series by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons with Kingsman: The Red Diamond. Working-class super-spy Eggsy follows in his mentor’s footsteps but is still rough around the edges for a Kingsman agent. Rejected by his high school crush and hot on the heels of a rescue mission to save Prince Phillip, he embarks on an international terror plot in a story that starts where James Bond draws the line. A new creative team of Rob Williams and Simon Fraser take the helm for this six-issue miniseries.

By the time you get to the end of Kingsman: The Red Diamond #1, it’s surprising how even the most simple plans can take a turn when you’re a secret agent. Despite managing to save a Prince, Eggsy is placed on forced leave, which puts a bit of a cramp in his plans and has him heading home to see his mom and old neighborhood. This provides some interesting introspective as Eggsy is forced to think about where he is versus where he’s come from. It’s an interesting spin you don’t often see with this sort of story and one the original movie did well. But, the story isn’t all about Eggsy’s return home. There’s something sinister afoot, so I doubt the leave will last. We’re presented with a new villain, one that feels like a riff on a classic Bond villain, so we’ll see how he’s presented to make him stand out from the pack.

The art differs from Kingsman: Secret Service, yet that isn’t a bad thing. The action and intrigue remain as the story begins to unfold, and it’s all presented in a fun way. It feels as though Fraser is being allowed to create the world in his own style as opposed to mimicking whats come before. The headquarters of the Red Diamond is in the highlight of the issue evoking a classic sci-fi underwater lair made for villains.

A fun first issue that continues Eggsy’s adventures while at the same time reminding us of his past. A new creative team is allowed space to do “their thing” which pays off in the end.

Story: Rob Williams Art: Simon Fraser
Story: 9.0 Art: 8.5 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review