Arguably the most successful and perhaps longest mainstream movie franchise in existence is James Bond. The action-packed, British-spy-themed series has been wooing audiences since 1963. James Bond is known for his charm and suave perhaps above all else. He is as good with a pistol as he is with a deck of cards. Not to mention his history with successfully seducing whatever woman catches his fancy.

Now, contrast this with the majority of characters in mainstream comic book movies. Spider-Man, for example, is a geeky teenager who above all else wants to keep his loved ones and his city safe. At first glance, Spider-Man and James Bond have little in common. However, this is actually not true.

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Both Spider-Man and James Bond use extremely advanced technology in their professional capacities. Spider-Man and James Bond have a rotating cast of love interests. Both characters came onto the scene during the science fiction craze of the 1960s, even if Spider-Man is a superhero and James Bond is a spy. Lastly, both characters will go to great lengths to keep New York City and the United Kingdom safe from antagonists. Now that it has been established that mainstream comic book properties and James Bond have a fair amount in common, it is time to discuss what the former can learn from the latter on the silver screen. James Bond has many lessons to pass on to comic book properties, three of them positive and two of them negative.

A Rotating Lead Actor

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Sean Connery was the first and arguably most legendary actor to portray James Bond on the silver screen. He portrayed the character in his first stint for six years. At first glance, this seems short compared to other portrayals of the character. However, movie franchises were not what they are today. Sean Connery was James Bond during the infancy of the franchise movie phenomenon. To give some context, when Sean Connery hung up the pistol and the license to kill, it would be 33 years before Hugh Jackman would begin his 17-year-stint as Wolverine.

When the James Bond mantle was handed from Sean Connery to David Niven, it gave franchises a license to rotate leading actors who portray a moniker like 007. Now that the concept of the multiverse is present in both Marvel and DC movie universes, audiences should see more of this rotation in comic book properties.

Characters like 007 and Black Widow and are Monikers, not Proper Names

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Who is to say that 007 cannot be another man (or woman for that manner) besides James Bond? 007 is a title, after all. There are no hard and fast rules for franchises based on a moniker to keep to a singular character.

There is simply no excuse to not have multiple Spider-Men, Green Lanterns, and more with the advent of the multiverse. After all, ‘Black Widow’ is a moniker, while Natasha Romanov is the woman most famous for being the Black Widow. Comic book movies are learning this lesson, albeit slowly. It will be some time before Batman is not Bruce Wayne, for example.

Adapt with New Technology

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Since the character’s inception, James Bond has been on the cutting edge of technology. This has always given 007 movies a flair of science-fiction while maintaining their espionage roots.

Comic book properties can and should do the same. For the most part, they have followed 007 on this roadmap. For example, in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, Black Panther removes his helmet by hand to reveal his identity. In 2018’s Black Panther, Shuri teases Black Panther for this clumsy design flaw. Instead, she crafts her brother a suit whose helmet can be remotely detached. The Iron Man suit evolved in a similar process, from the legendary but unwieldy Mark 1 armor to nanotechnology.

Do Not Take Female Characters for Granted or Objectify Them

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James Bond is a suave playboy, there is simply no denying it. The 2006 film Casino Royale even points this out, seemingly in an attempt to address the giant elephant in the James Bond room – that 007 is a misogynist who sees women as “disposable pleasures rather than meaningful pursuits.” However, the movie then proceeds to show 007 as someone who can emotionally disconnect relatively quickly when he is betrayed, using some colorful language to describe the late Vesper.

Thankfully, mainstream comic book properties are not as crass as the 007 franchise is when it comes to female characters. There is still work to be done, of course. However, Wonder Woman was introduced to much fanfare in Batman Vs. Superman, and she is the highlight of the film. The fact that DC introduced her in the second film of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) shows that they value the strongest female character in their arsenal. She is no disposable pleasure, not a meaningful pursuit, but a character all to herself that is worthy of respect and adoration.

Do Not Kill Off Captivating Villains in Their First Movie

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This rule might be the cardinal sin of the James Bond franchise. Ian Fleming, who created James Bond, also introduced captivating villains for the 007 universe. However, these villains tend to be killed off in the first movie that introduces them to audiences.

Comic book movies have been guilty of this, but this is truer for the past than it is the present. For example, 2002’s Spider-Man saw the introduction of the Green Goblin, Spider-Man’s chief antagonist. 20-year-old spoiler alert: the Green Goblin does not survive the film. Contrast this with 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. The film introduces the Vulture, a B-list Spider-Man villain that the movie does a very commendable job at intensifying. 15 years after the original Spider-Man film hit theaters, Spider-Man: Homecoming learned from its predecessor and kept the Vulture alive for him to appear in future Spider-Man endeavors.

However, comic book movies are still learning to avoid this sin. As a counter-example to Spider-Man: Homecoming, 2018’s Black Panther dispatched of the Black Panther’s two most prominent villains. Ulysses Klaw does not survive the second act, which is unforgivable.

The James Bond franchise has much in common with mainstream superhero properties. It has lessons it can pass on to Spider-Man, Batman, Black Panther, and the rest of the gang. Time will tell if these lessons have a lasting impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the DCEU, and others.

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