Another sign of the changes going on at The House of Alessi: a second book marketed as a straight-up CrossGen title (no Code 6) that also touts its utter lack of connection to the rest of the CrossGen Universe.

No matter. What really matters is if the book is any good or not -- and maybe, just maybe, the time is right for retro '60's spy title that's not Danger Girl. Though I'll miss the Phil Noto art, Mike Perkins looks to have the style down..

As for the title itself, I believe it's Japanese slang for James Bond -- Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.

From Your Friend@CrossGen, Bill Rosemann:

Building on the sold-out launch of EL CAZADOR, writer Tony Bedard (NEGATION, ROUTE 666) and penciler Mike Perkins (RUSE) will introduce CrossGen's next stand-alone adventure series in January 2004. Surrounded by the political, cultural and sexual revolutions of London in the swinging '60s, three MI6 agents fight for the safety of the globe - and scheme to claim the UK's #1 espionage job - in the sizzling spy series KISS KISS BANG BANG.

The new monthly title shines the spotlight on the world's top agent, Sir Charles Basildon of Her Majesty's Secret Service. While no one within the international espionage community knows what Basildon actually looks like, the mere mention of his name is enough to terrify spymasters from Moscow to Beijing. In truth, Basildon is merely an identity cooked up by MI6 and passed on from one agent to the next. But times are changing, and that's where the series takes a wicked zigzag.

As the story opens, not only is the next Basildon-in-training a "Yank"...but she's also a woman. Can Stephanie Shelley, a thoroughly modern American, live up to the role of the legendary British super spy? And can she bear to learn the ropes from the current Sir Charles - the most lethal, infuriating, and unrepentantly sexist Basildon ever?

"Over-the-top in its humor and action, KISS KISS BANG BANG asks 'what would a spy like James Bond be like in the real world?'" Bedard stated. "If you actually met him, some might see Basildon as a smooth operator. Then again, you might think he's an amoral adrenaline junkie and a sociopathic sexual predator. Whichever you decide, he's a loose cannon who frequently holds the fate of the Free World in his fanny-slapping hands."

"We're going for all-out excitement, exotic locales and expectant character interaction - while also exploring the sexual politics of the age," Perkins revealed. "As a life-long espionage fan, this is the perfect chance to draw everything from groovy fashion and exotic locales to retro-future gadgets and sexy agents of the crown. Everything you want to put into a book like this - and everything that people want to see - will be there...and then we'll add that extra bit, just to confound your expectations and put your knickers in a twist."

On sale January 14th, KISS KISS BANG BANG #1 - crafted by the creative team of writer Tony Bedard, penciler Mike Perkins, inker Andrew Hennessy, and colorist Laura Villari - will be offered in the November 2003 edition of Diamond's Previews catalog.

Download preview art here!

Derek McCaw