Jimmy Bond
James "Jimmy" Bond is an antagonist featured in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: The Black Dossier and is a psychopathic version of the iconic character James Bond. Along with "Hugo" Drummond and Emma Night, he pursues the rejuvenated Allan Quartermain and Mina Murray in the plot. He is also revealed to be the grandson of Campion Bond, Murray and Quartermain's former instructor who was later revealed as a henchman to James Moriarty. It is also implied that Bond was named after Moriarty.
The series' author Alan Moore has admitted that he personally dislikes the James Bond character, stating that "The overriding factor in James Bond's psychological makeup is his utter hatred and contempt for women." So Jimmy is simply a parody, or satirical version of 007.
History[]
In the beginning of The Black Dossier, Bond follows Murray and guides her to the Ministry of Love (as the story is set in post-Big Brother England) where he attempts to rape her. He promptly is beaten by Murray and Quartermain who retrieve the eponymous Black Dossier from the facility. Bond tries to take them out with a pen gun but it backfires, causing himself some dental damage.
Following this, Bond is assigned to track the two for stealing the Dossier and is teamed with Drummond and Night for the pursuit much to his disdain. (It is noted that Drummond is Night's godfather and has become especially protective of her during the time following her father and Drummond's friend John Night's death.) During this time, Bond starts "getting acquainted" with Night behind Drummond's back. Eventually, the three track Murray and Quartermain to the airport where the two attempt to get aboard a rocket (as this timeline has resulted in "raygun gothic"/pulp science fiction technology being developed in the 1950s) to meet with their rendezvous in Scotland. Determined to get revenge on them for humiliating him, Bond jacks a civilian's hovercar and attempts to kill Murray and Quartermain while violently cursing. Quartermain destroys the hovercar with his hunting rifle, but Jimmy survives after being propelled by the blast.
The three agents follow Murray and Quartermain to Scotland where they are briefly thrown off by Murray and Quartermain's ally the Gollywag's scream. Bond tends to Night's injuries while Drummond goes on. He sees Murray and Quartermain boarding the Gollywag's aircraft. He questions why they would act in treason as they are English heroes. Before leaving, Murray reveals to Drummond that Bond had betrayed England to the Americans by murdering John Night, using the Dr. Julius No case as an alibi. Enraged by Bond's act of treason resulting in the death of a friend, Drummond attempts to kill Bond as he comes to investigate. Unfortunately, Bond gets the upper hand and shoots Drummond dead, all while saying he'll "give the shaft" to his goddaughter. After killing Drummond, Bond returns to Night and tells her that Murray and Quartermain had killed him. He then offers her comfort by taking her an inn he knows as she cries and thanks him for his kindness.
In 2009, the final volume of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Century, an older Night (now serving as M) reflects on how "Jimmy" had tricked her and was succeeded by later individuals in the Bond role (a reference to the many actors who've played the character and the 007 Codename theory). He is mentioned as still being alive but now old and suffering from crippling STDs. Night instructs his doctors to keep him barely alive as a form of revenge, in order to watch him suffer. This is Alan Moore's commentary on the (as he sees it) overused Bond franchise being pointlessly kept going. Apparently he hears of a story a place with the "Pool of Fire" which was said to return the youth of those who entered. Upon doing so he rejoices in his returned youth and announces his plan to go back to his old ways and kill any who stand in his way.
Personality[]
Unlike the more well-known and generally more heroic character, "Jimmy" Bond (named so because of copyright reasons) is a raving madman, as seen when he abducts a civilian's hover-car so he can relentlessly pursue Quartermain and Murray. He's also incredibly profane and womanizing, attempting to rape Murray and manipulating Night at the end of the text. Bond is also revealed to be treacherous, having betrayed England to murder John Night for the Americans and even receiving a fake case from the CIA as a cover.
Trivia[]
- James Bond being presented as a traitor to England for the United States is a satirical jab at the copyright laws surrounding the character, as the same series satirically made Harry Potter the Antichrist. Although, Alan Moore has in the past expressed his disdain for the character.