The S.C.U.M. baddies feature some new creations for the series, including 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).

However, some characters from the main franchise make their way to the show, albeit in redesigned form. Jaws (Rabson) is beefier than Richard Kiel, but otherwise looks mostly the same. However, Oddjob (Bennett) gets refit as an ’80s B-Boy, while Nick Nack (Bennett) from The Man With the Golden Gun becomes a slightly undersized white greaser. Goldfinger (Rabson) mostly matches his film counterpart, but he does gain a teen daughter called Goldie (Kath Soucie). Conversely, Dr. No (Holloway) gets made up with every ugly Yellow Peril stereotype, ensuring that the franchise’s signature racism stays intact.

Strange as it all sounds, James Bond Jr. kind of makes sense. It’s not very good, but it’s not nearly as outlandish as other cartoon series from the time, such as the Troma adaptation Toxic Crusaders or even the Rambo kids shows. Yet, given Eon’s strict standards for the Bond franchise, one has to wonder — how does something like this even get made?

Copyrights Are Forever

Those most at fault for the existence of James Bond Jr. are the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. No, the heroes in a half-shell never visit Warfield Academy, but the massive success of that show sent animation studios and toy makers on a wild search for the next big thing. So when Eon and DIC approached animation studio Murakami-Wolf-Swenson, the group also responsible for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it seemed like a match made in heaven.

But the origin of James Bond Jr. goes back further, long before ooze dripped its way onto four young turtles. In 1967, author “R.D. Mascott” published The Adventures of James Bond Junior 003½, a spin off of the Ian Fleming series featuring Bond’s nephew. (Charlie Higson’s Young Bond novels, beginning with 2005’s Silverfin, would follow decades later.) That book may have had something to do with Harry Saltzman’s plans, reported in the New York Times in 1966, to make a movie about a ten-year-old who thwarts a SPECTRE plot. That connection may also explain talks to make 003½ into a television series, shortly after the book’s release.

Whatever the genesis, James Bond Jr. stayed on the shelf until the late 1980s, when the franchise stalled out. After Timothy Dalton’s two entries (including License to Kill, in which poor Gordo Leiter’s dad Felix gets partially fed to sharks) met with mixed reviews, Eon stepped back to change their approach.