We are thrilled to announce the first ever comic book set in John le Carré's iconic world of The Circus.
Written by Matt Kindt and illustrated by James Bond artist Ibrahim Moustafa, with colours by Brad Simpson and letters by Simon Bowland, Dark Horse Comics will be publishing the new comic book series in three issues. The first instalment went on sale on 19th November.
The series updates John le Carré's espionage legacy into a modern-day setting, with a gripping new story:
'Every day, behind closed doors, the men and women of The Circus are embroiled in high stakes, high-wire acts that the average citizen would never notice. These intelligence officers protect Britain's most sensitive secrets. At the head of it all is Control: an all-powerful puppet master who decides who goes where, who does what, and sometimes, if necessary, who lives and who dies. But now, Control has vanished.
He doesn't show up at the office. He misses his meetings. He won't - or can't - answer his phone. He is simply nowhere. Control's assistant Maggie is the only one who knows he's gone, and with a mole's identity blown in Moscow, the clock is ticking. A member of 'The Mothers' - the unsung fleet of assistants and secretaries who hold the show together behind the scenes of The Circus - Maggie knows every protocol, every password, and every operative - but she has no idea whether something has happened to Control or whether this is part of his plan. Either way, she can't trust anyone. No-one can know Control is missing. And can she even trust Control? Secrets within The Circus have a way of unravelling, and Maggie will have to act fast ... or risk the walls tumbling down around her.'
'Getting asked to contribute a piece to John le Carré's world of Smiley has been one of the greatest honours and responsibilities of my life,' said Kindt. 'I wasn't looking for this job but I was called into service. And much like Smiley, my heart is in the right place and hopefully that will be enough.'
Nick Harkaway, speaking on behalf of the John le Carré Estate, said: 'Look at this! Just look at it! You open the book and Ibrahim's amazing visuals immediately wrap you in the world. Then you get Matt's story of lies, damned lies and espionage in a gripping modern iteration of the le Carré mode. You're in safe hands from page one, and it's a pleasure to lay The Circus: Losing Control at the feet of readers and see what they make of it all. But speaking as the resident comics nerd in this generation of the Cornwell family: I'm in. Give me more!'
The sale of the first instalment has produced some exciting reviews:
The Beat: read their exclusive preview here
And in a further Beat review: 'Intact is le Carré's grim wit and weary overtone of tragedies poised to befall Maggie and those in her investigative orbit. Kindt's narrative does impressively capture both flair and flavour of the le Carré style.' Click here to read the full review.
AIPT: 'Reading this first issue ... felt like diving into a classic James Bond adventure, only the main character of the miniseries is not a masterful secret agent. She's a member of The Circus, one of Britain's top spy agencies ... Artists Ibrahim Moustafa and Brad Simpson bring this shadowy world to life, imbuing personality into all the characters and upping the paranoia level by making even the most innocuous areas seem malevolent.' Read the full review here.
Subsequent issues of the comics are scheduled for January and March 2026, with a collected graphic novel schedule for June 2026. Don't miss out!