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James Bond Investigates 'The Paradise Plot'

Titan names the next 007 comic strip collection

UK Release Dates For 'Shark Bait' & 'The Paradise Plot' James Bond Collections

Pre-order online at amazon.co.uk

Cover Art For 'Paradise Plot' James Bond Collection Revealed

Due for release on 27 June in the UK

'The Paradise Plot' James Bond Collection' Now Shipping

Newest Titan collection slips out early at Amazon.co.uk

Just found out from Titan that Deathmask will be in the collection...and that's it. Only two stories this time.

You seem to be in close contact with them.

This seems like a strange decision; would you know the reasoning behind it? Especially as there are still a fair number of stories to include.

Cheers.

Does seem strange. I have no idea why this one only has two. Could be they are having trouble completing the other strips.

When Titan started reprinting Bond in 2004, I did some calculations in order to know how many volumes it'd take to compile the whole thing. Series 4 and 5 came a bit awkward since they contained 2 and 3.5 years' worth of strips. So far, the longest volume is OHMSS, which contains 1.5 year. The inclusion of Doomcrack as a sort of bonus on Shark Bait solved that problem, making it possible to fit the remaining seven stories in two volumes. Paradise Plot comes a bit shorter with only two stories but bear in mind both are long stories. The final volume should contain the last five stories from Flittermouse onwards (413 strips, 104 pages of strips). The missing volumes should run for 399 strips/101 pages (Girl Machine) and 377 strips/96 pages (Nightbird).
Also worth mentioning is that the available dates for both Shark and Paradise are the US dates. For some reason Amazon.co.uk ships them simultaneously. The last few volumes have been released with five month gaps and so far there's at least one British web site which lists the correct date for Shark (27th December). Paradise should arrive on 26th May. The unconfirmed volumes should appear on 27.10.08, 25.3.09 and 26.08.09, that is provided Titan can locate all sources in due time.

Thank you for the info Donovan. Shark Bait is Dec 27? Sweet.

Thanks for that, both.

Is there an indication as to why they have decided to run the strips out of order to their initial release dates?

Is it due to what DMN was saying about 'locating the sources?

Cheers.

I've nailed down the UK release dates. According to Titan, Shark Bait will be available in the UK on January 25, 2008. The Paradise Plot will be released on June 27, 2008.

Even if they carry on forward with the strips, we're getting very close to where Titan will have to either go back to the skipped volumes or else leave the series unfinished. It seems as if Titan aren't the most organised bunch in the printing business. Their website doesn't announce the forthcoming volume prior to publication. I got a very late answer to why River of Death wouldn't be included in the Colonel Sun volume when said volume had already been issued including the story. I've also seen the late January release date in a couple of sites (That's half a month before the US). As of yesterday, forbiddenplanet.co.uk still carried the late December date (month and a half before).
One of the problems back when Titan started reprinting the strips in the late 80's was building a fanbase for the stuff. Only four ever materialised and with one-year gaps. Back then I only found out once the books had come and gone and had been translated to Spanish! Now it's clear the ones who're buying the books are willing to go all the way to the end (17 volumes). I hope Titan doesn't have to widen the gaps between books. Back in 2004 it was a volume every 3 months, now it takes 5.

You may be right, Donovan. Wouldn't surprise me if forbiddenplanet.co.uk knew better than Titan themselves. (That's funny about the CS/RoD confusion.)

Now on the CBn main page...

UK Release Dates For 'Shark Bait' & 'The Paradise Plot' James Bond Collections

Pre-order online at amazon.co.uk

Let's hope so. Just read the capsules on the PARADISE PLOT stories. PLOT sounds incredibly similar to Gardner's ROLE OF HONOUR (published three years later) and MASK has the basic elements of THE FACTS OF DEATH. Incidentally, PLOT is the second longest original story after THE HARPIES (The only two to run over 200 strips).

Not loving this prototype cover: http://theliterary007.blogspot.com/2007/12...-prototype.html

Hopefully (and probably) will change.