007 Magazine # 55 – at large since end of July

Almost, but not quite under CBn’s radar went 007 Magazine’s issue number 55, available since the end of July via the 007 Magazine site. First enthusiastic feedback about the edition helped setting this matter straight, and with a slight delay here now follows what information we have. Editor Graham Rye provided us with a most intriguing  note about some of the contents of this publication. And indeed, this issue does brim over with information:

• “It was the best job in the world!”
  Over the course of a memorable evening in Mayfair, legendary photographer TERRY O’NEILL talked with LUKE WILLIAMS about his experiences working with five James Bonds (and over 20 Bond girls!), as well as explaining how Frank Sinatra changed his career and why the way to Sean Connery’s heart was through golf! (Includes a photo preview of Terry O’Neill’s book ALL ABOUT BOND, published in September 2012.)
• Will BOND 23 rise or fall?
  In October 2012, James Bond will finally return to the big screen, after a four-year absence, in the 23rd film in the series – SkyFall. LUKE WILLIAMS examines what is known so far about the Sam Mendes helmed feature (Features all the latest SkyFall imagery).
• THE SEARCH FOR BOND: How the 007 role was won and lost!
  Only six men can lay claim to wearing the famous Savile Row tuxedo but hundreds more came within an inch of the 007 role. In this new exclusive four-part series, ROBERT SELLERS (author of the controversial book Battle for Bond) tells the extraordinary story of how cinema’s most famous role was cast, featuring exclusive contributions from Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Sam Neill, Ian Ogilvy, Oliver Tobias, Michael Billington, Adrian Paul, Peter Snow, Michael Craig, Rikki Lee Travolta, Julian Glover, Michael Jayston and many others. (Featuring many never-before-featured facts)
• “Balloon, mein herr?”
  LUKE WILLIAMS examines the fascinating parallels between the film versions of Graham Greene’s The Third Man (1949) and Ian Fleming’s The Living Daylights (1987).

You can discuss these and other articles of 007 Magazine # 55 in this thread

Thanks to CBn forum member Simon for the feedback.

50 Years of Bond: Entertainment Weekly

What is the most appropriate gift you could give Brit super spy and martini aficionado James Bond to celebrate 50 years of big screen 007 adventures? A cake in the shape of a gun? A gun in the shape of a cake? A new liver? Or…How about an entire issue of Entertainment Weekly devoted to the half century of espionage-themed pleasure the Bond franchise has given the world since Sean Connery defined the role of 007 — and Ursula Andress defined the ideal way to wear a bikini — in 1962′s Dr. No?

Within the pages of this week’s magazine you’ll find a gallery of rare, behind-the-scenes photographs annotated by longtime Bond producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, a guide to all 22 official James Bond movies, a round-up of Bond’s greatest gadgets, a map revealing every place 007 has visited on planet earth (and elsewhere), an interview with “Unsung Bond” George Lazenby, and an opening essay by 007 nut Ben Svetkey who explains why his many Bond set visits on EW’s behalf were not just all expenses-paid boondoggles — they were all expense-paid boondoggles which helped make him the man he is today.

But, wait, there’s more! Having stirred you with tales of Bond movies past we will also hopefully shake you with fresh news about the latest 007 adventure Skyfall, which opens Nov. 9. That intel comes courtesy of the film’s Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes who emerged from his editing bunker to talk Daniel Craig hotness, Bond girl nudity, and the onscreen evil-osity of Javier Bardem’s villain.

Remember, though, folks: All this is for your eyes only!

Next five-shooter of John Gardner’s Bond out now

News about fresh James Bond reprints seem to come in by the hour these days. Right now it’s about the next consignment of Orion Books’ brand new John Gardner paperback reprints. According to The Book Bond the novels ‘Scorpius’, ‘Win, Lose or Die’, ‘Licence to Kill’, ‘The Man from Barbarossa’ and ‘Death is Forever’ are now shipping to readers and bookstores. Orion’s final four Bond paperbacks by John Gardner are due out in November 2012, by which time all the Gardner-Bonds will be available in print again.

Together with the recent omnibus reprints of Raymond Benson’s James Bond continuations, and the fresh print run – with new cover design – of Charlie Higson’s Young Bond series all official continuations (not counting film tie-ins here) centring on the character ‘James Bond’ will be available for 007’s  60th anniversary in 2013. Plus one new entry by William Boyd.

When ever was there more material to get about literature’s most celebrated secret agent?

Never.

As always thanks to John Cox and The Book Bond for the tip.

‘There is only one Bond’ – seven times from Vintage

John Cox’s The Book Bond – the go-to place for news and curio about the printed Bond – just alerts us Vintage’s new series of Ian Fleming reprints has its first seven books listed as ‘in stock’ at Amazon.co.uk now. Pre-ordered copies should already be shipping, express delivery is listed as optional, so buyers can expect their copies soonish. Book-stores will likely display them within days.

You can read The Book Bond’s original report here and discuss Vintage’s two different print runs in this thread of the CommanderBond.net forums.

Thanks to John Cox for the heads up.

Alternate US ‘Skyfall’ Trailer !

New Skyfall International Trailer released!

Exclusive preview of the new ‘Skyfall’ Trailer.

New ‘Skyfall’ Trailer coming tomorrow.

The official James Bond Facebook Page has just confirmed that a brand new trailer for ‘Skyfall’ will go live at 2pm BST tomorrow. So make sure you keep an eye on the official site around that time. It isn’t known if the trailer differs from the IMAX Exclusive, but trustworthy sources have confirmed that some new footage is included.

‘Catching Bullets’ catches Mark Gatiss and Maud Adams

In a brilliant move reminiscent of a SPECTRE scheme Mark O’Connell, author of ‘Catching Bullets – Memoirs of a Bond Fan’, managed to secure his book not just one but two high profile names to add a foreword and an afterword to his tome. Mark Gatiss of ‘Sherlock’ fame – and himself not exactly a newbie to the deadly secret agent genre with his own Lucifer Box – penned a fitting preface to the witty memoirs. And Maud Adams, the one actress to return into James Bond’s arms in a significant role in two different Eon productions, closes the tale with an afterword.

You can discuss the book and related news in this thread

Thanks to Mark O’Connell for the alert.

This is Splendid Books’s own press release announcing the event:

 

Sherlock star Mark Gatiss writes foreword for Catching Bullets: Memoirs of a Bond Fan

Writer and actor Mark Gatiss, star of the BBC drama Sherlock, has penned the foreword to Splendid Books’ forthcoming title Catching Bullets: Memoirs of a Bond Fan.

“We are absolutely delighted that Mark Gatiss, who is a huge Bond fan, has written a superbly witty and incisive foreword,” says Shoba Vazirani, Editorial Director at Splendid Books.

“Author Mark O’Connell has penned a very funny, interesting and poignant book in Catching Bullets: Memoirs of a Bond Fan and Mark Gatiss’ foreword complements it perfectly.”

In addition former Bond girl Maud Adams, who starred with Roger Moore in the 007 film Octopussy has contributed an afterword to the book. “To have Mark Gatiss and Maud Adams flanking the shoulders of Catching Bullets: Memoirs of a Bond Fan is a true honour,” says Mark O’Connell. continue reading…

At long last – Germans open the Fleming treasure chest

Do fans of Fleming’s Bond dream of new material by the master? A lot of them do indeed. And for German fans amongst them the dream does come true this autumn, a full 59 years after ‘Casino Royale’ was first published.

Cross Cult, renown German publisher specialised in quality comics and graphic novels (WHITEOUT, FROM HELL, THE WALKING DEAD) as well as genre fiction ( STAR TREK, CASTLE and TORCHWOOD novels, amongst others) picks up the Fleming originals. This is the first time the entire run of 14 James Bond books by Ian Fleming gets a complete and consistent edition in Germany, and with Michael Gillette’s unique cover artwork, if you please. It marks also the very first time German readers get a complete, unaltered and unabridged translation of all original 007 novels and short stories .

Previous German translations date back to the first editions of the early 1960s. Due to post-war sensibilities and a generally less liberal atmosphere the books then were heavily edited and omitted all chapter titles, many descriptive passages, brand names and at times even whole chapters. The result were distorted and chopped affairs, missing out a lot of the atmosphere the originals were so rich with. It’s a testament to Fleming’s talent his works in their German translation sold well for decades, in spite of the desecration they had to suffer. continue reading…