Thursday, December 29, 2016

CHARLIE HIGSON donates Young Bond materials to UEA

Charlie Higson has donated his Young Bond research and writing materials to his alma mater The University of Anglia (UEA) and their British Archive for Contemporary Writing. It will be known as the Charlie Higson Archive. Below is the full press release.

The University of Anglia (UEA) is delighted to announce that the Charlie Higson Archive is now part of the British Archive for Contemporary Writing. 
Charlie Higson is a highly acclaimed writer of comedy for television and radio as well as an actor and the bestselling author of the first Young Bond novels and The Enemy series. He studied English and film studies at UEA, where he met his comedy partner, Paul Whitehouse.

Together Higson and Whitehouse formed the punk band, The Right Hand Lovers. They later lived together in London and began writing comedy for a variety of other writers and performers, including Harry Enfield, Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer. They went on to create The Fast Show in the 1990s - a landmark in TV comedy that attracted a cult following.

The archive material includes early drafts, manuscripts and correspondence relating to Higson’s many fiction and comedy projects.

Higson said: “Going through all the boxes of stuff made me realise how many different areas I’ve worked in. Since leaving UEA over 35 years ago, I’ve worked in the music industry, as a singer during the 80s. I’ve worked in TV, writing, producing directing and acting in comedy and drama, and I’ve co-created at least one television programme that’s become part of our cultural heritage (even if it's just weather forecasters using the word ‘Scorchio’). I’ve written film scripts and worked in radio. And I’ve written four novels for adults and 13 books for younger readers, including a series of official James Bond books.

“I said to myself, “Come on, why are you keeping all this stuff? Nobody’s ever going to be interested in it. You're just being a typical bloody narcissistic writer, convinced that everyone is going to be fascinated by the outpourings of your tiny mind.

“The more I spoke to UEA, the more I realised that there actually might be some worth in my old papers. Because it wasn't all about me. People wouldn't necessarily want to study this material because they were obsessed with my obvious genius, but because I had lived and worked through ‘interesting times’.

“So, perhaps my work throws at least a dim light onto the cultural life of the UK over the last three decades. It’s not about blowing my own trumpet (which I did do a bit of when I was in my band, actually). It’s about the academic interest of what I’ve accumulated.

“So it’s fantastic that the dedicated team at UEA is going to properly catalogue and archive all this material for the use of students and academics. And whilst a lot of it is primarily or interest to researchers of the creative industries, it also includes manuscripts of my novels, TV scripts, unrealised projects, and even a couple of unpublished novels that I wrote while I was studying at UEA in the late 70s, one of which I am now in the process of rewriting.”

Dr Brett Mills, senior lecturer in UEA’s School of Art, Media and American Studies, said: “The archive gives us invaluable insights into the work of a key player in British popular culture over the last 30 years.

“As a scholar of comedy I’m particularly interested in the scripts and other production material for The Fast Show, which help demonstrate the particular complexities of making a sketch show, which relies on multiple characters, short narratives, and a highly organised production process juggling all the elements.

“Higson’s archive is also interesting because of the multiple roles he has undertaken within the comedy programming he has been involved in; it’s rare to come across someone who’s a writer, performer and producer. The archive helps us explore the differences and similarities between these roles.”

As Mills told The Observer: “The archive is also invaluable because comedy is a genre for which little historical documentation is kept – which is odd, given humour’s centrality to British culture and its importance to institutions such as the BBC. We need to take better care in remembering and exploring our comedy heritage.”

Dr Matthew Woodcock, a senior lecturer in UEA’s School of Literature, Drama and Creative Writing, said the archive “offers a unique insight into the creative processes behind the production of several of the UK's leading young adult series.

“It will allow scholars and students of crime writing, spy fiction, and children's literature privileged access to the successive stages of research, composition, editing, and promotion that are necessary for a successful, engaging book.

“For me, this material also provides an exciting opportunity to explore how one goes about writing a James Bond novel and, moreover, how one re-imagines Ian Fleming's, at times, controversial hero for a young adult readership. It has been interesting to trace, for example, how Higson carefully revises and reworks the scene in which we first see young Bond so as to imitate the opening of Fleming's Casino Royale, and how he confronts the delights and perils of naming 007's friends and foes.”

Higson has loaned the material under the UEA's innovative storehouse model – which organises and provides access to collections much earlier in a writer's career while retaining flexibility should they need to withdraw material at a later date

The paper archive consists of 53 boxes and includes notebooks, correspondence, drafts, typescripts and working papers associated with the entire spectrum of Higson’s career as novelist, producer, actor and script writer. There are also numerous floppy discs and a large number of VHS recordings including unseen material not used in screened versions of his projects.

The archive will be catalogued according to the research priorities of scholars who are eager to begin working with the collection. The material has loaned under the UEA’s innovative Storehouse Model, which organises and provides access to collections much earlier in a writer’s career while retaining flexibility should the author need to withdraw material at a later date.

Click here to read my five part series on The Secret History of Young James Bond.

Saturday, December 24, 2016

Merry Christmas from IFP and THE BOOK BOND

Ian Fleming Publications have sent out a holiday E-card using artwork by Vargr and Eidolon artist Jason Masters (below). In lieu of postage costs they have made a charitable donation to Shine Cancer Support.

Happy Holidays
See you in 2017

Thursday, December 22, 2016

Next Dynamite James Bond series will be BLACK BOX

CBR.com has revealed details of Dynamite's next James Bond series, BLACK BOX, written by Benjamin Percy and illustrated by Rapha Lobosco. The first issue is set for release March 1, 2017.

Black Box Part One – “Whiteout.” The next epic adventure for 007 kicks off in the snowbound French Alps, where Bond finds himself in the crosshairs of an assassin who targets other assassins. This is the first puzzle piece in a larger adrenaline-fueled mystery that will send Bond across the globe to investigate a digital breach that threatens global security.

You can check out all the variant covers for the first issue of James Bond 007: Black Box at CBR.com.

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Pre-order the collected HAMMERHEAD [May 23, 2017]

A collected hardcover edition of Dynamite's HAMMERHEAD miniseries by Andy Diggle and Luca Casalanguida is now available for pre-order. Release date shows as May 23, 2017.

Bond is assigned to hunt down and eliminate Kraken, a radical anti-capitalist who has targeted Britain's newly-upgraded nuclear arsenal. But all is not as it seems. Hidden forces are plotting to rebuild the faded glory of the once-mighty British Empire, and retake by force what was consigned to history. 007 is a cog in their deadly machine - but is he an agent of change, or an agent of the status quo? Loyalties will be broken, allegiances challenged. But in an ever-changing world, there's one man you can rely on: Bond. James Bond.

Pre-order the collected HAMMERHEAD at Amazon.com (U.S.) and Amazon.co.uk (UK).

Tuesday, November 29, 2016

RED NEMESIS cover art revealed

Cover art for Steve Cole's fourth and final Young Bond adventure Red Nemesis has been revealed. The book will be released in paperback and as a limited edition hardcover on May 4, 2017.

James is on home soil when he receives a package with a message from beyond the grave. The package’s mysterious contents put James at the heart of a long-running plot that, if it runs its course, will paint London’s streets red with blood. Not only will James have to fight to stay alive and save the country he loves, but to clear the Bond family name, which he holds so dear. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and James doesn’t know who he can trust . . .

Pre-order Red Nemesis at Amazon.co.uk.

Saturday, November 26, 2016

A SILENT ARMAGEDDON (1993)

In 1993 Dark Horse released A Silent Armageddon written by Simon Jowett with art by John M. Burns. The story finds Bond protecting a crippled 13-year-old girl while battling Erik Klebb of Cerberus (a new SPECTRE-like organization). Bond drives the Aston Martin Volente and romances Prof. Jessica Penrose. Locations included Oxford, New York City, and Hong Kong.



A Silent Armageddon was scheduled to appear in 4 parts. But only issues 1 and 2 were ever released. An urban legend claims the final issues were cancelled because they featured the son of Ernst Stavro Blofeld, but this is not true. Although fully scripted, the artist slipped so far behind deadline on issue #3 that the publishers refused to solicit either issue until #4 was also complete. The artist never delivered the art for that final issue, hence, the series was never completed.

In the canceled issues, Bond would have defeated Cerberus in a VR world where his crippled 13-year-old charge would metamorphoses into a typical “Bond Girl.”

Friday, November 25, 2016

A novel idea...

Literary-themed clothing outlet Out Of Print have released a line of t-shirts and sweatshirts featuring the cover designs from the Ian Fleming James Bond UK 1st editions. So far they've released Casino Royale, Live and Let Die and Moonraker. These are being promoted via the Ian Fleming Facebook and are official.


Check out all the styles and purchase at Out Of Print.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

German SCORPIUS (1990)

Here's another interesting collision of the book and movie Bond. This is a 1990 German edition of John Gardner's 1988 continuation novel Scorpius. On the cover with have Roger Moore from For Your Eyes Only and Lois Chiles from Moonraker against what looks like The Living Daylights gunbarrel. A hot mess, but it gets the job done!

Thursday, November 17, 2016

CASINO ROYALE (the movie) turns 10

Today marks the tenth anniversary of Daniel Craig's debut as James Bond in Casino Royale. The film was an adaptation of Ian Fleming's first James Bond novel. A great book and a great film. Below is a trade paperback from Penguin which re-released the book with movie poster art.


For the record, the Bond book that year was Charlie Higson's Blood Fever, which many consider the best of the Young Bond novels. So this was a good year for Bond!

For more tie-in editions CLICK HERE.

Friday, November 11, 2016

What kind of mission is this exactly?

Here's a 1986 Spanish edition of John Gardner's Role of Honor (Misión de Honor) with pretty unusual cover art. One might be justified in thinking this is a sci-fi novel and 007's mission here is a mission to Mars!


Title: Misión de Honor
Author: John Gardner
Year: 1986
Publisher: Grijalbo

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

TITAN releases James Bond: The Classic Comic Strip Collection 1958-60

Titan Books has released The Complete James Bond: The Classic Comic Strip Collection 1958-60. The book is a hardcover and collects the vintage Daily Express comic strips of: Casino Royale, Live And Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds Are Forever, From Russia With Love and Dr No.


Purchase James Bond: The Complete Comic Strip Collection 1958-60 on Amazon.com (U.S.) and Amazon.co.uk (UK).

Saturday, November 5, 2016

The James Bond MOVIE COMIC adaptations

Today I take a look back at the intermittent history of James Bond comic film adaptations.

Showcase's Doctor No.
Doctor No (1962)
The first American comic book to feature James Bond was originally drawn for the British Classics Illustrated series. It was reprinted in the U.S. as part of DC’s Showcase series to tie-in with the first James Bond film. The story was censored, deleting all racial skin color and dialogue thought to be demeaning. The 32-page comic follows the movie script and most of the characters are drawn to resemble their screen counterparts. It was also published in Greek and Swedish editions.

For Your Eyes Only (1981)
After a mysteriously long absence, 007 returned to U.S. comic books in an adaptation of the 1981 James Bond film For Your Eyes Only starring Roger Moore. Marvel Comics published FYEO in three versions: a two issue comic book, a magazine, and a mass market paperback which Marvel called an “illustrated book.”


Marvel's For You Eyes Only individual issues.
Marvel's For You Eyes Only magazine.
Mass market "illustrated book."

Octopussy (1983)
Marvel once again adapted the new Bond film Octopussy into a comic book, but this time it was only available in magazine form. The artwork by Paul Neary and layouts by Rita Cilia are excellent, maybe the best of all the Bond adaptations. It was also adapted in Scandinavia with original artwork, so Octopussy is unique for having two comic adaptations.

Marvel's Octopussy.
Scandinavian Octopussy with original art.

Never Say Never Again (1984)
Argentinean publisher Editora Columba, who published several original Spanish-language James Bond film adaptations in various D'artagnan comic magazines during the ‘60s and ‘70s, adapted the unofficial Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again starring Sean Connery in 1984.

A View To A Kill (1985)
The 15th James Bond film and the last to star Roger Moore was adapted as a comic in Scandinavia and Germany where it appeared as a trade magazine edition.

Scandinavian A View To A Kill.

The Living Daylights (1987)
The Bond film that introduced Timothy Dalton was also adapted in Scandinavia. A nice bonus here is that it features the “flying carpet” sequence cut from the final film.

Swedish The Living Daylights.

Licence To Kill (1989)
Eclipse brought Bond comics back to the U.S. with an adaptation of Licence To Kill by Permission To Die author Mike Grell. Published in a magazine size hardback and paperback, it’s been said that Timothy Dalton would not allow his likeness to be used, so a more generic Bond was used.

Eclipses Licence To Kill hardcover and paperback.

GoldenEye (1996)
Topps adaptation of the 1995 Bond film GoldenEye, which introduced Pierce Brosnan as 007, was originally meant to be in 3 parts, but only issue #1 ever appeared. A lengthy delay in getting approval for the racy illustration on the cover of issue #2 led to the series being cancelled prematurely. Topps was reportedly going to launch an ongoing series of original 007 adventures following publication of GoldenEye, but this also never materialized. GoldenEye marked the end, at least to date, of the James Bond film comic adaptations.

GoldenEye 00 Convention Special and issue #1.
The cancelled GoldenEye issues #2 and #3 covers.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Live and Let BARBAROSSA

Here's another cover from our friend Lukáš Berný in the Czech Republic. This is a Czech edition of John Gardner's 1991 novel The Man From Barbarossa using poster art from the 1973 Roger Moore film Live and Let Die. I love crazy book/movie mash-ups like this, especially on continuation novels. One wonders how many readers were disappointed that the book contained no Tarot cards or speed boats?


Thank you Lukáš.

Monday, October 24, 2016

From the CZECH REPUBLIC with Love

Here are several unique James Bond covers from the Czech Republic sent over by Bond collector Lukáš Berný from Prague. The first block of covers are from 1968-1992. While the use of Sean Connery is obvious, the eagle-eyed among you might also spot Timothy Dalton in the artwork.


Below is a newer series which, according to Lukáš, are now quite rare in his country. These were released by Delfin between 1997-2002. The publisher released the six Fleming titles picture here: Live And Let Die, Diamonds Are Forever, Moonraker, Thunderball, From Russia With Love and For Your Eyes Only.


Thank you Lukáš!

Sunday, October 23, 2016

IAN FLEMING goes undercover in 'Timeless'

Monday's episode of the new NBC time travel series Timeless features English actor Sean Maguire as Ian Fleming. The episode is called "Party At Castle Varlar" and finds Fleming undercover in Germany during World War 2.


POPSUGAR Entertainment recently spoke to the actor about his role:

PS: What excited you the most about playing Ian Fleming? Were you a fan of James Bond growing up?

SM: Of course! You know, I'm a boy that grew up in London. I mean, James Bond is the epitome of a cool, masculine, suave guy. There can't be many guys in Britain that don't aspire to be a little bit like James Bond. As I said, Jim Barnes wrote it knowing that we'd react by saying, "Oh, that's where that comes from in Bond," or, "That's the trait we see in the Bond character." For me, it was essentially as close as I'll ever get to playing James Bond, and I relished every second of it.

You can read the full interview HERE. Timeless airs on NBC Monday's at 10/9c. For more details and more images visit NBC.com.

Thanks to Gary J. Firuta.

UPDATE: Here's a screen capture of Ian Fleming's Weapon of Choice, the Bond book (and film) created by time travel.

Monday, October 17, 2016

HAMMERHEAD exclusive from CBLDF

The first issue of Dynamite's James Bond HAMMERHEAD six-part miniseries is out now, and CBLDF (Comic Book Legal Defense Fund) has this terrific exclusive cover that evokes the British Pan paperbacks of the 1950s. Love it!

Bond is assigned to hunt down and eliminate Kraken, a radical anti-capitalist who has targeted Britain's newly-upgraded nuclear arsenal. But all is not as it seems. Hidden forces are plotting to rebuild the faded glory of the once-mighty British Empire, and retake by force what was consigned to history. 007 is a cog in their deadly machine - but is he an agent of change, or an agent of the status quo? Loyalties will be broken, allegiances challenged. But in an ever-changing world, there's one man you can rely on: Bond. James Bond.

It looks like this exclusive might be tricky to track down. I refer you to the CBLDF website for details. You can buy the regular issue via Dynamite.

Thanks to Tanner at Double O Section for the alert.

Sunday, October 16, 2016

SERPENT'S TOOTH (1992)

In 1992, Dark Horse Comics took over the James Bond comic license and released Serpent's Tooth written by Doug Moench with art by Paul Gulacy. The graphic novel originally appeared in 3 issues. It was later collected into a trade paperback edition.

Collected edition.

Individual issues.

In Serpent's Tooth, 007 battles the villainous Indigo who plans to cause massive tsunamis that will wipe out 83% of the world population (he'll rule the rest). Locations include Switzerland and Peru. The Bond Girl is Sunny Vasquez. The henchman comes in the form of Goliath, a genetically altered 009. The story slips somewhat into the world of sci-fi. Bond even battles a genetically reborn Velociraptor!

Serpent’s Tooth abounds in Bondian action, both gritty and high concert. It's very cinematic, and at the time of release, it nicely filled the void left by the "6 year gap" of the films. In fact, in many ways it feels like the large scale "fantastic" third Dalton film that we never got.

According to artist Paul Gulacy, Glidrose (now IFP) deemed Serpent’s Tooth the best non-Fleming James Bond story of them all — including all the films and continuation novels up to that point. It's definitely one of my favorite Bond graphic novels.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

PERMISSION TO DIE (1989)

In 1989, Eclipse would attempt to revive the long dormant world of James Bond comics with Permission To Die, an original James Bond "graphic novel" written and illustrated by Mike Grell. While the first two issues were released in 1989, the concluding issue # 3 would not appear until 1991. A rare collected edition was published in 1992.

Collected edition.

Individual issues.

In Permission To Die, Bond battles Dr. Erik Wiziadio who seeks to destroy Victoria, British Columbia to prove the need for world disarmament. The Bond Girl is Edaine Gayla and locations are England, Hungary, Austria, and Idaho (yes, Idaho).

The story contains some interesting nods to the films and continuation novels. Bond drives the Aston Martin DB5 (six years before the DB5 would return in GoldenEye). He also uses the John Gardner-era ASP 9mm handgun. Grell always claimed that his model for 007 was based on Hoagy Carmichael, whom Fleming once said was his visual idea of what James Bond looked like.

Eclipse would also release an adaptation of Timothy Dalton's 1989 Bond film Licence To Kill,  illustrated by Grell. Writing duties were handled by Richard Ashford. Published in a magazine size hardback and paperback, it’s been said that Dalton would not allow his likeness to be used, so a generic Bond was used.

Licence To Kill and Permission To Die would be the only Bond comics from Eclipse.

Friday, October 7, 2016

Folio Society releases new FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

The Folio Society, who last year released a beautiful illustrated slipcased edition of Casino Royale, have now released Ian Fleming's From Russia With Love.

Named as Ian Fleming’s finest novel in numerous polls, and described by the author as, ‘In many respects, my best book’, this nail-biting thriller sees 007 ensnared by an elaborate plot devised by the Soviet counter-intelligence agency, SMERSH. Set among the bazaars and minarets of Istanbul, and aboard the Orient Express, the novel features some of the series’ most memorable characters. The ebullient and dissipated Darko Kerim reigns over ‘Station T’ with the help of his many children, and becomes Bond’s firm comrade. Rosa Klebb is the repugnant SMERSH operations chief whose weaponry includes a boot concealing a poison-tipped knife; Red Grant is the terrifying psychopath whose lust for murder has made him Chief Executioner. Tatiana Romanova is the ravishing, guileless instrument of a deadly honeytrap designed to destroy and defame the Secret Service’s greatest agent. This elegant edition features a pictorial slipcase and alluring illustrations by Fay Dalton, whose work also appears in the Folio edition of Casino Royale.


Bound in blocked cloth
Set in Miller Text
272 pages
Frontispiece and 6 colour illustrations
Printed slipcase
9˝ x 6¼˝

The From Russia With Love Folio Edition is priced at $59.95 and is available now from the Folio Society website.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

ANTHONY HOROWITZ TO PEN SECOND BOND NOVEL IN 2018

Huge news today! IFP has announced that Anthony Horowitz will return to pen a second James Bond novel to be published in 2018. Here's the full press release from The Bookseller.

Novelist and screenwriter Anthony Horowitz is writing a new James Bond novel for "Ian Fleming’s original publisher", Vintage imprint Jonathan Cape.

Horowitz was invited to write a second official James Bond novel by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd after the success of his 2015 bestseller, Trigger Mortis, published by Orion in September last year.

The news Jonathan Cape will publish the new Bond book follows swiftly on the heels of news Horowitz is writing a new series of 'whodunnit’ crime novels for Century and Arrow.

As yet untitled, the setting will be "period Bond" and the story will again feature previously unpublished material by Fleming.

UK and Commonwealth rights were acquired for Cape by Richard Cable, m.d. of Vintage, and Michal Shavit, publishing director at Jonathan Cape, to publish in spring 2018. Rights were sold in the English language by Jonny Geller of Curtis Brown, on behalf of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd and The Ian Fleming Estate.

Cable said: "We are delighted to welcome Anthony Horowitz and a new James Bond novel to Jonathan Cape, Ian Fleming’s publisher. Anthony’s first Bond novel, Trigger Mortis, was a great critical and commercial success, and we know that there are thousands of Bond fans who will be thrilled that Anthony has taken on the challenge once again."

Horowitz said: "Writing Trigger Mortis was a pleasure and I was delighted by the positive response when it was published. And I was thrilled when the Ian Fleming estate asked me to come back. How could I refuse? I can't wait to return to the world of James Bond."

Horowitz is the fourth author in recent years to be invited by Ian Fleming Publications Ltd to write an official Bond novel, following in the footsteps of William Boyd, whose Solo was published in 2013, the American thriller writer Jeffery Deaver, who wrote Carte Blanche in 2011, and Sebastian Faulks, whose Devil May Care was published to mark Ian Fleming’s centenary in 2008.

Horowitz has written over 40 books including the teen spy series Alex Rider, which is estimated to have sold 19m copies worldwide and was adapted into the movie "Stormbreaker" in 2006. He is also a writer for adults and was commissioned by the Conan Doyle Estate and Orion Books to write a new Sherlock Holmes novel. The House of Silk was published in November 2011, selling more than 35 countries around the world. He is also behind television series including "Midsomer Murders" and "Foyle's War".

Corinne Turner, m.d. of Ian Fleming Publications Ltd, said: "We are absolutely thrilled that Anthony Horowitz is going to write a second James Bond novel with inspiration again from original Fleming material, and of course delighted that Bond will be back home at Jonathan Cape. Trigger Mortis was a superb book, full of energy, wit, twists and turns, and we can’t wait to see what Anthony comes up with next."

Horowitz last night (3rd October) launched Magpie Murders, a standalone crime novel inspired by Agatha Christie and the golden age of crime fiction, which publishes on Thursday (6th October). In the spirit of the night, attendees were asked to solve a riddle to find the venue, the 1901 Art Club, where an intimate gathering took place.

In addition to Trigger Mortis, Orion has also published a set of Sherlock Holmes novels by Horowitz, including The House of Silk.

Thanks to Double O Section for first alerting me to the news.

Monday, October 3, 2016

FELIX LEITER spin off comic coming in 2017

Dynamite Entertainment has announced that Eisner Award-winning writer James Robinson and artist Aaron Campbell will team up for a new James Bond coming book miniseries spotlighting Bond’s friend and ally in the CIA, Felix Leiter.

"Felix Leiter is a fantastically interesting character," says writer James Robinson in a statement. "He combines the best elements of the James Bond universe with the dark alleys and darker deeds of crime fiction. A private detective, done with a life of spying, who is constantly dragged back into that world, like it or not. I'm excited for readers to see the tale of intrigue and big action that I've dreamed up for Felix."

"I've been a lifelong fan of James' writing and it's beyond a thrill to be working with him on not one, but two comic book projects this year," says Joseph Rybandt, Executive Editor at Dynamite. "The expansion of the 007 comic book world this time out focuses on his American counter-part, Felix Leiter, and sends him into Japan. It's a trip all Bond fans are going to want to take this January!"

Felix Leiter appeared in Ian Fleming’s Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Diamonds Are Forever, Goldfinger, Thunderball, and The Man with the Golden Gun. In Live and Let Die, Felix is the victim of a shark attack in which he loses part of his right arm and left leg, sporting prosthetic limbs during his subsequent appearances. In this new miniseries, we meet Leiter post-injuries and working independently from the CIA at his own detective agency.

James Bond: Felix Leiter #1 is slated for release in January 2017.

Friday, September 30, 2016

Pre-order the collected EIDOLON hardcover (March 2017)

A hardcover collecting Dynamite's second James Bond 007 story arc EIDOLON is now available for pre-order on Amazon. Release date shows as March 21, 2017.

James Bond is trapped in Los Angeles with a MI6 agent under fire and a foreign intelligence service trying to put them both in bags... and possibly more than one foreign intelligence service. And things may not be any safer in Britain, with bodies dropping and ghosts moving in the political mist...

Collecting issues #7-12 of the ongoing James Bond comic book series written by Warren Ellis and featuring artwork by Jason Masters.

Pre-order the collected James Bond 007: EIDOLON at Amazon.com (U.S.) and Amazon.co.uk (UK).

Friday, September 23, 2016

STRIKE LIGHTNING eBook now available in U.S.

Steve Cole's latest Young Bond novel Strike Lightning is now available as a Kindle eBook in the U.S. from IFP. As always, they've created unique original cover art for the eBook release. So far, Steve's Young Bond novels have only been released as eBooks in the U.S.


A HARD MAN TO KILL on new Ian Fleming website

Ian Fleming Publications has launched a completely redesigned website today. Browsing the new site offerings, I spotted what appears to be an upcoming eBook edition of Charlie Higson's Young Bond short story, A Hard Man To Kill.

A Hard Man To Kill was first published in 2009 as part of the book Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier. The story is set between the books Hurricane Gold and By Royal Command and takes place aboard an ocean liner. It's an excellent story that also sees the return of Wilder Lawless from SilverFin. This marks its first availability in a solo edition.

While A Hard Man To Kill is listed in the new Ian Fleming website shop, the "Buy Now" link doesn't yet work, so consider this one a preview.

Check out the new Ian Fleming website at www.ianfleming.com. You can also follow on Twitter and Facebook.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

RED NEMESIS pre-order and plot description

Steve Cole's fourth Young Bond adventure Red Nemesis is now available for pre-order at Amazon.co.uk. As with the last two books, Red Nemesis will be released simultaneously in hardcover and paperback. It's due for release on May 4, 2017.

Amazon has also revealed a plot description:

James is back in Steve Cole's fourth and final blistering Young Bond adventure . . .

James is on home soil when he receives a package with a message from beyond the grave. The package’s mysterious contents put James at the heart of a long-running plot that, if it runs its course, will paint London’s streets red with blood. Not only will James have to fight to stay alive and save the country he loves, but to clear the Bond family name, which he holds so dear. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and James doesn’t know who he can trust . . .

This year has seen the release of two Young Bond books, Heads You Die and the excellent Strike Lightning. The plot description confirms that this will be Steve Cole's final Young Bond novel.

Pre-order Red Nemesis at Amazon.co.uk.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Two JOHN GARDNER manuscripts at auction

John Gardner's original manuscripts for Brokenclaw and SeaFire are up for sale via Heritage Auctions. Both include handwritten corrections and come from the collection of Gary Firuta.


You can view and bid on Brokenclaw (lot #45416) and SeaFire (lot #45417) at Heritage Live Auctions. The auction ends tomorrow, September 15.

NEXT YOUNG BOND BOOK TITLE REVEALED

Today we have a nice surprise. Penguin Random House Children’s Books has revealed the title for Steve Cole's next Young Bond novel:

RED NEMESIS

Red Nemesis will be released on May 4, 2017. Steve has referred to this fourth book as being an "epic" Young Bond adventure.

This year has seen the release of two Young Bond books, Heads You Die and Strike Lightning.

Red Nemesis will be Steve Cole's final Young Bond novel.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

LINK: Donald E. Westlake's Sort-of James Bond Book Coming Out Next Year

Tanner over at the awesome Double O Section spy blog has details on a "sort of" James Bond novel by Donald E. Westlake coming out next year.

Titled Forever and a Death, the story was presumably adapted from an unused film treatment Westlake created for what would have been Pierce Brosnan's second James Bond movie.

Click here on the headline and read the full report on this rogue mission at Double O Section.

Legal Disclosure

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Translate