The final issue of VARGR is finally here

Today we finally see the release of the Dynamite Entertainment James Bond comic VARGR. It was first set to be released on April 6 but was postponed to April 20. As I have written before this seems to be quite common in the comics industry. Why Dynamite Entertainment dont wait three extra months to release the comics so they can be certain that they can deliver on the advertised release date is for me a question. I believe the answer is that the work they order needs to be cashed in as soon as possible. No money should ever sit and wait.
I just dont think this is the way to treat loyal customers or people working with the comic.

What if Eon Productions failed to deliver a James Bond film on time?
I work daily with sales of films and we do have the same issue in our industry. But when a date is set the industry make sure to deliver the film on time.

Anyhow I am so glad that during the weekend I can sit down with my complete set of VARGR comics and read them for the first time. I have waited to read the story until I had all comics and it do look so great. I absolutely love the drawing above by Jason Masters. Its like he has captured a younger Bond then normal but still very though. Somewhere around 28 years old instead of the regular 35-40 years old.

During March Dynamite Entertainment sold a little more then 15 000 copies of VARGR taking the comic to the #126 on the comic charts in the US.  

I am happy to mention that both Warren Ellis and Jason Masters have received renewed confidence and will release a new James Bond story called EIDOLON and set (at this point) to be released on June 15. Below you can find a short synopsis about the story that includes SPECTRE.

After World War Two, army intelligence groups created ghost cells called "stay-behinds" across Europe in the event of a Warsaw Pact surge. "EIDOLON" is the story of a SPECTRE stay-behind structure - ghost cells of SPECTRE loyalists acting as sleepers until the time is right for a SPECTRE reformation and resurgence. The time is now. 

Universal Exports was Ian Flemings figment

As a James Bond fan you might be aware that James Bond often uses UNIVERSAL EXPORTS as an employer when going undercover. This has appeared in many of the films during the years.

But what all fans might not know is that this was not an idea from the screenwriters but an idea from Ian Fleming himself. The only only thing added is the S in the end.

In the second James Bond novel LIVE AND LET DIE from 1954 James Bond calls M from New York after his first meeting with Mr Big.

You're connected, caller,' said the Overseas operator. "Go ahead please. New York calling London."
 Bond heard the calm English voice. "Universal Export. Who's speaking, please?"
"Can I speak to the Managing Director" Said Bond. This is his nephew James speaking from New York."
"Just a moment, please." Bond could follow the call to Miss Moneypenny and see her press the switch on the intercom. "It's New York, Sir," she would say. "I think it's 007."  "Put him through" M would say. 

What I am trying to say with this post and actually whit this entire blog is that if you have not read the James Bond books you should. There is so much more with in the books and between films the books are an excellent way of enjoying the James Bond universe. To learn where all the ideas for the films come from.
As Cubby Broccoli said. "When we get stuck with the scripts we always go back to the books..." 

Anthony Horowitz recives great birthday present

On April 5th James Bond author Anthony Horowitz, who has written the latest James Bond novel TRIGGER MORTIS, turned 61 years old no less.

One could have hoped that Ian Fleming Publications would have used this date to announce that Horowitz will be writing his second James Bond novel for the following months to come but that never happened. I now hope that this will be released on May 28th witch is the birthday of James Bond creator Ian Fleming. I will go so far to say that I will be surprised if that does not happen on that date.

Anyhow, this blog post is about the present that Anthony Horowitz received from one of his two sons a few days back. Because the present was really cool and cleaver.

Anthony received a Richard Chopping tribute to TRIGGER MORTIS by watercolour artist Gerald Wadsworth.

Gerald Wadsworth is currently working on an Ian Fleming tribute making his own drawing for each book. And as you can see above he has also done a TRIGGER MORTIS tribute. I am sure that Anthony was really surprised by this present and it is nice that Gerald's work reaches a wider audience.

You can head over to Gerald's own web page to read more about the artist and see his other work. If you want you can also buy a print but do ask him about the sizes because I cant figure out how big they are.

Finally I wish to take this small opportunity to congratulate Anthony Horowitz a bit late on his birthday. Happy (late) Birthday!

Here is a world exclusive for you!

I am very proud to share whit you the blogs first world exclusive.

To celebrate that this blog JAMES BOND - THE SECRET AGENT has passed 20 000 page views in just six months and that our Facebook page very soon will pass 400 followers (just two to go). I have been in contact with the very talented Jason Masters to draw an exclusive painting of James Bond to be used as a header for this blog.

I have been waiting for his drawing for a few days when it showed up in my inbox today. And boy was I satisfied.

JASON MASTERS began his career in commercial advertising and went on to work as a professional comic book artist for DC, Marvel, and Dynamite Comics.
Masters got his big break in comics when he met Ethan van Sciver, a prominent artist for DC Comics, at a book signing in Johannesburg a few years ago. Van Sciver passed on his portfolio to his editor at DC, who a few months later, contacted him about working for DC Comics as an artist.
Masters' early work includes Human Target and Red, a comic series penned by Warren Ellis, for Wildstorm Studios, an imprint of DC. He went on to work on various Batman titles, including Legends of the Dark Knight, Batman Incorporated, Batwoman, and Nightwing. For Marvel he worked on Guardians of the Galaxy, Wolverine, and X-Men. His biggest gig arrived in 2015, when he was handpicked by comics legend, Warrren Ellis, to handle the artwork as ongoing series artist on Dynamite's high-profile relaunch of the James Bond comic book, the first all new 007 comic series in over 20 years.
The series, under the helm of Ellis and Masters, has received popular and critical acclaim and is currently one of Dynamite Comics bestselling new series. Jason Masters lives in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

See the full drawing he painted fort the blog below.

And if you are a fan of Jason Masters work like I am you can follow him on Twitter here

Was Douglas Wilmer hired to play Ian Fleming?

The very fine actor Douglas Wilmer appeard in the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy as Jim Fanning.

As soon as I learnt more and more about the world of James Bond I have always wondered if Douglas Wilmer was hired to actually play Ian Fleming in Octopussy. Or at least someone that looks like Ian Fleming and is called Jim Fanning in the film, a name that is truly close to Ian Fleming if you ask me.

I wished for a very long time that I could ask someone if this was the case.
And in 2014 the From Sweden with Love founder Anders Frejdh arranged a screening of Octopussy in Sweden with Director John Glen (amongst many others) in attendance.

So during the signing of autographs I had the privileged to sit next to him and pump him with questions between signings. And of course I asked him if Douglas Wilmer was hired to play an Ian Fleming lookalike character.

And he told me that so was NOT the case and he himself had never thought of the resemblance until I mentioned it. I was supprised by this and said that Douglas Wilmers character even dressed like Fleming and was called Fanning in the film. John Glen then said that this must have been by coincidence.

And maybe I will make some of you angry now but I just can't let this one go. Can it really be a coincidence that the character is named Jim Fanning wears a bow-tie (with dots) and looks like Ian Fleming?

What do you think? Please comment below.

Sadly Douglas Wilmer passed away March 31, 2016. He was 96 years. 

Douglas Wilmer / Ian Fleming

I just dont understand this dust-wrapper?

I will never be able to afford a first edition of LIVE AND LET DIE from Jonathan Cape in 1954 since these sell for around £8 750. Or I can afford it but I would not be able to say to myself that I have control over my James Bond collecting and it would be hard to look my wife in her eyes afterwords. There is so much you can do with that amount of money.

But today's blog post is about the dust-wrapper for LIVE AND LET DIE. Since I have a second impression edition I thought that I might be able to buy a first edition without its dust-wrapper and then take the jacket from my second edition to make it complete and save some money wile doing so.

But on the backside of my dust jacket it says "second impression" and the wired thing is that it says so on the first edition as well and that is so strange?

Does the backside of LIVE AND LET DIE refer to Casino Royale being released as a second impression in time of the release for LIVE AND LET DIE? If so, why do they even mention it on the dust-wrapper?

And if you do know the answers to these questions can you also tell if the dust-wrapper is identical between the first edition, second state and the second impression?

Now if you have both the money and the need to spend £8 750 on a single book then you can buy the LIVE AND LET DIE first edition buy clicking here!

 

Happy Birthday to Tiffany Case, 60 today

It is not only Ester today it is also the birthday of Tiffany Case or more interestingly the birthday of Ian Flemings forth James Bond novel DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER.

The book was first published on March 26 in 1956. The first edition was ha hardback edition from now famous Jonathan Cape and the cover was designed by Pat Marriott and the front page carried a drawing on the front page with a picture of Tiffany Case wearing a diamond neck less. On the back was a picture of Ian Fleming in his forties.

The first edition was printed in 12 500 copies and is now hard to obtain and sells for load of money.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER was also the first story that Fleming sold to The Daily Express to make into a comic strip.

Later in 1956 Pan Books produced a paperback version of the book and sold 68 000 copies before the end of that year.

Ian Fleming said this of Diamonds Are Forever in an interview with the Daily Express in 1956:

“I’ve put everything into this except the kitchen sink. Can you think of a plot about a kitchen sink for the next one? Otherwise I am lost.”

Happy Birthday DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER!

UK first edition

Jill St John as Tiffany Case in the 1971 DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

Swedish "Antiques Roadshow" is way of in valuating Fleming books

On this weeks Swedish version of Antiques Roadshow I was amazed that the section "Good, Better, Best" was covering something as rare in Sweden as Ian Fleming first editions. I do not know if this section is present on the British versions of the show but what it comes down to is that the public will see three objects and try to figure out which of the three is worth the most money.

According to the owner of the books and book expert Torgny Schunnesson one of them was worth 20 000 SEK (£1 600) the second one was worth 100 000 SEK (£8 000) and the third was worth 300 000 SEK (£24 000).

And then the public got to guess and most of them actually guest right without touching the books.

Now I was very curious to know more about these books since the evaluation was far higher the usual. But I got disappointed when the owner and said expert on the matter said that a first edition of ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE is worth 20 000 SEK (£1 600) since I bought my second first edition earlier this week in excellent condition and only paid 4 100 SEK (£330) for it. And that is a bit more then most of you would pay. You can currently find it on Ebay for 4 400 SEK £350 in fine condition.

The difference between the to LIVE AND LET DIE editions is that one of them is a true first edition and the second one is a second state version. the actual difference is very small. On the front flap of the dust jacket of the second state is says "Jacket design by the author and executed by Kenneth Lewis". According to the expert on Swedish television the version with the text is worth 100 000 SEK (£8 000) and the one without the above text is worth 300 000 SEK (£24 000).

Once again a quick search on Ebay tells you that this is not the case. The cheaper second state can be bought for 71 000 SEK (£5 666) and a true first edition can be bought for 135 000 SEK (£10 840). 

All in all the Swedish Antiques roadshow was off with an amazing 209 600 SEK (£16 800).

I would almost have paid to be there that day of recoding just to smack the expert on his fingers. But that would never have made it through the cutting room.

If you wish to see the program and this part of the show you can follow the link and then skip forward to 31:30 and then to37:00 to see this for your self.

I believe I will have to call my insurance company to raise my insurance after this ;0).

VARGR Issue 5 is finally out

Issue 5 out of 6 of the James Bond comic series VARGR is now out and have found its way all the way to Sweden.
The issue was supposed to be released on March 2 but was postponed twice and was finally released today on March 16.
I find it quite wired that the release date for the next issue is never mentioned in the comic itself. I also find it strange that the publishers work with their material so close to the release date. Would it not be more easy to have a deadline for the material with a release date a few months ahead so that problems can be solved without hurting the sales.

Anyhow the fifth issue is now out and the sixth and final chapter is said to be released on April 6. Then I will shut down my computer for one night and finally read the entire story.

Below you can see the cover for issue 5.

A reviewer had this to say about the Vargr series:

A tense action thriller that knows how to take its time and deliver a page turning comic. Whoever’s writing the next Bond flick should check this book out and take notes!

You can order your issue here!

The books to read about all things Ken Adam

Sadly the Bond family lost its best Production Designer ever this week when 95 year old Sir Ken Adam past away.

I dont believe there are as many books about any Production Designer as it is about Ken Adam, The first Production Designer for the James Bond films.

Below are the books to own to study Ken Adams work.

BOND BY DESIGN was released in 2015 and carry many drawings and sketches by Ken Adam for all his now famous production designs from James Bond apartment in DR. NO to the villains supertanker in THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. A sound stage so big that it was later called 007 STAGE at Pinewood Studios.

THE JAMES BOND ARCHIVES is a massive book that was released in 2012 and contains a lot of interviews with Ken Adam where he tells us the story of the James Bond sets that he worked on. A fantastic read for any James Bond fan. But note that reading this book in bed like I do will make your wife jealous for many nights to come. This book is huge.

MOONRAKER, STRANGELOVE AND OTHER CELLULOID DREAMS: THE VISIONARY ART OF KEN ADAM. Now that's a long title for a book. The book was published in 1999 and was in conjunction whit the exhibition in England whit the same title. This book contains pictures and drawings from all Ken Adams films.

He was a fantastic Production Designer and I am certain that Ken Adam is on of few reasons that James Bond became such a huge success all over the world.

Ken Adam
1921-2016

 

You can order BOND BY DESIGN by clicking the link below.