'Dr. No' comic sells for £142 in auction

DC Comics 1962 tie-in comic to the first James Bond film, Dr. No, has sold for £142 in auction.

The 47-year-old comic was one of 700 comic lots sold by Cameo Auctioneers in London, and was snapped up by a Bond fan. Adrian Cowdry, film memorabilia and comic consultant to Cameo, said the magazine, part of DC Comics' Showcase anthology series, was the first time a Bond film had been seen in comic form.

Mr Cowdry said: "This Dr No comic is extremely rare and in impeccable condition given it is nearly 50 years old. It is a 'must-have' for fans of James Bond, Ian Fleming or Sean Connery."

He added: "The comic was aimed at reaching the comic reading masses. Hundreds were printed but in those days very few people thought comics would be worth keeping. Kids read them then give them to friends or threw them out, or their parents would put them on the coal fire."

New Young Bond book in 2011?

Did comedian Harry Enfield just leak some MAJOR James Bond literary news?

According to the Northants Evening Telegraph, Harry Enfield was a guest at the Kids Lit Quiz finals which took place at Oxford Town Hall on Friday, November 27. According to report, Harry brought along a very special treat for the participants:

"The guest at the final was comedian Harry Enfield, who did a reading from the first page of the new young James Bond book by Charlie Higson, which is not going to be available until 2011."

A second source reports that Harry then ate the page, "as befitted a top secret document."

So Young Bond returns in 2011? Let's hope this is true!

OO7 Magazine #52

007 Magazine issue #52 is now available to purchase from the 007 Magazine website.

This latest issue contains a private view of the 2008 exhibition at The Fleming Collection in London’s Mayfair, coverage the 1963 luncheon meeting between authors Len Deighton and Ian Fleming, a historical 1963 gathering of the movers and shakers of the Bond franchise on the set of From Russia With Love, previously unseen pre-production illustrations from Kevin McClory’s ill-fated Bond project Warhead, the 1989 Licence To Kill Royal World Charity Premiere at London’s Odeon Leicester Square, in the presence of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince And Princess of Wales, and more.

Young Sherlock Holmes and the case of the numerous James Bond connections

In March it was announced that Macmillan would publish a series of authorized Young Sherlock Holmes novels by Andrew Lane, with the first book due out in Spring 2010.

Turns out this series has many James Bond connections. First, it's obviously inspired by Charlie Higson's successful Young Bond series. Second, author Andrew Lane is a Bond fan and co-author of the very fine, The Bond Files. And today Amazon has revealed cover art for the first book, Young Sherlock Holmes: The Death Cloud, featuring an image of Young Sherlock created by Young Bond artist Kev Walker.

The full Walker art (along with an impressive cover prototype) can be seen in his portfolio at the Apple Agency.

Young Sherlock Holmes: The Death Cloud will be released June 4, 2010 and can be pre-ordered at Amazon.co.uk.

WIN Young Bond trading cards & The Puffin Adventure Book for Boys

The Young Bond Dossier and Puffin Books are offering 10 lucky fans a chance to WIN a set of exclusive Young Bond trading cards and a copy of The Puffin Adventure Book for Boys.

These 12 exclusive cards come uncut on three sheets and feature spectacular full color character images by Kev Walker. Released in limited supplies with the hardcover edition of By Royal Command, these rare cards have become hot Young Bond collectibles.

The Puffin Adventure Book For Boys was a limited Christmas exclusive and features extracts from six of Puffin’s most popular boys adventure titles, including Charlie Higson’s By Royal Command, Artemis Fowl and the Time Paradox, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Young Samuri: The Way of the Warrior and more.

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO ENTER

Competition closes December 1st, 2009.

Cover art for 'Nightbird'

Cover art for Titan Books next collection of classic James Bond comic strips, Nightbird, has been revealed by CommanderBond.net. The collection will contain the title story as well as "Hot-Shot" and "Ape of Diamonds " Release date is March 26, 2010.

Nightbird is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com.

Interview with Fergus Fleming

Here's a treat. Not often you read an interview with a member of the Fleming family. One major revelation; Talk of the Devil -- the collection of Fleming's unpublished work availible only as part of the Queen Ann Press set -- will eventually be made available as a single volume. Also nice that he was asked about the next continuation author, even if it got a "no comment."

Through a thriller-writer’s eyes: the life and work of Ian Fleming

Young Bond companion book released in UK

An all-new Young Bond companion book, Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier, is released today in the UK by Puffin Books.

Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier is the complete and definitive guide to the world and adventures of Young Bond. Packed with information – from in-depth character profiles to the cars, the weapons and the exotic locations, plus facts, statistics, photographs, maps, and illustrations by Kev Walker – this book is both a must-have for Young Bond fans and a perfect introduction to the megaselling series.

As a bonus, the book also includes a brand-new Young Bond short story by Charlie Higson, A Hard Man To Kill. Set between Hurricane Gold and By Royal Command, the story finds James and his aunt Charmian boarding the French Ocean Liner Colombie for their journey back to England. But a villain named Emil Lefebvre and a mysterious hooded convict named Caiboche suggest this journey may be far from uneventful...

Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier can be purchased from bookstores across the UK or online from Amazon.co.uk.

Pre-order 'Choice of Weapons'

K1Bond007 reports that Raymond Benson's second anthology of 007 work, Choice of Weapons, is available for pre-order on Amazon.com.

The collection will include the novels Zero Minus Ten, The Facts of Death, The Man With The Red Tattoo, and the short stories Live At Five and Midsummer Night's Doom. Publication date, according to Amazon, is August 17, 2010.

For more news about Raymond Benson's current and upcoming original work, visit his official website.

Titan's new James Bond Omnibus

Titan is releasing a new collection of classic James Bond comic strips.

The James Bond Omnibus brings together: Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker, Diamonds are Forever, From Russia With Love, Dr. No, Goldfinger, Risico, From a View to a Kill, For Your Eyes Only and Thunderball.

The book also includes an introduction by Sir Roger Moore.

The James Bond Omnibus is out now in the UK and will be released in the U.S. this week.

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

Several U.S. Young Bond releases set for May 18, 2010

The Young Bond Dossier has nailed down pre-order links for several upcoming Young Bond releases in the U.S. on May 18, 2010.

Charlie Higson's fifth Young Bond book, By Royal Command, will be released on that day in hardcover along with a simultaneous hardcover and paperback release of SilverFin The Graphic Novel (cover right). May 18 will also see the release of Charlie Higson's non-Bond horror novel, The Enemy.

All titles are being released by Disney-Hyperion.

May 18, 2010 pre-order links:

By Royal Command

The Enemy

SilverFin The Graphic Novel (hardcover)

SilverFin The Graphic Novel (paperback)

'The Blofeld Trilogy' released in UK

CommanderBond.net reports that Penguin Classics new Bond anthology, The Blofeld Trilogy, has been released in the UK.

The Blofeld Trilogy collects the Ian Fleming novels Thunderball, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service and You Only Live Twice -- all of which feature 007’s arch-nemesis Ernst Stavro Blofeld. The book also features an introduction by Nick Lezard.

The Blofeld Trilogy trade paperback is available from Amazon.co.uk.

Extract from 'The Young Bond Dossier'

An extract from the new Young Bond companion book, Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier, has been posted on the official Young Bond website, www.youngbond.com. Just click Books, navigate to the cover, then find the Extract button.

The website has also revealed revised cover art which drops the original "Danger Society" co-title. (UPDATE: This art was a mistake and is being replaced.)

Featuring a brand-new story by Charlie Higson, Danger Society: The Young Bond Dossier is the complete and definitive guide to the world and adventures of Young Bond.

'The Girl Machine' released in U.S.

Titan's latest collection of classic James Bond comic strips, The Girl Machine is released today in the U.S. (Amazon.com).

First serialized in 1973, "The Girl Machine" finds 007 and Bond Girl Zebeide Rashid traveling to Hajar to free an imprisoned Emir. In the second story, "Beware of Butterflies" Bond is once again teamed with agent Suzi Kew to influtrae an Eastern European spy ring. The final story in the collection, "The Nevsky Nude", finds 007 uncovering a SMERSH operation in Sussex.

Next up from Titan: Nightbird.

Story info from The Bond Files by Andy Lane and Paul Simpson.

IFP gives shout-out to fansite

How cool is Ian Fleming Publications? In their latest email newsletter, the company that controls the literary James Bond gives a nice shout-out to the fansite, Illustrated 007.

"Ian Fleming Publications Ltd was lucky enough to come across a blog run by Peter Lorenz which features his wide collection of Ian Fleming and James Bond books. The Illustrated 007 is full of Peter's wonderful photography and shows the great range and scale of Ian Fleming books available. Click the link to enjoy the blog for yourself!"

Congrats Peter on an official thumbs up from the Fleming family!

You can subscribe to the IFP newsletter via the official Ian Fleming Publications website.

Charity shop finds Thunderball first edition in donation bin

Wick St Barnabas charity shop volunteer Roger Butterworth was amazed to find a first edition copy of Ian Fleming's Thunderball, published in 1961, novel among the donations.

Butterworth, who also volunteers at the Littlehampton Museum, instantly recognised the value of the book, which is in excellent condition.

The 007 volume is on prominent display in Littlehampton Museum's popular summer exhibition, "On His Majesty's Secret Service", which celebrates the town's link with Bond creator Fleming. The museum is accepting bids in excess of £100 on behalf of the charity shop

The book will remain on display until the exhibition ends, on September 4.

Source: Littlehampton Gazette

Faulks not signing 'Devil May Care' on Sept 3

Sebastian Faulks will be at Hatchards in London signing his new novel A Week in December on Thursday 3rd September from 12.30-1.30pm. However, the Hatchards website has added this to the event description:

PLEASE NOTE THAT SEBASTIAN FAULKS WILL ONLY BE SIGNING COPIES OF 'A WEEK IN DECEMBER' AT THIS EVENT.

So we know what that means.

'Quantum of Solace' nominated for book design award

The handsome new hardcover edition of Quantum of Solace -- a complete collection of the Ian Fleming James Bond short stories -- has been short-listed for the Best Jacket/Cover Design category of the British Book Design and Production Awards 2009.

The book was designed by Angus Hyland and Fabian Herrmann of Pentagram, and is a cloth-covered hardback featuring a silver foil-blocked image of Bond’s weapon of choice, the Walther PPK. The stunning design has caught the eye of many, and Antonio Carusone of design blog www.aisleone.net describes it:

A subtle diamond pattern is debossed on to the boards, which combined with deep burgundy endpapers evokes the discerning elegance of Bond’s world. An embossed manila bellyband with typewritten cover information on the label evokes the official documents of the period.

The winner of each category will be announced at the British Book Design and Production Awards 2009 gala dinner to be held on Thursday 29 October at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London. Ticket details can be found at www.britishbookawards.org, and the short-list for the 2009 awards will also be available on the website from Monday 10 August 2009.

Source: Ian Fleming Publications

Interview with Raymond Benson

Skype video interview with James Bond continuation author Raymond Benson. Interviewer: Stacey Cochran.

French SilverFin Graphic Novel

The Young Bond Dossier has revealed cover art for the French language edition of SilverFin: The Graphic Novel by Charlie Higson and Kev Walker. This marks the first appearance of the graphic novel outside the UK. Release date is September 23, 2009 (Amazon.fr).