Abbreviations used ...
QOS - Quantum Of Solace,
CR - Casino Royale,
DAD - Die Another Day,
TWINE - The World Is Not Enough,
TND - Tomorrow Never Dies,
GE - GoldenEye,
TLD - The Living Daylights,
AVTAK - A View To A Kill,
OCTO - Octopussy,
MNRK - Moonraker,
TSWLM - The Spy Who Loved Me,
LALD - Live And Let Die,
DAF - Diamond Are Forever,
OHMSS - On Her Majesty's Secret Service,
YOLT - You Only Live Twice,
TB - Thunderball,
GF - Goldfinger,
DN - Dr. No
& NSNA - Never Say Never Again.
- Total Film - Issue 139 ( April 2008 ) ...
Purchased at the end of February this special edition of the monthly film magazine Total Film gives you a choice of 21 different 007 movie covers each priced at £3.80. Alas my supermarket gave me a choice of three, so I went for the GE cover, each has the bottom heading of WHY 2008 IS THE YEAR OF BOND and small top red FLEMING CENTENARY 1908-2008 stamp. On closer inspection of the 21 covers shown over 2 pages they are re-workings of the latest Ultimate Edition DVD covers. I checked out the offer of getting the 21 covers - which actually means buying all 21 magazines ( with same content ) which is a bit expensive - no sign of a front cover collection pack.
Inside related content has ...
Pages
- 4-5: Layout of 21 special covers headed THE YEAR OF BOND- must say Roger seems to stay younger by the cover.
- 10: Forum has a reader's letter with small photo of Maryam TLD D'Abo over header of Bond bombshell asking "last time we had a blonde Bond babe?" and describing her as "rubbish".
- 28: Buzz page has a preview of Craig's Flashback Of A Fool with photo of Craig in jeans & white shite with sub-heading of Nudity, coming of age and being 007 Jnr ....
- 42: A bottom page section called WHAT IF BOND TITLES WERE RECYCLED? using DAD, DN, MNRK, GF, GE, OCTO, TWINE, TB, & QOS. Funniest and shortest - TWINE .. The Tom Cruise Story with a re-worked poster.
- 73: 2008 THE YEAR OF BOND start of mag's "36-page salute to all things 007 in 2008".
- 74/5: BOND IS BACK! - On set at QOS Press Day with photos & chats.
- 76/7: BOND IS BACK! - The Girls Olga gets most while Gemma gets a column.
- 78/9: BEST OF BOND - Intros CR's stunt coordinator Gary Powell selects.
- 80/1: BONDS ON BOND - Daniel Craig answering column of questions about 007.
- 82: BECOMING BOND with 7 of each tips Money no object or Bond on a budget.
- 84/5: BONDS ON BOND - Pierce Brosnan & Timothy Dalton as per Craig.
- 86/7: BEST OF BOND - Vehicles look at cars & boats.
- 88/9: BOND ON TOUR - World of Bond dotted world map with locations used.
- 90/1: BONDS ON BOND - Roger Moore & George Lazenby as per Craig.
- 93/6: 20 Greatest Bond Girls starting with Halle at 20 and topping with Famke at 1 - X connected ?
- 98: BONDS ON BOND - Sean Connery as per Craig.
- 100/1: BEST OF BOND - Gadgets look at "007's best toys".
- 102/4: FLASHBACK - The man with the golden pen looks at Fleming, Friend or Foes looks at 5 of his characters based on real-life persons with movie cast photos - alas Geoffrey Keen never played M - he was Freddie, Minister of Defence in Moore's outings. Final section titled From Fleming to Faulks looks at different authors who "snatched up the Bond baton".
- 105: BATTLE OF THE BONDS has all Fleming book covers with brief THE BOOK and THE FILM descriptions.
- 106/7: BEST OF BOND - Themes looks at artists who sing the songs.
- 108: BOND BADDIES a chance to see Which Bond villain are you?.
- 109: Vote! on the mag's website "Bumper Bond Poll!" and half page advert for Bond DVDs.
- 178: TF ♥... THE BOND TITLE SEQUENCES inside back page looks at Binder's efforts and after.
Enough to keep any Bond fan amused until the next movie !
- MI6 Declassified - Issue 1 ( Oct 2007 ) ...
Another new 007 mag on the block, this time from the mi6.co.uk website and a smaller publication of 24 pages - half the size of long time 007 Magazine and slightly over priced at £5. Using a familiar top page slogan like the aforementioned, this time from GE: Straight up with a twist. The front page has photo of Craig on the crane on location for CR.
Inside content has ...
- P2: half page of Craig & Green photo from Bahamas press day with large quote from Dan about CR followed by a three block timeline from Feb 2005 - EON announcement to Nov 2006 - World Premiere
- P3: contents page describing as "an unauthorised part-works magazine celebrating the world of James Bond and beyond" editor David Smith launches this new publication printed in Germany.
- P4-6: looks at CR's second unit who specialise with stunts e.g crane, car roll & airport tanker destruction.
- P8-9: premiere bond features YOLT with reflections and memories.
- P10-11: looks at sideshow studios' models based on the Bond characters.
- P12-13: a tribute to comic strip artist John McLusky.
- P14-17: author Charlie Higson talks about Young Bond.
- P18-19: how Natasha Bedingfield & Maria Menounos became Bond Girls for video game FRWL.
- P20-21: Bond screenwriters Purvis & Wade discuss the workings of movie Johnny English.
- P22: actor Michael Madsen's role in DAD and filming at Pinewood.
- P23: listing of models by sideshow studios.
- P24: advert for Higson's books featuring latest Hurraine Gold.
Despite small text to give plenty of quality reading on each page, the magazine is still light weight and quick to read. None of the items have writer credits so this must have been a labour of love for its editor. If you're looking for Bond movie photos ( access to Eon's library seems limited here perhaps due to cost ) this won't be for you. Perhaps a tie-in page with the website and having a news highlights page, unfortunately the website doesn't get a mention only the magazine's one ( www.mi6magazine.com ).
In order for me to buy Issue 2 the page count needs to go up along with better paper printing especially if charging as mentioned. Due to lightness this mailed but prompt copy arrived not in the best condition - next time a stronger envelope may help. Meanwhile let's wish Mr Smith's future success as for to succeed this magazine will have to offer something more.
- 007 Mag 44 ( Sep 2004 ) ...
A look back to the 25th Anniversary edition of the popular fan magazine when part of The JBIFC. Having lost touch since issue 42 I thought that I would purchase this one ( £5 ) as a double celebration of Goldfinger - 40th Anniversary as well as the magazine's one. What comes across is Graham Rye's effort at the time to keep the magazine & club going through personal loss and hardship. On the plus side Graham has had some nice Bondian memories along the way as seen in the many featured photos. He has mixed with EON staff, cast & crew to go where many Bond fans would break a leg for !
Anyway back to the usual 48 page content, his editorial was written at the time of uncertainty about Bond 21 ( which was to become Casino Royale ) and he was suggesting Brosnan again in remakes of OHMSS & YOLT made back to back and in the right Fleming order. Inside the magazine front mixed GF/Brosnan cover is a Technicolor's advert for GF and the back cover has an exclusive montage one which is surrounded by the song lyrics. The first item looks at the film's villains Auric Goldfinger and Oddjob comparing book to film. The next item looks at the man who created the titles explaining the projection of movie images onto the lovely Margaret Nolan. Followed by a music item on "the must-own EMI Bond remastered CDs" which I haven't seen due to a sheltered life, this second part concludes with OHMSS, DAF & LALD with some nice selection of small photos in a rectangle frame to help the detailed track text. More music with an interview with Michael Sandoval from MGM explaining the choice of artist & music from GE to TWINE, a page with Tina Turner's GE pop video photo has all the songs' lyrics including TND's Surrender ( a favourite of mine ). Plenty of photos to keep Garbage fans happy. The pictorial has six pages of making of TSWLM trailer with Maurice Binder, some showing the models nude or topless which came as a shock to this writer ( especially if you've read my other site - yes joking ) perhaps old Graham let slip with these boob shots but a nice surprise.
He devotes the next 16 pages to Adventures in the fan trade, part 2 from 1995 to 2004 looking at meetings, conventions and parties etc. e.g. meetings with Pierce and bumping into Sean & wife ( lucky sod ! ). Each page has top page selection of photos from events starting back in 1989, I was interested to see the Pinewood Studios 1994 set where I was pushed to jump the queue and get George Lazenby's autograph. Yes I met a Bond ! Don't remember Lois Maxwell being there ? I was the one who asked about funny filming moments and George told the sausage story which he tells a lot now when asked about 007. Mixed in with this look back is an edited archive interview with S/FX wizard John Stears (1934-1999) recalling Bond special effect moments ( like OHMSS's end helicopter raid on Piz Gloria ) filmed on limited budgets.
The best quote of the mag comes from Graham when asked by a tv reporter about the new Bond, Pierce Brosnan, hidden among the photos - caption no.5 (p.43) he says "I reckon he'll do four then they'll get rid of him!" How very true, now what about Mr Craig ? Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
- 007 Spy Files - No. 1 ( Jan 2002 ) ...
This new colour magazine is clearly aimed at a younger audience with claims on the opening page "You are about to access the secret files of MI6".
Inside this starter edition you will find:
- Vehicles: a blue print of the Q Boat with a large drawing with cut-outs to reveal it's secrets followed by The Q Boat Chase with stills from TWINE.
- Spy Secrets: showing a young boy's bedroom and ways to make the room secure with 007 tips e.g. DN's spitting hairs.
- Q Branch: reveals TND's Ericsson mobile phone and playback of brief dialogue between Bond & Q.
- Locations: looks at TSWLM's Atlantis with interesting computer graphics.
- Allies: looks at Bond's personal file with photos of Brosnan but no mention of the actors who played him.
- 007's Reports: part 1 is a 3 page look at Mission: Moonraker with the agent recalling his adventure.
- Field Skills: looks at shark attacks and shows James with Melina in Corfu escaping the sea beasts.
- Codes And Puzzles: 2 pages of games to try out and some video game clues. Also a back page Bondmobiles test.
- Villains: looks at GF's Oddjob.
Priced at a bargain £0.99 instead of the usual fortnightly £1.99, this opening 24 page magazine proves great value.
Presented on a double sized, colour promotion photo card, you also get an extra 8 page magazine explaining what is intended for the future series plus a collector's silver box with 007 logo.
Each issue will have 10 cards which you can "collect, play & trade".
The cards tie-in with the magazines' pages e.g. Card 1 Allies: James Bond has photo of Brosnan back & front and is card linked to page 14 of this first issue.
Despite the cards' good quality, each has percentage ratings which serve little purpose like the added card game rules.
Alas my days of collecting & swapping cards are long gone. Also playing with plastic 'decoding lenses' on some pages has a limited and young appeal.
Acting as Consultant is JBCC's Dave Worrall who also helped with the ill-fated 007 The Bond Phenomenon.
Will it last longer ?
Due to a tie-in with EON and use of their library, it may have a better appeal but I still have doubts.
The magazine series will be a valuable & costly ( how many issues ? ) background to the EON film series: characters, locations, gadgets etc.
but not mentioned are the actors who made these characters popular or the creator, Ian Fleming & his books.
This publication appears to have an early photographic bias towards Brosnan as Bond who is featured on covers & inside content.
If you already buy Bond magazines like Rye's 007, you have already seen before most of the photos.
The presentation style will appeal to the younger & newer Bond fans due to the light & quick read, so if you're interested it's "for your eyes only". Alas this 'older' reader won't be rushing out to buy issue 2.
- Collecting 007 - No. 17 ( Summer 2001 ) ...
With a GE cover created by an artist using movie stills to create a montage.
This informative 44 page b&w magazine with colour cover contains plenty of good reading about 007 collectables including the latest Corgi model car collections.
Elsewhere in this Summer edition you will find:
- Report from the Swiss Fan Club and their visit to Piz Gloria.
- 007 Bond Cars at Beaulieu.
- A look at Bert Luxford's gimmicks for Bond.
- An American collector who put on his own exhibition for fans to enjoy on the West Coast.
- Behind the scenes look at the photo shoot for Vanity Fair's Bond Women.
- Collecting Japanese flyers.
- Other fan reports from Japan ( fans who waited hours to meet our Rog), Germany & USA.
- Tim Greaves' Bond book that never was .. published yet !
- Bond in vision: NSNA & Casino Royale - the latter described by editor Worrall as 'bad' on 2 counts !
- Club members visiting locations: Piz Gloria ( the Holy Shrine ), YOLT's fishing village, AVTAK's mine entrance & TB's French chateau.
- IFF's Doug Redenius visiting Pinewood ( like we all do ! ) and picks up some Bond bargains - TWINE's parahawks & Q's boat.
- plus Italian 'Spaghetti' Bond music, book reviews & fans' letters including a surprised fan who met Dalton on location.
This magazine is well worth it's £4.95 price but not the 'over the top' back issue prices of double, triple & quadruple the original price. Mr Worrall, the magazine is good but not that good and some inside colour would enhance the next issue.
- 007 The Bond Phenomenon ...
The short-lived series of Bond Collectors' mags followed on the success of TND.
This 4th issue ( seen right ), part of an intended eight part series, was devoted to the subject of the Bond Girls.
I wonder if Bond Girls' author Graham Rye was aware as this issue covered the A-Z of Bond Ladies with some different and familiar photos.
When I saw The Official Collectors' Series on the cover, I expected a mag about 007 souvenirs etc. especially with Dave Worrall ( James Bond Collectors Club ) as the consultant and friend of Mr. Rye.
The lovely ladies are now looked at better in Rye's 007 magazine under the Bond Babe section.
Despite the series' failure, I'm sure that the mag will become a bit of a Bond collector's item.
FYI: The 007 Magazine is no longer a publication of JBIFC & Collecting 007 is a publication of JBCC, both purchased from all good fanzine shops.
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