New James Bond Short Story to Appear in November/December PLAYBOY

Continuing a long tradition begun with the publication of Ian Fleming's short story "The Hildebrand Rarity" in the March 1960 issue, James Bond will once again appear in the pages of Playboy Magazine this fall, in a brand new short story. The only difference is this one will be in comic book form. Dynamite and Ian Fleming Publications announced jointly today that an exclusive, 6-page story from the team behind Dynamite's James Bond Origin comic book will see print in the November/December issue. Like the series, the story is written by Jeff Parker (The Interman, Batman '66 Meets The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) and drawn by Bob Q, both of whom have done stellar work on the first two issues of the comic. The new story takes place in March 1941, flashing forward a bit from events in the current issues. According to the press release, "James is dropped off the coast of Belgium to help a Resistance cell take out a supply train that's important to the Nazis." This is very exciting news, not just because it extends a longstanding tradition of appropriate brand partnership, but because more James Bond Origin is definitely a good thing! As previously reported, James Bond Origin bridges the gap between the Young Bond novels and Fleming's Casino Royale, finally telling the story of James Bond's war years. The November/December issue of Playboy hits newsstands October 30, but the digital version is already available now. The first two physical issues of Dynamite's ongoing comics series James Bond Origin are currently available in comics shops or digitally.

While Playboy (which now bills itself as "Entertainment for All," not "Entertainment for Men") published many Fleming stories and serialized novels back in the Sixties, the magazine also has more recent history with 007. During Raymond Benson's tenure as continuation author in the late Nineties, he published two Bond short stories and an excerpt of his first novel in the magazine. (The stories were eventually collected in the Benson anthologies The Union Trilogy and Choice of Weapons.) The most recent James Bond short stories to be published in magazines were written by Samantha Weinberg during her stint writing the excellent Moneypenny Diaries spinoff novels, and focused on that character as well as 007. "For Your Eyes Only, James" (review here) was published in Tatler in 2006, and "Moneypenny's First Date With Bond" (review here) was published in The Spectator that same year. To date, neither story has ever been collected.

Thanks to Gary for the alert!

James Bond Covers Video Watchdog

Agent 007 makes another cover appearance on the latest issue of Tim Lucas's Video Watchdog, the best DVD review magazine out there. Issue 174 features a Skyfall cover, and a review inside of the MGM Blu-ray. You can read a short preview here. The issue also features an article of the fascinating and prolific Spanish director Jess Franco, who dabbled in the Eurospy genre (with contributions including Two Undercover Angels and Attack of the Robots)—presumably an obituary (depending on the lead time required before printing), as Franco sadly recently passed away. Bond and Eurospies? And Hammer to boot! I'll definitely be picking up this issue! James Bond has graced the cover of occasional past issues of Video Watchdog, always promising a highly insightful article within. I'm sure this one will be no exception.

First Skyfall Magazine Cover

It's begun! Empire has bragging rights for the first Skyfall magazine cover in what's sure to be a 50th Anniversary-fueled onslaught of Bondian hype. And I'll end up buying every magazine to slap 007 on its cover, as I always do... starting with this one. Here's what they say about the James Bond content inside on the Empire website:

Inside we have the fruit of several visits to the set of Skyfall, wherein we try to peer behind the veil of secrecy that covers the production (well, it is about a spy after all) and bring you all the news we can extract from the cast and crew. We also celebrate Bond's 50th anniversary with a look at some key moments in Bond history: there's a look at GoldenEye, Live and Let Die and On Her Majesty's Secret Service, as well as a chat with Timothy Dalton. You might say we have a licence to thrill! If you were into tired puns, anyway.

Hear that? Dalton interview! Awesome. This issue hits UK newsstands on Thursday, and will no doubt wash up Stateside shortly thereafter. Keep your eyes peeled!

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Publicity Ramps Up

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Publicity Ramps Up
New Trailer Due Tomorrow

The publicity machine is finally going into high gear for Brad Bird's new Mission: Impossible movie. Tomorrow, a new trailer will debut and an Empire Magazine cover story hits newsstands. (Empire, by the way, did a much better job of creating a good promotional image for the film than Paramount's own publicity department did with that awful teaser poster!) And to tide us over until then, Yahoo! has posted this behind-the-scenes video of Tom Cruise performing that big dangling stunt on the side of the world's tallest building, Dubai's Burj Khalifa.

So does anybody recognize that version of the Mission: Impossible Theme? I'm guessing it's probably something created exclusively for the trailer, like the famous Parodi/Fair Bond Theme from the GoldenEye teaser... but maybe not. Anyone?

Esquire Offers James Bond Fashion Tips, Daniel Craig Interview, Hayley Atwell Pictures

Daniel Craig is on the cover of the newest issue of Esquire Magazine. Though the cover is to promote his new movie, Cowboys and Aliens, our man Bond is listed first (and biggest) in the copy, more prominent than Cowboys or even the guaranteed blockbuster The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. (Esquire's been around a long time; they know how to sell magazines!) In addition to the Craig interview (which conveys the actor's enthusiasm for Bond 23, even if it doesn't reveal any new information about the film), Esquire's website also offers a great slideshow on Bond's sartorial style, "A Fashion Lesson to Learn from (Nearly) Every James Bond." (Yes, it's poor George who gets left out. I guess Esquire doesn't think there's a place in today's world of menswear for the classic kilt-and-puffy-shirt combo.) I particularly like their takeaway from Timothy Dalton's tenure: "lose the tie." I like it because they encourage men to "keep this idea in your back pocket for the next wedding." I happen to be going to a wedding on Saturday, and since it will be outdoors in the middle of the day on what's likely to be one of the hottest days of the year, I was just making the case to my girlfriend last week that it might be a viable option to forgo the tie. (Unfortunately, even with the weight of a tastemaker like Esquire in my court, I was still overruled.) I also like that they make note of how well Brosnan wore overcoats, because I was always struck by that in his movies.

Also worth checking out in this issue of Esquire is an interview with/pictorial of the best thing about the 2009 Prisoner miniseries, actress Hayley Atwell. (She's promoting her new movie, Captain America.) In it, Atwell rightly dismisses The Prisoner remake as "a complete joke." She clarifies: "I mean, with all due respect, it was like, 'What the hell is going on?'" Well said, Hayley. And what a shame. Oh well.

My thanks to HMSS for initially spotlighting this story.

Timothy Dalton Interview In EW

Entertainment Weekly's Popwatch blog has an interview with Timothy Dalton in honor of his debut as a recurring character on tonight's Chuck. I definitely recommend checking it out.  Dalton opens up more about his tenure as Bond–and specifically about comparisons between his gritty, character-driven take on playing the superspy and Daniel Craig's–than I've seen him do in the past.  He also talks about his Chuck role as cardigan-wearing MI6 paper pusher Gregory Tuttle (who may prove to be more than meets the eye) and his upcoming part in The Tourist as a policeman.  That's the first I've heard about the nature of his role in the Johnny Depp/Angelina Jolie thriller. Unsurprisingly, he reveals that it was admiration for director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck that led him to take the job!  The EW interviewer, Christian Blauvelt, seems to be a Bond geek after my own heart, barely containing his inner fanboy as he reminds Dalton how The Living Daylights begins, reciting the yacht girl's line about wanting to meet a "real man."  It's very funy–and informative.  Check it out. 
(Via CBn Forums)

Russian Spy Blows Her Cover... Again

Who didn't see this coming?  Months after being exposed by the FBI as a member of a cell of Russian sleeper spies and being subsequently deported from the United States, tabloid sensation Anna Chapman is on the cover of the Russian edition of men's magazine Maxim.  And, naturally, she's in a provocative Bond Girl pose (albeit a freakishly Photoshopped one), complete with pistol.  The title of the layout/interview is, unsurprisingly, "For Your Eyes Only."  Read more at The Washington Post.

EW Covers Bond

The fear-mongering yellow press is at it again, drumming up rumors about James Bond's imminent demise.  But at least it means a new Entertainment Weekly Bond cover - and a pretty snazzy one at that.  The story itself (under the dramatic headline "Goodbye, Mr. Bond") appears to be little more than regurgitated rumors and heresay combined with new quotes from former and rival studio executives who stand to benefit from prematurely heralding the death of 007.  Of course the subject is MGM's financial woes that currently have the next Bond film on hold.  They even invoke the nightmarish six-year gap that Bond fans had to suffer between 1989 and 1995 - and unfairly lay the blame for that on poor Timothy Dalton.  Relax, guys.  James Bond has survived the worst villains in the world and he'll survive this latest hurdle as well, no matter how long it takes to weather the storm.  (I just hope Daniel Craig sticks around!)  Chicken Little quotes like “You lose too much momentum. Even for Bond, it could be deadly” (from a gleeful former MGM exec) are nothing more than the padding required to turn a nonstory into a cover story on a slow news week.  But as I said, we do get a cool new Bond cover for our collections!

Spies In Video Watchdog

The next issue of Video Watchdog Magazine has plenty to offer for spy fans!  Tim Lucas has posted the cover of issue 154 on his blog, and it's, frankly, irresistable.  The issue covers the new Optimum Entertainment Region 2 release of The Avengers' second season (and the few suriviving episodes of the first).  This remastered special edition, loaded with bonus features, is one of the major, major spy DVD releases of the year, and to my shame I haven't covered at all yet.  It caught me by surprise in the fall and I've probably got several unfinished posts about it and one day I'll finish one of them, but in the mean time pick up this issue of Video Watchdog.  I'm sure you couldn't hope for more in-depth coverage than Kim Newman provides.  (Personally, I can't wait to read it!)  Furthermore, this issue also examines the Matt Helm movies and the recent Region 1 release of the obscure Sixties Japanese spy film 3 Seconds Before Explosion (yet another one I've been meaning to post a review of but haven't had the chance).  On top of all that and totally un-spy-related (but of great interest to me) it also covers Bob Dylan's epic 1970s film Renaldo and Clara, filmed on his amazing Rolling Thunder Tour.  I watched all four plus self-indulgent hours once on crappy bootleg VHS while I was home sick, and found it to be a unique and rewarding experience.  (Granted, it helps to be a huge Dylan fan, and it probably also helped to be running a high fever.)  Anyway, Dylan aside, there are more than enough reasons for spy fans to pick up this issue of the best cult movie/home video magazine out there!  It hits newsstands January 2.

DGA Quarterly Covers Directing James Bond

The Winter 2009 issue of DGA QUARTERLY, the official magazine of the Directors Guild of America, has a great cover story by Steve Pond on "Directing Bond." The description of the story in the table of contents reads: "the eight surviving directors of the longest-running franchise in film history reminisce about their adventures making James Bond come to life." The article includes some choice quotes from all the directors involved. Michael Apted reveals that a test screening at which the audience indicated that they were disappointed that his film didn't have a bigger pre-credits action sequence caused him to shift the credits to later, after the boat chase, thus creating the longest pre-credits sequence in the history of the franchise. Marc Forster says that he thought it was important that most of his creative team had not worked on previous Bonds in order to bring a fresher approach and that gadgets are not interesting to him, "because the gadgetry reminds me more of comic superheroes." And John Glenn reminisces about working on Bond films in the pre-CGI days, noting that "all the techniques we used, I'm sure they were available in Buster Keaton's day." There are a lot more good bits! It's definitely worth picking up the issue, which is on newsstands now with an eight dollar cover price.

Daniel Craig Interview In November Playboy

There's a marked change in Daniel Craig's interviews between 2006 and now. When Casino Royale came out, he came off as guarded, defensive and generally grumpy. Granted, this was after being assaulted in the press for a year over his hair color and purported inability to drive stick shift (not true, claims the actor). He seemed cagey on the subject of Bond, and didn't particularly want to discuss his future as the character, even insinuating that he couldn't wait to be done with him. Well, now things have changed. Casino Royale was a huge success, and Craig was a critical sensation in the role. And he couldn't seem more different from those early, standoffish interviews than in a breezy, conversational and engaging new interview in the November issue of Playboy. Gone is the apparent disdain for the character that made him a household name; now he claims to enjoy being Bond, and discusses the character with affection and impressive insight. "I'm still quite enjoying myself playing James Bond," he admits, which is good to hear.

He's also got some interesting things to say on the spy genre as a whole, demonstrating a commendable knowledge of it beyond 007. When asked what his cinematic influences were, Craig responds, "The psychological thrillers of the 1960s and 1970s. British spy movies like those with Michael Caine and the early Bonds like From Russia With Love. They have a huge amount of style but are tense and taut and deal with emotion. To make it interesting I had to bring those emotions [to Bond]. Otherwise I'd go insane."

He also knows his more recent spy movies. "Now a pun's a bad joke," he asserts. "In fact in [Casino Royale] we had to be careful of them. They've been sent up in such a way that they almost ring like parody. Austin Powers did them in the extreme. So in making a Bond movie, you have to keep that in mind. As soon as you go that way you're making a parody of a parody. It looks like you're doing Mike Meyers." If only someone had pointed that out to Halle Berry while filming Die Another Day! (Yes, I blame the actress more than the writers; she couldn't deliver a double entendre to save her life.)

Craig, on the other hand, was especially cautious of doing Austin Powers. "I had an Austin Powers alarm," he says. "On set I'd say, "That's Austin Powers. We can't do it."

He also provides some interesting insight into Fleming's Bond's relationships with women, pointing out that, "One thing that remains from Fleming is that the women always leave Bond--as opposed to his leaving them. It's the opposite of the way we think of him, that he beds a woman and says bye-bye and flies out the window. In the books he has relationships and occasionally is nearly getting married when she dumps him because he becomes moody and dark." That's a very good point I'd never really considered.

When asked about the lack of hardware in Caino Royale, Craig insists, "I've got nothing against gadgets," so that's refreshing to hear. As much as I loved Casino Royale, I would like to see the return of gadgets (and Q) down the road. Not invisible cars, mind you, but the occasional trick watch wouldn't go amiss. Those are only a few brief hints of what this lengthy, in-depth interview has to offer. Be sure to check out the issue (or buy it digitally) for the actor's own favorite Bond movies and Bond girl (he has good taste), his views on American politics, his introspective views on stardom and a rather shocking discussion of the merits of owning an Aston Martin!

The November issue also features five pages of lavishly-illustrated "Bond Facts" (a couple of which were actually news to me) and a further six pages of photos of Bond Girls Past from the pages of Playboy (recalling the similarly illustrative spread in the 1987 issue celebrating the 25th Anniversary of 007, with Maryam D'Abo on the cover).

Devil May Care Excerpts To Appear In Vanity Fair

The Wall Street Journal has a fascinating story today (via CommanderBond.Net) about the gamble Penguin (in the UK) and Doubleday (in the US) are taking with Sebastian Faulks' new James Bond continuation novel, Devil May Care. They reveal that first edition print runs are a whopping 100,000 units in England and 250,000 in the US. To put that in perspective, the article reports that the last new straightforward Bond continuation novel (not counting spinoffs Young Bond or The Moneypenny Diaries--which, personally, I would count), Raymond Benson's The Man With the Red Tattoo, sold only 5,000 hardcover copies in Britain and 13,000 in the US. (It should be noted that Benson's books, rather unfairly, received almost no marketing support from the publisher, whereas Devil May Care will enjoy, according to the article, "the largest marketing budget of any Penguin fiction title published in the U.K. this year.")

Most intriguingly for collectors of the literary Bond, however, is the revelation that as part of its massive marketing campaign, Devil May Care will be excerpted in the July issue of Vanity Fair! There is a long tradition of James Bond novels and short stories appearing or being serialized in magazines, so this makes sense. In Fleming's day (as well as Benson's), it was usually Playboy, but I guess Vanity Fair is a better choice in terms of reaching the widest possible audience.

In other Devil May Care news, check out CBN for scintillating details on a limited edition (designed by Bentley, no less) sure to become the most collectible Bond book since the limited version of Fleming's On Her Majesty's Secret Service--but, infuriatingly, prohibitively expensive for most ordinary Bond fans!

Hemispheres Contest Winners

Sorry again for my delay in posting the winners on this one. Congratulations to the following (00)7 Bond fans, each of whom have the Bond-filled April issue of United Airlines' Hemsipheres Magazine winging its way towards them in the mail right now. And if you didn't win, take heart: you can still get the magazine for $7.50 without flying anywhere; you just have to call 877-569-4946. And you might win the next Double O Section contest! Stay tuned.

John Quiring of AL, USA

Dennis McPeek of OH, USA

Gareth-Michael Skarka of KS, USA

Steve Lefebvre of CA, USA

Kevin J. Morrell of MD, USA

Mark Henderson of TN, USA

Brad Kupiak of Manitoba, Canada

Put your seatbacks in their upright positions and enjoy the read!

CONTEST: Win The Bond-Themed Hemispheres Magazine

That special James Bond-themed Ian Fleming Centenary issue of United Airlines' in-flight magazine Hemispheres (complete with a brand new, Bond-centric interview with Sean Connery) is out today, and The Double O Section has (00)7 copies to give away! Want one? Simply send an email with the subject heading "HEMISPHERES CONTEST" including your name and mailing address to the Double O Section by midnight, Pacific Time on Monday, April 7, 2008. Winners will be announced in one week's time, next Tuesday. Good luck!

If you don't win--and don't fly United in the next month--you can still obtain the issue for $7.50 by calling 877-569-4946. As of today, you can also check out all the content (and more, like a dossier of previous Bond destination coverage, including a trip to Piz Gloria) online.

One entry per person, please. Double entries will be disqualified. One winner will be drawn at random and announced in on Tuesday, April 7, 2008. Winners’ names will be posted here and they will be notified via email. All entries will be deleted immediately after the contest’s close, and no personal information will be retained or transmitted to any third parties. The contest is open to anyone, in any country, who has not won another Double O Section contest in the last month. Unfortunately, the Double O Section cannot assume responsibility for items lost or damaged in transit.

Preview Of April's Hemispheres Magazine James Bond Content

The new issue of United Airlines' in-flight magazine, Hemispheres, with the Bond content I mentioned last week, hits seat pockets (and the web) tomorrow. Here's an advance look at what readers can expect, courtesy of the editor.

The complete Bond content in the issue is as follows:

1. The John Cork feature (6 pages)

2. The Connery Interview (3 pages)

3. A Bond-themed crossword puzzle (1 page)
4. A gear/tech page of some real-life products that are “practically Bond” (an aquatic auto, a camcorder pen, etc.)

5. A listing and photo on the event calendar of the Fleming exhibit at the Imperial War Museum in London

I've seen the magazine, and I have to say, it's surprisingly impressive! 007 permeates the issue, as evidenced in the table of contents where a little red "007" logo denotes all the stories with relevance to the theme. Cork's handsomely-illustrated feature is of the same high quality we get from his books on the subject, but the real highlight is definitely the Connery interview (by the evidently knowledgeable Matt Hurwitz), which focuses almost exclusively on Bond. Connery shares his candid thoughts on Daniel Craig and Casino Royale, both of which he's very enthusiastic about. He does offer one interesting and valid criticism of Royale, though:

"I did have one reservation," the star reveals. "They sort of diluted the Bond musical theme, which you hear only at the very end. When I heard it, I thought, 'Oh, that's what I've been missing.' That theme gives the audience a direct connection to Bond--it's an instant recognition." I'm sure John Barry (and Monty Norman) would be happy to hear how highly Connery regards the importance of music in Bond films! He shares a lot more similar insights, and even distills his secret of playing Bond! (That bit might be familiar to avid fans, but it definitely makes a nice conclusion to a very good interview.)

Stay tuned for a chance later this week to win copies of the magazine here on the Double O Section!

James Bond In Hemispheres Magazine

If you're flying United anytime soon, you're in luck: the next issue of their in-flight magazine, Hemispheres, will feature lots of James Bond content--including a brand new, exclusive interview with the notoriously recalcitrant Sir Sean Connery talking about his most famous role! The issue, timed to celebrate Ian Fleming's Centenary, will also feature a story on 007's enduring popularity by noted Bondologist John Cork, co-author of most of the officially-sanctioned books on the Bond films (including last fall's The James Bond Encyclopedia), producer on most of the special edition DVDs in the series (as well as those excellent Charlie Chan sets Fox has been putting out!) and ersatz publisher of his own magazine, the fondly-remembered Goldeneye. And on top of all that, Hemispheres' managing editor Spencer Carney promises "a lot more" Bond content to boot, but it's unclear whether or not Bond's on the cover. The issue will be available on all United flights (complimentary to fliers) starting April 1; the stories (plus added content) will also be online on their website that day. Bond fans who aren't lucky enough to be flying United next month can obtain a copy of the print magazine for $7.50 by calling 877-569-4946. (With any luck, I'll also have a few to give away here on the Double O Section!)

Oddly enough, I was just flying United yesterday. Guess I was a week too early; it would have been a nice surprise to find that Bond issue in the seatback pocket in front of me!

New Bond Girl On The Cover Of Femme Fatales

The new Bond Girl, Olga Kurylenko, is featured on the cover of the January issue of the magazine Femme Fatales, on newsstands now. The timing with her casting is purely a coincidence, but a nice one for the magazine, sales-wise, I'd imagine! The actual article has no Bond content whatsoever, not even of a "what if?" nature. I think this casting really caught everyone off guard! It does, however, offer some sexy shots of Miss Kurylenko, including a centerfold. Ironically, this issue seems to replace the previously announced Bond Girls issue, which, as best I can tell, never materialized.

Click here to enter the latest Double O Section contest and win The Wild Wild West on DVD!

Cinema Retro Covers Deadlier Than The Male

The January issue of the stylish and glossy magazine Cinema Retro (whose publishers and contributors include such spy luminaries as Lee Pfeiffer and Ray-mond Benson) features a cover story on the great-est Bond knock-off film ever, Deadlier Than the Male, and its sequel Some Girls Do! The mag-azine's website promises new, exclusive interviews with stars Elke Sommer and Richard Johnson in a ten-page feature. I can't wait to get my hands on this! Deadlier Than the Male is a film worthy of a lot more attention than it's ever gotten, and I'm glad that someone is finally bothering to tell its story.

Click here to enter the latest Double O Section contest and win The Wild Wild West on DVD!

Comic-Con: James Bond

I've got lots of spy news from this past weekend's huge San Diego Comic-Con, and I'll start with a few James Bond tidbits.

The James Bond Encyclopedia

Publisher DK had the gallies for their upcoming James Bond Encyclopedia on hand at their convention booth. The large format hardcover book is not organized A-Z like most encyclopedias (including Stephen Jay Rubin's The Complete James Bond Movie Encyclopedia), but divided into sections on topics like James Bond (covering Ian Fleming and the various actors to play the part), Bond Girls, villains, gadgets, vehicles, etc. Within each subject, it is A-Z. I only had a chance to flip through it quickly, but it looked like it focused primarily on the characters rather than the actors, and on things and people that appeared on screen rather than behind-the-scenes. It appeared fairly in-depth (as one would expect from Bond experts like John Cork and Collin Stutz), but didn't seem to offer lots of new, previously unseen photos like Cork's last Bond tome, The James Bond Legacy. (Can there possibly be any left?) Co-author Cork gratefully acknowledges Rubin in his introduction, and says it's impossible to attempt such a work without doing so. He points out some of the differences between the two books, the primary one being that Cork's encyclopedia is officially licensed by EON. That means, he confesses up front, no coverage of the '67 Casino Royale or of Never Say Never Again, both of which were given a lot of attention in Rubin's book. Judging from the other, similar encyclopedias DK had on display (like their Spider-man volume), the new James Bond Encyclopedia should be a top-notch production. It's due out in October.

Sideshow Craig On The Way

Representatives at Sideshow Collectibles wouldn't officially confirm it, but they strongly, strongly hinted that a Daniel Craig sculpt was in the offing. "Check the website," they said after pretending not to have heard of Craig. "Craig fans will be happy." So the Sideshow line-up of official Bond actors will soon, once more, be complete! I can't wait to see their Casino Royale figure. (And I do hope they go with the tux.)

Upcoming Femme Fatales Bond Cover

The magazine Femme Fatales has had plenty of Bond Girl cover stories in the past, but the one gracing an upcoming cover is a bit different. Instead of presenting previously published photos of past Bond beauties, a brand new photoshoot will portray contemporary models in a variety of famous Bond Girl poses, costumes and situations. Look for the issue in the months ahead.

Beckinsale Refused Bond

Apparently Underworld actress Kate Beckinsale is immune to 007's charms. At the Whiteout panel, she was asked if she had ever been offered a Bond Girl role. She said yes, but she couldn't remember for which film, and she had turned down the part. She claimed she didn't want to embarrass her daughter (yet she did Van Helsing!) and cited an unwillingness to appear in her underwear, which she seemed to think was required of all Bond Girls. "I'm getting a bit elderly for that sort of thing," the 33 year-old knockout modestly claimed.

I'll have more coverage of spies at Comic-Con soon, including Get Smart, 24, Whiteout, Hot Fuzz, Chuck, new spy comic books and more Bond!

Random Intelligence Dispatches For May 17, 2007

New Casino Royale Magazine Cover
Agent 007 isn't done getting media coverage for his last outing yet. Publisher Tim Lucas reveals on his blog that the cover for the next issue of Video Watchdog will feature Daniel Craig in Casino Royale! (And a nice card motif in the background reminiscent of Danny Kleinman's spectacular title sequence.) Apparently the June issue will ship on May 29. Video Watchdog has done good pieces on Bond DVDs in the past, so I expect this one to be no exception.

More Modesty
Titan’s latest volume of Modesty Blaise comic strip reprints, The Inca Trail, hit U.S. comic shops yesterday, even though it won’t be available from Amazon until July 3. In addition to the title story, this collection includes "The Reluctant Chaperon," "The Greenwood Maid" and "Those About To Die," each introduced with the usual excellent commentary from author Peter O'Donnell. I was a little bit alarmed that they didn’t include the preview for the next volume in back this time around, but reassured that Amazon already lists Death Trap for a November release, and even has cover art already, so the series appears to be continuing!

Craig Goes To War
Variety reports that Daniel Craig has chosen his next project. When he's not playing James Bond, he's avenging atrocities against Judaism. After playing a member of a Mossad-sponsored assassination team in Steven Spielberg's Munich, he'll now play a Polish Jew who fought back against the Nazis in Defiance. The trade says: "Storyline follows four Jewish brothers living in Nazi occupied Poland who escape into the forest, where they join up with Russian resistance fighters in battling the Nazis and trying to save the lives of other Jews." The movie is directed by Edward Zwick, who has turned out excellent war movies like Glory and Legends of the Fall... and not so excellent ones like The Last Samurai and Courage Under Fire. Here's hoping this turns out to be one of the former! The article goes on to give us a few hints about when the next Bond will film. It claims Defiance "is set to begin lensing in early September, meaning Craig will shoot [it] before he begins filming the next James Bond installment.... Bond 22 is eying a winter start date. Release is set for Nov. 7, 2008."

Pierce Is 54
A belated Happy Birthday to James Bond Number 5, Pierce Brosnan, who turned 54 yesterday. He's still younger than Roger was in A View To A Kill!

New Animated Spy Movie
Speaking of Sir Roger, MI6.co.uk reports that the actor is set to voice an M-like character in a new computer animated feature about a futuristic, Bond-like spy (voiced by Ioan Gruffudd), Agent Crush. They link to the film's official website where you can view the trailer (though it didn't work for me) and see some pictures. Bond set guru Peter Lamont is credited as "design consultant," and some of the designs do look neat, like the Aston Martin of tomorrow, but how much can we really expect from a film with a villain named Boris Goodfarter? Still, it's clearly 007-inspired enough to remain on my radar...

Hurricane Gold In Paperback Down Under
The Young Bond Dossier reports that Charlie Higson's next Bond novel, Hurricane Gold, which is coming out in hardcover in the UK this fall, will get a paperback release in Australia and New Zealand. I assume this means at the same time, but no release dates are mentioned.