WORLD OF SPIES

New release: LIFE Inside the World of Spies: The Lives They Lead. The Secrets They Keep. Published in August by Time/Life, this deluxe magazine-format book is now on the shelves at local pharmacies, grocers, and bookshops in the States. From the press release: "The truth about espionage goes much deeper than the Bond types that fill our big screen. Mary Queen of Scots, the Man in the Iron Mask, Mata Hari, the Enigma machine, the CIA, Watergate, and WikiLeaks: Spies and spying have rewritten human history and now affect how we all live. With sections on codes and cryptography, moles and double agents, wiretapping, detectives, and even the age-old art of seduction, this fascinating book reveals the true stories of the bold spies who- whether motivated by patriotism, greed, or a love of adventure- risked everything. Rare and remarkable photos from the archives of LIFE magazine, plus illuminating text, make this a compelling read for anyone with an interest in the practiced- and powerful- art of deception." Spy Vibe has always been more about the world of fictional/fantasy spies rather than the real thing. Somehow the image of romancing foreign agents on international trips in an Aston Martin seems more accessible than the true world of deception and betrayal. But it has been interesting to look at true cases and perhaps see where some of the great writers got their ideas. And what gadget lover doesn't enjoy seeing just how ingenious those espionage boffins were during the Cold War. I suppose with our current chapter of the Cold War now emerging around us, it will interesting, and perhaps prudent, to have a stronger context in history- lest we be doomed to repeat it. LIFE Inside the World of Spies: The Lives They Lead. The Secrets They Keep. is also available on Amazon. For Spy Vibe radio action, check out my episodes of Cocktail Nation: Episode #1 (Danger Man) and Episode #2 (The 10th Victim), Epsiode #3 (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), Episode #4 (Roger Moore/The Saint), and Episode #5 (The Avengers), and Episode #6 (The Prisoner), Episode #7 (The Ipcress File). Enjoy!

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Spy Vibe Radio 7, The Prisoner 50th Event, Spy-Fi Event, Kaho Aso 007, Two Million, Bo Diddley, Carnaby Pop, Le Carre Events, Billy Bragg Skiffle, Elvis 68, Jack Kirby The Prisoner, Casino Royale Concert, Review: The Prisoner Vol 2, Interview: The Prisoner Essential Guide, Maud Russell Mottisfont, Spy Vibe Radio 4, Batman Gallants, Adam West R.I.P., Village Triangle, Roger Moore R.I.P., Spy Vibe Radio 3, Sgt Pepper 50th, Satanik Kriminal OST, 60s Overdrive, Make Love in London, Spy Vibe Radio 2, Spy Vibe Radio 1, James Bond Strips, Propaganda Mabuse, Interview: Police Surgeon, XTC Avengers, 1966 Pep Spies, Batman Book Interview, Exclusive Fleming Interview, Avengers Comic Strips, Robert Vaughn RIP, UNCLE Fashions, Thunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview:Spy Film Guide, Lost Avengers Found, The Callan File, Mission Impossible 50th, Green Hornet 50th, Star Trek 50th, Portmeirion Photography 1, Filming the Prisoner, Gaiman McGinnins Project, Ian Fleming Grave, Revolver at 50, Karen Romanko Interview, Mod Tales 2, Umbrella Man: Patrick Macnee, New Beatles Film, The Curious Camera, Esterel Fashion 1966, Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview, 007 Tribute Covers, The Phantom Avon novels return, Ian Fleming Festival, Argoman Design, Sylvia Anderson R.I.P., Ken Adam R.I.P., George Martin R.I.P., The New Avengers Comics, Trina Robbins Interview, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review.

SPY EXHIBIT

Exhibit alert: Spy Gadgets. One of the most celebrated conventions in spy fiction is the use of gadgets. We've enjoyed countless adventures by James Bond, John Drake, and Napoleon Solo, where a bit of ingenious technology often meant the difference between mission-accomplished and mission-impossible. Whether your vibe is the rolling arsenal of an Aston Martin DB5, Lotus Submarine car, or the camera/radio concealed in a pack of cigarettes, these marvelous screen toys added much spice to the often-grim world of espionage. Readers of Keith Melton's book, The Ultimate Spy, and visitors to the International Spy Museum may be familiar with some of the gadgets used by real-life spies; items like gas gun pens, bugged shoes, poisoned coins, and the pick that killed Trotsky! A new exhibit opened on Saturday at the Pacific Science Center that spotlights rarities from Melton's collection and from the archives of the CIA and FBI. According to the press release below, viewers will be given unprecedented access to items seldom seen by civilians. The animal-themed artifacts below are definitely worthy of Q branch. Show runs through September 1st. Images from the Pacific Science Center. More below.

SPY: The Secret World of Espionage offers guests the first-ever public exhibition of treasures from the collections of the CIA, the FBI, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and H. Keith Melton, the renowned author, historian and international authority on spy technology. Guests will see real gadgets and real artifacts from spies and spy catchers. They will observe real spy technologies, and learn the real tools-of-trade, some recently declassified. Photos of sample artifacts follow below with descriptions. See additional images at the Seattle Times here. 

Highlights include:

*Peek into the cockpit of the supersonic A-12 Oxcart Spy Plane from 1962, one 

  of only nine remaining in the world, designed to defeat Soviet air defenses by  

  cruising at more than three times the speed of sound.

*See the Bulgarian Assassination Umbrella that fired a poison ricin pellet into 

  the leg of BBC reporter and Bulgarian defector Georgi Markov’s leg while he  

  was waiting for the bus.

*Navigate your way through the perilous complexities of an actual laser field 

  without tripping a circuit!

*Come face-to-face with KGB surveillance photos taken during the Cuban 

  Missile Crisis.

*Discover the art of steganography, the art of hiding secret messages inside 

  the pixels of innocent-looking digital photos.

*Peer into the Minox IIIs Camera that Oleg Penkovkiy used to photograph 
  documents.

ENIGMA MACHINE

During World War II, the German military and intelligence services used Enigma cipher machines to create what they thought were unbreakable messages. The Enigma offered 150,000,000,000,000,000,000 possible solutions to any one enciphered message. Yet the Allies were often able to find the right solution and read German secrets. In doing so, they created the world’s first electronic computer, Colossus. This intelligence coup shortened the war by an estimated two years.

ROBOT FISH “CHARLIE”

This remote-controlled robotic catfish was spawned in the CIA’s Directorate of Science and Technology. The goal was to explore the use of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) for aquatic missions. “Charlie” swims in a realistic manner thanks to a pressure hull and ballast system in its body and a propulsion system in its tail.

INSECTOTHOPTER

Invented in the 1970s by the CIA’s Directorate of Science and Technology, this robotic dragonfly was the world’s first miniaturized unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A tiny liquid-propellant engine drove its wings up and down. The “Insectothopter” ultimately proved unstable in crosswinds, but its fluid dynamic technology inspired further research into miniature platforms for spy cameras and audio sensors.

A-12 FLIGHT BOOTS, GLOVES AND HELMET

Developed by Lockheed under the ironic codename OXCART, the A-12 cruised at more than three times the speed of sound, creating such friction against the atmosphere that the air surrounding the plane often reached 400°F. Its camera could photograph the ground from 90,000 feet above. A-12 pilots wore a type of protective pressure suit with thermal insulation, pressure control, cooling, and a life support system. The suit offered protection from heat radiating through the windshield and from cold and low pressure in the event of a high-altitude bailout.

PIGEON CAMERA 

Developed by the CIA in 1970, the aim was to capture film footage of sensitive areas during low-level flights by pigeons. Pigeons! 

Spy Vibe is having a spring sale on eBay. New items added very few days and include rare Beatles, James Bond, books, music, and comics. Details here. 

Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Fleming Letters Mystery, Appropriating Bond, Double 007 Book Designs,  Double 007 designs II, rare Ian Fleming edition, Book Design Dopplegangers, Turkish Bond design, Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.

Recent Spy Vibe posts: Sylvia Anderson, Appropriating Bond Exhibit, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton,  Solar & Bionic Man Return, The Saint Library Released, DC Fontana Prisoner Video, James Bond Comic Event, Turkish James Bond Design, Edward Gorey's 1960s, Ipcress File cinematography, 007 SOLO cover designs, Batman Valentines cards, Saturday Cartoons: Marine Boy, Mary Quant, Patrick Macnee, Gloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder Woman, Win Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPY, David McCallum: Son of Batman, Jon Gilbert talks Fleming, Barbarella TV series, Meet the Beatles 50th, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Batman Strips, David Bowie at 67, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Sherlock Exhibit, Fu Manchu history panel, Andy Warhol box set, Six-Million Dollar Man, Striped Light Nude, Buckminster Fuller, Dylan at Newport, Jane and Serge, The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Shane Glines Batman.

STRIPED LIGHT NUDE

Martin H. Miller (1917-2005) worked as a Treasury Department official to revitalize the savings bond program during the post-war era. He also had an eye for topographical details and embarked on a personal quest to correct errors in government maps- a mission that included updating CIA maps to reflect the outcome of the 1967 Six-Day-War in the Middle East. He told a reporter at the time that he presented his case in a "factual rather than ideological" manner. "If I were trying to peddle my views, I wouldn't have gotten very far." [Washington Post]. Miller's crusade for accuracy even extended to the Encyclopedia Britannica.

In addition to his Treasury and editorial work, Miller also pursued a passion for Photography. From what little I can find on-line, it appears that he was an award-winning photographer who taught a course at the Agricultural Department graduate school and was active as a lecturer and competition judge. He joined the Photographic Society of America in 1953, and was among the top 50 most-exhibited amateur black-and-white photographers in the world by the 1960s. He is remembered for his exquisite nude images, especially the "Striped Light Nude" series. These images have such a wonderful Op Art quality, with shadows defining contour and surface in an almost topographical manner. To my eyes, the series shares the erotic language of Maurice Binder's James Bond title sequences. Live Auctioneers covered the sale of his estate, which included a number of prints. A current eBay auction for a Miller original appeared on our radar, thanks to Batman designer Shane Glines (Spy Vibe interview here). Examples from the "Striped Light Nude" series below from Live Auctioneers and eBay. Enjoy!

Recent Spy Vibe posts: Dylan at Newport, Jane and Serge, The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, Pete Seeger nominated for Grammy,Kraftwerk returns to US, Beatles BBC on Fresh Air, Steranko S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist Editions, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Modern Architecture LP, Julius Shulman, Shane Glines Batman, The Prisoner and Captain Scarlet, Diego Fortunato and Verner Panton, Saturday Morning Cartoons, Assassination Bureau on DVD, new Young Bond series, new Hercule Poirot novel, Early Beatles image archive, Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute.

Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive. 

THE MAN NOBODY KNEW: WILLIAM COLBY

Spy Vibe recommends: The Man Nobody Knew: In Search of My Father Spymaster William Colby. Filmmaker Carl Colby, son of the former director of the CIA, has made an interesting documentary about his relationship with a father who was ultimately married to the world of deception and national security. Carl Colby approached the film in a style reminiscent of director Errol Morris (Fog of War) by placing the viewer in intimate one-on-one converstions with his dad's colleagues (and his mother), and intercutting these with historic footage. The voices are caring and candid, and one gets the sense that all of the participants are committed to helping Colby, and the audience, understand his father better. It's made clear that William Colby was a complicated man, hugely patriotic and committed to protecting the interests of America and the CIA. At home, he was respected as a man of high moral values, but he was not remembered as a warm father. The tightrope that William Colby walked between job and family became more tenuous in the Ford era, when he came under fire as a representative of the agency in a Congressional investigation into illegal CIA activities. The film does a good job providing a window into the Cold War, walking us through Colby's operations from the 1940s onward. And the film itself becomes a wonderful journey for Carl Colby, who must reconcile his father's character. The film is now streaming on Netflix. Official site here. You can order it on Amazon here.

From First Run Features: "A son's riveting look at a father whose life seemed straight out of a spy thriller, THE MAN NOBODY KNEW: IN SEARCH OF MY FATHER, CIA SPYMASTER WILLIAM COLBY uncovers the secret world of a legendary CIA spymaster. Told by William Colby’s son Carl, the story is at once a probing history of the CIA, a personal memoir of a family living in clandestine shadows, and an inquiry into the hard costs of a nation's most cloaked actions.

From the beginning of his career as an OSS officer parachuting into Nazi-occupied Europe, William Colby rose through the ranks of "The Company," and soon was involved in covert operations in hot spots around the globe. He swayed elections against the Communists in Italy, oversaw the coup against President Diem in Saigon, and ran the controversial Phoenix Program in Vietnam, which sparked today's legacy of counter-insurgency. But after decades of obediently taking on the White House's toughest and dirtiest assignments, and rising to become Director of CIA, Colby defied the President. Braving intense controversy, he opened up to Congress some of the agency's darkest, most tightly held secrets and extra-legal operations.

Now, his son asks a series of powerful and relevant questions about the father who was a ghost-like presence in the family home – and the intelligence officer who became a major force in American history, paving the way for today’s provocative questions about security and secrecy vs. liberty and morality. The film forges a fascinating mix of rare archival footage, never-before-seen photos, and interviews with the "who's who" of American intelligence, including former National Security Advisers Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brzezinski, former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense and Director of CIA James Schlesinger, as well Pulitzer Prize journalists Bob Woodward, Seymour Hersh and Tim Weiner. Through it all, Carl Colby searches for an authentic portrait of the man who remained masked even to those who loved him most." Cover image below from Time Magazine. 

I have a spy novella coming out soon! Stay tuned for more info. Did you know that Spy Vibe has a Pinterest page? You can see Spy Vibe graphics, dynamic vintage action, cliffhanger serials, Japanese designs from the 1920s, vintage mystery novels, and more! Visit our Ian Fleming Image Archive here.

Check Spy Vibe for the Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward,Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, and recent posts about 60th Anniversary of Casino Royale events, Cold War Photography, Operation Kid Brother (MST3K), the discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, PG Tips Brooke Bond, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, 1960s espionage writers, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, my review of SKYFALL, 007 at the Intnl Spy Museum, Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot and more. 

Want to support Spy Vibe? Please make a small donation with our secure Paypal tip-jar link at the top left of the main page. Nothing is too small to help cover the increasing bills for the domain, web-forwarding and other costs to maintain the site. Thank you!