WHO'S TALKING ON SPY VIBE

As we enter our seventh year, I'm so grateful to our community for making Spy Vibe such a fun place to meet and share our passion for 1960s Style in Action. When my schedule has allowed, I've had the pleasure to chat with a number of fellow writers, artists, and collectors. In celebration of the New Year, I'd like to spotlight some of our best interviews and give our new readers a chance to catch up. This is also a time of year when I have to invest in the various costs of running the site: domain names, web forwarding, etc. If you can contribute even a few bucks, it will help this high school art teacher continue the website and I'd be so grateful. There is a Paypal donation link at the top left of the page. Thanks to everyone for being a part of Spy Vibe! Now, look who's been talking in the lair.

Fergus Fleming on his uncle Ian Fleming and editing the James Bond Letters.
Jaz Wiseman on producing many 1960s spy series DVD and Blu-ray releases.
Jon Gilbert on his Ian Fleming Bibliography.  
Alan Stephenson on his world-class James Bond collection. 
Mike Richardson on writing the ultimate history of The Avengers.
Shane Glines on designing for Batman animated shows. 
Raymond Benson on collecting and writing James Bond. 
Richard Sala on classic spies, pulps, and his Super Enigmatix graphic novel. 
Bunny Deana on the London Playboy Club in the 1960s. 
Trina Robbins on Honey West, Wonder Woman, and women in pop culture. 
Ian Dickerson on The Saint and writing the Leslie Charteris biography.
Jeremy Duns on collecting Ian Fleming. 
Ralph Garman and Ty Templeton on Batman 66 Meets the Green Hornet.
Rodney Marshall on writing about the history of The Avengers. 
Win Scott Eckert on writing Honey West, T.H.E. Cat, and Green Hornet. 
Kevin Dart on Yuki 7. 
Bosko Hrnjak on Tiki art. 
Richard Sala on classic spy/pulp conventions, The Avengers, Dick Tracy & more!
Set Designs w Lee Pfeiffer, Wesley Britton, Stephen Bissette & others.
John Buss on his world-class collection of spy TV memorabilia. 
Peter Lorenz on collecting James Bond books and art. 
Mike Richardson on writing The Making of Casino Royale. 
Alan Hayes on writing the early history of The Avengers. 
Odysseas Constantine on designing The Avengers Pop Art collection.
Rob Mallows on collecting Len Deighton. 
Jim Wilson on Code 3 Corgi toys.
Piper Gates Design on designing with retro cult TV. 
Katharine Boyd on Mod Tales comic #1.
Ryan Heshka about his pulp and sci-fi-inspired art.   
David Foster on collecting spy and pulp books.
Kevin Dart on designing Powerpuff Girls and working with Ringo. 
Roger Langley on collecting Danger Man/The Prisoner.
Big Fun Columbus on vintage toys. 
Craig Arthur on collecting classic spy fiction.   
Matt Maranian on 60s style and writing Pad. 
Matt Sherman on collecting rare James Bond books and props. 

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: UFO Blu-ray, Avengers Pop Art Interview, Fritz Lang Spies, Fergus Fleming Interview, Avengers: Alan Hayes Interview, Jaz Wiseman Interview, 007 SPECTRE Comics, Casino Royale Folio, New James Bond Comic, Diana Rigg BFI Interview, Callan Documentary and Set, Casino Royale Interview: Mike Richardson, Early Saint Box Set, Lost Diana Rigg Interview, Diana Rigg Event, Ian Fleming Letters, New Gillette 007 Covers, Pirate Radio, Spectre Advanced Poster, Honor Blackman at 90, UNCLE School, Ian Fleming Memorial, Radiophonic Exhibit, Portmeirion Photos, Doctor Who Exhibit, Farewell Steed, Pussy Galore Returns, Diana Rigg birthday, Sherlock at 221B, Invisible Agent, Saint Interview: Ian Dickerson, Saint Doppelgänger, Fleming's Typewriter, Rare Fleming, Fleming's Music, Ian Fleming's Japan, Jim Wilson Corgi Interview, Fantomas Design, Jeremy Duns on Bond, John Buss interview, Avengers Season 5 Titles, Saint Volvo, Mod Tales Interview, Agente Secreto Comics, Danger Man Comics 2, Danger Man Comics, John Drake Comics, Der Mann Von UNCLE, Golden Margaret Nolan, Man From UNCLE Rocksteady, Pussy Galore Calypso, Cynthia Lennon R.I.P., Edward Mann Fashion, Leonard Nimoy Tribute, Shatner at 84, Bob Morane series, Thai Bond Design, Bond vs Modernism, Art of Modesty, Tokyo Beat 1964, Feraud Mod Fashion, Green Hornet Manga, No 6 Festival, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

JEREMY DUNS ON BOND

New release: Journalist and spy novelist Jeremy Duns recently published an anthology of some of his scholarly pieces about James Bond. Duns On Bond features Rogue Royale, an investigation of Ben Hecht's drafts of Casino Royale, as well as Diamonds in the Rough, a collection of fascinating 007 articles. Jeremy Duns has been an important presence on the Spy Vibe radar over the past six years. In addition to his work as a journalist for major papers, his prolific run of projects has included the first Paul Dark trilogy and the non-fiction books, Dead Drop and News of Devils: The Media and Edward Snowden. Duns On Bond is available in both eBook and paperback editions at Amazon and AmazonUK. There is also a new Paul Dark novel coming soon! More info at the Jeremy Duns website. Press release and book cover collage below. Enjoy!

Duns On Bond is an omnibus edition of two short ebooks by Jeremy Duns: Rogue Royale and Diamonds In The Rough. Both are also individually available for the Kindle. Rogue Royale: In the mid-Sixties, the James Bond films became a global phenomenon as the world thrilled to their spectacular action sequences and cool gadgets. But the films nearly went in a very different direction, with a much darker treatment of Ian Fleming’s first novel by Hollywood’s most acclaimed screenwriter. In this Kindle Single, journalist and spy novelist Jeremy Duns unearths Ben Hecht’s drafts of Casino Royale. Rogue Royale is around 11,000 words long, and builds on his ground-breaking 3,400-word article published in The Sunday Telegraph.

Diamonds In The Rough: So much has been written about James Bond that it seems scarcely imaginable there is any more territory to mine. But in Diamonds In The Rough, Jeremy Duns shares the fruits of several years of research into unexplored aspects of Ian Fleming and his universe, from lost novels and screenplays to hidden inspirations. This short ebook collects articles previously published in The Sunday Times, The Sunday Telegraph and elsewhere. It features six articles:

Gold Dust: The secret history of the lost Bond novel Per Fine Ounce.

Uncut Gem: Uncovering the attempts to film The Diamond Smugglers.

Commando Bond: James Bond's relationship to special forces history.

Black Tie Spy: The MI6 operation that inspired the pretitles scene in Goldfinger.

Smersh vs Smersh: Comparing Fleming's sinister organisation to the real thing.

Bourne Yesterday: The roots of an unusual premise, from You Only Live Twice to wartime thrillers and beyond.

Selected Spy Vibe posts: John Buss interview, Diana Rigg eBook, Avengers Season 5 Titles, Saint Volvo, Mod Tales Interview, Agente Secreto Comics, Danger Man Comics 2, Danger Man Comics, John Drake Comics, Der Mann Von UNCLE, Golden Margaret Nolan, Man From UNCLE Rocksteady, Pussy Galore Calypso, Cynthia Lennon R.I.P., Edward Mann Fashion, Leonard Nimoy Tribute, Shatner at 84, Bob Morane series, New Saint Publications, The Saint Complete box set, Gerry Anderson Box Sets, Music For Spies, Thai Bond Design, Brian Clemens RIP, Bond vs Modernism, Imitation Game, New Avengers Books, Ringo Does Goldfinger, Sixties Beat Wear, Popular Skullture, Art of Modesty, Avengers Blu-ray update, Tokyo Beat 1964, Polaroid Spy, Feraud Mod Fashion, Flint Scores!, Bond Danish, New Richard Sala Book, New 007 Comics, Designing Bond Books, Green Hornet Manga, Margaret Nolan Art, No 6 Festival, Barbarella Returns, Designer: Gene Winfield, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

FOR YOUR SHELF ONLY: JASON WHITON

Our series For Your Shelf Only has given us a chance to hear from a number of collectors about their prized treasures and their history with Ian Fleming and 007. We've talked with Bond continuation author Raymond Benson, spy novelist Jeremy Duns, and many others. I always enjoy connecting with our guests over our mutual love of spy adventure, and today I had the rare opportunity to sit in the interview seat myself! Artistic License Renewed, a wonderful website that focusses on Ian Fleming, Richard Chopping, and the Bond novels, invited me in for a virtual chat about my collection. Here's a sneak preview of my answers: "The editions I tend to collect more actively now are books about Fleming or Fleming’s non-Bond work. Some gems include early (sometimes first) work serialized in magazines, early collection catalogs, The London Magazine in the 1950s, Horizon in the 1940s, contributions to Room 3603, Counterpoint, Motor Car, To Catch a Spy, and Jonathan Cape Publisher. Books about Fleming, like Ivar Bryce, the memorial address, Letters of Ann Fleming, and reference books like SMERSH. I was able to add a couple of rare Fleming appearances to Jon Gilbert’s Bibliography." When did I start reading Fleming and what's my favorite Bond story? Read the full interview here. For Your Shelf Only links on Spy Vibe: Jon Gilbert, Raymond Benson, Jeremy Duns, Peter Lorenz, David Foster, Rob Mallows, Roger Langley, Craig Arthur, Fleming Short, Matt Sherman, Alan Stephenson, rare Ian Fleming, rare Fleming short. 

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

Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Ian Fleming: Mt. Demon Hell Japan, new poster announced, 007 Audio Books Update, Appropriating Bond Exhibit, Fleming Letters Mystery, 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: Spy exhibit at the Pacific Science Center, Ian Fleming: Mt. Demon Hell Japan, 007 Audio Books Update, 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, Gloria Steinem and Denny O'Neil on MOD Wonder Woman, Win Scott Eckert interview, Siegel and Shuster's SPY, David McCallum: Son of Batman, Wonderwall comes to Blu-ray, Kevin Dart talks Ringo & Powerpuff Girls, Sherlock Exhibit, Fu Manchu history panel, Striped Light Nude, Buckminster Fuller, Jane and Serge, The Goldfinger Variations, Mod Tales Interview, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Shane Glines Batman.

UNPRODUCED IAN FLEMING FILM

The rare screenplay for an unproduced movie based on Ian Fleming's Diamond Smugglers was sold at auction this fall. The movie project, which included contributions by Kingsley Amis (Colonel Sun), had remained obscure and lost to the public for decades, until author Jeremy Duns (Dead Drop, Paul Dark series) spotted a reference in The Letters of Kingsley Amis about a Fleming script. Duns immersed himself in detective work and uncovered the story in a 2010 article for The Sunday Times. With the auction sale of the original script in recent news, Duns posted a complete "director's cut" of his findings on his blog here. 

Ian Fleming's The Diamond Smugglers was published in 1957 and featured a non-fiction account of the International Diamond Security Organization's efforts to stop the illegal traffic of gems leaving South Africa. Fleming dealt with the same topic in his 1956 James Bond novel Diamonds Are Forever. Jeremy Duns' article makes for fascinating reading and is highly recommended to Spy Vibers and fans of Fleming and film history. Jeremy Duns blog here. Ian Fleming Publications here. 

Recent Spy Vibe posts: 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, 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: Ian Fleming Letters, 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. 

DUNS AT LITERARY 007

As James Bond fans eagerly read the first excerpts of the new 007 novel by William Boyd (out Sept 26th UK/Oct 8th US), the stylish Literary 007 blog sat down with author Jeremy Duns to discuss his favorite Fleming stories and classic book designs. You can read the interview here. Jeremy Duns has often been a guest on Spy Vibe. See his interview about Ian Fleming and book collecting in our For Your Shelf Only series here, and his favorite spy movie sets here. Jeremy Duns is a British journalist and author of the Paul Dark novels. He recently released two non-fiction books, Dead Drop and Rogue Royale (about a lost Bond screenplay by Ben Hecht!). Enjoy!

Get ready to meet MIKI ZERO, Japanese fashion model and spy! The creator of Spy Vibe has written a novel called Elevator Girl, inspired by his love of Ian Fleming and based on newly declassified intel from the Cold War. More info at Whiton's website here. Recent Spy Vibe posts: Peter Asher, new Hercule Poirot novel, Beatles fall 2013 releases, A Hard Days Night cinematographer dies, Magic Christian on Blu-ray, Early Beatles image archive, Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute, Ian Fleming memorial, Emma Peel Megaset returns

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