Anthony Horowitz's James Bond novel - Trigger Mortis

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  • JWESTBROOK wrote: »
    Walecs wrote: »
    JWESTBROOK wrote: »
    I'm going to meet Anthony at his London launch of 'Moriarty' on 22nd October so if anybody has any questions for him, post them here and I'll see if I can fit them in.
    The most obvious question is "When does the novel take place?" (I mean what year).

    I'd bet money on 1956. Simply because that's the only year I could find Moss at the Nurburgring.

    You may well be correct about 1956.
    That said I think Moss was at the Nurburgring every year from 1950 up to 1959 when the race was transferred to the AVUS circuit. Unfortunately he never won.
    I will ask Horowitz for the precise year and report back.
  • timmer wrote: »
    JWESTBROOK wrote: »
    ......

    However, something else to consider, the new comic line introduced this week intends to develop Bond's pre-CR days.
    As YB is very recent, IFP I suspect will ask that new comic-Bond not trample the YB continuity already established.
    With the combination of YB's revived adventures, and new comic-Bond, we could be seeing full-on effort to build the pre-CR legend.
    When I read this, I simply couldn't believe it.
    What on earth are IFP thinking about giving the adult prequel gig to comic-Bond?
    Unbelievable!!!!
  • edited October 2014 Posts: 2,599
    What is this about a comic Bond? IFP won't have proper novels written about Bond's pre CR days? Just comics?
  • edited October 2014 Posts: 2,599
    timmer wrote: »
    This is interesting - what is being brought up about Bond's recollection of the Moonraker Affair in the Pearson book.
    Upon last reading (last year), I again just glossed over the MR explanation. It didn't jar at all, in fact I thought it fit with the premise quite fine.
    In JBTAB we are being asked to swallow that the Fleming books also exist in the Fleming-Bond fictional timeline.
    Pearson in effect has made Fleming a fictional character, but Fleming did it first with the obit - making himself a character in his own books. Such is the mischievious streak of Ian Fleming.
    So Fleming planted the seed for his books existing in the fictional Bond world, and Pearson found a way to make them fit.
    The Moonraker story still exists in our world as a Bond adventure, but in Bond's fictional lit world, the MR adventure is as Pearson describes. ;)
    I am not bothered by this. Fleming mapped out the beginnings of this path with the obit.
    I'd have to re-read the MR passage again, but thank you to those who brought it up.
    I'd never thought one way or the other about it. I was just having so much fun believing Bond was real, and that I was being let in, on some top-secret con job that had been pulled over on the world. I will have to go back and re-read.
    And it was great to catch-up with Honey again. I had mixed feelings about Bond running off to fight Bunt at the end. I was hoping he might settle down with Honey and live the good life. They had lots of cash. He was kind of semi-retired anyway.
    I thought Pearson overall did a real nice job fleshing out Bond's life based on the loose outlines that Fleming had provided

    ===On the new book.
    I do hope that Horowitz gives serious thought as to where his story might fit with the Fleming timeline.
    I think he needs to consider when Fleming might have scribbled the original notes for discarded title "Murder on Wheels" and then envision where Fleming might have considered placing the story in the continuity.
    I am sure Horowitz is competent to do the research.

    ==btw if anyone is wondering about the whereabouts of the "real" Bond, readers of the MP Diaries know that MP's niece found him to be alive and well, living peacefully in a small house on an island off the coast of England, circa 2008- still enjoying a drink or two at noon and in robust spirits.
    Bond I believe, if we go with the 1924 birth, which is what I think Boyd in Solo settled on, would be enjoying his 90th birthday this fall, presumably still residing at his cottage retreat, where MP's niece found him.


    Didn't Weinberg say though that this wasn't actually his real address, for obvious reasons?

    A separate thread should be set up in devotion to Bond's birthday wishes. 11 November, Armistice Day, isn't it?
  • Bounine wrote: »
    What is this about a comic Bond? IFP won't have proper novels written about Bond's pre CR days? Just comics?

    Their press release announcing the comic deal would indicate that IFP have given them the job to develop war time and pre 'CR' Bond.
    Such is their desire to milk the cow and amass as much wonga as possible that they have Steve Cole working on 'Young Bond'. The comic folk working on pre-CR adult Bond and Horowitz writing post CR adult novels.
    I ask you? What a pig's breakfast!
    Allowing a comic writer to develop the most interesting Bond legend remaining - war time and pre-CR - is an absolute sacrilege.
    Mon Dieu - have these people lost their minds?

  • edited October 2014 Posts: 2,599
    "Their press release announcing the comic deal would indicate that IFP have given them the job to develop war time and pre 'CR' Bond.
    Such is their desire to milk the cow and amass as much wonga as possible that they have Steve Cole working on 'Young Bond'. The comic folk working on pre-CR adult Bond and Horowitz writing post CR adult novels.
    I ask you? What a pig's breakfast!
    Allowing a comic writer to develop the most interesting Bond legend remaining - war time and pre-CR - is an absolute sacrilege.
    Mon Dieu - have these people lost their minds?"

    [/quote]

    That's most disappointing and frustrating. I can live with this if these comic stories will eventually be adapted into novels but maybe that's wishing for too much. Nevertheless, to have this interesting period of Bond's life communicated to us first through the comic medium is tacky and highly uncalled for. Novels should atleast be written first, then translated into comics if they wanted. Damn. And just when we thought that things might be getting back on track.

  • Posts: 5,745
    I just did my first ever article on Opposite-lock, a sub blog to Jalopnik.com (the largest automotive fan site on the internet) about the new Hell On Wheels novel. Please give it a read and consider leaving any feedback on that page. :)

    http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/remember-that-time-james-bond-saved-sterling-moss-1645329595
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    That was a great read Justin looking forward to hearing more from you on this and other matters relating to Bond .
  • JWESTBROOK wrote: »
    I just did my first ever article on Opposite-lock, a sub blog to Jalopnik.com (the largest automotive fan site on the internet) about the new Hell On Wheels novel. Please give it a read and consider leaving any feedback on that page.

    Great job @JWESTBROOK. Well done!
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    I'm surprised to see the hatred for the comic medium around here. I'm quite excited about the concept of pre-CR Bond graphic novels told with visuals accompanying the text. We'd still get to have Bond's inner monologues/thoughts, some panache in the pictures and immersion to the hilt.
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    Most people out there just see comics as super hero fare, to be ignored because of brightly colored spandex outfits. Read Road to Perdition, then tell me what a waste of time comic books are.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Most people out there just see comics as super hero fare, to be ignored because of brightly colored spandex outfits. Read Road to Perdition, then tell me what a waste of time comic books are.

    Exactly. I'd also recommend graphic novel collections for Watchmen, V For Vendetta, Kingdom Come, Batman: Year One, The Long Halloween and The Dark Knight Returns. Some of those may be seen as "superhero fare" but when reading them they connect most deeply to the ideas humanity, morality, love and sacrifice that we all hold dear. Comics are a massive part of my life, and they contain some of the smartest, most moving and downright unforgettable stories you could ever read, so I hate seeing people get down on the medium when they likely haven't ever really gotten into them in the first place.
  • edited October 2014 Posts: 7,653
    I like Dynamites The Shadow series and one-offs they do a lot of pulp hero's which I do enjoy a lot, enjoy the Harry Dresden comics as well.

    Used to like the Superhero stuff until it got to complicated and watered down in way too many series to monetary keep up.

    I would not mind a pre-CR comic starring 007 as long as it is pre-CR Fleming timeline opposed to the CR EON timeline.

    And I do not care actually if Steven Cole or Higson write books that conflict with the comic series, I do believe I can make my own mind up which I prefer.

    And I do hope that Horowitz does a better job than Sophie Hannah did with the new Poirot, there is an novel I put down because at no point in the first 100 pages she grabbed me. Something Agatha Christie had no problems with. Hannah should have an editor who told her to shorten the story a hundred pages.
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    SaintMark wrote: »
    I like Dynamites The Shadow series and one-offs they do a lot of pulp hero's which I do enjoy a lot, enjoy the Harry Dresden comics as well.

    Used to like the Superhero stuff until it got to complicated and watered down in way too many series to monetary keep up.

    I would not mind a pre-CR comic starring 007 as long as it is pre-CR Fleming timeline opposed to the CR EON timeline.

    And I do not care actually if Steven Cole or Higson write books that conflict with the comic series, I do believe I can make my own mind up which I prefer.

    And I do hope that Horowitz does a better job than Sophie Hannah did with the new Poirot, there is an novel I put down because at no point in the first 100 pages she grabbed me. Something Agatha Christie had no problems with. Hannah should have an editor who told her to shorten the story a hundred pages.

    I think you've hit the nail on the head, @SaintMark. The vast amount of monthly books is way too large for anyone to keep track of, especially since so many characters have their own individual books that bleed into what you read in the main continuity. To get the full story or experience from a comics story you'd have to pick up several separate books at once just, which isn't a strong strategy since most people will be economical and refrain from that. I became disinterested with the idea of mainstream comics long ago, because after a while you get sick of creators at places like DC and Marvel axing off characters to get cheap publicity and sales, only to bring them back a year or two later. DC are now in the process of doing just that with Damian Wayne, exemplifying another reason why I couldn't care less about comics anymore. All my comic reading nowadays is of retro collections or current one-shots, often surrounding Batman.

    That being said, I am very interested in seeing what the Bond comics will have to offer, and who will be on the team in a writing and penciling capacity.
  • Posts: 7,653
    I do not think there are names known as of yet but I picked this up from Dynamite themselves:

    James Bond - Dynamite to publish new comics!

    Dynamite Entertainment, a leading publisher of English language comic books and graphic novels, is proud to announce their partnership with Ian Fleming Publications Ltd. (IFPL), the company that owns and administers the literary copyright of Ian Fleming's published works, including his fourteen James Bond books.

    Under their agreement, negotiated by Jonny Geller of Curtis Brown, Dynamite has been granted worldwide rights to publish comic books, digital comics, and graphic novels starring 007, Fleming's iconic secret agent will re-live the exploits that have thrilled and captivated fans for over half a century in fresh visual adaptations of the classic Bond stories.

    Moreover, Dynamite plans to create a series of brand new adventures unveiling the defining - and largely undocumented - early years of Bond's career. These new stories will draw inspiration from the Fleming canon to explore Bond's ?origins': his raw early years before he gambled with his life in the first novel, Casino Royale (1953). Some other familiar faces from the expansive 007 mythos will also make appearances in this series - criminal masterminds, hired henchmen, glamorous Bond Girls, and secret service allies - alongside all-new characters.

    Corinne Turner, Managing Director of Ian Fleming Publications, says, "It's over sixty years since the publication of Casino Royale, and now more than ever it's an exciting time to be a Bond fan. We're thrilled that 007 will be revisiting the world of comics, as Fleming's novels have a long and successful history in this medium, ever since they began to be published as newspaper comic strips in the late fifties. Dynamite are the perfect partners to take on the challenge of continuing this legacy, and we are very much looking forward to working with them."
    "In the journey of discovering new readers for Ian Fleming's classic Bond stories, we are delighted to be partnering with Dynamite in exploring different ways to broaden the audience. Visually and literally, James Bond will have a new face," says Jonny Geller, Joint CEO of Curtis Brown.

    "Ian Fleming's James Bond is one the best-known characters in the world, yet we know very little of his background and beginnings," says Editor Mike Lake. "The Bond villains are some of the most memorable figures in popular culture. Where did they come from... and in some cases, where did they go?"

    "James Bond is one of the greatest cultural icons in the world. His author and creator, Ian Fleming, was not only in touch with popular culture in his time, but also saw ahead of his time, and his written work will outlive us all," says Nick Barrucci, CEO and Publisher of Dynamite Entertainment. "The character, the structure, and the source material is so strong. The original prose storytelling serves as the basis for one of the most successful film franchises ever, a franchise that reinvents itself to be in tune with each generation. By doing so, it allows the character to be an ever-progressive pop culture phenomenon, one that energizes existing fans and engages new fans, thus helping to ensure that Bond's relevance and importance will live on forever. The high-octane action, the charm, the unquestionable allure of this man of action - it all stems from Ian Fleming. We're excited to build upon the author's source material with new canonical stories, and honored at Dynamite to be a small part of his legacy, to be able to bring new stories to fans around the world."

    Ian Fleming's World War II service as assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence in London granted him a wealth of experience in the world of espionage, on which he drew when writing his novels. Fleming published fourteen James Bond titles and lived to witness their enormous success in print and on film. His cultural legacy has thrived for over fifty years, as millions of readers worldwide continue to discover and enjoy his work. Dynamite plans to launch its first James Bond comic books in 2015, soliciting periodical issues in Diamond Comic Distributors' Previews catalog, the premiere source of merchandise for the comic book specialty market. Digital editions will be available simultaneously through such platforms as Comixology, Dynamite Digital, iVerse, and Dark Horse Digital. Original graphic novels and collections will be released through the comic book specialty market, digital platforms, and numerous book market channels including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and more.

  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    I didn't know they were also adapting the original Fleming stories into comics again as well. Very exciting! I'll be sure to check all these out once they hit Amazon. Thanks for the information, @SaintMark.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    edited October 2014 Posts: 17,835
    A good ally on this one would be that young dude that drives the Mach 5.
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    He wouldn't be old enough.
  • Posts: 2,599
    I was a little too harsh on comics. They certainly have their place. It's just that I've never really enjoyed reading them. One would atleast hope that a series of novels will eventually be written based on these comics or even completely different stories covering this pre CR era - an exciting period of Bond's life. Comics alone will not do justice to this era.
  • There is absolutely nothing wrong with the comic genre and indeed, as pointed out in this thread, "Road To Perdition" is excellent. And I'm not at all opposed to Dynamite being licenced to adapt existing novels (Fleming & continuation) but am completely opposed to them developing new legend. It's a sacrilage!
  • Posts: 2,599
    "New legend" ?
  • Posts: 908
    There is no doubt that comics have evolved tremendously and I absolutely enjoy Reading them (Watchmen especially is a monument of its kind). But still,call them graphic novels or whatever sophisticated sounding strikes your fancy, these are still stories told largely in pictures and can never equal the depths and wealth of reasoning/thinking/musing of a real book (A good one that is).
  • 0BradyM0Bondfanatic70BradyM0Bondfanatic7 Quantum Floral Arrangements: "We Have Petals Everywhere"
    Posts: 28,694
    Bounine wrote: »
    "New legend" ?
    I guess he doesn't want stories told outside of Fleming's established cannon by other writers who are largely telling us about Bond's early years in a way nobody, not even Ian, has before. Hence, "new legend."
    Matt_Helm wrote: »
    There is no doubt that comics have evolved tremendously and I absolutely enjoy Reading them (Watchmen especially is a monument of its kind). But still,call them graphic novels or whatever sophisticated sounding strikes your fancy, these are still stories told largely in pictures and can never equal the depths and wealth of reasoning/thinking/musing of a real book (A good one that is).

    I horribly disagree with that one. There are some comics that make me feel, think, and react just as much if not more emotionally than a regular print book, as if their merits are diminished just because they are told pictorially.
  • edited October 2014 Posts: 908
    Bounine wrote: »
    "New legend" ?
    I guess he doesn't want stories told outside of Fleming's established cannon by other writers who are largely telling us about Bond's early years in a way nobody, not even Ian, has before. Hence, "new legend."
    Matt_Helm wrote: »
    There is no doubt that comics have evolved tremendously and I absolutely enjoy Reading them (Watchmen especially is a monument of its kind). But still,call them graphic novels or whatever sophisticated sounding strikes your fancy, these are still stories told largely in pictures and can never equal the depths and wealth of reasoning/thinking/musing of a real book (A good one that is).

    I horribly disagree with that one. There are some comics that make me feel, think, and react just as much if not more emotionally than a regular print book, as if their merits are diminished just because they are told pictorially.

    Yes, but they evoke them in you (doubtless is an art in itself), which definitely has got its merit. A novel may too,but it also can give you an in depth look of its protagonists and the world they live in,the relatively few words of a comic can never achieve. To me the comic is much closer to movies than novels ( and I say this as an lover of comics and movies!).
  • Bounine wrote: »
    "New legend" ?
    Yes, I refer to the new legend that would involve Bond's war, his recruitment to the service and his pre CR adventures.
    To have this important part of his story developed by a comic book outfit is laugh out loud funny if I could just stop crying.
    Why oh why do IFP do this insane, short term money grabbing stuff? They are just stupid beyond belief!
    If they simply instructed their continuity authors to ensure that Rolex, Bentley, a named Saville Row tailor and cologne company were name checked and consistently featured, they could build licensing deals and cross promotional opportunities that would make any revenues derived from dodgy deals with comic books look like a pimple on the arse of humanity!

  • mcdonbbmcdonbb deep in the Heart of Texas
    Posts: 4,116
    What about a pop up book? Bond's toddler years?
  • Agent007391Agent007391 Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start
    Posts: 7,854
    Huh?
  • Posts: 2,599
    mcdonbb wrote: »
    What about a pop up book? Bond's toddler years?

    LOL!

    I was too hard on comics and take back what I said about them being "tacky". This was an unfair adjective to use. I was frustrated and angry about the fact that they'll merely be using comics to cover Bond's pre CR days. I certainly agree with those who say that books give much more depth than comics. Comics have few words and even with pictures, they don't come close to what a good novel can achieve. I can only hope that novels covering this wonderful era will eventually be written.
  • edited October 2014 Posts: 4,622
    I have mixed feeling about new legend material being developed by comic books, as it might then render novels redundant, with the territory already having been covered.
    Maybe if its done real well via graphic novel, but still the visuals will take up so much page space, that really how much text can be incorporated?
    A multi pronged approach might work. ie have Stephen Cole get these new YB novels cranked out fast, so that someone else (Higson maybe) can take up young-adult Bond novels and pump these things out.
    They could be short novels. I don't think this period needs to be dwelt on, as Bond most properly exists post CR.
    This territory is really bonus background material. But if a schedule could be worked out to get new pre-CR Bond novels out, at rate of say two a year, then graphic novels maybe could be added as a compliment to the mix, working with the published books.
    Remember Higson cranked out the original run of YB books over a 3 year period (05-08). He had two books out in the same year. He was working at a good pace. It can be done.

    But it looks like this horse is already out of the barn. The deal is in place for both pre-CR graphic novels, and new renditions of the original Fleming books.
    Probably too late to undo it.

    Bounine wrote: »
    Didn't Weinberg say though that this wasn't actually his real address, for obvious reasons?
    A separate thread should be set up in devotion to Bond's birthday wishes. 11 November, Armistice Day, isn't it?

    Good idea re birthday thread. Bond will be 90 on November 11th. We must celebrate!

    ==
    Re. Bonds retirement cottage. Weinberg was writing fiction, so only MP niece knows the address. Isn't that right?
    Kate Westbrook ( MP niece) is telling the story. She found her Aunt's diaries, read them, and then followed up on her Aunt's search for the Mi6 mole, which led her to James Bond's present (2008) location.
    So we get her narrative relating the confidential diary material and her own adventures with the follow-up, but its all fiction penned by real person, Samantha Weinberg, as related by fictional character, Kate Westbrook.
    Kinda like Ian Fleming writing via Vivienne Michel in first person.
    I don't think she was pulling a Pearson, and having Kate operating outside the Fleming novels.
    Have I got this right, or am I missing something?
  • edited October 2014 Posts: 2,599
    Sounds good to me. :)

    Only Westbrook, Tanner and maybe a handful of others know the real address.

    Can I ask you something though? Can we just pretend that the characters are all real? Let's not mention the word "fiction" again. Let's do the Pearson thing. :)
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