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Young James Bond and Spy High

Started by Civilian_007 Samurai_* , Apr 08 2004 05:04 PM

7 replies to this topic

#1 Civilian_007 Samurai_*

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Posted 08 April 2004 - 05:04 PM

Has anybody noted the resemblence that a young James Bond at school might have with the Spy High series of stories - in which a bunch of school kids (Known as 'Bond Team') go on James Bond like adventures?

I'm not really surprised that IFP want to reduce the success of this series by producing their own in competition. Though I am amazed that the 'Spy High' people got away with calling their spies 'Bond Team'.

SPY HIGH on Amazon

On this site you will the a synopsis of Spy High 6 reading -

"Bond Team have a LOT on their minds. Not only are they about to get their exam results, they're also caught up in Spy High's investigations into terrorism at the Solartech power plant."

So are IFP thinking - "Why the hell should Atom Books (Spy High publishers) be making money off a james Bond series for kids whilst we see nothing from that demographic? - Lets get 'em!"

Edited by 007 Samurai, 08 April 2004 - 05:06 PM.

#2 DLibrasnow

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Posted 08 April 2004 - 05:47 PM

There is nothing to say that Higson will be the only author doing Bond stuff....After all franchises like STAR WARS have scores of writers.

#3 Civilian_007 Samurai_*

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Posted 08 April 2004 - 06:09 PM

I don't think Spy High is an official part of the Bond franchise - I am not suggesting that IFP would stop anybody doing this sort of thing in the future - SPY HIGH really does exist in the now - there are at least 6 or maybe 7 books since early 2003 - or maybe late 2002 [I know nothing about them really but have seen them on sale recently].

I am only guessing, but it seems likely that IFP would have looked into forcing them to stop using the Bond name, especially seeing as they are spy realted books - but as that has seemingly failed, are IFP trying to stop Atom by beating them at their own game?

#4 DLibrasnow

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Posted 08 April 2004 - 06:10 PM

Interesting theory! I am personally not familiar with the show....perhaps IFP isn't either.

#5 Civilian_007 Samurai_*

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Posted 08 April 2004 - 06:51 PM

Ah - no these are not a shows, they are a series of quite succesful books aimed at the 10-15 age group featuring the adventures of a bunch of spies, in school, which go under the name 'Bond Team'.

I'm sure IFP will have heard of them - they are no Harry Potter, but in the world of children's literature they are doing really quite well at the moment, over here in the UK anyway. So if IFP have done any investigation into the market for spy-based literature aimed at that age group there is no way they will have missed this one.

That IFP made their annoucnement, to launch a series of children's books about a schoolage spy named Bond, less than 12 months after the succesfull launch of a series of children's books about a group of schoolage spies named 'Bond team', just looks like too big a coincidence to me.

Ok - so I admit it, I work for WH Smiths - and I tell you what there is a big push on for SPY HIGH in our stores at the moment.

In this - the sixth book - you can see all the junior Bonds wearing bond-like jet packs

Posted Image

This web-site is for the publishers - and gives synopses of each (of the six) books.

SPY HIGH - Home Page

Worth looking at - although these books are set five minutes into the future, perhaps this is the sort of thing we can expect from Higson. Certainly the stories are remeniscent of his Randal and Hopkirk show.Don't get me wrong - I wouldn't read them myself, but if you like children's books...

Edited by 007 Samurai, 08 April 2004 - 06:54 PM.

#6 DLibrasnow

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Posted 08 April 2004 - 06:53 PM

Well one has to think that anything that keeps James Bond in the public eye has to be a good thing!

#7 Civilian_007 Samurai_*

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Posted 08 April 2004 - 07:00 PM

True - but then Eon weren't too happy about CBn using official images, and I'm sure IFP wouldn't be too happy about somebody cashing in on the Bond nomenclature - unless it was them.

#8 Roebuck

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Posted 10 April 2004 - 06:07 PM

I am only guessing, but it seems likely that IFP would have looked into forcing them to stop using the Bond name, especially seeing as they are spy realted books.

IFP probably wouldn't have a strong argument to back copyright infringement, in the same way Hannah Barbera didn't bother going after Joss Whedon for referring to his Buffy characters as the 'Scooby Gang'. These 'Spy High' books don't feature James Bond and aren't set in the world where 007 is a real person. It's just a pop culture reference.
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