32 replies to this topic

[zencat]

From CBn's Main Page...

"15 Years in 'Bondage'"
A Bibliography of 'Bondage' Magazine - 1974 to 1989

[IndyB007]

Very well done, once again. It's great to see the covers of the issues I've never seen. But what is up with these Bonded Recipes? A rather strange article to have in the early issues.

[Red Grant]

Good work! Another forgotten era of Bond fandom rediscovered....well in the UK at least. I used to hunt high and low for these and now know what I am missing. Another coup for the magazine was the publication of "The Illustrated James Bond" which introduced the John McLusky comic strip to a wider US audience..... and the very thing that is causing me all these problems this week

[Atticus17F]

Terrific job, Zencat.

Do you know if those Fleming short stories have been reproduced anywhere else, by any chance?

[zencat]

Terrific job, Zencat.

Do you know if those Fleming short stories have been reproduced anywhere else, by any chance?

Thanks.

Aside from their original publication, I don't know where else they've been published or even if they've been published. But I'm no Fleming expert. Maybe someone else here knows?

[Atticus17F]

It's certainly the first I've heard of these titles and I thought I'd read pretty much all of Fleming's published works.

Sounds like a bit of a coup for Bondage magazine!

[Turn]

Another fine story, Zencat. Bondage was THE Bond fanzine back in the day here in the states.

I think we brought this up back in the 007 Magazine discussion, but notice the number of Connery covers in the late '70s and '80s compared with the number of Connerys. There is little coverage at all of Moonraker, for instance, except for pictorials back when it was about to be released. It looks like the club had a little better relations with Eon later on.

What other similar-themed articles do you have in mind for future issues, Zencat?

[zencat]

What other similar-themed articles do you have in mind for future issues, Zencat?

Maybe Goldeneye...but there aren't very many issues of that.

What I'd really like to do is a bibliography of the Collectors Club magazine, '007 News' later called 'Collecting 007', but I don't have a complete set. Still looking for issues 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6.

[Genrewriter]

Nice overview, John. I remember hearing about the magazine somewhere when I first got into Bond.

[zencat]

Another fantastic mag not to be overlooked is the French Fan Club magazine. Check out the covers and content (in French) here: http://jamesbond007....M/UK_index.html

[Richard Schenkman]

John--Thank you so much for the flattering bibliography of BONDAGE magazine. It was a trip down memory lane to read through it. While I cringe a bit even thinking about those first three issues or so (I was VERY young), I do believe that eventually we really hit a stride and became something important to the community of Bond fans. It was never my intention for the magazine to be a fawning praise-a-thon; what I wanted to do was give hard-to-find information to the fans and let them make up their own minds (having said that, I guess the preponderence of Connery covers does reveal my personal preference).

One unfortunate result, however, was that we had a very on-again, off-again relationship with Eon, which at times made it difficult to proceed. Still, I was proud to have located such material as the obscure Fleming articles, or the McLusky strips, and honored to have worked with such talented artists as Raymond Benson and George Almond.

I do truly regret that I never found the time and resources to put together BONDAGE 18... some of the best material from those middle issues is probably quite difficult to track down, although I did (finally) think to start saving extra copies beginning with BONDAGE #3. I suppose I could sell a few off if your readers were interested.

I was pleased to see that one of your favorite pieces was "Every Man His Own 007"; I'm very fond of it myself. In fact, I re-read it only recently in advance of a return trip to Nassau. Did you know that the Cafe Martinique is going to be re-built on Paradise Island? Happy news.

Anyway, thanks again for helping BONDAGE keep some sort of place in 007 history. I do appreciate it, and I'd be happy to answer any questions your reader might have (if I'm able!).

Regards,
Richard Schenkman

[zencat]

Wow! Hello Richard Schenkman, and a very big welcome to CBn.

I'm glad you liked the bibliography. I loved the club and the mag. It was part of what made me a Bond fan. I remember finding issues #9 & 10 in Larry Edmunds bookstore on Hollywood Blvd on the same day I saw the first still and teaser poster for FYEO. I couldn't believe it...a magazine JUST about 007! And I clearly remember my first issue #11 arriving after I had joined the club. FYEO, the new Gardner books, then Bondage magazine arrives with a glossy new logo...it was like a golden age. It's got to be hard for young fans today to realize that back in the day the only source of Bond news and rumor was the mag and club newsletter. And when one arrived in the mail it was major excitement time!

And I think those early issues are gems. Look at that article "Kung Fu Bond--Is Bond Becoming a Follower instead of a Trendsetter?" A very relevant conversation that we are still having to this day. Most Bond fans think it started with Moonraker, but there you are discussing it in 1974. Also, I'm amazed at how Eon offered so much cooperation with the club early on. Here's Eon telling you the title of the next Bond film before the current film is even in release! My, how times have changed.

Again, thanks for the years of Bondage (okay, that sounds weird, but you know what I mean) and, again, a very big welcome to CBn.

[IndyB007]

It could just be me, but I think it's well past time for a magazine like that to be published in the US again!

[Donovan]

I was JUST looking through my, er, BONDAGE collection (due to the recent re-interest in the comic strips AND that reminiscing thread I made about Dalton's debut as Bond) and had a good time flipping through the old issues...including the "Bondage Quarterly" newsletters. My favorite of the Bondage Quarterlies is when Mr. Schenkman was replying to what must have been a particularly stressful time in 1982 or '83 answering "frequently asked questions" and spelling out how the club is operated. ("Sylvia is my mother; Cubby Broccoli is not a reasonable man")

The last quote above is explaining the "off-again" relationship with Eon had a lot to do with the club's reporting of "Never Say Never Again."

The comic strip book, which was published by the club in 1981, is comprised of the original Daily Express strips of "Diamonds Are Forever", "From Russia, With Love", and "Doctor No". It's first class.

As far as the Bondage magazine goes, I'll never forget receiving issue #16 and being horrified by Dalton's hair. Is THIS what he's going to look like in the film? There were great, personable interviews with the individuals listed. I like Dalton asking why is there a James Bond fan club. Plus, the club (Shenkman) was allowed to visit the set of films on more than one occasion, and report on the progress of the shoot.

As I've said in other posts, before the days of the Internet, it was organizations such as the James Bond Fan Club that fans relied on for new information of the films. It was in Bondage Quarterly that I first learned that the title "From A View To A Kill" might be altered, and that an old Tom Mankiewicz idea about a poison butterfly was being considered for use in the film.

It was nice to see this article. I've never seen the early issues listed.

[zencat]

I remember in that same issue of Bondage Quarterly it said that Mexico City and Acapulco were being considered as locations for

[Qwerty]

Very cool article Zencat. I know very little of these magazines, but they seem like they offer something for amny kinds of Bond fans. I imagine those interviews are great reading in them.

Very, very cool covers too. I hadn't seen many of them previously at all. #3 and #4 sound like ones I'd enjoy alot.

[TheSaint]

Boy, looks like I've missed alot while my T1 connection at work degraded to a M1 connection (m=molasses). A checklist on Bondage(which will simplify my getting those hard to find back issues), and the return of one of the forefathers of Bond fandom, Mr.Schenkman. I think I still have those postcards that his mother, Sylvia, used to send out when answering questions. I used to think Sylvia was his wife/girlfriend! I also thought that the buxom honey pictured on the back cover of Bondage #13 was her. What did I know?

Speaking of, I hope Sylvia is doing fine.

Looking forward to the eventual Collecting 007 checklist.

[zencat]

Yeah, who was that blond on the back of issue #13?

Richard?

I love the picture in issue 6 of George Lazenby in a James Bond 007 Fan Club t-shirt. Now that's advertising.

I also liked that the club would send out pre-order postcards with pics of the covers of the next Gardner book. Pre-internet, that was how we all learned the title of the next book and got a preview peek at cover art. I'll never forget getting my Icebreaker card.

I still have them, in fact, but I wonder if I missed any? I have to check and see what I have.

[Blofeld's Cat]

I also liked that the club would send out pre-order postcards with pics of the covers of the next Gardner book. Pre-internet, that was how we all learned the title of the next book and got a preview peek at cover art. I'll never forget getting my Icebreaker card.

What a cool idea!

[Qwerty]

Yeah, who was that blond on the back of issue #13?

Richard?

I love the picture in issue 6 of George Lazenby in a James Bond 007 Fan Club t-shirt. Now that's advertising.

I also liked that the club would send out pre-order postcards with pics of the covers of the next Gardner book. Pre-internet, that was how we all learned the title of the next book and got a preview peek at cover art. I'll never forget getting my Icebreaker card.

I still have them, in fact, but I wonder if I missed any? I have to check and see what I have.

Which covers specifically? I would have loved that.

[Bryce (003)]

Been wanting to jump in on this.

Great coverage as always Zencat.

Richard - Hope you'll see that CBn is the place to be for Bond these days. I was a proud member from '80 through the end. I have all my issues starting with #8 and every quarterly since then as well and I cherish them.

In '84 I pre-ordered my copy of the "Bedside Companion" 1st edition signed by Raymond - I had him resign it this spring at the UCLA book fair - "Charlie - Don't EVER loose this! - RB".

Glad to hear you're still keeping the faith.

Charles Axworthy - Membership # MCA3090-763A



L-R: CBn members Zencat, Athena - I think you know the guy in the middle - Ry and myself.

Cheers!

Attached Files

•  Bonding_with_Benson.JPG   88.88KB   74 downloads

[Richard Schenkman]

Sorry for the delay in answering... I'm a little new to the whole posting thing. Somehow I thought I'd get an email from anyone with a question. Now I know--I have to check back to the posting page!

Anyhow... the curvaceous lass in the Fan Club t-shirt on the back of BONDAGE #13 was actually my then-girlfriend, Debbie (she might have technically been my fiancee at that point; I don't quite remember when that issue came out). In the Fun Facts To Know department, she was wearing a Norma Kamali bathing suit that was designed to make every day at the beach (or pool) a wet-t-shirt contest. Boy, I miss Norma. And that suit.

And also in the FFTK department, guess where the photo was taken? Why, on the beach at Goldeneye, Ian Fleming's home in Jamaica, which (as faithful readers might remember) I had the pleasure of renting for a week back before Chris Blackwell rennovated it (and thus removing nearly all traces of Fleming).

Needless to say, I haven't spoken with Debbie in years. Didn't end well.

Sylvia (my mom) is happily retired from all Fan Club life in Florida, with my dad. Actually, she rather misses it. She really liked the daily chores and the interaction with all the fans. It was very satisfying work, especially (for example) when we knew we had gotten everybody a first edition of a new book way before any store would have, and for way less money; or when we found a trove of some long-gone toy we could offer to the members; or when I got to interview Tom Mankiewicz, Terence Young, or even Timothy Dalton, and really ask the questions I thought any fan would want answered. And what a hell of a nice guy George Lazenby is... and how kind was Peter Hunt to give me all those photos from his personal collection... and on and on.

Sure, I miss it. And as excitable, vengeful, and uncooperative as Cubby Broccoli could be, his daughter, Barbara, is a smart, sweet person who would really like to be making great films.


take care---
RS

[Atticus17F]

Hi Richard,

Do you know if those Fleming articles have been reprinted anywhere? Or would tracking down back issues of Bondage be my only chance of seeing them?

Can't believe I've missed out on those!

[zencat]

Hey Richard.

Thanks for the response. There is a way to subscribe to this thread (and you will get email notifications) but even I have not figured out how to do this. Maybe someone else can explain it.

So that's Debbie, eh? You know, I had a feeling, even back then, that this was a girlfriend. And we all have a "Debbie" in our past, don't we? I had my own "Debbie" at almost exactly this same time. I took her to the premiere of A View To A Kill in San Francisco and she threw up in the back of the limousine. It didn't get much better from there.

I very happy to hear Sylvia is happy and healthy and living in Florida. Next time you talk to her, make sure you give her a very belated thank you on my behalf for those first editions.

Stick around. Would love to hear those Cubby stories. (A CBn interview perhaps?)

John C. Cox
Member #MJC 426C

[TheSaint]

So, the buxom babe on the back cover of Bondage #13 was Schenkman's then gf/fiancee Debbie? Lucky man! Glad to hear that Sylvia is doing well. Give her our regards!

[Qwerty]

I've finally gotten a few issues from eBay recently. Have only read a few so far, but I loved the content so far.

[Richard Schenkman]

Hello, again. I just thought I'd check back in, in case anybody was interested. I got to thinking about fans and clubs and all that because this weekend (July 27th) I'm heading down to San Diego to screen my new film, "Jerome Bixby's The Man From Earth". About half the cast will be there, too, answering questions and signing autographs afterwards. You know what? I saw Debbie (the girl from the fan club wet T-shirt photo) a month or two back when her brother played a gig here in Los Angeles. She still looks pretty great, boys! Twice-divorced, and mother of a teenage girl. Criminy! My best to everyone----RS

[Bon-san]

I only have issue #16 currently. I used to have quite a few more, but they were casualties of the 'mom throws out all my boyhood stuff when I go off to college' syndrome.

Miss those, and have been looking to recoup them someday. Thanks for the great magazine, Mr. Schenkman.

[Qwerty]

Seems like issues 1 through 8 are alot more difficult and pricier than the later ones. I see issue 9 almost everywhere on eBay.

[TheSaint]

I saw Debbie (the girl from the fan club wet T-shirt photo) a month or two back when her brother played a gig here in Los Angeles. She still looks pretty great, boys! Twice-divorced, and mother of a teenage girl. Criminy! My best to everyone----RS

That's good to know!

Mr.Schenkman, please feel free to post anytime. Your thoughts & opinions are greatly appreciated.