22 replies to this topic

[scaramanga]

It interesting to see the comparison between James Bond of the comics with James Bond of the cinematic and literary world. The comics capture the novels very well and I'm amazed at the likeness of John McLusky's Bond with Sean Connery, even though the comics were out several years before the films. Because of the popularity of the novels and the comic strips, Its like EON went out and looked for an actor who resemble the Bond in the comic strips because people recognised what Bond should look like. Hey presto Sean Connery! Is the reason he is considered by many to be the best incarnation of James Bond?

[zencat]

Bond dresses down a bit in the early '80s... Can't you just see these two on the disco floor or doing blow in the bathroom?

[Mister Asterix]

This is it.

Through eyewitness accounts I have compiled a composite picture of what James Bond really looks like.

[zencat]

But in the '90s Bond became "the man in silhouette." 'Nuff said.

[scaramanga]

zencat (02 Nov, 2001 06:53 p.m.):
One of the reasons I love collecting the early paperbacks is because it's interesting to see how the jacket artists interpreted James Bond before there was a movie image. Here's one of my favorites, a very early MOONRAKER.

I actually I have that edition Zencat. In fact in Raymond Benson's Bedside Companion there is an artists impression of James Bond that Ian Fleming got someone to draw up for him. I have the '88 edition but my scanner isn't working. Could you help Zencat?

[Mister Asterix]

Here's more of what James Bond really looks like.

Okay, its Hoagy Carmichael. But James is supposed to look like Hoagy isn't he. The picture I posted above I started with the picture of Mr. Carmichael that I thought most like how I saw Bond, shrunk the nose a bit, put a slight cleft in the chin, colourised, took his hand of his cheek, added the a very subtle scar (So subtle that you can't see it when it scaled down as it is), adjusted the mouth to make it look 'cruel', and that's what James Bond looks like.

Its very close too the way I had pictured him when reading the books. That is when I wasn't picturing Sean or Roger or Pierce. (One time I actually pictured George).

[scaramanga]

Mister Asterix (02 Nov, 2001 10:54 p.m.):
Here's more of what James Bond really looks like.

Okay, its Hoagy Carmichael. But James is supposed to look like Hoagy isn't he. The picture I posted above I started with the picture of Mr. Carmichael that I thought most like how I saw Bond, shrunk the nose a bit, put a slight cleft in the chin, colourised, took his hand of his cheek, added the a very subtle scar (So subtle that you can't see it when it scaled down as it is), and that's what James Bond looks like.

Its very close too the way I had pictured him when reading the books. That is when I wasn't picturing Sean or Roger or Pierce. (One time I actually pictured George).

Very good, mr*. Hoagy Carmichael with a cruel mouth is the way Fleming described him. Although, when reading the novels I don't like to think of Bond as an actor who portrayed him, but of the Bond of the comic strips. I tend to think that its the most 'complete' incarnation of Bond.

[Mister Asterix]

scaramanga (02 Nov, 2001 11:03 p.m.):
Although, when reading the novels I don't like to think of Bond as an actor who portrayed him, but of the Bond of the comic strips. I tend to think that its the most 'complete' incarnation of Bond.

I only rarely picture Bond as one of the actors. When I started reading the Fleming books (I actually started by reading Gardner) I got a very distinct picture of what Bond looked like in my head. I think it was slightly influenced by one of the graphic novels (I don't remember which one), but I could see this face from Mr. Flemings descriptions. After that, I did some research because I had no idea what Hoagy Carmichael was and when I found Hoagy's picture it didn't look anything like my 'picture' of Bond. Hoagy had a big smile in the photo and looked very happy. Combine that with the large nose and it didn't change my image of Bond at all.

Then came the Internet. After the Internet got a bit established, I researched Hoagy on the Internet and found the picture you see below. Now that was very close to how I pictured my pulp hero. Put a Walther PPK or a Beretta in that hand and its closer than any of the actors (or any other person I've ever seen) to my Bond. I did the retouching (It was easier to remove the hand than to add a gun) and there he was, the man in my head.

[scaramanga]

Your right, his nose does look to big.

[Blofeld's Cat]

zencat (02 Nov, 2001 06:59 p.m.):
Even when there was an awareness of the cinematic James Bond, book cover artists sometimes went their own way and tried to make Bond "a man of the times." Here's a MOONRAKER from the early '70s. Nice hair, Jim!

Great collage, zencat. Pop history of book covers that reflected the times.

To me the 70's Bond cover looks like Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry!

[Blue Eyes]

Looking at thos excellent scans by Zencat I really wish that they still published the novels with such excellent covers, even if it was just the paperback editions. There's something great about those covers. Even if they went with a drawn Brosnan just to sell the paperbacks more I'd still love to see it. It has a mystique to it.

But I wouldn't want a photo, it would have to be hand drawn!

[Icephoenix]

Heres my copy of 'Bond'

[zencat]

scaramanga (02 Nov, 2001 10:09 p.m.):
...in Raymond Benson's Bedside Companion there is an artists impression of James Bond that Ian Fleming got someone to draw up for him. I have the '88 edition but my scanner isn't working. Could you help Zencat?

Done!

The artist's name was George Almond. He did many excellent Bond drawings in the '80s inspired by the novels. Many appeared in the American Bond fanzine BONDAGE.

[Blofeld's Cat]

It looks almost like the best Bond ever to grace the screen.

R O G E R M O O R E!

[zencat]

Sure looks like Hoagy Carmichael inspired this version of Bond, eh?

[Mister Asterix]

zencat (03 Nov, 2001 05:35 p.m.):
Sure looks like Hoagy Carmichael inspired this version of Bond, eh?

Okay, that explains why my vision of Bond looked so much like Hoagy. I remember seeing that Permission To Die cover before I read the novels. I said in my earlier post 'I think it was slightly influenced by one of the graphic novels' apparently it was more than slightly.

Mr. Grell even used the same picture of Hoagy that I had. If I would have put the gun in his hand instead of removing the hand. I would have had the same picture. (I do like him in the suit rather than the tux).

[Blofeld's Cat]

Mister Asterix (03 Nov, 2001 07:20 p.m.):
Mr. Grell even used the same picture of Hoagy that I had. If I would have put the gun in his hand instead of removing the hand. I would have had the same picture. (I do like him in the suit rather than the tux).

Maybe this is where the left-handed Bond started.???

[Mister Asterix]

blofelds_cat (04 Nov, 2001 03:00 a.m.):
Maybe this is where the left-handed Bond started.???

Yeah that's kind of weird, because he has his watch on his left hand, too. And usually one would wear their watch on the off hand. It's odd to see the gun and watch on the same side.

[Icephoenix]

zencat (03 Nov, 2001 05:35 p.m.):
Sure looks like Hoagy Carmichael inspired this version of Bond, eh?

Ya think? lol. Wow. Do u think he had no knowledge it had been based on him? Or he posed for it?

[Blue Eyes]

The similarities between those two pictures are undeniable! If they Permission To Die cover wasn't based on that photo, I'm Pierce Brosnan. (and don't get smart over that one )

[Blofeld's Cat]

scaramanga (02 Nov, 2001 11:14 a.m.):
...and I'm amazed at the likeness of John McLusky's Bond with Sean Connery, even though the comics were out several years before the films......Its like EON went out and looked for an actor who resemble the Bond in the comic strips because people recognised what Bond should look like. Hey presto Sean Connery! Is the reason he is considered by many to be the best incarnation of James Bond?

The likeness is uncanny! I never really took too much notice until now.

Although, the signature is dated '65. Did Bond's appearance change when Connery got the job?

If EON didn't actively seek a similar look to the comic Bond, there must have been a subliminal urge at work.

[zencat]

One of the reasons I love collecting the early paperbacks is because it's interesting to see how the jacket artists interpreted James Bond before there was a movie image. Here's one of my favorites, a very early MOONRAKER.

[zencat]

Even when there was an awareness of the cinematic James Bond, book cover artists sometimes went their own way and tried to make Bond "a man of the times." Here's a MOONRAKER from the early '70s. Nice hair, Jim!