6 replies to this topic

[Blue Eyes]

[dark] has written in with this great report for us, so a big thank you is extended out to him;

007 Spy Files are now available to purchase in Australia. The TV ads have begun airing for the series in the last couple of days. The first issue comes at the special introductory price of $2.95, with each subsequent issue (coming out fortnightly) for $5.95 each.

The first issue is accompanied by a packet of various fact cards (which come with every issue) as well as a tin to store them in whilst carrying them about. It also contains a series of divider cards to break the cards up into their various categories. The second issue contains a box to store your magazines in. The third issue contains a second, larger tin, which is used to store your cards in permanantly. Both cases bear the 007 logo. The first issue also contains a subscription offer, whereby if you subscribe to future issues, you'll receive a nifty combination pen / voice recorder, as well as a free issue.

Unfortunately, the magazines are clearly aimed at a younger audience. They contain several puzzles, games and (in the first issue), a two-page feature on "How To Booby-Trap Your Room" (one part suggests spreading talcum powder on your floor - - guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser with parents, I'm sure!). Not quite adult material. The magazine also focuses entirely on the films, with no references to the literary works of 007. However, if you're like me, any read about Bond is a good read. That said, even the language is aimed at youngsters, and one can't help but feel it's been signicantly dumbed down compared to the 007 books we've seen in the past ("007: The Secret World of James Bond" was a wonderful resource). Of course, all that is attributed to the fact it's been created with the young'uns in mind. On the plus side, parts of the first issue are nicely illustrated (the two-page spread on Atlantis comes to mind). However, some are awful (the main image on the "Booby-Trap Your Room" spread looks like a screenshot from a Game Boy).

Nonetheless, for $2.95, it's well worth the purchase to see if you enjoy it. If you're a little disappointed like me, it's still worth it for the handy tin case (which is the perfect case for my brand new "The Spy Who Loved Me" watch). If you (or you know of anyone) are at the right age for this (10 years old?), then this is the perfect way to introduce them to the world of 007. It's slightly more innocent than the films, but does an apt job at describing James Bond and his adventures for the kiddies.

[PaulZ108]

I can only hope that an American release is next...

[Mourning Becomes Electra]

I confess, I want one just for the cool tin! The price seems more expensive though than when it started off in the U.K., then again $2.95 is in Austalian dollars, isn't it, so not that much difference.

MBE

[Blue Eyes]

Well that's US$1.50 which I think is nothing really.

I haven't found it at a newsagent yet, and I too am just in it for the tin

[JBond007]

I got 2 copies of this today. The Tin is cool, but
make sure you shake the tin first before you buy it
coz one of my copies was missing the secret lens thingy

[ShockTroop22]

I only bought the first copy here in UK, so i could get my hands on the cool tin. Im pretty sure there was a larger tin that comes with a later issue, and a binder to put all the magazines in.

I was too disappointed to collect them all, all stuff i already knew (not suprising, the most amazing facts are things like Oddjobb was Korean, Jaws was quite tall, etc). I dont think that an adult version of this magazine would ever have a chance of being produced. There just isnt a big enough market, unfortunatley.

Still, we can still all get our hands on the books, which aren't designed for kiddies.

[JBond007]

A Big tin comes with issue 3 I think. I will wait for that one!!!
I wonder how many issues all up it is?
Sheesh, I asked and the person at the newsagent said she
THINKS that is about 40 issues. hmmm, doing some math around $240.
hmmmmmmmm

Then again, you do get that recording pen and those tins. I wonder
what other free stuff there will be?

Anyone see those cool "special edition" cards?