26 replies to this topic

[Tim007]

As CBn reported 4 weeks ago, Ian Fleming's Novels will return to Germany, this time published by Heyne. It seemed that there would be 'classic' covers, after Heyne asked Bond fans whether they like 'classic' or 'modern' covers better, and most fans wanted the classic covers back. Today, Amazon.de revealed the covers of the first four novels to be published. And they look like a mix of classic and modern.

To view the covers, go here!

[Tim007]

I have to admit I really love them. Gotta get that edition

[Mister Asterix]

I quite like the Moonraker cover.

[Johnson Galore]

It strikes me that they lean towards modern a bit too much. I love the new American trade covers with their throwbacks to the 50s.

[zencat]

I like that Moonraker cover as well. Might need to get that one.

Gotta say, I like these more than the UK covers, but less than the US. I'm sure they'll look great as a set.

[Harmsway]

Very, very cool. I gotta say, I'm a fan of all the US, UK, and now Germany editions. They're all sleek and cool. If I had to pick a favorite, I'd have to go with the US, but they all have their own style. If I had enough money to spend it carelessly, I'd own all 3 sets.

[walther ppk]

The Moonraker Cover is by far the best.
I don't realy like the overall feel though, too modern, reminds me of a james bond computer game cover!

[zencat]

I so surprised that of all the covers the US ones are taking the boldest leap in going retro and, in essence, acknowledging that Ian Fleming

[Blue Eyes]

I really love these covers.

But I'm completely confused about one thing. How did they get the rights to use some of the shown materials?

The LALD Bond is a picture of Pierce, minus his head (Where's Jim?), from a TND photo shoot?

And then there's the 007 gun logo? Surely that would have cost them a packet.

[zencat]

I'm also suprised at the 007 logo. Eon has never let them use it before (only on the novelizations). They recalled the first UK pareback License Renewed because it used the logo. Perhaps there is a thaw between Eon and Ian Fleming Publications (from now on I'm going to use IFP -- I'm sick of typing this all out).

[Blue Eyes]

They recalled the paperback? Would that be because of not letting people use it, or because the licence wasn't paid.

[stromberg]

They obviously tried to make them look Retro, but using that "Serpentine" font in combination with those Photoshop effects.... ain't fittin', ain't fittin'. But I have to admit that Moonraker looks great.

One thing that's anoying about it is the publishing dates: CR in May, LALD in June, MR in August, DAF in October. If they are going to continue like this, it'll be Xmas '04 until they are all out...

I just hope that they are going to put a bit more work into this: I have a PDF file of this year's Heyne preview (sorry, can't attach it). Apart from horrible typos, their plot summaries mix novel and movie plots, what becomes a bit embarassing when it comes to MR and they talk about the space station. I hope this won't be on the book's back cover. Even more embarassing: on Heyne's website (www.heyne.de, search for James Bond), MR is anounced as "Moonwalker". Jacko fans at work?

And this is interesting: they anounce massive radio advertising for that edition. Never heard of any radio ad campaign for any book in Germany. Can't wait to hear those...

[zencat]

Originally posted by Blue Eyes
They recalled the paperback? Would that be because of not letting people use it, or because the licence wasn't paid.

Who knows. A collector showed me proof art with the logo and said the books were never produced -- but then I found this copy in Amsterdam.

[zencat]

For comparison, here's the "corrected" version. Funny how they just snipped the gun off the 007. And notice that they added "Ian Fleming's Masterspy." Could the absence of Fleming's name also have been an objection to the original?

(Sorry to take us so off topic.)

[jwheels]

I actually have the first book that you showed Zencat. with the logo with the gun at the end. Is this some kind of a collector's item?

[marktmurphy]

Cheap, nasty, lazy, unoriginal.

Which sort of fits with all the graphic design work from DAD (see the soundtrack, novelisation etc.).

Bond needs a clean sheet.

[zencat]

Originally posted by jwheels57
I actually have the first book that you showed Zencat. with the logo with the gun at the end. Is this some kind of a collector's item?

It sure is. I'm not sure how many of these made it into circulation.

[jwheels]

Hey, thats great! I finally have a rare James Bond item. Everything else I have of Bond is pretty common.

[stromberg]

I emailed Heyne yesterday and asked some of the afore mentioned questions and some of my own. I got a phonecall today from a very helpful person who was willing and able to answer most of it. This is the info I got:

The rights for the German editions previously owned by Scherz were expired. Apparently, Scherz didn't want to renew the contract and so Heyne (who published most of the Gardner and Benson novels) was offered the rights. They thought about giving it a try, and there they go. Unfortunately this means that they will publish those four novels we already know about plus FRWL and DN after November '03. Then they'll see who good these sold and decide if they also do the rest. They became a bit careful, the Gardners and Bensons didn't sell very good, which is the main reason that not all of their novels have been published in Germany.

The new editions will be no new translations, but they have been revised for dated language and political correctnes (especially LALD) etc.

The covers we already know are not the definite versions. You were right about your concerns, BlueEyes. They had to remove the 007 Logo and to replace it with another. The guy said they got it from England and that it had been used on international editions before. He said something about a logo in a circle, anybody knows what he means? And they also had to remove that shot of Pierce minus the head from the LALD cover. They took a new picture from a guy in a tux...
Some other minor changes seem to have been made "by request from England", but nothing too special.

Oh, and they seem to be not so sure about their radio spots any more. They don't seem to plan any advertising campain at all, not even posters. Doesn't sound very optimistic.

Let's hope that the sales figures will be better than expected, so we'll get at least the complete Flemings. No plans on new Amis, Gardner or Benson editions at all...

[Blue Eyes]

Ah some very interesting news there stromberg! Thanks heaps.

[Cyris]

And now 2 more Covers are revealed on amazon. I hope you like the Covers. They are in the same style like the others with only the changed 007 Logo.

From Russia with Love



Dr. No




Cyris

[Loomis]

I like these German covers. Very nice indeed.

[Tanger]

Someone needs to make an art gallery of all the 2003 covers. They're simply superb.

[marktmurphy]

These look super-cheap and nasty. The UK covers may lean towards the dull but at least they're extremely classy and stylish. These are just gaudy throw-togethers.

[Loomis]

Originally posted by marktmurphy

These are just gaudy throw-togethers.  

The only thing that I think looks thrown in and tacky is the silhouette or figure of Bond. For example:



Now imagine the same cover without Bond. I think virtually all these German covers would look much classier and cooler with Bond removed.

[dennisbolt]

As a graphic artist and Bond fan, I think these look kinda hokey- like the promo poster mockups for TWINE. There are not polished enough for my taste and do not either have the retro quality of current US paperbacks or the modern UK abstractions. The type is is a bad EON movie italic knockoff that looks like car chrome namebadges. The combo of cutout photos and gradients and flat sillouetes is jarring. Just my 2 cents.

[stromberg]

Originally posted by dennisbolt
As a graphic artist and Bond fan, I think these look kinda hokey- like the promo poster mockups for TWINE. There are not polished enough for my taste and do not either have the retro quality of current US paperbacks or the modern UK abstractions.  The type is is a  bad EON  movie italic knockoff that looks like car chrome namebadges.  The combo of cutout photos and gradients and flat sillouetes is jarring. Just my 2 cents.

I would have prefered it myself if they wouldn't use those photos and change them to something more "drawing" style. But they look quite nice when you see them "in the flesh". BTW, they are a bit bigger than the usual paperbacks (12x18,5 cm). It is a rather unusual style for a German book, this might be because the covers were made by a Japanese designer. (I'm sure they mention his name in CR, but I only have my copy of LALD with me that I'm reading at the moment. And in this one, they only mention his Munich company. I'll check it out and post his name if anybody's interested.)

As to the type... Well, it seems that this "Serpentine" font has been adopted as a Bond type since it was used for TND. I don't like it very much but I've learned to live with it. The biggest flaw is indeed that chrome effect (something like that should IMHO be used very carefully), the 3D-style doesn't fit to the rather flat style of the rest. (Obviously, someone learned to work with Photoshop layer styles and didn't know when to stop.) On the real books, it is darker than on the images posted here, what makes it even worse. And I'm not content that they used this style also on the spine. With a font size half as big as on the cover, it is really hard to read and doesn't look very good. A decent sans-serif font would have done a great job.

But I can't help myself, I somehow still like them. That unusual style has "something" and they look completely different from any other book I've got on my shelves.