Casino Royale

James Bond comic strips #5

by Anthony Hern (Adapted by), Ian Fleming, Henry Gammidge

Card Shark!

This new edition also includes 'Live and Let Die' and the very rarely seen 'Moonraker', brought together for the first time in one spectacular collection - which also features an exclusive introduction by legendary Bond actor Sir Roger Moore!

This is the story that introduced the world to James Bond! In his first mission, Bond must neutralise a Russian operative by ruining him at the baccarat table and forcing his 'retirement'. Lady Luck appears to be with James as his target hits a losing streak, but Bond's attraction to a beautiful female agent leads him to disaster ...

This volume contains a n essay entitled 'Bond in Books: The post-Fleming Novels 1966-1981' by Paul Simpson.

The comic strip form for 'Casino Royale' first appeared in the Daily Express between 7 July 1958 and 13 December 1958; the comic strip for 'Live and Let Die' irst first appeared in the Daily Express between 13 December 1958 and 28 March 1959; the comic strip for 'Moonraker' first appeared in the Daily Express between 30 March 1959 and 8 August 1959.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Thriller, Ebooks, Fiction, Espionage, Adventure

96 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2005

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly enjoyable piece of nostalgia. It's been a long time since I've read any of the James Bond comic strips and this volume contains Ian Fleming's first three 007 novels Casino Royale, Live & Let Die and Moonraker.
The artwork is extremely good and the comic strips follow the novels quite closely.

[itchy · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are great adaptations. I daresay these are better than the films.

[[Name Redacted] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as interesting as the novels or the films, but the art is wonderful and it offers both an introduction into the history of James Bond in international media and a great example of the classic age of British newspaper strips.

[John Yelverton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good adaptation of the first three James Bond novels with decent artwork to boot.

[Tom Donaghey · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Bond 007 Casino Royale (the strips) (2005) by Ian Fleming, Anthony Hern, Henry Gammidge and John McLusky.
These comic strip conversions from the Fleming novels run true to the original stories. Appearing in England’s Daily Express newspaper, each set of panels was designed to translate the words into visible action, and that is exactly what they did.
This coffee table book combines the illustrations for not only Casino Royale but also Live And Let Die and Moonraker. Each comic is faithful to the book with the full cast of characters, plots, and action. The torture is there also. A bit subdued for the sensibilities of the audience, but it is there. You get exactly what the readers of 1958 and 1958 wanted in their hero.
This compilation comes with an introduction by the late Roger Moore and a review of some of the novels written after Fleming passed away. And each individual title has it’s own intro letting the reader in on a few mild secrets.
This is a book for the completist in us all. A companion to the original novels and a handy reference for what the movies are not, I am certain this book will make many a reader happy.

[Steve Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel contains the original comic strips that appeared in the Daily Express of the first three of Fleming’s Bond novels: Live and Let Die and Moonraker are included with the title story.

Although I’d say they are pretty much essential reading for anyone that is a fan of all things Bond, this really is no substitute for Fleming’s novels. The stories also still contain regular recaps from the original printing in case you had missed buying the previous day’s paper, so they can get a bit repetitive every dozen or so cells.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A dry martini," said. "One. In a deep champagne goblet."
"Oui, monsieur."
"Just a moment. Three measures of Gordon's, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet. Shake it very well until it's ice-cold, then add a large thin slice of lemon peel. Got it?"

Príbehy podávané z Bondovho i rozprávačskeho uhla, ktoré i napriek tomu, že sú čiernobele neuberajú na atraktívnosti a zaujímavosti deja,dokonca ani na kráse Bondgirls.

[Ahmed Abrar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Other than unnecessary exhibition of sex, it's thrilling indeed!

[Tom Tipton · Rating 3 out of 5]

These ran in UK newspapers as the Fleming book series was becoming popular. Great look at character and plotting before the movies were introduced in 1962.

[ComicNerdSam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Awkward and stiff. Lusky is a low-rent Alex Raymond and the writing is so simple it's mind-numbing to read.

[Matthew Kresal · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting collection of the newspaper strip adaptations of the first three Ian Fleming James Bond novels (Casino Royale, Live And Let Die and Moonraker) first published in 1957-58. All three are quite faithful adaptations though some of the elements and scenes that would have been too lurid back in the day have been toned down or removed. As these adaptations were done early on in what became a long running strip, there's quite a bit of experimentation from one story to the next both in how they're told and in the artwork from John McLusky. Casino Royale is the roughest on both counts while Live And Let Die introduces a rather odd thing of having Bond himself narrate the story which gets carried over into Moonraker as well that comes across as downright odd at times (especially when Bond becomes a proverbial talking head at the beginning of Moonraker). That said, of the three adaptations presented Moonraker's is by far the best as the writing (minus the aforementioned criticism) and especially the artwork come together for a satisfying and faithful adaptation of the original Fleming novel (which was famously butchered in the 1979 film starring Roger Moore). Highly recommended for Bond fans, especially those who are fans of the original Fleming novels.

[Michael P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The three stars may be deceptive. Ian Fleming, credited by goodredads as author of this book, is a truly terrible writer. This book adapts the English comic strip that adapted Fleming's novels in the fifties. The three stories in this book can be difficult to judge. The two stories adapted from the only two Fleming novels I have read, read better than Fleming, but the plots by adapter John McLusky are so simplified that they are not satisfying. The artist also improves over time. The third adaptation, Moonraker, seems the best to me because the art has improved and the story works in is own terms. Assuming that would also be true of the first two stories had I not read Fleming, I give the book three stars. That one story is a lot of fun.

Here is the strangest thing of all--Bond looks almost exactly like Sean Connery, a few years before Connery was cast as Bond. You have to wonder if the producers were influenced by the look of the strip when they finally settled on Connery.

[Gerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

The comic strip version of three of Ian Fleming's Bond novels, 'Casino Royale', 'Live and Let Die' and 'Moonraker', makes entertaining reading, particularly for Bond aficionados. Obviously heavily re-written for the comic strip, the stories still retain their all-action approach and lose little from the original in their re-telling.

Sir Roger Moore writes a historical introduction focusing on his career as Bond and Paul Simpson writes a most informative foreword covering the Post-Ian Fleming Bond books by such writers as Robert Markham (Kingsley Amis)and John Gardner.

The strips are a bit of fun and take the reader back to childhood days when comics were the required reading! I must confess to not having read a comic strip for a good number of years (I prefer not to state how many) and it was enjoyable, light and took me back many years.

[Noah Soudrette · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are the first three Bond novels adapted as newspaper comic strips before the films ever came out. I love the novels and these strips are fun way to experience Fleming's Bond adventures. Considering the age and cheapness of the strips the artwork is pretty decent and the adaptations, while simplified, hold close to the books. Definitely recommended for Bond completists, while others may want to start with one of the later collections of original stories.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three comic strips from the Daily Express, the first Casino Royale is in the conventional third-person, but Live And Let Die and Moonraker have Bond narrating the story which is a bit odd (very odd in From Russia With Love later in the series as the first third of the story doesn’t feature Bond at all.
Obviously the stories are abridged and some of the ‘adult’ content toned down, but overall a great way to revisit these classic spy stories. Many more to go!

[Jordan.A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three extravagant Bond stories in One. Casino Royale, Live or Let Die and Moonraker.