A Wigan artist hopes his new work will leave us shaken and a little stirred.
Writer and illustrator Brian Gorman has launched an online exhibition featuring examples of his acclaimed work ranging from a sci-fi fantasy comic, a graphic history of Manchester, to paintings of the last six actors to play 007 James Bond.

He was able to get up close and personal for pics of his heroes at a series of professional fan conventions he has promoted across the region over the past five years.

Favourite is the current craggy incumbent with the licence to kill, Daniel Craig.

Brian, 44, who was born and raised in a council house in Worsley Mesnes, said that he has long been a fan of the movies, so it was fitting that their stars should be the subject of his first six paintings.

He said: "I've always been a big Bond fan, and I thought I'd see if I could capture some iconic images on canvas.

"I've just completed a commission for a painting of Daniel Craig, which is the biggest piece I've ever created.

"I've loved Dr Who since childhood, and I've just finished a picture of
David Tennant outside Liverpool's famous Cavern Club which will now be auctioned at a charity event."

Fans will also be able to see the first installment of his sci-fi graphic adventure, Borderliners – Ceremony Of Innocence.

This is a one-off 'pilot' comic book to introduce a fast-moving 21st century espionage tale.

Brian said: "I tend to concentrate on illustrations done in pen and ink, usually working at a fairly small size.
"But I wanted to extend my range, and thought I'd have a crack at larger paintings on canvas.

"I'd seen some 'Pop Art' style portraits in restaurants and pubs, and this inspired me to give it a go".
Besides updating his website Brian is also preparing a graphic novel on the history of Salford and Manchester, which actress Maxine Peake has offered to help with.

It has either been suppressed or magnified depending on the period and point of view. Once again today, the pendulum has swung towards realism. The latest to join the bandwagon of ‘mirror men’ is James Bond Daniel Craig. He is reaching for an assortment of girlie cosmetics like bronzer, cleanser, toner, moisturiser... in his latest outing.

TV actress Sweta Keswani says, “James Bond may use any vanity products; as long as he looks yummy and sexy on the screen it is okay. Even our Indian actors have been waxing their chest and doing laser therapies since eternity. I even know of some actors who do their eyebrows. Looking good is mandatory to feeling good. If this makes Daniel Craig aka James Bond feel good, we are no one to comment on.”
Correctly said Sweta, it is said that narcissism plays a crucial role in this concept of metro sexuality. Love for self and concern about appearance is common in professions like modeling, acting, media, music and sports.

Validates model Freddy Darruwala, who’s modelled for male vanity products, “It starts very early in one’s career. When aspiring models make portfolios, they use baby oil and bronzer because it accentuates their physique. When on-screen, the focus is on the actor. Today you don’t just see men, but you watch them and watch them how! Moreover, the market for men has widened, they cater not only to women but their men friends as well.” He also enlightens us on what the industry is doing for the love of art, by saying, “For my Rohit Bal show last year, he made me sport sindoor and wear nathni.” Freddy had no problems doing either.

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Penguin Books and Bentley Motors today announced they will join forces to produce a luxury, limited edition of Sebastian Faulks’ highly-anticipated James Bond novel, Devil May Care.

The Special Series edition, said to be inspired by the original 007 hardcovers of the 1950s and 1960s combined with the Bentley owner’s manuals of the era, will be published on 28 May. Retailing for £750, the book will be limited to 300 copies worldwide and available exclusively throughIn a unique collaboration between three of Britain’s iconic brands James Bond, Bentley Motors and Penguin Books—a special, limited edition of the new Bond book Devil May Care will be published on 28th May. Written by Sebastian Faulks at the invitation of Ian Fleming Publications to celebrate the Ian Fleming centenary, Devil May Care is one of the most eagerly anticipated publications of 2008.

Cars and James Bond have always had a strong association and, contrary to popular belief, Bond’s preference has historically been firmly with Bentley Motors. He owned three Bentleys in the course of the fourteen original novels written by Ian Fleming. It is fitting therefore that in Devil May Care published to coincide with the centenary of Ian Fleming’s birth Bond is found once again in the driving seat of his favourite car.

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The news this weekend that Amy Winehouse would not, in all likelihood, be recording the theme song for the upcoming James Bond film was disappointing in that it again turned the focus away from the British singer's music and onto her personal life.

This Associated Press story quotes Winehouse producer Mark Ronson as stating that the soul revivalist is "not ready" to record any music, a comment that seems to have been disputed by Winehouse's press team. Other stories claim to quote an unnamed Winehouse rep as saying the reason Winehouse won't record the theme for "Quantum of Solace" is a result of artistic differences (an official statement has been requested of Winehouse's U.S. rep).

But regardless of the reason, it is indeed a shame that Winehouse's career continues to play out in the tabloids. Getting a healthy Winehouse back in the studio could potentially quiet the tales of drug abuse and police run-ins that dominate headlines about her.

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What seemed like an odd match up to begin with, has come to a screeching halt…for good. Amy Winehouse and her long time producer friend Mark Ronson had planned to collaborate on the theme song for the upcoming James Bond movie Quantum of Solace. That was then and apparently Mark has had a change of heart and has pulled the plug on working with Amy.

Ronson has been very vocal in expressing his disappointment in Winehouses’s mental and physical state. He had this to say:

We did work on it but we never finished it. I don’t think it will happen unless by some miracle it gets recorded and someone sings on it. I’m not sure Amy is ready to work on music yet.”

Word is that Amy is not happy that Mark is making their creative differences public. Friends of the two feel like this could really be hard on Amy. It sounds like Ronson must have been the back bone of the troubled singer and was one of the only people that could get her to the studio. Looks like they’ve given up on each other at this point.

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who was working alongside Winehouse, has said they have ceased work on the Quantum of Solace track.

‘We tried to work for a little bit,’ he said. ‘I’m not sure she’s ready to work on music yet.’

When asked if he thought their James Bond theme would ever be made, Ronson was doubtful: ‘I don’t think so unless by some miracle of science it gets recorded and someone sings a vocal on it so probably not.’

‘We did work on it but we never finished it so that’s about it.’

A spokesman for Winehouse added: ‘Mark has presented a track to Amy, but she had other ideas about the direction it should take. She has always made her own decisions about her music.’

‘Needless to say, this is part of the process between artist and producer and we’re sure they will continue to make great music together.’

Other sources mentioned that the prime reason this 007 theme stalled was that Winehouse ‘did not feel the song was appropriate in its current form.’

When the war was finally over, Ian Fleming told a friend shortly after the Normandy invasion, he was going to write "the spy story to end all spy stories." Less than 10 years later, he made good on the pledge with Casino Royale, an adventure tale featuring a motley cast from the espionage underworld and introducing a swashbuckling superspy by the name of Bond James Bond.

A dozen novels and 20 films later, Agent 007's exploits have obscured Fleming's own remarkable career. Bond's creator may never have served in Her Majesty's secret service or toted a golden gun, but his stint as special assistant to Britain's director of naval intelligence during World War II supplied him with more than enough material for his books.

In 1939, Fleming was a newly minted, 31-year-old lieutenant in Britain's Naval Intelligence Division, assigned to collect information on enemy shipping. But when war arrived, writes Andrew Lycett, author of Ian Fleming: The Man Behind James Bond, his group was brought into "covert activities outside its normal province." And Fleming himself a gin-drinking bon vivant who just months earlier had been known primarily as a failed stockbroker suddenly found himself coordinating clandestine operations against Romanian oil refineries, sending operatives to sabotage barges on the Danube, and brainstorming ways to cut off the supply of Swedish iron ore to Germany.

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CommanderBond.net is proud to bring you an exclusive look at Penguin’s promotional poster for Sebastian Faulks’ highly-anticipated James Bond novel, Devil May Care.

The poster features the now-familiar artwork of model Tuuli Shipster as the stem to a blood red flower. This, coupled with the strikingly simple tagline, “Bond is back”, is sure to set Bond fans’ tongues wagging in anticipation of the novel’s impending 28 May release date.

Penguin have also unveiled the promotional poster for the paperback edition of Charlie Higson’s fourth Young Bond novel, Hurricane Gold, which can be viewed exclusively at The Young Bond Dossier.

Keep watching CommanderBond.net for the most up-to-date James Bond news on the web.

Filming in Italy has been currently suspended after three accidents resulted in a police investiagation at the Lake Garda set of “James Bond 007: Quantum Solace.” Because three accidents in five days the film is now rumored to be “cursed.”
The telegraph reports that the slew of incidents began in Panama when Daniel Craig was allegedly injured while filming in March, and was taken to Punta Pacifica hospital for a check up after bruising his ribs.

The first of the accidents in Italy (this past Saturday) involved an Aston Martin DBS losing control on a lakeside road and plunging into the lake. The driver, Fraser Dunn, rode the car to the bottom of the lake, then swam out safely. He was treated with minor injuries.

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A previously unseen photograph of JAMES BOND star SEAN CONNERY wearing nothing but his underwear has emerged after it was bought from a private collection.
The black and white snap shows the actor on the set of 1963 007 movie From Russia With Love wearing a pair of tight white underpants.
The picture was bought from a collector by Graham Rye, editor of Bond fanzine 007 magazine.
And he is glad to share the image with the public, publishing it for the first time since it was taken.
He says, "It's not the sort of picture you would expect to see of him (Connery), even then, and hopefully he will see this again and have a good laugh."