The CCD Podcast: Epsiode #77 - The Very Worst of Bond

You are bound to have lots of great moments with anything that has run as long as the Bond franchise... but with something that has had this many installments than you are also likely to have some dud moments as well. Always looking to present a fair and balanced analysis over the material we discuss, Jedi Rob is back with Poppa Martin & Alicia Gomes in the CCD Nerd Cave to discuss the biggest blunders, plot holes and terrible characters of the Bond franchise throughout the years. Even though the Bond franchise has had some magical moments, these stinkers make us love it just as much. You would be surprised... some peoples FAVORITE moments come from the bad stuff! 

The CCD Podcast: Epsiode #76 - The Very Best of Bond

James Bond has been a character that has spawned 12 original novels by creator Ian Fleming and 24 feature films (26 if you count the non Eon pictures projects) over its 60 year history. The series is the 3rd highest grossing film franchise ever (1st if you adjust for inflation) and has made over 6 Billion dollars during its long run. When you have a character and story that is told over that long a period of time there are bound to be some great moments, as well as some down moments. So instead of doing our typical retrospective, we decided to highlight those ups and downs in a two part podcast. First up we have the best moments of Bond. This podcast features host Jedi Rob alongside his dad Poppa Martin and the lovely Mrs. Alicia Gomes. They hit on most of the classic Bond moments, so make sure you give it a shot.... 

The CCD Podcast: Episode #75.5 - The 'Spectre' Film Review or "Why The Hell Doesn't Daniel Craig Like Making Successful Movies That Pay Him A Shit Ton of Money?"

James Bond... the name rings bells in the cinematic world as one of the oldest and truest "franchise tentpole" properties in the biz. Spanning 6 decades, the films of  Bond have covered all the bases and given us plenty of thrills. We have seen 007 fight bad guys both on Earth and in space, topple governments and kill enemies in a variety of exciting ways, and make love to more beautiful women than even Wilt Chamberlain (ok... maybe not THAT MANY women, but 007 always has quality chicks). We have seem technology come to real life long after appearing in a fictional capacity in a Bond film (floating water cars and lasers, watch communicators and minuscule spy equipment). And now we are in a golden age of Bond where there is both an insanely talented movie director (Sam Mendes has helmed the last two films) and great actors (both supporting and starring) are willing to do the films. So Jedi Rob leads a review of the newest installment with his old man Mr. Martin and his lovely wife Alicia Gomes, and all is well in the spy world! Listen for more Bond inspired podcasts later this week....

Proof That There Is A God: Olga Kurylenko Edition

I have been finally catching up on Starz epic 1950s drama Magic City. Boy, what a great show. And one of the best parts of the show, at least on the eyes, has to be Olga Kurylenko. Olga is a vet at making us swoon, ever since she graced the silver screen as a Bond girl in Quantum of Solace. But she takes it to the next level as Vera Evans, wife to the big boss of the Miramar Playa hotel Ike Evans. She smolders every time she is on camera, and I just wanted to give God a big thumbs up on this Russkie. Bravo sir, BRAVO... check the pics out after the jump!!!

James Bond Says It Best...

My buddy Dave over at Exophrine is very talented at making original content videos for his website. He is also a bit of a James Bond freak like I am. So he decided to go through all of the Bond flicks and catch 007 uttering the film titles in the movies themselves. There are 5 instances where Bond does NOT say the title of the film, so obviously that couldn't be helped. But Dave sure does get the rest of it and makes one hell of a video. Enjoy it after the jump...

CCD Holiday Geek Gift Guide: License To Shoot First by Ian Leino

This is one of the greatest mash-up T-shirts I have ever seen. Designed by Ian Leino, this shirt features everybodies favorite space pirate mashed up with England's favorite super spy. No matter what Lucas did to the final print of this movie, there is no fucking question that James Solo would be the one that shot first... and last. You can buy the shirt for a mere 20 bucks over at Shirtoid by clicking here. How can you do better for the Star Wars/James Bond fanboy/girl in your life. Order up folks...it's Christmas!!!! Check out the shirt after the jump....

Wishbook Pages From Christmas Past

At this time of year I get nostalgic for the best parts of Christmas from my childhood and there was truly nothing better than looking at the toys in the Sears Wishbook catalogue. For a collector like me it's great to see all the accessories and vehicles you could get to go with the terrific action figures from those times. Just look at those PRICES! If I ever get my time machine to work I will head straight to the 70s. With 100 dollars I could go to any year in that decade and buy everything on the page. Click after the jump for a trip down memory lane...

Adele - Skyfall: A Theme Song CCD Can Get Behind

Bond movies will always have a special place in my heart no matter who is filling the role. I like Daniel Craig a bunch, but he is no Roger Moore. Yeah, I said it... Roger Moore is the best Bond, ever!!!! My reasoning has less to do with the actors who played Bond at any given time and more to do with the actual movies made during a particular actor's tenure. In my opinion Moore's run coincided with practical effects being much better than in the Connery era Bond movies and storylines that are wonky and a bit more non traditional. Moonraker & The Man With the Golden Gun are two of my all time favorite Bond movies and that is mostly because they have batshit insane plots. But this post is about Skyfall, the latest Bond movie that is Craig's third turn as 007. The movie comes out November 9th, and since it is trying to build some steam (like a Bond film needs self promotion to sell tickets) they have tapped current British it-girl Adele for the theme song. It has a throwback feel and I love the instrumentation. And her voice is perfection... pure perfection. Take a listen to the theme song after the jump and tell us what you think....

'Bond... James Bond' - Series 1 Posters by David O'Daniel

I have always been a James Bond fanboy. It is probably my oldest and most cherished film series, right after the original Pink Panther films. I love every actor who has played Bond, but in my opinion Roger Moore is the greatest one to ever drink a martini as the secret agent. Despite the fact that there have been 23 official Bond films, 2 unofficial Bond films (Never Say Never Again & Casino Royale with Sellers & Niven), 6 actors have starred in the role, and countless other spoofs and cameos people still love the franchise to death!!! With Bond 23, aka Skyfall on the horizon artist David O'Daniel is creating an excellent series of his metallic posters for San Francisco's Castro Theater. He is releasing posters to honor ALL 23 of the Bond films and is starting with series 1 which will consist of Thunderball, Goldfinger, Live and Let Die, and Dr. No. These posters are just gorgeous, and would make a wonderful addition to any Bond fans collection. You can always keep track of O'Daniel's work over at his blog Alien Corset and you can see pictures of the first series after the jump...

Custom Action Figures Courtesy Of Popsfartberger

I was over at my boy Johnny's awesome horror site Freddy In Space when I came across some unreal custom action figures that he discovered on Ebay. The name of the seller is Popsfartberger... and to be honest I don't know what is cooler, the fact that his custom action figures are unreal or that his only name listed is Popsfartberger!!! Anywho, the actual custom figures are insane and feature some of the dopest movie characters of all time. Even though they can be kind of expensive (they average around 49.00 bucks) when you take into consideration that you are getting a custom 3 3/4 inch action figure as well as a spectacularly designed front and back backing card.... well, the money/cost starts to make a ton of sense. he has a ton of figures on his Ebay page (click here to see his wares) and they feature a Buy It Now price so you won't have to worry about haggling with other auction users. This is a great gift for any real fan of these films, so keep them in mind for future gift purchases. I featured the ones I liked the best personally after the jump...

A Double Dose Of Double O.... 7 That Is!!!

James Bond is one of my favorite properties. I love the movies, the original books, and everything else that comes along with Britain's favorite super spy. Yesterday I came across two awesome Bond related items that I just had to share with my CCD brethren. First up is a video (courtesy of Akbar5656) of every time someone says 'double o' in the history of James Bond films. Even though this super cut video may only be 1:14 long, it sure does have a lot of different characters uttering the famous catchphrase. 193 to be exact!!! Next we have a 50th anniversary art piece courtesy of Max Dalton that has a very 60s feel to it. It is very Mad Men-esque to me. All Hail James Bond... click after the jump for both.

50 Years Of James Bond by Matt Needle

Minimalist art is a talent that not many people can pull off completely. Conveying the full meaning of a poster with just basic images and hardly no words is a challenge, yet when it is done successfully it comes off as beautiful to look at. Matt Needle is one of these artists that knows how to balance the obscure with the understandable. Case in point: His 50th anniversary poster in celebration of James Bond. Needle takes iconic images of all the Bond films and includes them in a collage that is reinforced with the names of the six actors who have portrayed Bond and the titles of the films. I also love the color choice, using gold to signify the 50th anniversary. Well done. Check out the full version after the jump...

James Bond Don't Give A Fuck... Cause He Is James Bond, Bitch!

Is there a character in books/movies/comics world that embodies the "I just don't give a fuck" attitude more then James Bond? This guy truly doesn't care about anything, unless it comes in a stem glass or has a pair of tits. He has constantly rebuked his own commanding officers, destroyed hundreds of cities across the globe with impunity, killed people by the dozens in each film, and banged any broad with two legs and a ridiculous name in EVERY single incarnation we see him. Need more proof that Bond is a douche nugget? Check out this video after the jump from the gang over at Running Corners for a good laugh about everybodies favorite super secret agent...

Image Avalanche Vol #10 by Cal From The Cave of Cool

It's a new year here at CCD, but our contributors both near and far are promising for a big one in 2012. Case in point: Our favorite canuck Cal is checking in from the tundra early on to share yet another Image Avalanche for all of you guys out there. These pictures are visually stunning and as eclectic as usual, so Cal has once again proven his worth to us over here at CCD. And they say Canadians aren't good for anything.... Hahahaha!!! Make sure you check out Cal' own awesome blog by clicking here and today's avalanche after the jump...

All The James Bond Films In Pictogram Style by Bryan Lenning

Set awesome. Check out artist Bryan Lenning's re-imagining of each of the James Bond film's titles in pictogram format. These are quite clever and some of them are not completely simple to figure out. Fun stuff... check out the full sized version after the jump.

Now This Is The Bond Movie I Want To See...

With Sam Mendes heading up the next chapter in the Bond franchise (entitled Skyfall) we here at CCD are eagerly awaiting the next Craig entry. It should be a lot better then 'Quantum of Solace', and hopefully they can re-capture some of the magic from 'Casino Royale'. But what if they wanted to take the franchise in a completely original and different direction?   Artist Ninja Ink decided to test this hypothesis by coming up with his own original idea for a Bond movie entitled "Only The Good Die Twice", and for this one he is not only featuring Daniel Craig but also the original James Bond himself... Sean Connery!!!! Click after the jump for a full synopsis and movie poster for this fantastic idea...

The DeLorean Gets Some Swanky Re-Designs Over At Worth 1000

Worth 1000 is an excellent graphic/digital art website that sponsors many contests and challenges for artists to re-design or re-imagine iconic people, places, and things. The contest that caught my eye first (there are so many galleries!!!) was the contest concerning The DeLorean from the Back to the Future trilogy. Contestants were asked to re-imagine the classic dull grey exterior of the DeLorean to better reflect other popular cars and vehicles from the past. These are just wonderful. Click after the jump for some great stuff...

A To Z Blogging Challenge - Day #4 - Letter D - Danger Mouse

Danger Mouse by Meromex 102

I really loved this 80's cartoon that was one of the first English series to cross over and achieve mainstream success here in the USA. I fondly remember watching the adventures of this super sarcastic & cocky James Bond-esque mouse with an eye patch and his spectacled sidekick, 'Penfold' (a hamster), doing battle against various villains such as 'Baron Silas', 'Greenback', and 'Count Duckula'. 'Count Duckula' himself was re-invented in his own cartoon series as a hero instead of a villain after he was defeated by 'Danger Mouse'. That cartoon was also very cool.

The series has lived on for over 25 years, has 161 total episodes, and will forever be a part of my childhood memories. That theme song rings in my ears to this day... and in my opinion DM is right up there with Mickey & Splinter as some of the coolest rodents I have ever experienced. Watch out for that bomb DM!!!

Danger Mouse & Penfold cosplay

Take a few minutes and watch the complete pilot episode from the cartoon:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Both Mikey & My Favorite Fictional Characters Get A Partnership With The Thing

I often frequent the wonderful blog created by Ross entitled "Marvel Two-In-One: The Lost Issues" to see just who he is going to pair up the big meenie The Thing with. The blog was originally called Brave & The Bold: The Lost Issues, but Ross switched up to The Thing after a couple hundred posts to keep things fresh. He often choses characters that are outside the box for team ups (Transformers, TMNT, The Thundercats, The Flaming Carrot, and Star Wars) as well as typical superheroes, so imagine my suprise when I went over to his blog this past weekend and saw these two covers.

First up, we got my son Mikey's favorite current superhero Plastic Man. I love me some Eel O'brien, and his "bad guy turned good" story is one of the best in comics. I love the recent Kyle Baker comic edition, and so does Mikey. I think he would love this cover... which is such a natural combo given the fact that Ben is often teamed with Mr Fantastic, who is pretty much a rip-off of Plastic Man anyway (minus the cool banter amd even cooler googles). Excellent work.

Next, we find one of my favorite fictional characters of all time, super spy James Bond. I personally would have went with Roger Moore's likeness over Connery, but thats just me. Yeah, I said it.... Moore was the best James Bond!!! I love the painted 1950-60's style cover, amd you gotta love that huge floodlight on top of the sniper rifle that Jamesy is carrying, no? Great work.

Two fine pieces of MS Paint art, wonderfully done by my man Ross. Stop by and show him some support by clicking here. He posts a few times a week. Become a follower, and tell him CCD sent ya.

Hollywood Is Dead... Just Ask Matt Busch

I came across the work of Matt Busch awhile ago when I saw a Star Wars novel at Barnes & Noble called "Death Troopers". I have never been such a avid reader of the extended universe Star Wars books, but this one looked really intriguing because it crossed zombies up with Star Wars... what the fuck else could you want in a 400 pg book? Just look at this cover:

So when I finally came across his website, Hollywood is Dead, a few days ago I was blown away by all the cool imagery he has created. He takes older Hollywood posters and "zombifies" them into undead masterpieces. These are not just some random photoshopped quickie jobs... you can see the artistic work that goes into each and every one. He even changes the actors names, the credits, and the titles of the films to reflect the seriousness of his mission to showcase an undead Hollywood. I picked my faves to share with you guys after the jump, but you can order all kinds of cool prints and T-shirts from his store by clicking here. Perfect last minute Christmas gifts for the zombie lovers in your life. Hope you enjoy my choices... which ones do you like the best? Tell us in the comments section below!!!

***Please click Read more below to see my favorite "Hollywood Is Dead" Pics***