James Bond
James Bond is also known as 007, and is a secret agent from MI5, the British secret service. James Bond was created by novelist Ian Fleming in 1953, who wrote a series of twelve books about the adventures of the British spy. The film adaptations are the longest running film series of all time. Daniel Craig is the current James Bond, but apparently the next film will be his last one. There is always a great mystery as to who the next James Bond will be.
Bond films are well known for their high level of adventure, exotic locations, cars, gadgets, and tense exchanges between villains and our hero. Though the Bond franchise has been a popular film staple across the world, James Bond is actually a bit of a controversial character. The character's critics call him out for being a misogynist, and stuck in a world of British imperialism.
The first James Bond novel that was written was Casino Royale. Casino Royale was published in 1953 by the British author, Ian Fleming. This became the first book out of 12 James Bond novels. The novel focuses on the agent James Bond gambling at the casino, Royale-les-Eaux, to bankrupt Le Chiffre, a French treasurer.
The gun that James Bond uses is the Walther PPK (Polizei Pistole Kriminal), a German pistol. The Walther PPK had its literary debut in Ian Fleming’s, Dr. No, the sixth James Bond novel. The Walther PPK was specifically designed for undercover detectives, making it ideal for James Bond.
The M in James Bond stands for the character who is the head of the Secret Intelligence Service, also known as the MI6. The Vice Admiral’s full name is Sir Miles Messervy and he is referred by his initials. M’s first appearance was in the novel Casino Royale.