Review by Eric Hillis
Intellect Books' ongoing series Fan Phenomena continues with this examination of the cult of James Bond, in both his print and film iterations.
Across 11 chapters, various aspects of Bond fandom are put under the microscope, including such subjects as the recent phenomenon of 'fan edits', the continuity of the series, and Bond's female and gay fanbase.
The writing is objective and rarely sycophantic towards its subject. Criticism can be found of the sexism inherent in the series, though the racism of the franchise (who can forget that banana moment from On Her Majesty's Secret Service) would have made a nice addition.
As always, these chapters are interspersed with 'Fan Appreciation' segments - interviews with Bond author Raymond Benson, the owner of a Bond museum, a pair of cosplayers and a Bond obsessed artist.
With the Bond franchise indulging in self-reflection with the current Daniel Craig series, it's a perfect time to dissect this cult, and Fan Phenomena: James Bond is a great read for more discerning fans of Bond and pop culture in general.