JOHN MCLUSKY
ORIGINAL IAN FLEMING COMMISSIONED PUBLISHED STORY BOARD ART FOR “JAMES BOND’S, LIVE AND LET DIE”, Ca. 1958 UK Daily Express Newspaper
“…My First Duty Was To Stay Alive and Save Solitaire / Then, As The Iron Door Swung Open, I Saw Her ..”
Features James Bond in a superb 3 panel strip which takes place as Bond has been captured and it being sent to the room where Solitaire was being held captive. The art offered here was commissioned by Fleming long before the movie as the book was written in 1954, with the promotional story published in the UK newspaper in 1958.
Ian Fleming commissioned John McLusky to illustrate a daily comic strip for his James Bond character and stories. In 1958 the original face of James Bond was born and graced the UK Daily Express newspaper as an on-going series while Ian Fleming continued to write his novels. The James Bond daily comic strips, each illustrated by John McLusky originated in 1958 commencing with Casino Royale. McLusky worked from a story script, provided to him on a sheet of typed paper, outlining each frame. The pieces are rendered in graphite, pen, ink and tone “Zippatone”, which came in sheets in various shades and textures. Lettering on all the panels of comic art was done entirely by hand, with some being hand lettered paste ups. This is an original published piece.
This superb 3 panel strip takes place takes place as Bond has been captured in Mr. Big’s cavern and is being sent to the room where Solitaire was being held captive. The original art commissioned by Fleming follows the book when Bond was captured. “I Wondered Whether To Make A Fight Of It There and Then – But My First Duty Was To Stay Alive And Save Solitaire” / “Then, As The Iron Door Swung Open, I Saw Her…” / “Solitaire Scrambled To Her Feet – And Suddenly There Was A Gun In Mr. Big’s Hand”
Condition: The art is in excellent condition with the expected age toning, slight stains to outer margins. This is an original published piece which has paste ups for James Bond in the third panel. Unframed. The artwork by sight is 18″ x 5.25″. Large high-resolution images available upon request.
PROVENANCE: Ex. The McLusky estate by descent. The art will be accompanied by a Letter of Provenance from the estate.
THE SCENE FOLLOWS THE STORYLINE OF THE ACTUAL NOVEL WHICH DIFFERS SLIGHTLY FROM THE MOVIE WHICH CAME OUT LATER.
