This post was originally published on Audible.com.
Celebrated super spy James Bond is as well known for his gadgets as he is for his libido, his shaken martinis, and his fancy cars. While the Bond mention various widgets, the translation to film gave the special effects crew a lot more to work with. As a result, the clever tools and tricked-out weapons Bond uses on screen are perhaps even more impressive—and outlandish—than those featured in the books. As a shout out to the popularity of the exciting spy gadgets, the television show Get Smart famously spoofed James Bond with a shoe phone.
The top secret brain behind the Bond gadgets is Quartermaster—better known by his initial, Q, or his alias, Major Boothroyd. This innovative inventor didn't appear in the 12 original Bond novels by . (After Fleming's death in 1964, several different authors have continued his legacy by writing Fleming estate-approved Bond stories.) Q was created for the movies; he has been featured in more than 20 Bond films and related film novelizations.
Special Agent 007 carries a pistol in almost every book and movie, but the other Bond accessories vary from mission to mission. One of the amazing things about the James Bond gadgets is that while some of them seemed wild and way-out, like something from science fiction, when they were first introduced, a surprising number are now very close to actual inventions used today.
So for all you Bond fans, gearheads, and aspiring spies, here's a list of several of the iconic James Bond weapons and gadgets from the books and films over the years. From flammable instruments to explosive clocks, to invisible cars and communicative lint brushes, to lethal objects as deceptively simple as a mousetrap or pen, Bond certainly has had some wonderful toys.
Cars
Bond has the classiest cars, and they come with some of the coolest spy car gadgets. His Aston Martin DB5 inhad a ton of gadgets, including tire-slashing hubcaps, twin front-mounted machine guns, an ejector seat, bulletproof shields, a carphone (unheard of at the time!), bumper rams, and a mechanism that could dispense an oil slick or smoke. His Lotus Esprit in turned into a submarine, for those fast underwater getaways. In , Bond's Aston Martin V8 Vantage Volante had rocket propulsion to kick into high gear. Or he could make himself and his car invisible with an invisibility cloak, first seen (or, should we say, not seen?) in . Bond's cars have also featured lasers, poison darts, and missiles. (Check out about James Bond cars to learn more!)
Pen Gun
In Never Say Never Again, Bond gets a pen gun. It's a Mont Blanc 149 fountain pen decorated with the Union Jack flag, and it can actually write, but the pen nib can is also a missile that can be launched at enemy targets. Pretty nifty for an office supply.
