This week’s assignment from the League of Extraordinary Bloggers, should you choose to accept it:

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“Spies.”

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Warning: This assignment will self destruct in 3… 2…. 1…

So I, like many others I assume, was wondering what the heck does he mean by "Spies." The answer was "Anything. Choose your show, movie, character, gadget, toy, poster…" Anything, cool. Considering I just saw all 23 movies in the last three months, who better to talk about than the ultimate spy himself, James Bond. But what to talk about? Best Bond movies countdown? Been done countless times by everyone. Best Bond girls? Been done quite a few times by a lot of people. Coolest gadgets? Best lines? Best Bond poster? Bingo! So, without further ado, I present to you:

My Top 10 Bond Movie Posters

10. Goldeneye (Teaser)

Absolutely love the simplicity of this one. Bond had been on a six-year hiatus and it was time to reminder everyone who he was. Steel-eyed, no emotion and ready to pull the trigger. The poster got it right, There is no substitute.

09. The Living Daylights (Release)

I guess I am one of the few people on Earth that really like Mr. Dalton as Bond, but that's a rant for another day. This poster captures the sexiness and danger of being the world's greatest spy. You don't know if you ought to shoot her or seduce her. Ah, the problems of being Bond.

08. For Your Eyes Only

There's a lot going on in the poster, which pretty much describes the movie. Although this is the second poster with "open stance" pose, the first being Moonraker, it is much better executed here. The "open stance" was used in an additional three posters, but none "does it better." Besides, there's a VW Bug on the poster. How could you not like it.

07. Quantum of Solace

I only wished the movie lived up to the poster. We all know that the Walther PPK is Bond's weapon of choice. But seeing him with a Heckler & Koch UMP fitted with a suppressor you knew he meant business. Combined with the tailored suit and the classic Omega Seamaster timepiece, you knew he was a cool, collected, cold-blooded killer.

06. Octopussy

This was a tough choice between this version and the second version of this poster. Ultimately I decided that the second version was just way too busy (which worked in For Your Eyes Only). This version of the poster captures evrything you need to know about the movie and Bond. The gun, the drink, Fabergé egg, assassination and seduction. And Maud Adams was dead sexy.

05. You Only Live Twice

Sean Connery, hot tub, sexy Japanese ladies and a gun. Need I say more? Really?

04. Thunderball

Action! Action! Girls! Yeah, that pretty much covers the basics of the movie. Bond is sporting the classic "flipping the gun pose"* and who else can look dashing while sporting flippers. This is also the second poster on the countdown by Robert McGinnis. The first being "YOLT." Absolutely love his work.

03. Casino Royale

A new Bond for a new generation. Not unlike the QoS poster, this one also keeps it simple. Bond, the car, the gun, the hotel all in the silhouette of the girl. He is somewhat casual, but has the "I mean business" look which Daniel Craig has perfected. However, I do miss some of 007s over-the-top scenes portrayed on the posters. Speaking of which...

02. Moonraker

This was the first Bond I saw. I remember it was during the SciFi boom of 70s. Star Wars was fresh in my mind and Buck Roger was released a few months prior to Moonraker. The Space Shuttle program was getting a lot of publicity and I wanted to be an astronaut. But even better, an astronaut spy. Space Shuttles make this an emotional favorite, but adding Jaws and a tux under the spacesuit just makes this all kinds of exciting and campy at the same time. Oh, and sexy astronauts... Bonus!

01. The Spy Who Loved Me

This one has it all...

Military threat (Submarines)...check.
Villain with a cool hideout (Atlantis)...check.
Sexy protagonist with a sexy name (XXX)...check.
Exotic locals (Egypt, underwater)...check.
Cool car (submersible Lotus Esprit)

The only thing that's missing is the cool henchman, Jaws. Fortunately, Jaws get his turn on a poster (See above. I also love the style of art. Close to Mr. McGinnis and it only has a hint of 70s (the multicolor disco ribbon).

So there you have it, my favorite Bond posters of all time (as of 2013). But I'm not the only that thought spies are cool. Check out Jason reminisce about one of the coolest spy games around (BTW, I downloaded this for iPad when it first came out). Dex tackles another spy movie from the 60s starring Vincent Price, Frankie Avalon and a Bikini Machine?!?! Seriously, I'm not kidding. And Newton created a Captain Action Custom Spy figure that looks suspiciously a lot like Sterling Archer. Just saying.

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*Think "flipping the bird", but instead of a bird you have a gun.

I Spy

My Top 10 Bond Movie Posters