An exclusive review by mad.co.uk reveals special features include The ShortList Questionnaire with comedians Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse of The Fast Show fame, as well as its launch cover story featuring James Bond that helps readers find their “inner Bond” by applying the 007 attitude to everyday obstacles.

Recurring pieces include columns from Guardian regular Sam Delaney and comedian Danny Wallace.

The website is an important part of the launch and aims to contain lists that tap into male habits of making thinking in a clear objective format. There will be links in the magazine that will try and encourage people to the website to access lists of events, entertainment and the ‘best’ and ‘worst’ of everything. The site will also include a social networking aspect to encourage reader input.

The majority of the 500,000 print copies will be distributed at overland train and tube stations by magazine merchandisers wearing blue parker jackets and baseball caps tagged with the white and orange logo in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Leeds and West Yorkshire.

The remaining 10 to 15 per cent of copies will be distributed at train stations, all London and the larger regional airports, on Eurostar and Virgin Trains, French Connection stores and health clubs.

ShortList chief executive Mike Soutar (pictured) said that the merchandisers would also be communicating a “clear recycling message” and have been trained to target the right ABC1 men’s market.

"They will not be thrusting them onto just anyone," he said, stessing they were not incentivised on volume, unlike afternoon freesheets London Lite and thelondonpaper.

According to Soutar, ShortList will invest “several millions of pounds” over the next 18 months in promoting the magazine and in ensuring the merchandising on the street is right, as well as rolling out above-the-line advertising at the start of 2008.

He denied reports they are looking to appoint a creative agency at this stage explaining that because ShortList does not have to compete at the newsstand it is taking a different approach to a tradition magazine launch.

Soutar quashes scepticism that freesheets fail to make money. “The launch of any new media product isn’t going to start making money until year three at the earliest," he said. Adding: “Free media is going to utterly change the entire media landscape.”

To read Nikki Preston's blog on this story or to have your say, go to madcomments.co.uk