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When is a cover for a novel called Redshirts too self-mocking?
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Unifarva Skrewj
Dec 5, 2011, 6:18:42 PM12/5/11
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When is a cover for a novel called Redshirts too self-mocking?
The title of John Scalzi's secret project has finally been revealed
â€" it's the intriguing Redshirts, a novel whose one-line synopsis
says it all: "What happens when all the expendable ensigns on the
exploring starship start comparing notes?" Knowing Scalzi, this book
will be poignant as laugh-out-loud funny... but how do you create a
cover that lives up to that title?
Above are three rejected cover designs for Redshirts â€" I love all
of them, but as Tor Books' art director Irene Gallo blogs:
They are funny and I like them a lot but we did worry that it may cross
the line between "laughing with" and "laughing at."
Instead, cover designer Peter Lutjen decided to go back to his original
impulse: a straight-up picture of a red shirt. Here's the final cover:
What do you think? Would a fancier cover have grabbed your eye better,
or is it better just to go literal with the red shirt? More details at
the link. [Tor.com]
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Skweezer | Hide Images | New Bookmark | Company
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i
These are the coats we wear.
Of Devils plaid, and Witches Hair!
With a hood, or a belt, or a sleeveless one.
Doesn't count,
that's a vest called a jerkin.
Uh......we're all wearin' Jackets.
The title of John Scalzi's secret project has finally been revealed
â€" it's the intriguing Redshirts, a novel whose one-line synopsis
says it all: "What happens when all the expendable ensigns on the
exploring starship start comparing notes?" Knowing Scalzi, this book
will be poignant as laugh-out-loud funny... but how do you create a
cover that lives up to that title?
Above are three rejected cover designs for Redshirts â€" I love all
of them, but as Tor Books' art director Irene Gallo blogs:
They are funny and I like them a lot but we did worry that it may cross
the line between "laughing with" and "laughing at."
Instead, cover designer Peter Lutjen decided to go back to his original
impulse: a straight-up picture of a red shirt. Here's the final cover:
What do you think? Would a fancier cover have grabbed your eye better,
or is it better just to go literal with the red shirt? More details at
the link. [Tor.com]
Contact Charlie Jane Anders:
CommentEmail, , Facebook, Twitter
SEND A MESSAGE TO Charlie Jane Anders
Email (optional):
Message:
Your message was sent to the author of this post.
Message was not sent, please try again later.
Please enter a message.
Discussion Threads
FeaturedAll, Start a new thread,
Show earlier discussions Show promoted discussions only
In order to view comments on io9.com you need to enable JavaScript.
If you are using Firefox and NoScript addon, please mark io9.com as
trusted.
Follow book-covers on io9
We Come from the Future
Newer Stories…
book covers 3:00 PM 100 Book Cover Art That’ll Make You Wish
You Lived on a Space Station
Friday, October 28, 2011
book covers 2:30 PM 10,595 When is a cover for a novel called
Redshirts too self-mocking?
Friday, August 26, 2011
pulps 2:00 PM 7,718 Robots, Mad Scientists and Damsels: Astounding
Pulp Cover Art
Friday, August 19, 2011
pulps 1:03 PM 17,744 How Pulp Science Fiction Cover Art Got Its Sense
of Wonder
Friday, May 6, 2011
book covers 7:30 AM 4,586 First Look at 3D Book Covers for Call of
Cthulhu and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Friday, April 8, 2011
book covers 2:30 PM 4,854 Book covers have been telling us to fear
extraterrestrial visitors for over a century
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
book covers 4:30 PM 21,582 The Latest Paranormal Book Cover Trend:
Tattooed Man-Pecs
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
book covers 12:33 PM 14,759 How do you make a white trash zombie sexy?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
book covers 2:30 PM 12,322 Science fiction book covers that you may
need protective gear to look at
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
art 12:55 PM 8,971 Soar into danger, with the stunning artwork of
Christopher Moore
Thursday, February 3, 2011
book covers 4:30 PM 14,241 Is this the most archetypal 1970s science
fiction book cover?
Friday, January 21, 2011
scifi art 3:00 PM 34,150 Space Babes in Danger: The Space Opera Pin-Up
Art of Megan Burns
Monday, January 10, 2011
secrets 12:02 PM 7,276 ‘Anonymous’ Obama Novel Author
Isn’t Inspiring Confidence
Friday, December 31, 2010
this is awesome 12:00 PM 10,929 Book cover art turns into a different
kind of book cover art
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
book covers 7:00 AM 4,798 It’s raining alphabet soup, in the
cover for China Miéville’s next novel
More Stories…
About
Help
Forums
Jobs
Legal
Privacy
Permissions
Advertising
Subscribe
Send a tip
64% (277.97 kB) saved
Skweezer | Hide Images | New Bookmark | Company
Page optimized for mobile device, click here to view without Skweezer.
© 2001-2011 Skweezer
i
These are the coats we wear.
Of Devils plaid, and Witches Hair!
With a hood, or a belt, or a sleeveless one.
Doesn't count,
that's a vest called a jerkin.
Uh......we're all wearin' Jackets.
rob
Dec 6, 2011, 11:31:14 AM12/6/11
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0 new messages