Oct 11
Click for full imageJose Comments: Everything about this cover is perfect (in a very wrong way); a spangly shirt, a sentient cactus and a lizard with its ‘hands’ on its hips.
Published 1984
(Average: 8.47 out of 10)
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Jose Comments: Everything about this cover is perfect (in a very wrong way); a spangly shirt, a sentient cactus and a lizard with its ‘hands’ on its hips.
Published 1984
(Average: 8.47 out of 10) Loading ...
Lastest Tweet
October 11th, 2011 at 8:26 am
The lizard should get his own series. Not sure about the sentient cactus, though. Getting a needle in the eye seems to be an ocupational hazard for him/it/her.
As for our human hero: why the long face?
October 11th, 2011 at 8:33 am
Phil:
He’s got a long face ‘cos that’s Martin Short, in the scene with the singing cactus from the film THREE AMIGOS.
October 11th, 2011 at 9:44 am
Cactus with crab legs. Evolution… you crazy bastard!
That is an adventure shirt if I have ever seen one! Should be in the shop right next to the adventure torch, providing you with a solid metre of light!
October 11th, 2011 at 10:51 am
“WAIT! Just look at yourselves! Ray Harryhausen’s obviously gone nuts!”
October 11th, 2011 at 1:50 pm
Surprisingly, “The Kids from Fame Visit Jurassic Park” was not a successful Movie of the Week…
October 11th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Of course, it’s all the more delicious because all of these elements (including the spangly shirt) is relevant to the story, and depicted faithfully. (As a result, I’m not really sure you can call this one of the worst book covers out there.)
October 11th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
P.S. The artist is Janet Aulisio (http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.cgi?8801).
October 11th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
Is that cactus genitalia I see?
October 11th, 2011 at 5:26 pm
“Lizzy leave Spike alone”!
October 11th, 2011 at 8:31 pm
“My God, his shirt, it’s full of Necco wafers!”
October 11th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
@ J.Provost (#6) The purpose of a book cover is not to faithfully depict the contents (although it’s nice if this happens), but to persuade people to buy the book. If people see the front and think “Oh God that’s ugly”, they probably won’t investigate any further. And a sale is lost.
October 12th, 2011 at 2:33 am
And don’t overlook the horrible pun, also a staple of 80s science fiction book covers.
October 13th, 2011 at 8:54 pm
I wish someone would inform SF/ publishers:
“Hey, guys! The purpose of a book cover is to persuade people to buy the book.”
The replies:
“Pish-tosh!”
“Well, I never!”
“Perish the thought!”
October 14th, 2011 at 3:54 am
I don’t know, David. I look at that, and the first thing that pops into my head is OH MY GOD, THAT’S SO AWESOME, and I can’t in good faith claim that it’s meant sarcastically.
October 16th, 2011 at 10:46 pm
@ARYngve – no no no. That’s not it at all! The purpose of a book cover is CLEARLY to shame and humiliate the reader, as the many many examples on this site testify!
October 18th, 2011 at 7:24 pm
Godzilla vs The Giant Cactus!
Who will win! Which one of these combatants will come out on top!
You’ll just have to read it to find out….
November 25th, 2011 at 8:29 pm
Hot like lava!
Disco fever!