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Jun 28

In space no one can hear you varrrrooooooom!Click for full image

Rod Comments: Monochromatic red? Hardly kaleidoscopic when describing this gang unidentifiable flying bike objects.
Published 1979

Who wouldn’t want a space bike?
Many thanks to Rod!

Actually, that cover IS a classical work of art!I would touch it without protective gloves.I've seen worse. Far, far, worse.Interesting, but I would still read it in public.Middlng: Neither awful nor awfully goodWould not like to be seen reading that!Awful... just awful...That belongs in a gold-lame picture frame!Gah... my eyes are burning! Feels so good!Good Show Sir! (Average: 7.59 out of 10)
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26 Responses to “Cosmic Kaleidoscope”

  1. CSA Says:

    I love the “A glittering galaxy of science fiction gems”. It makes it sound so… fabulous

  2. SophaLoaf Says:

    Zuul!?
    http://www.spike.com/video/ghostbusters-1-2/2676761

  3. SI Says:

    I love the font in this one.

    Do you think the bikers behind the front space bike sometimes get knocked off by the wake of the engines?

  4. DeadRobot Says:

    This would have been 100% fabulous only if they had spelled “Cosmic” with a K

  5. James Lovegrove Says:

    For Hell’s Angels from space, tearing up the interstellar highways, they seem rather … sedate, don’t you think?

  6. e.lee Says:

    @James Lovegrove
    Hell’s Angels from space – on scarlet Vespas? Crank up the Steppenwolf now (or maybe not…)

  7. Tom Noir Says:

    The colorssss…. they burns, precious!

    Seriously, did they not teach you that you can’t use that red with that blue in cover design school?

  8. Tommi Says:

    Cosmic Quadrophenia?

  9. Crosius Says:

    I’ve got that book. There’s no story in it featuring the space bikers, either.

    The cowboy time-travel story (“Skirmish on a Summer Morning”) was pretty neat, though.

  10. CSA Says:

    Do you think they ever cross paths with http://www.goodshowsir.co.uk/2009/10/astro-pilots/

  11. Parker Says:

    @CSA Thats a space scooter not a bike.

    Maybe a rival gang!

  12. Little Mi Says:

    He’s wearing shorts. Infact they look like short dungarees to me, which I believe is technically known as a playsuit. I find it stragely hard to be struck down with fear by a man in a playsuit.

  13. anon Says:

    A grey Cosmic Kaleidoscope that says “Dell SF”.

  14. Dead Stuff With Big Teeth Says:

    Mr. Front and Center looks a little grumpy. I imagine it’s because he’s got a bonobo skull coming out of his joy division.

    The bike on the left looks like he’s singing a chorus of “Ghost Riders in the Kaleidoscope”, while the right one seems to be figuring how to politely ask Lefty to be quiet.

  15. Herm Says:

    @CSA, @Parker: It’s Space Mods versus Space Rockers!

    That neutron star with “Dell SF” lasered onto it… some kind of futuristic advertising for the latest neural augmentations?

  16. James Lovegrove Says:

    @Herm: On Space Brighton Beach!

  17. A.R.Yngve Says:

    [Tries desperately to make a pun about “glittering galaxies”, fails, bangs head against keyboard]

  18. Tat Wood Says:

    Cosmic Quadrophenia is about right. It’s published 1979, after all. The font colour-scheme’s the same as those felt blazers all the wannabe Mods at my school had.

    (There’s a joke about The Who and the TARDIS to be had if anyone wants to go there).

  19. fred Says:

    Maybe if viewed with some 3-D glasses an improvement in quality might be possible.

  20. GSS ex-noob Says:

    The contrast between title/blurb and art has rarely been this great. I see no kaleidoscope nor glittering. Not even a solo Ting!

    Shame, Bob Shaw was a good writer, and much more subtle than this. “Light of Other Days” still holds up, in its quiet devastation.

    @Tat: I’m not taking the 5:15 to this. Maybe heavy drug consumption would make this look better.

    @fred: Nope.

    Meanwhile, The Mermaid Menace continues!

    https://www.amazon.com/Mer-Lovers-Illustrated-Collectors-Mates-Monsters-ebook/dp/B083CV1C5H

    Marvel at the blurb.

  21. JuanPaul Says:

    “Loud pipes save lives!”

    “But captain, we’re in space. There’s no sound.”

    “Shut up, you cosmic commie! ‘Muricaaaa!”

  22. Bruce A Munro Says:

    Lobo’s Posse?

    The tragic story of the artist who found out too late all he had was red and a little blue.

  23. Tor Mented Says:

    The two blue lights from the tailpipes look like eyes. Between them is a nose or a snout with two dark nostrils. Below the snout are teeth.
    I think this space scooter started out life as a dragon.

  24. Francis Boyle Says:

    @GSS ex-noob

    Couldn’t agree more. “Light of Other Days” is a great SF story and just a great piece of writing. I’m afraid I’m not joking when I say it looks like some people thought he had to be punished for that.

  25. THX 1139 Says:

    Up ahead: the compost truck they all crash into as Clint Eastwood and an orangutan look on in bemusement.

  26. Bruce A Munro Says:

    now I want to read the story about Clint Eastwood and his orangutan, Space Truckers.

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