@A.R.Yngve: Based on my super-scientific headcount, which comes to three, and three shall be the number of the counting, I’m going to suggest that the title of this books is actually:
Fo Came; Ur Back
So then the *real* question becomes, is that Fo Came staggering through the bulkhead with an intergalactic pipe wrench, and the two men in the foreground are expressing surprise at his return? Or is Fo Came one of the two men in front, who has something on the back of his jumpsuit that the audience isn’t privy to? As @fred alludes to, names on the name tags would have helped us here.
Underwhelming Punctuation Department:
I thought at first the exclamation point was part of the title of Exit Earth but it’s not. The art director actually thought this blurb: “The gripping story of a plague aboard a space station—by the author of EXIT EARTH” deserved an exclamation point.
@ Dead Stuff: Well, you’ll note the blurb calls it a “gripping story.” Turns out they meant that literally, it’s a story about gripping things–ornate cast iron fence posts (in space!), imaginary door handles, anything.
Biographical Background Department:
According to Wikipedia, Martin Caidin claimed to have psychic abilities, including the power of telekinesis (although he would never allow The Amazing Randi to test him in a controlled setting). Maybe that accounts for the missing fourth comebacker.
“Men, we have an emergency! The ship is understaffed. The engine room is ok, as are the storage and weaponry areas. But we need a fourth for the bridge!”
I was going to make a joke about there only being three people on the cover, but that’s already been done to death . . . so what are the odds that the pipe-wielding man is planning on hijacking this spaceship?
September 13th, 2017 at 8:15 am
“Four came back” …but only three on the cover.
Guess the count was made by the space plumber coming out of the light.
September 13th, 2017 at 8:23 am
I will defend this artwork. It’s actually quite good.
Then why does the title logo shrink back in shame?
September 13th, 2017 at 8:29 am
It’s being sucked into space through the door left open by the space plumber. 🙂
September 13th, 2017 at 10:39 am
It’s OK, there were only four on the space station anyway.
September 13th, 2017 at 11:31 am
@AR: Mr. Freeman in the middle there just gave the font a good THWACK.
September 13th, 2017 at 11:51 am
Richard Benjamin started out as a cover model at the Unknown Artist Institute
September 13th, 2017 at 11:56 am
This book was quite popular. The publisher printed 10,000 copies. Four came back.
…
I’ll get me coat.
September 13th, 2017 at 12:58 pm
With all the shiny sweaty faces their hair looks remarkably dry and fluffy. Also name tags w/o names.
September 13th, 2017 at 2:06 pm
@A.R.Yngve: Based on my super-scientific headcount, which comes to three, and three shall be the number of the counting, I’m going to suggest that the title of this books is actually:
Fo Came; Ur Back
So then the *real* question becomes, is that Fo Came staggering through the bulkhead with an intergalactic pipe wrench, and the two men in the foreground are expressing surprise at his return? Or is Fo Came one of the two men in front, who has something on the back of his jumpsuit that the audience isn’t privy to? As @fred alludes to, names on the name tags would have helped us here.
September 13th, 2017 at 3:07 pm
We’re down to Three Came Back.
Two bludgeonings away from One Came Back.
September 13th, 2017 at 3:11 pm
A classic BEHIND YOU! moment.
September 13th, 2017 at 3:34 pm
Abz, Ritchie, cancel the reunion tour – J’s bailed.
September 13th, 2017 at 3:35 pm
@A.R.Yngve: it’s mind-BAEN-ding…
September 13th, 2017 at 4:07 pm
Fo’s left thumb looks a bit naff, like he’s trying to grab at a handle that isn’t there.
September 13th, 2017 at 4:37 pm
It’s ok, Crowbar Guy, I hate moustaches too.
September 13th, 2017 at 4:37 pm
Underwhelming Punctuation Department:
I thought at first the exclamation point was part of the title of Exit Earth but it’s not. The art director actually thought this blurb: “The gripping story of a plague aboard a space station—by the author of EXIT EARTH” deserved an exclamation point.
September 13th, 2017 at 4:39 pm
@ Dead Stuff: Well, you’ll note the blurb calls it a “gripping story.” Turns out they meant that literally, it’s a story about gripping things–ornate cast iron fence posts (in space!), imaginary door handles, anything.
September 13th, 2017 at 4:40 pm
Biographical Background Department:
According to Wikipedia, Martin Caidin claimed to have psychic abilities, including the power of telekinesis (although he would never allow The Amazing Randi to test him in a controlled setting). Maybe that accounts for the missing fourth comebacker.
September 13th, 2017 at 6:05 pm
Maybe the reader is the fourth!
September 13th, 2017 at 6:29 pm
“Men, we have an emergency! The ship is understaffed. The engine room is ok, as are the storage and weaponry areas. But we need a fourth for the bridge!”
September 13th, 2017 at 7:43 pm
@B.C. – … and we need a fifth for the Officers’ Club!
September 13th, 2017 at 7:43 pm
The fourth member of the staff is Rod. He’s Polish.
September 13th, 2017 at 8:00 pm
I was going to make a joke about there only being three people on the cover, but that’s already been done to death . . . so what are the odds that the pipe-wielding man is planning on hijacking this spaceship?
(High. Very high.)
September 13th, 2017 at 8:13 pm
@Anna T. – I always put the most obvious joke in the alt-text of the picture so we get that one out the way first thing!
September 13th, 2017 at 9:45 pm
A plague aboard a space station; a plague of dramatic entrances, dramatic glances, and dramatic hair!
September 14th, 2017 at 6:10 am
That’s really way more detailing of facial and neck wrinkles than I want to see.
Was it the space station plague that so ruined their skin, while leaving hair and ‘staches so luxurious?
🎜 some people call him the space plumber…
some people call him Fo Came…
September 20th, 2017 at 6:19 pm
It looks like a scene out of the movie Deliverance, but in space.