preload
Dec 10

What a day to forget to wear anything!Click for full image

Art Direction: Now now, the naked gladiator in a helmet theme is completely in this season, so I insist! Make sure to cover his giblets in shadow because we don’t want a meat and two veg hanging out to offend readers. Side bum, is acceptable.
Published 1971

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: 6.34 out of 10)
Loading...

Tagged with:

21 Responses to “Masters of the Pit”

  1. THX 1138 Says:

    “Biiiirdman!!! Will not tolerate nudism!”

  2. SI Says:

    “You should see where I sheath my sword…..”

  3. A.R.Yngve Says:

    Actually, the layout of the cover is very clever.
    The wings form a symmetric curve, and the placement of the bird foot makes it look like something dangles from the naked warrior’s crotch…

    So, uh, this book is about a desert nudist colony fighting a monstrous mutation of the Blue Man Group??

  4. Seamyst Says:

    Between the cover itself and the author’s last name, I have to admit I giggled.

    Because I’m twelve years old, yo.

  5. Adam Roberts Says:

    Coincidentally, you can study for a Masters of the Pit at my university, one year full-time, two years part-time.

  6. Wabasso Says:

    The greatest twist would be if this book was about present day humankind and those dreams we get of somehow forgetting to wear clothes.

  7. Brian B. Says:

    @ Seamyst

    I had a similar reaction. In fact on this cover due to the positioning of the model’s body, rather than a Moorcock novel this is a Less…you know what I’m going to stop now.

  8. NGpm Says:

    At first, I was searching for the title. I thought they had dubbed Moorcock the Master of the Pit.

    Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll
    Michael Jackson, the King of Pop
    Michael Moorcock, the Master of the Pit

    Like that. Given his history here on goodshowsir, I would think him more like the Master of the Gratuitous Naughty Bits Book Cover.

  9. A.R.Yngve Says:

    Given the long tradition of “recycling” cover art for other books, which titles other than “Masters of the Pit” would suit this particular artwork?

    Take your pick:

    – Frank Miller’s 300 VS. HYDRAS
    – Piers Anthony’s EXANTHED BY HYDRAS
    – Larry Niven’s RIDICULOUSLY FAR BEYOND RINGWORLD: A RINGWORLD NOVEL
    – Tom Kratman’s GOLDEN GLADIATORS OF THE WAFFEN-SS
    – John Norman’s LOST UNDERPANTS OF GOR

  10. Seamyst Says:

    A.R. Yngve, you really shouldn’t have put those last two together. My brain decided to combine them into GOLDEN UNDERPANTS OF THE WAFFEN-SS, causing me to bust a gut before I realized my mistake.

  11. A.R.Yngve Says:

    You mean, like THIS?:
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gEszzJUeC98/TQR3e_DWsUI/AAAAAAAAAcw/sxO9fMwoGNA/s400/mastersofthepit.jpg

  12. AikoAiko Says:

    Clearly that blue harpy is swooping down on his naked barbarian man for a little sexy rough and tumble with a sword. And can you blame him? Check out that page boy haircut and those bulging beefy thighs. Rrowr.

    I love how the naked man’s face is obscured in shadow, as though he was like, “Alright, but I’ll only pose like this is if no one can recognize me.”

  13. Herm Says:

    “The wings form a symmetric curve, and the placement of the bird foot makes it look like something dangles from the naked warrior’s crotch…”–A.R.Yngve

    And the human figure returns the favour. Specifically, his left arm.

  14. A.R.Yngve Says:

    I’m not sure I see what you mean by OH MY GOD THERE’S A BONER POKING OUT OF HIS CHEST WHAT UNGODLY MUTATION IS THIS?!?!?

  15. A.R.Yngve Says:

    If you compare the above cover with this one, for THE FAR ARENA, you’ll notice a striking similarity of themes:
    http://www.goodshowsir.co.uk/2010/07/the-far-arena/

    Somewhere, there’s an unhappy artist who gets ALL the “draw a nude gladiator with helmet and sword trying not to show his privates” assignments…

  16. Green Says:

    Lost Underpants of Gor made my day!

  17. Tom Kratman Says:

    Note to self: Write Golden Gladiators of the Waffen SS, give credit to A.R. Not a super high priority, however.

  18. szaleniec1000 Says:

    What is that thing he’s waving his sword in the general direction of even supposed to be? A vampire, a birdman, a demon, an alien? And where’s its torso?

  19. A.R.Yngve Says:

    It’s…
    [Monty Python theme plays]

  20. anon Says:

    “You’ll get a taste of this sword, birdman, once I’ve done pooping!”

  21. Jon K. Says:

    I didn’t know that Michael Moorcock wrote a book about barbecue and barbequing. Guess it brings up the question of which one of the cover figures is the “Pit Master” and which gets cooked in the barbecue pit…..

Leave a Reply