However (comma) it at least starts out depicting something in the text.
Historically, men have been the peacocks and women mostly dowdy. Heinlein was depicting a semi-return to that — at one point, Long and another “manly man” exchange comments on one another’s fingernail polish — but instead of returning to modesty, the women are working hard to keep up. A truly faithful cover would be R-rated at best.
In the book, the girl isn’t wearing a bodysuit; that’s paint, and she has painted sunburst patterns centered on her nipples and navel. (My reaction at the time was that either the paint was unsmearable and thus difficult to remove or change, or her makeup time in the morning was some hours.) Lazarus Long’s kilt is electric blue; the artist probably made it tartan pattern because otherwise it would just look to most people like a man wearing a skirt.
Jamie off Doctor Who‘s done right well for himself, eh?! (Well, maybe not – the girl in the pink looks positively emaciated. Put down the guns and go find some lunch, “children.”)
Another one I own and was planning to submit – pipped at the post (no pun intended) twice in a week!
Artist on this one is John Melo, who did all of the covers for Baen’s Heinlein reprints. This is not the worst or strangest of them.
And if Phil’s reading – yes, it’s embossed, yes, yes!
The ‘N’ and ‘L’ joined together in Heinlein look like they’re specifically pointing down to the title part ‘Methuselah’s Children’. He must need to do that so that we are not distracted by the huge font that is used for his name.
@Kaji: Yup. Though in fairness, I don’t think the text ever mentions the color of Lazarus’ hair (this was the story that introduced him, and I think pre-dated RAH’s fixation on redheads. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – I like them myself.)
August 9th, 2011 at 9:14 am
Don’t know what that exclamation mark is there for. Actually, seeing what they’re wearing, maybe I do know.
August 9th, 2011 at 9:17 am
Clearly he’s wearing the kilt to hide Lazarus Long.
August 9th, 2011 at 10:35 am
THE CAVES OF STEEL
Starring Daneel Olivav!
DUNE
Starring Paul Atreides!
THE CAT WHO WALKS THROUGH WALLS
Starring anyone who ever was in a Heinlein book!
August 9th, 2011 at 11:55 am
Isn’t that Toyah Wilcox?
On the right I mean.
The other one seems to be insisting we shall never take his freedom.
August 9th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
However (comma) it at least starts out depicting something in the text.
Historically, men have been the peacocks and women mostly dowdy. Heinlein was depicting a semi-return to that — at one point, Long and another “manly man” exchange comments on one another’s fingernail polish — but instead of returning to modesty, the women are working hard to keep up. A truly faithful cover would be R-rated at best.
In the book, the girl isn’t wearing a bodysuit; that’s paint, and she has painted sunburst patterns centered on her nipples and navel. (My reaction at the time was that either the paint was unsmearable and thus difficult to remove or change, or her makeup time in the morning was some hours.) Lazarus Long’s kilt is electric blue; the artist probably made it tartan pattern because otherwise it would just look to most people like a man wearing a skirt.
Regards,
Ric
August 9th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
Another sci-fi romp courtesy of Roberta Heinlein!
August 9th, 2011 at 2:48 pm
Jamie off Doctor Who‘s done right well for himself, eh?! (Well, maybe not – the girl in the pink looks positively emaciated. Put down the guns and go find some lunch, “children.”)
Another one I own and was planning to submit – pipped at the post (no pun intended) twice in a week!
Artist on this one is John Melo, who did all of the covers for Baen’s Heinlein reprints. This is not the worst or strangest of them.
And if Phil’s reading – yes, it’s embossed, yes, yes!
August 9th, 2011 at 3:46 pm
Women: Wow space is COOOOld! You wearing anything under that kilt?
Man: Only whit th’ guid laird saw fit tae gezz frae birth kimmers!
Women: … what?
August 9th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
It’s his stance I can’t get over. Legs splayed, knees bent, leaning backwards. Makes me wonder how large things are under that kilt.
August 10th, 2011 at 12:08 am
Perhaps in the future they wear their sporrans on the inside…
August 10th, 2011 at 1:01 am
@Smith: No mention of sporrans, but we know from the book that Lazarus carries a blaster and a big knife under there.
@Jami: Which probably explains the stance.
August 10th, 2011 at 12:30 pm
Sings: ‘Donald wheer’s your troo-strangerinastrangelands.’
August 10th, 2011 at 6:00 pm
A kilt, the wrinkliest shirt in the universe, and a skin tight pink body suit.
August 20th, 2011 at 4:57 pm
I can’t tell from this picture, but is this the cover where Lazarus is a brunette instead of a redhead?
August 24th, 2011 at 8:13 pm
The ‘N’ and ‘L’ joined together in Heinlein look like they’re specifically pointing down to the title part ‘Methuselah’s Children’. He must need to do that so that we are not distracted by the huge font that is used for his name.
August 25th, 2011 at 1:12 am
@Kaji: Yup. Though in fairness, I don’t think the text ever mentions the color of Lazarus’ hair (this was the story that introduced him, and I think pre-dated RAH’s fixation on redheads. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – I like them myself.)
August 25th, 2011 at 7:52 pm
Hi, Jamie McCrimmon in a kilt and Polly wearing Zoe Heriot’s body suit!
September 14th, 2011 at 7:12 pm
A sad cover, but accurate insofar as I remember this book.
January 9th, 2017 at 5:45 am
Lazarus is going to break that poor wee lassie first time he has sex with her. (Because you know he’s going to.)
Maybe she’s from the Moon, Mars, or the asteroids, to make her so tall and scrawny.
January 9th, 2017 at 5:49 am
at least we can be pretty sure there isn’t a plot twist that makes them brother and sister
January 9th, 2017 at 8:02 am
Yeah, that comes (har) later.
August 18th, 2020 at 12:39 am
R.A.H. Pity your illustrator didn’t accord your work the same respect as your initial-brother R. A. Howard.