Aug 04
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Deborah Comments: Actually I think this is quite good, apart from the woman being none of the central characters – Heris is black, Lady Cecilia’s a redhead, Bubbles is blonde. But the COLORS are a little unsubtle!
Published 1995
Click here for the previous Winning Colours cover.
Many thanks to Deborah!
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Tagged with: Baen Books • David Mattingly • Elizabeth Moon • font problems • horses • planets • space • space ships
Aug 03
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Audes Art Direction: Hey, we need dragons. What, no dragon art available ? Slap that one from the bunch we’ve licensed for cheap with the… what ? Anthropomorphic weapon-wielding lizards, yeah, nevermind that there aren’t any in the boo… Oh, and some snazzy font, you know, one of those that scream fantasy or sci-fi, whatever, make it bright and bold.
Published 1992
Many thanks to Aude!
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Tagged with: anthropomorphism • bladed weapons • crossbow • dinosaur people • Earthsea Series • Ken Barr • pole weapons • scythe • strange creature • trident • unknown publisher • Ursula K. Le Guin
Aug 02
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Jessie Comments: I really don’t know what to say about this, but I recommend noticing not only the shag carpet flames but also the subtle nuances of how the model’s head is too small for her body, which is wearing a very modern pair of socks.
Published 1985
Many thanks to Jessie!
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Tagged with: bladed weapons • damsel • Diane Duane • font problems • magic • once you see it • portal to another world • sky-eyes • Susan S. Collins • Tor Books
Jul 30
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GK’s Art Direction: I need this cover by 5 o’clock! Just go out and take a picture of something!
Published 1969
AHHH! Kill it! Kill it!
Many thanks to GK!
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Tagged with: Ace Books • Barry N. Malzberg • bird people • Gray Morrow • John T. Phillifent • K.M. O'Donnell • Kelly Freas • Panos Koutrouboussis • strange creature • uniforms • WTF
Jul 29
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Tom Noir’s Art Direction: Okay, this is a Celtic fantasy, so obviously we want a buff surfer dude who is spaced out of his gourd. What? I dunno, put him in a kilt or something. You figure it out, that’s what you’re paid for isn’t it? Anyhow, magic it up. Slap a shiny silver border on with the author’s name in a clashing red font to distract suspicious readers. Anyhoo, I gotta jet, it’s 4:20.
Published 1993
Many thanks to Tom!
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Tagged with: Avonova Books • beard-wielding • bracers • crystal • Daniel Horne • dude • font problems • male skirts • merlin • mullet • muscles • once you see it • scrolls • Song of Albion series • Stephen R. Lawhead • tattoo you • tidal wave • Wizaaaaaaaard!
Jul 28
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Anders Art Direction: A pack of profoundly stoned giant proboscis monkeys in a garden! Nails in his nostrils! Both of them! Wha’? The cover? Knights and princesses and shit. You know, the usual.
Published 2002
Many thanks to Ander!
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Tagged with: bladed weapons • capes • damsel • Darrell K. Sweet • David Farland • dude • forest • horses • knights • once you see it • piercings • plume • strange creature • The Runelords Series • Unicorns!
Jul 27
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Sarah’s Art Direction: So there’s this guy, right? And he’s a lobster. But not really a lobster! Just has a lobster body. Uh, and really skinny arms. And he’s got a parrot for a sidekick, but get this — the parrot is a lobster, too! You getting all of this down, Steve? Ooh, maybe thrown in one of those “Manamanah” things from The Muppets, too. People love those.
Published 1978
Lets just see who that killer crab from the other day really is!
Many thanks to Sarah!
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Tagged with: dude • Keith Laumer • planets • Pocket Books • strange creature • Unknown Artist Institute
Jul 26
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Carolyn Comments: You can probably analyze this better than I! I assume the artist just read the jacket blurb.
Published 1977
“Imagine: Gorilla-shaped bismuth junkies who stack their dead ancestors like cordwood in the living room; gentle souls who can touch with a touch or a thought. A throwback fiefdom on a planet where huge poisonous bats rule the night sky, where serpents the size of semi-trailers slither though the rotting jungle. A sarcastic mansized beetle that’s a Talmudic scholar and swears like a longshoreman. And claims to be immortal. All in a life’s work for Otto McGavin: Prime Operator for the TBII, undercover guardian of the rights of aliens and humans under the Confederacion.”
Mmm… uhh… seriously? That snake doesn’t look too happy.
Outstanding! Good Show Carolyn!
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Tagged with: animals with faces • clouds • dragon • dude • Good Show Sir • hunkbutt • Joe Haldeman • lizards • Paul Stinson • skulls a-poppin' • snake • St Martin's Press • starkers • strange creature • sun • wings • WTF
Jul 23
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Art Direction: I looked, and there before me was a pale Pegasus! It’s rider was named Martin, the local high school geography teacher.
Published 1994
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Tagged with: Avonova Books • castle • clouds • dude • flying horse • horses • Michael Scott Rohan • Rowena A. Morrill
Jul 22
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David Comments: It took me a long time to notice that the naked red man with spikes on his feet and a horn in his forehead is holding his sword in a rather odd way.
Published 1973, 1974 & 1975
Many thanks to David!
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Tagged with: bladed weapons • Bob Haberfield • capes • castle • cleavage • daemons • damsel • eye-yi-yi • floating face • giant birds • horns • horses • long hair • Mayflower Books • Michael Moorcock • mountains • muscles • once you see it • pyramids • strange creature • sword • talons • Unicorns! • volcano • wand • WTF
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