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Feb 16

SPACE HIPPO!!Click for full image

Collette’s Art Direction: I envision floating elderly embryos, spaceships, and armed jungle animals before a crimson sky! Hmm… maybe we should put that in a small box on the cover, because now that I say it out loud, it sounds kind of crazy.
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: 8.82 out of 10)
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Feb 10

Crystal answer me... why did I buy such a big dish washer?Click for full image

Rachel J’s Art Direction: Mark, *nothing* happens in this yawn-fest, so let’s go with the general girl-power-in-space-with-crystals theme from the earlier books. Pink-and-purple colour scheme, huge embossed title in neon yellow, rocketships, chick in the foreground holding up a sparkly rainbow crystal. Oh, and make her look awed. What? No, I said “awed”, not “bored!” But hey, “bored” works too.
Published 1993

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: 4.57 out of 10)
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Feb 09

Man... I sure can't wait to eat this baby!Click for full image

MisterBOB Comments: In Space Jam Jars are Rather Useful…
Published 1980

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: 5.62 out of 10)
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Jan 24

My choice of weapons eh? I choose this sword, and this naked women! On guard!Click for full NON-HUMMINGBIRD WHALED image

Corey Comments: A naked woman on fire. Thanks Orson Scott Card.
Published 1979

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: 7.68 out of 10)
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Jan 17

I'm here for your milk and cardboard boxes! Anyone who resists.. get's it like Dave there!Click for full image

Kevin Comments: After centuries of being subjected to ridiculous Christmas and Halloween outfits, the feline race finally gets it revenge….in space.
Published 1979

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: 7.58 out of 10)
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Jan 09

Every time I come here darling I can't help but think... How do people reach those buttons at the top!?!Click for full image

Frank Comments: Helmets for men only because we wouldn’t want to mess up the lady officers’ hair. And if we’re seeing the forward view, I hope they’re looking at the rear view mirror.
Published 1980

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: 6.22 out of 10)
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Jan 04

Happy New Year!

Well another year is here, I am just about over my hang over and of course back in work! So it’s time to start again and see what exciting covers we can find to brighten our days. Last year didn’t see a cover which had the power to beat, I Sing the Body Electric. But maybe this year… maybe…

Thanks to everyone who has sent in covers and comments! You all bring such entertainment to our lives. And of course thank you to all those amazing publishers, without you and your art direction where would Good Show Sir be?

Last year was very exciting now that I think about it. And my quest for terrible Sci-Fi/fantasy book covers also led to the best conversation ever in a second hand book store.

Shop Assistant: Wow.. that cover is so bad!!!
Me: Yeah isn’t it? That’s kinda why I am buying it actually.
Shop Assistant: Really? Awesome. You should start some sort of website to show covers like these.
Me: I have…
Shop Assistant: ……
And nothing more was said. Here is the book I bought.

The top rated cover of the year:

Bum chins are well known for invading the rest of your face.Click for original post

A Personal Favourite:

The dangers of eating radioactive fish.Click for original post

CSA Chooses dragon crotch!

Carry On films did get a bit... odd...Click for original post

And of course, how could we not mention the cover that started a censoring legend:

I know space ships don't need to be aerodynamic but...Click for original post

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: 8.00 out of 10)
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Dec 21

Well it has come to that time of year again when we at Good Show Sir need to take a break to steal Christmas presents from children, eat an insane amount of other peoples food and of course, get stinking drunk and rant about book covers!

Not to worry though, we’ll be back first thing in the new year with a round up of the best of 2011’s covers!

Here we have some fantastic Hungarian covers sent in by Gabor and River, about 9 months ago! I appologise for keeping them hidden for so long but here they are, all six of them!

Have a great holiday! And again thanks to everyone who visits the site and all the specials ones who leave comments which brighten our days with witty banter!

It's the new family holiday destination, space worm holes.Click for full image

Nothing makes an action hero more epic.. than a ferret on his knee!Click for full image

Looks like I picked the right time to bring this phallic shaped weapon!Click for full image

It was our first date and well... I learned we should have just gone for coffee.Click for full image

Marbles in space just isn't the same when you are playing by yourself.Click for full image

That digital world looks a bit... nippy...Click for full image

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: 7.96 out of 10)
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Dec 16

LSD in space. Look I know that's not the best I've done. But, it's hard thinking of something terrible to put here.Click for full image

ash966 Comments: If your artist is unable to create and illusion of 3 dimensions (the nose and the spaceships), should you really emphasize the fact with a 3-D font? The spaceships look like children’s toys and the font looks like something and 8th-grader doodles in her notebook. Also, what is a “ram song”? I don’t think I want to know.
Published 1984

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: 7.05 out of 10)
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Dec 06

At least that top trump ghost from the last cover isn't watching us this timeClick for full image

Tom Noir Comments: This author has a whole series of covers involving people making out above spaceships. Jokes about her “wormhole” are left as an exercise for the reader.
Published 2008

You might remember me from here

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: 7.29 out of 10)
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