J David Spurlock just today premiered on Facebook this spanking new cover design for his upcoming and highly anticipated collection of Wood sci-fi stories. Comments?
I think there should be more hierarchy in the type work. Everything is too big, busy and cluttered in the top area. Words cancel each other's impact. Also, three typefaces on a cover is a lot.
I have to say that I'd have preferred an original WOOD piece of art rather than a Photoshop collage image done by J.David Spurlock. No offense to Mr. Spurlock, but I think if you're going to do a book on Wally Wood, it should have a Wally Wood cover. Would you do a book on Leonardo DiVinci and do a new image for the cover made up of a the figure from the Mona Lisa mixed with the Madonna on the Rocks? I know I wouldn't, and wouldn't care to see that. I would respect the artist's original work for what it is. Wood wouldn't want others to tamper with his artwork, I'm sure.
Surely there's some original Wally Wood art that could be more suitable than this?
We looked at many cover options. We have been trying to get approval to use an EC cover for over a year and could not delay publication further. The two figures were taken from rare, obscure sources and neither could run as a cover in their original formats. We feel they deserve better recognition so, arranged the various Wood elements in keeping with Woody's techniques. The color and type were handled by Wood's friend, Hall of Fame artist-writer-designer, Jim Steranko. Of course our first choice would be to have Woody here to do a new cover. If you have cover-worthy Wood sci-fi art that is better than this and has not run as a book cover before, or if EC approves use of an EC cover, we might consider an alternate but, I've got to tell you, except for the few critiques here, we have been getting fantastically-positive responses to this cover.
AFTER WHAT VANGUARD DID WITH WIZARD KING A FEW YEARS BACK CENSORING THIS GREAT ARTWORK,I WILL NEVER BUY AGAIN FROM THEM.(AND I DON'T CARE IF IT WAS PRINTER'S MISTAKE OR WHATEVER)
re Wizard King: I thought the funniest thing about the Chinese printer imposing bikini tops on some of the girls--AT THE LAST MINUTE--was that they left their BOTTOMS uncovered and some of the tops weren't covered either. ALSO, not a bit of WOODY's art was altered; the change was just a color swash to indicate a bikini top--any nipples drawn by Wood are intact. Despite the fact that Wood offered Wizard King sans-nudity, to both Hollywood and DC, I was far from pleased about the situation. Tatjana Wood was still thrilled with WK1 as the quality of reproduction was so much better from the original color edition, exclaiming, "Finally, the World will see what my color really looks like!" She loved it so much, she signed the deluxe edition. FYI: Vanguard stopped using that printer because of what happened on Wizard King 1. Vanguard's Wizard King 2 has full nudity.
J David Spurlock just today premiered on Facebook this spanking new cover design for his upcoming and highly anticipated collection of Wood sci-fi stories. Comments?
I think there should be more hierarchy in the type work. Everything is too big, busy and cluttered in the top area. Words cancel each other's impact. Also, three typefaces on a cover is a lot.
ReplyDeleteBut the cover image is a perfect, perfect choice.
Can't wait for this book to happen.
J
Sexy ! Nice colors, very retro.
ReplyDeleteIs it ALL of Woods' Sci Fi work? That would be a big book!
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I'd have preferred an original WOOD piece of art rather than a Photoshop collage image done by J.David Spurlock. No offense to Mr. Spurlock, but I think if you're going to do a book on Wally Wood, it should have a Wally Wood cover. Would you do a book on Leonardo DiVinci and do a new image for the cover made up of a the figure from the Mona Lisa mixed with the Madonna on the Rocks? I know I wouldn't, and wouldn't care to see that. I would respect the artist's original work for what it is. Wood wouldn't want others to tamper with his artwork, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteSurely there's some original Wally Wood art that could be more suitable than this?
We looked at many cover options. We have been trying to get approval to use an EC cover for over a year and could not delay publication further. The two figures were taken from rare, obscure sources and neither could run as a cover in their original formats. We feel they deserve better recognition so, arranged the various Wood elements in keeping with Woody's techniques.
ReplyDeleteThe color and type were handled by Wood's friend, Hall of Fame artist-writer-designer,
Jim Steranko. Of course our first choice would be to have Woody here to do a new cover. If you have cover-worthy Wood sci-fi art that is better than this and has not run as a book cover before, or if EC approves use of an EC cover, we might consider an alternate but, I've got to tell you, except for the few critiques here, we have been getting fantastically-positive responses to this cover.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFor the record, I like the cover quite a bit, myself. Hearing here some of the issues involved, I also find it a very smart solution to the problem.
ReplyDeleteAFTER WHAT VANGUARD DID WITH WIZARD KING A FEW YEARS BACK CENSORING THIS GREAT ARTWORK,I WILL NEVER BUY AGAIN FROM THEM.(AND I DON'T CARE IF IT WAS PRINTER'S MISTAKE OR WHATEVER)
ReplyDeletere Wizard King: I thought the funniest thing about the Chinese printer imposing bikini tops on some of the girls--AT THE LAST MINUTE--was that they left their BOTTOMS uncovered and some of the tops weren't covered either. ALSO, not a bit of WOODY's art was altered; the change was just a color swash to indicate a bikini top--any nipples drawn by Wood are intact. Despite the fact that Wood offered Wizard King sans-nudity, to both Hollywood and DC, I was far from pleased about the situation. Tatjana Wood was still thrilled with WK1 as the quality of reproduction was so much better from the original color edition, exclaiming, "Finally, the World will see what my color really looks like!" She loved it so much, she signed the deluxe edition.
ReplyDeleteFYI: Vanguard stopped using that printer because of what happened on Wizard King 1. Vanguard's Wizard King 2 has full nudity.