KID ATOMIC Cover Genealogy
Original Cover March 2012 Design Maxilon Gallery |
1: The Kent Covers...
Notice the pseudonym. This is my great friend and supporter Kelly Sherwood who kindly donated her name to the cause while we worked on the original website at her house in Kent.
At the time, I was playing with pseudonyms because I didn't really want my name out there, being fairly modest and on the run from psychopathic bailiffs and ex-girlfriends, but the mother of my child, Deb, persuaded me to go with the Mark Barry brand in a telephone call in March 2012.
Ultra Violence fans will also notice Simon Haddow as the author of that book. Another pseudonym. S Haddow? Shadow...Mask...keep up at the back
Second design. April 2012 Design Maxilon Gallery |
2. The Kent Covers Two.
I wanted to use the atomic symbol on the cover and the first one, the sunburst orange, the exploding sun, while very covert and subtle is also a bit plain.
So I redid it.
First official Green Wizard cover in Readers Digest style - Design Maxilon Gallery |
3. Green Wizard Launch Covers.
I wanted a comic, gentleman's quarterly type theme to all four Green Wizard books (as was) so I created the "folio" editions - which I still like, actually. However, sales were so bad in the first six weeks I had to do something. I received an anonymous tip off that my covers were putting people right off and it was then that I decided to act.
You see, I have never, EVER, in my life, bought a book based on its cover.
I am apparently an exception.
and finally.
Dark Dawn Creations June July 2012 |
BY sheer chance, I bumped into cover designer Dawn Smith on the Amazon Forum. I asked her to look at my covers. Politely, but bluntly, like many Americans, she said to me that they were dull.
Without considering the arguments, without assessing whether i agreed with her, without ego, without satisfying my urge to debate, I hired her services on the spot.
The fourth cover to your left is the result. Beautiful, isn;t it. Probably the best Green Wizard cover.
Later, Dawn was to design all the paperbacks too.
Love the history behind the cover - great job by your Illustrator
ReplyDeleteWow, what a wonderful tale about your jacket covers. I have to say Dawn Smith has done a fantatalistic job on your book covers ... stick with her.
ReplyDelete