Here's a whole publisher I'm very fond of: Hard Case Crime. Their whole schtick—new and vintage pulp paperbacks with newly illustrated, retro-looking covers--is just plain fun, and it's been executed superbly. And the books are pretty good, too!
In the credit where-it's-due department, the above cover illustration is by Chuck Pyle, and the credits for the rest are here. I'm not sure who's responsible for the series as a whole--the website credits Steve Cooley with "cover design after 2006," but it's not clear who originated the look. Whoever it is, they did a hell of a job. Here's a few more of my favorites:
2 comments:
Thanks -- I'm glad you like the line. To answer your question, the look was originated by my partner, Max Phillips (who is also an author in his own right...you'll see his name in small type on the FADE TO BLONDE cover you've posted).
Charles Ardai
Editor, Hard Case Crime
Really? That's fascinating! I just finished reading Fade to Blonde, actually--a fine read, by the way--and knowing that adds such an interesting layer to the designs. So many authors are conservative to a fault when it come to their covers, it's great to see someone really run with a fun idea like this.
And hey, thanks for commenting, and keep up the fine work!
Post a Comment