Bardo Zsa Zsa Cover Contest!

Zoographico Press has hired Dani Melin (Danimelindesign.com) to come up with some cover ideas for Bardo Zsa Zsa. We’re thinking of running a contest–what do people think of that?

At the risk of prejudicing people, I’m going to give my comments up front because my webmaster is bugging me to blog!

I like this first one perhaps the best because its the most “classic” science fiction one. Over the top, mildly exploitive, in-your-face. All the elements are there, though now that I think of it, it leans too much on the Queen of Outer Space which is only one of the two movies our heroes get thrown into. There is a “catwoman” there on the lower right, but see my comments on the next one.

Without giving away any specific spoilers, this one leans into the “Glen or Glenda?” (Ed Wood) aspect of Bardo Zsa Zsa. Fluidity of gender identity is a key plot element. 

I like this one too, but there is a danger of looking too much like “early Star Wars” (a poster that took itself seriously). Does harking back to that time communicate we are working in parody but not merely parody? Does a “serious” Star Warsian design get too close to “serious” contemporary fantasy designs? We wouldn’t want to be mistaken for fantasy. We’re speculative fiction!

Same issue here.. maybe more so. It’s a bit too serious. A friend suggested whatever image we use, we ought to show the edge of it peeling up or being burned off to show there is something underneath the over-the-top content.