Ducking into used bookstores over weekends and after work, I have become a bit of a sci-fi paperback junky. I love the feeling of rummaging through stacks of forgotten paperbacks and discovering that hidden gem of a cover. There is just something about the idea of the future as illustrated by artists of the past that I find fascinating. If you do enough digging you can come away with some great covers for under a few bucks. Recently I began scanning and cataloguing my finds and this has led me to the idea for a new blog series I will be posting here on Sundays. Every week my post will be inspired by one of the covers I own or a new find. Some of these may be well known while others more obscure. I look at this as a way to learn about and resurrect some of the great cover illustrators and designers of the sci-fi genre. If you have suggestions or your own favorites, leave a comment or contribute to the collection of covers with a nice straight on shot of your find and tag it #Sundayscifi on Instagram. I started the tag off with a few of my own images but I would love everyone to include their finds.
To start the post off, I am featuring one of the better known artists of the sci-fi genre. Most know John Berkey for his illustrations for Star Wars, but he holds a massive catalogue of varying types of work. Beginning in the 1960s, he was commissioned by NASA to further their space program as part of their efforts to travel beyond the Earth’s atmosphere and ultimately to the moon. No matter the type of work, I consistently love his use of color. My personal favorite thing about his work are his spaceships. The details of his images draw you in and you can get lost looking at every tiny detail he includes.
Posted by Smyjewski
awesome stuff, looking forward to more!
yes please, these are incredible and their dusty covers should be shared! thanks!
any of them seem like a good read?
Awesome feature! If you haven’t, check out scifi-o-rama.com, very well curated blog with tons of book cover art.
U should read the manga ‘2001 Nights’ by Yukinobo Hoshino. it’s a series of short stories all in the same timeline but sometimes hundreds of years apart. the art is amazing with highly detailed drawings of ships, planets, etc. very cool…
This reminds me of this book: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61E1W9WC5PL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
My dad had it when I was a kid and I pored over it until the pages all fell out.
I’m in such agreement. Looking at detailers of the past who’s main paycheck was guessing about the future is mindblowing. On one hand they were so very close, but on the other….no manned trip to Mars! What gives. I am sure I will enjoy this sci-fi stint. I am working on my first sci/pirate fiction right now. Looking at these book covers is giving me great imagery ideas.
These paintings and illustrations are incredible!
reminds me to this: http://www.vice.com/es_mx/read/omni-0000269-v6n8
These are so great!
On the other end of the spectrum is
http://www.goodshowsir.co.uk
Full of some of the worst sci fi covers you can find.
You should check out Peter Elson, he has some outstanding illustrations:
http://www.peterelson.co.uk/gallery/category.php?pageNum_products=1&totalRows_products=75&cat=11
i love these!
Thanks! Glad you are enjoying it!
@Michael – These are SO good! Im looking into covers that he has done so I can try and do a feature on him. Thanks for sending this my way.
@Agrajag – Haha oh wow…
@Martin – Wow loving these thanks for sharing.
@JP – Thats awesome, Im going to see if I can dig up a copy.
@Cody – Thats so cool. Be sure to check back in once you get it written!
@mitesh – Thanks for sharing this. I grew up reading comic books but never got into manga, this one however looks pretty interesting.