The case of the vanishing cover

11th February 2011 Off By mattpotterthewriter

The cover that wasn't (left); and the one on the book (right)

The great lost cover? Here’s one cover redesign that came in from the brilliant Stuart, art director at Pan Macmillan, only to fall by the wayside in favour of the one you see in UK and Commonwealth shops, on the right, and here. I just thought I’d post it here for two reasons. One, because although it’s not going on the book, I love it as a piece of art, and I hope some of you out there enjoy it too. And two? I guess because some might find it interesting to see just how plastic and continuously morphing a book is, right up to the moment it hits the shelves. (And if you think this is a radical change, imagine what’s gone on with the text.) I’ve always been a bit of a geek for outtakes and early sketches from musicians, painters and writers, and I guess this is the closest I get to having a “lost bootleg” from those year-long Outlaws Inc recording sessions. It’s very cool. But the one on the right? That feels very cool… and like it’s right.