Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Finding Lost S6: The New Cover!

As I mentioned on my Facebook page a few days ago, the cover of my S6 book has been undergoing a revamp. The long-suffering Barry Johnson, who came up with the cover concept of my S5 book and then was the designer for S6, has been dealing with much back and forth with me over the past month or so as I began to rethink the chess cover that I had. And no, despite my jokes, it had nothing to do with the few people who said it looked too Breaking Dawn.

No, my thinking was that despite all of the chess references in the series, and the prominence of the black and white theme in season 6, and the fact that I've always argued the island was a giant chessboard upon which the game of the survivors' lives have been played, I think the concept is simply too subtle -- chess was alluded to constantly in every episode of season 6 (Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass is the mirror theme that runs through the entire season, and the book is based on one big game of chess) -- but you never see characters playing the game, and so it's just not overt enough. And when it comes to a successful cover, you need a concept that's not so subtle.

And so Barry has probably gone through about 15 different versions of new covers (Hurley number!), featuring jungle backgrounds, beach backgrounds, island backgrounds, and finally after much discussion about what should be front and centre, I told him I'd give him complete freedom to figure it out. And the moment the restrictions were taken away, he nailed it on the first go. I won't tell you what my thinking was behind this one, I'll just let you look at it, the same way you would in a store. And I really hope you guys like it as much as I do. Thank you, Barry, once again, for being so immensely patient and for coming up with a cover that made me gasp the moment I opened the attachment (click on the picture to see it bigger).

33 comments:

Anonymous said...

Although this is a great cover, my OCD demands that the game board be symmetrical with the title instead of diagonal! :-)

Lisa(until further notice) said...

I think it's beautiful. My favorite part is how light it is, which is what season 6 is really about...the light. Brilliant, and I can't wait.

JW said...

Awesome. I'd buy this book!

Hutch said...

Great cover, which will only be surpassed by the written words inside....

Page48 said...

I felt my Di Regno heart palpitate when I saw the word "Alias".

The Question Mark said...

Wicked awesome! The Roman numeral Hurley numbers are the icing on the cake!
Great job! Now if I could only get myself through the waiting period till November...

S Donk said...

love the new cover! even more so than the old one which now seems too dark to represent the final season. props to the designer. can't wait to read it.

JS said...

Nice Job!! I like the light-ness too.

humanebean said...

Kudos, Barry! The cover is perfect for season 6. Can't wait!

yourblindspot said...

LOVE it! Outstanding job. I don't think it could be any more perfect. Unless it was at my house already.

Colleen/redeem147 said...

Of course it should be the senet board. Well done.

Scott said...

I like the juxtaposition between the optimism of the beach scene with the mystery of the Senet game. Well done

Marebabe said...

Well, I love it! And I appreciate how easy it is to see Hurley’s numbers. On the previous cover design, I searched until I had eye-strain, even following what seemed to be clear directions from some of the people in the comments, and I never found them. I finally gave up in a huff, and decided that once I had the real-live book in my hands, I would be able to see them. So, thanks, Nikki! For making them so obvious this time.

Austin Gorton said...

Fantastic! I love it. You're right: once you see it, there's just no doubt that it's the right cover.

Well done Barry!

Fred said...

Barry has also made a subtle cover. I noticed the black and white stones to the left of the Senet game box (they're in the sand). Also the side of the Senet box has the warning from the count-down clock Desmond had to reset every 108 minutes while living in the Swan. Beginning with the first column, bottom of the box, the count up and right arrives you at IV. The number of squares between IV and VIII allows the count to be right, and if you continue counting to the right, move to the next row in the second column and count, you arrive at XV. But XVI is displaced. Again counting from XVI right, move down one row and start from the second column, you arrive at XXIII. Sadly, there are only 30 squares in the top of the box, so XLII just has to be put somewhere. Also the box has a likeness to a coffin, which is appropriate since the coffin makes its reappearance in this season. But overall, the picture Barry produced has a forlorn atmosphere--we really are saying goodbye to LOST in this Season. I think it has to do with the orangey sunset in the background. All said, well done.

Though I still like the first chess cover, with the jungle background, as it fits in with the covers of your series, Nikki. You should have 2 covers, like those TV Guides when new seasons appear. Oh yes, collector series of the final Season for LOST. Get all the covers. I'm sure we'd get them.

Nikki Stafford said...

I'm glad you guys are enjoying the cover! What I like about it is that it's still open to interpretation. One person said to me that it represented the island in the early days, when the game first washed up on shore. But I see the sky showing that the people on the island have come, and have now gone and are off following new horizons, while the past and that baggage has been left behind on the shore. You can see the sky as showing the Great Beyond where the survivors have gone, or, as Fred says, the sun going down on our show. It can be sad, and hopeful, all at once. Just like the end of the series. :)

And like you, Fred, I still love the other cover, too. :) I'd be proud for either one to grace my book.

verif word: unboid: what Joss Whedon's Dollhouse was at the end of the series.

Gillian Whitfield said...

Love it!

Joan Crawford said...

Oooh! I really like it! I think it will really appeal to all Lost fans - it's pretty and interesting and for those who know the show, it's got authentic elements. Great work, Barry!

I really like the symbol inside the Dharma logo.

It'll come back around...

Anonymous said...

The two cover idea would cost me more, but I'd probably bite;) I still love the first cover, but this is clearly more appropriate for the season as it played out. I love the numbers (even if they don't fit the squares for those of us with OCD issues.)

In the mean time. . .waiting. . .waiting. . .waiting. . .

Celandine
VW:phroo- "I am so sorry WOST is phroo."

Donna S. said...

Hope you don't mind, but this has nothing to do with the book cover. This is a question I posed, way back on July 12th, and never got an answer. I'm still seeing this commercial on PBS, and am still hoping for confirmation from Lost fans!

My original question, copied and pasted:

Hey, I've got a question for all you Lost fans...this has been bugging me, and I can't find any info on it. Maybe somebody here knows.

Is that Matthew Fox doing the voice-over on a PBS "NOVA" commercial?? It shows mountain climbing, and the actor says, "One slip, and that's it. You're gonna die, and you're gonna pull off everyone with you."

Sounds EXACTLY like "Jack"! Even sounds like something Jack would SAY!

Anybody know for sure??

Susan said...

Donna S. I haven't heard it, but I checked on his IMDB page. He's not listed in any NOVA episodes, but that doesn't mean he isn't doing the commercial for one. So basically, I don't know ;-)

Rebecca T. said...

Oh my goodness... I loves it SO much! So absolutely gorgeous! Love, love, love, love, love!

asiancolossus said...

That is a beautiful cover Nikki. I think is very appropriate to have a lighter cover, it reflects the final few moments of the series with Jack, the church and Christian Shepherd walking into the light. Well done! I cannot wait for your final thoughts on Lost in print!

Andy said...

That is an amazing cover!

Anonymous said...

So happy to see all these interpretations. Love the new cover, Nikki! But you already knew that. :)

Donna S. said...

Susan, thanks for replying to my question, even though you don't know the answer.

Every time I hear that commercial, I am CONVINCED that it is Matthew Fox. That same, nasally, "Jack" voice..."you're gonna die"...classic Jack line! It's just gonna kill me until I can get confirmation that it is him!

LoyallyLOST said...

WOW!!! I think you hit the jackpot with this one! You don't even need words~just let the picture speak for itself!
Pure perfection!!!

LoyallyLOST said...

Did NOT realize the numbers were there til I read someone's post! Then, I went back & saw them in Roman Numerals! Thanx!
Again~awesome!

Rainier said...

I love this cover! I can't say I'm surprised that he nailed it in one once given complete creative freedom - most artists do their best work that way! ;)

I can hardly wait to see it all close-up & personal...

LittleMo said...

Great !!!

LittleMo said...

But what are the symbols on the side of the box, they are not all true hieroglyphs (that I can recognise) so do they say/mean anything?
or is the the same box as used in the actual programme so the question should be asked of the series producers/props team etc ?

Gillian Whitfield said...

Awesome. I cannot wait to get my copy of your last Lost book, and start reading it.

Eric said...

I like this one more than the last one and I think it's primarily because it seems so much brighter than the chess board design.

You mentioned some time ago that you will be offering signed copies once the book is out. Where do I get in that line?