49 replies to this topic

[Aris007]

I myself would like to keep it round the DMC atmosphere. You know bold colors(red, black, white) and a smashing woman's figure in the front. It's modern, stylish, eye-catching and it wakes the teenager's fantasy that every Bond book should have.

Something like this

[Simg]

As yet I have not read through the comments on his topic but will very shortly.
As a jacket designer for major publishing houses back in my youth, including Penguin Books, your comments/debate will make great reading, watch out for a post from me soon!

Cheers

SRJG

[Simg]

Chopping only did the one jacket for John Gardner as we all know. I was reliably informed he was asked to do more but wanted such an exorbitant fee that the publishers declined and went with the very good 'Chopping Influenced/Style' jackets. As a graphic designer (with a hell of a lot of book jackets under my belt) I do believe that over the years there was no real cohesive direction for any of my Father's Bond's after the Chopping tribute jackets. For the record I do not mean 'Tribute' in a derogatory sense at all. The USA hardback jackets I always felt were a cop out but at least they had a series style to them, and in the UK no series look was developed when the hardbacks moved publishers. As for the paperbacks, US & UK, again an opportunity was there to develop a unique branding, but in my honest opinion that opportunity was wasted. Let us hope that if any of the Gardner Bonds are re=issued in any format that a new 'Look/Branding/Style' is developed, and I hope the same for the next continuation series starting with Mr Deaver's. But hey that is just an aging graphic designers opinion!

SRJG

Edited by Simg, 28 June 2010 - 09:05 PM.

[marktmurphy]

For me the DMC cover is the way to go. Hugely stylish, classy and just a little clever. And yeah, you can't entirely discount the film series; a little tip to the graphic style of the films is almost inevitable.
DMC may have gone a little too far, however: the typography is perhaps a little too close to that of the Casino Royale movie.

As a kid in the 80s I remember when I first saw a Fleming hardcover with the Chopping jacket I thought it was weird and definitely not James Bond. But I learned. But maybe the association is still strong in the UK?

Maybe Chopping style with a modern twist. Maybe lose the wood and replace it with cut granite or something. I don't know. But I do want it to scream James Bond, and there are a lot a ways to do that (subtle and not).

Yeah, I don't associate the Chopping covers with Bond all that much: they don't really do all that much for me anyway. I'm not hugely keen on the painting style and somehow tatty unpainted, unvarnished raw wood doesn't quite fit the smooth, sophisticated lover-of-luxury James Bond. What is that: pine? He's more a burr walnut kind of guy!

And the last Chopping-style cover on the shelves was this spoof, anyway!

[K1Bond007]

I love Chopping, but I'm with zen in that if you're going to go for a modernized redux of James Bond you probably shouldn't look to anything retro or that has been done before.

Just go highly stylized.

May have used a bit too much blood here. Text too.

[Jim]

That's rather good.

Agreed; abstract is best. Not too worried about cohesiveness of all of them.

I think it would be rather fun for the book to be in the shape of "X".

[zencat]

Very nice, K1.

[Trident]

That's a splendid job, K1! Love the raw background and the lower part reminds me of a Union Jack. This way even 'XBond' does have something. Excellent!

[Righty007]

I really like K1's design but I NEVER want to see "XBond" on a James Bond cover. Ever.

It's a great term to use on the forums but it would make Project X feel tacky if it were used on the actual cover art. No offense to K1, though.

[Trident]

I really like K1's design but I NEVER want to see "XBond" on a James Bond cover. Ever.

Don't see that myself, doubt it would ever come to that, nor to Re-Bond, New-Bond or something. Probably it will just be a modern tag-design of 'James Bond', perhaps in connection with '007'.

[K1Bond007]

At the moment I pretty much expect the whole series to be branded similarly to Young Bond. XBond, while featured a little too prominently on that cover is pretty apt for what they're going for. (Originally XBond on that cover was meant to be a filler title, but I obviously changed that. I left it for branding.)

They'd be smart to distance themselves from Fleming if you ask me and go with a different branding. It preserves the original "timeline" in a way. Also everyone loves Fleming, but he's dead and no matter the talent at the helm, they're not going to produce a Fleming novel so you might as well make the best of things. I'd be more upset if "Ian Fleming" appeared on the cover. We've been there. Recently. This is not his Bond. Doesn't mean you have to go with "XBond" either. I'm sure there's other ways, but a branding similar to Young Bond makes sense.

[Trident]

At the moment I pretty much expect the whole series to be branded similarly to Young Bond. XBond, while featured a little too prominently on that cover is pretty apt for what they're going for. (Originally XBond on that cover was meant to be a filler title, but I obviously changed that. I left it for branding.)

They'd be smart to distance themselves from Fleming if you ask me and go with a different branding. It preserves the original "timeline" in a way. Also everyone loves Fleming, but he's dead and no matter the talent at the helm, they're not going to produce a Fleming novel so you might as well make the best of things. I'd be more upset if "Ian Fleming" appeared on the cover. We've been there. Recently. This is not his Bond.

Branding is a valid point, very important indeed. But do you think IFP would go with 'X-Bond'? It's a bit too... well, can't really explain. But I agree on the general idea to keep some distance from Fleming. The one thing about this is, it's really one step removed from the original and should admit this unashamedly. And announce this fact also by the design and branding.

[007SeanRogerGeorgeTimDan]

I'd like to see something action oriented or something along the lines of the Raymond Benson and John Gardner novels.

[zencat]

I don't think anyone needs to lose any sleep over the fear they might use XBond. But I do think the books will be branded in some way. Could just be a new 007 or James Bond logo.

[DAN LIGHTER]

XBond.....what does it mean? I don't like it, new bond, anything like that. Lets just call it Bond full stop, why do we have to label it something new? Wasn't necessary when John Gardner made the leap into the 80s was it?

[Trident]

The new label would indicate the new series. And branding today plays an important role in most series. Young Bond made good use of it and I suppose the professional way IFP are running their affairs today would strongly indicate X-Bond will see a similar 'corporate identity'.

But that wouldn't necessarily mean a new, 'restarted' designation tag. Probably a new 007/James Bond design would already suffice. Still, one wonders...

[zencat]

XBond.....what does it mean? I don't like it, new bond, anything like that. Lets just call it Bond full stop, why do we have to label it something new? Wasn't necessary when John Gardner made the leap into the 80s was it?

I'm quite pleased with the designation XBond for our own fan discussions. And I'm opting to use the non-hypenated version. XBox instead of X-Men.

[Trident]

I'm quite pleased with the designation XBond for our own fan discussions. And I'm opting to use the non-hypenated version. XBox instead of X-Men.

Agreed, XBond it shall be from now on here. At any rate it's easier to write.

But right now I'm really thinking. Today's IFP surely cannot be called naive, can it? So one would suppose they certainly weren't surprised by XBond popping up on the net, after all they coded their new venture Project X. So I'm beginning to suspect that Project X and/or X may actually have some significance for the new series.

[K1Bond007]

Not that it matters, but I redid it real quick. Got rid of "XBond", though I left a left a simple branding.

[Trident]

Very good job! I like the X in the background of James Bond, discretely done. I really could see this done in the final product.