A selection of Retro Sci-fi magazine covers from “Visco – The Visual Index of Science Fiction Cover art” over at http://www.sfcovers.net/a fab archive, set up and maintained by Terry Gibbons.

Visco is much like http://www.coverbrowser.com/ in that it’s basically a database of scans & photographs, cataloging Science Fiction magazine publications from the 40′s right up through to the 90′s (why is it the 90′s designs are the worst? ). It’s an excellent little resource with art from many of the artists featured here, and whilst some of the scans aren’t of superb quality the diverse wealth of material more than makes up for it – a great read!

Notes on the above images:

(Top) 1981 cover art from Avatar creature designer Wayne Barlowe

(2nd Top) An action packed 1974 Cover from Tim White

(3rd Top) An astronaut in a familiar pose for this 1976 cover, art by David Bergen … If anyone knows any more about David please post a comment, there seems to be little info on him….

(Bottom) The instantly recognisble work of Leo & Diane Dillon art this time from 1972

Special thanks to Haniff for pointing me in the direction of Visco!

Two more samples from Wayne Barlowe’s fantastic Expidition Book (Published 1990). The “Daggerwirst” is an alien predator indigenous to Darwin IV, a fictional (or yet to be discovered!) planet in orbit around a binary star system very close to our own, all evolutionary design of course is hypothectical! These creature’s, of roughly man sized proportions communicate via sonar pings and swoop on their prey from the trunks and branches of  huge extraterrestrial trees…

I posted a previous featuere on the the expidition book back in July last year, as I mentioned then it’s basically a grown up version of Ricky Gervais’s Flanimals books, though of course predates them – in fact I wonder if Ricky referenced Wayne’s work? Anyway read a little bit more about the Daggerwrist and Darwin IV’s other exotic species via Wayne’s official gallery feature: http://www.waynebarlowe.com/expedition_pages/index_expedition.htm the book is also available to buy starting at $20 via Amazon.

Wicked Sci-Fi / Fantasy Art by American Artist Wayne Barlowe. Having an interest in decent Sci-fi Art means I’ve trawled though lots of, erm, not so decent Sci-fi art looking for stuff to post up here, but it’s worth it when something as original and whacked-out as this pops up! Initially I thought the wings were forward swept – which would of been even darker/better! – but actually the prong is the front, hence “Skewer”!

“Skewer” is part of Barlowe’s “Darwin IV Expedition” book which is kinda like a serious version the Ricky Gervais book “Flanimals” but thankfully, not drawn with felt tips. Wayne’s since worked on creature design for big time Hollywood films such as Galaxy Quest & Hellboy.

Read more about The Skewer and visit Wayne’s Site here, or better yet check out more info on the 2005 Pseudo Documentry based on “Expedition” at Imdb.com