Synopses & Reviews
Foss’s groundbreaking and distinctive science fiction art revolutionized paperback covers in the 1970s and 80s. Dramatically raising the bar for realism and invention, his trademark battle-weary spacecraft, dramatic alien landscapes and crumbling brutalist architecture irrevocably changed the aesthetic of science fiction art and cinema.
Featuring work for books by Isaac Asimov, E. E. ‘Doc’ Smith, Arthur C. Clarke, A. E. Van Vogt and Philip K. Dick, and film design for Ridley Scott and Stanley Kubrick, this volume brings together many rare and classic images that have never been seen or reprinted before. The first comprehensive retrospective of Chris Foss’s SF career.
“Chris Foss’ name has become pre-eminent among sf artists... He is in love with the monstrous, with angular momentum, with inertia-free projectiles and irresistable objects.” — Brian Aldiss
“[Foss’] creations are real machines, not just an artist’s dreams. They combine the two elements so essential to science fiction: realism and a sense of wonder... A medieval goldsmith of future eons.” — Alejandro Jodorowsky
Synopsis
With his spectacular spaceships, intricate machines and futuristic cities, Chris Foss revolutionized the science fiction book covers of the 1970s and 1980s.
Over the years he has worked on the original black and white edition of The Joy of Sex, produced covers for Isaac Asimov's Foundation Trilogy, Arthur C. Clarke's Earthlight, and Philip K. Dick's We Can Build You and The Bicentennial Man. Foss worked with H.R Geiger on concepts for the unrealized Dune movie, and on the original Alien and Superman movies!
Hardware is the definitive comprehensive collection of the covers that Chris Foss created for many science fiction classics, including the Foundation Trilogy, E.E 'Doc Smith's Lensman series, and works by A.E Van Vogt and Philip K. Dick and includes forewords by acclaimed comics and conceptual artist Moebius and avant-garde filmmaker/playwright/composer/writer Alejandro Jodorowsky.
This title has been designed by Rian Hughes - a graphic designer and artist particularly noted for his work on 2000AD titles in the 1990s - including Robo Hunter and Dan Dare - and his logo and font designs.
About the Author
Chris Foss's evocative science fiction book covers pioneered a much-imitated style featuring vast, colourful spaceships, machines and cities. He also illustrated the original black and white edition of
The Joy of Sex. He produced the UK pb covers for Asimov’s
Foundation Trilogy, worked with H.R. Geiger on concepts for the unrealised Jodorowsky
Dune movie and on
Alien, as well as on
Superman.
Rian Hughes is an award-winning graphic designer, illustrator, font designer and comics artist, noted for his work on 2000AD, and Dan Dare. His illustration work is highly distinctive, wearing its design influences on its sleeve. Clients include Virgin Airways, Penguin Books, DC Comics (for whom he has designed numerous logos), Eurostar, the BBC and a range of magazines and newspapers. He is the editor and designer of several books including Lifestyle Illustration of the 60s and the recently released Cult-ure.
"One of the most successful and prolific designer/illustrators of the past 20 years." — Roger Sabin, Eye magazine