Behold, a striking composition of Mother and Babe. Jochebed and Moses. Mary and Child. Comrades, help yourself to the Anearth Fantasy Stories Poster (2600x1611 .jpg) ▼ pictured below…
Behold, a perverse crime against humanity: this beautiful artwork is shackled to hideous 3-D text effects. Indeed, the logo/title for Anearth Fantasy Stories (SCD) is a complete and utter abomination. As computer hardware and software improved in the 1990's, it became increasingly trendy to employ 3-D computer modeling in all aspects of design. Not even text was immune from this trend. Force-fed barrels of pap until it was engorged, the title logo for Anearth Fantasy Stories is about to burst and splatter gratutitous 3-D everywhere.
OBSCENE: The title logo is aesthetically bankrupt and barely legible.
WHOLESOME: If you thought the provacative cover art (Girls on Film) adorning this issue would slip by without mention, well, you were mistaken. You can read about Ms. Bunny's steamy photo/film shoot below.
Continued below…
GIRLS ON FILM…▲
This month's coverart has a unique and creative relationship to last month's cover. Wait? You did not immediately recognize the relationship? Fasten your eyes on the video monitor (in this month's cover) and compare the image to last month's cover.
ZOOM OUT: This month's cover provides the context for last month's cover. The metaphorical camera from last month has zoomed out to reveal a film shoot inspired, perhaps, by an iconic Duran Duran music video. Sadly, a giant tea pot was not featured in Duran Duran's steamy "Girls On Film" music video.
▲
So what? November's cover explains the origin of October's cover—who cares? Well, call me ignorant, but this sort of continuity was (is) not particularly common in mainstream print magazines. Sure, there have been publications with strong brands or mascots (who may, at times, be self-referential, such as Alfred E. Neuman of Mad Magazine), but the contextual relationship between the October and November issues of Dengeki (above) make for a unique experience.
SALES FIGURES: Dengeki's reliance on an attractive female mascot is further evidence that media companies will exploit soft porn/erotica to sell products to males of all ages. Video games, music, movies, magazines, manatees—it doesn't matter, the sales figures are more attractive when enticing female figures adorn the product.
▲
Return to top of page…