MarkLives.com runs a regular slot featuring the best local and international magazine covers every week. We recognise well thought out, powerful and interesting (and hopefully all three in one) magazine covers and celebrate the mix of pragmatism, creativity and personal taste that created each of them. By media blogger MediaSlutZA.
INTERNATIONAL
FACTICE, May / June 2012
With our weekly post of 14 October 2011 we chose the Schön cover (issue 14) with Rick Genest (Zombie Boy) as one of our favourites. A few magazines have hoped to copy the shock-factor by placing Rick Genest on their cover, but unfortunately it just lacked something, or looked cheap. Not so Factice magazine (May/June 2012) which features the (strange) beauty which is Zombie Boy on its latest cover.
TurboJet Horizon, May 2012
I know, I know. A lot of Photoshop time has gone into creating the cover of this magazine for ferry operator TurboJet. But no one can say that it’s not very effective and hits you like a ball in the eye! I honestly think some of our local sports magazines can take a few tips on their covers from this publisher.
ARTnews, May 2012
“Naked or Nude.” This is definitely one of those easy and simple but very effective coverlines that makes you think about the subject at hand. It can also be read and understood in so many different ways. But in this case, I’m sure the debate will not be about the coverline, but rather the model and the striking image. Very appropriate subject matter for a magazine about Art.
LOCAL
Getaway, May 2012
And Getaway does it again! They’ve been on this list a few times now but they deserve it! The covers and content are just getting better and better and definitely sets the mood for what to expect once start paging through the book.
Rolling Stone, May 2012
Spoek is still very low on my radar but it seems like he shouldn’t be. This kind of cover image is what Rolling Stone South Africa should be focussing on for future issues – they seem to be doing it right and it works for them! The article itself is also extremely interesting. They shouldn’t syndicate covers, but rather create our own local covers that are of international standard by itself.
– The (for now anonymous) blogger behind MediaSlutZA knows way too much for his own good about media in South Africa. Magazines in particular. His mission is to show when South African magazines might fail, but most importantly, succeed. If you’re looking for a library about South African magazines and news, your one-stop pitstop is MediaSlutZA. #MagazinesForTheWin
– Find a cover we should know about? Tweet us @marklives and @mediaslutza