Comments | marrael: Even dragons can be whitewashed

marrael

Even dragons can be whitewashed

Jan 19, 2010 20:16

DragonFAIL! Check it out:
The Dragon and the Stars via jolantru

(It's not just cover girls anymore! See here.) via rosefox

Srsly, the dragon cover makes me all sorts of sad, because the title and contents are just so evocative. As I commented on rosefox's post (sorry, wasn't intending to hijack it): It frustrates me that a SFF anthology by authors of Chinese descent ( Read more... )

book covers, publishing

Comments 10

jolantru January 19 2010, 13:11:58 UTC

You know, for the alternate cover (and I really hope they go change the cover asap!), I envision a Chinese dragon in profile, holding spinning stars in one of its fore-claws. Of course, I can't draw for nuts. *lol*

marrael January 19 2010, 14:06:23 UTC

They probably won't change it. These are the same guys who did Zombie Raccoons & Killer Bunnies (oh, the heart breaks)...

marrael January 19 2010, 14:06:54 UTC

The publishing house I mean. Not the editors.

jolantru January 19 2010, 14:26:10 UTC

Ayeeeiiiiieee! *facepalm*

demonsismondo January 19 2010, 13:48:17 UTC

Oh brother. A Chinese dragon really would have been something of a no-brainer, wouldn't it?

marrael January 19 2010, 14:08:52 UTC

You've made me wonder now if perhaps they didn't do it that way because it was too easy. Ach.

(The comment has been removed)

marrael January 20 2010, 02:21:03 UTC

Yep, it is stock art, as Sean Wallace pointed out. I'd just thought stock art was only good for non-fantasy and YA books or books where the heroine has a back tattoo.

ngakmafaery January 19 2010, 22:40:06 UTC

...I think that IS their feeble effort, with what looks like a whip-thin tail and (on my poor-quality monitor) a longer thinner torso than the western ones usually have....can't see the toes well...but I expect they think they've not used a completely western-tradition form....

marrael January 20 2010, 02:23:06 UTC

The wings really place it as a non-Chinese dragon though!

wingstodust January 20 2010, 21:45:38 UTC

Honestly, when I clicked the link and saw the cover, I felt a small urge to cry. WHY is a Western dragon considered representative of an anthology that's supposed to showcase fantasy stories of the Chinese diaspora WHY?

I just, damn. Have no words.

(I say this as a Malaysian-Chinese Canadian, hence Chinese diaspora is very much a personal history for me...)