Cover
Title Page
Page 2-3
Page 6-7
Chapter Divider Page 51
Chapter Divider Page 117
I'll have to go back and check old entries, but I think I mentioned this before, Kamandi, is my favorite work of Jack kirby's. The story of a boy experiencing an unfamiliar world full of adventures is so engaging. Unlike his New Gods stories from this same time period, in some weird way this was more relatable to me.
Sometimes, I feel if I just use the same template as a previous book, that I'm somehow cheating. What I love about design, is getting an opportunity to do something different each time. Not to disparage my fellow designers, but there are some who continue to repeat themselves. I look at that two different ways, either they have no original ideas, or they are lazy. I'm not sure which one is worse. I believe I do take risks in my design, whether it's the use of color, type fonts, or how an image is cropped. Design should be exciting and maybe a little edgy. Not everyone is going to understand it or approve.
So with that little soap box moment over, let's move on...
Since this is volume 2, there are design elements I wanted to carry over from the first volume. I liked the use of the warning/hazardous signs, so I used those again, but in a slightly different context. I also continued the use of the grit and stains. What else would you expect in an apocalyptic world? Everything needs to look like it's survived an atomic war. The color palette is a slight curve from the previous use of blue and red. It's familiar but not repeating. Over all, even though there is a sense of chaos, there is balance and rhythm with the colored blocks which help anchor the designs. The use of the white box always brings the focus back to Kamandi.
One thing I do, which seems to be different then other designers is, I try to make the cover design connect with the guts of the book. I'm not sure why there is such a separation between those things. Sometimes the cover design is the last thing I do, instead of the first. After I've figured out the direction for the inside of the book, I'll make sure the color palette and design elements match the cover. Doesn't it make sense that they should work as a unit, instead of two individual pieces?
