Cover artists

[StooB]

There are quite a lot of re-releases on labels like Firebird, Silverbird, Players, Alternative and Winner that do have different artwork to the originals.

[Einar Saukas]

People from Sirius re-release #1:

I love the TopoSoft cover though! Really good, maybe by Alfonso Aspiri?

Yes, totally sure.

[Einar Saukas]

Yeah, I didn't comment on this one because I was thinking if there is a better way to solve this problem.

IMHO we have 2 good options:

• Modify the database so an author could be optionally associated with a specific release. For instance Mauro Spagnolo wouldn't be associated with any specific release of People from Sirius (he created the main game for all releases), but most other authors here would be associated specifically with the TopoSoft re-release only.

• Create a new type of note (perhaps called "Credits"?) to clarify these cases.

The first option above is technically very easy. It basically means:

Code: Select all

alter table authors add column release_seq smallint(6) null after author_seq;
alter table authors add constraint fk_author_release foreign key (entry_id, release_seq) references releases(entry_id, release_seq);

However it increases database complexity, and in practice we would probably want an explaining note anyway. Moreover it won't solve cases of separate credits in the same release, for instance:

Sector
Alter Ego 2
Moritz the Striker

These cases will always require notes. Therefore I'm more inclined to choose the second option.

Your thoughts?

[druellan]

Yeah, I think a new note type "credits" is perfect, since we have also other notes that can be added to that category. I saw you started to populate the new category, so I'm going to do the same if I find notes that worth to be ported to this group.

[StooB]

0009335 Fantasy World Dizzy Code Masters Ltd Alistair Graham
This should be Alastair Graham, as per Rock Star Ate My Hamster (and a load of other Codies ones)
His name is confirmed on his website: http://alagram.co.uk

There's nothing on that website to confirm they are the same person.

26268|Frankenstein Jnr: Allastair Graham
https://spectrumcomputing.co.uk/entry/2 ... nstein_Jnr

Per inlay:
"Illustration Allastair Graham"

from inlays:

Wizard Willy is Allastair Graham
Little Puff is Allastair Graham

Olli and Lissa 3 is Alastair Graham
Prince Clumsy is Alastair Graham
Fruit Machine Simulator 2 is Alastair Graham
Kamikaze is Alastair Graham (shown on the C64 inlay)

Rock Star Ate My Hamster is Alistair Graham on both the big box and budget releases
Bigfoot is Alistair Graham
Monte Carlo Casino is Alistair Graham

Retro Gamer also used "Alistair":


Alastair Graham seems to be the most common.

✓ Reviewed

[richl]

There's nothing on that website to confirm they are the same person.

I would repectfully disagree. His art confirms that they are the same person. Take a look at some of the pictures here and tell me that they're not the same style as the Codies inlays mentioned: http://alagram.co.uk/group/black-marks/

I think I found other examples before I came across his website but if you want more references then he's referred to as Alastair Graham in "The Story of the Oliver Twins" book by Fusion Retro Books: "We worked with great illustrators like Nigel Fletcher who did the first Dizzy cover and Treasure Island and Alastair Graham, an ex-Disney artist, who did great covers for Fantasy World Dizzy and others."

On the website I linked to he says: "I spent the intervening half-century working in the material world, first in animation, later as a freelance illustrator."

Starting to believe me now?

Obviously, we could just ask him via his contact form on the website and then we'll know for certain but I didn't want to bother him myself. If it does need to be proven 100% then I'm sure someone "official" here could ask if needs be?

EDIT: Re-reading what you put I realise that you agree with the spelling - i.e. it should be Alastair - but I'm sticking with my "it's him! It's HIM!!!" statement re the website Iinked to

[Rorthron]

His art confirms that they are the same person. Take a look at some of the pictures here and tell me that they're not the same style as the Codies inlays mentioned: http://alagram.co.uk/group/black-marks/

Historically I think we've avoided drawing firm conclusions based on artistic style, I suppose because it is subjective.

On the website I linked to he says: "I spent the intervening half-century working in the material world, first in animation, later as a freelance illustrator."

Unfortunately this doesn't prove he's the same illustrator (though, of course, he could be).

[richl]

Well, I still think there are a hell of a lot of co-incidences piling up here (he even lives/lived in the right neck of the woods for Codies) but I've sent him a message and hopefully we'll get a definitive answer one way or another. I hope it is him because otherwise I've bothered an innocent bystander about retrogaming drivel!

UPDATE: What a nice guy... and a quick reply too (something I don't take for granted in this day and age!). There's also potentially a nice little bonus here as well!!...

I'm guilty as charged, and it was definitely me. The original artwork has long since disappeared, but ( here's a sudden thought ! ) I could produce new and perhaps subtly adjusted and highly collectable versions if any of you retrogaming nerds might fancy such a thing.

Now, I think it would be polite to correct any misspellings of his name that have cropped up due to lax quality assurance at Codies' proof-reading department back in the day!

[druellan]

Now, I think it would be polite to correct any misspellings of his name that have cropped up due to lax quality assurance at Codies' proof-reading department back in the day!

I added all the misspelled names as nicknames for his real name, this way we preserve how he was credited on the games, but also his real name is going to be displayed.

[StooB]

* SNOWBALL (1983). On the ZXDB we have Godfrey Dowson credited as the artist. However this refers to a re-release of the game in a proper box, not to the amateurish first release of the game. According to the instructions manual on the DB the original artwork is by Tim Noyce and Peter Sherwood. I think this information should be added.

Done!
Also, there is proof of a re-release of the game, but on the ZXDB one 1983 release is listed.
We can add a second release. Based on the story about the cover art below, we can conclude the second release happened around 1984, after Return to Eden's release.

* RETURN TO EDEN (1984). According to this blog, the cover artist is Godfrey Dowson. Link: http://ifguide.if-legends.org/essays/Level-9.html

The same text is also referred on the Return To Eden Wikipedia entry for Silicon Dreams trilogy. Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Dreams

The game's first cover depicted a robot fighting a monster plant in Enoch. The robot resembled a comic book character, so to avoid legal troubles, Level 9 commissioned Godfrey Dowson to do a new cover. Dowson's illustration depicted another robot in the jungle looking towards Enoch. Level 9 was not satisfied with the result and asked Dowson to do it again. They liked the third cover so much, they hired Dowson to do artwork for the re-release of their old games as well as for their future titles.

Godfrey Dowson doesn't seem to be the artist of either of the Snowball covers. The later Snowball release is in the background of this photo in Micro Adventurer August 1984 - which was nearly six months before the first release of Return To Eden.

Godfrey Dowson's interpretation of Snowball is in Crash June 85 and looks like this:

✓ Reviewed

[druellan]

I also need to review the fact that the game got two releases before "Silicon Dreams". We have two different box art, and the folks at Generation-MSX got some interesting photos for both boxed versions: https://www.generation-msx.nl/software/ ... ease/3103/

Regarding the artist for the second release, I did some investigation at the time, but I'm not sure if I managed to have some real proof about the author.

Edit: there is a mention on this Wikipedia article, sadly, the source is lost: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Dreams
"The game's first cover depicted a robot fighting a monster plant in Enoch. The robot resembled a comic book character, so to avoid legal troubles, Level 9 commissioned Godfrey Dowson to do a new cover. Dowson's illustration depicted another robot in the jungle looking towards Enoch. They liked the second cover so much, they hired Dowson to do artwork for the re-release of their old games as well as for their future titles.[14]"

[StooB]

I also need to review the fact that the game got two releases before "Silicon Dreams". We have two different box art, and the folks at Generation-MSX got some interesting photos for both boxed versions: https://www.generation-msx.nl/software/ ... ease/3103/

Regarding the artist for the second release, I did some investigation at the time, but I'm not sure if I managed to have some real proof about the author.

Edit: there is a mention on this Wikipedia article, sadly, the source is lost: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicon_Dreams
"The game's first cover depicted a robot fighting a monster plant in Enoch. The robot resembled a comic book character, so to avoid legal troubles, Level 9 commissioned Godfrey Dowson to do a new cover. Dowson's illustration depicted another robot in the jungle looking towards Enoch. They liked the second cover so much, they hired Dowson to do artwork for the re-release of their old games as well as for their future titles.[14]"

Wayback Machine has the original source: https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060 ... vel-9.html

[druellan]

Thanks! On this text we can add a small detail about Return to Eden being released on October 1984.
Besides, based on this text, they decided to contract Godfrey Dowson just before the release of Return to Eden, again, October 1984. We don't know when the photo you provided was taken, but must be before August 1984 and the second edition of Snowball was there and I can't see other Dowson's jobs there, so...

[StooB]

* KNIGHT ORC (1987). Although Atari Legend website credits Steve Weston as the cover artist (Link: https://www.atarilegend.com/games/games ... me_id=3408), according to the instructions manual the game credits on the art department are as follow:

Original Paintings: Godfrey Dowson
Additional artwork: Neil Strudwick and Stuart Lee
Poster: Paul Human

✓ Reviewed

Knight Orc is Steve Weston:



and so is Silicon Dreams:



and Jewels of Darkness:


(Susan Rowe is currently credited for "Inlay/Poster Art" but she only did the artwork on the back of the instruction booklet)

[StooB]

Dark Sceptre

Cover by "Franklin" (signature in bottom right)

✓ Reviewed

This is Dewey Franklin


(left: signature from Dark Sceptre, right: signature from his page of "Fantasy works created between 1975-85")

✓ Reviewed