Adventures in Science Fiction Cover Art: Underwater Expeditions (futuristic submarines + underwater labs + sea monsters + cities), Part II
August 16, 2012 § 19 Comments
(Roger Stine’s cover for the 1979 edition of On The Run (variant title: Mankind on the Run) (1955), Gordon R. Dickson)
Part II of my Underwater Expeditions Series (Part I) is a veritable deluge of undersea wonders. Unusual monsters/aliens proliferate the seascapes — snapping at our aquatic heroes. A vast array of submersibles and submarines — including a mechanical whale equipped with a harpoon (Jack Coggins’ cover for the April 1957 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction) – trek across the oceanic expanses. Cities, ruins, hidden scientific facilities are all to be discovered amongst the seaweed and deep water trenches…
There is something so mysterious about the ocean depths — almost as alienating and frightening as space. Although due to our recent deep sea explorations increasingly less “unknown.” But the good episodes of Irwin Allen’s TV series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964-1968) and the best of the these covers still conjure tingling wonder — and fear….
Enjoy.
As always, are any of the books/novellas etc worth reading? I suspect the Arthur C. Clarke, Hal Clement, Andre Norton novels are competent…
(Darrell Sweet’s cover for the 1976 edition of Stellar Short Novels (1976), ed. Judy-Lynn del Rey)
(Uncredited cover for the 1981 edition of Love Not Human (1981), Gordon R. Dickson — cover looks like the work of Darrell Sweet)
(Rovert Fuqua’s cover for the November 1941 issue of Amazing Stories)
(James B. Settles’ cover for the December 1944 issue of Amazing Stories)
(Leo Ramon Summers’ cover for the July 1974 issue of Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact)
(John Schoenherr’s cover for the April 1967 issue of Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact)
(Kelly Freas’ cover for the October 1970 issue of Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact)
(H. R. Van Dongen’s cover for the November 1955 issue of Astounding Science Fiction)
(Ed Emshwiller’s cover for the March 1956 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction)
(Jack Coggins’ cover for the April 1957 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction)
(Wood’s cover for the August 1959 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction)
(Castellon’s cover for the October 1957 issue of If)
(Dean Ellis’ cover for the 1975 edition of Red Tide (1975). D.D. Chapman and Deloris Lehman Tarzan)
(Uncredited cover for the 1969 edition of The Caves of Karst (1969), Lee Hoffman (i.e. Shirley Hoffman))
(Uncredited cover for the 1974 edition of The Deep Range (1957), Arthur C. Clarke)
(Gordon’s cover for the 1957 edition of The Deep Range (1957), Arthur C. Clarke)
(Paul Lehr’s cover for the 1964 edition of The Deep Range (1957), Arthur C. Clarke)
(W. F. Phillipps’ cover for the 1970 edition of The Deep Range (1070), Arthur C. Clarke)
(Jack Gaughan’s cover for the 1973 edition of Ocean on Top (magazine publication 1967), Hal Clement)
(David Bergen’s cover for the 1976 edition of Ocean on Top (magazine publication 1967), Hal Clement)
(Ed Valigursky’s cover for the 1964 edition of Key Out of Time (1963), Andre Norton)
(W. Strudeski’s cover for the 1973 edition of Key Out of Time (1963), Andre Norton)
(Paul Lehr’s cover for 1967 edition of The Dolphins of Altair (1967), Margaret St. Clair)
For similar posts consult the INDEX
I like the futuristic version of the DSV Trieste on the Sphere edition of Ocean On Top. I wonder what the book is like though…
Me too (to both comments). I’ve only read Clement’s Iceworld (which was hilarious in a 1950s sort of way). He’s one of those authors I’ll get to eventually….
I’ve read Mission of Gravity – it’s typical clunky 1950s hard sf, with all the charm of a dead badger.
At least dead badgers have interesting pelts…
I’m also intrigued by Red Tide. Any writer with surname Tarzan deserves to be read.
Haha, according to isfdb it was originally her middle name — which means her parents CHOSE it for her — haha! But she made it her last name….
Another great collection of cover art. I always love looking at these visual themes you create. I especially remember the April 1967 Analog, The Caves of Karst and The Dolphins of Altair. Didn’t buy any of them, but I remember almost buying them because of their covers. I was always more of an outer space guy than inner space. Back in the 1960s there was lots of talk about colonizing the oceans. We don’t hear about that anymore, I wonder why?
Thanks! Paul Lehr (the Doplins cover) has the ability to grab and pull in… I suspect the novel is rather average
Perhaps there was fear of overpopulation and the idea that we might have to farm the oceans to support the population — we never talk about ocean farming any more… probably for good reason — another environment to transform/destroy.
Another stellar selection of covers. I must say that I was surprised that you`ve reached part two of this underwater theme and have not presented any of the Pohl/Kornbluth Undersea Quest, Undersea Fleet and Undersea City novel series. All with deserving covers. You may have to have a Part III. Nice job.
Thanks!
Yes I did
I used Undersea City in Part I…. But yes, not the others.
Those big glowing eyes on the Andre Norton cover are ridiculous. I’m not sure whether to be creeped out or intrigued.
Haha, I think the obscured nose — and thus strangely shaped face — is the creepy part!
One of the best collections of sf cover art you’ve posted yet. Some gorgeous/fun stuff in there. Blub.
Thanks! Personally, none of them stand out as exemplars of science fiction art. They are all average visually but as a group they are much more fascinating.
Finished ‘Under The City Of Angels’ by Jerry Earl Brown last night which fits nicely into this theme.
Thanks! I agree — I LOVE that cover…
http://www.isfdb.org/wiki/images/3/36/NDRTHCTFNG1981.jpg
I’ll put it in my part III when it I get around to it — I have at least other 10 images as well but I thought that this post one had plenty.
How was the book? I haven’t heard of the author before…
I enjoyed it up until near the end where the undersea and alien story lines were finally merged. Another one with a related cover I read several months ago was ‘The Man Who Lived in Inner Space’ by Arnold Federbush.
Cool. Was The Man Who Lived in Inner Space any good? I’m always curious about books/authors I’ve never heard of…
I think I have a copy of one of those two editions of Andre Norton’s Key Out of Time floating around somewhere (I forget which), but I never got around to reading it. One of these days! Anyway, both covers are really nice.