As graphic design lead for Chthonic Lit, I create cover art and interior graphics that try to channel the spirit of classic speculative fiction magazines. Each volume borrows its visual language from a different mid-century zine, beginning with Worlds of If (1952–74), a magazine known for its sharp typography, bold covers, and willingness to embrace the bizarre. My design approach follows that balance: clean grids and controlled type framing striking, often spooky imagery. The result is (I hope) a contemporary homage to twentieth-century sci-fi publishing.
Remixed sources:
Cover photo: Ablation flutes in glacier caves. American Caves and Caving by William R. Halliday, 1982.
Photo for “The Cave”: Oolites in Carlsbad Cavern. American Caves and Caving by William R. Halliday, 1982.
All other photographs: Nature through Microscope & Camera by Richard Kerr, 1909 (Photography by Arthur E. Smith)
Radula of Whelk, Sting of Nettle, Human Blood, Portion of Beetle’s Eye, Human Skin, Vertical Section, Circlet of Hooks on a Scolex, Section of Human Lung