Judging a magazine by its cover
September 28, 2017 2:19 PM Subscribe
The New Yorker's covers are among the most iconic aspects of one of America's most iconic magazines. Many of the most famous feature allusions to the eponymous city. But what if the magazine didn't call New York home? Groups of illustrators have proven that the quality of the covers, at least, wouldn't suffer at the Parisianer and the Tokyoiter.
Well, some of the most beautiful New Yorker covers were done by a Frenchman, Sempé? (Sorry, not too sure how to do links, I hope that works). No reason the vision shouldn't be applicable elsewhere.
(As a resident of Japan's Second City I kind of resent the Tokyoiter, which I hadn't heard of before, on principle, but boy that Mateusz Urbanowicz one is pretty.)
posted by huimangm at 2:49 PM on September 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
(As a resident of Japan's Second City I kind of resent the Tokyoiter, which I hadn't heard of before, on principle, but boy that Mateusz Urbanowicz one is pretty.)
posted by huimangm at 2:49 PM on September 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
Nice. The Tokyoiter captures the whimsy of New Yorker covers, but none of the controversial political/cultural commentary they sometimes feature.
posted by kozad at 3:18 PM on September 28, 2017
posted by kozad at 3:18 PM on September 28, 2017
No "View of the World from Meiji-Dori"?
It would be neat if they did faux-retro Toyoiter covers from past decades.
posted by Sangermaine at 4:12 PM on September 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
It would be neat if they did faux-retro Toyoiter covers from past decades.
posted by Sangermaine at 4:12 PM on September 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
Perplexion: That's magical. Thanks for the link.
posted by ALeaflikeStructure at 4:28 PM on September 28, 2017
posted by ALeaflikeStructure at 4:28 PM on September 28, 2017
I would like to live in Tokyoiter
posted by postcommunism at 4:55 PM on September 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by postcommunism at 4:55 PM on September 28, 2017 [2 favorites]
Those Tokyoiter covers are fantastic. I know this because after looking at them for five minutes I wish I lived there.
posted by gwint at 5:45 PM on September 28, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by gwint at 5:45 PM on September 28, 2017 [3 favorites]
the controversial political/cultural commentary they sometimes feature.
They political covers are not really controversial given the New Yorker audience, and they're rarely clever in their own right, but "pass" because they happen to occupy the most prestigious real estate in the world of magazines.
I buy the New Yorker for art and articles outside my common experience. So, for instance, I hardly need the New Yorker to remind me that Trump's an idiot. Pretty much every other publication I read has adopted "Trump's an idiot" as their primary thematic. Plus, I could figure it out on my own.
I look forward the New Yorker covers that glorify the city's quotidian life, reveal a small irony, or a refer to some subtle urban experience only New Yorkers would appreciate -- executed with artistic panache.
posted by Modest House at 8:02 PM on September 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
They political covers are not really controversial given the New Yorker audience, and they're rarely clever in their own right, but "pass" because they happen to occupy the most prestigious real estate in the world of magazines.
I buy the New Yorker for art and articles outside my common experience. So, for instance, I hardly need the New Yorker to remind me that Trump's an idiot. Pretty much every other publication I read has adopted "Trump's an idiot" as their primary thematic. Plus, I could figure it out on my own.
I look forward the New Yorker covers that glorify the city's quotidian life, reveal a small irony, or a refer to some subtle urban experience only New Yorkers would appreciate -- executed with artistic panache.
posted by Modest House at 8:02 PM on September 28, 2017 [1 favorite]
I'd subscribe to this, and have the same awful grimace as the New Yorker in that I read about all the great events that were happening over there and not where I live in a flyover state.
posted by nickggully at 8:28 PM on September 28, 2017
posted by nickggully at 8:28 PM on September 28, 2017
I'm not really interested in the new yorker as a magazine, but I'd probably consider subscribing to a service that mailed me just the cover regularly to put on my wall for a little while
posted by vibratory manner of working at 9:58 PM on September 28, 2017
posted by vibratory manner of working at 9:58 PM on September 28, 2017
My favourite from this genre is The Morporkier.
posted by kmt at 12:28 AM on September 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by kmt at 12:28 AM on September 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
Loved the Tokyoiter covers but really, that name's gotta go, too ungainly (it looks too much like "goiter" to me). Do English-speaking residents of the metropolis really call themselves that? I'd go with the more accurately native 東京人(Tokyo Hito -- or would that be Tokyo Jin?) Anyway, thanks.
posted by Rash at 10:03 AM on September 30, 2017
posted by Rash at 10:03 AM on September 30, 2017
I'd go with the more accurately native 東京人(Tokyo Hito -- or would that be Tokyo Jin?)
That would be Tokyo-jin, but nobody cares about that unless you're an Edokko - a "child of Edo" (i.e. a third-generation Tokyoite).
posted by Umami Dearest at 4:51 AM on October 1, 2017
That would be Tokyo-jin, but nobody cares about that unless you're an Edokko - a "child of Edo" (i.e. a third-generation Tokyoite).
posted by Umami Dearest at 4:51 AM on October 1, 2017
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