We featured the 99-year old Tom Swift series recently, and now we're looking at the most recent update. Keeping a franchise like Tom Swift looking fresh after almost a century is a task that covers all aspects of book production.
Topics need to be up to the minute - for example, 30 years ago a big eco-doom worry was whether we were about to plunge into another ice age. Today, global warming is the thing to fret about. Tomorrow, who knows? So, whatever the plot, it needs to be an ‘of the moment’ pressing issue.
It’s the same with Tom’s inventions, which also need to keep abreast of latest findings. So recent titles have featured starships, black holes, and a host of other leading-edge science ideas.
Presentation is vital, as a book’s jacket is the primary sales tool, and the cover art needs to reflect the insides in an attractive way. So it’s interesting to see that Aladdin Books has given its Tom Swift Young Inventor series a fashionable anime-style graphic novel look (top pictures). Today’s Tom is envisioned as a streetwise lad wearing a back-to-front cap, though we’re not so sure about the cool-factor of that particular style, Aladdin.
Still, Aladdin’s Tom Swift book jackets look fresh and inviting, and that’s the thing. They also remind us (in a good way) of Jean Giraud ‘Moebius’, the great French bande dessinée artist, and visual genius behind several sci-fi movies. Starcruzer will be looking at the work of Moebius soon; meantime the picture (bottom) provides a snapshot of his imagery.
You can buy the new Tom Swift books at Amazon, here.
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