Beware of What You Fear

After much deliberation and thinking, there really wasn't any cover monster that I could think of that has scared me. At least enough to prevent me from buying the book, or if I did, to warrant nightmares thereafter. Comic monsters are a little hokey by today's cinema standards. Hands raising through floorboards of a decrepit house to an alligator headed man monster were a couple that came to mind, but pale in comparison to "The Grudge" ghost or a certain child in "The Exorcist". (The latter which I'll never own a copy of nor bring 'cross my threshold.)


However, it is possible to create a visual tie-in with our innate fears and exploit those fears. If your greatest fear is an unknown threat, then covers that feature bystanders about to become eviscerated by a monstrous creature may be your forte. House of Secrets, House of Mystery, and The Witching Hour were able to capitalize on great suspense covers in this particular fear.


If your fear is necrotic driven, then Zombies, being buried alive, and being eaten alive may be closer to what sends you running.

My personal fears of drowning or dying of some unknown disease have also been exploited in some fashion, but don't keep me up at night.

What, then, can we put on a good cover, that affects us personally? How are our personal fears being exploited and did it merit buying the book in hopes of our own personal salvation?

I guess some fears are more universal than others and thus get more ink time.

Though a cover of someone breathing their last minutes, dying of cancer, with no loved ones around is horrifying, give me space zombies about to devour lovers in the park, at night, anytime.