Catch-22 book cover design. 

This is a non-official, self initiated, personal challenge project, that involved me re-jacketing books I already owned.

Initially I considered using the correct B-25 Mitchell bomber aircraft nose art that featured in the 1970s film… but it is a naked woman clutching a lightning rod and riding a phallic bomb, rodeo style. While the female character looks very strong and Zeus-like with teh lightning… it is all a bit sexist, pin-up, what with her wearing no clothes… which doesn’t feel right for a cover.

Instead, I borrowed the WWII US 553rd bomb squadron’s jacket patch art, which featured a scared looking cat clinging to a dropped bomb… which kinda reminded me of the war-shy protagonist of the story.

I understand the book was first published in 1961 by Simon & Schuster, so I used their old 60s logo… not that S&S would’ve placed it on the cover, bottom right. I also used an old quote from a newspaper that ceased trading in 1966.