The cover for First Strike was commissioned by Henchman Press for a book by Christopher G. Nuttall, a popular science fiction and fantasy author on Amazon Kindle. The cover depicts a climactic space battle near Earth, between humans and technologically-superior aliens, that will decide the fate of humanity. “More explosions” was an explicit instruction at one point.
I designed the typography to be both futuristic and dynamic, and the placement of the planet (a public domain photo) and the way it curves behind the battle is meant to invoke a sense of movement. Both spaceships were illustrated by hand and then coloured and textured in Photoshop.
The best defense…
Starting a war with an enemy a hundred times stronger is insane. It’s desperate. And it’s Earth’s only hope.
A massive alien power looms over humanity, claiming Earth as its territory and humanity as its slaves. The Hegemony has already taken over one colony, yoking hundreds of thousands under their brutal rule. Every tactical exercise, every wargame and every simulation gives humanity zero chance in a defensive campaign.
Earth’s only chance to win the coming war – is by striking first.
Buy the book: