Chris ware's "Fortune" magazine cover cuts a little too close to the bone; rejected

Cafe Society
1

Because this is about art and magazines, i thought it could go here. If you want to move it to MPSIMS, or somewhere else, be my guest.

Anyway, Fortune magazine commissioned artist Chris Ware to design a cover for it’s “Fortune 500” issue. See if you can see why the editors rejected his submission:

If they had run with this, i would have bought a copy just for the cover.

NOTE: Make sure you enlarge the picture for a better view

2

I think it’s pretty obvious. Fortune magazine gets a lot their stories because to their access to the top levels of corporations. Print a cover like this, and not only do you damage the Fortune 500 brand, you also cause a lot of doors to be slammed in your face.

3

IMHO it’s not the slamming of companies, it’s the proliferation of aircraft flying towards large buildings…?

4

I was about to mention that as well… there are two sets of planes near the buildings, one of which seems to have flown through a building.

5

Parts are funny, but I don’t think I get it overall. Are all the big corporations in Canada?

6

Jeez, we’ve got a rather literal bunch around here.

The question about why it got rejected was intended to be largely rhetorical. I thought it was pretty clear why the editors of Fortune wouldn’t want this cover for their magazine. And i really don’t think it has much to do with planes.

7

I didn’t get it either until I clicked on it and enlarged it - some highlights:

[spoiler]- planes flying from the left side of the picture into the 500 building

  • A sign by some decrepit houses reading “Toxic Asset Acres”
  • a gas station labeled Greenspan Lubepro with a for sale sign on it - i.e., Greenspan was just the grease for the I-Bankers to do their thing
  • A building labeled Cash Loans for House Titles with a closed sign on it
  • A building labeled Credit Default Swap Flea Market
  • A building labeled Your Bank with FDIC agents approaching it
  • A building labeled Stocks and Bonds Casino
  • A factory labeled Fabrica de Exploitacion
  • The Oracle Buffet (i.e., Warren Buffet) - with an All You Can Eat sign on it
  • a sandbagged foxhole with stick figures armed and defending boxes with Food and H20 labels on them…
    [/spoiler]

There’s plenty more but you get the idea. A bit of a thumb in the eye by Ware to Fortune - ya think?

ETA: mhendo, I just couldn’t read it at first - I suspect that may be the case for othe Dopers, too - I didn’t know I could enlarge it until I randomly clicked on it…

8

I couldn’t read it either until I enlarged it. Now I get it. It is funny, though.

9

I’m surprised they’d pick Chris Ware for this, frankly. I thought all of the little black humor details on the bottom were subtle compared to what he could have done on that cover.

10

Yeah, I like CW, but how did they find their way to him? (He stills gets the commission, right?)

11

Tea party in the middle…Guantanamo…houses under water…401K cemetary…

Priceless.

12

Frankly, I think this satire’s pretty tame compared to some I’ve heard. And thought.

If the financial big shots get their feelings hurt by this sort of stuff, they’re going to be mighty miffed when the revolution comes. If only we could get off our fat asses and get one going.

13

I love the fact that the Tea Party’s teapot is also an elephant.

14

I really like this, a ton. I can also see why the fat cats at Fortune (and presumably, their readers) would hate it though. And I totally agree with Two Many Cats.

15

I assume you’re referring to the three planes about to crash into the building, but Greenspan’s LubePro is a pretty blatant reference to anal rape for a magazine like Fortune.

16

I don’t get the little people worshipping the fiddler on the roof. Is it because I was only 9 years old when I saw that play? What does the fiddler himself represent?

ETA: All told, I think it’s brilliant. Can’t wait to forward it to all my GOP buddies!

17

I think the fiddler is Warren Buffet.

18

Wow, this is brilliant. I would have loved to see them run with this, but I can see how it’s kind of counter to their whole message of celebrating big business.

Full disclosure: I work for a Fortune 500 company.

19

Think Nero, TruCelt, not Tevya.

20

Anyone know what the artist over in California next to the movie set is doing?

That elephant tea kettle is brilliant. I’m on the opposite side of those folks, but if I agreed with them, I’d push to adopt it as a mascot.