Huge Cover Images from CNET article

[Plane Sailing]

As I understand it, some of WotC's European distributors balked at selling a product with "demonic imagery" on the cover.

I think it was Brazilian distributors

 

[Derren]

The PHB cover looks horrible.
The A&B pose of the female is ridiculous and the sword of the Dragonborn has Final Fantasy VII proportions. Its simply ugly.

 

[hong]

The A&B pose of the female is ridiculous and the sword of the Dragonborn has Final Fantasy VII proportions. Its simply ugly.

Well, as long as it's not anime.

 

[Derren]

Well, as long as it's not anime.

For that Orcus would need to grow long, blond hair.

 

[hong]

For that Orcus would need to grow long, blond hair.

Ah, blond hair is anime?

 

[Derren]

I see that you are nor familiar with DBZ.

 

[The Little Raven]

Ah, blond hair is anime?

Long blond hair. For example:

 

[hong]

I see that you are nor familiar with DBZ.

Please, Derren, tell us more about DBZ!

 

[Derren]

Please, Derren, tell us more about DBZ!

Sorry, I can't. I haven't the necessary skill of "spamming useless things" like you have.

 

[Blacksmithking]

It looks like the artist was experimenting with foreshortening, as in the Dead Christ by Andrea Mantegna. It doesn't work; the creatures on the covers look stumpy and disproportioned. Orcus, or whatever creature graces the MM, looks like a corpulent gnoll. It looks like I could trip him and spin him around while he's helpless on his back like a turtle. The arms and armor of the dragonborn lack any verisimilitude. Why are his joints exposed, and why doesn't his armor provide glancing surfaces? Why is he wielding some bizarre metallic club? Then there's the wizard. She's running around with a boob window and bare midriff that shows off her medieval spray tan. She's wearing a skirt or half-robe that'd keep tripping her.