Sideshow; Tales of the Galactic Midway #1 Paperback Cover 1984

This paperback cover, Tales of the Galactic Midway #1, was painted by Don Ivan Punchatz. It’s a parade of otherworldly figures with a snake, a demon, and a Martian, all under a brooding, stormy sky. I’m trying to imagine the process of creating this piece. The artist probably worked layer by layer, starting with loose washes of color, gradually building up the details. The painting feels surreal, full of fantasy, inviting us into a carnival of the absurd. I wonder if the artist felt like he was conducting a bizarre, almost mystical performance, conjuring up these creatures from the depths of his imagination. The colours! A muted palette with pops of coral, emerald, and a sickly yellow. The artist embraces ambiguity, encouraging multiple interpretations. We don't know what is going on, or why, and that's okay. It's a painting about making the invisible visible, as all good paintings are.