ABSTRACT
One of the distinguishing characteristics of science fiction considered as a commercial genre is the way that publishers have orchestrated a relationship between illustration and text. The value placed on illustration has taken place in order to both widen and sustain its market appeal at different stages during the genre’s popular development. As such the iconography and visual nature of the narrative is a prominent aspect of the genre’s history and movement across media forms. Interviews with artists and science fiction editors in publications such as Foundation, Extrapolation Vector and the Science Fiction Research Association Newsletter can provide empirical insights into publishers’ perspectives about the use of cover art and illustration. However, this discussion is concerned with understanding the way in which booksellers and consumers make use of this specific marketing of the genre especially within mainstream rather than specialised retailing. Interaction with consumers and the context of their consumption contributes to an understanding of science fiction as a cultural product. Such a premise enables the researcher to be self-reflexive about their interpretations of texts. Moreover the questions that are raised by the discovery of cultural practices associated with reading and book buying shapes an understanding of how popular fiction’s social impact can be subject to further study.
