March 29, 2015: Selecting The Car Wars Arenas Cover

Our Kickstarter project for Car Wars Arenas launches on March 31, 2015, and while discussing the project at the GAMA Trade Show I spent a little time talking about the cover artwork. The cover artwork was first created for Space Gamer #50, and as a kid it was always one of my favorite Car Wars images and I felt it should have been a book cover instead of just a magazine cover.

Well, one of the benefits of my position at Steve Jackson Games is that every now and then I get the opportunity to make a decision based solely on personal preferences. As the plan for Car Wars Arenas came together I started searching through the existing Car Wars back catalog for an appropriate cover. I first thought that the The AADA Duel Circuit: L'Outrance cover would be an excellent choice, but I quickly dismissed the idea because the art was already used for an arena project. I sifted through the options a bit more, but all along that Space Gamer #50 cover was in the back of my mind . . . and I quickly started checking our archives to see if the film was still available.

Not only was the film available, but the film was exactly where it should have been and was in much better condition than I had hoped. A quick visit with our production staff and we soon had the Car Wars Arenas artwork and cover design ready to go. And, maybe most important of all, one of my favorite pieces of Car Wars art from the eighties had finally made it to its rightful place as the cover of a Car Wars expansion.

Next? The Car Wars Arenas project on Kickstarter. Check back on March 31, 2015 and join us in making this box of arenas a reality.

-- Phil Reed