Cover of the Week Air Ace Picture Library 261 Pacific Invasion!

You could be forgiven for believing that World War 2 in the Pacific only involved 2 combatant nations. However the cover of Air Ace Picture Library 267 Pacific Invasion leaves little doubt on who they were and what was involved.

A lone British fighter appears to be taking on the might of the Imperial Japanese Navy during an invasion. The awkwardly placed and politically incorrect cutaway says it all "As the Japanese hordes swarmed ashore, the Warhawks dived - to destroy".

The water is a beautiful blue - it doesn't look right. However I have seen the turquoise blue of the Coral Sea and I can only say that the artist may have got it right.

On the down side those landing craft look a little bit clumsy and those big ships look a little too close to the shore for my liking. As stated before the cutaway doesn't do too much either.

However I love the smoke trails from those guns (or rockets) and that beautiful blue water. 7/10

Cover of the Week Air Ace Picture Library 316 Flying Joker

It always stirs the heart to see an Allied biplane pilot giving his Hun adversary a bit of what for. There's no doubt it has been a bit of a jolly struggle to get to this point - as the holes in the English aircraft testify.

There's been some attempt to convey historical accuracy but that's not important here. I'm a little confused by what appears to be an unsupported strut in the middle of the pilot's view and I don't believe the earth and sky have ever been that colour yellow at the same time.But damn it works!

Despite my pedestrian understanding of art and my strong felt prejudices against Dogfight Dixon I really like this cover. Everything comes together to make you want to pick up Air Ace 316 Dogfight Dixon and the Flying Joker and read it. Everything from the holes in the wing and fuselage, the burning plane, the flight attitudes of the two aircraft, the cut out flash in red and the entertaining title font to act as motivators that say "pick me up".

As covers go 9/10 easy.