10. Wired (June 1997)
iPray
I
personally bought this issue of Wired, being a huge Apple fan, and
still have it to this day. The graphical power of this cover is amazing
and the desperation of Apple is evident. If you were a computer owner,
PC or Apple, this cover was of interest. Depicting the impending death
of the biggest brand on the planet, at the time, was bound to stir up
trouble. The article inside, “101 Ways to Save Apple,” is great reading
especially now that Apple is dominating the creative/tech landscape.
9. Entertainment Weekly (May 2, 2003)
Three Chicks in Trouble
Being
naked on the cover is nothing new these days but The Dixie Chicks
appear naked on this cover of Entertainment Weekly with tattoos that
read “Boycott,” “Traitors,” “Dixie Sluts” and “Proud Americans” on their
bodies. This was on the heels of Dixie Chick member Natalie Maines
criticisms of the impending invasion of Iraq by America. Some Americans
boycotted The Dixie Chicks music and concerts for months even after this
issue allowed them to further speak their mind
8. TIME (April 8, 1966)
Rumors of My Death…
Any
time someone questions God you are going to get controversy and this
Time magazine cover from April 8, 1966 was no exception. This was the
first time the magazine used an all type cover, but the question “Is God
Dead?” was the bigger issue and the article inside which preached the
“death of God” inflamed readers.
7. TIME (January 2, 1939)
For Better or Worse
On
January 2, 1939, Time Magazine published its annual Man of the Year
issue. For the year 1938, Time had chosen Adolf Hitler as the man who
“for better or worse” had most influenced events of the preceding year.
The cover picture featured Hitler playing “his hymn of hate in a
desecrated cathedral while victims dangle on a St. Catherine’s wheel and
the Nazi hierarchy looks on.”
6. Babytalk (August, 2006)
The Breast of Ideas
Readers
of the August 2006 US parenting magazine, Babytalk were up in arms over
the publication’s cover depicting a woman breastfeeding, with many
calling the photo offensive and disgusting. The whole point of the cover
was to bring focus to the controversy surrounding breastfeeding in the
United States, where a survey found that 57 percent were opposed to
women breastfeeding in public.
5. Vogue (April, 2008)
Twas Beauty That Killed The Beast
One
of the more recent covers to illicit controversy was the Vogue cover
with basketball superstar LeBron James who shares the April cover of the
magazine with supermodel Gisele Bundchen. The controversy stems from
the opinion that his screaming face and cradling of a blond woman has
racial overtones in its resemblance to the movie poster of King Kong and
Fay Wray.
4. Art Monthly (July, 2008)
In the Eyes of the Beholder…
Art
Monthly, Australia magazine sparked outrage over naked images of
children by publishing an image of a six-year-old Olympia Nelson on its
July cover and two shots inside. The magazine’s editors said the images
were chosen as a protest against an uproar over similar pictures by
artist Bill Henson. The shot of Olympia was taken in 2003 by her mother,
Melbourne photographer Polixeni Papapetrou.
I have blurred portions of the photo as not to offend any readers. You can see the unedited version on the Art Monthly site.
3. Playboy (October 1971)
Black and White
While
many Playboy covers can be considered controversial, this cover makes
the list for breaking the color barrier which features an
African-American on the cover for the first time. Darine Stern sits in a
Playboy bunny chair on this October 1971 Playboy cover.
2. Golfweek (January, 2008)
Controversy becomes Controversy
Even
in today’s more enlightened age Golfweek pushed the envelope a little
too far. On Jan. 19, 2008 Golfweek magazine chose the image of noose to
illustrate a story about a TV anchor’s racially tinged comments, but the
graphically powerful photo of a noose became a controversy all its own.
The editor was fired after a public backlash of negative comments.
1. Esquire (April 1968)
Ouch, Standing Up for Beliefs Can Hurt
When
it comes to controversial covers it helps to start with a controversial
personality and Muhammad Ali was never one to hold his tongue or his
opinions. In this April 1968 Esquire magazine cover, “The Greatest Of
All Time” is depicted as the martyred Saint Sebastian, patron saint of
athletes. St. Sebastian was pierced with arrows for his religious
beliefs. Ali is similarly pierced by six arrows, as Esquire defended his
refusal to be drafted into the U.S. Army because of his own religious
beliefs. He was convicted of violating the Selective Service Act and
stripped of his title.
Honorable Mention
TIME (April 14, 1997)
Coming Out…Again
Yep,
she is gay and this cover came out and stated as much. Time magazine
featured Ellen DeGeneres with the words, “Yep, I’m Gay” in bright red
bold letters as part of Ellen’s coming out party, making her
television’s first openly gay star. The television character played by
DeGeneres on Ellen came out later that month. Coming out twice is quite
the feat, and doubly controversial.
