Chip Kidd: Behind the Covers of Jurassic Park, Batman, dan Cheese Monkey
written by Dhanurendra Pandji
“A book cover is a distillation. It is a haiku, if you will, of the story,” - Chip Kidd, TEDTalks: Designing books is no laughing matter. OK, it is.
Chip Kidd is a graphic designer that one can say has been one of, if not the most influential figure in modern book covers. Take a look at the cover of 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami, Naked by David Sedaris, American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis, as well as The Road by Cormac McCarthy. His approach of blending graphic art and narrative techniques has transformed the way we view book covers. One of Kidd’s most iconic designs is the T-rex fossil silhouette on the cover of Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. An achievement which he will always highlight in his biography.
For Chip Kidd, cover designs aren’t merely a marketing device for books. In an interview for Smashing Magazine, Kidd said, “People tell me they buy books for their covers. But it’s not a sales tool in the sense of ‘you’re going to buy it because you like that cover.’” Book covers are the face of the books themselves, meaning that they are one unified entity. Book covers also aren’t created to explain the book, rather the cover should “get you to open the book and start to read it and investigate it,” Kidd explained in conversation with Spyros Zevelakis on the marketing aspect of a book. At that point, to him, the book itself will determine whether it will sell itself to the audience. It’s clear that Kidd truly comprehends his position as a designer. In that same interview, he drew a clear line between the role of the artist and the designer. He does not view his practice as personal expression. In principle, cover designs always adjust themselves to the artwork provided, not the other way around. With this approach, Kidd creates covers that not only catches the eye, but also enriches the reading experience from the first glance.
Kidd grew up together with American pop culture. Between the pages of Batman and Superman comics, he built an interest in graphic design. Beyond being a renowned designer, this Pennsylvanian-born creative is also an avid fan of Batman. His obsession with comics has never faded. His first book as writer, designer, and art director is Batman Collected, published by Bulfinch in 1996. He was also involved with the crss-cultural archive reinterpretation project Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan in 2008. On top of this, he also collaborated in other comic projects including Watching the Watchmen: The Definitive Companion to the Ultimate Graphic Novel with Dave Gibbons, The Complete Peanuts with Charles Schulz, and Fantastic Four No. 1: Panel by Panel by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
While the design profession often acts behind the scenes, Kidd feels that his big reputation in the design world is a consequence of his occupation. After completing his studies in Graphic Design at Pennsylvania State University, he kicked off his career at Knopf, a Random House publication line, in 1986. There he designed around 75 book covers for big-name writers each year. He doesn’t subscribe to any particular design sect, he doesn’t prioritize his personal style in his designs. Rather, he relies on his visual sensibilities and adapts to each book he takes on. Each book discusses something unique that requires treatment specific to that book. That is why Kidd takes a different approach with each book cover he designs. He explained to Zevelakis that book cover designers, from all corners of the world, will always receive credit in his work. As time passed, more and more people began to recognize his name from the books they’ve read.
When designing book covers, Chip Kidd often takes the “visual paradox” approach by displaying something that may look simple visually but holds a complex meaning. For example, in an interview with Guy Raz for TED Radio Hour, he discusses how his initial process for the design of Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park cover began with a question, “How do we make this look like what it is which is a book about dinosaurs unlike any other book you've ever read about them?” As we now know, Kidd found a solution to his problem by displaying a silhouette of a T-rex fossil that he found at a museum to depict the opposite of the story—the resurrection of dinosaurs through genetic recreation. He implemented a similar approach on the Augusten Burroughs memoir titled Dry. He wanted the book to deceive the reader, leaving a sense of hopeless despondence and denial often associated with alcoholics. Kidd diffused the ink of the printed title in water to create a paradoxical effect between the title and the visual impression.

On the cover of Naked by David Sedaris, Kidd leaves the reader ample room for imagination to fill the narrative by exploiting the technique of euphemisms. Kidd portrays white underwear, the last layer of clothing towards complete nudity, without directly showing nudity. Kidd intentionally leaves plenty of room for interpretation to reflect the theme of “naked”, both physically and emotionally.
One of the most prominent works by Chip Kidd is his design for 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. In this novel, Kidd uses a transparent layer to create a multi-dimentional visual experience. The semi-transparent on the cover depict two parallel realities, reflecting the core theme of the novel. In a way, Kidd created his own dramaturgy on this 1Q84 cover. This design allows the reader to “open” another layer of the story even before diving into the meat of the book. On top of functioning as a protective layer, the cover also becomes part of the reading experience itself.
Not just recognized as a book cover designer, Chip Kidd is also a writer that has successfully imbued his design sensibilities into the literary world. In his debut novel, Cheeze Monkeys (2001), Kidd explored the experience of a graphic arts student in the 50s in pursuit of understanding the essence of design. Through sharp and witty narration, Kidd infuses design principles into the story structure. Not only does the novel discuss design, but it is also designed with a visual approach that strengthens its core themes; like a cover that emulates the cover of classic graphic arts text books. Its sequel, The Learners (2008), delves deeper into the moral and emotional themes of the world of professional design, primarily when a character is involved in a famed Yale psychology experiment, the Milgram experiment. Here, Chip Kidd uses a graphic element often used in noir film posters to reflect the psychological tension in the story.
Kidd is somewhat conservative in his view of visual works. In the seeming twilight of print with the rise of digital books, he never lost faith in the medium of print. “Again, I’m like the worst person at predicting anything. What we’ve seen is that material that people want to read and keep will keep print alive. Material that people want to read and discard are the things in jeopardy. I’ve been lucky: I work at Knopf. What does that mean? It means mostly what I’m designing are first editions of literature. They are by their very existence archival: you feel strange throwing a hardcover book away. You maybe give it to someone, donate it, but you don’t put it in the trash,” Kidd reiterated in Chip Kidd ‘Gasp! You Did It!’ for the 33rd edition of CAROUSEL magazine. “With comics, especially with all the various formats, their whole raison d’être is as a ‘thing’. Certainly web comics are a phenomenon and people like them, but I don’t see it challenging the print market. Print is evolving, but it’s always evolving,” he continued. He praised the uniqueness of the print medium. In that same interview, he stated that he had disagreed with “cleaning up” old printed covers as that actually diminished the grain, color, and various visual elements of the old print. To him, these covers hold archival value. He enjoys memorabilia, books, comics, and other collectible items as aesthetic objects due to their irreplaceable physical experience.
Through a unique approach, Chip Kidd has turned design into a narrative thread that bridges form and content. From the iconic T-rex silhouette for Jurassic Park to the multi-dimentional transparency in 1Q84, all of Kidd’s designs reflect a deep visual sensibility and comprehension of a story’s essence. Kidd showcases his understanding that books are physical objects that involve an interaction between visuals and touch, turning design into an integral part of the reading experience. One could say that his success goes beyond the publishing world. Kidd’s works are an immeasurable legacy not only in graphic design but also in pop culture.
Images Sources
The Learners: Simon & Schuster
Batman Collected: Batman News Batman: Death by Design Review
1Q84: https://blog.carouselmagazine.ca/from-the-archive-c33-laliberte-vs-kidd/
Fantastic 4: Goodreads Fantastic Four No. 1
Watchmen: Penguin Random House
Naked: Goodreads Naked by David Sedaris
Bat-Manga: Amazon.com Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan
American Psycho: Bad Reputation American Psycho
Jurassic Park: Love in the Time of Chasmosaurs: Chip Kidd
Cheese Monkeys: Simon & Schuster