Since they started publishing books in 1997, the old familiar Oni Press logo has been this little demon, designed by Dave Gibbons himself, based on a trinket from Japan. He’s a scary little guy, and he mocks me. On the other hand, he adorned the covers of such wonderful comics as Scott Pilgrim, Local, Queen & Country, and everything else Oni has put out for the last 15 years.
Well, that’s all over.
From their press release, here’s Oni Editor-in-Chief James Lucas Jones:
“As Oni Press has evolved over the last several years, we felt it was time for a change. We’re not the same company we were in 1997 and Art Director Keith Wood has continually raised the bar in terms of our books’ design and packaging. It was time to let him loose on the company’s core iconography. Throughout 2011, Keith worked with Cory Casoni (Director of Sales & Marketing), Joe Nozemack (Publisher), and myself to narrow down the pool of potential designs and refine his initial concepts into the modern, versatile, and downright awesome logo that will soon adorn all of our new comics.”
So here’s the new stuff, which has a slight touch of the old stuff:
I loved the demon logo, but well, just have to get used to this one i guess..
Its a beaut!
i like how its used on the covers.
that laughing face thing was always pretty cool so it will be missed.
I love the owl logo but the whole thing together feels a bit too crowded. Im sure i’ll get used to it though
You see an owl? I had to look for that. I see a quarter of a face.
Don’t confuse the trade dress with the logo itself.
on second look, now i’m a bit confused. What is the actual lockup for the logo? Is it the trade dress thing with just the website in there instead of issue #. I dunno that’s congested.
I like the detail of the quarter face with the new Oni lettering next to it. I’d like to see that isolated in its own lockup (if that is to be the main logo)….and then the promo piece/ad they are showing changes it all up as well. Yeah they have lots of ideas here. Would like to see more of the identity system for this.
@ 1st I saw an owl an what appeared to be a ballsac in the lower right corner but nah it’s a quarter of a face
You guys are totally right, it’s part of the original face. But from now on, I will probably always just see an owl… :S
Not to be a nitpicky asshat (but I am) – but they got a black & a super-black fighting at odds in that logo.
Otherwise, I like it. Knee-jerk reaction is that it’s almost a little busy, but I like that the middle section can house the tagline or an issue # & info, & that the website is incorporated.
Seems like the trend is now to become more corporate/mainstream-looking both here & at DC.
Does anyone else see a chicken?
A chicken with boobs, no less.
I totally do. One direction it’s an owl under a moon. The other, it’s a chicken under a sun. 🙂
Is that…code?
But for WHAT?
@ Paul- from ‘psychobabel.net’:
“Chickens are agents of enlightenments in their adulation of dawn. “
I still see a bird. What part of the face is it suppose to be? Is the bird’s head supposed to be the eye?
Also I agree the two shade of black don’t quite work but I don’t mind it, I honestly hadn’t grown too attached to the old logo to care.
@kzap: It’s the eye, cheek bone, and half a nose.
@Maty – I knew what it was supposed to be but dammit, now all I can see is “a chicken with boobs”! Thanks a lot 😉
I like the use of the little triangular bit at the bottom when used in the “revolutionize” ad, and I get that it adds a “word balloon” feel to it, but… as a cover dress, that point at the bottom makes the logo feel to me like it’s unstable — like a top balancing on its point.
But in general I think it’s pretty decent.
I gotta be honestly, the drawing part of the logo isn’t great. Because I kept seeing the ‘Chicken With Boobs’ image for a while, until my brain clicked that was seeing half a face with a big cheek and a dot on his forehead.
Its not good when your logo doesn’t read instantly.
Also, I feel the entire logo is too large and boxy for its one good. The original ONI logo is a lot more elegant.
eh, old one was better.
I like it
I saw a face from the beginning but I see what everyone is seeing. I think I prefer Dave Gibbons version better.
Ok DC has one & Oni has one now. just waiting for Marvel to redesign its own logo as a response.
Matthew