Jan 2015 Economist Cover

This seemed the most appropriate forum to me, as the subject's conspiratorial nature is subjective, while the world leaders portrayed are not.

The Economist's cover for the January issue ("The World in 2015") struck me as a Sgt. Pepper-esque mishmash of world political and humanitarian leaders, with other obvious fictional and illustrative figures as well. There are certainly no coincidences in advertising and graphic arts; every minute detail is selected for it's purpose. I'd love to hear your ideas about the images and the purpose of such an alarming collection.

Here it is, from the Japanese site (I will post an English copy as well, but the Japanese has FAR greater detail in the image).

Japanese (w detail) ec.nikkeibp.co.jp...
English (no detail) a4.mzstatic.com...

If anyone cares to embed the image I'm sure others will be grateful.

Before opening up the discussion, here are the things I've noticed straight-away:

A two-faced Earth,
A nuclear detonation,
An Amazon.com delivery drone,

(from left to right, back to front, only discussing the things I can personally observe and the people I actually recognize)

A woman with a Singapore scarf, a Japanese woodblock print of a samurai, Napoleon Bonaparte, a woman with wings and eggs on her face, , someone in virtual reality head-gear, the Chinese president, Ann Suu-Kyi of Burma, Winston Churchill and his "v for victory",

Putin with his eyes covered, Clinton and Merkel wearing similar green necklaces, Merkel's hands as always, Obama, next to/behind him the grinning Cheshire Cat, and I feel like I ought to recognize that gentleman in the blue vest.

Next I see the Pied Piper, piping, although his pipe is covered in a condom. Then a cropduster helicopter, a ghost picking a vacation, spiderman. Clownfish coming out of hiding, a child eating processed noodles behind a game of Panic Pachinko (in which the game piece has the Chinese star), a SUPER buff Panda, is that the Queen in the landrover? Then a painting (I want to say Ver Meer or Rembrandt but I'm probably wrong), and Alice (of Wonderland) in the foreground.

Resting on the floor, there's a drum set for the 50th Anniversary of the British Rock Invasion, a globe that looks like the Superbowl trophy (with Focus on Europe, Asia, Africa and Aus), a teeny sumo wrestler holding up a battery (Japanese energy), a turtle that looks surprised, two arrows stuck in the ground, and what looks like a pearl wrapped in rope.

I'm very curious about the people I didn't recognize, what their roles may be in the coming year. Obviously mostly IMF players but some BRICS in there too.

The scenelet with the Pied Piper really has grabbed my attention---The Pied Piper of Hamelin was said to use his clownlike appearance ("pied" clothing, meaning multicolored) and his flute to lure children away from villages, never to return. (Not until the 16th century does the rat-removal job get added to the narrative). [Correction, thanks to fellow member: The end of pipe falls in line with Putin's closed hand.]

What catches your eye? Do you recognize anyone I missed?
Or is this just another case of an ATSer overthinkin' it?

a reply to: kismetpair927

WOW!

It's a direct rip-off of the Sgt. Pepper cover.

Not to go too deep on this right out of the gate, but the Sgt. Pepper cover had a lot of death and resurrection symbolism. It also was published about 3 1/2 years after The Beatles first album, and 3 1/2 years before their final album (that's for all the book of Revelations fans).

Anyway.... the cover is bizarre. Reminds me of something I'd see in the Denver airport.

a reply to: Jamie1

I think that's what caught my attention the most---The Sgt. Pepper cover was so bizarre ( and when you look at the detail, even scary), why would a magazine about the yearly economic outlook recreate it? Strange days. Interesting about the 3.5 yrs thing...

originally posted by: kismetpair927
a reply to: Jamie1

I think that's what caught my attention the most---The Sgt. Pepper cover was so bizarre ( and when you look at the detail, even scary), why would a magazine about the yearly economic outlook recreate it? Strange days. Interesting about the 3.5 yrs thing...

You do know the whole "Paul is dead" symbolism, right?

I think an ISIS dude is in the back with a gun.

Here's the hi-res version:

a reply to: kismetpair927

Interesting... just did some research and discovered The Economist was started in 1843 and is partially owned by the Rothschild banking family.

The plot thickens....

a reply to: Jamie1

The hand over Putin's head reminded me of Paul...it's only been in the last few days I've read about people thinking Putin may have been "replaced"...it's one of those subjects I really can't form an opinion on---it's an out there theory, but like Paul, there's evidence to both sides. The Beatles esoteric and occult stuff is what propelled me down the rabbit hole in the first place...running the other way lol but down the hole indeed.

I think you're right about the masked man w the gun being IS, and I think the masked man with the binoculars is Ukrainian...
Thanks for embedding for me!

a reply to: kismetpair927

What a great thread!

I just downloaded the hi-res and plan to take my time absorbing the detail. A few things that immediately stood out to me were:

Obama is center stage.

Obama and Putin wearing the same tie, same two-button suit jacket with only top button fastened. (Are they in cahoots or on the same team?)

Asian pilot with face mask and arms up in surrender position.

Merkel looks worried.



This is going to be fun!

a reply to: Jamie1

oh gosh, of COURSE.

I wonder what the 11.5 and 11.3 on the arrows signify...

Dates?

It's Hillary's hand over Putin if that interests anyone.

As a graphic designer, let me tell you, I never put as much thought into my projects as some people want to think I have. Which is fine by me, it's how I'm able to ask the price I do for my work.

a reply to: NthOther

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November?

a reply to: DrJunk

Thanks so much for the inside info, super interesting! Are you ever directed to include certain elements? But given free-range otherwise?

originally posted by: kismetpair927
a reply to: DrJunk

Thanks so much for the inside info, super interesting! Are you ever directed to include certain elements? But given free-range otherwise?

Yes, graphic design is generally about a design giving a single message. I am generally told the message that is supposed to be conveyed, then I work up a draft, and if it's accepted, I flesh it out. The message of this is cover is clear. It is prognostication. I don't think it should be seen as predictions, per se, but merely a play at prognosticating itself.

What say you ATS?

Angela Merkel's all seeing eye in the centre...

So I was thinking about that turtle that's front and center.

I'm sure many of us know of the mythos of the Cosmic Turtle:
(from wiki) "The World Turtle (also referred to as the Cosmic Turtle, the World-bearing Turtle, or the Divine Turtle) is a mytheme of a giant turtle (or tortoise) supporting or containing the world. The mytheme, which is similar to that of the World Elephant and World Serpent, occurs in Hindu, Chinese, and Native American mythology. "

In the study of mythology, a mytheme is the essential kernel of a myth—an irreducible, unchanging element, a minimal unit that is always found shared with other, related mythemes and reassembled in various ways.

It really seems like that little turtle could be missing the load from his shell.

Interesting that it is found in India and America---There's something frickin' universal about stuff from the Indus Valley.

btw my spell check didn't have mytheme in it....good Lord, that's depressing.

a reply to: kismetpair927

the Piper's Pipe is not covered by a condom. It's Putin's hand.

a reply to: Jonjonj

I noticed (while just perusing some google images of her), that she ALWAYS does the hands and VERY often she gets a button in the center. She's just creepy, I wish I knew more about her, but at the same time, no, I do not.

a reply to: joshint

Zoomed in more---when you're right you're right! Putin's hand is in the direct background of the pipe.