Magazines: Media Language (exams from 2024) GapFill

GQ magazine prides itself on giving  parentsmenolder womenboys the best advice in terms of  mountaineeringsciencetravelfashion, styling, exercise and contemporary masculine trends. When read from left to right, the codes and conventions of the magazine's cover work together to construct  a narrativean illusiona tapestrya path for the reader. The cover even contains classic character types identified by the theorist Vladimir  GreerHallProppMulvey.

The   headlinercover starwarm-up actlead actor Raheem Sterling is framed and portrayed as   a heroa princessa mentora false hero of the narrative that GQ is constructing. The statement that he has ‘… saved football from itself’ places football and the culture surrounding the sport into the role of the  princessantagonistanti-herohero. More evidence of the intentional characterisation of celebrities in this manner can be seen in the  straplinepuff piecemastheadcoverline on the right-hand side that states ‘All the sizzle from GQ Heroes’.

The black winged costume that Sterling wears, coupled with his tattoos, and the main coverline ‘Guardian Angel’ can be described as  sci-fipaganoccultreligious imagery. The black leathery wings, which match Sterling’s trousers, subvert conventions as the colour  redyellowbluewhite is more commonly linked to the notion of angels. For GQ this front cover is unconventional as its front covers often focus more on the   eye colourfashion sensepiercingschoice of shoes of the cover star. This change could signify that the brand is diversifying and aiming to depict a broader representation of  clothingfootball playersactorsmasculinity.