After Bob died, his son Ben began looking for a way to preserve his extraordinary creative legacy. While researching people connected with Michael Moorcock, he found John Collick and contacted him for advice. Through Michael Moorcock, Ben was then introduced to his bibliographer and publisher John Davey, and the idea of creating the Bob Haberfield art books began to take shape.

The original plan was simple: to turn the catalogue of nearly 700 works Bob had selected shortly before his death into a book. But it soon became clear that this would tell only part of his story. Those who already knew Bob’s name, particularly Michael Moorcock readers, knew him largely through his book covers and commercial illustration rather than the private art he had created throughout his life. One book would not be enough. The project grew into two companion volumes — one centred on Bob and his private work, the other on his remarkable commercial career — presented together in a slipcase.

John Davey agreed to publish the books through his independent company, Jayde Design, giving the project a freedom and personal involvement that would have been difficult with a large commercial publisher. And so began a four-year journey. Cataloguing Bob’s complete legacy revealed around 3,500 works, while his commercial art had to be rediscovered, researched and selected. Friends and colleagues were invited to contribute their memories and essays, adding their own perspectives on Bob and his work.

With the artwork selected and the contributions gathered, John Davey brought in artist and designer John Coulthart to create the books themselves. With the help of three Johns — John Collick, John Davey and John Coulthart — what began as a modest idea to preserve Bob’s catalogue finally became two books on the shelf.