http://www.singlecopysales.com/covers/ How to design a magazine cover that excites interest and sales issue after issue.

Your Magazine’s Cover Lines: Do not underestimate the importance of cover lines.  They are among the most important elements of your cover.  For many newsstand publishers, they have proven to be more important than the image or any other design element other than the logo.  The image might (possibly) be what catches the readers’ eyes and makes them approach the newsstand.  It is the cover lines without a doubt, however, that make your reader pick up your publication, start thumbing through it, and take it through the checkout.