Cover designers need to be careful not to be hit by a copyright or passing off action.
There is a spat in the book trade over the cover of a new book cover which looks like the original cover of Len Deighton’s Ipcress File, The Observer reports.
Private Eye has a long running piece on similar book covers. Here’s two it pointed out recently:


Some claim that looking like another work can be an homage. That may be an artistic term but none of the authorities I’ve consulted say there is such a defence.