Welcome to the twelfth installment of Comic Book Cover-Up! Every week, We the Nerdy writer Henry Varona weighs in on his choices for the best comic book covers coming out this week, along with some great honorable mentions worth checking out! Looking at the layout, artistic talent, and the overall craftsmanship, the covers are analyzed and ranked accordingly. At the end, each book will be given points based on their ranking. Then Henry adds up points for the various series, which will work towards earning further accolades in the future! Here’s a point breakdown for what every ranking will earn:
- First-10 Points
- Second-7 Points
- Third- 5 Points
- Fourth and Fifth- 3 Points Each
- Still Gorgeous- 1 Point Each
So without further ado, here’s the week’s best!
5. What If: Age of Ultron 5 by Ming Doyle (Featured Image)
What works best about this Ming Doyle variant for What If? Age of Ultron is just how silly it is. As an army of Ant-Men carry off the head of Ultron, you can’t help but wonder what circumstances led to this. And that’s pretty remarkable when you consider what a grim story Age of Ultron is. The comedic take makes the concept (Which is a year old now) fresh, and engages your creativity. I can practically hear the pitter-patter of little Ant-feet, scurrying away. The sizing of the image also does wonders, as it enhances the humor and reminds us of just how small Ant-Man really is.
4. Amazing Spider-Man 1 by Alex Ross
Alex Ross has returned to Marvel Comics, so you knew it was just a matter of time before he got to work on Spider-Man again. His cover for the relaunch of Amazing Spider-Man highlights everything that has defined the character in the past, such as the bite that gave him his powers or Mary Jane. Ross has a classic style that perfectly captures the world of the Spider-Man of olden times, really making this cover noteworthy. But beyond all of that, it is his choice of perspective, with only Spider-Man himself addressing the viewer and the skewed images on the sides, that allows this cover to truly amaze.
3. Rai 1 by Raul Allen
With the relaunch of Valiant Comics character Rai, the company has launched a multitude of great artists covers that show off his spectacular design. The first of which that we’ll discuss is the work of Raul Allen, who placed Rai in a silhouette, with his chest insignia blending seamlessly into the background of the image. Rai looks deeply into his sword, contemplating life (Or slashing at things) and it makes him look very stoic. The sword itself is intricately covered in patterns that ooze style, and the cybernetics crawling across his face make him mysterious as well. A very well-crafted cover.
2. Rai 1 by Clayton Crain
While the Raul Allen cover for Rai 1 stands out for the layout of the image, the standard Clayton Crain cover stands out for being really excessively cool. Crain shows Rai launching himself at the reader, light streaking past him as he prepares to lay waste to his enemy. Clayton Crain is a top-notch artist who is among the best when he is “on”, and boy is he “on” right now. The shine of Rai’s body and the cleanliness of the design allow us to focus on the talent behind the cover. Crain makes you believe in Rai by making him look like a man who is completely in control of his body, his environment, and his weapon. I’m hooked.
1. Amazing Spider-Man 1 by Marcos Martin
Marcos Martin is one of my favorite Spider-Man artists of all time. Capturing the fun and energy of the character, he goes to extreme lengths to showcase how truly spectacular Spider-Man is. In his variant cover for the new Amazing Spider-Man ongoing, Martin shows Spider-Man free-falling into the city. He twists the landscape upside down to create a distorted view of the world that immediately grabs you attention. But it’s truly the colors of the cover and the lettering that make it above and beyond our expectations. Focusing on Spider-Man and allowing you to bask in something truly amazing, Marcos Martin has created yet another phenomenal Spider-Man cover worth display in an art gallery.
Still Gorgeous:
- Battlestar Galactica Six 1 by Jenny Frison
- Captain Midnight 10 by Felipe Massafera
- Elephant Men 56 by Shaky Kane
- Star Wars Rebel Heist 1 by Matt Kindt
- Vandroid 3 by Tommy Lee Edwards
Thanks for checking us out! Come back next week for more!
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