Welcome to the sixth installment of Comic Book Cover-Up, where 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! Each week, Henry explain his picks and just what makes them so darn pretty. At the end, he adds up points for each given series, which will work towards earning further accolades in the future!
Point breakdown:
- 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. Daredevil 1 by Paolo Rivera (Featured Image)
With the relaunch of Daredevil, Marvel went into their well and got back the talented Paolo Rivera, who defined so much of what Daredevil would be in the last volume. His cover comes across as a bold design and an homage to the way Daredevil sees the world in his radar sense. We as the viewer can tell what’s going on in the cover, even though we aren’t given a direct image of a city landscape. Its simplicity is misleading, as the cover is very detailed and crowded. But there are two things that really make this cover work. First, knowing that the entire background is drawn in a single line (Including signature), and two, seeing Daredevil burst from the pack, ready to challenge the world.
4. Animal Man 29 by Jeff Lemire
Animal Man was one of the hottest relaunched properties of the New 52. Simultaneously heart-wrenching and horrifying, the series looked like a family drama on the surface and proved to be so much more. Jeff Lemire, architect for the series, sends the book off with style, drawing the final issue himself. The cover is a family portrait of the Bakers, the stars of the book, and the image is rather unsettling. Between the style of Lemire and the monstrous background the portrait is placed over, an unsettling atmosphere dominates the image. A blood splatter over Cliff, the son, and the tear/crack in the photo further this, making it deadly clear that this family has suffered in ways we can never understand.
3. Winter Soldier: Bitter March 2 by Andrew Robinson
Andrew Robinson has slipped under many people’s radars. A long established artist, Robinson has been particularly impressive with his Winter Soldier covers, bringing himself some much deserved attention. His cover design is unlike anybody else right now, where he incorporates the lettering of the title into the image itself, cleverly hiding it in the smoke and sky. This keen layout balances out the simple image of the Winter Soldier atop a train, about to burst through the roof. Hydra Agents enter from the side car and we know as the viewer that we are seconds away from a giant fight. This moment of false tranquility is enough to tease us into buying the book.
2. Fuse 2 by Riley Rossmo
I know nothing about Fuse, I’ll admit it. But, like many books I am discovering lately, I suddenly want to know everything about it. The cover design is slick, using the title itself as the image. The use of red and white makes the image pop off of the page and offsets the woman seen. She stands triumphant, planting herself on the letters, addressing them while surpassing them. Her sly smirk lets us know that she is in control and that nothing will stop her. But the little detail that gets me is the set of arcs coming off of her head, making the image spherical instead of flat, and enhancing the reality of the world shown. Like a globe, we know that she is but one part, but she doesn’t care. She’s all that matters.
1. Sex Criminals 5 by Chip Zdarsky
This is the moment. Right here, right now, this is what gets me to buy Sex Criminals. I’ve heard nothing but outstanding things about the book and the talented cover designs always entice me. But none of them have been this good. Chip Zdarsky envelopes his lead characters with lines of color. The color and their silhouettes are the only things on the book, and as a result, they carry more power than they would against a more complex landscape. The image is romantic and sexual and reflects the closeness of the two, a fitting choice given the story inside. This cover is a clear cut case on how concept can separate a book from the rest of the pack, making it immediately inviting and intriguing.
Still Gorgeous:
- Daredevil 1 (Baby) by Skottie Young
- Daredevil 1 by Alex Ross
- Superman Unchained 6 by Frazier Irving
- Superman Unchained 6 by Michael Cho
- Ms. Marvel 2 by Jorge Molina
You must be logged in to post a comment.