Most comic book fans have a pretty good idea of what they’re going to buy every week when they visit their local comic shop. With that said, there’s still a lot of fun to be had just glancing at the week’s new releases and taking a chance on a book that looks promising. That’s where covers come in-a fantastic image can make the difference between trying something new or saying, “Nah, not this week.”
In that spirit, here are the covers that captured Cosplay Editor JJ Travers and Manga Editor Eric Cline’s attention this week.
JJ’s Picks:
Maestros #6
Art by Steve Skroce
Looks like a certain lembas bread-eating motherfucker went reading a book that he shouldn’t have! OK, so I may be a little biased in that I’m reading Maestros and I’m quickly becoming a Steve Skroce super-fan. But can you really blame me? How do I count the ways in which this cover rules?
It’s hard to imagine anyone walking past this book in a shop and not having it catch their eye. From the long creepy fingers holding the book that’s clearly bad news, to the gore splatter surrounding the radical skull, the entire image has this wonderful ’80s horror movie feel to it. My favorite part of the cover has to be the ears, though. You won’t notice them on first glance, but if you look close enough you’ll see those pointy little suckers being blown off into oblivion.
Star Wars: Darth Vader #13
Art by Giuseppe Camuncoli
Without question one of the most iconic scenes from The Empire Strikes Back is Darth Vader seen from behind in his meditation pod as his helmet lowers down onto his scarred head. It was the first time Star Wars fans saw a piece of Vader that wasn’t encased in his ominous black armor and it drove fans (especially me) crazy that we couldn’t see his face. Of course, Return of the Jedi fixed that and we saw his gloriously scarred visage in full, in yet another iconic scene. So Camuncoli took elements from two of the best scenes in the original trilogy and combined them into an incredibly drawn cover. Nuff said.
Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #40
Art by Rafa Sandoval
Hal Jordan: The Greatest Green Lantern in the history of the Corps and also its destroyer. Kyle Rayner was the only Green Lantern and torchbearer for many years after that. Two Green Lanterns that couldn’t be more different from one another in both temperament and history of service. I love the incredible strain and surge of willpower on display as they pull away from one another. Which is exactly how I picture their philosophies interacting, a big clash and pull in the opposite direction.
Eric’s Picks:
Mister Miracle #7
Art by Nick Derington
I haven’t read any stories with the Female Furies before, but they look awesome here. Derington’s work always has a lot of personality, and this image is no exception. The Fury in the bottom center is particularly intimidating. The composition is solid all around, and the inclusion of the mask and helmet is cool as well.
Infidel #1
Art by Jae Lee
I’ve been a huge Jae Lee fan for years and work like this is why. He’s crafted something chilling yet captivating on this cover. Both characters’ expressions are fantastic, and there’s a palatable sense of tension between them. The bloody drool dripping down perfectly encapsulates that tension. The placement of the title and creator information along the margins is also great; they don’t interfere with the visuals at all. The white pops well against the black and red, too.
Infidel #1
Art by Aaron Campbell & Jose Villarrubia
You know a series’ cover game is strong when the same issue makes the list twice. Unseen threats behind characters’ backs are a common trope in horror, but Campbell and Villarrubia render the concept with an unusually high level of beauty and atmosphere. The cold blue of the hand is very striking against the red in the rest of the composition.
Do you agree with these picks? Let us know in the comment space below!
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