Most comic book fans have a pretty good idea 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 contributor Trevor Richardson and Manga Editor Eric Cline’s attention this week.
Trevor’s Picks:
Aliens: Dust to Dust #2
Cover art by Gabriel Hardman
This cover is so simple in design, but so affecting in execution! Just a few Xenomorphs on a what reads as a dusty expanse, but all the ink really gives the cover a sense of danger. You can clearly see Gabriel Hardman’s excellent renderings of the Xenomporphs, but all the ink on the page makes them look just obscured enough to seem like they’re stalking through a sandstorm to prey on some unfortunate soul.
Jughead: The Hunger #7
Cover art by Tyler Boss
Seeing Jughead’s crown on top of that straight-from-a-horror-comic werewolf is just hysterical. If I cover up the crown with my hand, Tyler Boss’s wolf jumps out with ferocious energy. The coloration and inking create a contrast that makes the orange and red blood pop really well. This would definitely catch my eye on the stands and Jughead’s crown on top would make it an insta-buy.
The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl #34
Cover art by Erica Henderson
Continuing with covers that blend humor and seriousness, I love all the personality on this cover. I immediately hear Kraven’s harmonica and the expression on Squirrel Girl’s face is packed with layers of humor and sarcasm. When Erica Henderson really goes to town on a portrait, you can always expect her faces to say more than could fit in a word balloon. The shading on Doreen’s arm and face that eschews flat shadows for gradients of her skin tone is so good and is just one example of the rich colors all over this cover.
Eric’s Picks:
Quicksilver: No Surrender #3
Cover art by Martin Simmonds
It’s always nice to see a cover focusing on a close bond between characters as opposed to the usual pin-up or scene of violence. It’s doubly nice when it’s a bond that hasn’t been touched on much as of late, like Wanda and Pietro’s. Martin Simmonds does a great job here; the characters’ expressions convey so much without any text being necessary. The red (presumably blood) splatters overtop the photo convey danger relevant to the series’s plot, but it’s still nice to get a literal snapshot of the siblings being happy together.
Aliens: Dust to Dust #2
Cover art by Carlos D’Anda
I love how this piece pays such close attention to the design of a Xenomorph while doing so in a context that isn’t strictly horror-based or primarily shrouded in black. Rather than just making the familiar alien look terrifying, Carlos D’Anda also makes it look badass. The bright purples pop marvelously and all the tiny lines impress. God only knows how long this image took D’Anda to create, but his efforts were worthwhile–this Xenomorph is imposing and fun!
Nancy Drew #2
Cover art by Tula Lotay
This Tula Lotay cover is fun and makes me interested to see what Nancy Drew is up to in this latest incarnation. The use of film negative is a classic mystery touch, and the composition is fantastic; none of this cover’s core elements intrude on the others’ space. I especially love the light shine on Nancy’s glasses. It adds a sense of depth that we don’t always get to see when artists depict eyewear. This may sound like a mundane detail, but it (along with this cover’s other small touches) makes all the difference.
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