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Judging by the Cover - 7/18/18 new releases

Comic Books

Judging by the Cover – 7/18/18 new releases

Jason and Eric share their favorite covers from the week’s new comics.

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 Jason Segarra and Manga Editor Eric Cline’s attention this week.

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Jason’s Picks:

Black Science #37
Cover art by Declan Shalvey

Judging by the Cover - 7/18/18 new releases

Look, I’m going to be honest, I have no idea what I’m looking at here, but it looks awesome. I tend to enjoy covers that play a lot with contrast, and the stark yellows and oranges from the star in the center play beautifully off the darker backgrounds. Positioning the two figures before the sun in a fetal position is also super evocative imagery that really catches the eye and tells us everything we need to know about the helplessness and fragility of the characters therein. Just classic work from Shalvey here.

Shadowman #5
Cover art by David Mack

Judging by the Cover - 7/18/18 new releases

Another thing I’m a sucker for? Covers that look like gallery art. This print from David Mack is a strong collage representing all of the mystery and mysticism that comes with this series, and it’s a real good-looking piece of work. Put this thing on canvas, hang it in the foyer of some Brooklyn loft space and see a sea of hipsters in pork pie hats and suspenders drinking solo cups of shiraz discuss the “duality of man in the context of his own mind” while pointing at this bad boy. They’ll probably use fewer gender signifiers, but you catch my point. This is art.

Plastic Man #2
Cover art by Bilquis Evely and Mat Lopes

Judging by the Cover - 7/18/18 new releases

If I’m honest, I’ve never been a fan of Plastic Man. Inherently silly characters in superhero books just don’t work for me nine times out of ten. But this image right here perfectly encapsulates the light-hearted nature of the character. It’s playful but not jokey, reveals a lot about the kind of book you’ll be reading – and has a fun throwback vibe reminiscent of the old celebrity endorsement images of the ’70s and ’80s. This pic right here is Farrah Fawcett meets Burt Reynolds meets Brooke Shields, all while being uniquely Plas. This one could be a great poster.


Eric’s Picks:

Old Man Hawkeye #7
Cover art by Marco Checchetto

Judging by the Cover - 7/18/18 new releases

Talk about utter defeat. Marco Checchetto’s composition choices really heighten the sense that Clint is down and out. It’s not just the trail of blood down the cover’s center; the extreme zoom-out makes it clear that no one is around to help Clint in this arid landscape. Even cooler are the clouds. It’s not often that you see an image of the ground shot from so high up that low-level clouds are in view. Both man and nature are well-rendered here, though it’s clear the man lost this battle between the two.

Cable #159
Cover art by Daniel Warren Johnson

Judging by the Cover - 7/18/18 new releases

I love how soft this cover looks. These three characters have gone through so much strife (and Stryfe) as individuals and as a family. Here, though, we get a sweet moment of calm. Daniel Warren Johnson does a great job with the characters’ facial expressions, and the composition is excellent. It’s not clear what Cyclops is pointing at (a star or the moon, presumably) but it could just as easily be hope for more happy days ahead.

Batwoman #17
Cover art by Dan Panosian

Judging by the Cover - 7/18/18 new releases

What’s better than one cool thing made out of other cool, smaller things? I love gears, so this Dan Panosian piece is right up my alley. The way the cape is draped provides ample room for a ton of gears, and thus an abundance of tiny details, which I love. All in all, this is just plain cool.

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