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 Event Coordinator JJ Travers and Manga Editor Eric Cline’s attention this week.
JJ’s Picks:
Batgirl #34
Cover art by Francis Manapul
DC Comics
First glimpse at the cover and Batgirl’s face and hair pull my eyes in like a tractor beam. And that’s exactly where my eyes should be, it’s her comic book after all. I love how vibrant the yellow of her sigil, gloves, and utility belt are — even though most of her body is missing, it really makes her pop out at you. Only afterward you’ve taken in Batgirl do you realize that Manapul has used a really cool style to impose her on top of her adversaries, almost like a double exposure photograph. The cover is already incredibly cool, but then I spot the three bad guys with animal heads, and suddenly I’m excitedly reminiscing of Roland Deschain and the Taheen, and that’s all I need to see if Batgirl can climb to the top of her tower.
Ascender #1
Cover art by Dustin Nguyen
Image Comics
After the success of Descender, there’s a lot of excitement for this book — and rightfully so! I like to think all big things have small beginnings, and that’s what this title says to me. We know this girl is going to go on an incredible journey, but for right now she’s sitting on a rock watching some birds, and I love that. The artwork is absolutely gorgeous. I really like how gentle it feels, and the watercolors really compliment the wistful dreaming feeling I get from looking at this young girls expression. Can’t wait to see where Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen take us.
Coda #11
Cover art by Raul Allen
BOOM! Studios
I’ve never heard of or seen this comic book until I came across the cover today. I have no idea what this knight is about to embark on, but I know that I really want to find out. This cover encapsulates fantasy for me — its beautiful, ethereal, and mysterious. The different styles used between the mountain and the knight and his steed were well chosen. The knight is within reach, thus he’s corporeal and solid — while the mountain is out of reach, and thus feels mysterious and unreachable.
Eric’s Picks:
Fantastic Four #9
Cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz
Marvel Comics
Fire is really difficult to draw or paint, at least if you want to really capture its smoldering intensity. Bill Sienkiewicz does so wonderfully here. Between their wild, twisting shapes and their variance in color, these flames look like they’re really burning. The composition is well-balanced as well, with the bright white fire and Johnny’s intense expression making effective focal points. This would look great on a poster.
Marvel Comics Presents #4
Cover art by Bill Sienkiewicz
Marvel Comics
Two Sienkiewicz covers this week! This time with one of the characters he’s most famous for illustrating, Moon Knight. MK looks gorgeous here, like a shining otherworldly being who could glide in and out of the night. Wolverine looks cool too, and the inking and shading throughout are both lovely. This is a scene that captures both the sheer wonder of the heroes and the endearing grittiness of the city they’re defending.
The Black Monday Murders #9
Cover art by Tomm Coker
Image Comics
I dig how this cover has both a sense of chaos and a sense of structure. The giant Lego towers are geometrically pleasing to look at, and the couple of blocks flying through the air (plus the cracked nature of the foundation the boy is sitting on) add a sense of action to boot. The drama of the character’s pose, combined with the sheer oddness of what he’s doing, make me think of L from Death Note. All in all this is one of those covers that makes me curious to find out more about the story inside.
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