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Judging by the Cover - 12/27/17 new releases

Comic Books

Judging by the Cover – 12/27/17 new releases

Eric and Patrick select the best covers from this week’s new comic releases.

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 Gaming Editor Patrick Hellen and contributor Eric Cline’s attention this week.

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Patrick’s Picks:

The Silence of Our Friends
Art by Nate PowellJudging by the Cover - 12/27/17 new releasesIf you read the incredible March by Nate Powell, Andrew Aydin and John Lewis last year, then you know that Nate’s ability to convey a very rich and complex scene with nuance is breathtaking. This cover, in an instant, tells you nearly all you need to know about this book. As this takes place during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, there are hints embedded about time period with clothing and hairstyles. The most impactful piece to me is the look on these two men’s faces. One man, black and used to the ongoing oppression of the time looks over his shoulder almost cynically–looking for the next obstacle that’s being put in the way of his people. The other, white, seems surprised and shocked at the world he’s been sheltered from for so long is exposed to him in full. One image, and a full story. Brilliant.

Amazing Spider-Man #793
Art by Alex Ross
Check out AiPT!’s exclusive preview of the issue here.

Judging by the Cover - 12/27/17 new releasesAlex Ross, amazing artist that he is, can do no wrong in some eyes. For me, a great deal of his work is fantastic, but sometimes I think his amazing attention to the true proportions of bodies works against him in superhero drawings, with prominent noses and eyes with pupils changing the more cartoony aesthetic we see most days.

In this Amazing cover, it works for him dramatically. The strain against the nose and the hint of eye sockets makes the symbiote look like it’s hanging on for dear life against the ongoing struggles of our wall-crawler. Also, Ross’s attention to detail is always impeccable. Please see the various growth directions of arm hair. How many hours do these take him?

Despicable Deadpool #291
Art by David Lopez
Check out AiPT!’s preview of the issue here.

Judging by the Cover - 12/27/17 new releases

There’s been 290 of these up to now? My god.

Deadpool – love him or hate him, is kind of a perfect fit for the social media generation. Nearly everything that comes out of his mouth is a Snapchat/Instagram/Twitter moment, thanks to writers using his mutant power of 4th wall-ing to hilarious effect. Since he’s written with that sense of performance in his character, a cover like this speaks volumes, as he’s always performing–something that the other characters in his books react to with constant confusion. The most surprising thing about this cover is that Deadpool seems to have decent handwriting? I figured him for more of a pink pen bubble writing type of guy, but hey–artist’s interpretation, right?

Side-point – is Stryfe’s coloring here telling us that he’s dead? That is a very gray clone. Also, how the hell does that helmet work in practice? He must have the strongest neck in 616.

Eric’s Picks:

God Complex #3
Art by Sami Basri

Judging by the Cover - 12/27/17 new releases

Sometimes a great cover can simply consist of a badass-looking character strutting toward the reader with a little dramatic flair (i.e. smoke) in the background. Sami Basri’s line-work is solid all-around, especially where the woman’s headpiece is concerned. The metal is both sleek and intimidating, and the gold shines fantastically against the white and gray tones in the rest of the cover. Overall, this is just a really cool image that makes we want to buy the issue so I can find out who this badass woman is.

Diablo House #4
Art by Santiperez

Judging by the Cover - 12/27/17 new releases

Talk about pulling a rabbit out of a hat! This is the specific kind of delight I love to see in a horror cover: the disgustingly over-the-top rendering of the gigantic rabbit’s skin, teeth, and bulging eyeballs is juxtaposed well against the smiling man and his classic magical performance pose. Santiperez’s composition is great, allotting both the humorous and the horrific elements of the image just enough space to thrive.

Batman: Creature of the Night #2
Art by John Paul Leon

Judging by the Cover - 12/27/17 new releases

I’m always a sucker for when artists incorporate extra scenes into a character’s silhouette. John Paul Leon does so impressively here as the very placement of the fallen man’s body inside Batman’s form hints directly at the tragedy’s cause. The cascading papers in the foreground match the desolation of the background very well, and the green tones compliment the reddish browns beautifully. Batman’s tattered cape and claw-like fingers are nice, imposing touches as well.

Do you agree with these picks? Let us know in the comment space below!

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