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 AiPT! Comics podcast co-host Forrest Hollingsworth and Manga Editor Eric Cline’s attention this week.
Forrest’s Picks:
Wonder Woman #72
Cover art by Jenny Frison
Credit: DC Comics
Eric has been picking these fantastic Wonder Woman covers for the last few weeks of Judging by the Cover and now its my turn! What a fantastic run Frison has had on the covers for this book, this one no different. I love the mythological underpinnings of it — the halo of the lasso, the subtle glow and sheen off of Diana’s bracers and tiara, and the stark contrast of her presence against the mute background. Similar to the Tradd Moore Silver Surfer cover below, there’s a lot of storytelling and dynamism done here with a solo shot which is inherently difficult to do, but also immensely impacting when done right. Especially so when it plays up the near-mythological aspects of a character’s appearance or story as well as this one does.
The Umbrella Academy: Hotel Oblivion
Cover art by Gabriel Ba
Credit: Dark Horse Comics
Like the Mind MGMT cover I picked a few weeks ago, I’m a sucker for things that play with the reader’s expectations. This one strikes an interesting balance between calling out to the reader in a way that stands out on the shelf, and establishing an in-fiction vignette of its own. The Mignola-esque shading, implying a sinister edge, the sepia-pastiche giving it a bit of a nostalgic or worn vibe, and the choreography which deploys a man seemingly at ease, but also working very hard, all work very well here.
Spider-Man Life Story #4: The ’90s
Cover art by Chip Zdarsky
Credit: Marvel Comics
Does this one, or any of Zdarsky’s covers for Life Story, need any explanation? After a tumultuous and effective ’80s issue, this one dives into a strange time in Spidey’s life with an equally strange and somewhat melancholic cover. The subtlety, monochromatic approach, and the dualism of the linework being evocative of a skyscraper (iconography for the hero) and also the formalism of comics themselves is all sublimely thought out and rendered — as is the narrative itself.
Eric’s Picks:
Silver Surfer: Black #1
Cover art by Tradd Moore
Credit: Marvel Comics
I absolutely adore the fluidity here. It creates a sense of the strange and uncanny that’s a wonderful fit for the philosophical, chrome space explorer. His gaze is intense, and I don’t know what exactly’s happening to his raised hand but boy is it attention-grabbing. This is a great example of how to take a cover that’s just a still-shot of a character and make it dynamic and exciting.
Catwoman #12
Cover art by Joëlle Jones & Laura Allred
Credit: DC Comics
Yet another great shot centered around the titular character, but this time there’re awesome cats to boot! The way they come forth from the black is fantastic, as are all the sets of disembodied eyes. The color combination here is perfect; the stark yellow/black contrast works extremely well with the patterns.
Star Wars: Vader – Dark Visions #5
Variant cover art by ACO
Credit: Marvel Comics
This is a fantastic week for colors on covers. This is so much fun: an image of Darth Vader looking badass while also being rendered in lavender? I really dig the texture on his suit, especially the gloves. Add in some gnarled tree branches around the rim for extra drama and you’ve got yet another awesome image from ACO.
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