Cover Shoot
By: Chris “DOC” Bushley
This weekly feature will take a look at the most visually compelling covers on the market today. Whether they be variant editions or standard ones, these are the top 5 covers that stand out amongst the bevy of books that are released each week. They say, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” these covers are worth more than that! No matter the storylines found behind them, these covers draw you to at least check them out, which can be worth exponentially more than just words to the companies that publish them! Enjoy!
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1. Thumbprint #1 (IDW): Comic rookie, Vic Malhorta (Tiger Lawyer), unleashes a simple yet drastic cover to introduce writer Joe Hill’s novella, of the same name, to the world of comics. The stark comparison between the the pristine white and ragged crimson makes it bold enough to grab the buyer’s wandering eye and enticing enough to get this thriller onto their pull list!
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2. Green Lantern Corps #21 (DC): Bernard Chang’s artistic statement explodes off of the page, leaving buyers no other choice but to be mesmerized by the juxtaposition of the blood red(lantern) and the jade green. Guy’s ring and eye almost seem to be glowing with intensity, making you focus intently on them rather than the brutality surrounding them. Chang’s color palette may be minimal with this one but it will still blow you away!
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3. Peter Panzerfaust #11 (Image): Tyler Jenkins beautifully rendered cover is immersed in detail, which more than makes up for the lack of color. Actually, it is the sheer lack of color that I chose this particular piece! While surrounded by a myriad of hues on the comic shelf, this cover will act as a focal point for the eye. It is a veritable black hole of beauty that will draw the eye directly to it, making it the perfect negative to the usual Polychrome genre!
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4. Superman Unchained #1 — Variant Edition — (DC): Although Jim Lee’s original cover is quite impressive, I feel like the “Superman breaking through something” cover has been done to death. Also, with 10 covers in total, I chose one that has a nostalgic touch and humbles Superman in the same breath. Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Trish Mulvhill create a classic cover for the Man of Steel’s 75th birthday, showing that even the strongest man on earth can be put in his place by the woman he loves. It is pristine and fresh and offers fans something we don’t get to see very often in the world of the New 52 Superman — a phone booth and Lois Lane!
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5. New Avengers #7 (Marvel): Mike Deodato is no stranger to stunning covers and this one is more of the same! With the iconic Avengers emblem in the background, Deodato uses an overhead perspective to showcase his figures in an amazing way. His aerial view transforms the layout to mimic a boxing match where the pugilists battle atop the very logo they both seek to protect, sullying it’s symbolism by their actions. With a blanched white background that seems to make the figures levitate, Deodato has created something simple and clever!