Judging by the Cover – 10/31/18 new releases

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 Movie Editor Nathaniel Muir and Manga Editor Eric Cline’s attention this week.

Nathaniel’s Picks:

The Terrifics Annual #1                                                                                                                Cover art by Emanuela Lupacchino

Conveying the book’s theme of a fun superhero series, this cover has an almost silly look that also conveys danger. Plastic Man looks absolutely terrifying and every inch of the cover is used effectively. The title has a Night of the Living Dead aesthetic which makes for a perfect Halloween day release.

Shanghai Red #5                                                                                                                             Cover art by Joshua Hixson

Shanghai Red is an action-packed book that is constantly filled with a sense of paranoia, fear, and dread. Joshua Hixon illustrates it all perfectly in a fairly simply cover. The shadowy figures in the background look like they may be the same person, adding to the schizophrenia of the book. Topping it off is the bloody arm that gives away the series’ extreme violence.

Wytches: Bad Egg Halloween Special #1                                                                                      Cover art by Jock

Is there a more appropriate cover for witches during the Halloween season? The deep red and black provide a creepy atmosphere. Are those people looking down the hole or is something looking up at them? The shadowy tree in the background adds to the scariness of the entire cover. scariest of all is the “Chit chit chit” that is written in the corner.

Eric’s Picks:

Multiple Man #5
Cover art by Marcos Martin

There have been countless images featuring hoards of Multiple Man clones throughout the years, but have any of them been this somber? The image of him dripping apart, dupes falling seemingly to their deaths, combined with the larger Madrox’s wave goodbye, is striking.

Infinity Wars: Iron Hammer #2
Cover art by Giuseppe Camuncoli

This is just plain cool. It’s important for What If? issues and equivalent stories to have cool covers that make the reader interested in checking out brand new continuities. This one does that–what a kickass Iron Man (or should I say Iron Thor?) design!

Old Man Hawkeye #10
Cover art by Marco Checchetto

Marco Checchetto is such a boss. The amount of detail on his Old Man Hawkeye covers is always great, and this month’s is no exception. The abundance of textures makes the world depicted seem all the more real, and all the more imposingly frigid.