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 contributor Trevor Richardson and Manga Editor Eric Cline’s attention this week.
Trevor’s Picks:
Tony Stark: Iron Man #7
Cover art by Alexander Lozano
Marvel Comics
I love how this cover evokes a High Renaissance style that makes me think it belongs somewhere on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Tony’s pose here conveys resistance to the tendrils while still looking beautiful and graceful. The coloring of the suit gives the metal a really nice sheen and I love how the light glints off it here or there. At first glance I thought a Venom crossover was happening, but Lozano makes this a cover I want to pick up even without crossover hype.
Tony Stark: Iron Man #7
Cover art by Frazer Irving
Marvel Comics
What a week for Iron Man covers! Even if this one doesn’t feature Tony himself, I can’t resist picking Frazer Irving’s callback to an iconic story from Bendis’s run on Uncanny. This run was my first real exposure to Magik and it was Irving’s renderings of her as the Darkchylde in this story that left the biggest impression on me out of all the excellent artwork in the run. The way the energy around her mouth curls up a little into a ghoulish grin on this cover is so spooky. I also love the way Irving renders Cyclops’s concussive blasts, letting the beams rip apart to convey his lack of control.
Wonder Woman #61
Cover art by Jenny Frison
DC Comics
Jenny Frison’s use of orange on this cover really grabs my eye. It looks a little vintage, a little modern, a little like decay, a little like anger. The way the flower stems curve up and around Diana convey the idea of them starting to trap her in a way that’s more subtle than having vines wrapped around her limbs. Even her expression conveys less outward wrath and more of a stoic defensiveness. It’s a cover that says a lot with a little while looking aesthetically gorgeous at the same time.
Eric’s Picks:
The Immortal Hulk #11
Cover art by Alex Ross
Marvel Comics
I adore this. A lot of Alex Ross’s covers tend to hit similar classic notes (bold heroic poses, characters’ old school costumes, etc.) but this delves into more horror territory and it’s very cool. We seldom get to see the Hulk looking “(comparatively) tiny and weak, and that unique image makes it clear that something’s really going down in this book. With that said, a sense of monstrosity is still present in details like Hulk’s creepily elongated hand and the intense expression on his face. The contrast between the reds and the greens is also great. All in all, I dig the drama here.
Tony Stark: Iron Man #7
Cover art by Alexander Lozano
Marvel Comics
Wow. What the hell is going on here? The black tendrils shooting out of the Iron Man helmet evoke monster horror, something I’ve never seen associated with this character before. The contrast in textures between the metallic armor, human flesh, and mysterious black goop is intense. Part of a cover’s job is to make the viewer interested in what’s being sold, and I’m definitely curious to find out what’s happening here. Mission accomplished.
Seven to Eternity #13
Cover art by Jerome Opena
Image Comics
Cool sci-fi, cool sci-fi, cool sci-fi. Seven to Eternity has a lot of cool covers checking that box, this month’s being no exception. The sense of scale here is very good; the giant figure looks all the larger when placed in the same shot as a (presumably average-sized) human. I also dig the giant’s horned and one-eyed helmet, the floating blocks, and the curling vegetation (Vines? Tree branches?). This is just plain cool.
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