Most comic book fans have a solid idea about what they’re going to buy every week as they descend upon 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, funny, scary, etc. 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 our attention this week, with entries from comics editor Chris Coplan. This is Judging by the Cover.
Action Comics #1054
Cover by Steve Beach
Even I, as a recent convert to the Church Of Superman Is Actually Cool And Not A Symbol Of Hackneyed Storytelling And American Politics, know the man’s got covers for days. And most of them share a few important elements, like a big, broad-shouldered Man of Steel with a smirk; some big, menacing villain; and a symbol of hope/optimism/etc. And yet there’s no denying that his Steve Beach cover is a clear contender for a great Superman cover — and it’s because it lacks a lot of that imagery. Sure, Supes has struggled before on iconic covers, but there’s something especially powerful and profound to this piece. The hanging arm makes the act of triumph and resistance ring a little differently; like there’s something less to do with Supes and more humanity in general. So in that way, it crosses a threshold, and makes us reevaluate our relationship with the Super Canon and our relationship with it as a language for a largerr discussion of power and perseverance. The fact that a robot (Metallo) is being smashed is only, like, the fifth best thing about this whole dang cover.
W0rldtr33 #1
Cover by Fernando Blanco
You may already recognize W0rldtr33 as the series that got pushed back as part of a second pressing. Unfortunately, that seemingly had everything to do with an error-laden first printing, but it could have just as easily been that this bad boy sold out in record time. I mean, look at the talent attached — James Tynion IV, Jordie Bellaire, and Fernando Blanco telling a story about a Dark Web stand-in that drives people to madness and murder. And just like that premise, Blanco’s own cover for issue #1 will clearly drive you toward some intense feelings — of the jaw-on-the-floor variety, of course. Because, sure, it’s like one of those “the more you look, the worst it gets” pictures — but in a way that’s less of a gimmick and more of a genuinely effective way to unsettle and un-nerve the reader. Plus, it sort of tells us everything we need to know in a subtle, almost peaceful way, and that added element feels like an integral part of dissecting the many layers of this series. It’s a singular moment that speaks volumes and will likely leave you speechless in its very wake.
Lovesick #7
Cover by Luana Vecchio
We all knew this was coming. It shouldn’t come as any surprise and I hope, in whatever way possible if you read this column regularly, that you’ve been preparing yourself for this moment. Am I a little sad? Sure, Lovesick is a compelling exploration of sexuality, interpersonal relationships, and self worth — I’ll miss its quiet insights into the human condition. But mostly I’m jacked about four feet beyond the top of my head for something that’s bound to be triply bloody and quadruply intense. I haven’t the faintest idea of what writer/artist Luana Vecchio has in store for us, but I can tell you if this amazing cover is any indication, it’s going to actively rip the lungs out of your still-living body. The whole saintly motif tells me that there’s at least one distinct possibility for Mistress Domino, but Vecchio has been so good at keeping us guessing that something new and doubly shocking could occur. Either way, it’ll also be just like this cover: gorgeous, unsettling, and eager to consume our hearts and minds alike.
Daredevil #10
Cover by Marco Checchetto
The solicitation for this latest issue of Daredevil promises a keen focus on Matt Murdock’s “most ambitious campaign against injustice ever.” It’s the apex of a years-long campaign by writer Chip Zdarsky to push DD to his breaking point, and based on the cover to issue #10 itself, it seems that said breaking point is totally bonkers. Few characters have ever been able to express pure exhaustion like Matt Murdock, and in the hands of artist Marco Checchetto, the pure level of done-ness is practically palpable. It’s hard to tell if it’s because he was triumphant or the loser of what was clearly a bloody excursion, and that’s sort of the point. It’s about sending a singular message that shows us something elemental about this character, and to expose some bit of internal workings that will foster new truths. In this case, it’s that we’re seeing a new, possibly scarier side of DD, and what that means will resonate for the foreseeable future.
Money Shot Comes Again! #1
Variant cover by Tim Seeley
I’m of two minds when it comes to satire. Pretty much everything should be fair game, but you can’t take that open-ended approach and just bash out something with a little snark and a dash of rage. It has to ultimately come from a place of love, and that’s something writer/artist Tim Seeley clearly recognizes with his own variant cover to Money Shot Comes Again! #1. As we further the story of our beloved “XXX-plorers,” who now face the threat of a “giant ass space jellyfish,” Seeley has turned to ’80s Marvel comics (specifically, a title like Infinity Gauntlet) to playfully lampoon for this cover. Does that somehow diminish the original, or make it seem like the new one is trying to ape it somehow? No way — it’s about plucking on those strings of nostalgia and familiarity to make people think about what lies ahead in some new and interesting ways. The fact that a lot of that also involves scantily clad sex-scientists, naked aliens, and evil horny space whale is moot; you’ll likely have a hard time forgetting this image. Seriously, I may have to scrub my eyes with Jack Daniels to fully erase it.
Popscars #2
Cover by Santi Guillen
And speaking of seemingly sexy books, there’s Popscars. The book is described as a “gritty Hollywood revenge story about a vigilante badass in a pink ski mask and the famous Hollywood movie producer she is out to kill,” which tells you the depths that the creators are ready to reach to unnerve and titulate. Case in point: the cover to issue #2 from series artist Santi Guillen. While I’m of the opinion this isn’t an actual scene from the issue and just a bit of creative licensing, it certainly would be a bold choice so early on. However, the cover is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, a way to take a sex-centric image (the aforementioned masked assassin) and present it in a way that both subverts and celebrates our lusty feelings. The weird bone shark consuming our heroine is both a denial and just another spotlight of the energies at play here — which is a slightly fancy way of saying this book loves to mess with us. And I for one think more books should do that — engage and bash us with sex-centric imagery as a way of really showing us the power of this elemental human expression. That, and sharks are always neat-o.
Unstoppable Doom Patrol #2
Variant cover by Jeff Spokes
Can I let you in on a little secret, dear reader? Everytime I saw that Unstoppable Doom Patrol #1 was touted as having a series of scratch-off variant covers, I always thought it was scratch-and-sniff. What, exactly, would one of the Crazy Jane variants even smell like (licorice and printer ink, if I’m being further honest), and why would they do that in the first place? But luckily I can forget my mistake — you’re free to hold it over my head as long as necessary — and focus instead on this great Jeff Spokes variant for issue #2. Not only is it glow in the dark (suck it, scratch-off!) but it’s also just a great moment to highlight the always underrated Negative Man. Plus, I love the tiny little things featured across the cover. Like, the way it feels properly cinematic, or the way the distorted “mirror versions” of the team maybe hint at the issue’s promise of a traitor in the mix. Do I wish those glasses came off in some sort of cardboard cutoff? Sure, but I won’t hold me being dumb against a truly subtle, generally great cover.
Clobberin’ Time #2
Cover by Steve Skroce
If the last entry wasn’t proof, I’m sort of a dumb guy. But there’s a way that I’m smart, and I think it’s for my appreciation of body horror. More specifically, lots of stuff makes for great BH, and even if you show the barest amount of blood and other viscera, you’ve still got plenty of wiggle room. Case in point: this cover to Clobberin’ Time #2, in which The Thing has clearly hit a low spot in his visit to Krakoa for the “Mutant and Superhuman Interconnection” symposium. Because all the cuts and exposed bones in the world (like on our friend Wolverine, whose looking hella Charles Bronson-y for some reason) aren’t nearly as compelling as the mushroom-looking plate explosions/movements of The Thing. It’s somehow sort of cutesy and silly, and that just makes the realization that it’s actually awful and horrifying and potentially scaring for life hit home that much harder. It’s a “thoughtful” take on body horror, and a reason why it can be an effective way not just to gross out the audience but do so in really inventive ways. Even if said thought is just, “Is The Thing’s body really that much of a hellscape under that McNugget-looking exterior?”
Deep Cuts #1
Cover by Chris Brunner
I think there’s a lot going for Deep Cuts that could make it a sleeper hit for this summer’s packed comics “season.” For one, it’s written by Kyle Higgins and Joe Clark, who’ve done bang up work with Radiant Black. If that weren’t enough, we’ve got a rotating list of A-list artists involved, including Danilo Beyruth and Chris Brunner (on permanent covers) for the debut issue. And, of course, there’s the premise, in which a young clarinet player in 1917 New Orleans finds out about the real price of making it in the music business. But the arguable cherry on the sundae — at least till the rest of the world reads this in full — is Brunner’s excellent issue #1 cover. We get a grounded, slightly gritty art style to set the mood and tone; some real mixed media vibes/action to play up the scope and range of this book; a dash of supernatural vibes to keep us excited; and, of course, some really great historical tidbits that anchors this book where it needs to be before things get dark/wild/weird/etc. The end result is a smorgasbord of ideas and energies, and the sort of profound experience you’d hope from talented creative team doing something really compellng. Also, it’s nice to see a proper spotlight for the always unsung clarinet.
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