Judging by the Cover – 10/16/24 new releases

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.

Nightwing #118

Variant cover by Bruno Redondo

How do you truly commemorate an end? Especially that of the 40-issue run of Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo, who in this chap’s estimation have helped redefine and elevate Dick Grayson for a whole new generation. I think the best answer is to lean into everything good about this run, which Redondo himself does so absolutely perfectly with this variant cover to issue #118. While the issue itself promises a bit final battle between Nightwing and Heartless and Tony Zucco, the cover is a kind of best-of for Mr. Grayson’s growth as a premier DC hero. Like, the way Batman himself even smirks, acknowledging their new relationship and Dick’s own A-list standing. The always adorable Haley, who has become not just a source of joy but representative of Dick putting down roots as he develops in some vital ways. And speaking of friends, this book wouldn’t be what it is without both the Bat Family and Titans, and how that family has been crucial in Nightwing’s specific evolution. But best of all, a fourth wall-smashing adieu from the hero himself — a chance to recognize that we’ve been part of this story the whole time. Goodbyes suck, but this one makes all the sadness and longing feel really good. Until next time, Nightwing, may you fall ever higher.

Mystique #1

Variant cover by David Baldeón

And from a tear-jerking goodbye to an excited (but nervous?!) introduction, we come to Mystique #1. Writer-artist Declan Shalvey is on something of a roll already, and so adding a spy-centric Mystique miniseries should be an interesting display of his talents. (It is, in his own words, basically like a Big Two version of his excellent Old Dog.) But while Shalvey’s got some big plans for the book — there’s talk in the solicitation of Krakoa and Nicky Fury — I want to spend a little bit of time on this David Baldeón variant. Because if it does reflect anything in this book, it’s all very interesting. Of course, the most obvious thing is the shapeshifting — like seeing it (in glorious, vivid action), I’ve got to wonder why there aren’t more stories of “Mystique the spy.” From there, we touch on the Rogue-Mystique kerfuffle of a relationship, and if we see even 2% of that here, this book will be a jumbo-sized juicy steak. And none of that’s even getting at how this “transformation” makes me feel, and the intricate emotional insights it offers about how we may be viewing and interacting with Mystique. But for now, let’s just say this lil’ cover is quite the way to say, “Howdy!”

Radiant Black #30 and Radiant Black #30.5

Cover(s) by Marcelo Costa

It doesn’t take much math to make a difference. Because in the solicitation for Radiant Black #30, the Catalyst War continues as “pieces fall into place” and “the end of the world’s at hand,” which is surprisingly positive for this level of global doom and gloom. But by the time we get to Radiant Black #30.5, the “paradigm is forever changed” and there’s mention of how the world can only have one Radiant Black, which seems like the best kind of surge you could hope for in a story like this. (Also, ::inserts that perfect Anchorman scene::.) But if you really need to see those numbers and whatnot in action, Marcelo Costa has assembled two covers/one brilliant piece that expertly outlines #30/#30.5. And, sure, I’ve fallen for these two-fers from Radiant Black before, but this one feels extra special. There’s a deep nugget of humanity and emotionality to this chaotic scene — we’ve seen big cataclysmic endings play out before, but even those even vaguely familiar with this story’s turns will feel how dire and desperate this moment is overall. It’s the intensity of the fire, or the warping of reality — it just feels like the very world may crack open and never be sealed again. If this is the end of the beginning, or the beginning of an end, it starts here with dazzling power.

The Exorcism at 1600 Penn #1

Cover by Vanesa R. Del Rey

Not to be a hater (more than I already am on an average day), but I was totes uncertain of The Exorcism at 1600 Penn upon its announcement. Sure, give me gimmicky horror directly into my cerebellum, but with all the actual horrors happening in the political sphere, I wasn’t sure if I needed a story about the first female president entering a “demonic battleground for good versus evil” directly at the White House. But then I saw this cover from series artist Vanesa R. Del Rey, and maybe my initial hateration needs to be put away even momentarily. Because all of this is working for me: the feeling and energies like Rosemary’s Baby, a classic that is still somehow under-praised; the design of the demons, which feels very subtle and maybe leaning into some kind of Nordic influence (either way, it ain’t these guys); and the really great way that light and shadow interact to present that thematic gold. Overall, it’s a thoughtful and nuanced approach, which really counteracts the overtly gimmicky tent poles of this story and makes it feel like there’s stakes and even some novelty to this project. Sure, you can’t judge a book by its cover (wait, I can and have for years in this very column), but this cover demonstrates that the devil may truly be in the details.

Vicarious #1

Cover by Dan Panosian

If you’re keeping track, there’s not a lot that the rich and elite aren’t willing to take from everyone else. But since it’s the job of great stories to try and push those boundaries ever further, and to really get us thinking about social structures, writer Ryan Parrott and artist Eleonora Carlini have teamed up for Vicarious. The TL;DR is that rich people pay folks to access their emotions and experiences via a “technological imprint,” which is both more and less terrific than when these billionaires started buying up every last available home. But how do you accurately capture this concept in a solid teaser image? Dan Panosian’s cover to issue #1 is how, and there’s so much as to why it rules for this debut. It’s certainly got some Euphoria vibes, and that sets the pace for perhaps the scope and tone of Vicarious. There’s also a solid mix of some beguiling beauty and the ethereal with the notion that things are also breaking down — that expertly captures the complicated social, cultural, and economic factors at play. But the biggest aspect is the man’s face; it’s gorgeous and wide with life and yet ultimately dead below. And that balancing act is so deeply compelling that it smashes my heart and proves how deep this book will cut. Ain’t the future just grand?

Prairie Gods #2

Cover by Shane Connery Volk

Based on the title and the pretty compelling cover from writer-artist Shane Connery Volk, I gave Prairie Gods #1 a shot back in August. And boy oh boy, was I more than pleased with my decision, as Volk (and letterer Becca Carey) dazzled with the first part of an anthology described as “The Twilight Zone meets Sin City,” in which an old racer tries to outperform a creepy speedway’s only “undefeated driver.” Issue #2, then, sees an old sheriff seeking a wanted fugitive, and he may very well “break the laws of nature” to get his man. More than that, we get a cover that I think more accurately captures Volk’s overall style and his approach to this book. The sheriff, for instance, expertly balances noir tropes with supernatural elements in a display that’s creepy and effective. We get more demonic goodness and a howling wolf right on top of “ordinary” cop stuff — that juxtaposition seems like it really gets to the heart of Volk’s interests and storytelling techniques. Even that red is more than pulling its weight, as if the very sky itself has been turned by the events in the town of Broadacres. In short, it more effectively promises the likely story trip within #2, and gives us all the more reason to make a little space for Prairie Gods in our TBR piles.

Ultimate Spider-Man #10

Variant cover by Miguel Mercado

I’ve seen this used a few times to describe the book, but Ultimate Spider-Man truly is a palate cleanser. Not just for comics storytelling in general, but Spider-Man books and even some folks’ relationships with what the Ultimate line is truly capable of as a kind of living storytelling experiment. But, and this is once more for this fella’s money, one of the best things about this book has been the Peter/MJ dynamic. Sure, it’s a solid part of the entire Spidey canon (and has been for decades), but this “version” just feels more compelling. It’s the warmth and joy, even as their relationship very much feels lived in, as expertly evidenced by this Miguel Mercado variant cover. Even if they’re just chilling, there’s a love and power to this pairing that really grabs your eyes. It almost makes you forget that one of them is a superpowered man-spider, and that there’s some really tense things about to pop off in issue #10. The fact that I haven’t even mentioned the slightly meta bits with the covers here just shows how Mary-Pete/Pete-Jane are this nuclear sun of great comics coupledom and why Spidey is always the most human of all heroes. Home is where the heart and the great stories are, don’t ya know?

Falling in Love on the Path to Hell #5

Cover by Garry Brown

As evidenced by the dozen or so emails I’ve gotten about new runs and sales figures, people seem to really love Falling in Love on the Path to Hell. And who can blame then, as Gerry Duggan and Garry Brown (and, really, the whole team) have done something truly great with this supernatural love story between a samurai and an old cowpoke. But perhaps the best part of this book — and I’m counting the badass fight scenes and inventive take on the afterlife — is the slow, deliberate love affair between our two leads (Asami and MacRaith). As we kick into arc two with issue #5, the pair have only really just met, and their march toward love has retained this deliberate pace that’s about truly exploring these two and giving them a chance to be fleshed out before “pairing off.” It’s a concept highlighted even by Brown’s own cover: that doesn’t exactly look like the image of romance to me (maybe more like the poster to the illest samurai flick ever). But that’s because Asami gets to be Asami above all else, and no matter how strange or dark that seems, she’s a real person in a weird situation engaging with another person in this deep and thoughtful process of melding lives. If that’s not truly beautiful to you, consider what she’d do to you if you said otherwise.

Batman and Robin: Year One #1

Variant cover by Lee Weeks

There’s lots to be excited about regarding Batman and Robin: Year One. For one, it reunites writer Mark Waid and artist Chris Samnee, who killed it on their Daredevil run. But more than that, we’re getting a year one tale that I’m actually excited for as the Dynamic Duo must not only reconcile their recent partnership, but face “a mysterious new crime boss called the General [that] has come to Gotham to claim the city by disrupting and destroying its other mobs.” And if all that weren’t enough to make you want to spend hours playing air guitar, we get this super great Lee Weeks variant cover. Admittedly, there’s some other solid contenders in terms of variants, but it’s Weeks’ offering that nails the experience I want from this book. Like, the right balance between playful nostalgia (those costumes!) and a sensibility that’s more modern in scope. The dynamic of our two leads: Robin’s clearly jacked (and/or scared?), but Batman is just as unsure/tenous as he’s trying to be stoic, and that feels extra interesting for this story. Even the slightly grittier quality and the linework just screams, “This is a wild and untested time in the Bat Family,” and that is exactly the kind of chaos and joy we want in a tale like this one. Year one? Nah, sounds more like it’ll be year fun.