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.
Absolute Evil #1
Cover by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Stefano Nesi, and Romulo Fajardo, Jr.
You can’t have a universe of Absolute heroes without Absolute villains, and so here we are. The first year of the Absolute line has been great, but if this cover is to be believed, then the rise of their corresponding nemesis will be just as satisfying. Maybe you have your guesses as to which newly-transmogrified bad guys/gals we’ll be getting, but I’d like to focus on a few key details. Like the torn photos, which feels more obsessive than nefarious (and I dig it). Or, the filth on their hands, which hopefully means they’ll get their hands extra dirty. And, of course, the strategic use of blood, which hints at an intensity but also a sense of pacing for the coming clashes. It’s not just about giving the heroes some opposition; it’s about setting up your villains to feel strategic and refreshing. Am I excited in a new and thrilling way for this continually inventive line? Absolutely.
Spider-Man Noir #1
Variant cover by Erik Larsen
Did I know I needed an Erik Larsen-penned Spider-Man Noir story in my life? No way. But here we are as well, with Larsen returning to the oh-so familiar Spidey-verse (alongside artist Andrea Broccardo) for a story involving the death of George Stacy (aka Gwen Stacy’s daddy dearest). Here’s how I think, based on Larsen’s own variant cover, this slice o’noir mighty play out. The aesthetic will be indie but appropriately gritty and intense. There’ll be heaps of action, and while it may not be inventive or extra brutal, it’ll be deeply satisfying. And Spider-Man will ride that line between webslinger and PI as all good Noir stories ought to. Plus, just seeing Larsen do things beyond Savage Dragon these days just affirms the joy and energy he packs even into a “simple” piece like this one. As long as I don’t have to clean up all that glass, it’ll be the cat’s meow, alright?
Starship Godzilla #1
Cover by Oliver Ono
If you were like me upon the announcement of Starship Godzilla, you probably groaned, “How are they going to get this big guy in space?” But, without ruining too much, the book is basically a space-faring adventure set at some point within the “Kai-Sei era,” and it’s about using this newfound surge of energy, ideas, and interests to do something cool. Series artist Oliver Ono does just that, giving us a dose of manga-tinged, Blade Runner-meets-Cowboy–Bebob future dopeness. And if we’re really showing what a little weirdness can do, then even this “simple” mech-/ship-ification of Godzilla should affirm to anyone that the franchise is in very capable hands. Because if this era is going to be successful, there can be few limits as to how abstract we get with celebrating Godzilla. As excited as I am, though, I may eventually draw the line at, like, “Godzilla E.R.”
G.I. Joe: Cold Slither #1
Cover by Steve Beach
Speaking of things I didn’t know I needed, there’s Cold Slither. Apparently the “Greatest Band Ever” (I think Boston may have a thing or two to say about that), I knew very little about this deep cut. (Really, anything beyond those “Knowledge is half the power” segments, and I get pretty hazy.) But I’m happy to admit my ignorance if it means I can experience something this amazing for the very first time. They make me think of an actually gnarly Stryper, or like a genuinely fun version of AC/DC. (Suck it, metal-heads.) I guess it’s cool that maybe those guitars turn into, like, machine guns, but mostly I’m a fan of G.I. Joe getting into some very weird territory that pushes out the walls of this series that somehow takes itself too seriously. (Seriously, there’s, like, two rival ninjas in this book and also a guy named Duke.) Really, the world needs more keytars to make it feel whole again.
The Author Immortal #1
Cover by Morgan Beem
Just last week, artist Morgan Beem wowed me with a slice of horror/sci-fi plucked from the very best parts of The Twilight Zone. This week, Beem pivots to more whimsical or fantastical territory (but never any less harrowing, of course) with the main cover to The Author Immortal. And yet again, this bad boy manages to reveal heaps of what you actually need to know going in whole still leaving plenty to the imagination. Like, it seems as if the relationship depicted here is central, but what’s that look like in terms of its scope and tone? You may have also guessed how important stories are (thanks book!), but just how deep does it go in the realm of meta? And between that, um, blade thing and what’s either a row of portals or monster teeth, you may be guessing if this story will terrify and/or uplift. Spoilers: It does a bit of everything, and it does it quite well.
Kill All Immortals II #1
Variant cover by John Giang
I’ve been excited about Kill All Immortals II since it was announced. (Heck, I was jacked even when the last couple of issues from arc one basically shouted their future plans from the high heavens.) Part of that’s because the Asvald clan have to band together against “an ancient and supernatural adversary,” which should add nicely to the robust family drama of the first arc. But mostly it’s cause this new storyline gives us moments like this John Giang variant cover, where Frey really gets to let loose. And when I mean let loose, there’s a glean of joy/excitement, as she can finally use her skills without constraints and really fight for what she wants or believes in. It’s violence as a form of character development, and it’s why KAI has been such a potent and satisfying book so far. That, and there’s some real Æon Flux vibes here, and that’s always a treat.
Venom #250
Variant cover by Nick Bradshaw
You may have heard me discuss this cover on a recent-ish edition of the AIPT Podcast. The more I sit with it, the more I’m sure the decision to select Rowlf as Venom is generally a good idea. That lovable fool didn’t exactly have an arc of personal development like Venom, but they’re both the same in my mind. Which is to say, there’s a sense of comfort and reliability to both, and even if they’re not the best in their respective “universes,” they’re always reliable emotionally as well as from a storyline perspective. My weird associations aside, Nick Bradshaw just nails that perfect balance between cute and intense, endearing and action-packed — it brings together Marvel and the Muppets in such a disarming manner that you can’t help but re-evaluate your relationship to both franchises. Still, IDK about Gonzo as Iron Man, but props to Fozzie as Doc Ock.
Gunpowder Prophets #1
Cover by Patrick Piazzalunga
Good covers are often about the sum of the respective parts and giving us some clear insight into a larger series and/or storyline. But as Gunpowder Prophets demonstrates, good covers can also be just a bunch of cool parts that you glob onto. So, sure, the generic, troll-looking monster here doesn’t tell us much about a foe. However, the sharp ‘70s vibes are spot on, and speak to this book’s potential connection to a singular and exciting time in horror stories/cinema. Similarly, our man Huck doesn’t go nearly deep enough into the territory of Robert Redford (even as it’s nearly close enough). However, naming your sassy young girl after the greatest Italian horror director ever also does wonders for this book’s pedigree. So, yeah, the cover doesn’t work across the board, but what is working is telling me a story of a coming deluge of solid horror, and a tale that could be the right kind of bloody and sleazy. If everything else fails, at least there’s strong Venture Bros. vibes.
Batman #2
Variant cover by Julian Totino Tedesco
I’ll be honest: Despite the overwhelming reaction, I wasn’t in love with Batman #1. I could see what Matt Fraction and Jorge Jimenez were perhaps trying to do (an older Dark Knight grappling with a new way of doing things), but not enough had formed to really persuade me. But if I wasn’t already going to give it another chance, this Julian Totino Tedesco variant cover sure helps. I love the Norman Rockwell vibes; it seems to fit with the more emotionally resonant tone of the book. Plus, it’s funny to contrast that thought with capturing Robin mid-beatdown — that feels like an extension of the humor and humanity that Fraction has built his career upon. There’s other elements, too — the crisp suit design, the odd variety of hooligans — that further tell me this could be a truly fresh era in all of the small ways that matter most. I’m sure this new run can deliver with more time and space, and this cover should be a roadmap for what a good Batman story does right in ways you dint expect. That, and maybe chain wallets really ought to come back?
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