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 Batman #16
Cover by Nick Dragotta and Frank Martin
I get that we talk about the Absolute line more than NASA mentions, like, rockets or moons or whatever, but there’s no denying its significance. Its been a massive shot in the arm to DC (and comics at large), and a way to recontextualize our understanding of these beloved heroes. So for Wonder Woman and Batman to come face-to-face on this cover feels like a watershed moment. Is this what they’ve been building to per se? No — well, yes, cause we’re here, but it’s never been so obvious or overt, and that’s why I like this one extra loud moment of “we’ve arrived at last!” I also like the way these two compare/contrast; AbsoBats (TM pending) has been built as this behemoth, and to see him “shrunk down” speaks volumes about how their dynamic might play out. (Or, is Diana just as gargantuan?! I dig!) Meanwhile, Wonder Woman seems a bit more sullen here, and I like that she’s got more “range” beyond how she’s been portrayed in her own book. This is the start of something big, folks, and I want you to fully, knowingly drink it in while you can.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2026 Annual #1
Variant cover by Nicoletta Baldari
I’ll say it: We don’t entirely need annuals. They’re fun, and something of a break for all involved, but they don’t mean much beyond a well-made distraction. And that’s OK: That kind of disposability is what we need more of in comics, and we should celebrate stories for basically being, like, medium-sized gourmet jawbreakers. That’s certainly the vibe I get when I look at Nicoletta Baldari’s variant cover to The Amazing Spider-Man 2026 Annual #1. With some real Spider-Verse vibes, we get a snapshot of Spidey’s superhero training day with Rapid. There’s vivid colors galore (which fits my sugar-coated candy analog); some great slice of life moments from the Big Apple; both the humor and the humiliation of villains; and even an actual cat to be saved. I’m sure this whole thing will be weird, silly fun, and we should more effectively embrace these moments for the surge of context-free (or, not context-beholden) joy they offer to every single one of us. Plus, how can you say no to a cover with that many lighting bolts?
Conan the Barbarian #28
Cover by Gerardo Zaffino
From the sweet and colorful to the “someone please call a doctor pronto,” we come to Conan the Barbarian #28. If you haven’t been keeping up with Conan as it sets to enter year three, you might find this issue confusing as it concludes “The Conquering Crown” story arc. But this is Conan after all, and you can just spend as much time on the cover, peeping him in his proper glory (courtesy of Gerardo Zaffino). Sure, the battling barbarian is no stranger to bloodshed, but there’s something novel here. It’s a little on the nose, but that old adage “Heavy is the head that wears the crown” gets some new life in a major way. That, and the blood itself looks almost like tears, and that’s going to be the closet thing we get to Conan emoting. (Beyond screaming before he drives an axe into someone’s chest, of course.) And if those don’t do anything for ya, just peep Zaffino’s sheer technical skills; he brings mood and mystery in deeply impressive ways. No one fights and struggles like Conan, and here we see the many costs (and opportunities) of that endless bloodshed.
Big Wars: The Spyder Wytch Special #1
Variant cover by Baldemar Rivas
Yes, we are getting a new Bug Wars series later this year. In the meantime, we’re getting an “extra-length special that burrows deep into the shadowy world of the Mytes — the insectoid warriors who fight, live, and die in the grass-stained trenches of The Yard.” And based on this variant cover by Baldemar Rivas, dying seems to be the best-case scenario in The Yard. Obviously what I like most about this cover is that there’s a demonic-looking creature either being consumed by and/or unleashing equally terrifying spiders. (Hey, let’s look at the bright side; maybe it’s both!) But I also quite enjoy that corresponding idea that you can’t decide what’s good or evil, or what’s consumer and consumed, and that’s important for this book. Bug Wars worked not because of it’s neat-o concept and endlessly creepy bugs; it’s that creatures big and small have each had to see their world and their lives lain totally bare in wonderful, agonizing glory. Such a feat can be an ordeal, and I think this cover captures that deeply intimate act with gusto. That, and it perhaps somehow activated my latent arachnophobia.
Wrestle Heist #2
Cover by Kyle Starks
There’s so much that I really liked about Wrestle Heist #1. It was making their protagonist a heel; the inclusion of the badass Gravedigger; and even just the depiction of a truly solid piledriver. But mostly, writer-artist Kyle Starks really nailed the tone and themes of great wrestling, offering us the kind of character work and dialogue that makes our immersion feel real and earned. And that even continues into issue #2’s main cover, which like issue #1 recreates the olden days of rags like Pro Wrestling Illustrated (albeit #2 feels more effective in said goal). It’s depicting a mid-match moment (is that a chokeslam or a spinebuster, FYI?); the generally good journalism around Ocoho Bolo; the shameless self-promotion with the greatest tag teams bit; and even the mix of bright, vivid colors. On top of that, it actually moves the story forward and gives us a great framework for Gravedigger. It’s the Bret Hart of wrestling-themed comics covers, and I’ll give you The Ghostbuster if you disagree.
Spirit of the Shadows #1
Cover by Nick Cagnetti
Much like with the Absolute line, we’ve given a lot of love to Spirit of the Shadows. I personally adored talking to writer Daniel Ziegler and Nick Cagnetti about ghosts and comics, and our own David Brooke said the story is “bold, weird, and bursting with imagination.” Given all that attention, I’ve spent more than my share of time starring at the Cagnetti-drawn main cover, and as you might have already guessed, I have some thoughts. While I originally thought this cover was a little “bland” (compared to the book itself and even the variant covers), I see it now as a proper spotlight for the wild mind and technical skill of Cagnetti. Beyond that, there’s the Green Lantern vibes I get from the instrument (likely an unintended comparison, but it sure does lots of heavy lifting for my own immersion); the mix of spooky and exciting in a way that everything feels elevated; and the sense that our lead (Erik) is perhaps similarly meant to be feared and adored. In short, everything you could need from a comic: joy, horror, magic, and more colors than 1 billion bowls of Skittles.
Detective Comics #1105
Cover by Mikel Janín
Here’s why I love giant suits, especially when they’re worn by Batman. Do I need this technologically-advanced outerwear to care about the character? No, it’s Batman, duh. Did the story even have to include a giant suit? Not really; “The Courage That Kills” has been a great arc so far as Tom Taylor and Mikel Janín have fully tested Bats mid this whole “anti-fear virus” narrative. Instead, the question you have to ask yourself is, “What does the suit do for us as readers?” Well, for one, it’s not too bulky, which means Batman’s biggest fear isn’t being overpowered. It’s also air-tight (duh, virus), but done just in a way when, where it makes the most sense narratively speaking, those hoses can be snapped/cut. The suit itself, meanwhile, also looks like a mix of fiber and metal, and that combination feels like it’s similarly important for the story’s themes and arc toward action. And if absolutely nothing else, those giant boots are hella cool. In short, this suit is perfect for this story, the right kind of intervention but not too much that Batman might actually survive this one. But, seriously, what size shoe is that, Bruce?
Iron Man #1
Variant cover by Adam Kubert
Am I a little tenuous about Joshua “I Bleed DC” Williamson doing stuff over at Marvel right here and now? Sure. But based on the solicitation, I think Williamson and company (including series artist Carmen Carnero) have quite the plan, as the series promises to be “classic super-hero storytelling in the Mighty Marvel Manner, just how you like it!” It’s a “return” further evidenced by this excellent variant cover from Adam “I Draw A Killer Wolverine” Kubert. Not only does this cover look like the poster for an Iron Man-starring thriller made circa 1977, but it captures the overt business of Tony Stark’s life and legacy as well as the larger concept of duality/dichotomy. Stark’s life is clearly one big wonderfully jumbled mess of characters, themes, messages, storyline potential, etc., and all truly classic Iron Man tales can capture that as a means of further understanding the hero’s essence and also continually pushing him forward. It’s certainly the start of a brave new era, and this cover has me more confident that Iron Man is in good hands. Or, at the very least, it’s going to be one hell of a shiny mess!
Power Rangers Prime #14
Cover by Andrew Griffith
A few weeks back, I commented on the cover of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Zord Quest #1. Specifically, I said that “series artist Gavin Smith has created some of the most compelling and lively Zords for the debut cover.” Now, I’d like to extend that very same “honor” to Andrew Griffith for his variant cover to Power Rangers Prime #14. If this were seven-year-old Chris, I’d maybe be sad at seeing a busted-up Red T-Rex Zord. But there’s something about seeing this “dissection” that makes me reconsider what these Zords are — giant badass robots, yeah, but also fragile and ultimately disposable. And given that this issue focuses on the mystery of a second Red Ranger, that same idea hums even more loudly, and I’m really thinking about something at the core of being a Ranger. (It ain’t easy, and as strong as you are, there’s something that can happen to change it all.) We’re literally seeing the nuts and bolts of these big, bad machines, and in doing so, there’s both an immersion and also a slightly uncomfortable recognition or awareness of the “fictionality.” If you think these neon-colored ninja badasses don’t have anything left to teach us, then you’re less human than Rita Repulsa herself.
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