Judging by the Cover – 03/04/26 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.

DC K.O. #5

Variant cover by Daniel Warren Johnson

Would you believe me if I picked another DWJ “magic wrestling-comics fusion” cover because of the crowd? (Truly, there’s so much life and personality amid a sea of actual faceless humans; it’s quite astounding and a testament to comics’ idea of “less can be way more.”) OK, total transparency: I picked this not cause it’s more wrestling and comics in a world where that should happen all. the. dang. time, but because what this says about the ongoing saga that is the Batman-Superman dynamic. Because, depending on what move the Dark Knight has in mind, that could inform this “version” of their relationship. A superplex? He’s likely going easy on Big Blue. A top-rope brainbuster? OK, maybe they’re working out some issues. But if he spins the last second and gives him a Generico-esque “BRAINBUSTAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!”? Well, then they’re beefing worse than in Dark Knight Returns. It’s a little device that once more offers keen insight into one of comics’ biggest friendships/rivalries, and in a way you never saw coming. Sort of like that BRAINBUSTAAAAAHHHHH…

Moonstar #1

Variant cover by Benjamin Su

I’m a big fan of tapping, breaking, and even smashing the fourth wall. It’s such a neat way to bring fans in, let all of us see the heights and depths of a fandom (and our culpability in the perpetuation of said fandom), and generally celebrate the power of great stories. What’s that got to do with Dani Moonstar then? Well, it’s a nice bit of joy for the world’s dopest archer (sorry, Green Arrow), as she gets to take in a moment of unfettered piece and joy with a good book and an even better canine companion. The fact that said book is a Daredevil comic is a funny, playful device that only adds to the joy and general breeziness of that moment. And she better really enjoy all those good vibes because if the book’s solicitation is any indication, she’s set for a tale of tragedy, self-doubt, and violence galore. In that way, this little dance around the edge of the fourth wall plays with our emotions a bit, pulling us in one way before the story proper inevitably dropkicks us into the thick of it with maximum force and effectiveness. Death indeed awaits, Dani, but not till you finish that issue.

Nectar #1

Variant cover by Jonathan Wayshak

There’s a thing among horror — let’s call it “the Innocence Perversion Effect.” It’s why they can make movies/stories about murderous children’s dolls or an accident-causing wind-up monkey. And Nectar expertly adds to this trend, with a species of butterflies that “spread the Dancing Plague and have a very particular taste in nectar: human blood.” So, how does a book like this, so very clearly in the tradition of my well-established “Innocence Perversion Effect,” work to tell an effective story despite whatever complications or “challenges” said association might offer? Why, the same way all those other tales have done so: by really leaning into. Admittedly, this Jonathan Wayshak piece is only a variant, but the prominent feature of a rotten, semi-demonic-looking skull, with dancing butterflies as flare, is the exact perfect melding of horrifying and beautiful that I hope the story can achieve. You can actually experience different moods and layers depending on where you look, and that feels like such a potent way to play around with the sentiments and energies you need to balance when dealing with murderous butterflies. Now, prepare to butter-cry!

Gargoyles / Darkwing Duck #3

Cover by Tad Stones

I’ll admit it: I haven’t really paid much attention to the Gargoyles / Darkwing Duck crossover. Which is a little ridiculous given that both shows were a staple of my viewing habits in the ’90s. And the fact that despite their clear differences, there’s some important points of commonality (i.e., family is important, especially if you want to solve crimes/stop bad guys). But I think the thing that’s really sold me that I should’ve been paying attention this entire time is this cover to issue #3 from series artist Tad Stones. For one, it’s the angle; there’s something about coming straight down, and just the effect of the buildings that’s claustrophobic but not overwhelmingly so, that makes this extra thrilling. And speaking of thrills, even if he’s stronger than 100 bison and can fly majestically, Goliath looks like he’s along for the (terrifying, dangerous) ride. But, hey, nobody but Darkwing himself seems to be worried, and that’s just a slice of comedy cheese on this double-decker sandwich of fun times. I don’t know how long this crossover can last with risk-taking like this, but I’m also down for the adventure for the very first time.

Cruel Universe #8

Cover by Miguel Mercado

I 1,000% agree this cover is terrifying — but not for the reasons you might expect. Because a lot of you will look at this and either go, “Oh god, these people have been turned into robots!” or “Oh god, they’re making the robots into people!” Either way, you’ll be (quite appropriately) terrified on any number of moral and existential levels. And while I agree with those sentiments, look a little deeper. Most of the family is rocking those “eyes like Coraline’s Other Mom,” and yet for some reason the boy looks normal. (I use that term super loosely, of course). Why is that? Is he further/less further along in his “transformation,” and what’s that mean as an extension of the visual metaphor here? And while you’re pondering that, don’t forget about the doubly normal dog here, who I assume is either the only truly living thing on this cover or the most robotic. (And the fact that I can’t decide which is better or worse is somehow both exciting and terrifying.) It’s all sort of like that one scene in M.I.B. with “Little Tiffany,” where we’re meant to feel the weight of our assumptions as we realize the world is more complicated and unknowable than we previously assumed. Ain’t the future just grand?!

Narco #1

Variant cover by Daniel Hillyard

This month, Image is busting out a “line-wide” run of Invincible covers in celebration of the TV show’s fifth season. And across the gamut, you’re going to see some cool stuff, including some meta-tinged crossover magic for The Walking Dead #132 and a little robot-on-Robot action for Transformers #30. But be sure to spare a few minutes for this variant to Narco #1 (by co-creator/series artist Daniel Hillyard). In a story where our hero is not only the opposite of an action hero, but passes out at a certain point of exertion, having him bust out Pop-Tarts as a battle tactic is genius. It tells you everything you need to know about this book, and tempers your expectations in such a silly but brilliant manner. But then you see the rest of the “heroes” from the Hillyard-Doug Wagner “Murder-verse,” like Edwin (Plastic) battling Monster Girl with a surprising level of chutzpah, or some of the Furries from Plush demonstrating surprising real skill and dexterity. It goes to show what those stories do and do not share with each other, and what Narco may represent as something new in the pair’s weird, bloody universe. It’s a proper example of world-building without feeling complicated or overly demanding, and one little snapshot gives this world so much weight (and even  putting it up there with the massive world of Invincible). Also, the Pop-Tarts are the right flavor, that’s all I’m saying.

Star Wars: Shadow of Maul #1

Variant cover by Björn Barends

Sort of like with most DWJ’s wrestling covers, I’m a bona fide sucker for the work of Björn Barends. Usually that’s in the confines of Spawn, and so I’m glad to see him stretch his wings a little and try his hand at the giant universe of Star Wars. Especially because we get to see him draw a Sith/Jedi robe, and man oh man it’s like he somehow hand-stitched every single inch of fabric with a pair of tweezers. That, and even through that fiery hue of Darth Maul’s skin, we can see all those blemishes and otherwise imperfections that really make this alien badass with a laser sword seem so deeply human. And, truly, that’s the thing I’m actually taking away from this cover: that humanity. More specifically, not only has Barends nailed that specific, um, unkempt color of the Sith’s teeth, but he’s absolutely nailed his “trademark” awkward smile. You know, that grin that unnerves you completely but also makes you realize that Maul has been a very lonely, very isolated figure for some time. I’d almost feel sympathy for him if he weren’t so nasty, and therein lies the wondrous moral complexity that makes a lot of Star Wars characters so compelling. If the story nails 1/10th of that dynamic, nothing will overshadow this one, that’s for sure.

Batman #7

Cover by Jorge Jiménez

A lot’s happened in the first six issues of Batman from Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez. But even with Bats himself taking a shotgun blast straight to the dome (and effectively shrugging it off), and lots of great social commentary on modern policing, a lot of people will remember this issue as the return of the Joker. How will the Harlequin of Hate play into the creative team’s plans, and just how will they continue comics’ most famous “rivalry”? Well, I think we have our very first clue with Jiménez’s own main cover. There’s a perfect bit of mirroring going on, and the two readily explore and touch on a lot of the same feelings and moral concepts (and the whole shtick is that they either are or aren’t as close/far away as you might expect). But I also really like that Bats is “revealing” this connection while wiping away the glass; that little device 1) shows how we’re all continually exploring their dynamic together and 2) it also infers a kind of distance between all of this. As if Batman could somehow remove the Joker-sized stain from his mind and/or life, and that whatever they have going on between them is as easy to manage as clearing away dust/condensation. That to me is the really novel part: Even after all these years, there’s still tension about this pairing and how they view their role in this sustained game of cat and mouse. Talk about lucky No. 7, amirite?!

Disney Villains: Gaston #1

Variant cover by Will Robson

Per Dynamite’s own solicitation, Gaston is described as the “unfairly maligned antagonist” of Beauty and the Beast. On the one hand, if you’re painting him as “morally complicated,” having him star in the Disney Villains alongside the likes of actual monsters like Cruella de Vil and Scar seems a bit odd. But then this whole endeavor is about perspective, and how we can all be the heroes if we’re the ones telling the story. Gaston, especially, best represents that dynamics: Yes, he’s a sexist bully who got his comeuppance, but there’s a universe where maybe he just got his butt kicked instead and his handful of positive traits (being a great tracker, having some oddly twisted level of heroism and civic duty, etc.) would be allowed to develop over time. And I like to think this Will Robson variant cover is from this “universe that never was” — a snapshot of where the big oaf (and his sidekick LeFou, of course) were free to do their thang (tracking, posing for cute girls, general grunt work in aid of other citizens, etc.) without running afoul of the real heroes of the village. Gaston is a prime example of how not only do we think we’re the heroes, but with a little change in perspective (and a karate chop from a man-beast) we might be able to actually meet our expectations even if they’re not what we had first envisioned. At least the dude’s hella jacked.