Judging by the Cover – 03/25/26 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 / Marvel: Superman / Spider-Man #1

Variant cover by Mitch Gerads

Was your Friendly Neighborhood Hater-Man a little nervous when Marvel and DC announced plans for a Superman-Spider-Man crossover? Oh you know it. I mean, yes, the similarities are pretty apparent, but it just felt a little too incongruous for some reason. (Perhaps because Spidey doesn’t fly? Who knows.) But this whole dang book is already worth it for this Mitch Gerads variant cover. Gerads nails the proportions for both heroes, as Spidey looks thin and lean in the best way while Supes is the exactly perfect kind of “Midwest high school QB.” Then, of course, there’s the technical challenge of expertly drawing heroes upside down (and making them look especially poised and powerful). And that leads us to the emotional core of this cover: The connections between the two are how they see the world through this shared perspective i.e., always heroing, however they can), and that their belief (in other people, general goodness, their ability to defy gravity, etc.) is their greatest power. And, finally, as a little added bonus, we get a little pigeon humor, which never once dampens the hope of this piece and instead reminds us of the joy meant to be provided by this crossover. Every once in a while, being deeply, incredibly wrong feels so good.

Punisher #2

Cover by David Marquez and Guru-eFX

While this Punisher #2 cover ain’t at all the feel good demonstration of heroism that is Superman / Spider-Man #1, it’s still a master class in duality. In this case, the long, complicated relationship between Frank Castle and Jigsaw, the latter of whom is set to make their extra bloody return. The more I gazed upon this cover, the more I was 1) the best kind of queasy and 2) increasingly intrigued. Because, yeah, the whole jigsaw/puzzle thing is on point here, and the same can be said for basically telegraphing the unsettling similarities between these two foes. (I almost said hero and his villain, but that wouldn’t really work would it?) The whole piece acts like one of those Magic Eye pictures: Staring endlessly didn’t reveal a sailboat or anything, but instead I began to forget the distinction between the two. That as more time went by, I became OK with forgetting whose skin belongs to Frank or Jigsaw, and that the real lesson here isn’t that they’re similar but that we can still be surprised and engaged by this “pairing.” Did this also make me think a little about Two-Face? Sure, it’s a clunky but effective comparison that speaks right to the heart of this bloody, codependent relationship. Welcome back, Frank-saw!

White Sky #2

Cover by JP Mavinga and Lee Loughridge

I quite enjoyed White Sky #1 — it felt like a strong instance of “family bonding amid the End Times.” Still, I was at least a little worried that it might not do enough to feel new/distinct from its predecessors (i.e., The Last of Us and The Road) in terms of balancing its ghost story with, say, overt violence, cannibalism, etc. Now, this cover to issue #2 doesn’t really help with said associations as I could easily see this issue focusing on roving bands of people who, like, eat other people to satisfy their “ghost gods.” Whether or not that’s the case, I’m at least a little optimistic given the technical accomplishments of this feat. That mainly stems from the angle, which feels packed with a lot of force and intent, and the execution of the mirror-like sheen to the blade. All of that leaves me with two overarching thoughts about White Sky‘s next chapter. The first is that it may not be different from the Roads of the world, and instead will try to augment the experience with whatever novelty it can. And the second thought is that maybe the ghosts aren’t as hands-free as we might have expected. Either way, I think there will still be something to this story, and the fact that I’m talking this much about a “simple” enough cover speaks volumes. But, hey, at least there’s ample blood!

Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre #2

Cover by James Edward Clark

In another case of decidedly strong debut issues, The Florida Hippopotamus Cocaine Massacre was somehow even more satisfying than uttering its name 20 times in a row. (Seriously, try it.) And, much like White Sky, some of my excitement and joy was tampered a bit, as FHCM could easily become a little forced and/or derivative as the “’80s action flick on speed and mescaline” gets more feet on the ground. However, FHCM has at least one major upside as I simply can’t get enough from series/cover artist James Edward Clark, and I’d consume his work like spiked Nerds Rope every single hour of every single day. It’s how he taps into the aforementioned ’80s influence but in a way that feels less tangible and more emotionally or sentimentally. He also brings in new ideas and energies (like hugely exaggerated manga, or something thereabouts) that really does a lot to play up the timeline and intentions of the piece. (It also draws some interesting connections between the “traditions” of manga and American action flicks that may or may not be obvious.) Plus, Clark’s whole work with character design and generally depicting people is perfect — it’s the right kind of gritty and silly, cartoonish and real (enough), and that alone lends a technical heft that augments all this visual “crack.” More lines, now!

Death Fight Forever #2

Variant cover by Andrew MacLean

Sort of like with Superman / Spider-Man, I have been a little uncertain about “Invincible Month” over at Image Comics. I get it: With the latest season of the (fairly good) TV show having recently begun, and the general significance of Invincible in updating/commenting on the state of superhero comics, it makes sense to make a very big deal of it all. On the other hand, I don’t think all the covers have been as equally effective in bridging the divide between Invincible and the respective stories/titles. That’s not to say it’s still not been fun, but I wish more folks had accomplished what writer Andrew MacLean did with this variant cover for Death Fight Forever #2. It certainly helps that, given MacLean’s writing and the wondrous aesthetic facilitated by DFF artist Alexis Ziritt, I could easily see Bash having to battle a large lizard man. However, the whole scene is presented in such a way that it feels like the best of both worlds, and that they’ve somehow coalesced into a weird, never-before-seen side-scrolling beat ’em up circa 1991. And then, of course, there’s the little touches, like Bash referencing Dan “Toasty!” Forden and Marla in the corner like the Codec from Metal Gear Solid, both of which are the pixelated cherries on this cyber sundae. With this much nostalgia and novelty, I’d play this game to my very final quarter.

Spirit of the Shadows #3

Variant cover by Grey Williamson

I reckon that a lot of the attention around Spirit of the Shadows has to do with the beautiful, totally bonkers art from co-creator Nick Cagnetti. And, admittedly, DUH — Cagnetti has made this story hum with a lively and intense magic that makes it so much more than any similar tales (cough The Crow cough). But let’s not forget the storyline from Daniel Ziegler: Right from the jump, when we found out our lead (Erik) may not be that good of a guy, it felt like Spirit of the Shadows was going to buck our expectations wherever possible. Case in point: By the end of the second issue, Erik had been pulled back to the land of the living, and the artistic/creative possibilities that represents are multitude. And some of those possibilities pop up in this great Grey Williamson variant, and all of it feels like such a powerful encapsulation of Erik’s journey back. The sheer sense of chaos and momentum and he tumbles in directions he can’t fully understand. The use of brown to indicate both the earth and perhaps even a “dulling” from the bombastic underworld to the trivialities of Earth. The slight slipping of his mask to further his “transformation” back to a corporeal being. All of it (and then some) does so much to play up this novel turn in a way that honors that inventive streak and wondrous sense of chaos maintained by Spirit of the Shadows. Huh, maybe the dead really do have it easier?

Absolute Martian Manhunter #10

Variant cover by Werther Dell’Edera

Of all the ample praise and attention (commercial and critical) sent the way of Absolute Martian Manhunter, there’s one thing I don’t think gets talked about nearly enough. And it’s the interplay-visual dynamic between Martian and John Jones. Through various devices, techniques, formats, etc., artists have tried to demonstrate their robust, complicated relationship with a quick and eye-catching snapshot. And while a lot of those have been good to great, this one from Werther Dell’Edera may take the cake. The comparison/contrast of the eyes here is super interesting: Not only does Martian get positioned as a third eye (which speaks to his actual “role” in John’s development as both a man and a cop), but John’s own eyes remain clear (which speaks to his place in this intense but wondrous “melding” of two beings). I also quite like Martian’s size here — it’s not too small that it looks off-putting, and instead our alien friend once more plays around with his bodily shape in a way that feels thematically significant. Plus, I love that John’s nose is made to be part of the Martian’s anatomy; it’s fun, for sure, but also says heaps more about their bond in such a succinct manner. This whole book, to me at least, is about existing with others and building community (even among two souls), and I can’t think of a more effective and poignant representation.

Knull #3

Cover by Ryan Stegman

Talk about two people who could learn to share/collaborate a little more effectively. I don’t want to tell Al Ewing or anyone else on the team what to do, but I will say from a fan’s perspective, a Knull-Thanos clash this early on feels like a proper statement. Heck, in almost anyone else’s hands, I could see this being a solid finale (or, at the very least, coming further down the line). But if we’re going to have the intergalactic smackdown for the ages right now, I can’t think of a better tease than this Ryan Stegman main cover. It’s a simple but mighty encapsulation of the thing the two share: an unwavering desire for power at the cost of anyone/everyone. From there, it almost feels like there’s some subtle but powerful decisions. Thanos feels more “classic” somehow, as if he’s the long-running psycho king in these here parts. (A sense furthered by the wear/tear of all those skeletons.) Meanwhile, Knull feels (despite being surrounded by symbiotes) decidedly bright and lively, as if he’s meant to be more “modern” and the “young” guy on the block. (The block, of course, being where genocidal space lords live.) And despite their clear differences, that skull-symbiote mid-page indicates that may this conflict may be more complicated than expected. Long live, Knullthos/Thanull!

Universal Monsters: Phantom of the Opera #2

Variant cover by Michael Walsh

When I spoke with Tyler Boss and Martin Simmonds about Universal Monsters: Phantom of the Opera, the thing that interested me most was their balancing act. Which is to say, could they do something novel with this story and still stay close to its roots given its beloved status (and the “complicating” factor that it’s a musical and folks feel a certain type of way about those productions.) I’m happy to say that not only was the case in issue #1, but based on Michael Walsh’s variant cover for issue #2, said balance remains stable and sturdy. Because while it may see simple, the fact that the Phantom is horrifying (and maybe the most skin-crawling kind of horrifying I’ve ever seen from this canon) is hugely important. We have to be both allured or repulsed by him, and in that narrow space, I think a lot of the story’s significance shines. (Like, the nature of romance, and the fickleness of celebrity.) I also quite like that this cover has the quality of a ’30s advertisement for, like, soap. (OK, a really intense bar of soap.) It makes me think this version of the story is somehow “older,” and that it’s more “established” already somehow. The point is, the book’s done a lot to thread the needle for Phantom old-heads and newbies, and by doing so, the story continues to feel powerful and especially relevant.