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 #137
Cover by Jorge Fornés
Admittedly, it’s been a few issues since I’ve checked in on Nightwing. But based on the cover for issue #137, it seems to be a firm case of “the more things change, the more they stay the same.” (Too trite or cliche? How about, “There’s no rest for the devilishly handsome.”) Either way, Dick Grayson is in the thick of amid a besiege of Blüdhaven Bridge, where we get a really cool moment that proves no matter how far we may veer from our hero/this book, there’s always an opportunity to come running right back. Powerful is the hero that can be mitigated to little more than microscopic iconography and still feel this powerful. From there, the rest of the cover is a marvel in design, from the claustrophobic-esque tension of those suspension wires to the placement of our killer in all that ’70s cinema wonder and even the positioning of the Bat symbol like some rising/setting moon-like body. There’s soaring superheroics nestled right next to fear and conspiracy, and the end result is utterly gripping without relying on too much context. So good to back indeed (even just oh-so temporarily).
Ultimate Wolverine #16
Variant cover by Alex Lins
To be a Wolverine fan is to know great suffering. (And I don’t just mean when the Logan-Scott-Jean love triangle gets a little out of whack.) No, the character’s whole gimmick is to basically test our understanding of the limits of humanity; if you’ve bled and been broken down as much as our clawed friend, what makes you human and how and why does that ever change? And, sure, all that suffering is a boon for body horror freaks, but it’s ultimately an expression of one man’s commitment to staying human when the alternates are so, so much easier. I can’t think of a better time to be reminded of this than with Alex Lins’ variant cover to the final Ultimate Wolverine issue, where we see Logan engaged in his favorite activity ever. (Except, ya know…) Has he been in worse binds? Totally. But having what I’m assuming is your left kidney removed, and still fighting on full bore, is quite the visual treat. That, and it’s proof that no part of Logan is “safe,” and he will suffer in ways you can’t fully engage with in the struggle between his two sides and fight for his own nugget of humanity. The mask does take away some of the emotional resonance, but one thing is true: Stories will come and go, but this “transcendence through blood” is a pillar of Wolverine every dang time.
Narco #2
Cover by Daniel Hillyard and Dave Stewart
Maybe you’re upset about the cover to Narco #2. Some of that could be the wanton waste of perfectly good breakfast pastries. (Also, the blood, I guess?) But I bet most of it is that, as Doug Wagner and Daniel Hillyard made very clear, this story wouldn’t be like Plush or Plastic — far less blood and instead focus on the psychological aspects of a young man with narcolepsy solving a murder of which he is suspect numero uno. Still, I’ll give the duo the benefit of the doubt because I still think they’re being strategic. The pitch-black background and aforementioned yummy breakfast treats make this feel like a dream (which makes sense when you’re dealing with narcolepsy). Given what we know about Marcus already, this extreme grief and tendency to perhaps self-flagellate seems pretty on brand (as well as being genuinely interesting character traits for this here tale). But this piece also makes death and dying very real, and even if it is heavy on the blood, the thing I take away is the emotionality and visceral heft of a life being taken away and how that affects each of us. Whether there’s this much blood in the actual issue doesn’t matter. Even with gallons of it in this piece, all I can think about is the cost of being alive (and breakfast foods).
Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5
Cover by Chalky Wong
I take a lot of liberties in this column, but hear me out. So often covers are meant as a preview (duh) — for instance, even variants that don’t have anything to with the actual story are meant to touch on general moods and thematic tent-poles. But every once in a while, you get something like Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #5 where you get an actual story on the cover. I mean, yes, it’s just meant to be a snapshot of what’s to come, but I dare you to look at that and tell me it’s not a full story. If you saw this as a newspaper comic strip, and Michelangelo was saying something like, “Hope we don’t miss Slice Saturday at Ray’s” or something, you’d feel more full than the power of a million sausage and pepperoni pies. I just don’t need any text bubble because I see what’s already there: The defining aspect of any TMNT story (the brothers together, battling the odds); some bits of why they’re actually in this situation (I imagine it has to do with those screens and some conspiracy or other happening); and a sense that there are odds but they might be able to make it out alive with their shells intact. I’m sure the story inside will be 1,000 times better, but this one cover more than does its job and proves that you don’t need much for a proper Turtles tale.
Dead Teenagers #2
Cover by Naomi Franquiz
Maybe it’s that I’m desensitized by years of fictional violence (and a brain structure that already puts me one step removed from most people), but this piece struck me as familiar. Like, I get that it’s unsettling to see a dead body floating in a pool, and that the casual nature of our sunbathing teen is meant to be a commentary on our shared disconnect with pain, suffering, etc. However, it just struck me as a little cliche, and rather than making me mad, I’m actually quite interested. Because as we learned in issue #1, these five friends are no longer stuck in their own living hell of repeating the murder-heavy events of Prom Night 1997. No, they’re now having to face an even more hellacious fate as adults circa 2026. It’s a classic Kansas City shuffle, and what could’ve been an interesting but familiar time loop story instantly maneuvered us into a wall of unseen story angles. And that’s what’s happening on this cover: I’m seeing a thing that’s caked in fictional familiarity and thinking, “Oh man, how else are they going to subvert my expectations.” I mean, will they even attempt to across this issue, or have they already won by making me totally vulnerable and unprepared? I’m not feeling so desensitized now, basically.
Catacomb of Torment #10
Variant cover by Tom Fowler
For every Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cover where the story is right there, we get Catacomb of Torment #10. More specifically, this Tom Fowler variant cover (the man does top-notch work for this kind of horror) has me juggling questions like so many chainsaws. Is our “friend” here a dead body that was killed in (tries to count each weapon) like a dozen different ways and has since returned for vengeance most foul? Or, were they dead and somehow experimented on? (Either way, they’re likely ultra mega pissed.) If it is the former (as I believe to be the case), I’m curious about which of the weapons actually did him in — if I were a betting man, I’d say the harpoon but maybe the larger butcher knife. (At least we know that the barbwire seems to be more for effect than having caused any real harm.) Oh, and I almost completely forget the tray of weapons to the right, which is a wonderful little touch that somehow makes this piece 45% more macabre. Questions aside, I’m only sure of one thing: it’s a damn fine piece that perfectly nails the tonal dissonance of a book like Catacomb. Well, that, and I’m sure that the sandwich the pathologist went to buy likely won’t have been worth the effort.
Lobo #2
Cover by Jorge Corona and Jean-François Beaulieu
In discussing Lobo #1, I mentioned how “series artist Jorge Corona absolutely nails Lobo to a tee with a retro sheen and modern oomph all at once.” And with the cover #2, Corona (joined by colorist Jean-François Beaulieu) somehow outdoes even that genuinely robust feat of Lobo-dom. Part of that is that our Czarnian friend is often a study in contrasts: As much as those bulldog boxers may hint at a certain level of whimsy, we also have to face the fact that he just shot up that bar, like, .4 seconds ago. (The same goes with a jacket that reads, “I Bite Back,” an absolutely perfect display of Lobo’s true essence.) It’s that dichotomy that makes this image equal parts funny, scary, and bizarre, a heady mix of emotions that seems to be the only real purpose for our friend’s existence. Marry that with some genuine technical prowess — those bullet holes have some crazy weight and depth to them, and I love the textures across Lobo’s arms — and it’s something essential done with all new energy and intent. The best part though? I’m fairly certain Lobo is giving us the bird and ordering drinks all at once. Multitasking!
Magik and Colossus #3
Variant cover by Nimit Malavia
If you take away Magik’s sorcery, leadership skills and titles, emotional fortitude, and general badassery, you’re left with one extra giant sword. And across her many appearances and stories, the sword has been used in a number of ways. Sometimes it’s a form of intimidation, and other times it’s a message to not be fooled by her good lucks and smaller stature. (And, given the, um, inherently phallic nature of a giant sword, you certainly can’t deny that specific messaging, either.) But this is one of those rare instances where the sword doesn’t just seem huge — it seems practically colossal. (See what I did there?) Which is to say, it almost bleeds out into Magik’s surroundings, and you get the real sense that her powers are so much grander and significant than even the most flashy of over-sized weaponry. It almost becomes hard to tell where the weapon begins and the world ends (or vice versa), and it creates this effect that all of it’s tied together like some perpetual motion machine of magic energy. And right there in the center is Magik, looking as focused and unstoppable as ever, ready to cleave apart the universe if she must. I’d like to see the Buster Sword even match these vibes.
Super Creepshow #2
Cover by Pye Parr
While I can’t find it right now (figures), we’ve all seen that “corrected” version of Todd McFarlane’s Batman #423 cover, where some brave artist figured out how Batman is using his leg to hold his cape in such an elegant, unnecessary complicated pose. (If you have said meme and/or are the artist in question, please holler!) It’s that “impossibility” that has made the cover so famous and also meme-adjacent, and why I think we’ve seen a few different homages and the like over the years. So, then, is it hacky for Super Creepshow #2 to do the same? Not at all. For one, it’s an anthology about horror-meets-superheroes, and I can’t think of a cover that better touches on both elements. But it goes deeper still: You’d almost expect a ghoul like this to be capable of such feats of bend-i-ness, and that almost excuses the anatomy-smashing of the OG cover. Yet right there we see said ghoul’s leg, and it’s in total defiance of the OG cover and the best kind of mischievous prodding/shit-talking. Like, yes, this is how it could work, but it doesn’t here, and isn’t that silly and terrifying all at the same dang time? It’s just subtle enough that when you see it, you really feel the weight of the kind of ridiculous satire that this book expertly employs. Does your leg also have a funny bone? Because mine sure has been tickled something fierce.
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