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.
Titans #14
Cover by Lucas Meyer and Marcelo Maiolo
During last week’s edition of Judging by the Cover, I made the semi-joking observation that I was a fan of nacho cheese and explosions. As it turns out, though, I really am a giant, stupid sucker for explosions, even ones that are relatively small in scale. (Like, size on the page and not that it’s obliterating fictional continents.) Because Titans series artist Lucas Meyer (alongside colorist Marcelo Maiolo) has managed to pack a lot of life and force into this particular combustion. Sure, it helps if you have Trigon emerging from said explosion, but I’d also wager that his presence is only, like, 15% of why this piece works. It’s also that the fire matches Starfire’s hair, and that’s just a super neat little trick. It’s also very much the imposing presence of Swamp Thing, who acts as a really great contrast for so much of this page. But we can’t forget about the rest of the Titans — there’s something about floating in a void around said explosion that makes it feel all the more magical somehow. So, yeah, me + explosions = fanboy romance, but this piece clearly demonstrates that there’s layers and context to these things. I contain multitudes, ya turkeys.
Deadpool #5
Cover by Taurin Clarke
If there’s one aspect of exploding I can’t always abide, it’s when that ol trope is applied to Deadpool. Because, as I’ve droned on several times before, it takes something deeply, deeply special to make Wade Wilson’s ongoing evisceration (often via explosion) to feel really compelling. Luckily, the ongoing Deadpool series has Taurin Clarke on covers, and just as he did with June’s issue #3, Clarke kills it with the cover to issue #5. (And by kills it, I mean the Merc with a Mouth — zing!) For one, it’s always the details in a Clarke piece — the way I can nearly smell the charred air, the discoloration on the remainder of Deadpool’s remaining spine, and how you can almost feel his limbs crawl/flinch. But even through all that exquisite madness, and Wade’s own asinine jokes and general insanity, the emotionality of this moment is never ruined. If anything, I’d argue that all of that cuts through to really ground Wade as a complicated beast and not a living dick-and-fart joke. That kind of power takes a rare artist, and Clarke continues to prove why his covers are always top-notch. Also, does anyone else want BBQ real bad all of a sudden?
Patra #1
Cover by Scott Kolins
You may recognize James Robinson and Scott Kolins from their truly excellent work on Starman and The Flash, respectively. But now the pair have left behind post-ironic superheroes for a “supernatural series about slasher monsters, mad scientists, and cult movie-inspired horror.” And I could really just stop right there and 89% of you would have started sprinting to a nearby shop or computer to place your orders, but let’s continue regardless. Because our first taste of this series certainly hits all the buttons you’d want. We get early ’90s cheesy horror movie vibes (the best kind of vibes imaginable, FYI); just the right amount of blood and gore (not too much or our appetites will be spoiled before the main course); and a kind of anxious and uncertain energy that proves doubly scary. Yet aside from all of that, there’s also a clear thread of Kolins’ own joy and whimsy (that informed a lot of Flash’s success in my opinion), and that little tinge/tweak makes Patra feel all the more textured and intriguing. Star-studded collabos don’t happen everyday, so I’m enjoying these two really going for the throat (figuratively but maybe literally?)
Standstill #1
Variant cover by Matteo Scalera and Lee Loughridge
Back in March, Lee Loughridge left the artists chair to write his debut series, MidState. Loughridge clearly found the experience pleasant as his teams up with artist Andrew Robinson for his next writing gig, Standstill. The book asks one question, “If you could stop time, what wouldn’t you do?,” which it then answers with its lead, Ryker Ruel, a murderous, sociopath whose “seemingly endless revenge tour” is threatened by the device’s creator. And if MidState, as well as Standstill‘s premise, are any indication, Loughridge may be onto something extra special. At least that’s the case with this Loughridge-colored variant cover by Matteo Scalera. Sure, Robinson’s got a pretty solid preview with the main cover, but there’s something seemingly so perfect about this cover. If we’re talking murderous, thieving jerkface, that exact glorious sentiment is covered here, from the blood-stained money to the blend of playful and totally sinister. It’s a cover that makes me feel really uncomfy and also totally engaged — a snapshot of the kind of character that we want to see play around with this premise. I would maybe do something different with a time-stopping advice, but I can’t wait to see the chaos Ryker sows.
Power Rangers: Infinity #1
Cover by Paulina Ganucheau
Back in late July, BOOM! Studios officially ended the eight-year run of its totally great Mighty Morphin Power Rangers series. But in case you’re still in the mood for neon-colored teens engaging in enthusiastic kung fu battles, then the publisher has roared back with Power Rangers: Infinity #1 from Sam Humphries and the art team Brandt & Stein. As you might have already guessed from the title, the book follows a “diehard Rangers fangirl named Lola somehow finds herself mixed up in a wacky mess spanning multiple universes.” Based on the main cover from Paulina Ganucheau, we’re getting some truly, truly great multiversal action. I can’t decide if my favorite is “everyone’s a giant funky bear,” “everyone’s your cool, tea-swilling aunt,” or “everyone’s a Sailor Moon” — they’re all just the kind of universe I’d occupy in a heartbeat (and not just ’cause our own world is a hellscape). MMPR may be over, but this book honors the magic, whimsy, and celebration of humanity and diversity that are at the heart of this series. Let’s hope there’s years of multiverse to explore — just so long as one of them doesn’t involve, like, “Power Rangers from a world where everything’s sticky” or something.
Huge Detective #1
Variant cover by Dalts Dalton
If you want to make me a lifelong fan, give me candy. If you really want to make me a lifelong fan, then describe your comic series as “Chinatown meets BFG.” In a world where giants and humans have come to co-exist, a string of murders threatens the peace, and two representatives have to tackle a “mystery bigger than either could imagine.” (Puns!) In rolling out this giant-sized debut (extra puns!), Titan Books has provided us with a heap of great cover options. I was initially partial to this Magenta King variant for it sense of style and whimsy. And this Diego Yapur variant almost had me with its oddly mesmerizing use of accurate giant wrinkles/smile lines. But the oversized winner is this Dalton Cara/Dalts Dalton variant. On the one hand, it shows the way people and giants might actually live together. But it also terrifies me a little if giant skeletons are somehow part of said living arrangements. But maybe those are metaphorical, or another aspect of this unique world. Either way, all of this horror and whimsy merged together feels like it speaks to the heart of this book in a way that’s direct but still playful. Regardless of the cover, Huge Detective could be just that if this cover’s only a small indication. OK, I’m done with the size-based jokes and puns now.
Wolverine: Revenge #1
Cover(s) by Greg Capullo, Tim Townsend, and FCO Plascencia
If you’ve read Judging by the Cover enough, you may know that blood and guts hold a special place in my heart. As a lonely autistic kid, the idea of these things uniting us, and how taboo they felt, always made me feel deeply interested as I tried to better connect with the world around me. I often think of gore in terms of this deeply human expression, and it’s a way for us to see our own inner selves laid bare and to grapple with what really makes us who we are. Case in point: the cover to Wolverine: Revenge. If you’re a tad squeamish, you may opt for the standard edition, which looks like Logan’s about to be dino food. Or you can go for the “Red Band” edition, which looks like Logan’s about to have dino on today’s lunch menu. It’s a small choice (at least as far as the covers — I’m sure the book proper will be like a Pollock painting of viscera), but it makes such a massive difference. There’s a kind of certainty and honesty in the blood-soaked Wolverine — the world is a gross and ugly place, and to think there’d only be saliva feels like our tendency to whitewash moments where we ought to see the guts of it all exposed. Logan (and by extension us) is exactly what he says he is, and this cover proves that by putting him into a situation that makes us see the power and depravity of it all. And if my musings didn’t work for you, it’s a dang Wolverine book from Jonathan Hickman and Greg Capullo — period.
Gotham City Sirens #3
Variant cover(s) by Guillem March
It’s one thing to do a cover that’s mostly the same only with the “murder hues” turned way up (as with Wolverine: Revenge). But clearly choosing three different pieces, two of which have been out for weeks, is cheating, yeah? Well, since this is my baby after all, I’m going to go ahead and just take a time to give props to Guillem March for his great work across these Gotham City Sirens variant covers. As far as I’m concerned, no one does the “femme fatale” thing better than March. (Just check out his Cover Girls work if you can handle some NSFW comics action.) He always imbues his subjects with such a robust mix of power, grace, and presence — each one of these Sirens could dominate the page on their own. Yet even with this much nuclear-level intensity combined across this connected “piece,” everything remains perfectly balanced and in the spirit of the team and their collective efforts. I also quite enjoy how March almost regulates the characters here — Harley’s a bit more controlled, and Selina’s just a touch more chaotic than usual, and those little tweaks feel really important in providing new insight and perspectives to these ass-kickers. So, sure, it’s maybe cheating, but can you blame me when the effort is this effective in capturing what makes GCS so damn compelling? Guess what, maybe I’ll do it all again for issue #4!
Misty Special 2024
Cover by Tula Lotay
A couple months back, we brought you news of a special return in comics, Misty. First launched in 1978, the series, which was made primarily for young British girls, really was this unique and harrowing entry in the realm of great horror stories of the era. Now, Misty has been resurrected, and this 48-page anthology features some unsettling contributions from Gail Simone, Carola Borelli, Aly Fell, and Marianna Ignazzi. And that list most certainly includes Tula Lotay, who crafts a cover that I’d say is perfect for the reintroduction of Misty. There’s some rather profound vibes of elegance and even romance; it helps define this series’ unique perspective and approach to horror. But if you thought for one second that Misty didn’t bring the actual horror, the screaming birds and “blood wall” consuming the page should remind you that this whole title is about wading right up to their reader and then pulling their soul from their very body with maximum force and intent. It’s a deeply gorgeous and stirring cover, and just a small hint at the power of great horror when you let the right creators tell stories they want and in ways that matter to them individually. If this is only the beginning, long may the “new” Misty reign.
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