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 #15
Variant cover by Jock
Whether intended or not, Scott Snyder has a penchant for turning the Joker into a body horror monstrosity. Back in 2011, he and Greg Capullo (and many other collaborators, of course) made the Harlequin of Hate peel off his own face as part of the “Death of the Family” arc. Now, he’s joined forces with Jock to delve into Absolute Joker, which in one iteration is basically the most terrifying monster this side of the first Xenomorphs. Jock’s own variant cover to Absolute Batman #15 is perhaps the best iteration of Joker’s increasingly horrifying capabilities. I haven’t been this disturbed since I watched those “bastard children” in that one Aphex Twin video; the blood and carnage is so technically effective that I almost forgot for second how much I can taste it in the air and hear it flowing and gushing. And that carnage isn’t even the worst of it; there’s something about those eyes, bounding between innocence and rage, clarity and insanity, that cut even deeper and encapsulate why Joker is always an effective villain. Turn him into what you want, and the man will terrify and unnerve you into a puddle of tears.
Unbreakable X-Men #3
Cover by Lucas Werneck
If you’re looking to make feet jokes, the thread at League of Comic Geeks already beat you to punch. (But for the sake of it, I’ll share my contribution: “Who was the designer on this cover, Quentin Tarantino?”) And while feet ain’t my bag, it’s those feet (belonging to the Sub-Mariner, Namor McKenzie) that had me interested. Sure, our aging, increasingly badass Remy is super cool, and I love what this storyline is doing to push our relationship with him in new directions. (Plus, the beard and grey hair combo is really working for him.) But it’s the placement of Namor here — half in the shot, descending from the heavens — that is badass in its own way. It’s not only created this simple, clean sense of momentum, but you also get a sense of intent and purpose. Not even the fires and Remy’s stance can do as much to make us feel as if some -ish is about to hit the fans. Some truly bad things are about to happen, and as cool as they may be to take in, there’s no denying the weight and heft of this moment purveyed in such simple, effective terms. Inferno fist fight, commence!
It Killed Everyone But Me #4
Cover by Joshua Hixson
Let’s not beat around the bush: I picked this ’cause I need body horror like a fish needs water or a Republican politician needs to be publicly shamed/belittled. And Josh Hixson has clearly brought it here, as the fleshy is as ropey as half-used Play-Doh; the blood is the right tinge of filthy; and the teeth look and feel as if they might sound like dice rolling around on a hardwood floor. But then I remembered something that series writer Ryan Parrott and I discussed, and how everything in this book is meant to mean something. So it’s not just horror and gore for the sake of it, but there’s honest-to-goodness storytelling at the root of it all. And I can actually see that here. No matter how much self-induced facelift churns my guts, I still get the sense that there’s a measure, focus, and purpose that informs this madness, a sense of weight/gravity that doesn’t just control but connects this instance to something larger still. I don’t need that context myself, but it’s just proof as to why this book is doing body horror in the best, most important ways.
The Darkness #1
Cover by Marc Silvestri and Arif Prianto
If you love your comics edgy and with some amount of magical tendrils, then you’ll be excited to hear about the return of The Darkness. Yes, a new series has launched, and for the first time since volume three wrapped in late 2013, Jackie Estacado is back as the epitome of ’90s comic badassery and extremeness. Co-creator Marc Silvestri sets the stage for this mighty return by teaming up with Arif Prianto for one heck of a issue #1 cover. If you hadn’t noticed already, there’s a lot going on, and whether it’s the angelic imagery, Jackie’s tech-flesh fusion apparel, or a demon cosplaying as Silent Bob, it can feel like huffing paint and running headfirst into an underwater rave. But then that’s the point, and I believe no one has achieved and perfected ’90s-era comic designs like Silvestri. If anything feels new or updated, it’s a sense that he leans into certain tropes while streamlining elsewhere, and what we end up with is something novel that’s grounded in this warm context (or, something massively familiar spiked with fresh energies). Either way, I’m glad The Darkness is back, and this new era could be even more bonkers and tendril-lade than ever before.
Our Soot Stained Heart #1
Variant cover by Artyom Trakhanov
Mark my words: I think Our Soot Stained Heart could be a very big deal. How do I know that? Because it combines Christmas (a holiday I’m only so-so about) while repurposing that most terrible of earthly genres, steampunk. I mean, just look at some of the bonkers art from artist/co-creator Stipan Morian: There’s so much dang grit and magic poured onto the page I feel like I’ve tumbled into the best kind of winter wonderland and it’s thawed my Scrooge-ian heart. But I also want to pause to give credit to issue #1’s excellent variant cover from Artyom Trakhanov. Because even if it’s not the same aesthetically (it’s far more confrontational and edgy, like a damn good Vertigo title circa 1997), it still invokes a similar magic. A certain charm, if you will, that finds the space between its various themes, inspirations, tent-poles, etc. and manages to both contrast these pillars and find some of the cohesion between. It’s a cover where you feel the power of these ideas, events, seasons, etc. and you firmly grasp what this book is trying to do as it renders its own weird, wondrous world. It feels like we’re looking at some cave painting from a long bygone alternate future, and that mix of nostalgia and confusion is a headier mix than 1000 cups of spiked milk.
Death to Pachuco #3
Variant cover by Tony Parker and Lee Loughridge
In Death to Pachuco, there’s lots to be interested in and concerned about. But even more than the historical connection, the lively cultural immersion, and the solid noir-ian tropes, our lead (Ricky Tellez) is a singular example of a great PI character. He’s good with the ladies, quick with a quip (or two), and unafraid to even battle a boxer in his journey toward truth and justice. I mean, just look how much the man dazzles in this Tony Parker- and Lee Loughridge-crafted variant cover to issue #3. It’s like we’re in the middle of maximum slow-mo, our very eyes and heart fixed on the charm and smoldering intensity of Tellez. That smirk tells me he can almost tell we’re watching him, and he’s giving us quite the show even when he knows he probably ought to be swinging. And speaking of the fight itself, it manages to be the perfect backdrop for Tellez, a clash both brutal and intense but also the right level of funny. (See the guy toward the bottom right; it’s like his face is made of gummy.) In short, it’s the kind of star power that helps this book, but does so in a way that honors the book’s cultural backdrop and end goals. And if you don’t like your PIs charming, go read a Lawrence Block novel.
Action Comics #1,093
Cover by Ryan Sook
I guess Jon Kent’s about to learn that you can’t punch your way out of every problem. Because after a terrible harvest season, the Kent Family farm could be seized by the bank, and no amount of super strength can counter the frozen hearts of bankers. Sure, that kind of problem seems like it might be a little beneath young Mr. Kent, but it’s nice to know that even the Boy of Steel has to face the biggest problems of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Schmo. And so what I like about this Ryan Sook cover is that it’s a balancing act: between the worlds of the super and the pedestrian, and the cheesy and the playful. It’s a modern reworking of countless Silver Age covers, where we get to poke a little fun at the hero, but in a way where the relevance and relatability are cranked all the way to 11. There’s something equally charming, self-aware, aspirational, and utterly timely about this piece, all of which is combined in a way to play with our connections, emotions, and understandings of what Superman is capable of as a social character. Those income taxes must sting like Kryptonite.
Nova: Centurion #2
Variant cover by Scott Hepburn
Another week, another “Knull-ified” variant cover from Marvel. I don’t know why this little gimmick speaks to me so deeply. Especially because the Alessandro Cappuccio main cover is pretty great already, and that line work has me more jacked than mainlining 20 giant espressos. But I guess there’s something about the continued place of Knull in the Marvel Universe, or that I’m a sucker for themed covers when there’s really no need beyond some added promotion. Either way, there’s a lot to really love here specifically. The depiction of space is funny and a little silly, which makes me far less afraid. The giant tongue will always be this weird and unsettling visual device to bust out. And any time you can combine the patent Nova helm with fire and a giant monster, I’m clearly all about it like Master P in ’96. It is, as far as I can tell, proper comics fun: Lots of context to explore and sift through, but living solely on the surface means you get something weird, edgy, dark, silly, and, perhaps above all else, something that hypes this lil’ one corner of the MU while hinting at so much more insanity. Plus, you gotta love a tongue bigger than a dang asteroid.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13
Variant cover by Jared Cullum
Am I excited for a new era or chapter to begin in the pages of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #13? You betcha; Gene Luen Yang and Freddie E. Williams II seem like they have the commitment and passion for all things Turtle to really make this title a continually important chapter for the grander canon. At the same time, I’m mostly just jazzed we have another chance for more holiday-themed variant cover goodness, which is more satisfying to me than any TMNT story that stars Donatello. And with Xmas just around the corner, and a perpetual sense of chilly joy in the air, I couldn’t think of a better choice than this Jared Cullum variant. Everything about it is perfect: Leonardo would be a banshee on ice skates; Donatello, of course, is so smart that even he’s aware of the dangers of the sport; Michelangelo is having a good laugh on Raphael’s behalf; and Raphael looks good in a hat (and is likely going to pummel his younger brother). It’s good, clean, and wholesome fun (with a little smidgen of mischief and chaos), and the kind of fare we’ve not only come to expect from TMNT but which affirms that we live day-to-day with these characters and stories. The authors may change, but the charm and power of TMNT remains eternal. Still, does anyone else wish Casey Jones were here busting out a triple axel?
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