(A Very Special) Judging by the Cover – 2025 Wrap-up

I admit that maybe I was a wee bit too pessimistic.

At least that’s how I’ve felt ever since publishing part one of our best-of comics coverage for this year. But that was never my intention, and even as I still think that not even the pure magic of comics could ever fully and completely counter the gaping maw that is modern life, I think I was trying to get at a larger point. A point that wasn’t so dang depressive.

And that point is there’s a kind of wonder in the effort, a bit of proper dazzle in the work.

Having stepped away from, and then later returned, to the long-running Judging by the Cover in 2025, I’m more than familiar with putting in the work (and also the process of not putting in the work). Not that any of the things we do in this here column come within even a galaxy of actual comics work, but that I at least grasp why most creators have kept going. That no matter how awful things get, or how pointless it all may seem, there’s a power to these stories that makes you want to put in the work. That you can find something of true value in trying to crack things open and distill and disseminate the true magic of a great comic. We all play a part, no matter how much it can feel like screaming into the void.

That work and celebration of the craft kept me going for years, and inevitably it’s what brought me back. So, whether one person or 1,000 folks end up reading this column each and every week, Judging by the Cover is a chance to reflect on these tales, uplift and embrace the efforts of their creators, and shine a little light at a time when we not only need it, but the work itself may actually save us all. (Or, the work makes not being saved so much easier to swallow.) It’s an act of dedication meant to bust through the barriers of uncertainty and angst, and it’s more invigorating then perhaps I let on.

So, given the life-changing power of a little critical dissection, we’ll keep right on churning with Judging’s annual best-of coverage. There aren’t any new insights or observations here per se, but that’s quite alright. It’s a chance to remind us of what we’ve gotten to enjoy this year (bonkers art across the board), how our own consumption might change (or not —  either way seems significant), and how this continued process is the best kind of affirmation of a life that emphasizes great art, community, and unfettered celebration. Mostly, though, it’s a victory lap until we’ve got to get right back to that good and important work.

See ya next Monday.

— Chris Coplan, Comics Editor

The New Gods #2 (Released 01/15/2025)

Variant cover by Mike Perkins

And speaking of great things that started in 2024 and continue strong into 2025, we come to The New Gods #2. As that first issue demonstrated, the creative team (including writer Ram V. and artist Evan Cagle) have found a way to balance the deep history of the New Gods with their own ideas and interpretations, and it’s a series that even so early on already feels like the best kind of continuation or reimagining. And that’s likely going to continue even if it’s just on this variant cover to issue #2 from Mike Perkins. Upon peeping that Source Wall, I instantly thought of Jack Kirby’s work on the legendary story — the kind of subtle, but profound power that Perkins infuses in all those would-be universal badasses is so deeply effective and draws out both an air of serenity and also slight terror. But the way Morbius is depicted, there’s a sense of newness and intensity, but in a way that never overpowers the quiet, methodical approach of the more “Kirby-esque” elements that this piece channels. The end result is a snapshot of this book and the team’s careful but curious approach, and why I think this New Gods matters so much. That, and laser eyeballs are cool in every single context.

— Chris Coplan

Cruel Kingdom #2 (Released 02/05/2025)

Cover by Adam Pollina

The first issue of this EC Comics series also made this column last month, and it’s no wonder; artist Adam Pollina manages to spotlight each piece’s central novelty while also surrounding that figure with compelling context.

In this case, that massive skull castle – the sort of thing that any kid might draw on an imaginary treasure map – which rises threateningly on the horizon, with your knight errant in the foreground hinting at a grueling quest.

Pollina is providing covers for at least the first three issues of this series, each of which is amazing. That doesn’t mean you should stray away from the variant covers by artists like Cary Nord and Tom Fowler; all of them are great.

— Colin Moon

Penthouse Comics #1 (Released 02/19/2025)

Cover by Cameron Stewart

I was a bit worried about including this cover for the sheer spice, but then it occurred to me that our kinky central figure could very well be cosplaying Emma Frost at her most overblown. This could be an average night in the classic Hellfire club.

What’s amazing about this cover is Cameron Stewart’s uncanny ability to solidify a character’s personality well outside the fetish-y trappings of the image: this woman’s face is incredibly expressive, pushing her past her potentially flat pinup couture and into the realm of character. There’s a high fashion glamor of the piece, and it is made rich by a limited, chilly palette. This is a costume concept for an absolutely wild — and somehow ritzy — after-party.

— Colin Moon

Zatanna #1 (Released 02/19/2025)

Variant cover by Chris Bachalo

Chris Bachalo is incapable of producing artwork lacking style. His output is instantly identifiable as his, even when it’s as subdued and compact as this cover. Zatanna looks cool and at ease in such a simple and horrifying landscape of grasping hands. She looks rad, and she is in some sort of terrible hell. It sells the character as a force to be reckoned with without any action needed.

It’s a relief that Zatanna has another series; not only are we getting a new adventure, we’re also about to hit a full bounty of new, incredible variant covers.

— Colin Moon

Detective Comics #1095 (Released 03/19/2025)

Variant cover by Bruno Redondo

More iconic Gotham work. Bold, clean-lined, and really making use of its simplistic color palette, the image sums up Bruce Wayne and Batman pretty clearly: a man forever clinging to moments of his childhood.

— Colin Moon

Absolute Martian Manhunter #1 (Released 03/26/2025)

Variant cover by David Aja

David Aja’s sense of design is sleek, impeccable, and dynamic, and the first issue of Absolute Martian Manhunter showcases it perfectly. Abstracted, geometric, and faux-sloppy, it pointedly obscures the identity of our detective protagonist — a move with particular meaning for a secret identity amongst law enforcement.

— Colin Moon

G.I. Joe #315 (Released 03/26/2025)

Variant by Francis Portela

You know I love a good, iconic color cover. Here, Cobra Commander becomes one with his particular shade of blue; the detailing of the fabric of his suit slowly petering out into nothingness is a wonderful use of juxtaposition. Out of all the Cobra baddies, Commander has one of the most unique and satisfying designs. Destro might have a whole metal face, but Cobra Commander’s blank slate wedge has always seemed more sinister to me.

— Colin Moon

Phantom Road #11

Variant cover by Teddy Kristiansen

What a perfectly desolate image for a series that excels in desolation and dread. The featureless figures atop all those ghouls feel so tiny compared to the grueling truth of their spectral world. The red highlights attempt to give life to a vacuum of grays. This cover sells a very strange, compelling book.

— Colin Moon

Superman: The Last Days of Lex Luthor #3 (Released 04/23/2025)

Variant cover by Chris Samnee

A nice portrait of Metropolis’ classic First Responder squad, Superman and the two people who inexplicably end up at every disaster area before anyone else in the city: Lois and Jimmy. Twisted, smoldering rubble be damned, these two will be right in the middle of everything. As always, Samnee hammers home the neo-classic version of the characters: this is how these characters reside in our minds, now; Samnee just went ahead and fished them out for us.

— Colin Moon

Godzilla vs. Spider-Man #1 (Released 04/30/2025)

Variant cover by Patrick Gleason

Peach Momoko isn’t the only person being kept busy in the comics industry these days: Godzilla has been forced out on a warpath, targeting super teams, individuals, and entire cities (cities still reeling from other natural disasters). Hell, the monster is even destroying universes now.

Apparently dealing with a bit of arachnophobia, Godzilla bends their attention to Spider-Man in this Patrick Gleason cover. This is such a fantastic use of scale — tiny Peter, framed by the suggestion of Lady Liberty’s size, both dwarfed by Godzilla’s massive mug. Godzilla’s glowing eyes as it powers up its atomic breath, paired with Spidey’s jagged little spider-sense waves are great, loving details to cement the characters.

— Colin Moon

X-Men #16 (Released 05/07/2025)

Variant cover by Russel Dauterman

I’ll never get over Russell Dauterman as a cover artist. Everything he produces is sleek, stylish, and iconic, and this series of costume covers — which have run across a wide array of titles and provide a sort of historic look-book of various characters’ costume lineage — stands near the top of his achievements. This entire range of covers likes to take a peek even at the more obscure and questionable costuming outings (you’ll note Cyke’s gnarly silver face mask and Age of Apocalypse locks), and they do a wonder at celebrating the legacy of their featured characters.

— Colin Moon

Fire and Ice: When Hell Freezes Over #2 (Released o5/14/2025)

Variant cover by Dan Mora

Dan Mora does a great job illustrating the main concern Fire and Ice are dealing with, namely that they’re all mixed up. The duo have such nicely contrasting design schemes that this overlay almost jars your eyes.

— Colin Moon

Justice League vs Godzilla #1 (Released o6/04/2025)

Variant cover by Kevin Maguire

A lot of great Godzilla covers in the last few weeks, and this Maguire cover showing the monster’s scale against the wee little Supes in the foreground is chief among them. Maguire’s style has always been super unique, and here it’s stripped down to iconography. There’s something in Godzilla’s eyes — and the hundreds of little scales — that speak to his sense of detail.

— Colin Moon

Death of the Silver Surfer #1 (Released 06/11/2025)

Cover by Dike Ruan

This is a startlingly stark image of the Surfer, his board turned into a red line of demarcation between (presumably) life and death. It’s a yin-yang of an image, and it’s a brilliant touch that the highlights against the Surfer’s skin slowly meld into that white field. He’s as iconic a visual character as one can get, turned metaphysical.

— Colin Moon

Blood Type #2 (Released 07/09/2025)

Cover by Miguel Mercado

As if swimming in the ocean wasn’t horrifying enough, now there are vampires down there ruining your seaside relaxation. The facial expressions on this Mercado piece are the most striking aspect: that’s genuine shock and horror, folks, and not just because the whole place is riddled with sharks.

— Colin Moon

Event Horizon: Dark Descent #1 (Released 08/20/2025)

Variant cover by Christian Ward

The mere prospect of Christian Ward writing space horror had me floating around like zero G. But to see some of his vision realized on this variant cover already has me certain this is going to be a worthy prequel to the best space-based thriller ever. (Sorry, Sunshine.) It’s the way space is both gorgeous and also unwaveringly vast and empty. The Blade Runner-esque tinge of technology that acts as a proper landmark. And, of course, the giant demon-monster that exemplifies the hectic, chaotic glory of Ward’s exemplary design skills. All of it together has me squealing with delight and horror. Too bad people can hear me on terra firma.

— Chris Coplan

Star Trek: Red Shirts #2 (Released 09/03/2025)

Cover by Chris Shehan

I’m not a Star Trek guy in that I’m as obsessive or knowledgeable as other folks, but there’s some parts of the fandom I embrace with gusto. Case in point: The Red Shirts, those utterly replaceable security officers who make the Federation run (like a giant machine powered by mutilated corpses). But even within their first two issues, Christopher Cantwell and company have already shown us the bizarrely heartfelt, generally humorous world of the Red Shirts, an idea once again encapsulated by Chris Shehan’s absolutely brilliant cover for #2. There’s just enough tragedy and chuckles here to make you feel the full emotional gamut, and in that process we understand the intricacies, absurdities, and overt humanity that defines just one small corner of the grand Trek universe. Thank you for service, Red Shirt #83833.

— Chris Coplan

Venom #250 (Released 10/01/2025)

Variant cover by Nick Bradshaw

You may have heard me discuss this cover on a recent-ish edition of the AIPT Podcast. The more I sit with it, the more I’m sure the decision to select Rowlf as Venom is generally a good idea. That lovable fool didn’t exactly have an arc of personal development like Venom, but they’re both the same in my mind. Which is to say, there’s a sense of comfort and reliability to both, and even if they’re not the best in their respective “universes,” they’re always reliable emotionally as well as from a storyline perspective. My weird associations aside, Nick Bradshaw just nails that perfect balance between cute and intense, endearing and action-packed — it brings together Marvel and the Muppets in such a disarming manner that you can’t help but re-evaluate your relationship to both franchises. Still, IDK about Gonzo as Iron Man, but props to Fozzie as Doc Ock.

— Chris Coplan

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2025 Annual #1 (Released 10/29/2025)

Variant cover by Jared Cullum

Another week, and another TMNT cover for us to uplift and lovingly dissect. Admittedly, I choose these covers because not only do they seem to be a fan favorite, but the Turtles line is in the middle of a creative renaissance where everything seems to be clicking in a major way. Case in point: this variant cover by Jared Cullum for the 2025 annual. On the surface, it’s even more brotherly love from your favorite karate reptiles, albeit with a little Halloween-appropriate spin. So, yes, you can feel all warm and fuzz around, say, Donatello going above and beyond with a pumpkin-bot; Leonardo and Raphael showing off their trademark dynamic; and Michelangelo using his art understated art skills. But beyond the feel good energies here, the appeal of TMNT is that you don’t just adore the brothers, but you don’t need much else — there’s so much contextual heft and wonder to this franchise that a lot of the storytelling falls to us, the reader, to spin in our heads. That’s not to say that there aren’t good TMNT stories happening right now; rather, we all have such a deep and profound connection that the value of any story or single piece of art is what we bring to it and how we make connections through a mountain of history and context. That’s what makes TMNT perpetually magical, and why I’ll take any chance to celebrate my favorite brothers.

— Chris Coplan

DC K.O. #2 (Released 11/26/2025)

Variant cover by Daniel Warren Johnson and Mike Spicer

Even I can admit that sometimes I rely too heavily on Daniel Warren Johnson (and often colorist Mike Spicer) for Judging by the Cover. But based on his recent variant cover for Marvel / DC: Deadpool / Batman #1, DWJ does superhero combat like no one else alive. And given that DC K.O. is basically an uber nerdy excuse to pit our faves together like we’re all 6-year-olds with every action figure ever released and nothing but free time, how could I not feature the “DWJ Special” for issue #2? I’d argue this is even more satisfying than that time he made Batman bust out the One-Winged Angel on a cop — if only because Diana using the ol’ V-Trigger just feels more thematically appropriate. (Plus, if Batman used a suplex as a finisher, it’d clearly be  the Emerald Flowsion from Misawa.) I can hear/feel/taste Joker’s face smashing against that mighty knee, and that sound effect itself is so perfectly placed and stretched out that it makes me chuckle without ever pulling my jaw off the floor. Even his teeth cracked perfectly, and they’re also just the right shade of yellow. It all goes to show that DWJ should be allowed to do this forever and ever — as long as his next piece is the Flash superkicking Gorilla Grodd.

— Chris Coplan