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 #140
Cover by Jorge Fornés
Back in April, Jorge Fornés absolutely blew me away with the cover for Nightwing #137. Channeling the might of every ’70s conspiracy thriller ever, Fornés gave us a slice of sweet urban crime fiction with style, grit, and intensity to spare. And with the cover to issue #140, he’s done it once again. If anything, it almost feels like a direct continuation of the “story” — as if Nightwing leapt off the bridge and now finds himself waiting menacingly outside of The Dive. (Which is both a great use of a title and maybe the worst name for an actual dive bar I’ve ever seen.) And while the violence here is all the more personal, it’s nonetheless treated with endless style. The single, bloodied mask speaks volumes about the battle Nightwing has just been through. The heft of that gate tells us the serious nature of the scum and villainy waiting behind that door. The hum of the light makes me feel a little bit sick and uneasy. And, the piece de resistance, all that boiling, bubbling intensity radiating off Nightwing with just one perfectly clenched fist. (Suck it, Arthur.) This must have been one long and arduous night for our hero, but in the hands of Fornés, it’s got so much power and life crackling in every corner. Sorry, Former Boy Wonder, but you’re not done just yet.
Punisher vs. Spider-Man #1
Variant cover by Fabrizio De Tommaso
Do I think Dan Abnett and Matteo Della Fonte want to tell a good story about the origins of the Spider-Man/Punisher “friendship”? Absolutely, and I have every confidence they will. But do I also think this is also an indirect promotional story for the forthcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day film? Yes, because that’s how capitalism works, boys and girls: you get your candy, they get your cash. Still, if we’re going to do this (and we most already have), I want to know that the story is going to be about the tension and unease that comes when two heroes with diametrically opposing views on most things have to come together to sort it all out. And that’s exactly what we get with this Fabrizio De Tommaso variant cover: ugly, somewhat uncomfortable interpersonal grappling. You get the lithe Spidey showing his true flexibility by taking a Punisher shot to the dome. You get the brooding, unshakable Punisher feeling utterly disarmed by this bizarre bug-man. You get a dash of comics wonder that doesn’t counter the violence and intensity but rather accentuates it. What you really get, though, is a proper encapsulation of their relationship: honest, direct, and something that reveals something deep about both men. You fellas play nice until the premiere.
Assorted Crisis Events #9
Cover by Eric Zawadzki
The thing about Assorted Crisis Events is that it’s got a lot of weapons. If it wants to use the metaphysical and the deeply meta to, say, mess with your sense of time, or even break your heart, it’ll do with an efficiency and effectiveness you won’t find anywhere else. But it also knows how to go for timely, extra relevant social satire, as with issue #9 and its storyline about “the first crosstemporal employment app.” I’m assuming that’s how we got this young boy preparing for battle with some of history’s greatest/gnarliest warriors. Series/cover artist Eric Zawadzki has absolutely nailed that mix of innocence and befuddled on the young chap’s face, and it takes only one brief interaction to get at the real-life connotations of the endlessly stupid and harmful gig economy. (Not to mention the Right’s increasingly offensive rollback of child labor laws, because kids clesrly ought to be working and not growing and developing as people.) It’s maybe an obvious enough observation (but still important), and what ACE really does well is cut to the core of their respective themes and messages. That you can feel the discomfort and disconnect with the first nano-second, and you’re invited to really sit with it in a way that’s funny and charming as well as being uncomfortably moving. War is hell, but so is fighting this cover to not feel a single damn thing.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin – Training Day #1
Variant cover by Ben Bishop
Any time they bust out a new Last Ronin story (especially if it’s by the original team), you know that IDW are basically printing money. Add in the simple but exciting premise — Michelangelo prepping Casey Marie Jones to scrap with Oroku Hiroto — and we’re in for one heck of a one-shot. But the thing I like about this Ben Bishop variant cover is that it feels tailored to old-heads like me, and that this is a rare-ish moment where I feel the brothers’ energies radiating (while still respecting the personality and value of Odyn, Moja, Uno, and Yi). Uno gets to show off their ferocity and leadership capabilities in a single daring pose. Odyn is clearly the heart and backbone of the group (in this case, literally and figuratively). Moja’s fiestiness is also on display with one great pose, and she holds her own amid a busy scene. And, of course, Yi, who like any Donatello-esque support player, shows up exactly how they ought to. Even that jungle-fied train car appropriates NYC in a way that expertly connects past and present. Toss in the most Jones-esque performance from Casey Marie, and this piece gives an old vet like me even more to love and admire about this still-daring future for the franchise.
Minotaur #1
Variant cover by Martin Simmonds
On the one hand, I’m instantly jazzed about Minotaur because Si Spurrier stories are the best amalgamation of fun, inventive, and brain-meltingly thoughtful. And Minotaur will seemingly be no different, as a photojournalist, former solider, and tech bro combine forces to help those effected by the Singularity (aka “an explosion of technological superintelligence heralding an unimaginable tomorrow”). Even if he’s not technically involved in the story proper, we can still rely on Martin Simmonds to deliver a solid preview that encapsulates the story’s true essence. For one, the image of “head been split open by the force of unknown cosmic energies” feels like an apt description for most Spurrier-penned stories. Similarly, the giant horns do just enough to skirt the boundaries between fact and fiction, and I think we need that as we’re getting our footing in this world (no matter how tenuous said footing mighty ultimately prove to be). But, really, this book is about AI and technological overstep and how much power we have to fight for our future. And I can’t think of a better image than this one to encapsulate those ideas — it’s uncomfortable, a little offensive, and we’re all going to have to face this moment in our own way very soon. Welcome to the future, dummies.
Sonic the Hedgehog x Godzilla #1
Variant cover by Clayton Crain
I have this thing where the part of my brain responsible for creativity and daydreaming (if they’re related and/or real, holla at your boy) tend to react/respond before everything else. And what we get is moments like this, where I assume that Sonic was actually “riding” Godzilla’s fire breath. Sure, this is all made up, and anything can actually happen, but the more likely scenario is that the world’s dopest hedgehog was simply dodging a likely fatal blow. But the thing about my tendency to leap to fantastical conclusions is that it’s rooted in a certain kind of storytelling, a desire to connect with narrative threads that seem especially interesting (even if they’re off base to varying degrees). Because the way I see, surfing atomic fire is one of the few ways Sonic would remain actually competitive in any battles with Godzilla. Similarly, I think it would honor the essence of Sonic (i.e., he’s real, real fast) and do something novel and/or unpredictable with Godzilla (which is vital when you’re dealing with a massive, sometimes limited giant lizard). And it’s the kind of wish fulfillment that I think you need with a crossover like this, a level of engagement that cuts through the cash-grab tendencies toward something genuinely meaningful. Really, stranger things have happened, and if I’m this jacked by a single cover, hopefully the actual story has me feeling twice as wonderfully nerdy.
Fantastic Four #14
Cover by Humberto Ramos and Edgar Delgado
I can look at most covers and instantly know if I’m excited, scared, happy, grossed out, etc. (And/or some combination of those feelings and sentiments.) But when I peeped Fantastic Four #14, I had absolutely no idea how to react. And doing a deeper dive (i.e., that the solicitation calls this the “most unexpected story you’ll read all year,” and that the piece itself appears to have some effect for use with 3D glasses) only complicated matters. I’m definitely intrigued by the numbers, and I hope someone out there is smart enough (and has the ample free time) to decipher them already. When it comes to the positioning of the F4 and company, I know I’m unnerved by the order applied to this wonderfully chaotic bunch, but then that prospect is also quite thrilling. Jo and Nicki (Ben and Alicia’s adopted kids) seemingly being “immune” to whatever is happening is also upsetting, but a kid-starring story in this universe is always a bit of lighthearted adventure. (Yeah, yeah, none of this will likely be lighthearted.) If I had to hazard a guess, it might be some kind of mind control with robots or something, but even that utterly fails to honor the seemingly inventive spirit of this story. As frustrated as I am, this is ultimately a good thing; more stories need to develop and present as they deem fit, and we as an audience should enjoy the speculation without the immediate validation. At least I know one thing: Johnny continues to kill it with facial hair.
Lobo #5
Cover by Jorge Corona and Jean-François Beaulieu
On the AIPT Comics Podcast’s recent best-of 2026 (so far) episode, I offered lots of love for Lobo. And how could you not love a book where, within the first four issues, Lobo manages to both battle Supergirl and also undergo a psych evaluation? But the thing I admire most is that series artist Jorge Corona seems to be having the time of his life in depicting Lobo’s many weird and wonderful adventures across space. Case in point: the cover to issue #5, where Lobo gets to enjoy the simple pleasures of riding his bike through the desert (after a likely blood bank robbery somewhere). The bike itself is depicted with maximum grossness while emphasizing Corona’s skill and technique as an artist who really gets the multifaceted nature of Lobo. Meanwhile, Lobo’s design continues to be the right mix of foreboding, depraved, and joyous, and so much of the energy of this cover and story alike are found right there on his mug. Even just the way the cash is depicted (dirty, flying wildly in the air) feels like the best encapsulation of how this book regards its “hero.” Add in more stellar colors from Jean-François Beaulieu (who makes the desert truly sing), and this piece hums with a love for life that’s utterly infectious. Here’s to many more issues of Lobo — unless he’s arrested, then oopsie-woopsie.
D’Orc #6
Variant cover by Matteo Scalera
While I didn’t mention it on the aforementioned podcast episode, I 1,000% should’ve given some love to D’Orc. Because over five issues, writer-artist Brett Bean has crafted a charming and thoughtful story, one that recontextualizes fantasy tropes and tendencies as much as it’s a great story about destiny/fate, belonging, and friendship. It’s a layered and multifaceted book, sort of like the many layers that D’Orc has cut through in this bloody great issue #6 variant from Matteo Scalera. And while this cover is by another artist entirely, the fact that D’Orc is in this situation in the first place is absolutely spot-on for the book at large. And then you add in a major wrinkle — are those two other creatures somehow part of the large beast, or did D’Orc also have to cleave in half two “former cellmates”? — and you get more of the kind of delicious and depraved humor that has made this book so important all along. Admittedly, the only thing that Scalera doesn’t “get right” is that D’Orc is never this dark and vaguely depressive. However, with issue #6 starting an all-new arc (and D’Orc at least temporarily stuck in a magical crystal by the Bone Witch), maybe things will get more bleak in the best way imaginable. Only one way to find out: Read D’Orc with a ferocity and interest that would rip open your local giant snake-monster.
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