Confession. I was once in a cover band. It was just me and we only ever had gigs in my shower. But it was great. I'd do this thing where I held my nose and do early Elvis Costello. And the rubber duck in the soap caddy was all, "OMG The Paul Montgomery Experience! You guys are incredible! Never sell out and do original stuff, just mash-ups! You're like a sudsy Girl Talk!"
Then the water bill got like totally nuts and we had to retire. But hopefully it's like a Cher retirement and we'll be back.
Right, so comics covers…
Avengers: The Origin #2
cover by Phil Noto
Two things. The design aesthetic is spectacular, with that throwback logo and the figures positioned against a blown up portion of the same. Then there's the visceral impact of that punch. You just know that getting socked while in that old armor must feel like being punched with a tea kettle. Every impact is an automobile accident. The rest of the armor is even reverberating from the blow, falling apart like an old jalopy from a Goofy cartoon. You also want to think about the moment immediately before this snapshot. Was Tony posing for an iconic pinup? The reason this image is more comical than serious is Hulk's position. Popping in from out of frame to deliver the K.O.
Bonus Question: What sounds is Tony making as this happens?
G.I.-JOE Origins #15
cover by Tom Feister
What up, Snowjob? Alright. Anyone who's ever been skiing or even snow-tubing has pretended to be in just this scenario. You're an alpine warrior with assassins on your tail. You're taking the curves with Olympic precision, dodging bullets and letting even more fly. And your beard is fantastic! I love how clean this image is. How bold the orange flares look against the stark white and the contrasting blue. There's tremendous definition and value in Snowjob's outfit. The contours are all realized through shadow. It also really makes me want to grab a creamsicle.
iZombie #1
cover A by Mike Allred
cover B by Darwyn Cooke
Cover A is all about the playfulness with the typesetting. Using letters as art. It actually doesn't even matter what it all says, though it's nice that it's Gwen's narration of the story. We've also got some nice asymmetry at work. It's the classic Peter Parker/Spider-Man cross-section, but the figure isn't dead-center and the dividing line is nice and crooked. I also love that it showcases Allred's lack for drawing a pretty girl as well as a pretty gruesome zombie. Has your mother ever gotten mad at you halfway through doing her makeup? This is like that a little bit. "Mom! Where are your eyebrows? I can't tell exactly how mad you are at me!" As for cover B, good god is Darwyn Cooke a man out of time in the very best of ways, and our eyes are all the better for it. From the lettering to the deconstructed Chuck Jones graphics of the background, it's so awesomely mod! I love how he depicts the flames on the candles here. Mad, diabolical genius.
These are just four of the top notch covers out and about this week. What'd you folks like?
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ASM cover did it for me this week.
I don’t know what sound Tony is making, but I know what he’s thinking. "I need a drink."
I love that Darwyn Cooke iZombie cover. Perfect. Darwyn Cooke is a Wizard.
The cover to Muppet King Arthur #4 is also excellent. It made me want to buy the book (not that my shop actually had a copy).
Love the Darwyn I, Zombie cover. I also like the Red Robin cover this week.
Veronica #200 had a sweet cover…
Gi Joe is the uber best. Ginger hair and beards rule the world 🙂
I really loved the cover to Thor & the Warriors Four this week.
My vote’s for ASM this week. Best interiors of the week to IMO.
Hands down, Thor & the Warriors Four is the best cover this week!
Secret Six got my nod. I wouldn’t have even picked it up, if not for the awesome cover.
Whoa!? No ‘Thor and the Warriors 4’!? Paul…..I mean these are great covers, I’m not denying that. I especially love the Avengers: Origin #2 cover. But how can you look at that Thor/Power Pack cover and not tell me it’s COTW material?
In the Pile: Sweet Tooth #9 has a great cover by Lemire. Making Gus’s antlers look like tree roots, and in general doing a very creepy cover. Also, judging by what copy you got, Hellboy in Mexico (or Drunken Blur) had great covers by Corben and Mignola.
The Rest: Chris Bachelo gives us another reason why he is such a great artist for Spider-Man with his Amazing Spider-Man #630 cover. Sure puzzle peices have been used to death lately, but with Nemesis: The Imposters #3….Daniel Luvisi just makes it look so good. Robert Hack shows us why the Sixth Doctor was cool with his Doctor Who Classics Series 3 #3 cover. It has a Penguin! A talking, shapeshifting penguin!
The Worst: A tie between the ‘naughty’ Brightest Day #1 Finch cover. (That lantern is gonna need therapy) Or for Irredeemable #13 which, might have a neat design, shows me why Paul Azaceta is not fit for doing anything with the title. Very off model Plutonian.
Best Trade: Dong Xoai Vietnam 1965 HC….Because as josh as already pointed out in his BOTM review, it’s fucking gorgeous.
Red Robin was my favorite again. Gorgeous classic composition, beautiful lines, totally arresting.
Stark: "Tastes like coconut…"
Hulk: "Hulk smash"
Stark: "Ooooof"
Spiderman: Fever’s covers have all been pretty amazing, if you dig the style in the first place.
Hulk: "Hulk smash!"
Tony: "No, that’s not how you mix a martini at all."
Hulk: "Puny man mix own drink!"
Tony: (after his head stops ringing) "Fine."
I don’t think Tony will be making any sounds it looks like his head got caved in