Best Covers of the Day – Wednesday, August 8
Joshua has accepted Andy’s challenge. With awards! Thank you, Josh! And while Andy will be back next week and doing the Best Covers column. The week after that is up for grabs if you’re interested in giving it a shot. As always all covers blow up with a click! – Rusty
Hello fellow comic book fans! Hope you’re enjoying whatever number heat wave we are on. August is upon us and no matter what everyone has planned for the rest of the summer, I hope it includes comic book related nostalgia in some way. Now on to the task at hand, best covers.
Fantastic Four #609
Cover by Ryan Stegman
To pay homage to Andy who couldn’t be here today, I am selecting this cover because not only is it a punch to the face, but it is two punches at the same time! In addition both hits are by two of the biggest guys in the comic book world. It would be interesting to imagine the sound that’s emanating from both of their jaws cracking. Just look at The Thing’s facial expression. I wonder if his rocky bits are like skin cells and grow back or as he loses those bits and pieces over time, does he become slimmer in size? This cover also livens up the action shot with the art and large BOOM in the background. It brings the scene to life. I need a towel to wipe Hulk’s blood off my face. I vote it most visually action packed cover for the week.
Before Watchmen: Ozymandias #2
Cover by Jae Lee
Where’s Ozy! It looks like Ozymandias is posing for another 50 Shades of Grey novel. I think this cover stood out from all the rest because of its interesting take on the main character. He’s in such a submissive position that it would make Ceaser (the dog trainer) blush. The addition of what appears to be a gas mask makes the cover more mysterious. It brings up questions, like does he enjoy this position? Or, is this part of some team building exercise the Watchmen have to go through? The art is wonderfully shaded and the simpleness of the cover opens up a whole can of questions. That’s why this cover I vote to be the most ambiguous cover of the week. “Thank you, sir! May I have another?”
Batman #12
Cover by Greg Capullo
We can never get enough Batman, whether it’s at the movies or in a plethora of comic book series. This fact is not why I’m picking this cover though. It stood out to me because it seems lately, the world likes to see batman in terrible misfortune, again, whether it’s in the movies (Dark Knight Rises) or in a comic (Court of Owls arc). This cover looks like he is receiving one last blow or it could be taking an opposite approach. He could be just powering up the batcave computer with some new form of environmentally safe energy source…a good ol’ lightning storm. Either way this cover has a bright tone to it, contrasting the darker side of what Batman and Greg Capullo’s art usually is.
Plus any cover with a cape full of LED lights is a winner in my book. I don’t know what it would be good for, it’s just cool. The cover seems so bright, it makes me wonder if he’s going to survive that much electricity. Sure he survives everything that comes his way, but no amount of detective skills can stop that much electricity. I vote this the cover with the most contrast.
Daredevil Annual #1
Cover by Alan Davis
I like this cover, for its color choices and use of the sense that Daredevil doesn’t get to use…the sense of sight. It’s like rubbing it in his face as he falls to the ground below. Maybe as he’s falling from such great heights suddenly his brain is signaling “look out” “look out”, but he can’t see. Making the ‘eye’ a very vibrant figure in the cover represents a tone of irony, since Daredevil can’t see with his eyes. Or perhaps they are the eyes of onlookers in horror watching a man fall thirty stories down.
This cover leaves us wondering what is really going to happen to Daredevil in this issue? I wonder what sounds he hears when he’s up so high? Think he hears the sounds of boring office drones as he falls outside their windows? Or does he just grab his billy club and stop flailing around? As most covers show a hero at their most intimidating, this one highlights his weakness and makes him look like a maiden in peril. I vote this the best cover highlighting weakness.
-Josh B
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Just have to add. While Fantastic Four #309 easily had a better cover than the Incredible Hulk this week. The real Hulk vs. Thing fight occurs in Incredible Hulk #12. And it was even Wolverine and the Thing teaming up to fight the Hulk. It was so funny and just an incredible issue. More on it tomorrow. But you need a copy of Incredible Hulk #12 today! – Rusty
Incredible Hulk #12 was quite, well incredible! I might be down for giving the Best Covers a shot one time if its available!
Absolutely! You are more than welcome to give it a go! – Rusty
The Fantastic Four cover would do Andy proud! Shame he was away when it came out but I’m sure he could still hear the sound made from those punches!
Even though I’m still on vacation, I had to check on the Best Covers column. Great job, Josh! That FF cover is 100% EPIC.