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.
Birds of Prey #14
Variant cover by Kelley Jones
It’s officially October, and that means publishers can start rolling out their Halloween-themed variant covers. As always, DC tends to go all out in terms of quality and quantity, and this Kelley Jones offering for Birds of Prey #14 feels like a truly delightful start. After the last 13 issues, the team have been through quite a lot, with not only changes to Sin and the addition of Onyx and Grace but the team evolving and coalescing (and not coalescing) in some really vital ways. But if you really want to see the essence of both the group and its core members, this cutesy little variant does so much. The sheer joy, for instance, as they tackle their mission (even if it’s trick or treating) — that kind of humanity informs the very core of the Birds’ operations. Barda, of course, would be the one to knock on the door, and you always need a slightly on-edge Batgirl playing lookout. (And in the smartest move, Barbara’s decided to sit and wait.) Maybe it’s not the most flashy or memorable cover ever, but it’s so damn solid across the board, and a great reminder that the best “gimmicks” always respect the characters, their personality, and their relationships. If this is only the true start of spooky season, bring on the haunted treats.
Storm #1
Variant cover by Alexander Lozano
I’m no artist (just a real big fan). But even I’ve got to assume that doing a truly epic piece involving Storm has got to be easy enough. (If not in the actual execution, then at least in terms of possibilities and options and whatnot.) And that’s just what we get with Storm’s latest solo offering, as the “Earth’s mightiest mutant” finds herself in 1) a position of great influence and 2) dealing with a meltdown at a nuclear facility that will “test her iron resolve.” And, sure, there’s some equally epic cover options for issue #1, including Mateus Manhanini’s soaring main cover and this godly variant from Jeehyung Lee. But for this fella’s money, you can’t do much better than Alexander Lozano variant. It’s also like Ororo is actually made of lightning, and that just so perfectly encapsulates both her raw power and her deep, abiding connection to nature. That, and there’s such a profound look on her face, one that captures both her deep sense of passion and duty while also feeling so stoic, like the mug of someone who has ridden tornadoes into battle and vanquished great foes. There’s epic, and then there’s this piece where all of that power seems to leap off the page and char your eyebrow hair just a little bit. It’s a damn solid start for this series, and one of the reasons why all things Storm does will set your brain on fire.
Hyde Street #1
Variant cover by Mike Deodato and Brad Anderson
On the one hand, I’m jazzed that Ghost Machine is getting away from the action-heavy titles that its leaned into during it’s early ascension. On the other hand, as much as I truly love Geoff Johns and Ivan Reis’ work on Hyde Street‘s debut , there’s enough of you that might be like, “Hey, this is like some kinda Twilight Zone!” (Nevermind the fact that this is seemingly the point, and this book is a kind of meta commentary on anthology storytelling and how we use and regard these stories.) But if it’s just going to be intense, character-driven horror for some/enough of you, then let this Mike Deodato and Brad Anderson variant cover establish some boundaries. Namely, that this book does swing for the fences in terms of gore, shock value, and all-around intensity. Maybe it’s the red twinkle of the boys’ eyes’ the dark, nearly black quality of the splattered blood; and the mayhem/destruction in the background, but I feel both the shock and stomach-churning tension intended while remembering there’s more layers and nuance to this cover (and the series it tries to represent). It gives us blood and terror (and then some) while still crafting something that’s got a clear thematic end goal in mind, balancing those approaches into something that’s complex but deeply unnerving. If this is our first step, Hyde Street is going to be one intense destination.
The Creeping Below #1
Cover by Vanesa R. Del Rey
The journey for choosing a cover for this feature is two-fold. One, you read the solicitation, and in the case of The Creeping Below, it delivers in every way you’d want. And by delivers, I mean Brian Azzarello and Vanesa R. Del Rey have joined up for a “bloody, black metal-infused revenge saga” about a woman seeking vengeance after she’s victimized by a band at an Oslo music festival. But solicitations only go so far, and we need the actual cover to truly lock up the deal — and Del Rey’s own piece for issue #1 does that with a power and heft that’s truly hard to encapsulate in full. Right off the bat, the black metal vibes are more apparent than a freshly-applied face of corpse paint; if some Norwegian band doesn’t use this as their next album cover, that’s a shame. But it goes deeper still: the sense of perspective, for instance, makes me feel uneasy and disoriented, and that’s likely a key emotional thread of this story. From there, I’m meant to think this might be a peaceful scene, but the giant deer and behavior of the light and shadows disarms me even further. All of that together makes for a deeply affective experience, and one that I seek every time I look at a cover and hope that it might move me somehow. This one does that and more, and this story will likely take us to some deep and unforgiving places.
Skin Police #1
Cover by Daniel Gete and Jason Wordie
After the abject terror of The Creeping Below #1, it’s time for a palate cleanser with Skin Police #1. The long and short of it is that, by the year 2142, the world has to deal with Dupes, which are “genetic duplicates (that have) transform(ed) into psychologically unstable killing machines.” We follow the government’s “Skin Police,” which is a much cooler name than “Duplicate Identification and Capture Division” (that’d DICD, folks). And the art team (artist Daniel Gete and colorist Jason Wordie) don’t waste one second dropping us face first into the blood and guts of it all, managing to make the mere prospect of “undulating wall of melted, mutated human bodies” all the more horrific and vomit-inducing in practice. But there’s something else here (beyond the layers of blasted human biological material) — namely, the look of boredom-meets-irritation on the face of our DICD officer. As if all of this has become pedestrian or ordinary somehow, and there’s a kind of boredom to his work. That, to me, is the most terrifying prospect: with all the things we’ve done, good and bad alike, humanity still falls victim to its most base and bland tendencies. That the thing we’re most capable of is total disconnect with the world and the future, and that’s more grievous than all the Dupes ever. Now I think I’m scared and depressed.
Barbarella #1
Variant cover by Annie Wu
I’ve never even seen the 1968 film, but Barbarella has sort of hovered around my culture-consuming peripheral for most of my life. And I get it: sexy, powerful space vixen shoots lasers and saves the day. Maybe now that Barbarella is returning to the comics pages (courtesy of Dynamite), I’ll finally get a chance to see what all the fuss is about. And as far as “introductions” are concerned, this Annie Wu variant cover truly spoke to me the loudest. Sure, I could have gone with this slice of harrowing action from Richard Pace, or even Joseph Michael Linsner’s excellent pinup main cover. But Wu’s depiction just does something different. Is it the Sailor Moon vibes? Sure, that’s got to be a common connection/frame of reference to Barbarella. Maybe the sheer joy and color that balances all that swinging ’60s energy? For sure, anything to make it even more flirty and playful. Perhaps it’s just the neat-looking space cat? Absolutely, I love weird/dumb animals more than most things. But whatever it is the my brain latched on to, this piece has the right amount of quirky and exciting that I think I’ve always expected of Barbarella and now can fully enjoy in my favorite medium. Also, does she not need a suit in space? ‘Cause if so, that’s another point in the “win” column.
Eye Lie Popeye #2
Variant cover by Rob Duenas
Every once in a while, you come across a book that sort of boggles the mind in terms of its subject matter and approach. Case in point: Eye Lie Popeye, a reimagining of everyone’s favorite spinach-slamming sailor that “explores the century-old mystery of how he lost his eye.” But before we get to that gem, this Rob Duenas variant cover to issue #2 raises about 1,574 more questions. Like, are Popeye’s arms even bigger back then? (That would make sense if he’s younger but still, the man is ripped.) Are he and Bluto allies somehow, and is that a function of their relationship all along? And if they’re not allies, why would he have a suit that launches his enemies’ strength-boosting super-food? (That would actually make Bluto 1,000 times more of a badass if he did that.) And there’s other questions, too, like if Popeye has some kind of Goku-esquer powers. But the only question I really need answered is addressed and then some by this bonkers cover: this is one gimmicky prequel that needs to exist in the world, as it takes the original premise, turns it up by 500 degrees, and seemingly gives us something bright, bizarre, and totally action packed. Oh, and I didn’t even mention the “4th dimensional Time Hunters,” so -ish is more bonkers than you and I could ever imagine.
X-Men #5
Cover by Ryan Stegman, J.P. Mayer, and Marte Garcia
How’s everyone feeling about the latest X-Men relaunch? I’m sure some of you are as hesitant as ever, and that’s totally cool. And a good chunk of you may have been ready to go since before word one. The thing I use to tell if a new series is a success is how weird or wild they’ve gotten a few issues in — I think that’s a clear demonstration of both the creators’ comfort levels as well as offering some indication of their long-term plans. In X-Men‘s case, issue #5 sees the core team engaging “the social-media sociopath Upstarts” (not a bad start) as “Kid Omega and Psylocke dive deep into the mind of a troubled mutant.” And in even more good news, they meant that last bit quite literally, as we see the two stomping around someone’s cerebellum. I love that it sort of looks like a combination of both outer space and the bottom of the ocean, which somehow feels accurate for the human mind. Plus, the giant eyeball feels like a similarly novel representation of the mutant’s presence in their own mind (and maybe a little meta commentary on reading comics like this?) None of that’s even mentioning that more screen time for these two is always a plus (especially when they match so perfectly). Time will tell for sure, but this cover does a good job of showing that X-Men is heading toward some extra interesting directions. Up next, maybe an ice cream factory in the laser dimension!
Batman #153
Variant cover by Tony Harris and Jeremy Clark
If you recall a recent review, I mentioned a super handy quote about, “If you’re going to do it again, do it with style.” And if anything’s been done more in comics, it’s confrontations between Batman and Joker. Now, I’m not sure why Tony Harris and Jeremy Clark opted for Gotham’s Tom and Jerry, especially as this issues focusts on Bruce Wayne’s “new public initiatives” fostering growth across the city as well as references to a newly legit Riddler and Commander Star. And, sure, Joker could be behind the “shocking murder of one of its greatest citizens” as the “Dying City” arc kicks off, but wouldn’t that be a little too on the nose? Perhaps, then, this is just the best kind of evergreen Batman content, an image that could apply perfectly to any story at any time. As such, what actually matters here is the execution — a lithe, playful Joker; Batman fighting from the ground up (thematically and logistically important in the Dark Knight’s canon),; and some ancient architecture to remind you how long they’ve been battling. It ain’t broke but this piece still fixes the Bats-Joker dynamic with a refreshing level of dynamic action, strong character work, and new angles and perspectives. It’s a cover that’s all about substance and style, and it cuts to the heart of this love affair/feud in a most interesting manner. One question,though: why did Joker’s glove fly off, and should I be worried?
