Another Kirby. No story in the world is going to live up to the potentials imagined by this cover image. It’s also an early example of Stan Lee’s hyperbolic cover copy, albeit in a restrained way. It’s a bit dicey to refer to your own work as a ready-made classic, after all–though Stan could usually … Continue reading Great Covers – TALES TO ASTONISH #34
Let’s talk about Jack Kirby for a moment. Kirby is pretty much the greatest creative force in comics. But as a cover artist, his efforts could be a bit uneven. Now, he did some marvelous covers, but also his share that were cluttered, oddly-composed or just ineffective. Given the number of covers he produced over … Continue reading Great Covers – THOR #155
An acknowledged classic, for obvious reasons, this SUPERMAN #233 cover features a Superman who is lean, powerful, dramatic and realistic (at least within the context of a super hero comic book cover.) The yellow-orange background silhouettes and pops his figure perfectly. This is also the first time that the trick of the “Big #1” is … Continue reading Great Covers – SUPERMAN #233
A classic SILVER SURFER cover by John Buscema. Everything works on this one. The diagonal composition draws your eye down tot he waiting Thor on the lower left while emphasizing the Surfer’s speed and trajectory. The deep background color makes the characters pop while providing an appropriate space-y environment.
If there is a better WWII-era SUPERMAN cover than this Jack Burnley masterpiece, I’ve never seen it. The whole story is there in a single image: the sinking of the American steamer, the terror on the part of the Nazi submariners, and the terrible anger of Superman himself. The outcome is never in doubt. (If … Continue reading Great Covers – SUPERMAN #23
Here’s a very nice modern cover to DEADLY CLASS #3 by Wes Craig. Great design, excellent use of a limited color palate, and excellent composition. The two leaping figures are appropriately buoyant.
War comics often tended to have the best covers, but even among that field, this cover to FRONTLINE COMBAT #7 by Harvey Kurtzman is a stand-out. Far from the stark realism that most war covers strive for, Kurtzman’s trademark impressionistic style rather conveys the emotional weight of the moment. He’s drawing not so much what … Continue reading Great Covers – FRONTLINE COMBAT #7
This is a brilliant, excellent modern comic book cover by Jock for DETECTIVE COMICS #880. Simple, imaginative, elegant and graphic, it captures the attention and says something about the character–in this case, how the Joker’s fluttering thoughts are all focused on his arch-rival, the Batman. The simplified palate of black, white and red is used … Continue reading Great Covers – DETECTIVE COMICS #880
Over time, we’re almost certainly going to be seeing a lot of Alex Schomburg on this site. Schomburg was the pre-eminent cover artist for Timely/Marvel in the 1940s, and also provided covers to several other outfits. His pieces, like this one, were routinely jam-packed with visual information, intricate dances of controlled chaos and energy. Almost … Continue reading Great Covers – CAPTAIN AMERICA COMICS #37
This is maybe the most 1980s cover ever produced, one that tapped into the zeitgeist of the times (and also killed a proposed DAREDEVIL animated series then being shopped.) It’s a killer image, and it demands your attention. In those days, it was rare to see a super hero using a gun, and the extreme … Continue reading Great Covers – DAREDEVIL #184
