An admitted classic, this Bernie Wrightson HOUSE OF SECRETS cover on the first appearance of Swamp Thing is really worth a closer look. The tonework is subtle and immaculately done, and the image is composed elegantly. All of the elements work, including the sensitive coloring. As some people will already know, Wrightson used a lot … Continue reading Great Covers – HOUSE OF SECRETS #92
An often-homaged cover, this CAPTAIN AMERICA piece by Mike Zeck combines detail and composition into something of a synthesis of the approaches of Neal Adams and Jim Steranko. Deathlok’s red eye right at the center is focal point, and the diagonal of the gun and hand takes the viewer to the image of Captain America … Continue reading Great Covers – CAPTAIN AMERICA #286
A simple and iconic John Byrne IRON FIST cover. This piece was done during a period where most covers were cluttered with figures and drowning in copy, so the impact of just being a shot of Iron Fist doing his thing right at your face would have been heightened. I’m not in love with that … Continue reading Great Covers – IRON FIST #8
A very nice multi-paneled Neal Adams DETECTIVE COMICS cover. This almost feels like it should be on HOUSE OF MYSTERY or UNEXPLAINED rather than a super hero comic. As usual, Adams’ photo-realistic style heightens the drama of the moment.
Another modern image, this one by Ed McGuinness for CAPTAIN MARVEL. Again, a very simple image, but one that works even if you aren’t familiar with the Rosie the Riveter piece that it’s meant to evoke. It was images like this one that helped make Carol Danvers legitimately be Captain Marvel, rather than Ms Marvel … Continue reading Great Covers – CAPTAIN MARVEL #2
Here’s a much more modern cover, done by Greg Capullo for DETECTIVE COMICS. It’s again a very simple idea, but the way the silhouettes of both Batman and Gotham work, the subtle use of color in the clouds, and the glow of the Bat-Signal all come together perfectly. Again here, my only complaint here is … Continue reading Great Covers – DETECTIVE COMICS #27
We talked earlier about the first BATMAN cover to feature an African-American character on it. This GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW cover is definitely the first DC book to feature a black man in a super hero costume. And while it would have been more plugged into the zeitgeist in, say, 1968 than when it saw print … Continue reading Great Covers – GREEN LANTERN #87
An arresting HULK cover by Todd McFarlane, one that’s been imitated and homaged dozens of times by now. I’m pretty sure that this was the first instance of a cover image where somebody else is reflected in Wolverine’s claws.Great intensity on Wolverine’s face as well.
Another great and very simple Fred Ray patriotic WWII-era SUPERMAN cover. Images like this one were all the rage during the peak years of the Second World War, but Superman somehow did them larger and better than most.
Here is the realism and relevance of the GREEN LANTERN/GREEN ARROW series taken to the extreme, with an image that DC might think twice about running even today. Neal Adams’ photo-realistic style is used to good effect as we are smacked in the face with the image of a super hero (albeit a sidekick) using … Continue reading Great Covers – GREEN LANTERN #85
The Tom Brevoort Experience 