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Multiversity’s Got You Covered: The Best Covers of March 2014

By | April 7th, 2014
Posted in Columns | % Comments

Got You Covered is back, with another look at the best covers of the month. At the end of each month, we’ll be sharing the absolute best (in one writer’s mind) in comic covers for the month. Unlike before, they won’t be ranked, they’ll just be listed alphabetically with explanations as to why each is such a great example in the art of comic covers.

Share your thoughts in the comments about what were the best covers in the month, and thanks for reading.

Animal Man #29
Art by Jeff Lemire

You won’t find many celebrated runs from The New 52, but one you would find is Jeff Lemire, Travel Foreman and friends’ work on “Animal Man”. That series came to an end with this issue, and fittingly – perfectly – Jeff Lemire himself created a cover for it that put the family first and underlined the pain and struggle that the Baker family suffered through. It reminds me of, in a weird way, of those old 80’s Marvel covers where a central character was surrounded by many of the other members of the Marvel universe, so it earned a strange, nostalgic boost for yours truly on top of just being a well thought out, beautiful piece. Well done by Lemire on all levels.

Captain Marvel #1
Art by David Lopez

I’ve tried to emphasize this before, but sometimes, simplicity rules. Sure, this cover could have been more grandiose and graphic and crazy, but instead, it’s just Carol Danvers doing her Captain Marvel thang in a brilliant piece by David Lopez. I love the way the yellow background accentuates her, and as per usual, Lopez does industry peak character work. This is an artist knowing who he is and knowing what needs to be done, and knocking it completely out of the park. What more would you want from a cover than that?

Daredevil #1
Art by Chris Samnee

Chris Samnee is a very, very skilled artist. One of the absolute best in the biz. He has a lot of talents, but one of the most surprising and unique ones is just how amazing he is at visually realizing Daredevil’s powers. This cover is utterly brilliant in that regard, as he beautifully and graphically depicts Matt Murdock’s joyful swing through the Golden Gate Bridge area with everything shown to us the way Matt might see it. It’s a joyous cover to pour over and look at, and it just works as a brilliant piece. Once again, Chris Samnee is good.

Deadly Class #3
Art by Wes Craig

Not only has Deadly Class been one of my favorite books in comics since it launched, its covers and all of its variants have also been fantastic. This one is no different, as it is very alluring on three levels: the bold red color, the more graphic cityscape in the background, and the excellent traditional art that is overlaid on top of those other two. Wes Craig is an artist who works well in any medium, but the power of his work comes from his versatility and ability to find the right way to tell any story visually. This cover is another great example of that, and as a bonus point, I love that this book’s covers are always credited as “1987.” Fun little touch for readers, and I have to wonder if that will change as the book’s timeframe changes.

Five Ghosts #10
Art by Chris Mooneyham

This is a book that looks like nothing else on the stands, and it’s not for any Hickman like ways. It’s not reinventing the wheel, it’s finding that old ass wheel that was tossed away, making it look new again and highlighting all the things that made the concept strong to begin with. I love the subtle touches, like the crease in the upper right quadrant of the piece, that make it feel like a found document. An old photo from the desk of a man who once was an adventurer. It’s a fantastic touch, and something that doesn’t take away from the beautiful illustrative qualities of the cover, but accentuates them. I’m not sure if it’s Mooneyham or series colorist Lauren Affe who colors these covers, but I want to praise whoever does it because the very light, warm colors to the sunrise and in the reflection of it in the water really make the piece stand out as well.

Continued below

Hawkeye #17
Art by Dave Aja

I love this cover. It’s a hilariously simple concept that is remixed ever so slightly by the TV replacing the head, but in that, it works as an even better illustration AND as a representation of the story inside. Hawkeye has long had some of the best and most unique covers, but this works so well because its slight corruption of more traditional comic cover elements. It’s a very heroic pose, but when mixed with the TV? Perfection.

Iron Man #23.NOW
Art by Mike Del Mundo

Leave it to Mike Del Mundo to make a random .NOW Marvel cover special. Using white space as his dear friend, Del Mundo does an exceptional job in making the central illustrative elements pop much more. It’s a simple piece, and one that reminds me of covers from yesteryear, save for the choice to let the art breathe with the white space that surrounds it. Del Mundo is one of the best in the business in when knowing more is more and when less is more, and you can see that right here in this cover.

Iron Patriot #1
Art by Garry Brown

This concept easily could have not worked. It’s one that, in the wrong hands, would have been untenable and overwhelming to look at. But Garry Brown took the concept of Iron Patriot’s repulsor creating waves in the air that show that James Rhodes is as much part of this as Iron Patriot is, and it’s both an excellent piece and a bit of a metaphor for what the book is all about. Plus, the coloring really pops, and it ensures that this joint hits all three levels I look for in my favorite covers.

The Manhattan Projects #19
Art by Jonathan Hickman

Recently I saw Nick Pitarra talking about other artists have begun emulating Hickman like design, and that’s definitely happening. And why not? Jonathan Hickman in many ways has revolutionized the comic cover game, making the more about design than about traditional elements that simply wouldn’t work for a book like this. That’s the thing that some don’t realize about Hickman, as they look at covers like this and the pages he inserts into his stories that are perceived as blank titling transitions: those are story. Those control pacing. Those make these books work, and those are these books. It’s not a gimmick. It’s a damn fine cover, as per usual.

Sex Criminals #5
Art by Chip Zdarsky

I’m not sure if you’ve heard, but Sex Criminals is really good. It’s good in a lot of ways, but the covers? Always great. And I don’t just mean the hilarious variants. The standard covers, like this one, are beautifully designed pieces that represent the heart and humor (“Going down”) that the book is all about, and is really gorgeous art that stands out on the racks. And I am a man who knows what stands out on a rack.

Plus, Sex Criminals always adds in the back cover that serves as both a warning AND another sales pitch, and for that, I will always love them. A total package cover from a total package couple of guys.


//TAGS | Multiversity's Got You Covered

David Harper

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