This week on David’s Got You Covered, we have a small week of covers mostly thanks to a rather uninspired effort from the big two comic companies. That’s not to say there aren’t nice covers out there, as the other publishers around the world of monthly comics brought their A game, including a really nice effort from an old favorite.
Find out what I picked after the jump.
3. Chew #16
Art by Rob Guillory
There is just something massively entertaining about this image. Rob Guillory has an eye for images that bring a smile out of readers, and this one that kicks off the new Mother Clucker’s arc is an absolute gem. The idea of a fried chicken restaurant named “Mother Clucker’s” that has a logo of a matronly hen holding a plate of fried chicken comprised of her own leg. It takes a bit for you to realize what is going on, but the prideful face combined with the plate combined with a wing desperately grasping onto a crutch is an entertainment goldmine.
Plus, it does a good job of telling us what is happening inside the pages. Highly entertaining and thoughtful of plot? Nice work Mr. Guillory.
2. Morning Glories #5
Art by Rodin Esquejo
Rodin Esquejo is rapidly becoming one of my new favorite cover artists out there. His work on the covers for “Morning Glories” have consistently been dynamic and cleverly designed images that draw the eye and work beautifully to tell the spirit of what is happening within the pages of the book.
This image itself is a tense one, finding Casey and her two closest cohorts as they are pursued by assailants unknown. I love the way Esquejo designs characters, and the lines he uses are tight and add to the realism of the image. I also love how Esquejo takes their surroundings, the walls and floor and ceiling, and creates an effect that looks as if they are closing in on them. They aren’t just being chased by people but by their environment.
Esquejo is a wonderful talent, and if there was a “Best New Cover Artist” category in our 2010 in Review posts, Esquejo would have without a doubt been the champion for me.
1. Usagi Yojimbo #134
Art by Stan Sakai
I have to say, I really like the breakdown of competitors this week in my covers competition. Why?
Well, #2 and #3 are young bucks of the industry, and two that we’ll likely see around these parts over and over throughout the next few years. #1? #1 is a master of the art form, and someone who has been doing this nearly as long as the other two have been alive.
Stan Sakai is a legend in the industry, having produced his rabbit samurai opus since 1984. While he hasn’t been releasing issues at a very frequent rate in recent times, he’s still churning out the quality. And this cover is a stunner, and one that tells a story with the subtle choices that are made on it. While I’m no longer up-to-date with the book, it seems that Usagi Yojimbo is now in a place of shame in the book, as Sakai indicates by pushing him to the background and depicting him in such a shrouded way.
Besides that, it’s just a beautifully detailed work. Sakai is a meticulous artist, and that comes through in the rain and the way it pours off of Usagi’s hat. Plus, I greatly enjoy simple things like the faded title card used at the top as well, with the font colored in a light hue. When you have a creator owned work like this, the success depends entirely on the creator because they own every aspect of the book. In this regard, Stan Sakai, the master, owns it in a beautiful way.
