Brandon is tied up this week, so I’ll be handling the cover touting duties for the week. Except I get the unfortunate distinction of having to write about one of the worst release weeks in terms of titles in…well, as long as I can really remember. This week only one cover really kills it for me, and Dustin Nguyen’s Batman: Streets of Gotham #16 cover being a satisfactory entry that I don’t get a lot out of (mostly because I don’t read the book). So what book is the whole of the list this week?
Find out after the jump.
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Cover of the Week: Fables #98
Illustrated by: Joao Ruas
When it was announced that James Jean was going to be leaving Fables, fans of the book responded with a blend of abject terror and pure sadness. It makes sense though: James Jean is perhaps the greatest cover artist in the industry, and his run on Fables was so good they released all of them as a book (sorry to 52 fans, but James Jean’s Fables book > JG Jones’ 52 book).
Then it was announced that relative unknown artist Joao Ruas from Brazil would be taken over, and people were skeptical. His early works were tied to “The Great Fables Crossover,” which likely led to admonishment by osmosis, but there was a lot of beauty in them. Throughout his run, the covers have gotten better and better, culminating in this gem that features the newly revitalized Rose Red along with her Boy Blue loving compatriots.
It fills all of my needs for a great cover: tells the story inside the book with just one powerful image; works as a standalone piece of art; and has an immediate connection with me as a reader that tells me “this book will be quality.” I love the glow that Ruas layers upon all of the aspects of the image, almost as if our Boy Blue is returning off camera, basking his loving compatriots and followers with his bright light. It’s powerful and just a gorgeous image.
