They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. While that might be true for prose, it’s not entirely true for comic books. Comic books are a visual medium and more times than not, it’s the art that draws you in. With so many comic books coming out these days, a cover that stands out from everything else on a wall of new releases can determine how well it sells. I know that I’ve picked up new titles solely based on the cover.
It is with that in mind that we bring you Face Value, a column where we will be looking at the best covers in comics, both new and old, every two weeks. In this edition, I’m looking at the very best of January 2019.
“Batgirl” #30 by Joshua Middleton
I’ve become completely obsessed with how Middleton illustrates Barbara Gordon. It’s just so absolutely perfect to me. It reminds me a bit of what Alex Ross does and what Artgerm does but Middleton’s work always feels much less sexualized. I love this cover and it makes me want to get back into “Batgirl.”
“Conan The Barbarian” #1 by Bill Sienkiewicz
Sienkiewicz is one of the greatest of all time and his recent output has been fantastic. This cover is pure Conan. It’s raw, rugged and gritty. If this were the main cover, I’d have grabbed it immediately.
“Die” #2 by Stephanie Hans
“Die” is very much a series that will appear on here a lot in the future because honestly Stephanie Hans can do no wrong. I actually like this cover more than the first one and would absolutely wear this jacket.
“Thor” #9 by Mike Del Mundo
I know a lot of people have been a bit back and forth on this Thor series so far but I completely adore this cover. Thor: Ragnarok was one of the most fun superhero movies I have ever seen and this cover reminds me a lot of that movie in a very good way.
“The Wicked + The Divine” #41 by Paulina Ganucheau
Paulina Ganucheau has grown so much as an artist over the last few years and this cover is phenomenal. It’s a beautiful portrait with fantastic detailing and color work.
“Marvel Tales: Venom” #1 by Jen Bartel
You would think that looking at drawings of Venom would have gotten stale by now but then Jen Bartel shows up with this color work and that changes the game. The color work is so innovative for this character. It’s still gory and violent but there’s an extra pizzazz I’ve never seen with this character before.
“Ms. Marvel” #37 by Jamie McKelvie
This is probably the most loving tribute to Ms. Marvel and everything G. Willow Wilson did on her run. It’s an image that shows how influential the character has been and how much she’s loved. It almost makes me cry.
“The Immortal Hulk” #12 by Alex Ross
Alex Ross has been doing some of his very best work in a long time on this series and this cover is a great example of that. The perspective of of this shot is amazing and it looks like such a bigger image than it really is. The color work is bold and pops so well and it’s absolutely something I’d grab off the shelf.
