They say you can’t judge a book by it’s 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. For this edition, we’re looking at the first half of July. These were all released on or before July 13. In the future, we hope to bring in creators for guest editions, solicit reader suggestions, and more – so let’s get started!
“The Flintstones” #1 by Dustin Nguyen
Folks were pretty divided over whether or not this was a good take on Fred, Wilma and the rest of the gang (I enjoyed it) but there’s no doubt that this cover is beautiful. Nguyen is one of my favorite artists and I love the scope in this. There’s this shared loneliness between Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm that feels so normal for teenagers despite the fictional setting.
“The Dark and Bloody” #6 by Tyler Crook
I’ve really enjoyed the series for what goes on underneath the cover but Tyler Crook’s art is the kind of thing that really stands out. Crook’s cover for the finale of this miniseries really speaks to the story in a chilling sense. His painted style is just so perfectly suited for covers and when the trade hit, and it’s covered by his art, it’ll definitely be eye catching for potential readers.
Jackpot #3 by Brian Stelfreeze
I’ve never read “Jackpot”. Honestly I haven’t read as much of the new “Aftershock” books as I would like to but that doesn’t take away from this cool, retro cover. It’s trippy and it it almost reminds me of something you’d see in the intro to a James Bond movie.
Giant Days #16 by Lissa Treiman
“Giant Days” is one of the only comic books to really capture what it’s like being in your very early 20’s. Each issue has a cover that’s worth mentioning on here but this one really stands out cause of how frantic it feels. Susan is going to try dating again with so Treiman captures the nonsense of getting ready. Getting dressed and dolled up in anything that’s not a t-shirt and jeans does not come naturally for all of us and Treiman nails this right in that big expression.
“Civil War II: Kingpin” #1 by Esad Ribic
I couldn’t care less about “Civil War II” but I really like this cover. This is the exact image I have when I think of Kingpin in 2016. He’s aged but he’s still dangerous. Ribic is great but with interiors, he can sometimes do a little too much with his faces. This however, is gorgeous and shows a portrait of a villain who has seen better days.
“DC Comics Bombshells” #15 by Ant Lucia
I’m a sucker for the Bombshells designs and even more a sucker for Mera and Aquaman. I like this cover for a couple of reasons. It’s romantic and there’s beefcake. I like both those things and I’m totally not ashamed of this.
“Lumberjanes/Gotham Academy” #2 by Colleen Coover
How Colleen Coover doesn’t get to do more covers like this is beyond me. The joy in this image radiates through and there’s no way you don’t smile at it. I wasn’t crazy about the art in the first issue but if it looked like this, I’d be fully sold on this crossover.
“The Six Million Dollar Man: Fall of Man” #1 by Ron Salas
I’ve only seen a handful of episodes of this show but I’m incredibly intrigued by this cover. It’s done like an old movie poster and yeah, this can be overused but when it works, it works. This is kind of perfect for the 70’s show and Salas placement of Steve Austin makes the cover feel active.
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“The Revisionist” #2 by Garry Brown
Another Aftershock title “The Revisionist” is a time travel story that has a great sense of visual style thanks to Garry Brown. This cover really hones in on the solitary life of Martin and the reverberations coming off him add some depth to the cover and the scope that Brown is playing with. It may not be the busiest cover but it’s effective.
“Conan The Slayer” #1 by Lee Bermejo
I’ve never read a Conan book but this cover is pretty much why I’m picking it up this week. I adore Lee Bermejo’s work and this is one of my favorite pieces from him in a while. Look at the raw anger in Conan’s face! It’s fantastic. It’s brutal and I hope it’s an indicator of how crazy the book itself will be.
What were your favorite covers the first couple of week this month? Let me know in the comments below!
