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Face Value: The Best Covers of November 2016

By | November 29th, 2016
Posted in Columns | % Comments

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 entire month of November. I kind of dropped the ball on this but rest assured, I’m on top of this now and will be here every other week with great covers for you. In the future, we hope to bring in creators for guest editions, solicit reader suggestions, and more – so let’s get started!

“Josie and the Pussycats” #2 by Audrey Mok

Archie’s relaunch has featured a ton of covers. No really, I think they’ve printed a ton of variants for all their relaunched series. Regardless, I love this one by Audrey Mok. The series is still early going but I love how this cover is both fun and full of rock and roll attitude. The coloring is really bold and highlights the very distinct personalities of each woman.

“Shade, The Changing Girl” #2 by Becky Cloonan

Honestly, get used to seeing “Shade, The Changing Girl” show up on this column. Becky Cloonan is absolutely killing it on these covers. She’s managed to not only make the character her own but has also captured the outsider, psychedelic vibe that the character is known for. The blending of pinks and purples here is so truly great and I would love to see her get in some interior pages.

“The Wicked + The Divine” #23 by Kevin Wada

I love “The Wicked + The Divine” for lots of reasons and one of those is right here. This series attracts the best kind of talent to work on alternate covers and Kevin Wada does one of my absolute favorites here. The series really hones in on the fame and godliness and he’s pretty much the perfect artist to tackle that. Like the interiors of this issue, this is a fashion spread. It’s all about this look and the power in it. It’s a beautiful piece of art all on its own without the context of the series.

“WWE: Then. Now. Forever” #1 by Frazer Irving

This would not be a covers column written by me if I didn’t mention “WWE: Then. Now. Forever”. None of the other covers really can be considered “great” but this one is perfect. Frazer Irving is an amazing artist and does some beautifully dark work. Him drawing The Undertaker is kind of a no brainer. Even without knowing this is a wrestling comic book cover, it’s still really cool. You might even be tempted by this as a non fan if it didn’t have a WWE logo on it.

“Wonder Woman” #10 by Jenny Frison

It is actually kind of amazing to me that Frank Cho was the first choice for “Wonder Woman” variants when Jenny Frison exists. In fact, I’d go so far to say that Jenny Frison should just flat out do all the covers for this series. This is a great version of Wonder Woman as it captures her strength, grace and stature. She looks like a hero here, not a pin up girl. She looks powerful and that’s what I want from this character.

“James Bond: Hammerhead” #2 by Francesco Francavilla

Of all the artists that have done covers for “James Bond”, Francavilla has come the closest to the imagery I have in my mind for the character. I sort of grew up with these movies (my dad is a huge fan) so I don’t always imagine a modern day Bond. Francavilla here goes for something close to the visuals of the often times beautiful opening credits. The coloring is distinct and it makes for an appealing cover.

Continued below

“Violent Love” #1 by Victor Santos

“Violent Love” is a Bonnie and Clyde-esque story and the first issue told the origin of our lead, Daisy Jane. This cover was not the main cover but it’s definitely my favorite of the two. It is a movie poster for the comic book and it feels much more like the time period the book takes place in than the main cover. Santos is a great artist with such a distinct style that feels inspired by Darwyn Cooke.

“Slam” #1 by Lissa Treiman

The main cover by Veronica Fish is excellent but Treiman’s cover gets way more into what the characters are going through as they are totally new to roller derby. The comedic trepidation and fear comes through so much and there’s a story being told here. Treiman is a treasure and this is a good example of why.

“Over The Garden Wall” #8 by Felicia Choo

I don’t actually read this series and I’ve never seen the series it’s based on but look at this. It’s breathtaking right? There is a lot happening here. Is this little girl lost? Is she the hero of the series? Why does she have an ax? Choo’s work here is soft and bold at the same time and I’m really into it.

“Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” #13 by Amy Reeder

I’m behind on “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” but I could not resist putting this cover on this list. It’s incredibly charming and I think it’s an important statement to make. Lunella is the coolest young character Marvel has introduced in the last few years. She’s a genius, she’s heroic and she’s got a cool pet dinosaur. This image is all about her embracing every aspect of who she is and I love it.

What were some of your favorite covers this month? Let me know in the comments below!


//TAGS | Face Value

Jess Camacho

Jess is from New Jersey. She loves comic books, pizza, wrestling and the Mets. She can be seen talking comics here and at Geeked Out Nation. Follow her on Twitter @JessCamNJ for the hottest pro wrestling takes.

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