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. This month, I’m looking back at some of the year’s earlier picks and picking out my favorites of the year. Bear in mind, with so many cover that come out every year, something will slip through the cracks so think of this as just a sampling of the excellent work in 2018.
“Ice Cream Man” #1 by Frazer Irving
“Ice Cream Man” is such a weird book and it’s totally my jam. This is for my money, the best horror comic book going and this cover is a perfect tease of the kind of fear and mayhem you’ll find inside.
“Twisted Romance” #4 by Trungles
I love Trungles and I love that Trungles did a mainstream comic that got press from Entertainment Weekly. This cover is fantasy eye candy and I adore it.
“Shade, The Changing Woman” #1 by Becky Cloonan
I am fully aware that I have pushed the covers for this series every chance I’ve gotten, particularly this one but I love it and nothing will change that.
“Rogue & Gambit” #5 by Kris Anka
Kris Anka giving the shippers exactly what they want. It’s simple and effective and exactly the content you’ll find inside the issue.
“Black Bolt” #12 by Christian Ward
Romance with a touch of mesmerizing science fiction. The contrast between Black Bolt and Medusa is beautiful and the way Ward makes them fit together so well visually is perfection.
“Monstress” #18 by Sana Takeda
I could have made this whole list just “Monstress” covers but other artists exist and we can’t do that. Takeda can do no wrong. The detail in this is incredible and the color choice is bold and uniquely Takeda.
“Batgirl” #25 by Joshua Middleton
People are still talking about this cover and I’ve seen it as countless Twitter avatars. That’s how you know an image has staying power. I can’t wait to see what Middleton does in 2019.
“Wonder Woman” #54 by Jenny Frison
I adore Jenny Frison’s work and I had a hard time picking my favorite cover from her this year but I could do far worse than this one. This is a phenomenal and *ahem* wonderful cover.
“Supergirl” #25 by Amanda Conner
This is a late contender for this year and probably the most heartwarming cover on this list. It’s Supergirl with Krypto! Look how cute it is! He’s the best doggo.
“Catwoman” #5 by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau
I could not do a look at 2018 in covers without mentioning Stanley “Artgerm” Lau. Some people hate his work, some people love it. I think sometimes he can veer a little too far off the sexy cliff but I think this cover is his best this year. It’s age appropriate (unlike some of his Supergirl covers) and the right style for this character.
“Die” #1 by Stephanie Hans
Stephanie Hans is my favorite artist working right now and this cover is a good example of the kind of work she can do. This is pure goth with a touch of fantasy and horror and it works so well. You can’t look at this and not immediately want to read this comic.
