New Comic Book Wednesday! - Part Two - Great Covers! (late)
If you are just joining me tonight, I have already posted Part One of this Here! Where as it dealt with issues I am likely to read and why this section will deal with issues I picked up strictly because I like their looks!
I'm not going to go deeper into it than that. There are some stellar artists out there today doing stellar cover work. If you need a more in depth look at what's coming check out @blewitt. He keeps the weekly release article hopping with all of the latest issues and toys. This is a personal list for me and also subject to what was available. I suppose a bit of State of the Union for hot books.
Is She Better Than Hughes? For WW She Is!
Wonder Woman Vol. 5 issue 51
Look, I didn't even realize that there was an Artgerm cover to this issue until I looked it up just now. Money! I'll be looking for it. That said these Jenny Frison covers throughout the run have just been amazing. A woman drawing a woman. Sexy to boot! I only read the first few Wonder Woman issues of Rebirth before I dropped it but it seems to fair well enough. How much of this though is due to these awesome B-sides? One can wonder. As I made clear in my header I think Jenny's run here has easily eclipsed Adam "AH!" Hughes run from earlier in this millennia. He might still have the best cover over all (I'll likely show it soon!) but her body of work is consistently strong where as Adam can miss the mark from time to time.
She can judge me any day......
The Cat! Love Me Some Selena.......
Catwoman Vol. 5 issue 2
Stanley Artgerm Lau. Here he is. I really like most of his stuff and he is super hot right now. I've personally always thought that he draws his subject to perfectly. Super Girl would be an example...yeah, yeah I get it she's Super Girl but come on. This however I think really announces a new style for Stanley. The detail is still all there but long gone is the perfection and niceties. Even tore it up on the layers. I know it's Selena and she's not the perfect lass but damn this rocks, Lau!
I'm going to double paragraph here. I fell in love with Catwoman when I was very young and still to this day get a rise out of Michelle Pfieffers performance. It was outstanding even if Burtonified. I also think that this cover rivals many of the early millennia AH! covers. Those are some of Adam's best and while this, again, isn't better than his best it's better than the rest. More grit Stanley it favors you!
Let's Talk About Middleton....
Batgirl Vol. 5 issue 24
Joshua Middleton was hot. Is hot. There's good reason for this. I mean look at these covers.....but....something is amiss. It feel's as if Josh is changing his style slowly but surely to mimic maybe, Artgerm or Mattina or Dell'Otto. Well stop please. You got hot for you. Everybody loves your art along with those mentioned above. So, please, go back to your natural style. I know it's changed over the years, I know Nyx, and could be changing now but buddy, you had us at hello. This is by far the better of the two in question, imo, just saying.
Aquaman Vol. 8 issue 39-there is nothing here yet
I think that the Batwoman above is more conducive to the style. Again, this feels a bit forced to me. Not phoned in, just forced. Am I me? I don't know Josh but you've done some great stuff bud and this is just OK. It lacks any flair or feel. He's good at bodily emotion. What good does it do to have the subject sitting still.
Final thoughts. As you have seen the books so far have all been DC. Not my premiere picks in general, it doesn't mean they aren't putting out quality. Apparently they are putting out all of the best covers and have most of the it artists on the payroll......So, let's talk about trade dressing. DC is just about shed of it. I think it does a whole lot to enhance the appearance of the book as a work of art. Especially when the cover IS a work of art. I do find myself perusing the isles from time to time though not knowing what book I'm looking at. Is that a Batman book? No it's Deathstroke Bats is just on the cover. Oh. Is that a Batman book? No, again....just Titans.
Remember though those horrible Arrow banners and the Rebirth dress? Is there not a happy medium? Can I be told the book without bifocals and without ruining the art? Hmm. Wouldn't that be something.
P.S. How many people working on Batgirl, Damn!
Thx for the plug brother!!! Appreciate it!
I love both Hughes and Frison’s run on WW. But yeah...Jenny is killing it.