Comments on: Judging (Image’s October) Books By Their Covers

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 21:29:52 +0000

Thanks, Fantomas!

That would definitely explain why it didn’t seem like Silvestri.

By: FantomasPR

FantomasPR — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 17:24:45 +0000

I believe the Hunter – Killer 11 cover is not done by Marc Silvestri but by Kenneth Rocafort, who will be also do the interior art according to Top Cow.

By: Omar Karindu

Omar Karindu — Wed, 02 Aug 2006 05:47:12 +0000

So, Clobberin’, which covers did YOU like best, and why?

By: Mac B

Mac B — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 22:45:39 +0000

you want to talk about generic, that city of heroes with its character face-off corridor has been done to death. recent example, civilwar: frontline #1

also, not to mean, but this is a pretty weak post

By: Clobberin Time

Clobberin Time — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 21:17:34 +0000

Ah, thanks for clarifying. Generic art + bright colors = Surprisingly strong. Sounds like you’re working with a water-tight rating system there, BC.

Most people contribute to a blog because they have something of consequence to say. The ‘content’ (for lack of a better word) of your column consists of cover images and embarrassingly banal declarations about the merits of those covers. When do you plan to start posting something of substance to this site?

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 05:42:19 +0000

The cover was surprisingly strong because of the colors.

I believe that’s pointed out above. Let me check.

I just checked, and yes, I mention the brightness of the colors. I think Blond did a great job with that cover, really saved it.

If it were not for the coloring job, I would put it right there with Impaler for generic covers. That’s why it was a surprise that it was strong, because it IS a generic idea. Just one that was executed well with the coloring work.

Had I said “What a fascinating layout!” then yeah, you’d have a point.

Try another example, if you’d like.

By: Clobberin Time

Clobberin Time — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 03:25:37 +0000

Lemme see if I have this right… the Nick Postic and Nick Marinkovich cover for Impaler #1 is “generic”, but the City of Heroes cover with the seen-it-a-zillion-times, two-sides-face-each other design is “surprisingly strong”? I don’t care for either cover, but I think there needs to be consistency in your critiques.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 00:54:37 +0000

Wow.

Great call, Jorge.

Weak!

By: jorge f. muÃ±oz

jorge f. muÃ±oz — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 00:51:02 +0000

That Elephantmen cover by Mad is recycling the same image from Hipflask:Unnatural Selection as seen here:
http://www.hipflask.com/gallery/unnatural_covers/

they just changed the coloring, man, that’s lame, they have Moritat and Ladronn, why they need to reuse not-so-old art?

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 21:27:28 +0000

Brian any chance of ever comparing covers from different publishers against each other or even talking about themes and styles you see differently between pulishers/on going themes overall with covers?

Definitely a good idea, Scott.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to find the time, but if I do, it’s a great idea.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 21:03:16 +0000

Excellent point, Jordan.

I know he HAS done them before, but mostly, you are correct, in that he just homages his own past covers.

So while I would gladly hand out cool points…I’m just not sure it’s an actual homage.

By: Jordan D. White

Jordan D. White — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:33:43 +0000

Erik Larsen typically doesn’t do “homage” covers that directly lift a pose or layout from another comic (unless it’s another comic he drew himself). He sometimes does covers that are reminiscent of other things, or have a “feel” of other things (like lee said about the Kirby Eternals stuff) but not direct “lookalike” style homages.

By: Zack Smith

Zack Smith — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 19:35:17 +0000

The character Dragon is fighting most closely resembles Captain Thunder, a Captain Marvel analogy Superman fought in the early 1970s. (http://members.tripod.com/originalvigilante/captainthunder/img012.jpg)

Both Thunder and the Dragon-character have nearly identical chest-insignias.

I hope this qualifies for a cool point…

By: lee

lee — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 17:25:52 +0000

“One cool point to the person who can tell me what comic Erik Larsen is homaging here, if he is, indeed, homaging a past cover.”

well, it’s clearly influenced by Kirby’s Eternals, but there’s not really one cover that there is an obvious reference to here. Kirby did a lot of those great poses of giant Celestial-types reaching their hands toward the reader throughout his Eternals run. the closest you’re going to find to a pose like that ON A COVER will be on issues 7, 10, or 11.

as far as actual character design, the “Celestial” on Larson’s cover most closely resembles “Eson The Searcher”, who was featured in Eternals #9 & #10, and who participated in many such dramatic “giant-hand-of-DOOM!” type poses, especially in issue #10.

here’s a reference page if you are interested: http://www.immortalthor.net/bio-esonthesearcher.html

cool point?

By: The Mutt

The Mutt — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 16:12:02 +0000

I took me about five minutes of looking at the Witchblade cover before I figured out that she didn’t have a hand growing out of her breast.

By: Scott King

Scott King — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 15:22:22 +0000

Brian any chance of ever comparing covers from different publishers against each other or even talking about themes and styles you see differently between pulishers/on going themes overall with covers?

By: Bill Reed

Bill Reed — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 15:02:29 +0000

I love how it seems whoever “colored” Turner’s Witchblade cover actually just scrapped it and started over with a better style. I mean, they look nothing alike, besides the pose.