Comic Book Resources

Judging (DC's January) Books By Their Covers

• by Brian Cronin
• in Judging Books By Their Covers

DC's January Solicitations are up, so now is as good a time as any for us to make prejudgements based just on the covers (as we all love to make prejudgements, don't we?).

Let's begin!
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Very nice design work from Dave Johnson.

Then again, you knew that as soon as you saw the "Dave Johnson" part, didn't you?

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Ah...the post-Infinite Crisis DCUniverse...so much brighter and cheerier.

By the by, this 52 cover by JG Jones seems a bit more like standard comic art than normal, as his stuff is usually more like painted art.
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Am I wrong, or does it seem like Adam Kubert works with his father a lot more than his brother Andy?

And it's funny, but Joe always dominates it when they work together, like this Action Comics Annual cover (by the by, they're doing an incentive cover for an ANNUAL? Isn't that weird?).
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Not a bad drawing by Joshua Middleton for this American Virgin cover, but not all that gripping, either.

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Very nice Ladrönn cover for All-New Atom.

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HOLY CRAP!!

I don't blame Christopher Jones for this hideous Robin for this Batman Strikes cover (as he obviously just drew what they told him to), but seriously, who the hell thought that this was a good idea?

He looks like Beavis!
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Andy Kuhn is working old school on this Blue Beetle cover. Has a real Silver Age vibe to it.

If only Blue Beetle's costume wasn't so ugly.

I have noticed something - my favorite Blue Beetle covers are when his costume is not a big part of the cover (the Phantom Stranger cover, that cover where his costume is acting like the Venom symbiote).
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Not a bad Whilce Portacio cover for Batman Confidential, but not too good, either.

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This is just a shot from inside the comic, right?

Why don't they tell us this in the solicits (not cover of Batman, but shot from inside the comic)?
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Words fail to descibe how silly this Batman: Greatest Stories Ever Told Volume 2 cover by Alex Ross is.

The ONE saving grace is as follows...

Take the cover for Volume 1.

Then flip back and forth from Volume 1 to Volume 2, and you can make it look like Batman is doing a funky dance.
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Another neat Stephane Roux cover for Birds of Prey.

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Very nice cover design by Matthew I. Jenkins for this Cartoon Network Action Pack cover.

The cover motif is good, and the way it works in the other characters is top notch.
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I'm less impressed with this Robert Pope cover for Cartoon Network Block Party.

Not an interesting design, and the characters aren't fit into the cover very well.
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Pretty good Derec Donovan cover for the Connor Hawke mini-series.

That isn't Shado, is it?

That would be creepy.
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Not feeling this Justiniano cover for Creeper.

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The fact that Adam Hughes has done so many great recent covers really makes this disappointing cover stick out even more so.

It's not a BAD drawing, by any means.

It just is pretty bland.
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This Deadman cover is more intriguing, but ultimately, not THAT intriguing.

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You know what comics need more of?

Violence against women.

There's just not enough of it.

That being said, that IS a pretty striking cover by Carlos D'Anda.
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I was sooooooo impressed with the first, like, TEN DMZ covers, but I haven't been impressed with many as of late.

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Simone Bianchi does a decent job on this Detective Comics cover.

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This whole "Arch-nemesis being a little kid" thing isn't getting any less creepier by the issue.

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If he hasn't already, Ryan Sook needs to be hired by the film industry.

He has really nice design sense, as seen on this Friday the Thirteenth cover.
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So, what the heck was the deal with that whole Jason as Nightwing thing?

So weird.

Not a very good Scott McDaniel cover.

Maybe if I didn't hate Brick so much...
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For this Gen13 cover, Grunge should say, "Want to see my swamp thing?"

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I've never seen anyone use their shirt to carry their volleyballs!

Hawkgirl, you are an innovator!!

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Interesting contribution by Phil Winslade to the Helmet of Fate month....although, doesn't this sorta spoil a plot point of 52?

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I am seriously creeped out that POWER BOY, of all characters, seems to be getting a bit of a push by DC.

Best Kalman Andrasofszky Ion cover yet.
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Nice drawing by James Jean for this Jack of Fables cover, but it's unclear as to the point of the image.

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Man, they're just BURNING through JLA Classifieds, aren't they?

First, the end to Chaykin's arc (nice cover by Plunkett).

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then the beginning of Jurgens' arc!

Nice to see Jurgens return to the one good part of his JLA run - Doctor Destiny.

By the way, thanks for turning my issue of JLA Secret Files into a LIAR, DC!!!
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This Ty Templeton Justice League Unlimited cover must be the most straightforward cover ever.

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Decent Jordi Bernet Jonah Hex cover.

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Good lord, are we back to the "Alex Ross draws a somber cover featuring a member of the team" routine for JSA AGAIN?

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VERY nice Scott Jeralds cover for Krypto.

I heard it was cancelled (the TV show). Is that true?
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Pretty cool Phil Winslade cover, and with Christos Gage writing it, you'd hope Deadshot would be treated well (and without the dorky costume!).

Sad to see Legends of the Dark Knight go, though.

Only THREE ongoing titles! That's the fewest ongoing titles for Batman in FOURTEEN years!
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Decent Scott Gross cover for Looney Tunes.

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Pretty good Chris Sprouse cover for Midnighter. Nice action shot.

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Again, I think this is an interior page, not the cover.

Damn you, misleading solicits!!
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Al Barrionuevo has been doing a good job on the Martian Manhunter covers. This one is a bit lackluster, though.

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I honestly do not recall if this is a reused cover, so I included it here.

In any event, nice Glenn Fabry cover for the Neverwhere trade.

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I do not get the concept of having Jonboy Meyers do the cover for Ninja Scroll.

He isn't drawing the interiors, and his art style is nothing LIKE the interiors.

If he was some huge name, I'd understand it...but, well, he isn't (not that he is not a fine artist).

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Very nice Ben Oliver cover for Nightmare on Elm Street.

Oliver is really coming into his own as an artist.

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I've decided to add some dialogue to this OMAC cover by Renato Guedes.

"YOU be the stupid OMAC robot thing!"

"No, YOU be the stupid OMAC robot thing!"

I am sorry, Renato, you deserve a lot better than to be drawing that stupid OMAC robot thing.

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Can't say I'm thrilled by this Henry Flint cover for Omega Men.

Way too busy with the fire.

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Wow, Matthew Clark! I am impressed!

Very nice style for this Outsiders cover.
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Jerry Ordway is a fine, fine artist, but these Red Menace covers are pretty boring.

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Okay, how weird is it seeing this Superman and Batman vs. Alien and Predator and Scalped cover, back to back?

Flip back and forth enough times and you'll start seeing Superman wearing a head dress.

By the by, Superman and Batman and Alien and Predator?

What a stupid, yet awesome, idea!!!
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This Robert Pope Scooby Doo cover is a step up from his Block Party cover, but still not all that impressive.

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Nice Supergirl and the Legion of Superheroes cover by Barry Kitson.

Has he left this book yet? Not that I WANT him to, but two years is a pretty long time for an artist to stay on a book nowadays, isn't it? Especially if they're as popular as Kitson is.
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Very nice Tom Derenick cover for Shadowpact.

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I dunno...does this cover make YOU want to follow Skye Runner?

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VERY nice Phil Jimenez cover for Superman/Batman.

Could that be Despero?
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Pretty good Al Barrionuevo cover for Superman.

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Cool Tim Bradstreet cover for Sandman Mystery Theatre.

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See, now THIS is a cool use of Kryptonite as a backdrop (as compared to the cover of #1).

Well done, Tim Sale!

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I get that Stormwatch PHD is trying for a different vibe than most comics...but this cover is still weird.

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Weird Darick Robertson art for Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

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Nice Liam Sharp cover for Testament.

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Definitely an...ahem...interesting cover for The Boys.

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Interesting The Other Side cover by Cam Stewart.

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You know what Shazam comics were always missing?

Not enough guns.

Thanks for addressing that, Mr. Winick!
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It is official.

When even comic art legend Berni Wrightson can't make the goatee look good, you know it has to go!

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That snake head was cool on this Tranquility cover!

Nicely done, Neil Googe!
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Very nice Tony Daniel cover for this Teen Titans East cover.

Oh man, Batgirl as a villain - SOO lame!!
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How did Batman Strikes Robin get into Teen Titans Go?!?!

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That sicko! He was trying to use his X-Ray vision to look through Phantom Lady's top!!

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This can't be the cover to Wetworks, can it?

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Very nice Massimo Carnevale cover for Y The Last Man. He really stepped up in JG Jones absence.

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HONORABLE MENTIONS
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Jesus Saiz can draw anything.

I wish he didn't have to draw Sasha, though.

Man, do I not like her anymore.
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Nice J.H. Williams III cover for Crossing Midnight, although I fear we aren't getting Williams' full ass on these covers.

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Very cool Doug Mahnke cover for the last Seven Soldiers trade. Oh, how glorious it will all be when it finally finishes!

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VERY clever Lee Bermejo cover for Hellblazer.

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What can I say?

I dig Ted Kord.

I wonder why he's on the cover of Manhunter?

I wouldn't mind a return by Ted, no matter how lame the ressurection is.

With Ted's weight issues from the past, I'm shocked Chaykin didn't try to sneak in some protruding nipples.
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Very cool Marcelo Frusin cover for Loveless.

Loses a few points at the blood being so consistent across.
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Walt Simonson opening up a case of artistic whoop ass with this JSA Classified cover!

Wow, he really did a number of Hawkman there! He looks so badass!
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I love watching Patrick Gleason experiment with his art.

This Robin cover is a nice result of him experimenting a bit. And interior art by Frazer Irving?!!? How could you NOT read this book?!
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TOP FIVE
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5. If you wanted to draw a cover of a comic that features the Helmet of Fate being examined by Detective Chimp, I don't think you could find a finer way of doing so than this Brian Bolland cover.

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4. Suitably creepy Exterminators cover by Darick Robertson.

He really makes you feel the disgust, doesn't he?
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3. Matt Wagner infuses this Batman and the Mad Monk cover with so much energy that it is pratically electrifying.

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2. I give James Jean grief sometimes, but it's only because I know he can be so damn creative with his covers when he wants to be, and I grow to expect it, I guess.

Well, this cover is a great example of him being creative...

Nice, eh?
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1. Darwyn Cooke, just by being Darwyn Cooke, almost automatically gets at least an honorable mention from me.

His first Spirit cover was just being Darwyn Cooke. This second cover?

It does a little more, which is why it is #1.

Darwyn Cooke rules.
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Well, that's it for me!

Feel free to share YOUR prejudices (and your top five)!