Comic Book Resources

The Tom Grummett Avengers cover has a real John Buscema feel to it. Maybe just the layout, but yeah, very nice. It looks like a superhero team cover SHOULD look.

Farel Dalrymple’s work on Omega looks so totally appropriate. Man, I’d love to see him just re-draw the original Gerber script… AND have Gerber finish it properly too…

Woo Ty Templeton!
That is all.

Mike Choi’s X-Men cover looks like he started with Rogue’s upper body, then the cloth and then he started again with her lower body. In the end it looks like she broke her spine.

She-Hulk returns to her fourth-wall-breaking days and attacks Deodato?

The Nova thing is a bit too subtle for uninformed readers, just like the M’Kraan crystal. (Another reality-shattering event in the making?)

I liked Simonson’s new armor for Doom better than Turner’s.

Gurihiru should have made the Invisible Woman look older. It looks like Mr. Fantastic is making eyes with one of the Power Pack kids.

What will be the nickname of the Venom/Wolverine combination? I say VENOLVERINE. Or WOLVEROM, because it sounds like a transformer.

That Grummet Avengers cover is flipping beautiful

shoot, if he was the artist on that book it might be my favorite comic

Love Grummet stuff to death

I need regular interior work from him and Cheung

I think Wolvenom has a nice ring toit

Comparing anyone to Jeff Cirilo is a low blow, Brian.

As for that X-Men cover. . .

Didn’t the species of women that can contort their wastes so that we can look at their butt and boobs at the same time die out in the 90’s?

he he . . “contort their wastes”

Damn you, spell check proof homonyms!!

Nothing really stood out compared to other months but would Marvel please get Turner off the Fantastic Four covers. He has done about a good few now and not a single one of them has looked anywhere near decent. I don’t hate him as much as others, but the covers have been simply awful.

Re: Ultimate X-men: “Here, it’s practically like this is the first page of the comic instead of the actual cover.”

I’m pretty sure I said this last month too but the Ultimate X-men covers for that story connect to make one big picture. I don’t know if that neccesarily makes it or them better, but I think its worth a mention.

Man, on that X-men 204 cover it looks like Rogue is doing some weird contortionist act. I realize that they can sell more comics if they show her front and back, but it looks a bit weird to me.

Maybe it’s just because I know nothing about this Barracuda character, but that Punisher cover just looks like some smiling fellow holding a baby.

You have the wrong text with the Man in the Iron Mask cover and The Last of the Mohicans cover. They should be switched. I thought you’d like to know.

I look through all these covers, and what’s the one thing I notice? The Scarlet Spiders actually have four legs on the back of their suits, instead of the stupid three that Peter had. Why did I waste brain cells noticing that?

Sorry, another criticism: That Submariner cover looks gross to me. It seems that artists (especially at Marvel) have been using Flex or some other muscle mag for reference when drawing their characters. This seems to have started around ‘93-’94, but it is just gross. While the bulky muscles with striations and veins work with a character like the Hulk, It doesn’t work with Namor. That is not a swimmer’s body. Before about ‘93-’94 he had a sleek toned muscular body, but then he began to take on more hulking proportions and it just doesn’t work with him. Being along time Namor fan, it is just sad to see the transformation he’s gone through.

Maybe it’s just because I know nothing about this Barracuda character, but that Punisher cover just looks like some smiling fellow holding a baby.

Same here. Before I read the text, my response was actually “Hey, a cover featuring a normal, happy human activity! How adorably ironic!”

…then again, that may just be a function of my reaction to this set of covers overall. I don’t think the DC coverset is supposed to exude that much more fun, excitement and joie de vivre than the Marvel one, is it?

The Greg Land cover is so hilariously, inappropriately self-serving it might just be genius.

X-Men: Messiah Complex - urgh. Decent layout, but I really don’t think the world needed to be shown what Wolverine would look like in the Anita Blake universe.

Artwork-wise, am liking the throwback WWH: Front Line quite a lot, also the well-executed Canete Iron Man and Rivera FF. The Grommett MA: Avengers is also fairly brilliant, but doesn’t compensate for a dullish layout as well.

Kudos also to X-Men: First Class for taking the time to show us what fighting the Hulk would feel like, rather than just cutting to the Big Green Scowl. Very cool.

OK, don’t want to see Deadpool naked. I mean, REALLY don’t want to see Deadpool naked. Even if it’s ticking off Reed as much as it seems to be.

One More Day: So…I’m getting the feeling ‘quitting while you’re ahead’ isn’t exactly the driving corporate philosophy at Marvel?

Yes, Thor’s face is way off, along with several other aspects of that image. He looks like a licensed plushy of himself. I’m sorry; I know it’s chainmail and it’s inherently cool, but…yeah.

New Avengers/Transformers is the only cover that really has my unconditional love this week, just because of the implication that Spidey really is an insect to this huge robot.

I just wanna know, what did Spidey do to piss off Martin Sheen?

am I the only one to see the C3PO head on the right side of the pile on the cover for Mighty Avengers?

Nope.

I was just going to mention that, but wanted to double-check the replies to make sure no one beat me to it.

Argh.
You’re the only one.

~P~
P-TOR

I’m gonna join the chorus about the Punisher cover.

You question needing to know about the comics history with the Vulcan cover, but the Punisher cover…other than looking a bit beat up, there’s nothing to suggest there’s anything we should be interested here…even the shadow isn’t mysterious.

Re: Excalibur/Exiles crossover…guess I don’t get whatever you’re referencing about the title….Most Excalibur stories have a sword reference in the cover.

Re: the art on Exiles cover….I’d likely by a Gene Ha done Sonic.

I really love that Takeshi Miyazawa cover Spider-Man Family for one reason in particular — take a look at Spidey’s costume. I don’t know if it’s ever looked more like an actual piece of clothing. Look at the line over the ears, the way the nose hangs, and particularly some of the crease lines around the crotch that make the lower section of the costume actually look kind of like pants. It’s interesting and works well, and is a cool change from how Spidey’s suit usually looks like it was spray-painted on to him.

I love that they’re trying with these “One More Day” covers, but sweet God that cover looks terrible. Spidey’s eyes are all bizarre, and the two “who are these people?” faces are strangely boring looking. Whoever they are, they’re drawn like two random people off the street, and that’s not exactly visually dynamic.

I’m frankly more curious on the Supreme Power cover as to why Spider-Man’s checking out Wonder Man’s ass.

And I still like the Marvel Zombies covers, so nyeh.

Where’s the CAPTAIN AMERICA cover?

Barracuda’s left hand looks bizarre, like it was transplanted from a giant. Is his oversized baby mit a plot point?

Also: the kid looks oddly static. Was the photo ref from a petrified child or a plastic one?

I’m frankly more curious on the Supreme Power cover as to why Spider-Man’s checking out Wonder Man’s ass.

Pete’s checking out Hyperion’s ass, actually. Not that it changes the implication or anything.

That Howard the Duck cover is just…creepy. I was kind of looking forward to the book, but it just doesn’t look like Howard at all. It looks like someone turned Harvey Pekar into a duck, and it’s TOTALLY unsettling to me.

My favorite covers are Omega the Unknown (can’t way to buy that) and Canete’s Iron Man.

So, does the Venom symbiote dislocate your job when it bonds to you? And does it put it back when it leaves?

I mean to say dislocate your jaw.

My Top 5 (in no order)
1. Quasar: Conquest- Nice action and if you can’t have gorillas on the covers, dragons are a good replacement.
2. FF/Power Pack- I do love these comics alot. Fun reads and great artwork…this cover shows how much fun they are.
3. New X-Men: I don’t care for Scottie Young, but that’s one classy cover.
4. She Hulk- I’d rather see Deodato on She-Hulk instead of TBolts.
5. Marvel Comic Presents- Great Immonen design

So it’s “Fuck you, Steve Gerber” month at Marvel?

.Farel Dalrymple’s work on Omega looks so totally appropriate. Man, I’d love to see him just re-draw the original Gerber script… AND have Gerber finish it properly too…

That would just blow my mind.

WOLVEROM

That’s my choice!!

Comparing anyone to Jeff Cirilo is a low blow, Brian.

Cirillo was an All-Star TWICE!!

The Nova thing is a bit too subtle for uninformed readers, just like the M’Kraan crystal.

Oh, an uninformed reader will have NO idea what’s going on with the Nova cover, but if you don’t know what the point of the cover is, at least it’s just a cool-looking Nova cover.

The Vulcan cover, I think you need to know that it is a SPECIAL crystal for the cover to be interesting.

I am always amazed with the ways artists get around drawing ankles. For some artists (early Image artists especially) it means little wisps of smoke that obscure the feet and ankles. For Todd MacFarlane it means drawing giant cylinders for boots from roughly the knees to the floor. For Michael Turner it means drawing one large figure from the waist up and then sticking as many figures as possible out of his or her back. But, i think the Namor cover was the first time i have ever seen someone conveniently place a FREAKING FISH in front of an ankle!

I’m pretty sure I said this last month too but the Ultimate X-men covers for that story connect to make one big picture. I don’t know if that neccesarily makes it or them better, but I think its worth a mention.

If you did mention that, Ian, (and I am PRETTY sure you did), then I totally forgot. My bad.

In any event, yeah, I think it at least is a good excuse for why this cover is so lame.

Nothing really stood out compared to other months but would Marvel please get Turner off the Fantastic Four covers. He has done about a good few now and not a single one of them has looked anywhere near decent. I don’t hate him as much as others, but the covers have been simply awful.

Sadly, his covers probably help the books, sales-wise.

You have the wrong text with the Man in the Iron Mask cover and The Last of the Mohicans cover. They should be switched. I thought you’d like to know.

Thanks, Greg! Fixed!

I look through all these covers, and what’s the one thing I notice? The Scarlet Spiders actually have four legs on the back of their suits, instead of the stupid three that Peter had. Why did I waste brain cells noticing that?

Hehe…that’s interesting. I didn’t notice that at all.

Kudos also to X-Men: First Class for taking the time to show us what fighting the Hulk would feel like, rather than just cutting to the Big Green Scowl. Very cool.

Agreed - he really captures how frenetic the situation must be.

I’m gonna join the chorus about the Punisher cover.

You question needing to know about the comics history with the Vulcan cover, but the Punisher cover…other than looking a bit beat up, there’s nothing to suggest there’s anything we should be interested here…even the shadow isn’t mysterious.

If you know nothing about the Punisher (except that he isn’t, you know, a black guy with no fingers), you can still figure that the guy on the cover with NO fingers holding a baby is most likely a bad guy who is doing something nefarious regarding a baby.

If you know nothing about the M’Kraan Crystal, I don’t think you could figure out what Vulcan is doing on the cover.

Re: Excalibur/Exiles crossover…guess I don’t get whatever you’re referencing about the title….Most Excalibur stories have a sword reference in the cover.

The reference is to the fact that an Excalibur/Exiles crossover is called “X-Men:,” to help sales.

I really love that Takeshi Miyazawa cover Spider-Man Family for one reason in particular — take a look at Spidey’s costume. I don’t know if it’s ever looked more like an actual piece of clothing. Look at the line over the ears, the way the nose hangs, and particularly some of the crease lines around the crotch that make the lower section of the costume actually look kind of like pants. It’s interesting and works well, and is a cool change from how Spidey’s suit usually looks like it was spray-painted on to him.

Nice pick-up with that.

I love that they’re trying with these “One More Day” covers, but sweet God that cover looks terrible. Spidey’s eyes are all bizarre, and the two “who are these people?” faces are strangely boring looking. Whoever they are, they’re drawn like two random people off the street, and that’s not exactly visually dynamic.

Totally agreed. I like what Quesada is TRYING to do, but it ain’t working.

Also: the kid looks oddly static. Was the photo ref from a petrified child or a plastic one?

Fair point. I think Bradstreet is probably wanting the kid to look scared, but you’re right, instead of figuratively petrified, the kid looks literally petrified.

Where’s the CAPTAIN AMERICA cover?

I guess it wasn’t solicited this month.

o, does the Venom symbiote dislocate your job when it bonds to you? And does it put it back when it leaves?

Great question. I think it is probably not the character’s actual jaw, but the symbiote on top of it.

1. Quasar: Conquest- Nice action and if you can’t have gorillas on the covers, dragons are a good replacement.

Only if they are MOONdragons!!!

So it’s “Fuck you, Steve Gerber” month at Marvel?

You could argue that, yes.

I am always amazed with the ways artists get around drawing ankles. For some artists (early Image artists especially) it means little wisps of smoke that obscure the feet and ankles. For Todd MacFarlane it means drawing giant cylinders for boots from roughly the knees to the floor. For Michael Turner it means drawing one large figure from the waist up and then sticking as many figures as possible out of his or her back. But, i think the Namor cover was the first time i have ever seen someone conveniently place a FREAKING FISH in front of an ankle!

Hah!

That’s classic. I didn’t even notice that. Good call.

Captain America #31 is solicited. In the Marvel Previews it’s right before the Cap mini-series. Bucky lies on his back with the shield sticking out of the ground beside him and the Red Skull’s face makes up the background. It’s not bad.

I guess CBR just didn’t have it!

Nice standard cover by Tom Grummett.
Have they announced his next assignment?

It seems like a waste to have him just bouncing around.

Another fun Scherberger cover for Marvel Adventures: Spider-Man.
Are we ever going to see Scherberger on something OTHER than Spider-Man?

Which is it Brian, which is it?
Artist bouncing around at management’s behest, or artists sticking to books doing runs?
Old school or Nu-skool?
Which do you prefer?

What the heck is wrong with Spidey’s head on this Quesada cover?!?!

The editor didn’t have the balls to send his boss back to drawing board?

Oh, and I would have given higher points to all the Skottie Young covers.

Psst, Brian, can you un blockquote all the things that aren’t quotes in my post?
Even if I did kinda make fun of you in it?

Which is it Brian, which is it?
Artist bouncing around at management’s behest, or artists sticking to books doing runs?
Old school or Nu-skool?
Which do you prefer?

I don’t think the two requests are opposites of each other.

I’d like to see them give Grummett a regular title, and I’d like to see Scherberger do regular work on a character other than Spider-Man.

It isn’t really “bouncing around” when John Romita Jr. does Iron Man then leaves to do X-Men, right?

re: Captain America cover:

It’s at marvel and was a part of other sites’ October Solits for Marvel.

http://www.marvel.com/catalog/?id=7473

So why isn’t it on the list?

Please, somebody tell me: In New Avengers/Transformers, is there a character called Vincent Kartheiser? Is there any site where I could see a drawing of him? Thank you a lot for the help!

So why isn’t it on the list?

It must be an anti-Captain America conspiracy.

Seriously, like I said earlier, CBR must not have had it. The file must have gotten lost. Now that I have it, I’ll add it in!

Please, somebody tell me: In New Avengers/Transformers, is there a character called Vincent Kartheiser? Is there any site where I could see a drawing of him? Thank you a lot for the help!

No, Vincent Kartheiser is an actor.

Here is what he looks like:

I’d like to see them give Grummett a regular title, and I’d like to see Scherberger do regular work on a character other than Spider-Man.

It isn’t really “bouncing around” when John Romita Jr. does Iron Man then leaves to do X-Men, right?

I agree with Grummett, but I guess I was feeling a bit ‘old school’ when it came to Scherberger - I’m not even that old, and it feels odd to me when artists constantly switch books at an editors whim.
Has Scherberger been on the book from the start?
If so, I guess #32 issues is a really solid run these days.

It is a solid run!

And it’s the only thing he’s done at Marvel so far!!

Free Patrick Scherberger, Marvel!!!

[QUOTE]Free Patrick Scherberger, Marvel!!! [/QUOTE]

20-30 years ago, people would call him weak for leaving a title so soon.

I am officially aping of that Avengers: Initiative Cover style

Honourable mentions

X-Men: Die by the Sword 1 - moody and magnificent
Uncanny X-Men 491 - Larocca on Storm once more and that’s a, er, great angle.
Shanna the She Devil 3 - another brilliant piece from Evans, sorry, I should be more mature but I can’t resist it
Penance: Relentless 2 - good portrait from an unusual angle
Mighty Avengers 6 - got a real “c’mon” attitude, hasn’t it?
Captain America 31 - usually Epting’s covers are too busy for me but when he holds back he can come up with some enticing stuff
What If? Planet Hulk - reminds me of old movie posters from the 70s and doesn’t Caiera look stunning?

Top Five

5 She Hulk 22 - looking urgent and deadly!

4 X-Men 204 - I like Choi and I love Rogue so this was always gonna be a no-brainer

3 Marvel Comic Presents 2 - a great summation of character - Hellcat looks wonderful

2 Heroes for Hire 15 - Tsai is looking a serious talent - great idea, makes you fear for the characters.

1 Punisher 51 - brilliant! Nuff said.