Comments on: Cool Comic Cover Gallery - The Best Pieta Covers!

By: Meander

Meander — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:22:37 +0000

Funny thing about "Pieta" - Michaelangelo deliberately made the two figures out of scale - The Mary figure is HUGE compared to the Christ figure, which while perfect, is too small to be a grown man. But he had to be or he wouldn't fit in her lap. Starlin got the sam disproportion on his cover - Death looks to be a foot taller than the Captain.

By: billy k

billy k — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:59:30 +0000

how about another Mike Ploog cover from Monster of Frankenstien #2
http://www.comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/168/85291_20070217133648_large.jpg

By: Rob M

Rob M — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:56:14 +0000

I can think of one other "Pieta cover" under Yo's more restrictive definiton -- Captain Atom #44 by Pat Broderick
http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=48280&zoom=4

By: jazzbo

jazzbo — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 06:59:45 +0000

Yo and Matt are right. The only Pieta cover here is the Captain Marvel one. I know that holding a dead superhero in the arms of a live superhero has long been considered a "Pieta" cover, but I think it's just a natural pose for a live person to be holding a dead body. At least from an artistic standpoint.

By: Kirayoshi

Kirayoshi — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:56:11 +0000

Here's another X-Men riff, UXM #167, by Paul Smith

http://1407graymalkin.com/Images/uxm167lg.gif

By: matt

matt — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:17:27 +0000

i agree with yo. Standing and holding a fallen character is not enough to really make it a Pieta cover.

By: yo

yo — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 16:04:10 +0000

I'd go beyond calling Death of Captain Marvel the "most famous" Pieta cover and say it's the only Pieta cover - there's more to the scene than just holding a body in your arms (which can only be done so many different ways), and that's sitting down so you have a lap. I don't insist that the seated character be covered in drapes of cloth, like Death is on the gn cover, but being seated should be a requirement...

By: SanctumSanctorumComix

SanctumSanctorumComix — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:40:17 +0000

A cover concept SO good that the original MAN-THING series did it TWICE!

# 5 by Mike Ploog
http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=27403&zoom=4

and # 22 by Hannigan (?) and Jansen.
http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=29122&zoom=4

~P~
PTOR

By: Billy K

Billy K — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 01:08:32 +0000

How about a 10 best cover collage covers, like this one from B & B #150 http://www.comicbookdb.com/graphics/comic_graphics/1/187/50958_20070517170020_large.jpg

By: sterg

sterg — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:32:42 +0000

More accompaniment to Crisis #7, but it's Mighty Mouse by George Perez. And that's one ripe pun on the cover...

http://comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=49131&zoom=4

By: Das

Das — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:40:33 +0000

Crap! didn't mean to put in bb code for the St. Theresa link. And it's "Bernini".

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m262/phryneateleusis/CBR/06_Bernini_Ecstacy_of_St_Theresa.jpg

By: Das

Das — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:38:51 +0000

[quote]John Stanshall is referencing this one:
http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=203857&zoom=4
â€¦which, while being Pieta influenced, does bring a new interpretation to the pose and changes the meaning. That is worth noting, at least.[/quote]
It sort of reminds a little of Bermini's "Ecstasy of St. Theresa", which adds a whole other layer of meaning.

[IMG]http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m262/phryneateleusis/CBR/06_Bernini_Ecstacy_of_St_Theresa.jpg[/IMG]

By: Bill Reed

Bill Reed — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:37:23 +0000

This was a fun idea for a gallery.

By: Matt

Matt — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 17:29:31 +0000

A better Batman: Death in the Family TPB
http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=95718&zoom=4

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:17:49 +0000

Fun Art History Fact: While Michelangelo's Pieta statue is one of the most famous uses of the motif, it's hardly the only one from that period. Indeed, it was just as popular among medieval and Renaissance artists as it is among today's comic book crowd.

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:09:08 +0000

John Stanshall is referencing this one:
http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=203857&zoom=4
...which, while being Pieta influenced, does bring a new interpretation to the pose and changes the meaning. That is worth noting, at least.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the Kirby Thor one isn't really well done. I'd take the Jim Lee one over the Jack Kirby one (and fanboys across the globe utter a resounding "BOOOOO!!!!").

By: Kelson

Kelson — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:08:28 +0000

@Jeff, seeing as how most of the covers on this list appear to pre-date COIE #7... probably not many.

Covers done since then? Probably a lot of them.

By: Rob M

Rob M — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:45:33 +0000

How about this Conan cover, by Buscema and Chua (or Chan -- I forget which name he was using then) http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=33519&zoom=4

By: Ralph

Ralph — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:34:03 +0000

The last Uncle Sam mini had one, with the american flag instead of someone. Could it be considered a PietÃ ?

By: SanctumSanctorumComix

SanctumSanctorumComix — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:25:43 +0000

While not "top 10" worthy, Paul Smith also did this riff on the cover of X-MEN # 167 (Cyclops holding/carrying Prof. X's body).

There was a feature on Pieta covers in an issue of Wizard several years back.
I don't recall the issue, but I think it was after I found that I had had enough with the rag and stopped buying it.
(Although, I have no idea how or why I have THAT issue. Odd.)

Their list was quite extensive (but not "complete").

~P~
PTOR