Don't get me wrong: great choices.

Agreed on PIRACY and, well, those split water/air perspectives.

I'll also buy Sinnott on the inks. I like Syd Shores over Kirby, but he tended to bring a lighter line weight (with more detail) to his work, than is evident in this smooth looking Sinnott job. IMO Shores always stood more in the Wally Wood camp of Kirby inkers than in the Sinnott, Giacoia or especially Mike Royer camp of embellishers.

But any cover by Rich Buckler and or Jack Abel doesnt belong in such a list, even worse when both of their name are on the same cover... Plus, seriously, that JLA is ugly, colors, design, finished product, etc. It is everything that was wrong with late 70's and early 80's DC covers. DC had a good run of classic covers with awesome design qualities in the years (Silver and Early Bronze Age) before that bland period (late Bronze): Nick Cardy, Neal Adams, Carmine Infantino, Gil Kane... Of these great DC cover artists, only Gil Kane is featured on your list... Most of the Atom covers could belong into such a list , the one you chose I've never seen before. Very cool and dramatic.

The MISTER DISTRICT ATTORNEY has merit. I can see why you like it.

CONFESSIONS OF THE LOVELORN looks like a million other covers of the romance genre to me. I like Ogden as well, but this cover is nothing special. But I am glad you have included a romance genre cover in your list, some of them were very cool and they deserve to get represented in a best-list.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN # 29 is not one of the best Spidey cover by Ditko IMHO. I could name at least 10 other with better design, better art, etc. (# 24 comes to mind with the upside down room with the phantom Vulture and Sandman, I think it was a Mysterio story).

CRIME CLINIC is a good call. Saunders covers are always nice, and this one has everything as you have well said. It's good on so many levels. Thanks for bring it up, never saw it before.

DAREDEVIL cover is pure Kirby. But it's the Kirby I didnt appreciate as a kid, with the perspective distortions and disproportions. Today I can only admire how well it is designed. Kirby managed to display both DD and Cap so they are both shown almost full front. And the public in the background with so many details that it sure proof that Vinnie Coletta didnt ink this. heh.

JANN OF THE JUNGLE cover is awesome. Before I saw the signature on the cover, I was sure this was a Russ Heath cover. Russ Heath and Bill Everett (with Joe Maneely) were the best of 50's Marvel. When I buy the Atom Age Masterworks or those many Bronze Age reprints, these are the artist I look for. This cover is particularly nice. Well designed. I like the suspense it manages to bring.

The LONE RANGER cover is certainly one of the most beautiful painted cover I have ever seen. I had never seen it before today. Thats what I like most about your Classic Corner, all those pretty unknown treasures you manage to discover for us. And I agree with you, Dell sure had some of the best painted covers. Never even heard of Hank Hartman! Wow!

Ditko's HOUSE OF MYSTERY cover is also new to me (did it had any Ditko inside as well?). Pretty good, but Ditko did so many of those giant heads covers. Still, DItko is Ditko (the only one featured twice in your top favorites) and althought he did a few bad covers in his long and productive career, when he did a good one it was an instant classic.

The PIRACY cover is a no brainer as well. Kriegstein was a master at design, maybe THE master. Most EC covers are classic work of arts anyway, but I've always particularly liked those from "lesser" titles like PIRACY' VALOR, etc.

That last one, the SPOTLIGHT COMICS one is only so-so. Tuska was never one of my favorite to start with, althought he did great work in the crime genre. This one is good but far from classic material.

Thanks for another fantastic Classic Corner Scott!

As for the coloring – no computer can ever replace Marie Severin.

Bill – One of my main problems with the Comics Code is that it required all Romance comics to be completely expurgated.

Ray – Great comment. I hear what you’re saying about the Ditko Spidey cover. I too think that there are ‘better’ covers (especially late 50s Charlton stuff), but this one really resonates with me – it’s the fluidity, both in the action and the actual Ditko water. You’re quite right in that narrowing down a list can be tough – and that sometimes the Konas are going to beat out the Frazettas.

b-d – As I’ve said a million times, I’m a sucker for those Lone Ranger painted covers. I really discovered them through an article in Comic Book Marketplace in the late 90s and have been collecting them ever since. I love this one, and only wish the scan came across as well as the real deal – some of the depth and moodiness is lost.

Edo – I imagine that one could have a list of EC covers alone. I’m actually a big pre-Code horror fan. Not just EC, but Atlas, Harvey and Comic Media. I’m kind of surprised that more of those didn’t make my cut – but like I’ve said, I can’t see demoting any of my choices. I still get the warm and fuzzies every time I seem ‘em up there on my monitor.

So, adjusting for contemporary inflations, what’s the going price on selling a baby?

I dunno. Ask Angelina how much she pays for hers.

I'm more partial to Amazing Spiderman #33 or #31 or #28 or even #25 as far as Ditko goes, again, using design and execution as controlling criteria. On the other hand, I'd put a few Charlton books in front of the Spiderman covers, on the same basis.

I'd also have a Barks cover or two, possibly an early Walt Kelly Christmas or Animal Comics cover, and probably Steranko's Captain America #111, as well as a few others from Mac Raboy, Lou Fine, Harvey Kurtzman, Wally Wood (noone did scifi covers better), and probably one of Frank Frazetta's Buck Rogers from Famous Funnies. There are a bunch of George Evans, Joe Kubert, Matt Baker, and Fred Guardineer covers that also make the grade, based on design and execution.

As you note, "favorite" is relative. There are a few Kona painted covers that get picked just because they make me warm and fuzzy. I agree on the Krigstein Piracy cover, though. Classic.

With the Atom cover, I wonder how the car can be moving so quickly without him having been squashed already. And why he's wasting time thinking about it. Heh.

That Lovelorn cover is probably the only comic cover to feature the word "unexpurgated."

I must have that issue of Crime Clinic. "Starring Dr. Tom Rogers, prison psychiatrist!" Awesome.

Simply gorgeous. And without computer coloring, too.

You can see my dilemma.

And one's man's 'underwhelming' is another man's treasure. That's the whole joy of personal taste and reaction to art.

As for the lack of post-1980 covers - I must admit that none came to mind when I really sat down and scratched my head to think of my all-time faves. There are some good ones - some Grell Green Arrow covers are standouts, Bolland's work on Animal Man and even the odd Alex Ross cover - but they don't make my personal list.

That being said - I don't like a great deal of post-1990 covers (let's call it the Image Impact). I looked through a cover gallery of Uncanny X-Men, and I'd say just about everything post #250 is pretty forgettable. Things got very loud and poorly designed - nothing really jumps out as a clear and distinct image. I also like some narrative in my covers, rather than just a pose. I also have problems with the colouring of covers post-1995 or so - I just find it too garish, especially on the super glossy paper.

That's just my aesthetic judgment, though, and others obviously think otherwise.

Splash Pages are an interesting future topic - Eisner is certainly master of that as they truly served as his covers but Meskin is also great, same with Kubert and Aparo and Miller and.... Oh boy, here we go again.