MOM’S COVER WATCH: February 6, 2013

Love is in the air and on the comic covers… here we go for a big two publisher heavy week for Mom’s Cover Watch: February 6, 2013.

Young RomanceYOUNG ROMANCE NEW 52 VALENTINES DAY SPECIAL #1
Written by Andy Diggle & Various
Cover Art by Kenneth Rocafort
Published by DC Comics

That’s right, Rocafort. Again. This time I didn’t wait a month, I just went ahead and put him straight to the top of the very next week.

Rocafort’s art is well done, knows just where the human eye immediately looks and where it wants to end. No, not Wonder Woman’s rear end, at their feet (specifically Superman’s feet.)

Between the newest power couple’s color matching outfits and the more faded background, the characters pop and scream, “LOVE” in this special Valentine’s issue.

 

STK523526THE PHANTOM STRANGER #5
Written by Dan DiDio
Cover Art by Jae Lee
Published by DC Comics

Jae Lee has provided a twisted balance of that feeling you’ve got something stuck in your throat and the satisfaction of seeing The Spectre crawling out of Phantom’s skin.

The text version of this cover is even more satisfying because it plays off of the negative spaces brilliantly. The bright color pops and the grotesque nature of Spectre’s entrance creates a beautiful and ghastly combination you cannot help but love.

Lee is a master of knowing where to place his characters on the page. That space is normally colored in with clouds, mist, stars or other lighter, less intrusive, backgrounds. However, instead of cluttering the background whomever made the final decision to provide a solid color capitalizes on this space providing a cover that will really stand out on the shelves.

 

STK522752RED SHE-HULK #62
Written by Jeff Parker
Cover Art by Jana Schirmer
Published by Marvel Comics

Jana Schirmer has the ability to take stoic realistic faces and marry them with fantastical backdrops, appendages and traits.

This month’s cover of Betty Ross’ more action oriented alter-ego fits into this category brilliantly.

The cover creates a dark mood, with black and blue skies and water, down to the tiny details of the few wisps of hairs blowing her back. They all encompass the Red She-Hulk as the lone central figure of the cover, who has not been very alone in the pages with Machine Man tagging along.

If you’re not caught up, Red She-Hulk is wanted for murder. However, she and Machine Man are too busy trying to uncover a bigger mystery that could lead to a darker future if not stopped.

Needless to say, the mood of this cover fits perfectly.

 

STK521513MULTIPLE WARHEADS: ALPHABET TO INFINITY #4 (of 4)
Written by & Art by Brandon Graham
Published by Image Comics

The Multiple Warheads series has had a series of unique and nicely composed covers. However, the final cover stands above them all, because here the real character takes center stage: the scene.

This unique universe that feels like not that much of a stretch of how the world would look like if people only went after what they wanted and did not look out for anything else.

While there is a more action-oriented story happening throughout the books, it is the backdrop that provides the rich character.

The pastel palette and dreary contrasts create great contrast. Anytime great contrast is created with pastels I almost feel like giving the artist a slow clap.

I mean, come on, Graham made pastels look cool. Have they been cool since the early 1990s?

 

Fearless DefendersTHE FEARLESS DEFENDERS #1
Written by Cullen Bunn
Cover Art by Mark Brooks
Published by Marvel Comics

It’s no secret how excited I am about The Fearless Defenders. However, beside some gorgeous drawing on Mark Brooks’ part, there is one thing that makes this cover so great: juxtaposition.

Valkyrie and Misty Knight are teamed up on the cover, with a contrast of black and red outfits.

On top of that, they are fighting each other’s enemies, reinforcing the feeling of teamwork that Bunn hopes to establish through his story.

I think this cover has already done half the work for him, before anyone has read a single word.

 

 

 

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