Cover Fire 2/14/2024

The Most Fire Cover From This Wednesday’s Releases
2/14/2024
NO INCENTIVE VARIANTS OR STORE EXCLUSIVE VARIANTS ARE COVERED IN THIS ARTICLE. THIS FEATURE IS ABOUT COVER AESTHETICS, ONLY, AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SPEC.
HOWEVER… For this week’s INCENTIVES and EXCLUSIVES needs, check out the weekly “COVER LOVERS” podcast with TEAM NERD HERD and me, RIGHT NOW!


Weekly Rundown…
Happy day-before-Valentine’s-Day, folks! If you hate V-Day as much as I do, then I think you’re in good company. Let’s forget about this made-up marketing holiday and peruse some funny books together, instead.
This week is so bad, overall, that I truly came close to having to choose a Rose Besch cover that I legitimately do not like. I stuck to my instincts and left it off. However, that speaks to the “meh-ness” of the week. Bleh! Here are a few additional notes:

This may be the first week ever that I have NOT picked the Sienkiewicz cover.
This may be the first week ever that I have NOT picked the Cohen cover. I see a trend.
Picking 11 covers was a challenge this week. You could buy just the top 2 or 3 and call it a week.

Let’s get down to business…
And this week’s winner is…

Penthouse Comics #1a
PUBLISHED: Penthouse – 2/14/24
ARTIST: Matteo Scalera
This is an absolutely incredible mixture of cover aesthetics. The Norman Rockwell layout mixed with Penthouse’s trademark sexiness is a real winner. This feels like a Heavy Metal cover from the old days and I absolutely love it. The detail is astounding and the overall feel is fun and pretty harmless (it could have been really lascivious, but it isn’t).
*****
RUNNERS UP
*****

Vampirella #666a
PUBLISHED: Dynamite – 2/14/24
ARTIST: Lucio Parrillo
I’m ready for the people who will say I always choose Parrillo’s sexy covers, but I honestly challenge you to tell me of a better piece of art this week… I’ll wait… nope, didn’t think so. Ha! In seriousness, this is yet another banger from the master of powerful women covers and while I like the overall aesthetic of the Penthouse #1 better, this is a better piece of actual art. I wouldn’t be mad at you for swapping them for one another.
 

Birds of Prey #6d
PUBLISHED: DC – 2/13/24
ARTIST: Pablo “Lobos” Villalobos
Clearly trying to recreate the magic he had on the Wonder Woman swimsuit cover for G’norts, this one isn’t nearly as good. However, it is still really sexy and we get multiple bikinis this time. That has to count for something. Still, I never like it when an artist tries to draw water from the same well, twice (or over and over and over, for that matter).
*****
STIFF COMPETITION
*****

Amazing Spider-Man #43b
PUBLISHED: Marvel – 2/14/24
ARTIST: Lorenzo Pastrovicchio
Now, these are called “What-If…” covers and not Disney100, but the concept is the same. This may be the best one since the first FF#1 homage. Clean, well homaged and fun. Isn’t that all it needs to be?
 

Vengeance of the Moon Knight #2a
PUBLISHED: Marvel – 2/14/24
ARTIST: David Finch
Incredible detail and great dynamic action. It’s a trouch busy and there isn’t enough contrast in certain portions, but on a slow week, this rocks!
*****
WORTH A 2nd LOOK
*****

Batman & Robin #6d – “Game Key” art – DC – 2/13/24

Maybe it’s the purple that I like so much, but it works. Otherwise, this is an overly digital and pretty standard crouch shot of Bats.


Batman #143f – Stevan Subic – DC – 2/13/24

Creepy and a little deformed (on purpose?). Cool overall impact.


Vampirella #666b – Felipe Massafera – Dynamite – 2/14/24

Not nearly as great as the Parrillo “A” cover, but still a pretty damned dynamite cover (see what I did, there?). More Ross in his painting style (with a little Jusko mixed into the palette), Felipe’s stuff is pretty wonderful, especially the color choices.


Miracles #2c – David Talaski – Cex – 2/14/24

Excellent contrast, composition and concept. It doesn’t blow my doors off, but it is a really striking cover, nonetheless. Is this Robin in this book? Ha!


Penthouse Comics #1b – Jeff Dekal – Penthouse – 2/14/24

Not Dekal’s best work, but it is a nude cover and it is Dekal. His rabid fan base will likely scoop these up. I don’t LOVE it, but I like it.


Alice Cooper #5a – Stuart Sayger – Dynamite – 2/14/24

Another stunner from Sayger who seems to do no wrong on these types of covers. Somehow, this one feels dark even though it’s quite bright in it’s watercolor style. I also like that Cooper feels like a character on this cover rather than just an Alice Cooper portrait. Brilliant.

*****
That’s all she wrote for yet another week in comics. I tried to get in a little something for everyone. That said, I’m sure I missed something, as usual. Chime in down in the comments and let me know what you like and what I missed. Until next time, stay cool, be good to each other, thanks for reading and happy hunting.


*****
NOTE: All products, pictures, names, descriptions and logos are property of their respective copyright and trademark holders. No items are listed for sale. All information is for educational purposes, only.
*****
 
 

 
 
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