Cover Fire 7/5/2023
The Most Fire Cover From This Wednesday’s Releases
7/5/2023
In the same vein as my weekly Cover Tunes articles. Pi cks in Cover Fire will be “A” covers or regularly-priced alternate covers and will all be available during the current week for cover price. Don’t forget to check out The Wednesday One and Rumor Has It to round out your Wednesday Warrioring!
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. Don’t forget to check out The Wednesday One, NCBD (Rumor Has It) and Indie Spotlight to round out your Wednesday Warrioring!
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 4th of July, Americans (and anyone else who cares)! Welcome back to Cover Fire! This is a really nice week for the indies and a few bangers elsewhere, as well. Let’s dive right into a few notes…
The list is STACKED! Lots of books this week.
Mattina is VERY MUCH on his game, this week!
Dynamite has a slew of cool covers.
DC took this Knight Terrors thing to the next level with covers. Some really great ones to choose from.
Did I mention I am really sick of homages? I did? Well, I’m saying it again. None make the list other than the Junk Rabbit Playboy homage which is unique and clever.
Why do Rose Besch’s sexy women always look 10-years old in the face?! Bleck!
That’s about all I have. Let’s get to it…
And this week’s winner is…
Doctor Strange #5b
PUBLISHED: [PUBLISHER – DATE]
ARTIST: Dustin Nguyen
Wow! This one feels like an incentive (and a high ratio at that), but we get it as a regularly priced book! I really could do without the Hellfire Gala thing, but this cover is an impressionistic beauty with amazing grace and a fantastic eye for composition and space. There are a few weird choices, but I rather like that. I especially love the cosmic stuff going on in her cape/gown and all done with watercoloring effect. This is a really exquisite cover.
*****
RUNNERS UP
*****
Knight Terrors: Batman #1c
PUBLISHED: DC – 7/4/23
ARTIST: Puppeteer Lee
Holy crap is this one disturbing and AWESOME! Incredible textural rendering and an a really dark concept. I absolutely love it!
Hard Case Crime: Heat Seeker
(A Gun Honey Series) #1b
PUBLISHED: Titan – 7/5/23
ARTIST: Bill Sienkiewicz
If he hadn’t essentially robbed his own art from Black Widow: The Things They Say About Her #1, it might have been the winner. Either way, this is classic Sienk and I love it!
Fantastic Four #9c
PUBLISHED: Marvel – 7/5/23
ARTIST: Simone Bianchi
Thing Smash!!! Amazing perspective, detail and linework.
*****
STIFF COMPETITION
*****
Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest #1d
PUBLISHED: Marvel – 7/5/23
ARTIST: Derrick Chew
Still a little too digital for my tastes, but Chew really has upped his game as of late. He is really paying attention to textures and depth. I could really do without that blurred background tool being used so frequently, but maybe I’m being too picky.
X-Men #24d
PUBLISHED: Marvel – 7/5/23
ARTIST: Mark Brooks
Perhaps it isn’t as good as his Vision from last week, but it still rocks. I’m normally not a fan of the corner box gimmick, but Brooks makes it work. I am also a sucker for Jean/Phoenix covers, so I may be a little biased.
Knight Terrors: Batman #1b
PUBLISHED: DC – 7/4/23
ARTIST: Francesco Mattina
Wow! Now THIS is a creepy beauty from Mattina and exactly what I want from him when he’s “on.” With incredible depth and attention to details and background, this one brings awesome drama and isn’t too dark like so many others of his. A gorgeous piece from a master.
Barnstormers #1a
PUBLISHED: Dark Horse – 7/5/23
ARTIST: Tula Lotay
I’ve always loved Lotay’s “outside the lines” style and it works exceedingly well on this cover. Not sure if this is Amelia Earhart or not, but I assume it is inspired by her, regardless. Either way, this is a really dynamic cover with incredible action and movement, and it fits perfectly with the period aesthetic. There is another Lotay that is nice, but not as nice as this one and a gorgeous Frison incentive for this book, as well. Be on the lookout for those.
*****
WORTH A 2nd LOOK
*****
Knight Terrors: First Blood #1c – Francesco Mattina – DC – 7/4/23
Not nearly as awesome as his Batman, above, but still really great. I love the purples.
Knight Terrors: First Blood #1e – Howard Porter – DC – 7/4/23
Not sure I love the art itself, but I do love the old blacklight poster neon treatment. Worth checking out up close, in my opinion.
Knight Terrors: Joker #1b – Francesco Mattina – DC – 7/4/23
Another excellent Mattina. It is a good week for him. This is the weakest of the three, though.
Disney Villains: Maleficent #3c – Jennifer Meyer – Dynamite – 7/5/23
A great cover, but there have been much better in the first two issues of this series (some by Meyer, herself). Still, I’ll probably be picking this one up. I love the bird “swoop” effect.
Disney Villains: Maleficent #3o – J. Scott Campbell – Dynamite – 7/5/23
Man, this is REALLY different for JSC. Fans of his will be polarized on this one, but I love the impressionistic take and I’m a sucker for Maleficent dragon covers.
Gargoyles #7c – Lucio Parrillo – Dynamite – 7/5/23
Parrillo has been crushing these “realistic” Gargoyles covers and this one may be his best, yet. It meshes together what Parrillo is best at… women and fantasy!
Kong: The Great War #2b – Butch Guice – Dynamite – 7/5/23
Very effective and with incredible linework.
Junk Rabbit #4b – Jimmie Robinson – Image – 7/5/23
I know, I know… I said I hate homages, but this Playboy bunny one is unique and clever. I had to include it. It fits so well.
Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest #1b – Jen Bartel – Marvel – 7/5/23
Always love Bartel and her crisp lines and colors, but I am pretty much over the whole Hellfire Gala thing.
Captain Marvel: Dark Tempest #1g – R1C0 – Marvel – 7/5/23
I hate it, but others will love it. She looks like a little kid with a Barbie body. Not as bad in that department as the Rose Besch, at least.
Star Wars #36c – Jerry Ordway – Marvel – 7/5/23
Love this nod to the ROTJ mini series from 1983. Perfectly done. The art is simple as it should be.
Gene Simmons Dominatrix #1a – Jim Balent – Opus – 7/5/23
Ummm… yeah. Two great incentives for this one, this week, as well.
Grimm Fairy Tales Presents: Cinderella Vs. The Queen of Hearts #3c – Igor Lomov – Zenescope – 7/5/23
Ummm… yeah (again).
Hard Case Crime: Heat Seeker (A Gun Honey Series) #1a – Artgerm – Titan – 7/5/23
A lazy Artgerm, but an Artgerm, nonetheless. Fans will want one.
*****
There we have it. A little something for everyone for this week and LOTS of covers, so I’m positive I missed something. Chime in with a comment and let me know what it was. 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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