Judging a Book by its Cover

Gotta love it when the art interacts with the title, such as here, when a shadowy imposing Magneto looms over the entire page, crushing "Uncanny X-Men" itself.This "X"-ray (get it, like X-Men?) closeup is just too cool! What appears to be a normal skeleton has sharp razor spines on the back. Who is this mysterious creature being studied?What attracts the eye here is the color contrast, and the layout--as far as perspective in covers go, this one is textbook. Earthy reds on the bottom, smokey yellows on top, with an attention grabbing centerpiece in the middle. The grisly skull is steaming with dark energy, and there's a plane!View the list »
Sometimes the simplest images are the most powerful. A robin perched atop two empty boots. Greg Capullo tweeted that his inspiration for this cover came from a picture from the Holocaust, where a pile of shoes represented the dead they belonged to.

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With so many comics out there, sometimes I find myself wishing I was a kid browsing the shelves. If I didn't know anything about comics--the most famous titles, heroes and villains--what comics would I be drawn in to buy? This isn't about the storylines or whats hot or trending. This is all covers!

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  • Sometimes the simplest images are the most powerful. A robin perched atop two empty boots. Greg Capullo tweeted that his inspiration for this cover came from a picture from the Holocaust, where a pile of shoes represented the dead they belonged to.
  • What attracts the eye here is the color contrast, and the layout--as far as perspective in covers go, this one is textbook. Earthy reds on the bottom, smokey yellows on top, with an attention grabbing centerpiece in the middle. The grisly skull is steaming with dark energy, and there's a plane!
  • This "X"-ray (get it, like X-Men?) closeup is just too cool! What appears to be a normal skeleton has sharp razor spines on the back. Who is this mysterious creature being studied?
  • Gotta love it when the art interacts with the title, such as here, when a shadowy imposing Magneto looms over the entire page, crushing "Uncanny X-Men" itself.
  • Stunning redhead with a gun and mysterious cloak amidst a scene of post-apocalyptic wreckage and disaster. That's enough to pique interest even without knowing anything about Black Widow or Ultron.
  • Before you stands a statuesque, Herculean figure mounted atop a grotesque tentacled beast, obviously its conqueror. This is a grand piece of fantasy art if I've ever seen one. 
  • This epic portrait of a dragon, a pyramid, flying metallic soldiers, and a man glowing with an aura of pure power begs the question, "Who is Peter Cannon, Thunderbolt"?
  • This mighty turtle hero is literally popping off the page, with super-tech arm gadget and magic pencil included! The multiple layers of the character--penciled outline, shadow, and real thing--create a three dimensional look to the cover.
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, Hoboken Comic Book Examiner

Benjamin Rathbone is a long time lover of literature, whether it be the classics or the more indulgent kind--superheroes his favorite. He learned the fine arts of writing and reporting while working at Rutgers Camden's Gleaner, where his musings could be found every week in print and online at...

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