A great comic book cover is an advertisement, a work of art, a statement, and an invitation. A great comic book cover is a glimpse of another world through a canvas no bigger than a window pane. In Best Comic Book Covers Ever (This Month), we look back over some of the most eye-catching, original and exceptional covers of the past month.

Fear, passion, beauty, love, and monsters. There's a feast of wonders in the best of October's comic book covers, with exceptional work from Becky Cloonan, Jorge Molina, Megan Hutchison, Kyla Vanderklugt, and more -- taking us to some extraordinary places, and showing us some incredible sights.

  • BPRD Hell On Earth #124

    Cover by Laurence Campbell (artist site)
    Published by Dark Horse
    Available: Comics shops, Dark Horse Digital

    There have been so many great BPRD covers over the years from some of the very best cover artists in the business, ranging from grand guignol to skin-crawling horror. By comparison, this cover seems understated. This is a glimpse of a world forever changed, where horror is the new normal. And that is disturbing.

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  • The Wicked & The Divine #5

    Variant cover by Becky Cloonan (artist site)
    Published by Image
    Available: Comics shops, Comixology

    The lines are beautiful. The composition is intense. The characterization is expressive and compelling. But what really makes this cover sing is the color palette; all that shadow against the most vivacious yellow and red. This is a passionate cover, and the colors make it sing.

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  • Hulk #7

    Variant cover by Pascal Campion (artist site)
    Published by Marvel
    Available: Comics shops, Comixology

    The two phrases best associated with the Hulk are probably, "Hulk is the strongest one there is", and "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry" -- and let's throw in "Hulk smash" for good measure. He's a character associated with anger, strength, and violence, which makes him an odd choice for Marvel's series of anti-bullying variant covers; but a beautiful choice in the hands of Pascal Campion, who takes all that strength and anger and places it in service to protection, care, and love.

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  • Rasputin #1

    Variant cover by Ryan Stegman (artist site)
    Published by Image
    Available: Comics shops, Comixology

    Lovely ugliness from Stegman. We all know who Rasputin is, and perhaps we all know what he looks like, but this portrait conveys the real grotesqueness of the character in a way that brings the idea to life.

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  • Batman Superman #14

    Cover by Jae Lee (artist site)
    Published by DC
    Available: Comics shops, Comixology

    That New 52 Superman sure gets around, doesn't he? I'm not sure I understand this version of the character, but if he wants to bump groins with Catwoman, it should always be as exquisitely rendered -- and stage-designed -- as this.

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  • Uncanny X-Men #27

    Cover by Chris Bachalo (artist site)
    Published by Marvel
    Available: Comics shops, Comixology

    Cyclops's powers don't work so great any more -- he's not the straight-shooter he once was. Bachalo uses that fact to great effect here -- in a cover that's atypically spare for Bachalo. Beautiful concept, excellent execution.

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  • Lumberjanes #1

    Variant cover by Megan Hutchison (artist site)
    Published by Boom Studios
    Available: Comics shops, Comixology

    Lumberjanes is now several issues old, so you may well wonder why we're only getting to this #1 variant cover now. It was a Calgary Expo exclusive that went on general release in October, so it is a bit of a throwback -- but Megan Hutchison has done such an amazing job with the colors, the characters, and the linework that I had to give this cover the spotlight.

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  • All-New Ghost Rider #8

    Variant cover by Damion Scott
    Published by Marvel
    Available: Comics shops, Comixology

    The new, fast, furious Ghost Rider has a great visual -- but let's never forget how good the old guy looked with his skull, his motorcycle, and his chain. This cover from Damion Scott brings both Riders together, and the controlled chaos of this image is admirable and awesome.

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  • Wayward #3

    Variant cover by Jorge Molina (artist site)
    Published by Image
    Available: Comics shops, Comixology

    If you haven't checked out Jim Zub and Steve Cummings' Wayward yet, this cover nails the pitch, depicting our hero Rori -- a seemingly ordinary girl -- with the demons and creatures of Japanese mythology lurking and looming at her back. A very smart cover, and exquisitely done.

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  • Jim Henson's Storyteller: Witches #2

    Cover by Kyla Vanderklugt (artist site)
    Published by Boom Studios
    Available: Comics shops, Comixology

    If you're not familiar, Jim Henson's Storyteller is the greatest television show the world has ever seen, with an unmatched combination of folktales, Muppets, and distinguished British character actors. You should watch it; it's amazing. Its only shortcoming are that it was very Eurocentric, and it ended. Boom Studios seems to want to address both those problems with its comic book continuation, and it's in good hands with artists like Kyla Vanderklugt, who spins a creepy story just in this elegant cover image. That's the bone-chilling beauty of the Storyteller I remember.

     

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