Best Comic Book Covers Ever (This Year) – 2012 Edition
Injury #4 (Alternative), cover by Ted MayI've often written about the appeal of dissonant palettes. I think of it as a hallmark of underground comics, which often sought to reject the comforts of insubstantial gloss and present readers with more challenging visuals, but we're increasingly seeing the use of these palettes in the mainstream. Here it is in its natural habitat -- alternative press -- and used to extraordinary effect to create a cover that begs to be explored.
Dark Horse Presents #17 (Dark Horse), cover by Carla Speed McNeilCarla Speed McNeil achieves a lovely effect here by layering the organic patterns of a tree over the geometry of architecture and nesting her leading man in the middle of it all. This is a representation of a moment, but it's also reminiscent of the graphic beauty of Japanese paper craft.
B.P.R.D. Hell on Earth: Pickens County Horror #2 (Dark Horse); cover by Becky CloonanI don't know where Pickens County is, but I never want to go there. This is a deliciously gruesome piece from Becky Cloonan, and I love the bloody fanged mouth, the bright blue eye, and the way the top of the page reads as landscape until your eye travels down to discover the horror.
Creepy Comics #9 (Dark Horse), cover by David Palumbo