Hellboy: The Fury #2 by Mike Mignola
Now this is a fantastic cover to start the week with. You see depicted Hellboy fighting a dragon. A dragon! Something I never thought I’d see in a million years is executed flawlessly by Mignola. The earthier tones are what really make it shine, with Hellboy not a vibrant shade of red like we’ve grown accustomed to with these covers. The use of negative space surrounding the two figures is also really well done, it’s just one of those pieces that you find yourself getting lost in. This is one of the best Mignola covers I’ve seen in recent memory.
I always find myself enjoying Nguyen’s hybrid style of watercolors and inks when it comes to these covers. The use of violet, white, and black make the cover flow with action and beauty in every inch of the image. I especially love the little smirk on Stephanie’s face, as she’s taken quite the pounding. It’s like she knows she still has the upper-hand, despite what the current situation looks like. Even though this series will soon be coming to an end, I will definitely be on the lookout for Nguyen’s style on other covers in the future.
B.P.R.D. Hell On Earth: Monsters #1 by Francesco Francavilla
With the typography of the word ‘MONSTERS‘, it immediately sets the tone of the cover. Francavilla’s pulpy style brings new meaning to the characters we see before us. It makes us instantly imagine wicked and evil beings, with Kate being caught in the middle. With red in the foreground and black and white in the background you find your eyes darting all over the page trying to make sense of the current situation. Are those beings undead? Is Kate in serious trouble? Is this an old movie poster? It very well could be, but I’d rather it be a poster on my wall instead. Francavilla’s covers are a thing of beauty, and I’m always a fan of his stamp he puts on every one of them.
The Amazing Spider-Man #665 by Paolo Rivera & Michael Lark
Okay, this cover made me laugh out loud the first time I saw it. With the Spider-Man musical being plagued with technical difficulties before it even opened, you have to give Marvel credit for having a sense of humor about the whole thing. I mean, now that they have a new director and it’s been sold-out for the next decade, why not laugh about it now? They could even have this cover be featured on the Playbill and the audience would laugh about it too! Very funny stuff.