Judge Dredd #4 (Cover B) by Garry Brown
I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before, but Garry Brown is a fantastic choice for Dredd. Brown’s raw and gritty style works wonderfully for this cover, for Dredd looks damn good in the middle of this firefight. The stubble, the sparks, and the vibrant color choices are what make this cover amazing, and I want to see Brown on more Judge Dredd because of it. Hop to it, IDW!
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: The Dark Watch #1 (Cover C) by Frazer Irving
It’s no question that Irving does eerie really well, and this cover in particular highlights the different kinds of eerie he excels at. “What’s in the box?! WHAT’S IN THE BOX?!?” comes to mind, for it appears to be something so terrifying that even Kirsty Cotton is taken aback by the contents. Hopefully that scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark won’t happen next. Beautiful colors and textures, for Irving knocks another variant out of the park.
Batwoman #17 by J.H. Williams III
Another epic cover by Williams, no doubt about it. Like a phoenix rising from the flames, Batwoman is depicted as being unstoppable as evil perishes around her. The serpents charred bodies are a great visual, and as usual I love how her hair matches her cape. She is woman, hear her roar.
Green Lantern: New Guardians #17 by Aaron Kuder & Wil Quintana
Kyle engulfed in a mosaic of colors makes this title worth talking about again. I could care less about the event labeled at the top, but this colorful illustration definitely caught my eye in the shop this week. It was a good decision to keep the background bare for this, for it makes Kyle ‘pop’ that much more. I’m kind of hoping he explodes, just to see the colorful macabre aftermath next issue.
Deadpool #5 by Geof Darrow
It’s the glorious intricate depictions of man and machinery from Darrow that make me long to see this as an action figure. Deadpool is a one-man battle station, and looks damn good with that rusty bucket of bolts strapped to his back. Space, the final frontier, had best watch its back! I wouldn’t mind seeing this as a poster hanging on my wall.
Sacrifice #5 (Jade Edition) by Bryan Lee O’Malley
Ritual animal sacrifices never looked so cute! This is a variant cover doing its job in attracting attention towards the series, for if a guy like O’Malley is doing the creators a solid with this illustration it definitely intrigues me now. It’s not like O’Malley does a variant cover for just anyone, for it’s rare to see new work from him as he works on finalizing his next series Seconds. The dead animals alone are worth your money, as well as the cute bloody warrior woman that just made PETA foam at the mouth.
Dark Horse Presents #21 by Greg Ruth
This is my favorite cover of the week, hands down. I was a fan of Alabaster last year because of the beautiful art and twisted creatures, and this cover reminds me of how much I’ve missed it. The creepy mermaid trying to submerge her prey in the muddled waters is hauntingly gorgeous, and the bit of blood in the water really adds to that unclean feeling you get when viewing this cover. Arms, hair, and flippers/legs are entwined, truly showing the struggle for survival in depths unknown. Ruth really gets this series, and is a complete master with its execution.
Cameron Hatheway is the host of Cammy’s Comic Corner, an audio podcast. You can oggle at him from afar on Twitter @CamComicCorner.