Welcome to the fourteenth installment of Comic Book Cover-Up! Every week, We the Nerdy writer Henry Varona weighs in on his choices for the best comic book covers coming out this week, along with some great honorable mentions worth checking out! Looking at the layout, artistic talent, and the overall craftsmanship, the covers are analyzed and ranked accordingly. At the end, each book will be given points based on their ranking. Then Henry adds up points for the various series, which will work towards earning further accolades in the future! Here’s a point breakdown for what every ranking will earn:

First-10 Points

Second-7 Points

Third- 5 Points

Fourth and Fifth- 3 Points Each

Still Gorgeous- 1 Point Each

So without further ado, here’s the week’s best!

5. All-New Ultimates 2 by David Nakayama (Featured Image)

I’m a big fan of simple covers. A simple cover is often high on design and the sleekness of the image can sell the book. David Nakayama shows off the new Black Widow design in his cover for All-New Ultimates, showing her leaping through the air with ease. The placement of the Spider-Woman emblem in the back of the image shows her heritage while also symbolizing that it is now behind her. As Jessica Drew jumps forth, she highlights both the familiar and the new of the entire team dynamic and entices readers to explore the changes within.

4. Green Lantern Corps 31 (Batman ’66 Variant) by Mike Allred

If I’m being completely honest, I’ll admit that I have a huge bias towards Mike Allred. DC Comics has had him pumping out variant covers for many of their books this month and I have been all too happy to reap in the benefits of such a move. Here we see Allred tackle the Green Lantern Corps, who rarely get the variant treatment. It’s a nice surprise to see Allred on cosmic DC since he currently works on Silver Surfer at Marvel. Here, he is clearly having fun, as the team runs up a construct of a flight of stairs while Batman and Robin take their sweet time climbing their rope. It shows off the creativity of the Lanterns (Who could easily be flying instead) and creates a wonderfully kooky image.

3. Deadly Hands of Kung Fu 1 by Dave Johnson

Shang-Chi is a giant rip off homage towards Bruce Lee, Kung Fu legend. Marvel has been smart to distance the two in recent years, which has allowed Shang-Chi to thrive and develop. The cover to Deadly Hands of Kung Fu shows both how far Shang-Chi has come while also highlighting his past. His outfit looks just like something Bruce Lee would wear, and his stance makes him look ready and powerful. But beyond that, the multitude of hands coming out from behind him look cool, show off his various different punches, and pay homage to the title of the book. An awesome cover indeed.

2. Captain Marvel 3 by David Lopez

David Lopez brings his A game to Captain Marvel 3, which looks like a classic recruitment poster for the United States military. Showcasing Carol and the involvement of the Guardians of the Galaxy, the cover looks to the stars. Bold colors help to make the book pop off of the stands and we also get to see the not-often utilized helmet of Captain Marvel, which adds power and authority to her presence. The composition and use of guest stars helps to differentiate this book from others on the stands while enticing casual readers who are interested in this summers hottest movie.

1. Nightcrawler 2 by Jamie McKelvie

Everything about this cover is perfect. Nightcrawler hasn’t looked this cool in decades, as Jamie McKelvie draws the titular hero leaping towards the reader, shrouded in shadow. The beloved Mr. Wagner should look positively menacing, with his dark outfit and darkened body, but his charming smile and glowing eyes shine through, inviting the reader to indulge in something fun. McKelvie’s minimalist form allows you to understand the tone of the series and laugh a bit. And then there is the background, which is blackened out and says Nightcrawler’s trademark, “Bamf”. ‘Nuff said.

Still Gorgeous:

Action Comics 31 (Batman ’66 Variant) by Mike Allred

All-New X-Men 27 by Alex Ross

Bloodshot and H.A.R.D. Corps 22 by Roberto De La Torre

Secret Avengers 3 by Tradd Moore

Shutter 2 by Piotr Kowalski

Thanks for checking us out! Be sure to look at past weeks books for more gorgeous artwork!

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