Judging (DC's July) Books By Their Covers

DC's July Solicitations are up, so now is as good a time as any for us to make prejudgements based just on the covers (as we all love to make prejudgements, don't we? And DC's covers are at least detailed enough that we CAN make prejudgements based on them!).

Let's begin!
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Jock is incapable of drawing a bad cover.



That doesn't mean, though, that he can't draw a cover that looks stupid! Because I don't think even his talents can save this concept...
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NEW BATMAN CREATIVE TEAMS!
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This Adam Kubert Batman cover is pretty decent...



but this ANDY Kubert Batman cover looks like Scott Mc-freakin'-Daniel!!! And THIS is the Kubert who is actually drawing the INSIDE!



ARGH!!!
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Luckily, Simone Bianchi shows up with a solid Detective Comics cover...



it is not amazing or anything, but still, a strong cover from Bianchi.
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The cool thing about this cover is as follows...



A. Miller is one of the few artists ballsy enough to try a cover like this

while

B. Miller is one of the few artists who could almost pull this cover off.
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What a super clever cover idea by Adam Hughes!



Not clever enough to make it a great cover, but man, what a clever idea. That's some true cleverness right there.
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I'll give Ariel Olivetti credit...



this Legends of the Dark Knight cover is certainly striking.
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This Pat Lee cover looks like it is {ahem} inspired by that other Lee guy...



but it is an improvement for THIS Lee.
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Very strong Kieth drawing.



I just don't think it works as a cover.
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This is a trippy ass Man-Bat cover by Mike Huddleston.



What the heck is going on with this cover?
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I think showing people this Superman/Batman cover should be added to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.



Or would that constitute cruel and unusual punishment?
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It is covers like this that make me realize why perhaps some artists just draw asian people as white people...



because they're afraid they'll go too far the OTHER way, like this cover.

What is this, a World War II Superman cover?
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Too...

hard...

to...

look....

at....

awesome Chiang art...

with...

stupid, stupid...

goatee!!
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Daniel Acuña covers!!!!

Battle for Blüdhaven...you ever hear the one about how, if you don't have anything nice to say, you shouldn't say it at all? Well, reading Battle for Blüdhaven, it felt like Silent Night...



And the same writing team gets to do Freedom Fighters! Joy!



At least it will be interesting to see if Acuña can handle interiors.

Great Outsiders cover, by the by.


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52 COVERS!!!

Really sweet JG Jones cover here, makes it look like a story Grant Morrison would rock at...



Pretty interesting cover, although Supernova's design is a bit weak.



Who is that that Black Adam is wooing?



All in all, very nice covers for the month by Jones. He's a fine artist. And he even gets to do a sweet Savage Dragon cover, too!!
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I see that Butch Guice is using a Ken doll for his Ocean Master design.


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I like Jerry Ordway a lot, but I cannot say that I love this cover.



But I like the IDEA of him doing covers for Birds of Prey!!!
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LAST ISSUE COVERS!!!

Very nice last issue cover by Byrne, fitting in nicely with the "Blood of the Demon" theme.



Good job.
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Also, a very nice JSA final issue drawing by George Perez.



Very classy send-off.
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Eric Powell, also, has an excellent send-off to Swamp Thing here.



Man, how did this comic last this long?
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This Blue Beetle cover might (just might) be the best work I have ever seen from Duncan Rouleau.



That is a sweet cover.
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Is that King Faraday in the background of the Checkmate cover?



Ooooh...I hope so!
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Very nice Firestorm cover by Stelfreeze.



I like it.
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Question for the masses:



ANYone here LIKE Brick?
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THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!



Not a SINGLE issue from the current, greatest, Green Lantern series has made the Greatest Green Lantern Stories Ever Told!!!

It is like a slap in Geoff Johns' face!!!

Oh wait, his Secret Files story got in there.

Phew.

All is not wrong with the world.
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Holy crappy perspective, Batman!!



Is he really supposed to be standing up on that cover?

Really?

Seriously?
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This Green Lantern Corps cover reminded me of that issue of X-Factor where Strong Guy had Lorna stand up, put her arms behind her head and arch her back...hehe.


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BOOO!

The helmet is covering the protuding nipples!



Hehe.

Nice cover, actually.

I just can't believe DC let Chaykin draw protruding nipples on a comic book cover. Remember when that was actually, like, a THING? Infinity Inc. #3 and some X-Men issue from the 80s - "Look! You can see protruding nipples!"
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Wait, so the star effect isn't a mask?

It's just his face?



That's...creepy.
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Still think this JLA Classified cover looks like Semeiks.



Nice cover, though!
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And it's a neat idea to have this continue in JSA Classified.



Neat cover, too!
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You see the vague look of disdain upon their faces?



I think they're looking at a reflection and seeing the cover.

Yee-ikes.
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Overall, a sweet Brian Bolland cover for this Justice Society trade...



but (and please pardon my language) what the fuck is up with Dr. Mid-Nite's hands?!?!
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This cover does not look good..



However, I think Dietrich Smith's talents as an artist are suited to a project like this.
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Guess what?



There ain't a single character who can be revealed to be that question mark to make this series a good idea.
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VERY cool Jesus Saiz Manhunter cover!!


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Pretty cool cover idea by Karl Kerschl for this Secret Six cover.


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Very nice sense of movement on this Barry Kitson cover.



Who inked it?
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Pretty boring looking Shadowpact cover.


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At least Bart Sears is all about equality!



NOone wears much clothing!
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Are we already nostalgic for the Cold War?



Already?
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The giant fist is trying to do the reader a favor.



But will the Dodsons let it? Noooooooooo....
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DCU CARTOON COVERS!

Pretty decent Batman Strikes cover....



Also, a similarly decent JLU cover...



but a REALLY nice Teen Titans Go cover!



Then again, I am partial to baseball covers.
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That's a sweet Garry Leach cover for Battler Britton!!



Garth Ennis and Colin Wilson?

I'm there!
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Can't say that this American Way cover thrills me.


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This Ex Machina cover by Tony Harris is pretty good.



I like that it is a bit more "story-oriented."
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Oh lord, is this Claw cover terrible.


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More Kev?



Really?

MORE KEV?!?!?

Why?!?!?!
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Pretty sweet Dustin Nguyen cover for Manifest Eternity.


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Not so sweet Alé Garza cover for Skye Runner.



And you NEED sweet covers for fantasy comic books.
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A la this Nick Bradshaw cover for Rokkin, a fantasy book by the Danger Girl: Back in Black mini-series creative team.



It's PRETTY good looking.
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Dave Johnson can probably draw cool covers blindfolded by now.


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Ah...now THIS is definitely Joshua Middleton!



I miss Quitely.
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Howard Chaykin, however, makes the Quitely missing diminished.



Nice Bite Club cover.
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Philip Bond has that innate ability to make even the most inane idea look pretty cool.



Which is why, when he's given REALLY cool ideas to draw - he's amazing.
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Very nice cover design by Brian Wood for DMZ.


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Pretty good James Jean cover for Fables.


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Excellent Marcelo Frusin for Loveless.



He's been doing a great job on these covers.
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What a weird Neverwhere cover.


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Liam Sharp looks like he's doing a Quitely vibe for this Testament cover.



I like it.
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Massimo Carnevale had some big shoes to fill on Y The Last Man covers (JG Jones), and he has done the job quite well.


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HONORABLE MENTIONS

This Pachecho Superman cover is pretty darn good.



And this Patrick Gleason Robin rocks!



A really, really nice Tony DeZuniga Jonah Hex cover...



Finally, this JH Williams Prometha collection cover is awesome...


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TOP FIVE COVERS!
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5. This Doom Patrol cover by Brian Bolland is expertly done.



I can't wait to see if we have a Flex Mentallo trade!
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4. Very cool All Star Superman cover, but not one of Quitely's best.


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3. An absolutely brilliant Frank Miller cover.



A pun?!

Yes, a pun.

I am sorry.
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2. What an awesome Dave Gibbons Superman cover.



Gibbons can be amazing at times.
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1. I have often complained about James Jean covers recently lacking a certain inspired spark.

This Jack of Fables cover delivers that spark in spades.



Great cover idea, and executed flawlessly.
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Okay, that's it for me, folks!

Feel free to share YOUR prejudices (and YOUR top five)!!

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