Judging (Marvel's June) Books By Their Covers

Marvel's June Solicitations are up, so let's make some prejudgements based just on the covers (as we all love to make prejudgements, don't we?).

Let's begin!
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Anyone a bit frightened to ask where Greg Land got the photo reference for Johnny Storm for this cover?



Yeah, me too.
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VERY cool Ultimates cover.



Although

A. It's a shot we've seen a million times before

and

B. Spidey's feet look bizarre.
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Ben Oliver is a heckuva find for Marvel.



They should steal a few more DC artists. It really works for them.
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Dell'Otto Annihilation Covers!!!

Woah!!



Something DIFFERENT!! I love it!

Good job on this Nova cover.

However, on this Ronan cover...



Right back to the dark, dark covers. Not a fan.

But wait!



Check it out! Something different!

Sweet!

But oh wait...



Darn you, Dell'Otto!!
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Very clever Astonishing X-Men cover from John Cassaday.



I'm not totally digging the facial work, but the IDEA is impeccable.
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Here's what I think happened with this cover...



"Hey, Joe! Do you want some reference material for the Black Panther and Storm?"

"Nah, I'm pretty sure I remember how to draw them."

Weeks go by.

(Joe thinks to himself) "Oh crap, what does the Black Panther look like under that mask!?!? I need reference material! It's too late! It's too late! Oh no, I'll just have to wing it!!")
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Nice cover.



But hasn't it been done a few times before?
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This is a damn fine cover by Epting for Captain America.



In a weaker month, I think this would be top five easily. However, this was a strong cover month.
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YES!



Citizen V!

You can do it, Fabian!!

You can bring back Sprocket!! Midnight's Fire!! Ooooh...how about the Bengal!!! I know you can do it!!
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Gotta give it up, that's a pretty badass Daredevil cover.


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Meanwhile, this is just a plain bad Daughters of the Dragon cover.


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Pretty nice piece of John Romita Jr. artwork, I'm not sure if it works as a COVER, though.



This variant cover is listed as being by him, as well. That's surprising.



That's certainly a different look for him.
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I like Casey Jones, but I'm not loving this Exiles cover.


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I love the ballsiness of this homage.



"Yes, again.

We're doing it again.

What? You gotta problem wit dat?!?!"
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CIVIL WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!



One of the more obvious cover concepts, but sometimes, things are obvious because they WORK, ya know?

And this concept works.
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Soooo....



How long before Sally Floyd is retroactively inserted into every past story, a la Jessica Jones?
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OH MAN!!



I wish I knew what was under that black box!!

Oh?

That's the trade dress?

Never mind.
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I warn you...



I will riot if there is not a scene in the comic where Cap and Iron Man re-enact that cover scene!
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You just KNOW that Cap's not wearing any pants on this cover!!



Also, Chaykin? Nice pull, Marvel.
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Offhand...



can you recall an uglier looking Iron Man drawing?
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While not a bad X-Factor cover...



it also isn't exactly thrilling, ya know?
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I swear, I have been waiting about twenty years for this.



Wolverine versus Nitro! FINALLY!!!!!
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I gotta say, I love Chris Weston's work...



but I'm not loving this "standing around" cover.
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Is that seriously supposed to look like Nick Fury?



Seriously?
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Man, now Iron Man is recruiting for the Army!



You KNOW there is an enlistment problem now!!
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Pretty good job by Mike Deodato on this New Avengers cover.


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I would say this Ms. Marvel cover was "smoking"...



...but I know there's a ban on that at Marvel.
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I'm not usually a fan of that over-detailed style of art...



but I think it really works here on David Finch's Moon Knight cover.
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Phil Hester is a good fill-in for the Ron Frenz rule.



And man, does it show that the new Spidey costume fails the Ron Frenz Rule of Costume Design.

It's no "Alien Armor War Machine," but it is in the same ballpark.
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I like the CONCEPT of this Marvel Adventures cover...



...but I don't think the threat of a bunch of tiny lizards really comes through on a cover.
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Very nice Marvel Adventures Avengers cover by Aaron Lopresti.



I can't wait until the Marvel Adventures continuity becomes a problem...hehe...
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GREAT cover concept by Eric Powell.



Very funny cover for this Two-Gun Kid one-shot, but some of the details just don't feel right, like Two-Gun Kid's face, for one.
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One of the more obvious cover ideas (for Last Planet Standing)...



...but I think it works.
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I don't know whose responsibility it is, Paco Medina or the editor...



but SOMEone has got to start putting "after ___" on the cover of these homage covers.

That being said, that's some fine work by Paco Medina. I can hardly recognize his work.
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I would pay five bucks to see Warren Ellis' reaction after seeing Pete Wisdom on this cover.



Yee-ikes.
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Here's how I imagine this going...



"Tim, you want me to do WHAT?

Stick my tongue out?

This is for a comic book cover?"

Ah...photo reference jokes...my bread and butter.
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Answer: The cover to Sensational Spider-Man #27



Question: What is an eyesore?
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Isn't this the cutest damned thing you've seen in a long time?



Awwww...
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I like it...I foresee a return to the classic costume for the 100th issue finale.


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C'mon, Gary Frank!!



You gotta give us SOMEthing more for a Squadron Supreme cover!

SOMEthing!
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The day has finally come.



Somebody is about to be killed by hype.

He's hitting her with the announcement to Storm and Black Panther's wedding!!!!
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This is a pretty cool Young Avengers cover by Jim Cheung.


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Man, if I'm bored reading it, can you imagine how bored Gene Ha is to do covers for X-Men: The End?



It shows.
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Surprisingly, with the extensive amount of stripmining that has been done with Frank Miller's work, there has been little done with Nuke.



So this is not even "AGAIN with the revisiting Frank Miller's work?" territory.
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Just when you thought Gambit couldn't get any lamer...



we get Horseman Gambit.

Yee-ikes.
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This Corben cover to the Marvel Horror: Edgar Allen Poe series gets an honorable mention for top five covers of the month.



Strong cover...but a bit too little for a full cover.
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TOP FIVE COVERS!!
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5. I don't know why there is a comic book just for variations of fairy tales using X-Men characters, but if you're GONNA do something like that...use Kyle Baker!



Wow. What a great piece of work by Baker.
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4. The absurd nature of this Stuart Immonen cover for Nextwave #6 perfectly captures the spirit of Nextwave.



Which is craziness.
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3. Question.



Have the Champions EVER looked as good as they do on this Ryan Sook Giant-Size Hulk cover?
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2. Gotta give it up to Andrea DiVito.



This Thing cover is funny, while also being filled with so much awesome detail. GREAT cover.
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1. I think this may be the best cover I have ever seen by Mark Bagley.



Ever.

Anyone have a Mark Bagley cover they think is better than this one?

This is the closest I can think of offhand...


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Well, that's it for this month!

Feel free to weigh in with your prejudices (and your top five covers)!

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