Greatest Comic Covers of All Time – Part 1

Alright alright alright, it’s time to showcase my choices for the best comic covers evah! I’m splitting this into however many columns it takes, and listing them alphabetically, not by preference. As always, these are just my opinion, and they are not ranked, as that would be too difficult to do. All art is subjective, but I think these choices really stand out for the following criteria: a) Is it iconic and memorable, b) Is it clever or unique to whichever character it belongs to, c) does it work specifically as a comic book cover in and of itself? I deliberately left out pieces that, while they were technically good art, were not saying anything specific about a character and could just be interchangeably found on any wall. The logo and trade dress is also taken into account; I tried to not count it against covers where it didn’t work, but when they works in tandem, it enhances the “kitschy” appeal immensely. I tried to not gravitate toward extreme minimalist covers (ie, the artist was lazy) that were mostly great due to a superior color choice- with a couple exceptions. And finally, I did not discount covers that were technically pin-ups with no narrative, as hey, a cool Spider-Man cover is still a cool cover! Please keep in mind that if your favorite is missing, all good art is in the eye of the beholder. And here… we… go!

Action Comics # 419
To start us off with a great one, how is this cover NOT considered one of the greatest of all time by fans? So good it even made the cover of Entertainment Weekly, Neal Adams’ depiction of Superman against a photo of the real world works like gangbusters and just pops out from the pack, establishing itself as one of the defining DC covers and THE defining Superman cover of the 1970s. Plus, just look at his joyful expression!

Action Comics # 583
And here is a cover that is not as technically well-done as others on the list, and the clunky title logo and corner business are a complete wash, but the emotion conveyed and what it represents are unmatched by any other cover. This is, of course, the “last” Superman story of the Silver Age, closing out the continuity in Alan Moore’s classic “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow,” drawn by preeminent Super artist Curt Swan in his finest hour. While the clunky Superman 423 announced “Last Issue!” loudly, here all that’s needed is a simple word balloon and all of Superman’s friends waving goodbye at him, as he leaves with the perfect Mona Lisa expression. Not triumphant but not quite crying, here Superman’s face is an ocean of meaning, perhaps tearing up from knowing that he, too, is saying goodbye as well to all of his readers after so many years together.

Action Comics # 750
A complete mastery of stylistic design, this image strips the Man of Steel down to silhouette but highlights the key areas (like the ’S’ and his eyes) in striking color, not striving for realism but more art deco perfection. The color choices are brilliant, and the American flag is the perfect addition to bring it all together and make it distinctly Superman. They’d probably burn the cover in some parts if it was released today, but hey, what was more American in the late ’90s than good ol’ Superman?

Akira # 38
I purposely tried to avoid extreme minimalist covers, as noted in my long preamble, but this one is the exception. Working as a counterpart to the first cover, where Kaneda stands unsure and small amongst a frightening apocalypse landscape, here he is dominant, with his back facing the reader as he walks toward the destroyed Neo-Tokyo and an unknown fate. A perfect visual representation for both the ending of the series and the theme of rebirth amidst the rubble, and life and peace overcoming death and destruction. Brought together with the soothing pale blue cover, it’s a truly outstanding piece, along with all the other 37 covers. Which I thought were some of the best at taking a single out-of-context image to sell the story, as Watchmen tried to do, but perhaps beating it, with a series of covers done better and more uniquely than any other.

All-Star Superman # 1
This is a cover that was an instant classic due to the purity and majesty of what’s depicted in the image. Practically screaming “Superman” in terms of character, here he sits lightly and effortlessly atop a cloud, watching over his city like a benevolent god, and smiling gently at the reader. The entire character, encapsulated in one image. The only thing working against it is Chip Kidd’s hideous clunky border design, which kept reappearing with the blandest typeface font every time DC inexplicably kept having him re-do one of their titles; but even here it doesn’t quite detract other than eating up the full image of the art. The colors are just right, and admittedly the slightly dull logo works miles better than if they had put the same old swooping “Superman” on top of it. No, this is not the same Superman comic you’ve read; this is something else.

Amazing Spider-Man # 100
What a cover. What a design. The negative space, logo and color of Spidey’s costume really make this pop as an iconic 100th anniversary cover. “The Summing Up” indeed!

Amazing Spider-Man # 294
You can tell trouble’s around the corner in this creepy cover, the penultimate chapter of Kraven’s Last Hunt, where Spidey was never darker. Most people like the “exploding through the grave” cover better, but this one is the stand-out to me, creating this intense palpable dread where you can just feel the atmosphere, even if you aren’t quite sure of the specifics of the story (it’s the issue where Kraven dies at the end). It looks like the cover of an Alan Moore horror comic more than your friendly neighborhood wallcrawler.

Amazing Spider-Man # 300
Some pieces are just great art. Others, like this one, are a complete mastery of all the other design elements that are specific to a comic book, coming together and working in tandem to make a perfect image you will never forget. The repeating 300s with the color chosen make this a design masterpiece, not the least of which is the restraint involved while also telling you “25th anniversary 300th issue,” not-so modestly. The muted sunny cityscape behind Spidey, who breaks out of the circle but doesn’t go completely wild, is perfect. There’s a reason why this is one of the most sought after comics of all and the cover is a big part of it, even though Venom doesn’t even appear on it!

Amazing Spider-Man # 641
Can a cover be discounted just because the story inside is awful, in this case, THE single worst story in Spidey’s long history? I have to say no, a cover is a cover. And this one is beyond breathtaking, courtesy of Paulo Rivera, showing Web Head holding an unseen Mary Jane. Everything, from her pants blending into the background, to the blue hue conveying sadness, to the overwhelming color representing the dissolution of their marriage swallowing the whole world but for them, is beautiful. When you know exactly WHAT moment it’s depicting, it’s heartbreaking- at least until you read the comic and want to throw the story in the garbage!

Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 # 34
J. Scott Campbell was never better than in the early ’00s, and all his Spidey covers from that point are detailed, anatomical wonders. Out of all of them, this one is the best, with the title logo and corner box and colors chosen all exactly perfect, enhancing the cover and elevating it to a bonafide classic. It’s also ASM # 475, for those who skip the renumbering nonsense!

Amazing Spider-Man vol. 2 # 38
Sometimes a cover doesn’t have to be anything but just cool, and this Kaare Andrews digitally painted cover has just always caught my eye. I really like the purple city lights at twilight behind ol’ Spidey.

Aquaman # 0
The power of this cover and the King of the Seas cannot be denied! Aquaman has never looked more powerful or imposing as he does on this cover, making it in my mind the definitive image of the character. I love how it actually sort of conveys his powers, not that he can control water as the uninitiated might assume, but that the sea literally parts and bows for its master. The gaudy silver ‘Zero Hour’ logo even kind of adds to image here; whereas it was ludicrous and nonsensical on other covers (The Beginning of Tomorrow, sort of!) here it adds a regality, perhaps suggesting that it’s a number zero because the King has demanded it be so.

Astonishing X-Men # 1
The team is here! I normally give John Cassaday little credit for his excessive minimalist designs, as I think too often he uses this style as an excuse to be lazy, but this one is just perfect. The perspective really seems on point, and the color and logo and even the # 1 all work in tandem to make the cover stand-out as arty, and not tacky. Everyone loves the cover for # 2 where Emma holds Scott’s laser beams with her hands, but that one never made sense to me. Wouldn’t the optic blasts cut through diamond?

Batman # 232
This cover is so cool looking, very much a product of the ’70s, but utilizing techniques of the day that aren’t used as much any more to play to its strengths, such a as the ‘xerography’ effect. Here the foreground image- Robin being shot!- is only matched by the sketchy, foreboding background of Ra’s al Ghul, done in that era-specific mimeograph style but colored in a beautiful and haunting green in a way that somehow can’t be replicated today. When Ra’s commands Robin must die, you believe him, and know he means business.

Batman # 251
The Joker’s Five Way Revenge! This was the issue that catapulted Batman into the Bronze Age, and announced the Caped Crusader was now The Dark Knight Detective in style. I would say Joker has never looked scarier than he does here, which wouldn’t be exactly true since artists try to one-up his creepy factor with each successive appearance, but he’s still a far sight from Cesar Romero here. The design is great, the colors pop, and it’s an all-time classic image. What’s not to love?

Batman # 404
A truly startling and artistic graphic image, Mazucchelli gives the exact minimum of detail needed to get the image across, and it works gangbusters. Everything, from the placement of the characters to the stark spotlight against the black background, even to the pink logo with large bat around it, enhances the piece. Some have suggested the Waynes have fallen in the shape of a bat; while that would be extremely cool, I just don’t see it, instead loving how the image depicts the exact moment of Batman’s origin so that even though the events in the actual issue are well past this point, you know what “Year One” truly means.

Batman Adventures: Mad Love PF
This cover is so great because it not only shows off the Quinnster in her definitive depiction by her creator, Bruce Timm, but also spotlights the noir influence and cartoony action verve the animated series itself tried to evoke, here encapsulated into one pulpy image. The watercolor painting is what ties it together, and the bold choice of brown to balance the purple and red and white is just perfect. Bullets, Bats and Babes… you know you love it!

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns # 1
One of the most famous images in all of comics history, and with good reason. Stripping the outline down to its bare essentials while still being Batman, Frank Miller brings the Dark Knight into what is unmistakably new and uncharted territory, which is immediately obvious just from this cover. It’s an artistic pop art masterpiece in and of itself anyway, with Lynn Varley’s colors absolutely perfect. The lightning has struck, symbolizing Batman reborn for a new era.

Batman: Harley Quinn PF
I know I already had Mad Love a couple entries above, but this cover by Alex Ross is so iconic and perfect in its own right that I had to include it. Not only a great piece of art, it also tells a story and captures the characters of Joker and Harley: forever in a dance of death where the blackness threatens to envelop them. Harley remains naively stuck in this spell under the Joker’s trance, while he of course takes center stage and stares out at the reader, making the show entirely about himself. It implies a lot AND could be hung in a gallery.

Batman Incorporated # 1
I love this cover! Is it just me? I tried to make a deliberate choice to not be too influenced by color, but DAMN are the colors not absolutely great here? The art and rendering of the background are achingly good as well, with the thickly inked lines working perfectly in a way a sketchier artist would ruin the concept. Do people not like it because it’s Grant Morrison’s yellow-oval version, which was just marking time until Snyder came aboard? Either way, it’s a shame no one saw this variant cover, because it’s one of the best of the prior decade in my opinion.

Be here Thursday for Part 2 of the list; same Bat-time, same Bat-channel! We’ll work our way through the alphabetical order until the list is done!