Definitely judge a comic by its cover.
Creating a great comic cover may require the same skill set as the actual illustrations that make up a comic’s pages, but they are two very different art forms. A comic’s artwork is about time, movement, and pacing. A cover is one static image that has to communicate everything at once. They have to be engaging, memorable and deliver a ton of narrative information as quickly and concisely as possible.
Recently, Marvel been paying homage to some of the most iconic covers in their long and storied history, so what better time than now to take a look at some of the most significant, memorable, and awesome illustrations to ever adorn the cover of a comic book?
NOTE: There are PLENTY of incredible covers – including some personal favorites – missing from this list. This is not a list of the BEST covers, but the ones that have become a big part of comic book history.Â
#10: “The Amazing Spider-Man” #50 (1967)
Keep in mind that a cover is meant to be a promotional device. It’s supposed to make you have to buy the book to find out what happens in the story. Well, anyone who took one look at this brilliant illustration by John Romita Sr. basically had no choice but to pick one of these up!
#9: “Batman: The Dark Knight Returns” #1 (1986)
Atmospheric, dark, epic – these words describe both the first cover of this groundbreaking series by Frank Miller, as well as the story itself.
#8: “The Flash” #123 (1961)
The Golden Age meets the Silver Age in this groundbreaking crossover between the first two characters to wear the mantle of The Flash. The symmetry, the drama… everything about this cover is instantly compelling.
#7: “Iron Man” #128 (1979)
When it comes to the tropes of comic book covers, we’re used to seeing the title character in some sort of heroic pose or in a sticky situation with seemingly no way out. What we’re not used to seeing – both in the present and way back in the late 70s – is our hero hunched over, sweaty, and in personal crisis.
#6: “Green Lantern” #85 (1971)
What can be said about this shocking cover that hasn’t already been said a thousand times? Well, how about the fact that Green Lantern is being SUPER passive aggressive. Really, Hal?
#5: “The Uncanny X-Men” #135 (1980)
Jean Grey, once a core X-Men member, now taken over by the Phoenix Force, towering over her fallen ex-comrades (pun intended) as she crushes their beloved logo with her bare hands… It’s brilliant, beautiful, and pretty much unforgettable.
#4: “Batman” #428 (1988)
There’s something haunting and lasting about the white of Robin’s domino mask in this tragic image. It’s a staple of the costume, but in this context, it represents lifelessness in such an unforgettable way.
#3: “The Incredible Hulk” #340 (1988)
Covers can be compelling, tragic, beautiful – they can tell you everything you need to know about a story or be ambiguous and tell you nothing at all… but sometimes, great covers are just awesome to look at. This is the prime example of one of those covers. I mean… just LOOK at it.
#2: “Amazing Fantasy” #15 (1962)
There’s already been a “Spider-Man” cover on this list, and, to be honest, there could have been many, many more. This is the cover that started it all for the web-head, and what a debut it was. Spidey’s unique costume design was on full display, cementing his status as the coolest looking hero right from the jump.
#1: “Action Comics” #1 (1938)
The cover that started it all. If you think about it, it was Superman who kicked off the superhero genre, so the very existence of this list was a result of the popularity of the Man of Steel. If this cover was less compelling and eye-catching, it’s entirely possible that no one would have ever bothered with this story in the first place.
So, what do you think? Is there anything we missed? What are some of your favorite comic book covers?
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