Lazy Sunday #1: The Best of the Recent Deadpool Variant Covers

Happy Sunday!  This is the first of my "Lazy Sunday" posts.  You'll notice that it is longer than one of my normal posts and focuses on a little bit more than just the cover of a certain issue of a certain comic.  We'll see how this goes!  On with the show...

Someone loves Deadpool at Marvel.  He has three ongoing series, is popping up all over the Marvel U and stars on 21 Variant Covers this month!  Comics Alliance has a great Deadpool Variant Gallery that you should check out.  The covers range from fairly mediocre (Wolverine: Savage #1) and weird (Dark Wolverine #83) to insanely awesome (Avengers: The Initiative #33).  It was hard to pick a favourite from this multitude of comic covers. but here it is:

Amazing Spider-Man #620

Artist: Pasqual Ferry

From a pure parody perspective it is really fantastic but, aside from that, it also embodies Deadpool perfectly in one wedding-crashing image.

Of course, this is a parody of ASM Annual #21 by John Romita Snr, which you can see under the cut.

X-Factor #202

If the last X-Factor cover was Doom-tastic, well, this one is... Doom-credible?  Maybe that doesn't work, but the sentiment is there.  Put Dr Doom anywhere near any aspect of a comic and it generally turns out well.  Other non-Doom thoughts?  It is good to see a cover of X-Factor featuring the team but without Madrox on it.

X-Factor #202 - Marvel

Artist: David Yardin

(Previously: X-Factor #201)

Spider-Man: Clone Saga #6

I've not been following this Clone Saga "reboot", so I don't know if Chris Cross is going the interior art on the comics or not, but this cover is just great!  The webbing everywhere, the depth of the background and the "Don't Thwip" crossing sign are all awesome, but what really makes this cover great is the muted palettes in the background and then the contrast and pop on Spidey and the Scarlet Spider.

Spider-Man: Clone Saga #6 - Marvel

Artist: Chris Cross

Scarlet Spidey is wearing an attractive hoodie/tank-top hybrid on this cover, I'm sure you all agree.

Ms Marvel #50 [Updated]

As Marvel's "Heroic Age" gets through the final planning stages more and more books seem too be biting the dust.  For the last in the current volume of Ms Marvel it looks like a whole host of heroes will turn up.

Ms. Marvel #50 - Marvel

Artist: Sana Takeda

I'm most happy about noticing Dr Voodoo - Hopefully Marvel will continue to have him appear in books over the next few months and re-launch his title further down the line (as they did with Agents of Atlas); he's already turned up in Deadpool: Merc With A Mouth #7 & #8.  But, hey, I'm not holding my breath.

UPDATE! It turns out that this is actually a parody of the cover of Marvel's first ever graphic novel The Death of Captain Marvel.  Having now read the issue I can confirm that the only hero that turns up is actually Spider-Man.  No sign of Jericho Drumm anywhere.

Anyway, check under the cut for the cover that this is based on!

Azrael #5

I won't lie, I don't know too much about Azrael, but what I do know is that this cover is bad-ass.  I love the blending and the whisp of ripped fabric especially.  It reminds me a lot of the artwork in Assassin's Creed.

Azrael #5 - DC

Artist: Francesco Mattina

This is the latest in a short line of cool white-base covers from the folks at DC.  Check out a couple of other here: Green Arrow and Black Canary #29

Incredible Hercules #141

This has been out for a week now, and the solicits didn't really make too much of a secret of the end of this comic, so I don't think that me saying OMG HERC IS DEAD!!! is going to count as too much of a spoiler.  Sorry if it does count.  What an awesome cover for the final issue (for now) of Incredible Hercules.

Incredible Hercules #141 - Marvel

Artist: Marko Djurdjevic

As I have said before, covers shouldn't be encroached by Crossover/Event banners (Siege being the current main offender) - the print issue of Herc #141 has a huge "Assault on New Olympus" banner down TWO SIDES of the issue.  What a waste of space!

Hulk #20 and Incredible Hulk #607 (Variants) [Updated]

I don't read either Hulk book, so I can't comment on their quality, but when I get to see connecting variant covers staring both Red Hulk and Green Hulk SMASHING some other Marvel heroes I have to be thankful for their existence.

Hulk #20 & Incredible Hulk #607 - Marvel

Artist: Marko Djurdjevic

I like that these came out in the same week as each other - they would have looked awesome next to each other on the shelves.

[UPDATE: I combined the two images for you lucky people!]

Joe The Barbarian #2

Grant Morrison's new Vertigo 8 part series Joe The Barbarian kicked off last month for thunderous critical applause and issue 2 seems to be garnering hefty praise too.  Here is the cover:

Joe The Barbarian #2 - Vertigo

Artist: Sean Murphy

Sean, Grant - keep up the good work.

Black Widow & The Marvel Girls #4

I'm a sceptic of this series simply because it just focuses on the women of the Marvel universe.  Don't get me wrong, I love them all, but why just focus on all-girl team-ups?  That being said, I'll eat my words because this cover is pretty badass.

Black Widow & The Marvel Girls #4 - Marvel

Artist: Salvador Espin

Storm.  Gotta love her; she has lightning.  Black Widow only has a stupid gun.

Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #5

A moment's silence please for the passing of Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatual.  Killed before it's time by Marvel, this is the last issue of this series that, along with an awesome story arc, has given us some sweet covers.  This, though has got to be the best of the lot:

Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatual #5 - Marvel

Artist: Marko Djurdjevic

How sweet is that?  Dr Doom and the Sorcerer Supreme together at last!  RIP DV:AotS.

Batman: Streets of Gotham #9

Seriously, how good is this cover?  It is so awesome I could cry.  The bats.  Batman merging with that bat.  Robin.  The Bat-symbol containing a continuation of the skyline.  It is insanely sweet.

Batman: Streets of Gotham #9 - DC

Artist: Dustin Nguyen

If my pull list wasn't so full this would be on it for the cover alone.  Beautiful.

Daredevil #505

Recent covers of Daredevil have focused on dark scenes of Matt being broody (hey, he's good at it, I guess!) on a rooftop or secluded place somewhere and have had fairly dark paletted night-time art.  As such, I was surprised to see this stunner for issue 505.

Daredevil #505 - Marvel

Artist: Paolo Rivera

Pretty boss.  I was getting severely bored of Esad Ribic's covers (they were good but... they were so samey), so welcome Mr Rivera!

Blackbeard: Legend of the Pyrate King #3

I decided to dive back into the solits for the past week for today's cover - back to the well known series (ahem) Blackbeard: Legend of the Pyrate King(!).  Comic Book Resources reviewed this comic and gave it a 1.5/5 (actually quite a good score at CBR... they probably gave Demo #1 a 2/5).  I like this cover despite the girl's stupid tribal tattoo and the "pyrates" looking like goblins.  I wonder why...

Blackbeard: Legend of the Pyrate King #3 - Dynamite

Artist: Lucio Parrillo

Maybe it is my penchant for beer, green outfits and breasts that draw me towards this?  I'll definitely check out the cover of #4 next month; I hope it is as epic as this one.

Deadpool: Merc With A Mouth #8

The comic book pickings were fairly slim this week, so I'm eating into the solicits from this coming Wednesday already!  Here's another awesome movie poster parody for Deadpool: Merc With A Mouth.  This month it's One Million Years BC that gets the honour.

Deadpool: Merc With A Mouth #8 - Marvel

Artist: Arthur Suydam

My favourite is still the Alien parody from MWAM #6, but this is still awesome.  I love Deadpool and the Hydra agent (Bob?) in the background!

Check after the cut to see the original poster... and a picture of Raquel Welch in a pre-historic bikini.

Green Arrow and Black Canary #29

You don't usually see very many white covers, but this (along with Jonah Hex #50 - under the cut) DC have bashed out a couple of stunners lately.  Here's Green Arrow and Black Canary #29.

Green Arrow and Black Canary #29 - DC

Artist: Ladrönn

Happy Valentines Day, Green Arrow!  Check the cut for Jonah Hex #50.

The Shield #6

I'm a bit of a sucker for WWII inspired imagary in comics, so I have enjoyed the recent covers of The Shield immeasurably.  Here is The Shield #6.

The Shield #6 - DC

Artist: Sami Basri

These covers are just so awesome.  This is the second in the series by Basri, so as a nice Saturday bonus I've also got The Shield #5 for you under the cut...

Justice Society of America #36

It isn't often that a cover of a book that I don't read grabs me, but here is one for Justice Society of America that is insanely cool.  Check it out:

Justice Society of America #36 - DC

Artist: Jesus Merino

JSA #36 is out on the 24th Feb.  JSA #37 has a cover that goes with this on the right to create a Nazi vs USA superhero montage, but I'll leave that for next month!

Batman and Robin #8

I told you I'd post again today.  Here is the cover of Batman and Robin #8.  Cameron Stewart has done a great job of the content within but the master Frank Quitely spoils us with the cover.

Batman and Robin #8 - DC

Artist: Frank Quitely

Bosh - resurected badass Batman coming for Batman and Batwoman.  Sweeeet.

S.W.O.R.D. #4

I missed yesterday due to a busy, busy day and a trip to the comic shop, so I'll post twice for you to make your Friday even better?  Deal?  Good.

Here's the cover to S.W.O.R.D. #4.  I read this on the bus this morning and it is truly an outrage that S.W.O.R.D. has been cancelled so early in its run.  Pick it up if you can.

S.W.O.R.D. #4 - Marvel

Artist: Michael Del Mundo

S.W.O.R.D. #5 also has a cover from Mr. Del Mundo, and it is even better than this one.  Come back in a few weeks and I'll show it to you.

Amazing Spider-Man #620

Well, Marcos Martin continues his sterling work on Amazing Spider-Man's covers this week with Spidey smashing Mysterio's glass helmet in a sea of red.  Truly quite spectacular.

Amazing Spider-Man #620 - Marvel

Artist: Marcos Martin

Is Marcos doing next week's cover too?  He should be made resident Spidey cover illustrator, in my opinion.

(Previously: ASM #619)

Monsters & Dames 2010

Two posts in one day?  You lucky people.  As you may have noticed form the title of this post this isn't about comic book covers, however, it is about comic book art and a good cause.

The Emerald City ComicCon is producing another charity art book - Monsters and Dames 2010.  The run is limited to 850 copies, so if you're going to the Con (I am not) definitely pick one of these up.  All proceeds go to the Seattle Children's Hospital.

Monsters & Dames 2010 - Cover

Artist: Jo Chen

Boss, I'm sure you'll agree.  Check after the break to see my favourite from the preview set.

(via Robot 6)

Dingo #3 (& Dingo #2)

I have had a monster day at work so here is a cover with a scary Dingo on it along with a man fighting people with a crowbar (it represents, to an extent, my fight against evil clients... maybe).

Dingo #3 - Boom! Studios

Artist: Francesco Biagini

And just to make the day even better, look after the break to see the cover of Dingo #2 (which represents the coming evening, if I'm lucky).

Vengence of the Moon Knight #5

Happy Monday!  Here's a good way to start your week - a nice preview of the cover of a comic due to be out this Wednesday (Thursday UK) - Vengence of the Moon Knight #5.

 

Vengence of the Moon Knight #5 - Marvel

Artist: Leinil Francis Yu

Immense.  See you for more tomorrow!

X-Factor #201

For your Sunday cover fix I've got X-Factor #201.  Dr Doom and Layla Miller standing over the corpses of Madrox and Reed Richards.  I would sometimes object to a character being on the cover of an issue if they are only in the issue for 2 pages (Layla) but this is awesome, so whatever.

X-Factor #201 - Marvel

Artist: David Yardin

Enjoy your day of rest, people!

Siege #2 (Variant)

Something I hate is the covering up of great art with stupid cross-over logos.  Even the Dark Reign and Blackest Night "smallish" logos that went across of the top of the comic covers were too much for me.

With Siege, however, Marvel have hit a new low.  At least half of the main covers for each Siege tie-in are each covered up with a huge block of solid colour with some silhouetted art on it (check out the standard Siege #2 cover).  Thank Thor, then, for this variant for Siege #2 from Gabriele Dell'Otto.

Siege #2 [Variant] - Marvel

Artist: Gabriele Dell'Otto

Why isn't this the standard cover for Siege #2?  Ask Marvel.

Demo #1

A late Friday update for everyone, but it is worth the wait.  Here is the cover of issue #1 of the new volume of Demo!

Demo (Vol 2) #1 - Vertigo

Artist: Becky Cloonan

Here's to more and more and more Demo in the coming months!  Have a good weekend everyone!

Jonah Hex #52

Jonah Hex is one of the best comics on the stands at the moment and this month we've been treated to a sweet cover to go with issue 52.

Jonah Hex #52 - DC

Artist: Jordi Bernet

I can't wait to show you the cover of #53, look out for it in the DC solits (it is bloody incredible), but that'll have to wait.

The Marvelous Land of Oz #3

So, it is Wednesday, and people all over the world are almost over the hump in the middle of the working week.  If you're in North America you'll be getting new comics today but if, like me, you're a Brit, you need to wait until tomorrow.  Maybe we should take heed of the incredible cover to Marvelous Land of Oz #3 by Skottie Young and REVOLT.

The Marvelous Land of Oz #3 - Marvel

Artist: Skottie Young

Awesome stuff.  See you tomorrow!

Punisher #13

Another day, another cover!

Today's offering is the recent cover to Punisher #13.  Rick Remender has teamed up with Tony Moore and Dan Brown to create something special on the interior of this book, but the cover - wow!  Mike McKone nailed it.

Punisher #13 - Marvel

Artist: Mike McKone

Amazing Spider-Man #619

The premise of this blog is simple: I will showcase a great comic book cover every day.

The idea for this blog came to me on the bus this morning as I finished Amazing Spider-Man #619 and turned back to the front.  The cover deserved to be displayed somewhere.  I've thought about this often after seeing a multitude of comic book covers and now I've decided to do something about it.

So, here it is, the cover that inspired it all:

Amazing Spider-Man #619 - Marvel
Artist: Marcos Martin

This is the latest in a range of great ASM covers recently - look out for ASM #620 in around a weeks' time as I'll no doubt let you see that too (it's great!).

Here's to a long and illustrious blogging career.  Touch wood.