By Jarrod Jones. Undercover is our opportunity to lovingly gaze upon gorgeous works from magnificent artists. Each week, we single out the most striking covers that grace comic book stands and gush all over them.
What are the covers that float your boat this week? We want to know! Tell us about them in the comments below, and the best response gets a DoomRocket sticker/button combo sent to their door. Get to it!
Patsy Walker, AKA Hellcat! #3, by Kevin Wada. (Marvel Comics)
Figured I’d get my “Obligatory Kevin Wada Cover” out of the way first. Not that I don’t enjoy talking about Kevin Wada’s work mind you. But every time I begin to research the artist’s output, I find myself violently pulled into the time-suck that is his Tumblr page. Not that I don’t absolutely love spending at least two hours of my workday simply marveling at Wada’s Tumblr page, you understand. But when that Tumblr begins with this stunning cover, a fun karaoke sesh that beautifully captures the spirit and energy of Kate Leth & Brittney L. Williams’ Patsy Walker, AKA Hellcat!, you know that work isn’t getting done. Not that I don’t absolutely revel in not getting work done, if you follow me, but…
DKIII: The Master Race #3, by Greg Capullo. (DC Comics)
*shiver* If Greg Capullo is the master of one thing — aside from the barbell — it’s capturing an iconic moment on the page. Every time Mr. Capullo puts pencil to Bristol it’s a cause for attention, and it doesn’t matter whether it’s for the latest issue of Batman, his highly-anticipated project with Mark Millar, or this variant cover to DKIII: The Master Race #3; if Greg Capullo draws something, you know it’s going to be a doozy. And this image, which recalls one of the most atrocious criminal acts ever performed by The Joker, in any medium, is one for the history books. If you were to put this cover in context, then look at the expression on the Clown Prince of Crime only to not feel a chill run down your spine — check your pulse. It may be time to see a doctor.
We Are Robin #9, by Lee Bermejo. (DC Comics)
Oof. What an image. If you’ve been reading We Are Robin (if you’re not, you really, really need to be), you know that The Jokers, that infamous biker gang from Batman Beyond, have come to Gotham. And if you don’t truly grasp the dire implications of that statement, then let Lee Bermejo’s stunningly minimal cover for We Are Robin #9 bring it on home. Our brigade of Robins look as though they’re about to be swallowed whole by this considerable menace. That would be creepy enough, but somehow Bermejo’s expert use of color gives our in-set heroes an eerie depth that somehow makes me feel like I’m about to be swallowed whole. Way to go, Lee. Now I’m feeling creeped out.
Home #3 & Dedication #3, by Ruiz Burgos. (Double Take)
The world set inside Double Take’s comic book universe is a patently recognizable one — not just because it takes place in the aftermath set forth by George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, but because it brilliantly captures the nostalgic feels your grandparents probably still have for this country of ours. Artist Ruiz Burgos applies his diligence to the wholesomeness Norman Rockwell’s famous paintings provided our aged American zeitgeist. But in doing so, Burgos shoves the world as we once knew it right off its axis. Burgos’ covers succeed because it gleefully perverts post-war nostalgia in the same enjoyable manner that established properties like Fallout and Bioshock do. Ruiz Burgos is a beast. And his Double Take one-two punch is a prime example of that.
And that’s it! Don’t forget to share your favorite covers from this week’s releases in the comments section below!
