The Best Comic Book Covers of 2013 – Week #37
BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #23.2 MR. FREEZE #1
One of our all-time favourite villains graces the cover of ‘Batman: The Dark Knight #23.3 – Mr. Freeze. Victor Fries was always one of Batman’s more interesting and morally ambiguous foes, and while his origin has been altered somewhat in the New 52, he is still a fearsome member of Batman’s rogues gallery. Here, the cold-hearted villain is fleshed out superbly by Guillem March, with Freeze aiming his ‘freeze gun’ squarely at the reader – an image twice as chilling on the 3D version!
Phil Noto has rounded off his impressive run of ‘Buffy’ front covers with a beautiful portrait of our heroine, as portrayed by actress Sarah Michelle Gellar. A fitting final front to a fantastic ‘season’ of comics.
On the front of ‘Captain America #11’, Carlos Pacheco has an armoured Cap standing on a city rooftop, shield held aloft, snow falling around, backed by illuminated signs displaying past iterations of the Captain America logo. The current logo is highlighted and it’s a great way to incorporate the title of the book without having a large banner sitting above the artwork.
DETECTIVE COMICS #23.2 HARLEY QUINN #1
Chris Burnham’s playful front for ‘Detective Comics #23.3’ featuring Harley Quinn, is proving to be very popular indeed, disappearing from the ACE Comics shelves at an impressive rate. It’s hardly surprising, as who doesn’t love a great illustration of the Joker’s antagonistic accomplice, complete with massive hammer!
Alex Ross’s ‘Shadow #17’ cover depicts a struggle between Lamont Cranston and his current nemesis, The Light. Ross’s painted style is as polished and professional as ever, but it’s the outcome of the engagement that’s really interesting, with The Shadow’s costume literally disintegrating as he does battle at the centre of a radial zoom. Striking stuff.
Cover Of The Week #37 Winner
Cover by LEINIL FRANCIS YU
Firmly tied into Marvel’s cross-title event, ‘Infinity’, ‘Avengers #19’ aims it’s spotlight at Captain Marvel on the front cover. Akin to a number of other ‘Infinity’ covers, issue artist Leinil Francis Yu’s artwork is very dark with the only colours present, variations of deep reds (and that includes the title and credits). At the centre of this powerful image is a defiant Captain Marvel with flaming clouds of energy radiating from her body. It’s a compelling cover of the week from a consummate craftsman!
Congrats to Leinil and Marvel, they get the paper crown this week!
