Calling all variant covers! Calling all variant covers! Have I got a deal for you! Right now, DC Comics is offering plush, (nearly) logo-free space for you to spread out and luxuriate in all your variant greatness. I'm sort of on the fence about it for now, but I do think it's a great idea to let these images stand alone! Will artists make the most of this design change? Check out this week's Best Covers list and find out!
DC Nation #0 Batman variant
Clay Mann
Alright, I don't really give two hoots about the current storyline in Batman, but this image just looks cool as hell. I like the implication of a much larger story, one that perhaps I'd prefer reading than what's being currently doled out. I also like that this image looks sort of like something you might see on a Tarot card.
Batman #46 variant
Oliver Copiel
Here's our first look at the new DC Comics variant covers design and...it's pretty cool. This image is definitely served better by not having the Batman logo and a bunch of copy scrawled all over it. Frankly, this well-composed image might not have made the list otherwise. So good on you, DC, ya done artists and art appreciators a good turn.
Nightwing #44 variant
John Romita Jr. and Danny Miki
When he doesn't have to render faces, that John Romita Jr. can draw a pretty sweet picture. This one is reminiscent of Jack Kirby by way of Frank Miller. That's a compliment, not just name-dropping. I suspect Danny Miki's expert inking hand had much to do with the success of this cover. He did a bunch of comps to get it just right, as Miki tweeted here.
Batman #46
Tony S. Daniel and Danny Miki
Surprise, surprise, Tony Daniel creates another amazing image. I almost wish this were the variant cover, so we could get a clean look at it, but the Batman logo does help add a little more golden color to the composition. This is like a totem pole of DC Comics characters, and it looks dynamic as heck.
Green Arrow #40
Tyler Kirkham
Uh, this looks bad-ass. Of course I love the #dcdialoguecover, but it's also the floating, battered head of Oliver Queen against a mottled green background that is striking as hell. This grabbed some attention on Wednesday, I expect.
Those Batman and Nightwing variants really prove how much cleaner cover art looks without all the extra clutter. The artwork gets a chance to breathe and every detail stands out better. I’ve been experimenting with different text aesthetics lately too, and a stylish font copy paste tool makes it fun to match cool typography with comic-inspired posts and captions.
ReplyDeleteIt’s always interesting when publishers give artists more creative freedom, especially with variant covers. Allowing artwork to stand on its own without heavy logos or branding can really highlight the detail, style, and individuality of each piece. This kind of design approach often makes the artwork more impactful and visually engaging for collectors and fans.
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