It’s been a celebratory week here at The Source, what with our string of lovely 75th anniversary variants, the TASCHEN news and the first look at DCU: LEGACIES #1.
But we’re not done. As we continue to celebrate DC’s 75th anniversary, we thought it’d be a great time to look back at the company’s illustrious history and see what you, the fans had to say. But this isn’t your usual open thread, folks.
Let’s talk covers. To say that the cover image is important would be a huge understatement. It's what draws you in. Everyone remembers their first cover. Everyone has a favorite. That one image that just screams “Comics!” and takes us back to a simpler time where our biggest concern was how many copies of a certain title we’d be able to lug home from the shop that day. I can think of a few that stand out for me in an instant. So, Source readers, here’s the question: What’s your favorite DC Comics cover? Why?
But that’s not what makes this open thread special. Not only do we want to hear what your favorite cover is, we’ve got comments from some of the biggest names at DC.
Curious to hear what they’ve got to say? Click below, and don’t forget to check Vertigo’s GRAPHIC CONTENT and WildStorm’s THE BLEED for even more creators chiming in.
DAN DIDIO, DC Comics Co-Publisher
I stuck to books that came out during my tenure. As far as covers go, THE FLASH #207 by Michael Turner. The Flash has never looked so fast standing still.
DAVID FINCH, BRIGHTEST DAY cover artist
My favorite DC cover is by Alex Ross, and it's for BATMAN: BLACK AND WHITE. It's got Bruce standing with his back to the viewer and he's running his hand over the scars that crisscross his whole back. It just captures everything that Batman is about for me. He's not afraid to do whatever it takes to get the job done, and he's willing to sacrifice his own body and mind to the cause.
BRIAN AZZARELLO, FIRST WAVE writer
OUR FIGHTING FORCES #150. Joe Kubert's covers told stories that were sometimes better than the one's in the books.
JIMMY PALMIOTTI, JONAH HEX co-writer
My favorite comic cover has to be JONAH HEX #27 by Jordi Bernet. There is so much storytelling packed into this single image as well as
brilliant composition by one of Europe's greatest illustrators. Jordi is and will always be one of my favorite artists.
JT KRUL, GREEN ARROW writer
Tough call. I could easily rattle off a bunch of the obvious ones: Killing Joke, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Watchmen, etc. But one that always stuck with me was Denys Cowan's cover for THE QUESTION #34. It was the first Question comic I bought (don't ask me how the book managed to elude me until then). There's a such a haunting quality to the man without a face, but it's the masses behind him that really help set the mood. That cover, not to mention all the Question covers drove me to spend money I didn't have in college on back issues to fill my run. Each week, I'd tell myself I'm only going to get one or two, but I always walked out the door of my LCS with five or six. But who needed food, when you had great comics, right?
STERLING GATES, SUPERGIRL writer, SUPERMAN: WAR OF THE SUPERMEN co-writer
TEEN TITANS #14. How can you look at this great Nick Cardy cover and NOT want to read this issue?
Not only have the other Teen Titans DIED, their ghosts are haunting Robin!
I always wondered if they were encouraging him to quit being a superhero, or quit life and join them six feet under. The dead can be a selfish lot, so I have no trouble imagining them trying to get Robin to come on down…
LEE BERMEJO, JOKER, LUTHOR artist
Gotta say my favorite DC cover has got to be Bill Sienkiewicz's cover to THE SHADOW #1. Just a beautiful, graphic image that is aggressive as well as elegant, modern and timeless simultaneously. Those two Uzi's unloading in your face blew my young mind and made me an instant fan of both the character and Sienkiewicz's genius. The key was in that squinted eye, though. I think it was the first time I felt like a participant as opposed to reader.
DUSTIN NGUYEN, BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM artist
Mignola's cover to BATMAN: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KNIGHT #54 pretty much sums up everything i love about the look of Batman. Bold simple colors, plenty of drama in an otherwise static pose, and the eyes- perfectly positioned inside the silhouette of a horned cowl. And it's RED, i like red."
FRANCO, TINY TITANS writer/artist
That's an easy one! My favorite cover has always been the NEW TEEN TITANS #13!! I saw this thing and it knocked me on the floor! I knew the Titans were going to be in trouble when somebody kicked Robot Man's tin can and hung him out to dry in the middle of the Amazon forest!!! There was just so much detail here and I remember pulling it off the rack and just staring at it for a while and the guy behind the counter yelled at me and asked if I was gonna buy it or just stare at it all day. I did both! It was the first series that compelled me to go find all the back issues. Mr. Perez is the master!
ART BALTAZAR, TINY TITANS writer/artist
SUPERMAN #337. AW YEAH! WHAT? Superman quits? NEVER!
Awesome cover! The colors rock! Awesome Bad Guys too! First time I ever saw Metallo! This cover has mystery, Drama, conflict and adventure! I love how happy the bad guys are to finally defeat the Man of Steel! The Super Friends cartoon was on TV at this time, so it was cool to see Brainiac and Bizarro. PLUS! All those Bad Guys together is what we want to see!
JUDD WINICK, JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST co-writer, POWER GIRL writer
My favorite cover is ACTION COMICS #500. "The Life Story Of Superman". It's my favorite DC comic. It told the entire story Superman. It was like getting 10 pounds of Ice Cream. The cover SCREAMED to me--THIS IS SPECIAL! and it was and it is.
YILDIRAY CINAR, LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES artist
The cover I picked up is BATMAN #366 by Walt Simonson. The cover speaks for itself. The layout, composition, lightning...One of my favorite covers in my entire collection since my childhood.
