Epic Covers: Action Comics #1048 by Steve Beach

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

It’s always funny to me what a little or two can make a piece of art. In the case of this cover to Action  Comics #1048 by Steve Beach, it’s the wrinkles in Superman’s costume. As I’ve said in the past, Beach really channels George Reeves with his take on the character. All the more so as he makes the costume look like it’s made of cloth, very reminiscent of how Reeves’ suit looked on Adventures of Superman.

It’s definitely a “vintage” version of Superman. For my money, it’s a thing of beauty.

Action Comics 1048, cover, 2022, Steve Beach

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Epic Covers: Star Wars: Darth Vader #28 by Rahzzah

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

They’ve been doing a long-term storyline in Star Wars: Darth Vader where Vader teams up with one of Padme’s former handmaidens, Sabe. While I can’t say I’ve been following along, this cover for today’s issue by Rahzzah caught my attention. The Emperor tends to have that effect, doesn’t he?

Darth Vader 28, cover, 2022, Rahzzah

This cover has a lot going for it. The blocking is wonderful, placing Palpatine behind Sabe with his hand on her shoulder, like he’s a vampire or some undead creature reaching for her. The detailed fashion in which Rahzzah renders his face certainly accentuates that idea. Along those same lines, Sabe looks just like Natalie Portman. That might actually be the one thing I dislike about the image, as Sabe was played by Keira Knightley in The Phantom Menace. Do they not have the rights to her likeness?

Then you have the obvious color contrast between the two characters. Palpatine is in black, while Sabe is all in white. Good and evil, etc. The red background also gives the image a certain intensity. Of course, it helps that red is synonymous with the Sith in Star Wars.

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Epic Covers: The Walking Dead Deluxe #48 by Julian Totino Tedesco

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

There’s a page in The Walking Dead #148 (of which The Walking Dead Deluxe #48 is a full color reprint) where…well, I won’t spoil it. But something very bad happens to Lori Grimes and the Grimes family. Like, very, very bad.

For this new variant cover, Julian Totino Tedesco gives us his partial take on that horrible moment. For those of us who’ve read the issue, it brings us back to that haunting page. New readers, on the other hand, are given a vivid preview of what’s to come…

The Walking Dead Deluxe 48, Julian Totino Tedesco

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Epic Covers: Carlos Pacheco’s Last Piece

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

This week’s “Epic Covers” comes to us on an extremely sad note.

On his Twitter page, Carlos Pacheco announced last week that this cover to Damage Control #2 would be his last piece. Not because he’s going into retirement, but because he’s been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It’s a horrific disease which I saw up close for a story I did back in my newspaper days.

But Pacheco can hang his hat one a stellar career in the comic book industry that has spanned over 30 years. And here’s to going out on a high note, not to mention one that comes with a smile…

Damage Control 2, cover, 2022, Carlos Pacheco last piece

Godspeed, good sir. Our hearts are with you.

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Epic Covers: Venom and Batman by Clayton Crain

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

Venom as a patriotic, flag-waving hero? Stranger things have happened, I suppose. At the very least, Clayton Crain juxtaposed the black and white of the Venom character with the bright colors of Old Glory for this C2E2 exclusive variant cover for 2020’s Venom: The End #1.

This cover is pretty epic on its own. But what brought it to my attention this week was the recent revision Crain did for it on his Instagram page, featuring yet another “dark” hero in the same pose with the American Flag…

Who wore it better? You make the call.

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A Do A Powerbomb! #4 Micro-Review – “Taste My Lariat of Steel!”

***This is where we keep it nice and simple. Comic book reviews in 100 words or less. Straight, concise, and to the point.***

Do A Powerbomb! 4, cover, 2022, Daniel Warren JohnsonTITLE: Do A Powerbomb #4 (of 7)
AUTHOR: Daniel Warren Johnson
ARTISTS:
Johnson, Mike Spicer (Colorist), Rus Wooton (Letterer)

RELEASED: September 14, 2022

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

The big guy in the helmet on the cover does a move in this issue called the “Lariat of Steel.” That name needs to be used in WWE or AEW. Or somewhere. It’s too good to sit on the shelf.

On the other hand, there’s a tandem move called the “Coin Pouch of Judas.” Is that a reference to what I think it is? It must be.

The issue closes on a pretty bad-ass shot of Cobrasun, as he prepares to go hardcore next issue.

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Epic Covers: Batman #608 by Jim Lee

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

In celebration of today, Batman Day, I hereby present my favorite Batman cover of all time…

I don’t know where 2003’s Batman #608 stands as far as the great Batman covers go. (Though I’d certainly argue it’s a great one.) But Batman #608 has my personal favorite cover to ever adorn a comic book featuring the Dark Knight. Not just for it’s pure artistic quality, but for sentimental reasons…

Batman #608 is the comic book that made me a Wednesday Warrior. In other words, a comic book fan who buys new issues on the day they come out: Wednesday. (Of course, this was more than a decade and a half before DC stopped distributing through Diamond. But that’s a whole nother story.)

I’d been reading Batman graphic novels for awhile at that point. But I had yet to make my local comic shop a weekly destination. Then I heard about a new era beginning on the monthly Batman title, with two creators whose names I was only vaguely familiar with at that point…Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee. Little did I know at that point how pivotal their influence would be on my life as a fan. And thus, I suppose, my life in general.

Batman 608, cover, 2003, Jim Lee

Like the era it was ushering in, this cover is bold and dynamic. It’s not just Batman standing around somewhere. Not only is it Batman mid-swing, but it’s Batman mid-swing throwing up a kick, which is a dichotomy we don’t necessarily see often. And yes, the rich detail of the bottom of his boot does help. Does it make the cover look a little bit like an ad for a sneaker? Maybe.

But here’s a fact: You’ll never see a sneaker ad look this damn cool or iconic.

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Epic Covers: Daredevil #3 by Marco Checchetto

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I hopped aboard the recent Daredevil relaunch a couple months ago, and have thus far enjoyed the ride. This cover was a nice little bonus.

What sealed the deal for me on this one was the whole blood drops/puppet strings motif. I can’t recall if I’ve seen that done before. But if I have, it wasn’t executed this well. It fits Daredevil and his world to a T. Plus, the blood red color goes with his costume.

Daredevil 3, cover, 2022, Marco Checchetto

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Epic Covers: The Joker #15 by Brian Bolland

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

With Batman Day coming up this weekend, it may or may not be an appropriate time to feature the Clown Prince of Crime…

With The Killing Joke in 1988, Brian Bolland cemented his status as one of the definitive Joker artists of all time. So any time Bolland draws the character, it’s noteworthy. We were treated to Bolland’s latest rendering of the character with a variant cover for The Joker #15, which came out last month.

I talked recently about my fondness for single-color backgrounds on covers. This cover meets that criteria with a basic black background. We also have the Joker’s fake eye, which is a byproduct of recent events in Batman. So the character obviously has a different look than we’re used to getting from Bolland.

But what I dig more than anything about this cover is that it’s a modern take on Bolland’s classic cover for The Killing Joke. If The Killing Joke were released today (Which it would never be…), the cover would look something like this, given the advent of smartphones.

The Joker 15, variant cover, 2022, Brian Bolland

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Epic Covers: Atom Smasher by Kaare Andrews

By Rob Siebert
Fanboy Wonder

I don’t normally do two installments of “Epic Covers” in a week. But this one from Kaare Andrews was enough to sway me.

I dig the point-of-view, combined with the pose Andrews puts Atom Smasher in. But I think what really clinches it for me is the texture of the character’s costume. That level of detail adds a certain realism to an image that otherwise is very unrealistic.

Black Adam the Justice Society Files Atom Smasher 1, cover, 2022, Kaare Andrews

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