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Anthony Pfau
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 07 February 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 30
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 3:53am | IP Logged | 1
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I"m saddened at the garbage Marvel distributes these days- I mean "Spider-Gwen" Sigh
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133317
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 6:54am | IP Logged | 2
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'or "generic demonstration of powers" in my book..."Dr Strange on that Wolverine cover seems to fit that bill.. •• Can you show us a few covers (from any vintage) that DON'T?
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Eric Sofer
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 31 January 2014
Location: United States
Posts: 4789
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 7:00am | IP Logged | 3
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Those covers scream to me that they are meant to sell the comic by dint of being "artsy", and not by a consistent cover presentation, as was the case when comics were sold standard retail (as opposed to boutique shops.) I miss the day when I could tell what comic it was, what the issue number was, and get an idea of who was actually in the book.
I preferred "sneak peak" covers to "pin up" covers just because the characters were not always the selling point as much as the story they were involved in. (Question: Would you buy a comic because it has Superman in it, or would you buy a comic that has Superman trying to stop a Kryptonite landmass from falling to Earth, causing devastation?)
I am too old, and I have pretty much given up on collecting comics... and if I ever feel otherwise, checking out covers like this make me comfortable in my decision.
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David Lowe
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 25 June 2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 44
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 7:01am | IP Logged | 4
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I don't think much of the others, but I think that Scarlet Witch cover is beautiful! It doesn't tell you much about what's inside, but it really intrigues me to find out...
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Matthew Wilkie
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 09 March 2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1139
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 7:40am | IP Logged | 5
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I really love the new Scarlet Witch covers but, and here's the thing, when i take a look inside the interior art doesn't follow through and I don't buy it.
The title that got this right, in my opinion was Hawkeye. Those David Aja were similarly alluring and the interiors continued in a similar way. Even those issues where it wasn't Aja's art inside, it still worked with a similar colour palette etc. being utilised.
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133317
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 7:57am | IP Logged | 6
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I don't think much of the others, but I think that Scarlet Witch cover is beautiful! It doesn't tell you much about what's inside, but it really intrigues me to find out...•• Can you say just how?
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David Lowe
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 25 June 2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 44
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 8:17am | IP Logged | 7
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I'm not sure (I'm no artist!) - I guess just the design: the map layout, suggesting some sort of mission (?) revealing back to the abstract face of the title character. And the silhouette scene at the bottom is quite evocative. I guess the use of just three colours, with the red, white and black, just seems quite "stylish", too.
I was never meant to be an art critic, clearly!
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John Byrne
Grumpy Old Guy
Joined: 11 May 2005
Posts: 133317
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 9:06am | IP Logged | 8
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Purely from a design sense the SCARLET WITCH cover is quite striking, but it fails on almost all counts as a cover. First, it obviously assumes some previous interest in or knowledge of the character on the part of the potential reader. The all-important "every issue is the first issue for someone" is forgotten. Marvel may not even be considering this any more, assuming themselves to be fishing in the same barrel of readers/consumers every month. Second, allowing for readers that have no prior knowledge of the character, it tells us absolutely nothing. Is this an espionage book? Is this about mountain climbing? Weather reporting? Is there a religious aspect? We just don't know, and a new reader would have no hope. Third, it buries the logo. Sometimes this works. Ed Hannigan designed a particularly striking cover for SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN in which the logo was in the bottom half of the cover -- but Spider-Man was in the top half! Displayed on a normal rack, this cover would not work that way -- the reader would not be drawn to it with any sort of expectation. And fourth, speaking of expectation, a cover like this clearly depends on the book having been solicited months in advance, and a potential reader either having pre-ordered it, perhaps without even seeing the cover, or come into the shop looking for it. Once again, first-time readers are forgotten.
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David Lowe
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 25 June 2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 44
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 10:09am | IP Logged | 9
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All fair points that I hadn't even thought of. I just fixated on the design of it. I guess that's why you're the professional!
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Thom Price
Byrne Robotics Member
L’Homme Diabolique
Joined: 29 April 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 7593
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 10:19am | IP Logged | 10
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If I were walking by a rack or shelves with that SCARLET WITCH cover on display, I would certainly be tempted to pick it up. On that regards, I'd have to say it's a success because none of those other covers would pique my curiosity. Does it tell me anything about the book? Nope. Really, I don't even know what I'm looking at, but it would get the book in my hands which is the only way I'm likely to buy it.
(On the other hand I'm not likely to ever be in a comic book shop, so it's all a moot point!)
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Trevor Thompson
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 13 June 2015
Posts: 346
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 11:20am | IP Logged | 11
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First, it obviously assumes some previous interest in or knowledge of the character on the part of the potential reader. The all-important "every issue is the first issue for someone" is forgotten. Marvel may not even be considering this any more, assuming themselves to be fishing in the same barrel of readers/consumers every month.
********************************************
I think above sums up Marvel in a nutshell. They're just targetting the same audience. A suicidal business practice.
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Dale Lerette
Byrne Robotics Member
Joined: 24 March 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 750
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| Posted: 13 January 2016 at 1:35pm | IP Logged | 12
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Don't care much for the other covers. But I have to admit I like the Scarlet Witch cover. It would have caught my eye as a kid and as an adult. I probably would be more tempted as an adult to pick it up. If I didn't know the character I would have thought it was more of an espionage/spy story -- like James Bond or Shield.
Visually it works well, especially with the silhouettes. But I would have guessed the heroine was more of a female character like the Black Widow. Could possibly miss the target audience altogether when people discover she's a female mutant-sorceress casting probability altering hex bolts.
Just saying.
Edited by Dale Lerette on 13 January 2016 at 1:37pm
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Topic Closed)
