TF comic covers

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 7:51 am

Was interested in the discussion of this pic:
http://comicsnewsi.net/g/?mode=view&alb ... 00&start=0
in the GI Joe thread, but didn't want to drag it away off topic.

Was curious what peeps would reckon to be good covers...

With the Generations comic coming out now, a reprint with a nice shiny new modern style cover onnna top, was curious how important a cover was to peeps, as a piece of art and/or storytelling.
We've had various kinds of things from IDW, 'older style' with a text balloon, and there are Dreamwavey mugger-style things going on too.
Pin-ups in lieu of a scene from the interior story are also about.

Anyone have any fave covers, drawing from every kind of previous TF comic? What is it about them that makes you rate'em? What kind of cover do you prefer?

Metal Vendetta · Post by **Metal Vendetta** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 8:24 am

Dunno, I like the cover to have some bearing on what the issue is all about, rather than a random pin-up. It gives the impression the story is the important thing, rather than giving the latest shirtless superstar artist a chance to strut his stuff.

Then again, the classic covers (like "I Beat Them ALL!" which I have as my desktop right now, cheers Impy) would take a small aspect of the story and build on that - another favourite is the one of Prime and Scorpy shaking hands with Bomb-burst and Skullgrin in the background.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:42 am

Metal Vendetta wrote:I like the cover to have some bearing on what the issue is all about.

Me too. Every time.

Some of the other stuff we're getting is great (I'm thinking of Don and Guido) but why not just include 'em as lovely big posters?

As well as a sticky badge perhaps?

Post by **Best First** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:50 am

the tacitus cover is similar in style to the 'are all dead one' and also works really well - i agree covers that take an angle and play it well are good value, or ones that tease (like 'i beat them all').

to be honest my fave ever is probably just Scorpy smacking the crap out of Shockwave - that was mint. Its just a great piece of art.

The Good the bad and the ugly is also amazing - its nice to see a piece by the interior artist using a slightly different approach (so fully painted in this case).

pin ups - only very occassionally please.

also, minimal spoilers, so please don't splash teh Quintessons all over the cover of issue one and then have them hiding in the shadows in the actual issue - what's the frigging point?

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 9:50 am

Metal Vendetta wrote:I like the cover to have some bearing on what the issue is all about.

Absolutely!

spiderfrommars wrote: Some of the other stuff we're getting is great (I'm thinking of Don and Guido) but why not just include 'em as lovely big posters?

As well as a sticky badge perhaps?

I like your thinking, i've been wanting some iron on patches myself of late i have to admit...

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:23 am

i loved covers like 'Your Next' with Cyclonus and Scourge down in the A tunnels looking for Roddy.

It has some bearing on the story, but isnt actually the whole truth, that made me far more interested in the issue then anything else.

KingMob · Post by **KingMob** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 11:47 am

spiderfrommars wrote:
Metal Vendetta wrote:I like the cover to have some bearing on what the issue is all about.
Me too. Every time.

That's my own feeling as well. Although the Tacitus one was the first image that popped into my head when thinking about the covers, it's just so memorable an image. Simple and eye-catching.

The 'You're Next' cover is a great example of the teaser image that seems to be a popular choice. That made you want to read the thing straight away and even after it still fires the imagination.
Kup turning his back on Hot Rod with the 'sorry kid, you're on your own' is perhaps an example of taking that thing a bit far? That concept seems a bit naff...moving from a positive 'what the hell?' reaction to a less-so 'what the feck?' perhaps?

I was never that keen on the puns, or bad wordplay like 'Smokescreen through the windscreen'. Dunno if I ever really liked taglines on the front of comics on the whole...

What have been some good covers from more recent years? Again, the ones that come to mind are teasery, like Jetfire holding Sunstorm by the throat, or that one where Shockwave is turning, bathed in the shadow of a seeker holding Megatron.

The pin-up or multi-part things largely did nothing for me. DW volume 1's covers I couldn't stand, a bunch of random pin-ups with chars not even in the issue, wow-eee.

Saying that, I like EJ Su's multi-part covers for Infiltration...

Post by **Denyer** » Thu Mar 23, 2006 3:38 pm

Story-related. If they feature random characters, I don't mind too much, but if they feature characters who show up in the issue to do completely different stuff, that's misleading (and can be pretty annoying.)

A good cover also isn't an attempt at forced, static grandstanding IMO.