This will be a new section. Cover designs or motifs that are so over used that they should be retired or used sparingly. And every time one comes up I'll be talking about it here. This weeks entry: Hero on the corner of building shot. Bonus points if you include a gargoyle. I mean, if you're going to do this, be creative. Put a unique spin on a tired concept. Do it for the people!!! They deserve better.
Hell, I'm guilty of this too. Here's a cover I did back in the day. The editor was insistent on doing this motif. I argued but he won the battle. So in defiance, I had the character place his boot on the companies logo with the big thumbs down. Haha, the editor missed the subtext and he loved it.
Here's a more recent example of heroes on building with gargoyle. So once again, I'm not immune to this motif but I at least tried to change it up a bit.
Sparingly is a good way to put it. If I never see Batman or Spider-Man posed on top of a gargoyle again, it'll be too soon.
ReplyDeleteAt least the thumbs down is clever and the big winged eagle is a unique gargoyle.
hi dave. how do you judge this one, poor or enough neat and well done?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hotimg.com/direct/qF9pwEg.jpg
Another would be the "Traced screen grabs of characters from a live action movie or show instead of capturing a likeness from said reference" covers. See True Blood Comics, rushed Move Tie-In comics, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe set-up is certainly overused. Though I don't know I'm in favor of a 100% ban. In my defense for the Raphael cover, I do feel like since the Turtles patrol NYC and they, both as ninja and mutant turtles, must stay invisible to the public, they are relegated to living in either alleys, roof-tops, or the sewers. (I used the other locations on the other TMNT covers coming soon.) I was also paying homage to a page from the Eastman/Laird first issue, where Raph is pose on the corner of a rooftop on his mission to deliver a message to shredder.
ReplyDeleteSo with that said, I agree with Dave that I should have dug deeper and been more creative. The location could still be a rooftop even showcasing it's corner and architectural detail, but perhaps Raph should have been interacting with something else: a skylight, a water tower, a billboard.
This DPetersen is a classy dude. Takes criticism with poise. I dig that.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see more covers that the good reverend has created that he's not that proud of. Might take the sting out for some of the other cover artists to know that nobody's perfect.
One. DPeterson is obviously a man among men. Two. I have never said I'm perfect. Far from it. And when one of my stinkers shows up in the week that I do a review I'll be glad to talk about my failure.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind seeing the rooftop cover motif being used over and over, as long as it is done well. like here (I know it's an old one) http://www.comicvine.com/gargoyle-love-and-death/37-25587/all-images/108-106442/3483-25587-1-gargoyle/105-22941/ sure some do it better than others.
ReplyDeletethis blog is just brilliant Dave. Thanks for taking the time to do it.
I never said that you said you were perfect. But I guess you didn't exactly say that I said that you said you were perfect so... enough said.
ReplyDeleteI just thought it might be interesting to critique some of your early work that you might not be super proud of. Unless you don't really have any. Then you could maybe have a list of the covers that you're most proud of.
Then again, the blog is pretty great as is, so don't worry about it.
dude, the Dark Horse piece is soooo dope. haha, can't believe he missed it. and now its forever emblazoned on every single issue printed. fucking clever bro.
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