I put the offer out there to some of my fellow artists asking if they wanted to add some of their thoughts on the week's current crop of covers, and if so, then I'd be happy to post them here. So this week, Viktor Kalvachev of Blue Estate fame decided to throw his hat into the ring and suffer the slings and arrows for having an opinion. So, let's see what Viktor has to say:
Cover fails:
I love when a cover provokes questions and you want to know what the book is about. Questions like, "Why are these characters in this situation?" However, if the artist pushes it too far (as in this case), the answers seem as though they are being articulated in a language the audience simply doesn't understand. The fact that there are some anatomical issues and compositional challenges doesn't help this cover either.
This could have been a great cover, if only she was not holding a lipstick, but a freshly cut off finger using the dripping blood to paint her lips. Also, why put a mirror in the composition if you are not going to use it to your advantage? She isn't even looking at it.
I am really puzzled with this one though...
Beautifully rendered; great colors and composition, incredible motion that grabs you immediately... but why does Spider-Man have a woman's body? Put a pair of boobs on his chest and that's one sexy Spider-Woman jumping at you.
And here are Viktor's Cover Wins:
The composition is solid, pushing everyone off balance except the giant bat. I like the green background and warm foreground. Great expressions too! Pretty much all the covers of this series have been exceptional so far!
Fantastic composition, sucking the character into the unknown. Such great use of empty space and colors, all of which make the cover stand out. I definitely want to know what's going to happen if he walks down those stairs.
That's just simply bad-ass!
isnt that the new ult spidey ? hes only 12 or 13 years old so then the body is correct
ReplyDelete12 year old boys don't have female hips...
DeleteRegarding the lipstick cover:
ReplyDeleteI guess this is a cover to "American Vampire"? That would explain it.
Don't know how Snyder treats the vampires in this story arc, but legend has it that Vampires can't be seen in mirrors. So my theory is the cover artist is having fun with this legend on the cover.
The woman is probably a vampire. What we see in the mirror is what we would have seen if she weren't a vampire: A pretty girl doing her make up. But what we see in front of the mirror is a vampire using a lipstick made of blood.
Pretty clever cover, me thinks. :)
In the story, she is not a vampire...
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that Wolverine cover a bit generic for the character?
ReplyDeleteDisagree on Bori's comment RE the Wolvie cover. What makes this a standout is how it all comes together so perfectly. Killer art. Wonderful composition (foreground to middleground). Implied movement — the vertical smoke lines imply time and add a ton of visual interest. But the highest points are awarded for the implied narrative. We're seeing the moment immediately AFTER extreme violence, and the moment immediately PRECEDING extreme violence. It's an awesome way to communicate that this is a kick-ass, action packed issue.
ReplyDelete