My Favorite Covers of the Week...  

Here are my favorite 5 covers from this week. I have picked them based upon a few factors. Each factor is worth 5 points and the points are totaled to give the cover a rating. Those factors are:

• Style - Is it unique and something new or just classic and clean.
• Pop - How much does it pop out to the readers eyes when it's sitting on the shelf.
• Relevance - How relevant is the cover to what is actually happening inside the book.
• Iconic Value - Is this a cover that will stand out over the course of time or is it neat but nothing legendary.

So here are the top 5:

5. Deadpool : Games of Death - (Greg Land with Justin Ponsor)

• Style - Typical Greg Land style here. Well minus a female. Pretty goofy not taking itself to serious. funny but nothing special style wise. 2/5
• Pop - It definitely stands out. I mean you got the merc with a mouth firing off a handgun holding a teddy bear. That surely has some pop factor to it. 3/5
• Relevance - Well actually none at all. There is no carnival or teddy bears inside. 0/5
• Iconic Value - It's Deadpool in a pose that only Deadpool could pull off. He looks badass holding a teddy bear. Pretty classic. 3/5
• SPRI Total 8/20

4. Ultimatum #3 - (David Finch, Danny Miki, Steve Firchow)

• Style - Static pose down shot done gorgeously by Finch. Colors and inking enhance it quite a deal and provides a very beautiful shot that fits together with the other covers from Ultimatum. The Magneto eye glow effect is a great touch. 3/5
• Pop - It's gorgeous like I said and it stands out because you see the whole Brotherhood in one shot with Magneto eyes a glowing in the background and Sabertooth roiding out in the foreground. 3/5
• Relevance - Not much. Sure you see some of these guys in the interior but you get no clue as to what is going on inside from the cover. I mean Quicksilver in the background is even dead by this issue. 0/5
• Iconic Value - As far as iconic value goes it is extremely iconic for the Ultimate Universe. This title is the end of the Ultimate Universe as we know it and this is a great shot of some the hardest evil mutants the Ultimate U has to offer. Great way to showcase these guys before obliterating the Universe and some, if not all of them, along the way. 5/5
• SPRI Total 11/20

3. Amazing Spider-Man #588 - (John Romita Jr., Klaus Janson, Dean White)

• Style - This is a very classic looking John Romita Jr. style. There is something about JRJR's style that just seems classic when it is attached to Spidey. The image is very dark and haunting and is rendered very well by JRJR. It even has newspaper in the image that tells you what the story is about. Nice touch. 4/5
• Pop - It doesn't pop so much for me. While I think it is well done by JRJR and is yet another classic Spidey image done by him it doesn't really sell the book you know what I mean? Nothing really flashy about it. 2/5
• Relevance - It's relevant alright. As I mentioned above the newspaper on the cover even tells you what is happening inside the cover and a little of what happened before. It's a great cover that tells you all you need to know about the interior. Pretty neat way to recap on the cover without really being overt about it. 5/5
• Iconic Value - It's JRJR and I would argue just about all of his covers are iconic in some way because he does Spidey so well. Long into the future I think JRJR will be remembered as one of the best ever to draw Spidey. Having said that this is not the most iconic of all the drawings he has done and surely not the most memorable. 2/5
• SPRI Total 13/20

2. X-Factor #41 (David Yardin with Nathan Fairbain)

• Style - Very foreboding and dark. Th Sentinel looks great seemingly preparing to destroy Madrox and his multiples. The sheer panic on Madrox and the dupes is great and I love the interior of the Sentinel's mouth the detail is fantastic. 3/5
• Pop - You have a giant Sentinel in the background with its chest, eyes, and mouth glowing with energy. In such a dark cover these elements really make it stand out. It draws your eyes in and then you see Madrox and the dupes and the terror they are experiencing. 4/5
• Relevance - It's got Madrox and a Sentinel. Both are inside in some capacity. Maybe not the same as this exact image but its close enough. It definitely gives you a damn good idea of whats inside and does not disappoint. 4/5
• Iconic Value - Pretty iconic Sentinel. Probably one of the more iconic images of the series so far in my opinion. Maybe not iconic in a everyone will remember it forever sort of way but still pretty chilling and memorable. 3/5
• SPRI Total 14/20

1. X-Force #13 - (Clayton Crane)

• Style - I think Clayton Crain's style is currently extremely unique. Crain's digital painting style is very dark, I mean VERY dark, and just stands apart from the crowd. This cover is no exception 4/5
• Pop - This cover pops right out there. First you have a character in front of the logo which automatically sets it apart from other things on the shelf that have a static logo in the top of the image. Second you have everything shot to hell in the image including the previously mentioned logo. Then you have the antagonist standing over the members of the team who all have her crazy weird Jason mask on and are bound. Looks pretty dire and makes you want to crack the book open fairly quickly. 4/5
• Relevance - This scene does not happen in the book but it figuratively is very relevant. Leper queen is in control and she has these guys right where she wants them. This is a downer issue, in a great way, and this cover captures all of that. 4/5
• Iconic Value - Not a lot of iconic value on this one. It is though one of the cooler covers for this series which makes it a little iconic for this book. It's an image I will remember when I think of this book. 3/5
• SPRI Total 15/20

Let me know what you think Inmates and tune in next week as we review another five covers and pick the last nominee for cover of the month. Just as a refresher the two nominees so far are Action Comics #875 by Andrew Robinson and X-Force #13 by Clayton Crain.