Cover of the week for 4/1/09  

Here are my favorite 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.

On to the covers!

4. Captain America Comics One-Shot (Marcos Martin)

• Style - Upon first glance this is clearly Marcos Martin work. It has that Golden Age flavor. It's very clean but also has plenty of detail. Adding the sketch Hitler in the background to give it the portrait look was also a very nice touch. I also like the transparent trade dress and Timely Comics logo. Adds to that 70th Anniversary feel. 4/5
  
• Pop - As much as I enjoy Marcos Martin work and as much as I like this cover there isn't much pop here. You get that initial woah Cap's punching out Nazis thing but that fades rather quickly. It is lacking something that screams look at me! 2/5
• Relevance - This actually has nothing to do with the interior. Between the covers is about Steve Rogers and has little of Captain America. Most of this (95%) is about scrawny Steve Rogers showing his American spirit. 1/5
• Iconic Value -Everyone loves some cap punching Nazis! With Marcos Martin's art the punching Nazis aspect is only that much more enjoyable. While it may not be an image that will be held in the forebrain forever it does look rather iconic as that is the whole purpose of the cover. 3/5
• SPRI Total 10/20

3. Astonishing Tales #3 (Kenneth Rocafort)

• Style - Rocafort's art is something that has been blowing up my brain. I really enjoy it and think it is dynamic and original. I can't think of another artist whose art looks like this. It has the sketchiness of a Lenil Yu but it is far from the same style at all. He draws a mean Mojo, a menacing Iron Man, and a gorgeous Spider-Woman. It is a beauty of a cover. 4/5
• Pop - It doesn't really have a ton of pop besides being really gorgeous. What it does have though is a Spider-Woman that fanboys will eat up and then look inside for more of. Only to be disappointed that Rocafort doesn't do her story. Or the ones with any characters on the cover for that matter. 2/5
• Relevance - all three characters do appear inside. None of them together though. As an anthology title this cover works great though because it gives you an overlay if you will of what the interior holds. 3/5
• Iconic Value - Not very iconic at all. It is gorgeous and it has the static poses of an iconic cover. It even has the whole hero and hot heroine with the villain thing going but it just doesn't pull in the iconic factor. 1/5
• SPRI Total 10/20

The New Mutants Saga (Diogenes Neves, Danny Miki and John Rauch)

• Style - This is one awesome full cover shot. When done right one of these types of covers can really make a book. When the book is free it only makes it that much more awesome. Neves renders some great New Mutants. Anyone know is he the upcoming artist for the title? If so i'm in. Sunspot especially looks fantastic. 4/5
• Pop - The cover is a wraparound that has the New Mutants squad jumping out at you. It also has much going on in the background behind the characters jumping out. It's a beautiful non complicated piece that draws the reader in. It isn't a high end pop factor but wraparound covers definitely add some juice to the pop factor. 3/5
• Relevance - Well it is a group shot of the New Mutants. The interior isn't a new comic but rather one of the great Saga issues Marvel has been doing that gives you a quick narrative on the history of the characters. This is an intro book and what better way to introduce the characters than in a clean simple, "here they are don't they look awesome?!", kind of way. 3/5
• Iconic Value - This isn't really iconic as much as a hey here they are they look cool read this then buy up our title cause Marvel loves money sort of cover. This really is a beautiful cover but it is a generic New Mutants pose off cover. 2/5
• SPRI Total 12/20
  

The Flash: Rebirth #1 (Ethan Van Sciver and Moose Braumann)

• Style - To quote Paris Hilton, "That's hot!". Now that I have channeled my inner celebutante we return to the review. Seriously this cover is SEXY. There lightning/speed effect coupled with Flash suiting up is fantastic. Van Sciver's work looks like it has stepped it up for this book. 4/5
• Pop - This pops like popcorn. It is everywhere. The lightning/speed effect just draws the eye in and dares you to trace the lightning all over the cover with your eyes. It's amazingly vibrant. 5/5
• Relevance - The cover shows what appears to be a newly recharged Barry Allen pulling his boots on. He looks like he is about to get out there and tear up some asphalt dragging some Rouges along with him. This cover screams, "I'm back!", which is exactly what this issue is all about. The return of Barry Allen returns here people and this covers brings that to the table. 4/5
• Iconic Value - Th return of Barry Allen should feel huge. This cover presents that and more. Barry pulling his boots on and returning to action is something that many fans have clamored decades for. This cover is for them. This cover will be remembered by all who have waited for this and even those who just pick this up to see what its all about. (as if anyone doesn't know what this title is when they see it). 5/5
• SPRI Total 18/20

So there you have it the first cover of the week for April is Flash:Rebirth by Ethan Van Scriver and Moose Braumann. Check in next week to see what covers will make the list.

Agree? Disagree? Feel free to click rant and rant away!