Use your noggin, log in, and name your preferred option! Choose one per matchup -- no ties -- on your opinion of the cover merits alone. Click images to see larger versionsPrevious editions, for perusal and/or catch-up: Elevens,
Twelves,
Eights,
Tens,
Twenty-Nines,
Eighteens,
Fifteens,
Fives,
Nines,
Seventeens,
Nineteens,
Sixteens,
Sixes,
Twenties1.
TEEN TITANS vs.
NEW TEEN TITANS 
2.
MAD vs.
RUSE 
3.
FOUR FAVORITES vs.
FANTASTIC FOUR 
4.
PATSY WALKER vs.
PATSY AND HEDY 
1.
TEEN TITANS vs.
NEW TEEN TITANS 2.
MAD vs.
RUSE 3.
FOUR FAVORITES vs.
FANTASTIC FOUR 4.
PATSY WALKER vs.
PATSY AND HEDY
1. The New Teen Titans - in spite of the business I prefer this look.
2. Ruse - artwork again
3. Four Favorites - in spite of being an FF fan, this cover has more drama in it.
4. Patsy and Hedy - Not sure what the guys are doing in the other cover, patting each other on the back as they are laughing I guess, not exactly fair to people of different build and he actually might be a much nicer fella than they are, but the P&H cover is genuinely funny.
1. NEW TEEN TITANS although the colorful distraction to the left can not be denied.
2. RUSE. Ah, a
lift with (deadly) twists. (The logo isn't great though. Mad's trade dress is top-notch.)
3. FANTASTIC FOUR. Bright and nutty (yet makes sense). 4F is kinda washed out in comparison, and what exactly is happening there?
4. PATSY AND HEDY!
1. Titans - I usually like a lot of detail in an image, but New TT looks too cluttered. Plus I used to own the Mad Mod issue, back in the days when mothers threw out your comics when you went to college.
2. Ruse - might have appeared in a more modern MAD as a Norman Rockwell spoof. Lovely art.
3. Four Favourites - a delightfully WTF? cover.
4. Patsy and Hedy - if they're going for a chuckle, they've got it. What's wrong with kissing a short chubby rich guy? Maybe she'll marry him and the two bozos will end up working as her chauffeurs.
1. Titans - DC checkerboard makes for the gearest!
2. Ruse - Beauty and a much less tired feeling joke
3. Fantastic Four - Close, because I really like them both, but I don't really need both the headshots at the top and the blurb at the bottom on the Four Favorites cover.
4. Patsy and Hedy - No contest.
1. New Teen Titans. But it's close. Titans has go-go checks and groovy gear and a grinning goon. At thumbnail size, it might win. Enlarged, seeing Wonder Girl thumped by some new foe really brings home the level of threat in the issue. If anything, Light is a distraction to bring in readers who recognise him. And who is their mystery leader?
2. Ruse. The guy with the sword stabbies the guy on the bottom right. A lurching train results in the guy with the pistol shooting the guy with the garrotte. The bomb is thrown through the window, landing on the guy with the sword, knocking him beneath and onto the tracks, where the bomb exploded well behind the train. They guy throwing the bomb is hit as the train goes through a tunnel. The snake bites the guy with the pistol and returns to its basket. The noose is a bell pull for the porter. He arrives in a rush, bumping into the guy who opened the basket, who falls through the hole in the floor. The porter picks up the basket and replaces the floor hatch. He then brings tea to our triumphant protagonists, who have realised that 7 across is "constabulary", solving the Times crossword. Elsewhere, I shall not lech at a Kurtzman drawing. I am listening to Sherlock Holmes on audio at the minute though.
3. Fantastic Four - 4 Favourites gets its usual points for having all its cast interact on the cover. And its an action packed cover too. But Kirby's Thing is super broody, and Reed is super concerned about helping the world through his science. It's so far ahead, you'd need to strap yourself to a missile to catch up. Sorry, 4 favourites, a much bigger missile.
4. Patsy & Hedy - The playful twirling of the hair, before going in for the smooch, is the more romantic of the two. While the guys on Patsy don't seem to have seen each other for a while, they're perhaps a little over eager. Bride of the Vampire was the title of a Scooby Doo cartoon, who were obviously thinking along the same mash-up lines as the cover artist here.
5.
SPIDER-WOMAN vs.
KURT BUSIEK'S ASTRO CITY 
6.
DICK TRACY vs.
CRIME PATROL 
7.
NICKEL COMICS vs.
WHIZ COMICS 
8.
NEW MUTANTS vs.
YOUNG X-MEN 
5. Spider-Woman
6. Dick Tracy
7. Nickel Comics
8. New Mutants
5. Astro City - lighting & creepier
6. Dick Tracy - is he getting out or getting in? More going on in Crime Patrol, but I don't dig the disembodied head.
7. Nickel Comics - tough call, because it looks like Bullet Man is sending that boxcar of explosives back to the full train below, but Cap Marvel catching the plane between his legs, ouch!
8. New Mutants - Young X-Men just looks boring, on New Mutants I wonder if Mom can kick that axe out of his hand since she's just being held by her t-shirt.
5.
SPIDER-WOMAN vs.
KURT BUSIEK'S ASTRO CITY 6.
DICK TRACY vs.
CRIME PATROL 7.
NICKEL COMICS vs.
WHIZ COMICS 8.
NEW MUTANTS vs.
YOUNG X-MEN
5. KURT BUSIEK'S ASTRO CITY - beautiful art as are most of Astro City but also a dramatic and engaging view as opposed to a fairly generic superhero one.
6. CRIME PATROL - This was close and in some ways Dick was the winner because less crowded but CP tells more of an interesting story
7. NICKEL COMICS - Plane catching seems a bit common (Ha! Try saying that in the real world) but bending up the railway tracks this way is more dynamic and more interesting.
8. YOUNG X-MEN - NM is fine and all and certainly attention grabbing with its threat but YXM is more appealing art.
5. ASTRO CITY. It's probably just space-mantis appendage anatomy, but I like how it appears the AC character is kindasorta considering annihilation. Maybe. "I guess we could blow it to pieces...what are you thinking, Madge?"
6. DICK TRACY. On the other one is the crime being patrolled the SDB -- silent but deadly?
7. NICKEL because why pay more?
8. NM serving up a big piece of 80s cheese -- which also happens to have a nostalgia factor for Teeds, who remembers seeing this on the spinner rack. But nah. YOUNG X-MEN but I'd zhuzh it up at bit -- make the background a very vivid color, and overemphasize the words that parody/subvert the usual (NOT a MUTANT).
9.
FRANKENSTEIN vs.
NELLIE THE NURSE 
10.
BOY MEETS GIRL vs.
LOVE DIARY 
11.
SECRETS OF SINISTER HOUSE vs.
WALLY THE WIZARD
12.
NEW TEEN TITANS vs.
SUB-MARINER
9.
FRANKENSTEIN vs.
NELLIE THE NURSE 10.
BOY MEETS GIRL vs.
LOVE DIARY 11.
SECRETS OF SINISTER HOUSE vs.
WALLY THE WIZARD 12.
NEW TEEN TITANS vs.
SUB-MARINER
9. FRANKENSTEIN: Nellie is ok but the numour of the monsters finding the Spook comic frightening is worth the win.
10. LOVE DIARY: Neither of these appeal to me at all but LD has Free Prizes!
11. SECRETS OF SINISTER HOUSE: Never heard of Wally the Wizard. I saw it and thought "Marvel? Looks like Harvey comics." Then looked it up and saw it was the same artist Warren Kremer. Nevertheless SOSH gets it for the simple joy on the girl dragon rider's face.
12. NEW TEEN TITANS: Very interesting approach using the city photographs as a backdrop but I think NTT pulls it off better. Does anyone know who was in the cars in the parade in Submariner? My first thought was the Apollo 11 astronauts but the comic came out the previous year.
9. Frankenstein - cute, more interesting than Nellie.
10. Love Diary - although the rose looks thornless, it appeals to my snoopiness. I'm not sure what the fingers over the face is on Boy Meets Girl, but I do love that apple in the background: Eve, meet Adam.
11. Secrest of Sinister House - because who wouldn't want to ride a dragon?
12. New Teen Titans - brighter, and it looks like a dimensional portal. Sub-Mariner just looks like cut and paste, but probably the best they could do back then. Stile, I wonder if those cars might be JFK's motorcade in Dallas November 1963 (?).
5. Astro City. The poor Insectoids from Arcturus V would regret outsourcing their electronic to a species that didn't know it's firing from its self destruct mechanisms. On Spidey, there's one too many captions telling us about impending doom. One of them saying it, and the button would have sufficed. Spidey does get points for being an Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Crossover issue though.
6. Dick Tracey. Tracey's bright yellow coat would have popped on the stands , doing the cover's job very nicely. Captain Crime may have spotted his foes. But all that second hand smoke made him too wheezy to chase them down.
7. Nickel Comics. Whiz has the better logo, and even though both are similarly sized, would be more attractive on the stands. Cap does him usual awesome job. Both of them do. But Bulletman's more in the foreground. That means the yellow of his neckerchief/ jodhpurs combo really stands out. Much as Tracey's coat does. Nice use of yellow in "explovies2 to continue the colour theme with the logo and outfit.
8. New Mutants. Good use of spacing, to get Sam in the foreground, Roberto in the near/mid and axe murderer (not too many on code covers) in the mid works. Alt+Blok2 standing in the middle of Xavier's dream where people mix together whether mutant or not, shouting that looks a bit silly. Is the non mutant going to be forced to leave the team, in a bit of xenophobia?
9. Frankenstein. I like the framing of the candles. Good perspective use, with the rat in foreground etc. Nice family pic of guy in coffin. Calamity Nell seems to be the cause of the accidents that she the nurses. It is well known that Stephen King subscribed to Nellie The Nurse, which led to Misery, just as he read all those EC comics as a kid.
10. Boy Meets Girl. Lots going on. Ornate mirror on right, girl in middle and pic on left make for a well designed cover. vertically, you have the nicely coloured books and that white backdrop that makes the other decorations, and the character stand out. Very nice. The rose on the other oen doesn't look preseed enough to have made it into a Love Diary. I suspect fake diaries!
11. Wally. There's some light humour in there. Wally is even more confused when Sargon turns up and belts him for no apparent reason. Over in Sinister, Lockheed looks for other humans to pal with, having been bounced around the X-Man scorecard roster once too often.
12. New Teen Titans. Like Boy Meets Girl, that white background would have really stood out on the stands. Lovely offset circle of the background allows the characters to stand out, the diagonal starbolt is just the design cherry on the well baked design cake. Oh, and.."LIIIIILIIIIIIIITH!" Over in Namor?.."Gah! It's Nixon!.... must grasp logo to climb away to safety!" The bystanders are used to seeing drunken naked guys when there's a parade, and no one pays Namor any attention. He hates that. Cover was later used for a Tales To Astonish #7.
9. NELLIE. Frankenstein idea is good, but the composition and coloring does not work for me.
10. LOVE DIARY. BMG seems a little off to me - the use of white space, the color of the dress with respect to the rest of it, and that hand pose.
11. SECRETS OF SINISTER HOUSE. Co-sign Crames & Stile.
12. NTT. Sub-mariner looks like a sticker on a photograph. NTT a better (but not perfect - I think the drawn bit could be sharper) blend of its pieces and good call on cropping the photo into a Big Dot.
13.
JONESY vs.
CHERYL BLOSSOM 
14.
WENDY PARKER vs.
KATHY
15.
MAD HOUSE MA-AD ANNUAL vs.
THAT WILKIN BOY 
16.
JETTA vs.
MILLIE THE MODEL ANNUAL 
13.
JONESY vs.
CHERYL BLOSSOM 14.
WENDY PARKER vs.
KATHY 15.
MAD HOUSE MA-AD ANNUAL vs.
THAT WILKIN BOY 16.
JETTA vs.
MILLIE THE MODEL ANNUAL
13. Cheryl Blossom - both corny gags, but Jonesy looks creepy.
14. Kathy - the gag is better integrated with the setting. The art on Wendy Parker looks clumsy.
15. That Wilkin Boy - the sort of scene that really happens; why would the Reggie's father worry about the electrical bill? Wasn't he supposed to be well-to-do? He looks it.
16. Jetta - the title name and "cosmic creep" win this one, although I have some fondness for the Hey Kids We're Cool cover for Millie.
13. CHERYL BLOSSOM. Prefer the style.
14. KATHY. What's up with those weird Wendy Parker railroad tracks?
15. THAT WILKIN BOY. Co-sign re: scene that really happens
16. MILLIE ANNUAL. It's fun to look at and I don't think I've seen that specific gag before! Also I'm gonna get a little Wertham here and say Jetta is drawn too body con. She is in high school!
17.
U.S. 1 vs.
THE TWELVE 
18.
REYN vs.
SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL 
19.
THE LEGION vs.
CARNAGE 
20.
PLOP vs.
CARE BEARS 
13. Cheryl. Jonesy looks like a stalker. If that's the third time he's been back, what's the blonde up to?
14. Kathy. Showing us the truth about drive-ins. The track on the Wendy cover looked as though it was added late to reinforce the gag.
15. That Wilkin. Boy It has the better gag, although the fashion is much better on the other cover.
16. Jetta. Because we don't say Cosmic Creep around here as much as we should. Also for eye-catching skirts. As futuristic as Jetty is, it's Millie that has a Carggian on the cover.
17. US1. I prefer the colour palette of it, and it's nice to see Lashina crossover into another company. In art in the panel is probably a warning of a quality drop inside. The Twelve doesn't quite get the feel for pulps that it's going for.
18. Reyn. I'd read more of Adama Strange/ Cosmic Girl. If I ever want to take up lounging, I could maybe read an issue of Shade. But it's not likely.
19. Legion. More sitting around in Carnage. A crossover with Shade is imminent. The Legion are facing something...well... bright. Possibly involving Mr T's T-Spheres. But at least there's chance of me opening to cover to find out what the bright thing is. Oh, and points for the Thomas Dolby cover text.
20. Care Bears. I've mentally replaced all those Per Degaton covers and Secret Wars ones with a care bear in the middle. The plot in the Marvel ones improves too as an added bonus.
17.
U.S. 1 vs.
THE TWELVE 18.
REYN vs.
SHADE THE CHANGING GIRL 19.
THE LEGION vs.
CARNAGE 20.
PLOP vs.
CARE BEARS
17. The Twelve - more moody and the purple/pink combo works, typewriter keys a nice touch.
18. Shade - not too fond of either, but I'll go with the birds on her shoulders vs. 1950s space babe.
19. The Legion - Carnage is just icky although the design w. logo is interesting but Legion looks like something really bad just happened and they don't know what to do, plus the three figures each bracing for danger from a different direction, nicely balanced.
20. Care Bears - at least there are a lot of sidebar figures to look at; they're hard to see on Plop and neither central image is particularly appealing.
The Beyonder threatens the Marvel Universe! The superheroes are powerless to stop him. But even a deranged sentient universe succumbs to Care Bear hugs!
17. U.S. 1 Her name is Midnight, as that her moonlighting job. Her days are clearly spent dancing on the sand.
18. Both of these are don't-love-but-don't-hate.
REYN I guess although the title font makes me mad.
19. THE LEGION. Striking use of color and lightsource/ pink-purple shadow. Re: Carnage, there are several stunning covers in this run but this one just doesn't hit for me. (Does remind me of Moriarty in the Crown Jewels, though.)
20. CARE BEARS. Side note - I was very pleased when I pulled this issue of Plop out of a quarter bin around 2005. I was disappointed when I read it, but can't remember why (or anything at all about it)
21.
ARCHIE'S MAD HOUSE vs.
AUTOMATIC KAFKA 
22.
HORRIFIC vs.
HEROES FOR HIRE 
23.
THE LIBERTY PROJECT vs.
DROIDS 
24.
GENERATION X vs.
FORBIDDEN WORDS 
21.
ARCHIE'S MAD HOUSE vs.
AUTOMATIC KAFKA 22.
HORRIFIC vs.
HEROES FOR HIRE 23.
THE LIBERTY PROJECT vs.
DROIDS 24.
GENERATION X vs.
FORBIDDEN WORDS
21. Automatic Kafka - Archie's just a joke, AK is I don't know what, symbolic, a story; more to come, in other words.
22. Horrific - classic horror look. Not sure what's going on with Heroes.
23. Droids - Liberty looks better, but I like the time-lapse in the eyeglass frame.
24. Generation X - for the people running out the door. Neither cover particularly appealing.
21. Archie. It wasn't long after Arm-Fall-Off Boy's success that the inevitable imitators trotted out for the try-outs. Here's two now... Galaxy Gus and Head-Blows-Up-Lad.
22. Horrific. Look at what you get in the comic. Horror from the cover image! Romance as you walk hand in hand with death! Hobbies as you shrink skulls! Recipes as the Grim Reaper brews them! Elsewhere, 2 ladies looking for a chiropractor and a guy who probably a bit past caring.
23. Droids. Simply for the added "uh-oh" It makes all the difference.
24. Forbidden Worlds. Zombie creature versus bat creature = insta-sale. I'll have read this one at some point. I'm thinking zombie creature is the guy in the grave. But why has bat creature disturbed him? ACG also get points for supporting DC, by telling us that Flash is printed monthly. Gen X has them undercover and running with blurb that tells us they're undercover and on the run. Repetitive. Points for the team beside the logo though.
21. AUTOMATIC KAKFA, I am vaguely curious about what's going on there. But that title...sigh
22. HORRIFIC.
23. DROIDS. Co-sign Crames & Thoth. Would C-3PO say "Uh-Oh?" I'm not sure, but I can still hear it.
24. FORBIDDEN WORLDS. For acknowledging that the Lambada is the Forbidden Dance!
25.
THE SPECTRE vs.
VIOLENT LOVE
26.
GANG BUSTERS vs.
THIEF OF THIEVES 
27.
GLOBAL FREQUENCY vs.
WEAPON X 
28.
MY LIFE vs.
MY LOVE LIFE 
25.
THE SPECTRE vs.
VIOLENT LOVE 26.
GANG BUSTERS vs.
THIEF OF THIEVES 27.
GLOBAL FREQUENCY vs.
WEAPON X 28.
MY LIFE vs.
MY LOVE LIFE
25. Violent Love - looks like they're having fun, but I'm intrigued by the green eagle flying out of the dolllar bill on Spectre.
26. Thief of Thieves - on a green & black vibe here. More mysterious set-up than Gangbusters, but I do like to see someone other than Superboy and Mon-el crash through a door.
27. Global Frequency - super simple. The guy on Weapon is supposed to look creepy and he does, uncomfortably so. Cold colours too.
28. My Life - about the same, but the coat and jewelry look better on My Life.
25. VIOLENT LOVE. Although the title itself is a HMMM, the style and colors are tops.
26. THIEF OF THIEVES. But again with the Saul Bass?
27. GLOBAL FREQUENCY.
28. MY LIFE. Hey, there's no ring on her finger. (On the other, there's one on his, so they're married, surely?)
Feel free to join in, from the beginning or from whatever group you want.
Please include the # and the winning title -- no ties -- for each matchup.
29.
MOON KNIGHT vs.
OUTSIDERS
30.
AGE OF BRONZE vs.
AMAZING ADULT FANTASY 
31.
GIRL GENIUS vs.
SWORDS OF THE SWASHBUCKLERS 
32.
BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN vs.
TALES OF THE BEANWORLD 
29.
MOON KNIGHT vs.
OUTSIDERS 30.
AGE OF BRONZE vs.
AMAZING ADULT FANTASY 31.
GIRL GENIUS vs.
SWORDS OF THE SWASHBUCKLERS 32.
BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN vs.
TALES OF THE BEANWORLD
29. OUTSIDERS: I actually like the layout for Moon Knight better but the way the blurb covers up the picture takes away all its appeal.
30. AMAZING ADULT FANTASY: How could someone not like "the magazine that respects your intelligence".
31. SWORDS OF THE SWASHBUCKLERS: The composition of Girl Genius is better but I don't like the style of artwork. OTOH "CATS IN SPACE!".
32. BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN: Neither would make me grab them off the shelf but the depiction of (presumably) Riddler with the lack of boundary lines on his body is clever and intriguing.
29. Outsiders - agree with stile, plus Outsiders logo is unusual
30. Amazing Adult Fantasy - although that title doesn't initially make me think of apes and small boys. Age of Bronze looks too static.
31. Swords - I do love Krosp (even have the pin), but Puss in Space Boots is the more enticing cover.
32. Batman - Like the design and layout, the colours not so much. Haven't seen a cover of Bean World I've liked yet.
29. MOON KNIGHT. Going with the over-the top comicbookness, although I like how Outsiders integrated the title and other indicia.
30. AMAZING ADULT FANTASY although the proportions on that kid look a lil off to me
31. GIRL GENIUS.
32. LONG HALLOWEEN! That Riddler figure!
33.
THE SPIRIT vs.
GROO 
34.
THE ATOM vs.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 
35.
MANHUNTER vs.
SHADE THE CHANGING MAN 
36.
SUPERMAN FAMILY ADVENTURES vs.
TINY TITANS 
33.
THE SPIRIT vs.
GROO 34.
THE ATOM vs.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 35.
MANHUNTER vs.
SHADE THE CHANGING MAN 36.
SUPERMAN FAMILY ADVENTURES vs.
TINY TITANS
33. GROO: Technically since it is meant to be based on the cover alone I guess I should put Spirit but neither are particularly outstanding and IT'S GROO!
34. THE ATOM: Much more interesting cover, even though the perspective looks weird until you realise how tiny the aliens and their ship are, at which point it becomes good art.
35. MANHUNTER: Really like this cover even if it does do your head in a bit, as it is supposed to.
36. TINY TITANS: Um neither? I know I am not the target audience for this artwork but it just doesn't appeal. TT because SFA is too crowded.
33. Groo - does a good job of previewing the story and I like the sword hanging on the logo. Love the Spirit, but that's a dull cover.
34. The Atom - more interesting, good perspective and a Cosmic Camera!
35. Manhunter - gives the impression of rapid flight upwards
36. Superman Family - can't really say why, the toys maybe catch the eye more than coloured stars.
33. GROO. Still slightly lively even though nothing really happening. (I haven't read Groo. Is Sage what that guy is smoking, because that sure looks like a bong there. Mayavale connection?)
34. THE ATOM. I prefer the ASM color scheme, but figures too static.
35. MANHUNTER. Despite not LOVING it, there's several elements that keep me looking again. The buildings. The body language of Count Vertigo (had to look him up, only known from Who's Who) and the lining of his cape. The slience.
36. TINY TITANS! Love the colorful stars in the starfield.
37.
NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD vs.
STRANGERS IN PARADISE
38.
SUPERMAN ADVENTURES vs.
DOLL MAN 
39.
PICTORIAL ROMANCES vs.
ARCHIE'S TV LAUGH-OUT 
40.
MAD ABOUT MILLIE vs.
GHOST RIDER 
37.
NICK FURY AGENT OF SHIELD vs.
STRANGERS IN PARADISE 38.
SUPERMAN ADVENTURES vs.
DOLL MAN 39.
PICTORIAL ROMANCES vs.
ARCHIE'S TV LAUGH-OUT 40.
MAD ABOUT MILLIE vs.
GHOST RIDER
37. NICK FURY. I'll take trippy over WE WERE ON A BREAK.
38. SUPERMAN ADVENTURES. While I probably like the Doll Man art better, it's like dang it, Darrel, why you always getting into messes
39. PICTORIAL ROMANCES. YOU KNOW WHO!!
40. MAD ABOUT MILLIE. Zodiac motorcyle soul....nah, just nah
25. Spectre: That time when the Tattooed Man got work at the mint. Decent colours on Violent Love.
26. Gangbusters: That time the T-Men broke up counterfeit ring, only to find out that 1)they were a counterfeit counterfeit ring and were legit and b) They also used the Tattooed Man's ink for their notes. Thief of Thieves has the logo points, and definitely the tagline points. But it's a guy sitting in a chair.
27. Global Frequency: I don't think the logo placement will have helped it stand out in the shelf. The pic doesn't say too much about the book. Weapon X is trying to look cool, but manages to look dull with some suitably grey background.
28. My Life: Both get earring/ dress colour match points. Logos and backgrounds the same. My life loses points for the head covering the text. Love life gains points for giving us story points only to lose them and more as they're boring. But once I came up with "My Life...among the shoulder less natives of Antares", My Life edged ahead.
29. Outsiders: Nice angles on the logo, text and a rather upset Rex/Alt+Rex. It might be cold and barren where Moon Knight is. He might not be able to fight them. But he can sire bludgeon them to death with the cover text, light a fire with it and eat the bodies for food.
30. Amazing Adult Fantasy: And not the adult fantasies that are going on the mega lechy Age of Bronze. It's intellectually mature in Amazing Fantasy. Here is the tale of a population willing to sacrifice a child to the alien visitor. After all, a new kid will be born.. oh there's one now. Stories to make you think.
31. Swords of the Swashbucklers: At thumbnail, the cat looks to be adrift in space. On closer inspection, the cat is single-pawedly attacking an alien armada with millions of insectoid hive troopers. They should have brought reinforcements. Isherwood points too. On the other one, it's forced genre and a cat sadly having to put the human in its place.
32. Beanworld: I've often struggled to find a place to put the stray clouds. Thanks to informative, intellectual comics (see Amazing Adult Fantasy above) I not know I can simply compress them between the top and posts of my fence. So simply and easy! Thanks Beanworld! Over in Batman, the poor Riddler has been punched in the gut so often, by the "hero", he's sadly incontinent.
33. Groo: The pic in the side panel wins by itself. There doens;t seem to be much going on in Groo, but after 6 issues of the slow, yet terribly violent barbarian, The Sage offers a very different outlook. Keen Groo watchers will spot that the Sage also has a doggy. What will Rufferto think? Over in the Spirit, the title character has only recently joined the Zero Tolerance for Smokers committee. His cold, emotionless face will not hear excuses, even from the last breathe of his closest ally.
34. Atom/Hawkman: Lovely diagonal positioning on both. The Vulture looks his silly self, but genuinely old here, which gives him something unusual here. The little aliens look silly, but give something for both Ray and Carter to thump. Camera art balances the better city and fight perspective on Spidey. Atom would make me open it up, as I think the length of chain on that mace it also going to kill Palmer. Vulture costume is yucks. Close call in he end.
35. Shade: Another close call, and one that changed with age. I prefer the art on the Manhyunter cover. The insert logo with the mask is nice, although does get in the way. Possibly there to help it stand out in the racks. You do have to know who Count Vertigo is for this to really pay off. There's just enough of a floor around Shaw for the intention to be clear (I remember it as a dull issue.) But older me sees that colour is part of the madness within the Meta-Zone. It's a less straightforward story. I might like it less than Manhunter, but it's more likely to make an impression (reading Amazing Adult Fantasy makes you think of these things.)
36. Tiny Titans: For getting an Alien reference in there as part of the gag. Elsewhere, it's another therapy session for those who find lipstick wearing horses unsettling.
37. Nick Fury: Oooh. Another Steranko cover of a series I own none of. Nice. Dali meets the Bicycle Thieves. SiP has a poor man's Shining going on. It's a bit whiny, but a decently eye catching cover. I picked it up.
38. Superman Adventures: They villain at the top is going for major stabbys! He's just had to tell his pal that rubbing Superman out, didn't mean using the eraser on the end of his pencil. Ray Palmer must be peeved someone is pinching his routine. #7 of Dollman was the last in his series. #8 came out 3 years later, under the title The Cuckoo. It was a tell-all tale of Darrel Dane's serial adoption scam, where he would pretend to be a couple's new born, only to rob them blind. His accomplice, The Stork, has never been apprehended.
39. Pictorial Romances: Mainly for the baker art. But clearly the fortune teller is a wind up merchant saying that in front on not-George. Perhaps the fortune teller fancies not-George herself. The other lady either lives a very sheltered life where she only knows of one guy with blond hair, or has been secretly fancying George for ages, and will use the flimsiest excuse to run off with him. All good reasons to read the book. Laugh out has a decent gag and a cat, so it's fine.
40. Mad About Millie: That big logo and background stands out and Daisy wouldn't have survived if that had fallen on her. Decent gag. Sure, Ghost Rider has two bikes flying out in stunt fashion from a giant zodiac. But it can't make up it's mind. The zodiac is in the pic, and is a foe. But they want to give Stuntmaster a key introduction. But the title blurb confuses everything. "And lose hs own soul." Who? Dead guy with head on fire? Stuntmaster? Zodiac? The reader on opening the mag? No clue and no place for it on the cover.
41.
BUNNY vs.
PANIC 
42.
ART OPS vs.
YOUNG LIARS 
43.
HAUNTED vs.
FALLEN ANGEL 
44.
IT'S SCIENCE WITH DR. RADIUM vs.
THE FLY 
41.
BUNNY vs.
PANIC 42.
ART OPS vs.
YOUNG LIARS 43.
HAUNTED vs.
FALLEN ANGEL 44.
IT'S SCIENCE WITH DR. RADIUM vs.
THE FLY
37. Nick Fury - a lot more exciting than SiP, but I do like the forlorn aspect of the character on SiP.
38. Superman - you think a pencil is going to take out Superman? Is that a quickly coded message to Lois he's typinn out? Doll Man just doesn't cut it and I always find his costume looks silly.
39. Pictorial Romances - potential story interest over Archie gag.
40. Ghost Rider - don't particularly like the cover, but motorcycle guys and horoscopes are an odd combo.
41. Bunny - Panic is just too much, I'll take the corny.
42. Art Ops - a team book? A heist? Didn't read the series. Danny Duoshade looks like an annoying personality.
43. Fallen Angel - the more abstract depiction looks creepier.
44. The Fly - holding breath more appealing than imminent barfing.
41. Panic. The gag at the bottom is off beat, while Bunny tries desperately to the popular beat. Panic's colours would be striking on the stand.
42. Art Ops. Both fail for trying far too hard. The other one loses more because of the ridiculous hyperbole on the cover form some tame website.
43. Haunted. Perhaps it's a tale from the spiders perspective? Perhaps the spider has the face of someone that one of the humans had thought long dead? Some story...threads.. which is more than the other one has.
44. It's Science. That red spine steers you straight to it form the corner of the shop. Red is for danger... and science! Humour mixes with the horror of The Fly. The other Fly has the more polished art, nice shadowy critter and cheeks puffed out trying to hold his breath. But there's only one of these I'm picking up.
41. PANIC. You've just hit the patching jackpot, tiger.
42. ART OPS. While I like the muchness of the op art (hey) radiance + stars on YL, the rest of it annoys me. Bowie deserves better ripoffs.
43. FALLEN ANGEL even though it comes too close to Spidey insignia.
44. IT'S SCIENCE. The Fly looks like Arthur from The Tick. (Maybe that was later but I'm judging now.)
45.
STRANGE ADVENTURES vs.
GOD IS DEAD 
46.
NAMOR vs.
INHUMANS
47.
ZOT! vs.
WONDER COMICS 
48.
OSCAR vs.
HOPPY
45.
STRANGE ADVENTURES vs.
GOD IS DEAD 46.
NAMOR vs.
INHUMANS 47.
ZOT! vs.
WONDER COMICS 48.
OSCAR vs.
HOPPY
45. STRANGE ADVENTURES because that ant is hilarious. "Oh, hi Cindy."
46. NAMOR I guess.
47. ZOT! Angle!
48. HOPPY I guess.
45. Strange Adventures: The other cover has some tin foil hat wearing nonsense about deities. But Strange Adventures has the all too real warning about giant ants inheriting the woild! Points for the pattern on the skirt too.
46. Namor: I prefer the colour coordination on this one. It took me too long to realise that the orange pattern on Inhumans might represent Medusa's hair? That might have been worth a win, had I realised.
47. Zot! Future cities and ray guns. Nice sky gradient. Over in Wonder Comics, the Grim Reaper sends another damsel to her death. He survives because he's the grim reaper. She's not so lucky.
48. Hoppy. It took me too long to realise the guy's head was bell shaped on the other cover. In that time, I'd already set up my "Why isn't Hoppy in the Post-Crisis Legion of Super Pets?" petition. 'World's Mightiest Cottontail" gets cuteness points.
49.
MAGIC COMICS vs.
FAMOUS FUNNIES
50.
MAZING MAN vs.
MISTER MIRACLE
51.
WORLD OF MYSTERY vs.
CAPTAIN MARVEL ADVENTURES
52.
FLAMING CARROT COMICS vs.
AMBUSH BUG YEAR NONE 
49.
MAGIC COMICS vs.
FAMOUS FUNNIES 50.
MAZING MAN vs.
MISTER MIRACLE 51.
WORLD OF MYSTERY vs.
CAPTAIN MARVEL ADVENTURES 52.
FLAMING CARROT COMICS vs.
AMBUSH BUG YEAR NONE
49. MAGIC COMICS. Sentients outside the US: here's the
visual reference. (And here's the
cherry tree BS)
50. 'MAZING MAN. The Miracle Man setup is fine, but the Booster and Beetle figures seem off, some proportion thing?
51. WORLD OF MYSTERY.52. AMBUSH BUG YEAR NONE. How about a 52 match-up?
45. Strange Adventures - Giant ants taking over the world pretty much tells me that god is dead anyways.
46. Namor - apart from general preference for blue over orange, a prettier scene with nice touches to show it's under water.
47. Zot - more dynamic with that perspective, although Wonder promises more excitement.
48. Oscar - gag better than holiday greetings bunny.
49. Famous Funnies - the joke falls flat, but points for the dog. Magic loses for putting Henry on the cover while starring Mandrake.
50. 'Mazing Man - although I have a soft spot for Booster & Beetle as well as Scott & Barda, can't resist the pull of four guys walk into a bar.
51. World of Mystery - "Last seen Entering a Fog" - put that on my tombstone, please. Creepier story potential than yet another superhero smashing through a door.
52. Ambush Bug - colour combo pleasing, love the Bug, not the Carrot.
EDIT: Just read LYL's comment re #49 visual reference, didn't get that although I've seen the painting and various take-offs.
53.
MARY MARVEL vs.
LEGIONNAIRES
54.
HUNK vs.
SEA DEVILS 
55.
GORGO vs.
RIP HUNTER...TIME MASTER 
56.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA vs.
THE INVISIBLES 
53.
MARY MARVEL vs.
LEGIONNAIRES 54.
HUNK vs.
SEA DEVILS 55.
GORGO vs.
RIP HUNTER...TIME MASTER 56.
JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA vs.
THE INVISIBLES
49. Magic Comics. It takes something special for me not to vote for an axe moider, but the sheer imperious nature of the guy leaving the bath gets the win. Our bathtime pal looks much more useful that that Washington chap, LYL showed us, who is getting everyone else to do all the work.
50. 'Mazing Man. It's for the innocence of the central character and his mug. Personally, I find that supporting cast as serious creepy. Possibly enough to make me not pick up the book. Scott and Barda trying to find domestic bliss, never interested me. But since I never read it, I have no idea how good it was. The comedy was already overdone in JLA when this was coming out.
51. Woilds of Misery: Cap cuts a mean, determined figure busting down that door. His foe is so menacing he covers the logo background. These are elements that would win many a cover contest. But those well rendered trouser creases; the terror on the guy's face and which door would you choose? Possibly not the one with the oil slick coming out from under it? Interesting sounding other stories too!
52. Ambush Bug. Despite my obvious interest in nuclear powered pogo sticks, Carrot's World looks a bit static and empty. Bug's issue 7 of 6 gives a hint of things not going smoothly behind the scenes (a huge shock in a Giffen book). Even the central character has given up on it all as a bad deal.
53. Mary Marvel: Sure, Adam Hughes is a top artist. Yes, that little fish is swimming past the logo. Sure, there's some cheesecake going on. But look at the sheer joy in that little seahorse's face in handing Mary that pearl! Look! If that, and the smiling fish, doesn't melt your heart, then you're a survivor of Dryad.
54. Sea Devils: Hunk is perilously close to being impounded for transgressing obscenity laws. While I'm trying hard to imagine that is indeed a wave the Sea Devils are fighting, thanks to that Hunk cover, I'll give it the points. It gets points for the writers to come up with a new watery threat each month.
55. Gorgo: The film was coproduced in the UK and has a budget to match. I saw it a couple of years back and... what? talk about the covers... well, it still wins even if I don't know where the falling rocks are coming from. Did Gorgo throw them up in the air a moment ago. Are they from the volcano that's in the film. Did I mention that I'd see... oh I did... right then... over on Rip the critters look mechanical. A few similar DC covers had this problem with dinosaurs. Rip has cunningly left the other guy to give cover exposition while he makes a quick escape from danger.
56. Justice League of America: Even changed, they would still have their powers. So, it looks like an easy win for the League. Once again, Aquaman is left out. "If only I didn't have to stop and throw a glass of water over my head, to overcome my weakness!" he moaned on page 5. The Invisibles cover is the sad culmination of Grant Morrison's mum letting him peek at Skin Two mag on the shelves of his newsagent in the '80s. We should be grateful he was sneaking a peek at it then. A decade later, and that would have been his take on The Jester joining up with the Seven Soldiers.
53. Mary Marvel - something very sweet about this cover.
54. Sea Devils - good wave or bad wave? Nice frothy, crashing wave effect, with a bit of waterspout thrown in.
55. Gorgo - more action! more danger! better name! Was there really a film? (Yep, I checked - and the movie poster is a lot better than the cover. A monster and his mom!)
56. JLA - the joke's on them AND it's cosmic. Don't want to see people going to the bathroom and the colours are unappealing.
53. MARY MARVEL. Cute! I always want to very slightly rearrange L* because there's just enough of a blankness at top left to bug.
54. SEA DEVILS. Co-sign thoth.
55. RIP HUNTER. Are you guys nuts?
56. JLA. If the other cover is a test, I'm OK with failing it.
57.
GREEN LAMA vs.
XMAS COMICS 
58.
HAUNTED LOVE vs.
GHOST MANOR 
59.
GHOST MANOR vs.
WEB OF EVIL 
60.
HOWARD THE DUCK vs.
LUCKY DUCK 
57.
GREEN LAMA vs.
XMAS COMICS - This one was hard
58.
HAUNTED LOVE vs.
GHOST MANOR 59.
GHOST MANOR vs.
WEB OF EVIL 60.
HOWARD THE DUCK vs.
LUCKY DUCK
57. XMas Comics. I've always wanted a llama and this year... hey! Who's this creepy guy in a hood?! Putting a bow and some background on doesn't stop it being a pose cover. Elsewhere, Cap is bringing me a sock that matches the one he got me last year! No more hopping for me!
58. Haunted Love. The monsters aren't so much ridin' in Ghost Manor as congoing. Laughing faces in a cape gets the win. I'm not sure what the faces on either side are in.
59. Web of Evil. That will teach him to wonder how two arms can fit into such a small box. Ghost Manor loses again. It just doesn't connect together, despite a nice idea of showing stories as thoughts.
60. Lucky Duck. Decent and simple gag, and I wonder which hand is going to remove the cigarette. Howard is trapped in a world he never made, and which has better jokes.
57. GREEN LAMA. Hey it's Buddhist Xmas! Could use a little adjustment with the colors, but with older covers I'm willing to cut a little slack because who knows if this is the best representation of how it actually appeared.
58. HAUNTED LOVE. Kinda groovy. The other seems like it could be ALMOST be a humor cover.
59. I matched these not just for genre/period, but because I think neither is best served by their coloring. WEB OF EVIL has more promise (and might look sharp in black and white) and how can two right arms be wrong?
60. LUCKY DUCK, wtf.
61.
WEIRD FANTASY vs.
WEIRD SCIENCE
62.
ZORRO vs.
WATCHMEN
63.
ALPHA FLIGHT vs.
ANGEL LOVE 
64.
IMMORTAL IRON FIST vs.
HERBIE 
57. Xmas Comics - GL looks washed out. 196 pages of comics sounds like a good gift to me.
58. Ghost Manor - would have chosen Haunted Love but for the pink circles.
59. Web of Evil - kitschy, but can't quite figure out what's going on with Ghost Manor
60. Howard - Funny, prefer the art
61. Weird fantasy - more of a story
62. Zorro - simple, effective; Watchmen takes a bit of time to figure out
63. Alpha Flight - just prefer the art
64. Iron Fist - lovely
61. Bah, neither of these are weird. WEIRD FANTASY perspective is a little more interesting to the eye.
62. WATCHMEN. I know that's the owlship, is it reflected in Dan's goggles? Zorro main image repeats its title.
63. ALPHA FLIGHT.
64. IRON FIST. I think you've taken her point.
65.
WORLD'S FINEST COMICS vs.
DC COMIC BOMBSHELLS 
66.
VIC VERITY MAGAZINE vs.
TIP TOP COMICS
67.
DYNAMITE vs.
THRILLER 
68.
VAULT OF EVIL vs.
STICKBOY 
61. Weird Fantasy: Crumbs! No wonder I can't tell science from fantasy. Thanks a bunch EC cover designer! Weird Science loses as the guy isn't waring a space uniform. Those really are his Y-fronts. "A Billion Mioles From...A Laundry" wasn't the best story. Otherwise, that would have been a potential winner. Elsewhere, we see Space Corps poster art for their "Short Skirts Splat Ships!" campaign.
62. Watchmen: The smudge is an inventive take on a visual theme. The little clock at the bottom of the cover reinforces this, or it wouldn't have meant as much.
63. Alpha Flight: Aurora's malicious expression for the win.
64. Herbie: I'm going to have to get my mitts on a couple of these. Good gag.
65. Worlds Finest: As phallic a cover as you get, or my name isn't William Leach. Bombshells is oddly passive aggressive, with a statement needing to tell us that women are important, yet showing the cast walk away and have them showing off some legs.
66. Tip Top. That mix of funny and sad. Powerful enough to beat a points winning cover that has an elbow to the head, well drawn noms, a gag and the single appearance of the dog flying a plane. Try flying the kennel first, buddy!
67. Dynamite. An excellent Morisi cover that ticks lots of deadbeat private eye boxes. Giant logo and sidebar for the racks, doesn't get in the way at all. Never got why poking out an eye, makes for a better central character though (see Deathstroke, Cable etc). Elsewhere, someone in an overly busy , disconnected cover says "I could fight crime, if only I could reach those boot pockets with my bad back."
68. Vault of Evil. A better grasp of relationships, than lots of romance covers we've seen over the threads. Really like the panel breaks to give extra space to the payoff. Stickboy is just rude.
61.
WEIRD FANTASY vs.
WEIRD SCIENCE 62.
ZORRO vs.
WATCHMEN 63.
ALPHA FLIGHT vs.
ANGEL LOVE 64.
IMMORTAL IRON FIST vs.
HERBIE 65.
WORLD'S FINEST COMICS vs.
DC COMIC BOMBSHELLS 66.
VIC VERITY MAGAZINE vs.
TIP TOP COMICS 67.
DYNAMITE vs.
THRILLER 68.
VAULT OF EVIL vs.
STICKBOY
65. BOMBSHELLS.
66. TIP TOP. A little rough, but I'm mad at Vic Verity for messing up the gag (crossed out nothing?)
67. THRILLER. Although I know better than to try to read it.
68. VAULT OF EVIL. Ha!
69.
DATE WITH DEBBI vs.
JUNIE 
70.
FAST WILLIE JACKSON vs.
FEATURE FUNNIES 
71.
SECRET SIX vs.
THE FLASH 
72.
THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS vs.
TRUE LIFE SECRETS 
69.
DATE WITH DEBBI vs.
JUNIE 70.
FAST WILLIE JACKSON vs.
FEATURE FUNNIES 71.
SECRET SIX vs.
THE FLASH 72.
THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS vs.
TRUE LIFE SECRETS
69. Debbi: Because all the top hit musicians have 'taches. Over on June I shall project an air of innocence by pointing out that both guys go to the same shoe shop. Also in that issue, Inza gets jealous, when someone goes on a date with fate!
70. Phew, I escaped the possible meanings in June to Fast Willie...rats...it gets the win for the '70s era logo and fashion. Neither joke is that good. Notes Imra costume...
71. Secret Six. oh sure. You hope you're in time. With Carlo out of the way, that's one less person who could be Mockingbird and send you on perilous missions. If you're lucky, Cyclops will take out another couple of contenders. Nothing wrong with the Flash cover. It gets points for combining flash speed lines with the logo background. I just prefer the moody darkness of Secret Six.
72. Dobie Gillis. For the clothing detail. Always gets some cover points. Over in True Life Secrets, Doris is determined to date the entire cast of Thunderbirds.
69. Debbi - because I can't decide who's dopier, Junie or the two guys who actually want to date her
70. Fast Willie - more interesting visually, for the clothes
71. Secret Six - darker and more ominous
72. True Life Secrets - don't get the Dobie Gillis joke, or does he say that to every female?
73.
MISTER MIRACLE vs.
BATMAN
74.
BLACKHAWK vs.
BATMAN: DARK VICTORY 
75.
DAZZLER vs.
SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK 
76.
VIGILANTE vs.
EVIL EMPIRE 
73.
MISTER MIRACLE vs.
BATMAN 74.
BLACKHAWK vs.
BATMAN: DARK VICTORY 75.
DAZZLER vs.
SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK 76.
VIGILANTE vs.
EVIL EMPIRE
73. Mister Miracle. While I have my doubts over the crime fighting effectiveness of Robin nuzzling a crook's buttocks, there's simple effectiveness in that Batman cover. It's pretty good. Loads going on the Kirby cover. That arc of explosive bolts going at an angle to the off centre target is super. It leaves room to get in a Granny and Barda without crowding anything. Will anyone vote against Miracle? "Only a fool or a super-being would try!"
74. Batman: Dark Victory: Nothing wrong with the Blackhawk cover. But it's a pose with some planes. The guy on Bats is genuinely creepy, and a lasting impression is as good as a win in these here parts. Is that an alternate version of Calendar Man?
75. She Hulk: Dazzler is certainly more dynamic. She's conscious which helps. But it's the central arrows on the text caption that wins for me. Pointing out two bits of cover action in one symbol. Nice.
76. Vigilante. It's winning as the other one is a bit on the preachy side. Had the exclamation mark with Vig been the one at the end of origin then it would have won at a canter. I'll need to look that one up, if I don't have it. I like Chuck Patton's art.
72. True Life Secrets - don't get the Dobie Gillis joke, or does he say that to every female?
Many Loves of!
69.DEBBI. Junie is kinkier, but Debbi is more colorful.
70. FAST WILLIE JACKSON. Basic Archie-stye setup, but 'bilingual' joke and THAT PINK OUTFIT are interesting little details.
71. SECRET SIX. 72. DOBIE GILLIS. TLS concept fine, but the faces are a bit unpleasant.
73. Nutty Overmuch vs. Vintage Fisticuffs. Hmm.
BATMAN.74. BATMAN DARK VICTORY. I can tell you the reason for every matchup back to the beginning (in 2014) but a couple days ago when I pulled up this set (all Sevens pairs were done at the same time over a month ago) I was
Why these 2? The black background, I guess, and a bit of a throwback vibe. At any rate: I agree with thothy, and yes that is Calendar Man.
75. SHE-HULK. Agree about the arrows.
76. EVIL EMPIRE. What's that thing above the circle with the V-man?
77.
BLUE DEVIL vs.
DR. FATE 
78.
BULLWINKLE vs.
DEADLY CLASS 
79.
X-MEN vs.
THE ULTIMATES 
80.
DEMON vs.
GREEN LANTERN 
77.
BLUE DEVIL vs.
DR. FATE 78.
BULLWINKLE vs.
DEADLY CLASS 79.
X-MEN vs.
THE ULTIMATES 80.
DEMON vs.
GREEN LANTERN
73. Batman - simplicity
74. Batman - creepy simplicity
75. She-Hulk - creepy beasties
76. Evil Empire - once again, simplicity. If that's an exclamation mark on Vigilante, it's too chubby.
77. Blue Devil - crowded, but don't like cute demons.
78. Bullwinkle - Deadly Class is probably the better cover for atmospheric artwork, but I do love Bullwinkle
79. Ultimates - the red is a bit overpowering + upside down figure but Logan face in my face just doesn't work
80. Green Lantern - so many questions! How does being invisible save them? If they're invisible, can they see themselves or each other?
77. BLUE DEVIL. Looks bright & fun.
78. BULLWINKLE. Pennants!
79. THE ULTIMATES. Upside down hair!
80. GREEN LANTERN. Demon has THE STYLE but the story....is the villain zapping the titular hero.
81.
MIDNIGHT NATION vs.
SILK 
82.
ALIAS vs.
BAKER STREET 
83.
ALL HUMOR COMICS vs.
AMERICA'S GREATEST COMICS 
84.
TV TEENS vs.
MILLIE THE MODEL 
81. Midnight Nation - pretty, more freefall than scary. Silk looks like she's in major trouble.
82. Alias - more a vote against punks
83. America's Greatest - oh, Johnny, you're in for the same disappointment that the rest of us have felt about the world of tomorrow. The joke on Humour isn't.
84. Mopsy - like the fashions.
81. SILK. Hey, is that the Gorilla Nebula?
82. ALIAS. Telephone pole easter eggs.
83. AMERICA'S GREATEST COMICS. QUIT LYING, HUMOR COMICS. Default win.
84. TV TEENS. Standard gag but I am mildly amused by a handkerchief department.
81.
MIDNIGHT NATION vs.
SILK 82.
ALIAS vs.
BAKER STREET 83.
ALL HUMOR COMICS vs.
AMERICA'S GREATEST COMICS 84.
TV TEENS vs.
MILLIE THE MODEL
85.
LUMBERJANES vs.
DIAL H 
86.
SAMARITAN vs.
SCARLET WITCH 
87.
SOLAR vs.
GREEN LANTERN: MOSAIC
88.
STARMAN vs.
STARSLAYER 
85. Dial H - more drama, too much brown on Lumberjanes
86. Scarlet Witch - Samaritan looks washed out, Witch has more interesting elements
87. GL - a bit unusual for background and concept - musical villain?
88. Starslayer - crowded and the green background is very hospital-like, but cool ship, gold glittery starfield and ridiculously blingy costume. Starman depresses me just looking at it + dislike that costume colour combo
85.
LUMBERJANES vs.
DIAL H 86.
SAMARITAN vs.
SCARLET WITCH 87.
SOLAR vs.
GREEN LANTERN: MOSAIC 88.
STARMAN vs.
STARSLAYER
77. Dr Fate: A fun take on a classic, with each of the demons taking half the vertical. The Cullins art always takes me a couple of panels to get into.
78. Bullwinkle: The villains reaching out of their background panel to affect the central figure is class. More than the other one manages, no matter what they put on their logo.
79. Ultimates: Nice colouring and captures the thriller genre. Clothing wrinkles gets points. Wolverine seems to be a Windsor Smith tribute, with the annoying '90s thing where everyone had cyber-eyes.
80. Green Lantern: Although they seem to have an issue over what to do with the fire behind the logo, it's just too interesting a story not to pick off the racks. Inside, we find out that Jordan has sent away for one of the x-ray rings advertised in the back of the previous issue. Over on The Demon, it's one of those where Kirby makes everyone look 70.
81. Midnight Nation: It wasn't until I zoomed in that I noticed Silk is going all Spectre between 2 worlds. Before that, I noticed her legs are out of proportion. Probably due to the gravitational pull. SO, Midnight Nation gets a fairly easy win with a solidly designed cover giving us something interesting in each subsection and a nice diagonal with the glass.
82. Alias: The Dazzler poster is a nice touch that gives it the win. Baker Street scratchiness doesn't bother me, but I gave that character five quid to stop the saxophonist and...nothing. Git,
83. America's Greatest Comics: "This model shows what the world of your tomorrow, will be like, Johnny!".... "A windowless, soulless servant of industry, you mean, Cap?"... "If you lift up that rounded building, Johnny, you'll spot the body of the last kid who had a smart remark to make." Elsewhere, there's not much in the joke department. The watch needs to be a little higher for effectiveness too.
84. TV Teens presents Mopsy. Decent joke. Elsewhere, after 6 months, Olsen was beginning to regret taking the invisibility potion. He was exhausting the vices he thought he'd never tire of.
85. Dial H: Some people just can't let go, like this guy and rotary telephones. I like the dial effects cascading form the top and the guy's desperate reach.
86. The Samaritan: Now Wand's impersonation of Starfire gets lots of design points. But Samaritan's minimal look is intriguing. What are all the stories in that building (tee hee). Why is the guy pausing outside the gate? I'm curious. The little vital signs in the logo are interesting too.
87. Solar: Gosh! I just typed about BWS for that Psycho Claws cover. BWS for all that detail in the web like cables. Elsewhere, John Stewart listens to everyone telling him that Mosaic is just a reformatted Ringworld concept.
88. Gosh! I was just rereading the 1st Issue Special version of Starman! And double Gosh! I was just reading about Starslayer being a DC series, before the implosion took it elsewhere! Starman surprisingly gets the win. Well, I'm surprised. Central moon; concerned central character nicely framed by the environment. Starslayer is well designed. But it's a well designed movie poster. Less cover blurb might have helped a cover that already has Grell telling you everything you need to know.
85. DIAL H. The Janes are charming and I see you, Lumber pun, but not much going on. My H-Dial interest is very low but I *do* want to know what is happening here.
86. SCARLET WITCH. Like both though.
87. GL MOSAIC. Web thing is a bit done, even though the webs are wires.
88. STARMAN. Co-sign thothy.
89.
WONDER WOMAN (1987) vs.
WONDER WOMAN (1943) 
90.
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES vs.
THE MANY GHOSTS OF DOCTOR GRAVES 
91.
WEIRD MYSTERY TALES vs.
X-FACTOR ANNUAL 
92.
SHE-HULK (2006) vs.
SHE-HULK (2004)
89. Wonder Woman - a bit confusing, but Perez art. However, I'd be curious to read the WW for Prez story to see their vision of the future.
90. Dr. Graves - don't love it, but LSH very busy
91. Weird Mystery - simple, scary, mysterious. Something about the bright background on X Factor detracts.
92. She-Hulk business suit - seen alone, the other cover would be fine, but in contrast, it looks too Playboy pose for me. Lots of weirdness going on with the suit cover. Looks like Astro City.
89. WONDER WOMAN (1943). I dig the Escher gods, but it's gotta be 1943!
90. MANY GHOSTS OF DR. GRAVES. Co-sign Crames.
91. WEIRD MYSTERY I guess.
92. SHE-HULK (2004)! The colors, the cameos, the way Jen fills the space. 2006 gag/situation good, but that costume is a lil too painted on for my tastes.
93.
DAREDEVIL vs.
DEAD BOY DETECTIVES
94.
MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR vs.
MUNCHKIN 
95.
STRANGE STORIES OF SUSPENSE vs.
SEX CRIMINALS 
96.
WESTERN CRIME BUSTERS vs.
DOWN WITH CRIME 
89.
WONDER WOMAN (1987) vs.
WONDER WOMAN (1943) 90.
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES vs.
THE MANY GHOSTS OF DOCTOR GRAVES 91.
WEIRD MYSTERY TALES vs.
X-FACTOR ANNUAL 92.
SHE-HULK (2006) vs.
SHE-HULK (2004) 93.
DAREDEVIL vs.
DEAD BOY DETECTIVES 94.
MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR vs.
MUNCHKIN 95.
STRANGE STORIES OF SUSPENSE vs.
SEX CRIMINALS 96.
WESTERN CRIME BUSTERS vs.
DOWN WITH CRIME
89. Wonder Woman vol1: Lovely Perez design, and detail and definitely perspectives on this one. But vol 1 Wondy was written at a time when they thought a woman president, even in 1000 years, was madness. Offering a skewed perspective of its own. And where's my Legion Tale, where it's President Prince inaugurating the fledging Legion organisation?
90. Legion: A rare win for a Lightle cover for me. It's nice and detailed and fine. But it wins because Graves is telling us about a dimension where no man is meant to go. But *he's* there! Stop ruining the premise by your presence, Graves!
91. Weird Mystery: An effortless win from logo and background to figure and horror for this one. Reporter Rog-5 discovers the dark secret forms of ...The Children of Korbal!
92. Solicitor She Hulk: She-Hulk goes Astro City. The other one does a good job of showing the two occupations of the main character.
93. Daredevil: While Dead Boy Detectives has the better title, that cityscape on Daredevil is very nice. Considering the tension in the book, the snow angel is a daring touch.
94. Moon Girl: Alien/Dinosaur egg. Minchin gets another -2 to hit, as the treasure chest seems to be five feet form the dungeon entrance. What kind of delve is that?
95. Sex Criminals: This should be an easy win for SSoS (not to be confused with SSoSV). But the little cutouts are preventing the guy form opening the door and finding Old John's Secret. nice CAD design on SC.
96. Down with Crime: 1952 in the Big City. Since the JSA folded, Wesley has had to find another line of work. At least his victim has a chance. As much as I like Gunslinging Gahoots, I don't fancy the lady's chances on that cover.
93. DAREDEVIL. Sharper shapes, B/W.
94. MG & DD.
95. SEX CRIMINALS. Tidily weird.
96. DOWN WITH CRIME. Eh.
97.
GIRLS' ROMANCES vs.
HARLEY QUINN
98.
ADVENTURES IN THE DC UNIVERSE vs.
YOUNG JUSTICE 
99.
HAWKEYE vs.
THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL 
100.
THE FILTH vs.
TREES 
97.
GIRLS' ROMANCES vs.
HARLEY QUINN 98.
ADVENTURES IN THE DC UNIVERSE vs.
YOUNG JUSTICE 99.
HAWKEYE vs.
THE UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL 100.
THE FILTH vs.
TREES
97. GIRLS ROMANCES. Nuttier.
98. Much as I like the Marvels here, I'm giving it to YOUNG JUSTICE for the layout.
99. Both very nice. I'm going to give it to UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL for showing some fresh style in a standard superhero fracas.
100. TREES. I am more curious about this than the other.
93. Daredevil - crisper
94. Moongirl - more going on but nicely balanced
95. Sex Criminals - strange, that pearly white and purple and the image itself
96. Western Crime - Gunslinging Galoots! what a great expression. Kudos to both covers for fems fight back.
97. Girls Romances - what's going on there? Curious reader wants to know.
98. Young Justice - Artemis and the moon, very nice but also like the lightning slash background for the Marvels.
99. Squirrel Girl - I really like all those Hawkeye covers, but S.G. has great action & design
100. Trees - stranger, the shadows don't seem to match the objects, creepy. The Filth is very static.
101.
DOOM PATROL vs.
NEW MUTANTS 
102.
LI'L PAN vs.
SOLO 
103.
MARGE'S TUBBY vs.
WENDY THE GOOD LITTLE WITCH 
104.
THE CROSSOVERS vs.
PROMETHEA 
105.
SUPERGIRL vs.
WEST COAST AVENGERS 
106.
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES (2012) vs.
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES (2020)
107.
TIPPY'S FRIENDS GO-GO AND ANIMAL vs.
MARGE'S LITTLE LULU 
101. NEW MUTANTS. Nothing I haven't seen before, but nice style and Xi'an over on the side cracks me up for some reason.
102. SOLO. Donna's ponytail conquers all.The Batusi is a bonus
103. So many questions on both -- yet I do not want any answers on either. WENDY for color.
104. PROMETHEA. The whole package.
105. SUPERGIRL of course. Sit down Hank Pym, you're no yeti.
106. LSH 2020. More interesting, sharper logo too.
107. Both are excellent but it's definitely GO-GO!
101.
DOOM PATROL vs.
NEW MUTANTS 102.
LI'L PAN vs.
SOLO 103.
MARGE'S TUBBY vs.
WENDY THE GOOD LITTLE WITCH 104.
THE CROSSOVERS vs.
PROMETHEA 105.
SUPERGIRL vs.
WEST COAST AVENGERS 106.
LEGION OF SUPER HEROES (2012) vs.
LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES (2020) 107.
TIPPY'S FRIENDS GO-GO AND ANIMAL vs.
MARGE'S LITTLE LULU
97. Girls Romance: Call you sweetheart?! Well, sweetheart, You've just ruined our chances of getting into Weird Adventures! I was *this* close to animating that statue to take your place. Lovely romance comic cover art. Elsewhere, another DC character isn't allowed to kill the clearly mortal Harley.
98. Young Justice: Cap Family spend a lot of time in poses. But this isn't Raboy. Quite like the colour of the Artemis costume. Bonus points for combing Artemis, a moon and the YJ cast.
99. Squiggle Girl: A storm of Avengers is about to attack, so there's some conflict there. Hawkeye continues to be well designed without saying much. If that light in the sky turns out ot be the Hawk-symbol and he has to fight Mr Calypso Eclipso, the man who split the city into day and night, I'll reconsider.
100. Trees: Filth gets points for socially distancing police officer. But for creepy, yet toppable over tech, it's Trees.
>choke<
101. New Mutants: At very first glance I thought the New Mutants was a Titans cover lift. But that futuristic city and the people in animal head masks get the win. The art is pretty good. Doom Patrol, which was going to win, comes close with kookiness.
102. Li'l Pan: Techno over Swinging Nostalgia.
103. Wendy: Both of these are good, but the solution to Caspar is career changing.
104. Crossovers: Promethea brings some angst, but it's once removed angst, and I like mine right from the '50s. The art here, doesn't live up to that era. The Crossovers all snogging issue is the ultimate comics solution that could easily result in peace and harmony across the other comic companies.
105. Supergirl: I really think the girls have misunderstood the Shaggy Man. I much prefer the art to that of WCA, which I've never really taken to. Is Wondy supposed to help Pym pick between Ultrons by dating the other one?
106. Legion Bediboot: The future glimpse of the police vehicles gets the win. I'm also waiting for the penny to drop that in this volume they have flight rings. Elsewhere, Brainy discovers too late that atmospheric re-entry will melt a flight ring. After scraping up the first team form the sidewalk, it's off to tryouts!
107. Go Go: A nice update while Lulu is literally tagging along on a theme.
101. Doom Patrol - upside down covers are a bit annoying, but I like how Rita is holding her skirt and Cliff is coming out of two places.
102. Solo - caught in mid-dance, only her lasso shows movement. Not a big fan of either cover, though.
103. Wendy - by the time Tubby finds red paint, they could have salvaged the torn patch and sewn it back on.
104. The Crossovers - good contrast with the smoochy scenes and the bad news heart candies. I thought that was John Constantine for a moment on Promothea, sans cigarette.
105. Supergirl - just for weirdness and the many questions it raises.
106. Legion Showdown - more dramatic, better lighting. The Sea of Fire looks to abstract to melt a ring.
107. Little Lulu - pretty classic, something about a flying guitar just doesn't click.
106. Legion Showdown - more dramatic, better lighting. The Sea of Fire looks to abstract to melt a ring.
I don't recall a Legionnaire even in danger of falling into the sea of fire in the issue.
Great covers thread as always Teed! Thanks for all your effort!
Great covers thread as always Teed! Thanks for all your effort!
Does a debutante exert effort or is it all just ex tempore?
Standouts: Black Widow, The Superior Nova, The Maze Agency for drama.
Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, Fantasy Illustrated, My Greatest Adventure for weirdness
Wolff & Byrd, Scooter (the characters, not the joke) for humour
![[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]](https://i.imgur.com/Px0DVBt.jpg)
