Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities THE 29 RIOTS!

Twenty-Nines ain't waiting for 2032.
Twenty-Nines don't give AF about Elevens, Twelves, Eights, or Tens.
TWENTY-NINES ARE BRINGING THEIR OWN COVER DRAMA & DEMAND YOUR ATTENTION NOW.

Choose one per matchup -- no ties -- on your opinion of the cover merits alone. Click images to see larger versions


1. TEEN TITANS vs. NEW TEEN TITANS




2. HOT RODS AND RACING CARS vs. BLUE DEVIL




3. BIG TOWN vs. BOOSTER GOLD




4. MARVEL PREMIERE vs. ALL-STAR SQUADRON

1. New Teen Titans - good black background with giant Brotherhood of Evil. Teen Titans presents an engaging moral dilemma, but, as every air traveler knows, you put your own oxygen mask on first, Don.

2. Hot Rods - like the simplicity, with only the tire coming at you.

3. Booster Gold - more dynamic

4. All Star Squadron - nice hoss.

1. TEEN TiTANS. It's the lines -- eye and actual. First the underwater action, then up to the surface (dammit Garth, WTF), then the title tilt slides you into the left side lineup. It's all a little off-kilter and I can dig it.

2. BLUE DEVIL. I can see how the Hot Rods cover might be big with car/racing nostalgia aficionados. But it took me a long time to realize that the wheel in front was from another car, not blown off the one that's in the center.

3. BOOSTER GOLD. Much as the classic fair ride is appealing, Booster is, indeed, more Dynamic.

4. ALL-STAR SQUADRON. On the other, the Marvel banner + Marvel Premiere logo + the Liberty Legion logo squish the characters down into the bottom half -- and there's nothing special going on there anyway. A-SS makes much better use of the space.

5. SUPERMAN vs. SUPERMAN'S GIRLFRIEND LOIS LANE




6. MY SECRET STORY vs. MY LOVE SECRET




7. MAGNUS ROBOT FIGHTER vs. LEAVE IT TO BINKY




8. BIRDS OF PREY vs. THE TITANS

1. New Teen Titans – these types of covers have been done a lot in comics, but this is a great one by Perez!

2. Hot Rods and Racing Cars – something about the simplicity and minimalism of it makes it look beautiful and serious.

3. Big Town – I prefer the image showing an actual “something” rather than a pin-up, even if it’s a character I like.

4. Marvel Premiere – love the obscurity of it all, and love the “ugliness” and love that Bucky is about to punch someone in the mouth the second he gets a chance.

5. Lois Lane – one of my favorite Lois covers. I want to be in that line. Preferably before fishlips Aquaman.

6. My Secret Story – nice pulpy, erotic cover! The stars in the background against a white background make it feel even moodier.

7. Magnus Robot Fighter – I’m a big fan of Russ Manning’s Magnus art, and even though this feels more like a panel than a cover, I’ll give it to him. But the Binky one is really great.

8. Birds of Prey – by this point I was just loving the hell out of this series and I really miss it. Wonderful Butch Guice art which was always the perfect combo of sexy and pulpy action. This was an awesome storyline too.

5. LOIS, duh.

6. Gotta love the Fox sleaze. MLS has extra sleazy dialogue, but that MY SECRET STORY weird reverse skyline is SO eye-catching taht it has to win. Even though I suspect it was a mistake.

7. LEAVE IT TO BINKY. "Robot Fighter" sounds so damned dorky. That's not a a cover merit (or demerit) -- but the figure stiffness IS.

8. BOP. There are better "foreground figures in shadows" cover, The Titans. BOP fills the page better and coloring also very nice.

9. ARCHIE GIANT SERIES MAGAZINE vs. ALL-STAR COMICS




10. LOVELORN vs. GIRLS' ROMANCES




11. SUPER COMICS vs. CRACKAJACK FUNNIES




12. MARVEL TEAM-UP vs. TEEN TITANS

5. Lois, not just for the kiss, but Lucy's snarky remarks.

6. My Secret Story, romantic tone; on the other one, the guy looks mean, manipulative, buying the girl.

7. Magnus Robot Fighter, more dynamic action. But we like a good joke, Binky.

8. A tie: Birds of Prey evokes the fun of Charlie's Angels, promises danger on both sides, but the medallion they're standing on looks clunky and the firey/smoky background is distracting. Titans: Nice silhouettes, weird tentacle machine monster, Nightwing's comment.

9. Archie: silly, but full blue background looks good, Reggie to one side looking disruptive; the JSA logo splits the cover and scrunches up the image.

10. Lovelorn: captures the story with fewer words and images.

11. Super Comics, the star on the other is unusual, but the white background just looks tepid and the text clutters the image.

12. Teen Titans, all that shattered reflective glass is striking.

NO TIES! THE TWENTY-NINES ARE ADAMANT!!

Well! Just wait until they turn 30. Then we'll see who's adamant.

No no NO, that Canadian affability has no place in this here riot. Decide wisely. Or unwisely. Just decide. Wait too long and you'll be put in charge of the Thirties AND the Thirteens. Simultaneously.

13. WOODY WOODPECKER vs. HORACE & DOTTY DRIPPLE




14. ROM vs. JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY




15. NEW TERRYTOONS (HECKLE & JECKLE) vs. BARBIE




16. GHOSTS vs. ARAK SON OF THUNDER

Canadians only riot over hockey playoffs. Nevertheless, we can be stubborn in the persistence of affability.

13. Horace: shows both inventiveness and kindness to children, since dad already snitched one for the kiddie.

14. Journey into Mystery: much more menacing. That guy's a goner and he knows it. Unusual overhead shot, too.

15. Heckle & Jeckle: just how do you get someone inside a soap bubble, and why? Truly an existential and a scientific challenge. Both covers' colour schemes leave something to be desired, but Barbie's is worse with the blue logo and luggage. Why do blondes wear pink? I never understood that. Maybe she could guest appear in the Woozy Winks thread.

16. Ghosts: what kind of weirdo would dress up in armour to surprise his girlfriend? Buy that comic and find out! It wins on promise, although Arak is considerably more dynamic.

1. Teen Titans: As well crafted as the Perez cover is, just look at the expression on Don's face. That's anguish. The thought bubbles aren't even needed. Just switch in environments, and the really well posed unconscious Titans Slumping on the Dock of the Bay, make this a winner.

2. Hot Rods: I wanted to duck out of the way, just looking at the cover.

3. Big Town; Even crooks need some entertainment. A fitting end for noted snitch "Hamster" Morales. The Booster Gold is just a pin up and a time bubble. It'll take more than a Legion cash in to get my vote. Well, here anyway.

4. All-Star Squadron. Their expressions aren't quite as psychotic and they are better posed.

5. Lois Lane. Mainly for those awkward Justice League Meeting silences after Clark and Lois get married.

6. My Love Secret. The second story "I sunk to the Depths" is a follow up to the Lois Lane issue. Here she sneaks off with Aquaman.

7. Binky for the gender reversal. Over in Magnus, Xyrkol was actually a pharmaceutical. Left wing Magnus wasn't just about the manly short skirts.

8. Titans. They meet the Children of the Corn. Nice use of foreground silhouettes. It's not just that their foes are kinds, it's the tentacle monsters too. Over in prey, the ravens had to return. Did they? depends entirely on previous knowledge of the book and the generic poses don't reel me in either.

9. All-Star. Some countries really feel like they're screwed when it comes to global politics. But they should look at All Star and count their blessings. It could have been worse.

10. Lovelorn has the angst and my vote. So many story possibilities with that one. On the other cover, it's no wonder he wants to talk to the sister, if all she does is sulk and look out the window. Less angsty, more self pitying.

11. Super. It doesn't need the airshow of the other cover to get across it's aerial action.

12. Iron Man. The faulty arithmetic on the Titans cover loses it whatever few points it had. I'm all for Legion cash ins and the Infinite Man link to Infinitus gets my vote. Plus the more accurate dialogue boxes.

13. Horace is funnier, and not even a cycling Woody on the log can change it.

14. Journey into Mystery. "Someone is in my room" Yes it's you. You're reading a comic. "Three Frightened People" really needs to give the viewer something more. They could be watching a horror film on ROM's tablet. Poor ROM, reduced to desperately forcing people to watch his favourite TV shows down mines.

15. Barbie. Heckle and Jeckle has a great visual gag, but the Barbie cover is super polka stylish!

16. Ghosts. You get the feeling that the couple don't talk much, if she hasn't noticed his death. Still, skeletal black knights for the points. That Arak axe is going to miss the reader, and should take some notes from that Hot Rods cover.

17. FLASH COMICS vs. CRACK COMICS




18. MADAME XANADU vs. AGE OF BRONZE




19. PS 238 vs. THE LOSERS




20. STRANGE SUSPENSE STORIES vs. ROMANTIC STORY

17. Flash - wavy wings and wavy sea

18. Oh no! Not another tie! To appease the 29 Gods, I'll reluctantly choose Age of Bronze for its striking simplicity. The red suggests blood.

19. Losers. Beautiful cover, silhouettes, quiet menace, the visual of the cards ties in with the Endgame title, as does the sunset over the ?oilrig.

20. Strange Suspense - usually I opt for the more simple cover, but the text warning and the hand about to pick up that phone compels one to read the story. Why is a guy with gold cufflinks answering a phone in a paint-peeling, ugly curtained joint?

17. Crack: Uh oh! That "In This Issue" sign is slipping. It's about to reveal why Captain Triumph is so confidently posing. This is the issue that got Cap banned! He next pops up...um stand erect on...um...appears in Jodhpurs Monthly a whole year later. Over in Flash, they beat up Carter Hall and steal his billowy wings to make a sail. Reincarnate that!

18. Xanadu: All sinuous, slinky grace. The artist then puts in some other stuff beside the cat. The other cover has no cat at all. Unless one moves into the chest cavity that the energy saving lightbulb was ripped from.

19. Losers: They are pathetic. Look at them. Standing for a cover pose under a logo that clearly weighs a couple tons and is about to squash them like bugs. They probably think it's card sized but close when. in fact. it's huge and further back. I must really not like the art on the other one for this to still win.

20. Suspense. It's the last issue of Romantic Story. By that point they were so desperate, they drew the characters sitting around waiting for someone to call in with a plot hook. The pay off in Suspense is that the phone is wired to the power grid. Anything to create a superhero origin.

Good spot Detective Cramer!

(1) The New Teen Titans cover is such classic imagery with the villains so large and poor Speedy all tiny and alone fighting them. I love how powerful it is. The other image is just kind of meh to me.

(2) I like the franticness of the Blue Devil cover but ultimately the Hot Rod one seems more interesting with the billowing smoke and solo racer.

(3) I get more of the Big Town storyline from the cover image than with Booster Gold and it's more interesting to me. Booster's is a great glamour image but, honestly, those rarely do much for me.

(4) Marvel Premier speaks to that part of me that loves teams breaking through images of other things (SEE: All-New, All-Different X-Men ) and it seems more dynamic to me than the sort of generic team shot of the All-Star Squadron.

(5) Okay, first of all, these are both hilarious in their own ways. I love this! My vote goes to Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane because she's making out with Green Arrow on the cover! (He's such a ladies man. ) I'm just way more curious about this issue and, honestly, I love the crack.

(6) My Secret Story because the pose raises questions and the guy isn't quite as smarmy...

(7) I am loving the ladies kicking butt! Gotta go with Leave it to Binky though because the humor hits me just right.

(8) Giving it to Birds of Prey even though the awkward flails doesn't do it for simply for being the lesser of two evils. The Titans cover wreaks of try-to-hard to me. (SIDE NOTE: I wanted so badly to love The Titans and just... did not. It had so many of my favorite characters, so much potential and did nothing for me in the end. )

(9) Liking the evil vibe in All Star Comics much more than the humor one with Archie.

(10) It goes to Lovelorn for being slightly less obnoxious story-wise for me and, I think, the more interesting cover with the big fanfare behind her to give that contrast of her pain verses the joy of the day.

(11) I'm not sure why but I just like all the different planes in Crackajack Funnies more than the solo plane.

(12) Huh, I remember reading that issue of Teen Titans and not caring for Donna Troy so much but eh. I do like it better than the Marvel Team-up even with the ridiculous line about dead Robin (OBVIOUSLY NOT GONNA HAPPEN) because the imagery is so much more dynamic. And the title in the Marvel one, I think, takes away from the cover image too because it makes everything too busy.

(13) Woody Woodpecker is so cute! The Horace cover has a little bit of the try too hard feeling too it...

(14) Ooh, I like that Journey Into Mystery cover - very mysterious. Rom feels more done before to me.

(15) I don't really like either of these but, push comes to shove, I suppose New Terrytoons are pretty cute. The cover is more interesting to me with the bubbles and color, though I am impressed that Barbie is actually doing something!

(16) Surprisingly (to me), I prefer Arak Son of Thunder - it's dynamic even if he does look roided out. The Ghosts cover has too much text and hits obvious trope beats that don't really entice me to the story.

(17) Hmm, neither of these do much for me. I would probably rather read Flash Comics, though, because I'm more interested in the story potential. (Also, Flash. ) I like their teamwork, too. The pin-up thing has never done much for me, so Crack Comics is out... even if it does have a hilariously inappropriate name.

(18) Madame Xanadu manages to be sexy without being full on pin-up or overdone. I really like the sensibility of the cover; I would pick that comic up for sure. I also think it's really beautifully done. All of that said, I also really do like the Age of Bronze cover and would probably pick that comic up, as well. This was a hard one! However, I can't help but be pleased when I see a female character not reduced to sex appeal and still being sexy and interesting.

(19) There's something really classic about The Losers with the silhouettes. All the little bits - stripe of color with a sunset, bullet hole through the name, cards with what I assume are character names - are so enticing. It is, to me, quintessential comic book and one that I would be interested to read.

(20) I have to vote Strange Suspense Stories for two reasons: #1 - the other cover is so pathetic I could scream and #2 - I'm a sucker for word balloons coming out of unexpected places. Who is behind that curtain? A more fascinating quandary than who is not calling Girl #413. It's also a more active and, therefore interesting to me, cover than the Romantic Story one.

Wow that's a long reply! Welp, I enjoyed it. Thanks, Teeds!

21. STAR TREK vs. THE SPECTRE




22. ALL-FLASH vs. ABBOTT AND COSTELLO




23. HOUSE OF MYSTERY vs. STRANGE ADVENTURES




24. ROBIN vs. SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN

1. Star Trek - the torn flag, the silhouettes on the hill, bouncing apes reminiscent of 2001 A Space Odyssey, the weird planet. I could do without the starship. The Spectre just looks creepy gross.

22. Abbot & Costello: another fine mess, indeed. And I'm fascinated by the precarious technology of window washing back in the day. There's something about the colours or style that makes the cover look painted.

23. Strange Adventures - more dynamic and it looks like a win for the lion. That must be the NY Public Library. Children should read!

24. Cleaner design and much more dramatic than Spidey.
24.

21. Spectre: Just an unusual concept, yet confident and using bold colours. Elsewhere..."stay off our planet and take your federation fascism with you."

22. Flash: While A&C ignore health and safety the Flash has action and a mystery. Knights attacking a bank? What is the 1000 year old terror? Is it Vandal Savage, so cruelly dropped from a recent round of Flash Villain Idol? I also like the Flash discovering the scene along with the reader, as he arrives on the far left of the cover.

23. Strange Adventure: Walter Jones is a villain I'd like to see again. He's just about due out of prison following inappropriate behaviour with the venus de milo. Over in House of Mystery, Congo Bill checks his options. Why are they looking to shoot anything at all? Why not go back to base and get some nets? Creeps.

24. Spidey: Robin can use that rock just behind him. But Spidey has to hope that logo isn't too heavy if he wants to use it as a weapon.

25. TOP NOTCH LAUGH COMICS vs. MASTER COMICS




26. THE ADVENTURES OF BOB HOPE vs. UNUSUAL TALES




27. STRANGE TALES vs. BLACK CAT




28. BIRDS OF PREY vs. THE MANY GHOSTS OF DOCTOR GRAVES

25. Master Comics: oh for the simple days, when a young boy could make the Axis dance. Probably not too many laughs left in the old kicked-by-a-mule story.

26. Unusual Tales: gotta go with the flying bus over Bob Hope any day, even if the young ladies look pretty and cheery. They're probably on drugs.

27. Black Cat: if you're going to burn at the stake, might as well look good.

28. Birds of Prey: Beautiful bird theme with the frame and ascending characters.

25. Master Comics: The art is much better. I'll regret it when the History Channel see the cover and devote a six part series to "Hitler's Kinks: A Hitler channel special series. Elsewhere, after the JSA split up, Wesley Dodds hit hard times, traveling the country with Sandy and Dream Mule. "If you had been a wonder dog, mule, we'd not be reduced to this," said Wes.

26. Bob Hope: Ah, Bob's using that old Braalian magic to attract the ladies' jewellery to his person. Over in Unusual "aw heck, not another magnetic ray. That's the third issue this month. I'm gonna be so late. Darn Bob Hope's Braalian karma." Worse, it breaks down and has to wait 10 000 feet up for the AAA (Antigravity Automobile Association)

27. Strange: The new cola recipe test group seems oddly reluctant. Over in Cat, the sidekick is trying to blow on the flames, as if it's going to help. She gets her own book and still has to be rescued on the cover. Bah!

28. Ghosts: Charlton invent the first person shooter. On either side of the central action we have trippy colouring on the wax statues. Or are they wax? Two horror tropes catered for along with some action. Over in Birds, there's just another pose that tells me nothing about what's in the book. Is that a trend with Birds?

29. WOW COMICS vs. CAPTAIN MARVEL

29. WOW Comics - I like the lightning bolt walkway emerging from the storm cloud and Mary's serene smile. Muscle-bound Captain Marvel has a horrified gape look on his face. Is he getting ready to punch stardust?

29. Mary Marvel: Elegant, iconic and well drawn in all the ways the Marvel version isn't.

30. Green Arrow: Because there's something very wrong with watching Blok doing a striptease on the other one.

31. The Avengers: Is Wanda evil? Good? Or perhaps something in-between like a certain trickster god? Over in Wondy, I'm not convinced that she isn't going to pull her whole head off. Icky!

32. Marvel Family: Legion references abound, as we see another victim of Thom Kallor's power. Elsewhere, Mary Marvel's expression is one of "Which orphanage will get the first of this money?" Which is something sadly lacking in today's comic book covers.

33. TIME FOR LOVE vs. STORIES OF BRIDES IN LOVE




34. TRUE LIFE SECRETS vs. OUR LOVE STORY




35. MERIDIAN vs. STATIC




36. UNCANNY X-MEN vs. ADVENTURE TIME

37. GIRL CONFESSIONS vs. MY LOVE




38. THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD vs. JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA




39. ARCHIE'S PALS 'N' GALS vs. FLASH




40. CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED vs. CLASSIC COMICS

41. ACTION COMICS vs. DETECTIVE COMICS




42. GREEN LANTERN vs. ALL-AMERICAN COMICS




43. HOWDY DOODY vs. BEETLE BAILEY




44. FIGHTIN' 5 vs. FANTASTIC FOUR

45. DIARY SECRETS vs. CINDERELLA LOVE




46. PATSY AND HER PALS vs. REGGIE AND ME




47. QUEEN AND COUNTRY vs. GODLAND




48. SPACE WAR vs. TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED

49. JUGHEAD vs. GEORGIE




50. AUTHENTC POLICE CASES vs. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT




51. LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES vs. HIT COMICS




52. HITMAN vs. HOWARD THE DUCK

53. COMIC CAVALCADE vs. WORLD'S FINEST COMICS




54. BOY LOVES GIRL vs. FALLING IN LOVE




55. THE UNWRITTEN vs. CATWOMAN




56. SUPERNATURAL LAW vs. THE THING

57. CLASSIC X-MEN vs. BADGER




58. WEIRD SCIENCE-FANTASY vs. ZOT!

MORE RIOTOUS 29s

33. Brides In Love: She can't marry you Ted. Can't you see the "It's time for swinging" above the logo? It can be partners too, not just spouses Ted. Elsewhere in Stories of Low Self Esteem someone doesn't feel worthy. Considering the time frame, this may have something to do with baking. I much prefer Stories of Marrying For Money Monthly anyway. BiL wins for adding in a background.

34. True Life Secrets: Why should she have had to tell her? Surely it's obvious that her actual hair colour doesn't match her reflection's. Read more in "Invasion of the Mirror People!" Another True Life Story!

Elsewhere... what should Tracy Scott do? Well clearing up that broken glass would be a start. Someone could get a nasty cut. Anyway, shacking up with those two brides maids is never going to last. He'll be back.

35. Meridian: Just because of the better art. But really, it's no wonder that comic sales fall, when even the characters prefer to read books on the comic covers. Static is a decent idea, but the art just doesn't do much for me.

36. X-Men: You know when you spot someone reading your paper on the train? Well, just be glad is wasn't a legal book on the Mutant Registration Act. It was nice for She Hulk to put in seating to allow rows of people to look over her shoulder. It wins for the amount of time the artist had to spend drawing the thing.

37. Girl Confessions: Thelma Johnson is the woman dressed as a man on the cover. The blonde is Doug Randall who runs a pretty successful plumbing business. It's all in Under The Covers: My monograph into the stories behind comic covers of bygone years. In other covers, the reason he doesn't know you're alive is because of the terrible posture you have slouched in that chair whining all day.

38. Doesn't this thread have a "No Ties" thing? Obviously a set up so that Teeds can unleash the Xotar and re-introduction of the JSA covers at poor, unsuspecting readers. It's not even like picking a favourite between two children. Most parents secretly have a favourite or can replace the kids with others, who they do like. This is a much, much tougher choice...

39. Archie: Combining the Phantom Lady with a whip fetishist character on the cover still isn't enough to make the Flash win. Not even Merlyn can magic up enough. Archie has a gag and Veronica is clutching that shirt suspiciously like this was the day she was going topless.

40. Classics Illustrated: About to be eaten by Henry VIII or knifed by some mad old coot in a shack? It's tough being a historically adapted fictional child. It's true that Classics style comics got kids reading the books. But only because the cover art was so poor. Henry VIII is slightly less creepy looking, so CI gets the win. But the old coot probably wasn't an unelected despotic parasite who made the lives of most in the country an utter misery.

41. Action: Gosh! Superman vs Batman and in much better versions than the movies! I'm giving this to Superman. Although Bats is dark and menacing, that's one heck of a large window he's getting through and his cape looks as though it's going to be awkward getting through any kind of opening. Supes looks heroic and the thugs well... thuggish in crisp cover art.

42. Green Lantern: Alan has to save the woman. If those are polka dots, she's got another thread to appear in. Harlequin's attempts to get close to a boy, don't quite go as planned. She's the villain. She gets to be murderous. In All-American it's the heroes who look as though they've killed two crooks.

43. Howdy Doody. Neither do anything for me in the funnies department (2nd floor. 30% off whoopee cushions this weekend!) Both have distinctive art styles though, so points for them there. Doody wins as I enjoyed seeing the summery greens. Once summer gets here, I'll come back and edit this one.

44. Fantastic Four: Poor Aztecs. Forever stuck in the 1500s when it comes to comics. I'd say the guys with the machine guns were likely to be the bigger destroyers. There's something odd about the FF cover. The body shapes aren't quite right. Their looks are pensive. They're all alone in the city. They're hogging the entire sidewalk like a bad US police drama intro. It grows on you.

I'm milking my enjoyment of these, by not posting up my favourites all at once*

45.Cinderella Love: "Anyone for tennis?" It has a magazine cover look to it, and perhaps that's helped the art reach the quality it has. But you can't get past those smiles that tell you all you need to know about the couple. Over in Diary Secrets, sparks fly in the hayloft. 20 dead in barn inferno! It's just not worth it kids!

46. Patsy & Pals: Snobbery is always misplaced, and this is a nice example. Over in Reggie, I think those Archie girls would grin at anything. No matter what the cover joke is, they'll be there with big smiles plastered all over their faces.

47. Godland: I actually prefer the Queen & Country cover. She looks particularly traumatised after a mission gone badly wrong. Godland has a skull in a jar. It's not a brain in a jar, and that makes quite a difference. It's not really an appealingly drawn skull in a jar. But I want to know about the moth/butterfly thing. How di it get in there? what's going on? So, it wins because I'm a curious kitten.

48. Tales of the Unexpected: Two good covers here. Before kids were wasted on Star Wars...Space War! All the standards are here: Exotic locations; fighting hero; sidearm; rocket; exotic location; damsel in distress. All present and correct. Charlton have gone one better and have switched the creepy alien component with apes that they've hired for the month form the covers of DC Comics. But despite ticking all the right boxes, the art on Tales is simply lovely. The shading, the curves...of the spaceship. So good, it could inspire the opening scene of a science fiction movie like Aliens...oh it just did. "There goes our salvage guys."


*or prolonging the suffering of anyone reading the posts, depending on how you look at it.

9. ALL-STAR. Interestingly weird coloring of Earth on Archie cover, and I agree with Crames about Reggie to the side. But over on A-s something is happening!

10. LOVELORN. Look how the banner slides your eye to Our Heroine. GR cover drawn right at other side of train window slightly confusing to my eye.

11. SUPER. BDefault superiority.

12. TEEN TITANS. TOO MANY COVER LINES, MARVEL!!

CONGRATS CRAMES, COMMITTEE CHAIRWOMAN FOR THE THIRTEENS AND THIRTIES! Don't worry, you get the indecisive, the wafflers, and the sassmouths to round out the group. Like Peebs. And Set. And Lash. THAT'S RIGHT, Lash isn't off the hook. Get a shovel & Brother Voodoo and get Hot Zombie Lash to work! (Make sure to add "yes your hair looks great!!" time into the schedule.)

13. Horace annoys me. WOODY is multitasking -- noshing while actually working. Big up.

14. JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY. I'm not so sure on the light source for the shadow or what kind of window opens like that, but the overall effect is the winner here.

15. NEW TERRYTOONS, Well-done goofiness. Barbie's patchy outfit/background blending doesn't do it for me.

16. GHOSTS. Arak's already used the momentum. Ghosts still has the swing ahead.

49. Jughead. The sheer perviness of the usher's expression in Georgie loses it for that book.

50. Police Cases: Little does she know that he's a plainclothes cop too. And that Shrinking Violet is hiding in her handbag. In plain clothes naturally. Over in Crime & Punishment, the Gopher is undone when everyone teats their lawns.

51. Legion gets a rare win! Just as well it didn't show all of Starfinger's particularly stupid looking costume or there would have been no saving it. Hit comics makes a brave move, by advertising it as a no-comedy issue. As if the previous issues with a dead kid as the central character were lots of laughs.

52. Howard the Duck. Purely for the tagline. There's nothing in either cover that does much for me.

17. FLASH. Over on Crack, it looks like Blondie has wings...that are crooked. Weird.

18. I agree with everyone who said this is a tough one. Both are very appealing. MX has the colorful post-Nouveau, while AOB has the entirely different and striking use of color. Plus it's...not simple, but very focused? Ima say AGE OF BRONZE. Help me out, sentients, would this be considered duotone? And is there a name for this style?

19. Sorry PS 238, no chance. Static image + doesn't tell me much about what's going on or who's in the book. But check out the flow on THE LOSERS. You see the fire to the far left, then are drawn from left to right across the Loser line. Then up, as you see Right Guy tossing cards and DUCK, 'cause their calling card is about to hit YOU.

20. As a cover? STRANGE SUSPENSE. But don't worry, Miss Romantic Story, I predict you'll clean up in the merch department. T-shirt/magnet/decorative tin reproductions will make you rich and then they'll be after thee!

21. STAR TREK. How'd a computer get gingivitis so bad?

22. A & C has a style/technique that's a cut above -- but I have a hard time making out the water flow from below. And where exactly are their harnesses anchored? How the hell is that window open from the top, and why would it be open when there are window washers? OK, it's SLAPSTICK in a COMIC BOOK, but I am too annoyed to vote for it. FLASH by default.

23. STRANGE ADVENTURES. Patience & Fortitude no more!

24. PPSSM. For the colors.

25. MASTER. The art. "Top Notch" just tries my patience. Stupid.

26. BOB HOPE. Colorful, cute, folks having fun.

27. STRANGE TALES. The coloring does it.

28. MANY GHOSTS OF DR. GRAVES. Hey, sometimes gimmicky works.

29. WOW! Mary M. demonstrates the original Electric Slide.

30. GREEN ARROW. I dunno why Grodd takin' it all off is weirder than Ollie doing the same, but it is.

31. MIGHTY AVENGERS. That lil tilt of the head. OK, I wanna know what's going on. SOLD.

32. MARVEL FAMILY.

33. TIME FOR LOVE. Overall package, plus I'm liking the dress.

34. TRUE LIFE SECRETS.

35. MERIDIAN. But who holds a book like that?

36. UNCANNY X-MEN. I don't like the AT coloring technique.

37. MY LOVE. Big sunglasses! Beret! Go-go boots crossed at the ankle!

38. BRAVE AND THE BOLD. Could be either, I suppose. But I'm going with the action. Sitting around watching the action...hey, that's what I....Reader! am for.

39. ARCHIE'S P & G. Whoa, Arch, getting minorly political!

40. CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED. The main idea of the story is that THERE ARE TWO OF THEM, right?

CO-CHAIR OF THE 13/30 COMMITTEE!

53. Comic Cavalcade: Considering the look Supes and Bats are sharing on Finest, all teenage boys should be running away. Over on Cavalcade, Wondy is putting in some flurrying overtime against a machine gun. Having the cannons not link into the action is a bit lame, but I can't argue with them being a huge draw for the reader. Oh, and there's the chance of some action in the pages, and not a pathetic super race.

54. Boy Meets Girl: All those romance comics, trying to angst up relationships. Boy meets Girl shows us what it's all too commonly like in the real world. Friends say to me "If I had a dollar for every restraining order..." or "I can't believe my selfish personality and halitosis drove another one away..."

That's all I hear, because I get up and leave, telling them "It has to be this way!" That's something I picked up from Falling in Love. But why does it have to be that way? is the next line "Because I'm your brother Leia, and I must go to the Jedi Academy"? "Because I'm really the circus gorilla, and times have been hard since DC cut back on ape covers"? Intriguing! And that's what a cover should be.

55. Unwritten: Two clunkers for me. Just because the cover is artificially aged, doesn't mean it has any of the oomph of real noir novels of the period. How great can Catwoman be if she's reduced to pinching wallets at her own party? How secretive can she be if everyone knows she's a thief? No idea what I'm supposed to be getting from the cover. I suppose the Vertigo one is trying to evoke something...

56. The Thing: The Thing smashes his own logo in another issue of Marvel's obsession with wrestling. Supes Law has a play with a familiar catchphrase. Although the actual issue of Supes Law will be oodles more entertaining, the smashed logo gets the visual cover win.

41. ACTION! Yellow! Red! Blue! Green! Detective: has a scratchiness I don't like.

42. GREEN LANTERN! Look at that arc, both the wave and the incipient lute swing.

43. HOWDY DOODY. Extra technique, plus more of a joke (even if a well-worn one).

44. F4. Because I like the stars & planets & stuff.

45. CINDERELLA LOVE. On Diary Secrets, the frame of the barn door is too frame-y and there's a stagey feel. CL is almost a cliche, but you could see it happening.

46. REGGIE AND ME. While I enjoy ye olde fads of Patsy & Pals (and the juvenile delinquents who are in classic wear, ha!) is this comic insulting its potential buyers?

47. GODLAND. A lil weird. OK.

48. SPACE WAR for its colorfulness and lite psychedelia.

49. GEORGIE cause the outfit is cute.

50. AUTHENTIC POLICE CASES. Can Biro win over Baker? I don't think so.

51. HIT.

52. HTD.

53. WORLD'S FINEST. I prefer the cohesive pic.

54. FALLING IN LOVE. "We must part...!" is far more romantic than DON'T TOUCH ME. And why is she dressed like a baseball?

55. CATWOMAN.

56. THE THING. Speed lines, logo busting, and drool.

57. CLASSIC X-MEN. Creep E! Although I must say I'd be more inclined to pick up that issue of Badger (just to see what it's about) with that cover rather than some action shot.

58. ZOT! Floaty!

9. All-Star Comics - the line work is blocky and it's Capt Unibrow, but it still definitely works for me.

10. Lovelorn - I would actually enjoy finding out what happens here. And I hope it's along the lines of "don't put your life on hold for anyone, sister!"

11. Super Comics - better background and color "pop"!

12. Marvel Team-Up - perhaps for the novelty of a Torch team-up instead of Spidey.

13. Horace and Dotty Dripple - when dad and daughter are in on it together it lends a certain charm.

14. Journey into Mystery - love the layout here! Very dynamic placement!

15. Heckle and Jeckle - the very simply choice of one of them being upside down gives the cover a much more balanced and pleasant feeling. Really well done!

16. Ghosts - it's not just being a good image. There has to be a story being told on the cover and Ghosts is doing that better here.

17. Flash Comics - the other one is a great Captain Triumph cover for sure, but this is a rare early Hawkgirl cover where both Hawks are kicking ass.

18. Madame Xanadu - wonderful series full of great covers and this is no exception.

19. Losers - really creative way to use the logo, which gives it the win.

20. Strange Suspense Stories - the artwork looks grimy and rough, suggesting the story within is the same. That, combined with the copy, make me want to read the issue.

21. Star Trek - wonderful cover that I've never seen before. Love the giant red moon centering the background.

22. Abbot and Costello - there's no real scenario where I'd buy this over the Golden Age Flash, but I can't deny that the cover is both very striking and also effective in conveying the sensibilities of the franchise. It looks very modern in a way, as part of the current "retro" movement.

23. Strange Adventures - both are really terrific but this SA one is a longtime fave. The danger leaping towards the reader gives the added drama.

24. Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man - a longtime favorite, I absolutely love this storyline. The peril Spidey is in on the cover nicely portrays the very high stakes in the story.

25. Master Comics - Captain Marvel Jr beating Hitler with a belt? Yeah. That wins it.

26. Unusual Tales - it's simple, but the lack of severity of it all underscores how unusual such a thing would be.

27. Strange Tales - precode Atlas trying to ape EC always provided some gruesome images and this one is enjoyably horrific. Amazing in a few years (months?) such an image would be unthinkable.

28. The Many Ghosts of Dr. Graves - wonderful Ditko layout with dramatic and psychological faces on the people. As much as I like the BOP, how many splash images did they have in the last run? Now, a BOP cover employing some Ditko sensibilities would be really great.

57. Badger. I've no idea why Arcade is a recurring character. He's like cheap carnival knock off of the Joker. Who builds his stuff? Who supplies it? No, I'll stick with Badger.

58. Zot: Zot illustrates that the more realistic the backdrop, the sillier people in costumes look. Althugh Weird Science Fantasy shows us that neaderthals were wiped out by time travelling Aryan space people, it doesn't fit the rocket into the scene. It should be in the background. Will our hero escape? Is he just on a trip to kill a few cave people on a stop over? Questions that remain unanswered as it's just on a side panel. So, it's a win for Zot.

Well, where are the 13s/30s, tie sassmeisters? You're very overdue.

38. This is still so tough! It's not the first JLA appearance, and it's not the first JSA appearance in the JLA. But look at the roboty action in B&B! Look at the hammer they felt they had to give Aquaman to make him effective! The robot's yellow, because GL could just "will" anything in those days. Has the Flash been hit?!
But then look at the JLA cover! A reprise of the first time the JLA summoned them. The stern experience of the Earth-2 crimefighters and Fate's powers breaching universes go genuinely shock the JLA! Look how the B&B robot spreads across the cover from the left! Look at that metallic paw, about to crush Lantern! Look how Fate's is central in the JLA cover!

How can I pick a winner? Still thinking...