• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

What makes a 'Classic' cover & who decides?
3 3

Started by jjonahjameson11,

86 posts in this topic

JJ-4

JJ-4

Posted
Posted
On 3/17/2022 at 10:49 AM, D2 said:

LOL You sad face'd 340!!

I did.  Good cover, just wouldn't make my Top 10 "Classic" covers list.  I guess the question is how many covers are we going to give the "Classic" designation?  Is it like the Rock and Roll HOF where everyone gets in?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
D2

D2

Posted
Posted
On 3/17/2022 at 1:52 PM, JJ-4 said:

I did.  Good cover, just wouldn't make my Top 10 "Classic" covers list.  I guess the question is how many covers are we going to give the "Classic" designation?  Is it like the Rock and Roll HOF where everyone gets in?

I agree it wouldn't be my top 10 either, but if we were only doing 10 covers, it's always the same old song... Amazing Fantasy 15.... Action Comics 1, Detective Comics 27... 

and there would be no room for ZUR-EN-ARRH!

Nominated:

 

batman-679-rip-grant-morrison-tony-daniel-cover-review-zur-en-arrh-batman.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shadroch

shadroch

Posted
Posted

I can think of dozens, maybe hundreds of books I'd call classic.  I use the term Iconic, myself.  Between Schomburg, Adams, Kirby and Wrightson alone, I could fill a few boxes of iconic covers. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JJ-4

JJ-4

Posted
Posted
On 3/17/2022 at 11:00 AM, shadroch said:

I can think of dozens, maybe hundreds of books I'd call classic.  I use the term Iconic, myself.  Between Schomburg, Adams, Kirby and Wrightson alone, I could fill a few boxes of iconic covers. 

Maybe we should start with one cover per creator to narrow it down a bit . . . (let the fighting begin!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shadroch

shadroch

Posted
Posted (edited)

Choose them all. Let God sort them out.

 

I've seen a few covers designated classic that I disagee with, and some I hold iconic that have yet to be recognized by the masses.  It's not a big deal. Asking me to chose one cover featuring Batman after 75 years of issues would be impossible. Same with Supes. Asking me to chose one Schomburg Timely  is a non-starter. 

One Mac Raboy Captain Marvel Jr cover?   One Kirby FF cover?  One Spidey cover?  One Dave Stevens?  I'd rather face a future with nothing but Charltons.

Edited by shadroch
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JJ-4

JJ-4

Posted
Posted
On 3/17/2022 at 11:37 AM, shadroch said:

Choose them all. Let God sort them out.

 

I've seen a few covers designated classic that I disagee with, and some I hold iconic that have yet to be recognized by the masses.  It's not a big deal. Asking me to chose one cover featuring Batman after 75 years of issues would be impossible. Same with Supes. Asking me to chose one Schomburg Timely  is a non-starter. 

One Mac Raboy Captain Marvel Jr cover?   One Kirby FF cover?  One Spidey cover?  One Dave Stevens?  I'd rather face a future with nothing but Charltons.

Love this line "I'd rather face a future with nothing but Charltons"

 

You can like them all, like flavors of ice cream, but when you treat yourself to a cone what Kirby cover do you pick?  (maybe a triple scoop just this one time?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
HighRadArt

HighRadArt

Posted
Posted (edited)

There's so many classiic covers from very different eras for very different reasons it would be near impossible.  There's not even a consinsus on when the Modern Age ends. 

For me Avengers 95 comes to mind.  Not because of the cover but the splash page.  I had never heard of Neal Adams but was hooked at page one. 

As for a classic cover for me great story telling is part of it and one that comes to mind is ASM 144 - I loved Ross Andru's art and remember hoping she was really not dead.  It was a great time to be reading Spidey and remember impatiently waiting for the next issue.  My 2 cents.

image.thumb.png.c46fa9e1928c30c8f9f1620e31a76624.png

Edited by HighRadArt
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JJ-4

JJ-4

Posted
Posted
On 3/17/2022 at 11:37 AM, shadroch said:

Choose them all. Let God sort them out.

 

I've seen a few covers designated classic that I disagee with, and some I hold iconic that have yet to be recognized by the masses.  It's not a big deal. Asking me to chose one cover featuring Batman after 75 years of issues would be impossible. Same with Supes. Asking me to chose one Schomburg Timely  is a non-starter. 

One Mac Raboy Captain Marvel Jr cover?   One Kirby FF cover?  One Spidey cover?  One Dave Stevens?  I'd rather face a future with nothing but Charltons.

Maybe it would be easier if it wasn't so formal a decision.

 

Me - Hey shadroch, nice to meet you

You - Back at ya

Me - You like comics?

You - Yes of course, I'm on this website aren't I?

Me - Awkward silence

Me - Got any favorite comic creators?

You - I like Mac Raboy

Me - Never heard of him

You - You're and insufficiently_thoughtful_person

Me - Anyone else?

You - Yes Kirby and Dave Stevens

Me - What is your favorite Dave Stevens cover

You - _____________ *

 

 

 

 

 

* the 1st Stevens cover you thought of is your answer here, that is the classic (doesn't mean you don't like the rest)

 

  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KirbyJack

KirbyJack

Posted
Posted (edited)

To me, a classic cover needs to be an exceptional effort from the artist, or it needs to capture something essential to a character or genre. Just because everyone knows what Detective 27 looks like doesn’t mean it’s a classic cover.

If I say Weird Science 16, not even this audience could all visualize it, but I think it’s an authentic classic.

A73EF97D-63E4-4EF0-9BA1-C0585AA37FB6.thumb.jpeg.f92bf73c870d7633331b191acb2986ac.jpeg

Edited by KirbyJack
Link to comment
Share on other sites
shadroch

shadroch

Posted
Posted
On 3/17/2022 at 12:18 PM, KirbyJack said:

To me, a classic cover needs to be an exceptional effort from the artist, or it needs to capture something essential to a character or genre. Just because everyone knows what Detective 27 looks like doesn’t mean it’s a classic cover.

If I say Weird Science 16, not even this audience could all visualize it, but I think it’s an authentic classic.

A73EF97D-63E4-4EF0-9BA1-C0585AA37FB6.thumb.jpeg.f92bf73c870d7633331b191acb2986ac.jpeg

To me, it's just a typical EC cover. To you it is a classic.   Life is good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
KirbyJack

KirbyJack

Posted
Posted
On 3/17/2022 at 2:50 PM, shadroch said:

To me, it's just a typical EC cover. To you it is a classic.   Life is good.

It’s the “Mars Attacks” cover. It’s recognized as a direct inspiration for the 1962 trading card set, which in turn inspired the 1994 movie. Which all means that…yep, life is good!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shadroch

shadroch

Posted
Posted
On 3/17/2022 at 1:02 PM, KirbyJack said:

It’s the “Mars Attacks” cover. It’s recognized as a direct inspiration for the 1962 trading card set, which in turn inspired the 1994 movie. Which all means that…yep, life is good!

I liked the puppy.  He grew up to be a real hotdog.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
shadroch

shadroch

Posted
Posted
On 3/17/2022 at 1:10 PM, JJ-4 said:

Hey shadroch what is your favorite Dave Stevens cover?

I couldn't say. Too many to chose from.  I liked his Twisted Tales 1 cover and a number of his Rocketeer ones. I have a litho of his Valkerie cover from Airboy but I wouldn't say it was my favorite.  There was an Eclipse book with a Brian Setzer character on the cover that we used to tease him about, but I forget which one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JJ-4

JJ-4

Posted
Posted
On 3/17/2022 at 1:24 PM, shadroch said:

I couldn't say. Too many to chose from.  I liked his Twisted Tales 1 cover and a number of his Rocketeer ones. I have a litho of his Valkerie cover from Airboy but I wouldn't say it was my favorite.  There was an Eclipse book with a Brian Setzer character on the cover that we used to tease him about, but I forget which one.

I appreciate those including his Rocketeer stuff but my 1st thought of Stevens was his yellow Vanguard Illustrated cover, that would be my Stevens "classic".

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ADAMANTIUM

ADAMANTIUM

Posted
Posted
On 3/17/2022 at 3:47 PM, JJ-4 said:

I appreciate those including his Rocketeer stuff but my 1st thought of Stevens was his yellow Vanguard Illustrated cover, that would be my Stevens "classic".

Then you should try out 3d zone I think #16

It has the vanguard cover on the back I believe, but a very striking front cover as well (thumbsu

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
3 3
Go to topic listing