Comics where the title is essential to the cover art 0

[blackterror]

https://www.facebook.com/excitingcomics1/photos/a.1558223771089769/2464766097102194/

Superman! He's not a Sissy or a Cream Puff! This wonderful cover from 1944 is so creative and under appreciated.

I love how the title is essential to the cover art as it ties into the Circus High Striker.

If the title were removed the cover art would actually be incomplete.

Can you think of another comic that combines the cover title with the cover art?

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by blackterror

[MattTheDuck]

Not Golden Age, of course, but another one where the title seems like it's part of the scene

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by MattTheDuck

[50YrsCollctngCmcs]

On 4/30/2023 at 1:50 PM, blackterror said:

https://www.facebook.com/excitingcomics1/photos/a.1558223771089769/2464766097102194/

Superman! He's not a Sissy or a Cream Puff! This wonderful cover from 1944 is so creative and under appreciated.

I love how the title is essential to the cover art as it ties into the Circus High Striker.

If the title were removed the cover art would actually be incomplete.

Can you think of another comic that combines the cover title with the cover art?

 

That is a great cover. I remember seeing this issue at a SDCC a long time back and being struck by it but honestly I didn't notice the integration of the logo at the time. There must be other books like this but nothing springs to mind right away. DC did some fun graphic titles in the forties with interesting patterns repeating on the cover but I can't think of another integrated logo!!

[Cat-Man_America]

Well, there are quite a few where characters extend into the masthead of titles (Timely, EC, comes to mind)

Or the title is reduced to near insignificance above the featured characters (Silver Streak #7),

But Quality's HIT #2 definitely qualifies as essential to the cover art in this particular instance...

Edited May 2, 2023 by Cat-Man_America
Ale added!

[KCOComics]

One of my favorite things about the Spirit inserts was how Eisner incorporated the title into the cover art. I just grabbed a few random examples, but there are many more. 

[Scrooge]

Great topic and uncommon in the GA era.

Here's another that should qualify -

[Scrooge]

I also like how the title here is incorporated into a poster to feature the adventure in the comics -

[Scrooge]

So's this one with the birds holding the ribbon in Cinderella's name -

[Readcomix]

Someone must have a Hulk #345 handy.

[adamstrange]

Fun Fact:  Eisner was always in discussion with his syndicate because he risked his trademark on the Spirit by continually switching up the logo design.

 

[Scrooge]

Here the Title is again incorporated in the Wanted poster cover design -

[blackterror]

On 4/30/2023 at 10:42 AM, Scrooge said:

Here the Title is again incorporated in the Wanted poster cover design -

Clearly - integrating the title and cover art - is not common.  I thank everyone for sharing.  All of these examples are great!  Scrooge - I really like your Jesse James example. The title is not just part of the cover art, but it is truly essential to it.  I never noticed this book before.  Suh-weet!  

Edited April 30, 2023 by blackterror

[L'Angelo Misterioso]

On 4/30/2023 at 5:24 AM, KCOComics said:

One of my favorite things about the Spirit inserts was how Eisner incorporated the title into the cover art. I just grabbed a few random examples, but there are many more. 

Definitely thought of The Spirit first when I read the thread title.

[sfcityduck]

[adamstrange]

On 4/30/2023 at 6:19 PM, blackterror said:

Clearly - integrating the title and cover art - is not common.  I thank everyone for sharing.  All of these examples are great! 

Practical considerations are more important than artistic ones.

I previously mentioned Trademark law, but these books were distributed by wholesalers to newsstands all over the country.  You have to make it easy for those people to place your comics (typically, in alphabetic order), and you need to make it easy for readers to find their favorite comic book month after month.

When Spirit was reprinted in comic form, new cover art was created with a consistent simple title logo.  Eisner could only get away creative designs when his stories were published as an insert in the Sunday paper.

[Cat-Man_America]

On 5/1/2023 at 1:26 AM, adamstrange said:

Practical considerations are more important than artistic ones.

I previously mentioned Trademark law, but these books were distributed by wholesalers to newsstands all over the country.  You have to make it easy for those people to place your comics (typically, in alphabetic order), and you need to make it easy for readers to find their favorite comic book month after month.

When Spirit was reprinted in comic form, new cover art was created with a consistent simple title logo.  Eisner could only get away creative designs when his stories were published as an insert in the Sunday paper.

These are all good points. Spirit sections are a distinct exception to the original question as posed. While technically comic books, the unique newspaper section inserts were actually coverless, the front being a splash page serving as a pseudo-cover. The very concept of a weekly section invites title and art integration.  I'm sure there are other examples of GA covers which allowed the integration of art into the title, but they're definitely very rare. This looks like a job for ...the Photo Journal!  

[fifties]

I think a good number of pre code horror comics' covers artwork emphasized their titles.

[O Doyle Rules]

Moderators - please close this thread - it doesn't get any better than these two covers: (Failed to notice this is in the Golden Age forum and mine are Silver age examples - guess you can keep the thread open - my apologies) 

 

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by O Doyle Rules

[Pantodude]

[Cat-Man_America]

While looking for examples of comics integrating character(s) and titles, here's one that doesn't quite fit the description, but is unique,

...one of my all time favorite Jack Cole covers:

This is the only cover I'm aware of where the title is minimized and the hero and villain's battle takes over the masthead with another action scene integrated into it!