Posts Tagged yuko shimizu
Cammy’s Favorite Covers for 4/11/12
Dark Matter #4 by Garry Brown
An explosive start to the covers this week! Garry Brown (as usual) blows my eyeballs away with another action-packed cover for Dark Matter. His covers remind me of the big blockbuster Sci-Fi movies that Hollywood loves cranking out, only if this were an actual movie poster, I’d be buying tickets to the midnight showing in a heartbeat. I love the jagged blasts from the guns, as the commandos are engulfed in flames all around. Add the destroyed spaceship above the title and this cover just kills it!
The Unwritten #36 by Yuko Shimizu
Donnie Darko; the later years.
Alabaster Wolves #1 by Greg Ruth
Maybe it’s just because I’m in the current mindset, but The Hunger Games slightly comes to mind when viewing this cover. I say this only because the gal with the knife reminds me a little of Katniss, and this four-headed specter is just another one of the game pieces in play at the arena. Seriously though, this cover is intense and intriguing, all rolled into one. I love the details in the long and tangled black hair, and the talon-like claws are just downright freaky. Even if I didn’t already see Steve Lieber’s name on the title, I would definitely would have picked it up based on the cover alone. Beautiful stuff!
Resurrection Man #8 by Rafael Albuquerque
Looks like Resurrection Man is The Flash all of a sudden, trying to outrun death. As awesome as this cover is, it just still kinda freaks me out a little seeing Albuquerque doing covers for other series outside of American Vampire. It almost feels like I caught him cheating on Scott Snyder, and this bastard is the result of him fooling around with other series. On a more serious note though, I love the different layers presented to us on this cover; map, death, and an active trail. The washes are gorgeous, and Rafael shows us once again why he is the master of his craft.
Lobster Johnson: The Burning Hand #4 Variant by Mike Mignola
As much as I marvel at the beauty of this cover, it upsets me a little at the same time. It upsets me in the sense that while Lobster Johnson is my favorite Mignola-verse character, I’ll never get a series starring him illustrated front-to-back by Mike Mignola. I remember the good old days (as many of us do) when it was Mignola writing and illustrating, with coloring by Dave Stewart. I understand that he’s a busy dude with the writing nowadays, but this cover just makes me long for that Mignola style on another Lobster Johnson miniseries. While I go cry in the corner, take a few minutes to take-in the essence of this cover, and then come join me. I’ll have the Kleenex ready.
Cammy’s Favorite Covers for 03/14/12
Haunt #22 by Nathan Fox
Now that’s what I call a vacation! A margarita in one hand, a katana in the other, all while observing a topless ginger beauty crawling around on all fours over a bed of broken bones. Wait, what?! While the naked woman is very intriguing (as they always are), I found my eye wandering to the landscapes behind all the action. The green hills with freckled patches of red plants pleases me, as do the blue crushed bones in the foreground. So yeah, your eyes definitely get some pleasant stimulation from all the colors and images spread about the cover.
The Unwritten #35 by Yuko Shimizu
What more can I say about Yuko that I haven’t said already? She gives us nothing less than perfection with these covers, that I almost feel the need to induct her into a Cammy’s Favorite Cover Artists Hall Of Fame just to give other artists a chance! But where would the fun in that be? It would prevent me from sharing with you all her utter brilliance when it comes to her brush connecting on a blank canvas. Or in this case, text. Suppose it would form complete sentences if she got cornrows?
Journey Into Mystery #635 by Stephanie Hans
I absolutely love the use of colors in this cover! The fire just explodes right off the page and singes my chin hairs! The swirls really grab my attention as well, so nice use of serpents being incorporated in the battle. As if regular serpents weren’t bad enough, this guy ups the ante with magical serpents! What an absolute prick. I’d love to see this cover as a poster, but I gotta deduct Marvel (not Hans) points due to that annoying banner at the top. Banners; the destroyers of art.
Warlord of Mars #16 by Joe Jusko
I think my months-long dry spell is finally catching up to me, for this is the second cover this week that involves a topless woman. Again, nothing wrong with the female form, but it’s the other things on this cover that really seduce me. First of all, the whole image being seen as a vision is spectacular, as the whole scenario flows smoothly from his eyes like smoke from a fire. Then there’s the use of warm and cool colors, differentiating what’s going on through the eyes of the beholder. Finally, the use of negative space creeping-up along the sides, focusing on just the front and center. Usually covers from Dynamite Entertainment tend to be dark horses in this covers race, but I gotta say this is my favorite cover of the week. It’s just so enchanting, that I can’t stop looking at it.
Cammy’s Favorite Covers for 2/29/12
Hack/Slash #13 Cover B by Ben Templesmith
Ben Templesmith’s art and Hack/Slash seemed like such an obvious pairing to me. However, after a little research it seems this is the first time that Templesmith has provided any illustrations to Seeley & the series. What was the frickin’ hold-up?! Cassie embodies the creepy-yet-total-badass combination wonderfully, with the blood on her signature bat a very nice touch. The looming villain with the wall filled with hanging torture tools is the cherry on top, with the perfect use of lighting and colors. If I may be so bold, I demand more Templesmith & Seeley collaborations! It just feels so right.
Spaceman #4 by Dave Johnson
There are so many wonderful techniques the Reverend Dave Johnson uses on this cover. And because he’s a genuine master of his craft, it makes it that much easier to proclaim it as my favorite cover of the week, hands-down. The color scheme of orange and gray, with the mixture of cold and warm colors dominating the majority of the cover make the white bones pop-out that much more effectively and really draws you in to it’s design and beauty as a whole. Such a cool idea with the bones on the arms in crossbones formation, that it makes me wonder when will that tattoo idea catch on with the young folk. “You call that a sleeve? THIS, is a…radical radius?” I want this as a poster, I want this as a print, I want this on the hood of my car. It’s badass, it demands your attention, and it’s the reason you should be submitting your body and soul to the Reverend’s gospel on a daily basis.
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #4 by Rafael Albuquerque
Goddamn is this an awesome looking cover. To me, this is what DC’s Ultimate rendition of the Flash would look like; a red-hot crimson blur, angry at the world, looking like he could explode at any moment. I’ve always been a fan of Albuquerque’s wicked style, but this cover in particular feels like he’s taking his game to a whole other level! This is what Hermes would look like if he was appointed one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; streaking down his message of destruction to our world. The last message we would ever hear before total annihilation.
Star Trek #6 by Tim Bradstreet
“The creature within me is gone. I am free of it, and the pain. I am also quite blind. An equitable trade, Doctor. Thank you.” -Spock in The Immunity Syndrome
The Unwritten #34.5 by Yuko Shimizu
Angelic. Purely whimsical and magical, radiating artistic beauty across the entire comic book medium. The fine details in her curly golden locks and hundreds of feathers just leaves me breathless, completely soaking everything in. I saw her face, now I’m a believer. The minute Shimizu opens a gallery anywhere in the world, I’ll be the first one in line to purchase a ticket. Perhaps one day, I’ll even be fortunate enough to own an original piece. Until that time however, we can all continue to glimpse at in awe, cursing the heavens that none of us will ever produce anything remotely close to perfection like Shimizu does.
Cammy’s Favorite Covers for 1/25/12
The Unwritten #33.5 by Yuko Shimizu
Quick, someone call Spider-Man! I hear this happens to him all the time! Once again we have another beautifully illustrated cover from Shimizu, in her unique and elegantly detailed style. I just love following the tangled strings as they seem to gently entangle the poor girl. The ruffles in her dress and hat are a great final touch, and the pink and white decor give it a wonderful old-timey feel.
King Conan: The Phoenix On The Sword #1 by Andrew Robinson
It has a very classic Frazetta look and feel to it, and really that’s what every Conan cover should strive to be. The splatter of blood on weaponry, the torn and tattered cape, the dark and brooding features; all reeks of a barbarian king to me! A really superb cover, and I can tell that Robinson put a lot of time and heart into making this image iconic.
Incorruptible #26 by Garry Brown
The colors reign supreme in this cover, with the jagged highlighting for each character. The primary colors always work well together when arranged accordingly, and the halo effect beaming from the Plutonian is a nice touch. Great job as usual by Brown, and I can definitely see this cover in particular as the cover for the eventual collection.
Creepy #7 by Sanjulian
“Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Creatures crawl in search of blood
To terrorize y’awl’s neighborhood
And whosoever shall be found
Without the soul for getting down
Must stand and face the hounds of hell
And rot inside a corpse’s shell
The foulest stench is in the air
The funk of forty thousand years
And grizzly ghouls from every tomb
Are closing in to seal your doom
And though you fight to stay alive
Your body starts to shiver
For no mere mortal can resist
The evil of the thriller!“
-Vincent Price, Thriller
The Walking Dead #93 by Charlie Adlard
I don’t know about the rest of you, but this cover is completely mind-blowing to me. I won’t spoil anything about what the reveal was last issue, but if you’ve been reading the series monthly like I have, you know how exciting (and beautiful) this cover really is.
Cammy’s Favorite Covers for 12/28/11
American Vampire #22 by Rafael Albuquerque
Eeeyyy! Grease Lightning, go Grease Lightnin’! So as the cover suggests, we now find our vampires in another decade (yet again). The stylings of a vampire greaser is oddly appealing-yet-fitting to me, and the typography is the cherry on top. I enjoy this series immensely, and I’m not worrying about it jumping the shark in this arc (That was a Fonzi reference, kiddos)! Really enjoyed the stylized simplicity that Rafael put into the cover.
Captain America & Bucky #625 by Francesco Francavilla
If you don’t follow Francesco on Twitter, you really should; every day he posts something new that he’s working on, and the result is always gorgeous. It’s like unwrapping a new present every day, and you still smile every single time. I remember a while back seeing some Captain America action interiors done by him and I was overjoyed. Then I see this cover, and my eyeballs instantly eyegasmed. Everything you need to know about this issue is presented to you on the cover; HYDRA, WW2, and Cap & Bucky. This I can definitely see as the cover they use on the eventual collection.
Haunt #20 by Nathan Fox
Not only is the direction for the series fresh, but the covers by Fox have grown by leaps and bounds as well. I’m instantly hooked by the bizarre array on the cover, and for those who know me, I’m always a sucker for blood-splatter and vibrant neon colors. It’s almost like looking at a 3D acid trip, slowly becoming immersed in this twisted and strange new world. Bottom-line is this; Nathan Fox really brings it with this cover.
The Mice Templar Volume III #6 by Michael Avon Oeming
Did I mention that I’m also a major sucker for watercolors? Because I totally am. Not just well done watercolors, but the combination of inks being incorporated in the flow of the image as well. Very excellent use of the colors on Oeming’s part, and the reds especially hit you with that good creepy feeling. Of mice and men for sure!
The Flash #4 by Francis Manapul
As usual, Barry Allen is the center of the universe. Apparently giving him his own title didn’t inflate his ego enough, so let’s just crank it up to 11 and make him the center of attention as well! Even the text seems drawn to his animal magnetism! I really enjoyed a lot of the white backgrounds this week, especially when there was tons of well-placed colors balancing the image as a whole at the same time. This cover looks great, and really does encapsulate the Flash as a character who is constantly in motion.
The Unwritten #32.5 by Yuko Shimizu
This is my favorite cover of the week, hands down. Everyone else can go home, because Shimizu came, saw, and completely conquered the competition this week. How could you not want this framed on your wall? Shimizu puts such excruciating detail in her covers, that you can’t help but kneel before her greatness. I don’t want this just as a poster, I want it as a t-shirt and a way of life as well. Absolute eye-candy!
Cammy’s Favorite Covers for 2/10/11
The Walking Dead #81 by Charlie Adlard
When you think about The Walking Dead, zombies come to mind. And with this cover, we sure do get a herd of terrifying zombies grabbing at our seemingly doomed heroes. Just the look of terror on Glenn’s face alone sends chills down my spine. I also like the vomit-green coloring of the zombies in the background, making the protagonists in the foreground pop. This cover is like the anti-Hang In There! poster with the adorable kitten on a rope. This is the You’re Fucked! poster for sure.
Cinderella: Fables Are Forever #1 by Chrissie Zullo
When the first Cinderella mini-series came out, I was instantly hooked to Chrissie Zullo’s covers. She made Cinderella pretty, yet a total badass babe. Upon seeing her lovely style once again gracing the covers on this latest series, I once again melted into a warm puddle of goo. Cinderella, in a skimpy outfit, in the snow, packing heat. I don’t know about you, but I think Russia is going to start melting in the background! I think I’d have to claim this cover as being my favorite of the week, if not the entire month.
Justice League: Generation Lost #19 by Dustin Nguyen
Dammit, not again! This cover is simplistic and iconic, yet tells the audience everything they need to know. The shadowy figure with the smoking gun, the fallen hero, all déjà vu to comic fans. I think my favorite detail is the blue smoke rising from the gun, just because it balances well with the other two colors (red and black). While usually Dustin Nguyen gives us extravagant covers with lots of fine detail and pretty colors, this one really stands out as one of his personal bests in my opinion. As depressed as I am about the outcome of this issue, the cover alone is something I would want hanging on my wall.
The Unwritten #22 by Yuko Shimizu
Another Yuko Shimizu cover, and once again I’m stunned by all its radiant beauty. The only thing I can see myself being more fascinated by other than this cover, is Shimizu’s process on creating such a masterpiece. It looks like he took months to create this cover, when in reality I’m sure it took him a week or two because he has his own way of doing things down cold. This cover just screams “adventure”, and all I want to know is where can I sign up?
The Flash #9 by Francis Manapul
Very simple cover; Flash logo, with the Flash himself running right at you. Then again, I just love Manapul’s take on the Flash. I always thought no one should draw the Flash unless it was Scott Kolins, but then here comes along Manapul with his beautiful watercolors, and steals my heart. So yes, although there isn’t much on this cover, it speaks volumes about the character.
Cammy’s Favorite Covers for 1/12/2011
Birds Of Prey #8 (DC) by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau
First off, I’m in love with these DC character icon covers. Even though not every title has the definitive logo for the certain character or team, I’m not going to lose sleep over it or call the DC offices and just breathe heavily into the phone (that was only a one time thing!). Moving on, this cover looks amazing. Stanley Lau presents us with a classic team pose, with beautiful texture and colors for each character. Shiny costumes equals a happy Cammy. When I think of ‘Birds Of Prey‘, Black Canary, Huntress, and Lady Blackhawk always come to mind. Yes, I occasionally forget Oracle is the glue that holds the team together, but she’s still seen on the cover. Does this image tell me anything about what’s happening on the inside? No, and I’m perfectly fine with that. This would make a lovely poster.
Casanova: Gula #1 (Icon) by Fábio Moon
Once again Fábio Moon proves to us that he can do no wrong (well, in my opinion anyway). This cover tells me that the new story-arc of Casanova has started, and that crazy Casanova is back to his wacky inter-dimensional traveling antics! New exciting missions, potential new love interests, all action-packed yet still room for humor. The different shades of blue with little highlights of orange blend together nicely, with the white and lighter blues directing the eye what to focus on. I love how his hair just simply melts into the starry background.
Black Panther: The Man Without Fear #514 (Marvel) by Simone Bianchi & Simone Peruzzi
The thing I love about Simone Bianchi’s art is how quickly I can recognize it. So crisp and clean, it quickly captures your undivided attention as your eyes follow every line and tiny detail. The man obviously spent a great deal of time on this cover, and it really shows. Sure, the Black Panther’s current costume isn’t the skin-tight one like we see here, but immediately you know that’s T’Challa on the cover. Dark and intriguing, yet illuminated in all the right places, it makes you giddy to open up the issue as soon as humanly possible!
The Unwritten #21 (Vertigo) by Yuko Shimizu
One word comes to mind upon looking at this cover; ‘adventure’. We see the protagonist clearly ready to do some whale hunting aboard an old vessel, with the look of uncertainty on his face. The earth-tone colors work well together, with the orange-yellowish shirt the only thing that really pops-out at the viewer. Darkened cloudy skies tell us something unpleasant might be on its way, which only intrigues us more. The Asian-influenced style is eye-candy to me, and it’s the sort of thing I could look at all day if given the chance. The covers of Shimizu really need to be collected into one hardcover someday, much like James Jean and his Fables covers collection.
The Infinite Vacation #1 (Image) by Christian Ward
Very few artists are truly exceptional with water colors. Christian Ward is definitely one of them, for the man has mastered his craft. It reminds me so much of his earlier series Olympus, only unfortunately I wasn’t a fan of that story, just his art. Much like the actual story, there are several different Mark’s seen on the cover, with the one in the center the only one colored-in completely. The other Mark’s supply that cool phasing feeling, and the colors range from warms to cools, making you feel calm for some unknown reason. It really pops at you, this cover. I’d like to see this one as a poster as well.
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