Cover Theme Game

[Brian Cronin]

If no one guesses the answer correctly to the cover theme game after two weeks, I will post the question in this thread!

As always, here is the game. I show three covers. They all have something in common, whether it be a character, locale, creator, SOMEthing. And it isn't something obvious like "They all have prices!" "They all have logos!" "They all feature a man!" etc.

In addition, please note that you must have some familiarity with comic book history to correctly guess these comics. You cannot guess the connective theme just by looking at the covers solely, you must have some knowledge beyond just the covers.

1.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/1296_4_080.jpg

2.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/1570_4_00129.jpg

3.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/1570_4_00021.jpg

Let's see some guesses!

-Brian

[Dan Apodaca]

I've totally got it.

Every sentence on each of these covers ends with an exclamation point.

[atoningunifex]

They all feature males characters on the left hand side of the cover in oppostion in some way to the right hand figures; the right hand figures are all taking action in a downward motion?

[Bazooka Tooth]

ermmmm...the small little caption on the bottom left? It shows the problems the character's about to face?

Like you know... Superman - Girlfriend problems/Punisher - Spidy problems/Spiderman - Human Torch n The Beetle problems.

=/ i unno.

[shawnh]

Bad breakups.

Hey, I see the way Frank and Johnny look at Spider-Man.

[Lone Ranger]

They all feature someone with a lot of baggage.

[shawnh]

They all have minimalist backgrounds.

[Kid Kyoto]

They all have minimalist backgrounds.

seconded!

(character limit)

[Reptisaurus!]

They all have wall damage?

Edit: That Lois Lane cover is really, really clever. Never saw that one before.

[sgt pepper]

Projectile's hurled in the general vicinity of a hero?

[Kid Kyoto]

*sniff* I guess we'll never know now.

[StrikeForce Albert]

All three are aproved by the Comics Code and is located in the same corner of each book

The main male on each cover is wearing red foot wear

all the prices are divisible by 2 and 4

[Brian Cronin]

No correct answers yet!

-Brian

[pennywisdom]

They feature the main character on the losing end of a conflict.

Superman is getting ditched, Spider-Man is getting shot at, and Spider-Man is getting fire balls launched at him.

If that's not it, I'm going to guess that each cover is fastened using staples.

[StrikeForce Albert]

everyone with visible footwear is wearing boots

[StrikeForce Albert]

All the main titles words are written in red

[Kid Kyoto]

Hmm, they all break the 4th wall in some way?

Lois is tearing down her own logo.
The punisher is shooting at the audience
Spidey swing is impossible.

[dancj]

The punisher is shooting at the audience
No he isn't
Spidey swing is impossible.
No it isn't

[Stephane Garrelie]

The left hand of Superman on the first cover, of Spider-man on the second, and the one of the Human Torch in the third.;)

[Arrjay]

Red and blue.

The heroes are wearing red and blue.

Also, all three are from the first two months of the year.

[Lone Ranger]

They all guest-star someone who has had their own solo title?

1. Supes
2. Punisher
3. Human Torch (although I don't think Johnny ever had his own as Torch, just as headliner for Strange Tales)

[Kid Kyoto]

They all guest-star someone who has had their own solo title?

1. Supes
2. Punisher
3. Human Torch (although I don't think Johnny ever had his own as Torch, just as headliner for Strange Tales)

he had his own series in the early 00s part of the tsunami thingy.

[robotacon]

It could be that someone is watching without being seen on all three covers.

/ Robo

[founder81]

After reading some of the clever guesses, I almost decided to forget mine.


All the covers have green in them.

[Bazooka Tooth]

they're all approved by the comic code?

[Memo]

My first response has already been answered and said as wrong so...
Each cover has three different characters?
1. Supes, Lois, and Perry
2. Spidy, Punisher, Jackal (in name only)
3. Spidy, Torch, Beetle

Thats all I got.

[Brian Cronin]

They all guest-star someone who has had their own solo title?

1. Supes
2. Punisher
3. Human Torch (although I don't think Johnny ever had his own as Torch, just as headliner for Strange Tales)

Good guess!

And I will allow the hint that Scott here is right to focus on the characters featured on the cover (I hate hints - I shouldn't have given that one! Aurgh!).

-Brian

[Sean Walsh]

All the characters on these covers are (basically) "good guys." Superman, Spidey, Human Torch, Lois, Torch, Punisher (an anti-hero, but usually killing bad guys)...even Beetle, who's reformed and now a Thunderbolt.

[dancj]

Good guess!

And I will allow the hint that Scott here is right to focus on the characters featured on the cover (I hate hints - I shouldn't have given that one! Aurgh!).

-Brian

All of the characters have been in films in the last few years (and will be in sequels in the next couple)

[pennywisdom]

All of the characters have been in films in the last few years (and will be in sequels in the next couple)
That describes nearly every character in comics.

[Brian Cronin]

Next batch of covers!

1.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/12645_4_00661.jpg

2.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/12645_4_0067.jpg

3.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/12645_4_0069.jpg

-Brian

[Reptisaurus!]

Those are the three times that Jughead gets some?

[Josh S]

Jughead's eyes are closed on all three. Or are they always closed?

Oh, and did I miss the answer to the first set?

[Kid Kyoto]

Juggy is wearing the same clothes in all 3.

[sgt pepper]

So we're not looking for graphic features that these have in common? We're looking for some other link, such as artist, or character, or plot or something?

-sigh- we're never going to get these.

[dancj]

Oh, and did I miss the answer to the first set?
If you did then so did I

[Brian Cronin]

So we're not looking for graphic features that these have in common? We're looking for some other link, such as artist, or character, or plot or something?

-sigh- we're never going to get these.

Yes, a link between the artist on the cover or the characters on the cover, etc.

Just some connection that would require some degree of comic book history knowledge.

I'll use an example (from when I was doing these on Snark Free Waters) that someone guessed correctly, so I can mention the answer:

1.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/3386_4_00000073.jpg

2.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/9879_4_040.jpg

3.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/10453_4_010.jpg

The connection? All three covers feature a character created by Dan Jurgens.

-Brian

[Kid Kyoto]

Yes, a link between the artist on the cover or the characters on the cover, etc.

Just some connection that would require some degree of comic book history knowledge.



so it would not be a graphic link (like minimalist backgrounds or jughead wearing the same clothes) but something related to character histories?

[Brian Cronin]

Character histories or artist histories (like knowing Jurgens created all the characters featured on the covers).

Something involving some outside comic knowledge besides what is just on the covers.

-Brian

[dancj]

Brian - Are we going to get an answer for the first set of covers?

[yo go re]

see, I keep telling you, you need to set an expiration date - a mystery with no solution is no fun.

for the first one: all three non-main characters have generic nouns as their last name: lane, castle and storm...

[dancj]

Is that a guess or the actual answer?

[yo go re]

a guess. I've got no clue what the real answer is...

[Brian Cronin]

The answers have to be earned! They can't just be given away!

-Brian

[Brian Cronin]

WEEK THREE!!

1.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/1867_4_0177.jpg

2.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/1636_4_0082.jpg

3.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/1570_4_00176.jpg

[dancj]

The answers have to be earned! They can't just be given away!

-Brian

in that case why did you say (on the 12th of September) "If no one guesses the answer correctly to the cover theme game after two weeks, I will post the question in this thread!"?

[yo go re]

because that's what he did - he posted the question. Problem is we're all waiting for the answer...

[Brian Cronin]

Yep.

Questions are saved here, like Excalibur, just waiting for someone to rise up to the task and answer them!

-Brian

[dancj]

I assumed that Brian had made the standard mistake of mixing up "question" with "answer" (like the beginning of All Saints' "Never Ever" which goes "A few questions that I need to know, How you could ever hurt me so")

So what was the question?

[MWGallaher]

Wow...I think I may actually have the Week Three answer! All three covers feature "replacement" characters: that's Jim Rhodes in the Iron Man suit (not Tony Stark), the Barton Hamilton Green Goblin (not Norman Osborn), and I think that was a Scorpion android, not Mac Gargan.

[Sean Walsh]

All 3 of the villains on the cover are wearing green?

[yo go re]

Sadly, Green Goblin is not on the cover. That was a popular guess, though...

[Brian Cronin]

Wow...I think I may actually have the Week Three answer! All three covers feature "replacement" characters: that's Jim Rhodes in the Iron Man suit (not Tony Stark), the Barton Hamilton Green Goblin (not Norman Osborn), and I think that was a Scorpion android, not Mac Gargan.

Fine guess, but again, Green Goblin is not ON the cover.

If you all would like, I'll gladly swap out the cover for another one that would be less confusing!

-Brian

[sgt pepper]

Fine guess, but again, Green Goblin is not ON the cover.

If you all would like, I'll gladly swap out the cover for another one that would be less confusing!

-Brian

Well, that would make the victory a little less Arthurian, but we obviously suck at this so badly (and continue to post graphic similarities even after you explicitly told us the answer doesn't involve them) that we need any help we can get.

[noface]

Does the first one have to do with widows peaks? You've got Perry's V-hair showing through from the first page, the Punisher's ridiculous Eddie Munster, and a cover by Steve Ditko...I don't have this issue to read, but Ditko is the master of widow's peaks -- at least Peter Parker and Abner Jenkins had them on the inside, I'll bet.

[Brian Cronin]

Well, that would make the victory a little less Arthurian, but we obviously suck at this so badly (and continue to post graphic similarities even after you explicitly told us the answer doesn't involve them) that we need any help we can get.

True, but in this instance, I can totally see the confusion, which I'll take the blame for for having the Goblin's shadow on the cover.

-Brian

[Brian Cronin]

WEEK THREE - WITH NEW, LESS CONFUSING, THIRD COVER!!

1.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/1867_4_0177.jpg

2.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/1636_4_0082.jpg

3.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/1570_4_00186.jpg

-Brian

[yo go re]

You know, if this turns out to be something dumb, like "they all have the same colorist,' I'm gonna slug you.

Hmm. "They all have a villain hired to fight the hero?" Chameleon was a spy for a long time, Scorpion (in this case) was a robot created after Gargan was hired, and Flying Tiger was a bodyguard or something...

[C.O. Jones]

Animal kingdom-themed villains?

[the goddamn batman]

This is hard. All I know is:

1. All three, Spiderman, Iron Man, and Daredevil were created by Stan Lee. (Going off the Jurgens clue.)

2. All three characters have been drawn by Steve Ditko.

2.a. It seems that all three characters have been worked on by Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and Jack Kirby.

3. All characters were, depending on who you ask, designed by Jack Kirby? Spiderman and Iron-man both seem to have dispute over Kirby or Ditko being the designer? More of a who did what. So, this could go either way.

4. All three characters parents are dead.

other thoughts -

All three titles were part of the original Marvel line up? I know FF really came first, so rather the wave that followed that success? This is a shot in the dark.

All three characters have secret identities. though, it's not going to be things like that is it?

[the goddamn batman]

does this mean none of those were right?

I'll keep trying if I'm wrong... but, am I?:confused:

[Brian Cronin]

Oh, sorry.

Yeah, none of those are what I would term correct (which is not to say that they're not technically accurate).

That Iron Man is Jim Rhodes, not a Stan creation. And even so, I think created by Stan Lee is a bit of a generalized thing - it's not like if they were all created by, like, Gerry Conway or something like that. :)

-Brian

[the goddamn batman]

crap... back to square one.:(

[Agent Helix]

All three covers have a character or part of a character leaping from background to foreground?

[C.O. Jones]

On a side note, the Iron Man book isn't CCA approved.

[C.O. Jones]

The cover artists signed them all on the left side...?

[Sean Walsh]

Reviving this because I want to see Brian do a new 3 covers or at least answer this one... :p

WEEK THREE - WITH NEW, LESS CONFUSING, THIRD COVER!!

1.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/1867_4_0177.jpg

2.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/09/1636_4_0082.jpg

3.

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/10/1570_4_00186.jpg

-Brian

Some sort of circular pattern is on all 3 covers (the hypnotic thing on IM, the moon on DD, the web on ASM)?

[Brian Cronin]

I keep doing new ones, Sean!

I only post the ones here that people do not answer!

People have been answering the recent ones (granted, I've made them a bit easier, but still - people have been answering them!), so they don't make their way here.

Here, I'll give you a link to the ones that were answered (so didn't end up back here).

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/11/20/snark-free-corner-for-1120/

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/11/06/snark-free-corner-for-116/

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/10/23/snark-free-corner-for-1023/

http://goodcomics.comicbookresources.com/2006/10/09/snark-free-corner-for-109/

Enjoy! :)

-Brian

[Sean Walsh]

Another reason why Sean should be pimp-slapped: he doesn't read Brian's Good Comics columns as much as he should be.... :p

[Brian Cronin]

Another reason why Sean should be pimp-slapped: he doesn't read Brian's Good Comics columns as much as he should be.... :p

You're only cheating yourself when you don't read the blog. :D

-Brian

[Aaron C]

The title character appears in the corner box?

[carpboy]

The only thing I can think of is something to do with the writers.

[yo go re]

so my spate of digging up old posts? All in an effort to find this much-bumpworthy thread. Answer these games, people!

[yo go re]

Hmm. A Flying Tiger is a plane and a Scorpion is a plane - is there some plane connection with Spidey?

Turns out there is (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPYDER)!

(this is totally not the answer)