Cover Contest Number Sixteen (Week of April 18th)

[Mike Smash!]

You all know the rules. Contest ends at midnight next Tuesday, Pacific time and voting begins and continues until midnight Wednesday, Pacific.

THIS WEEK'S THEME?

"Ouch..."

Covers where the main character or characters are getting or have gotten their ass(es) kicked, smacked down or beaten up.

[Spackling Compound]

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/21267019774.183.GIF
Next to Aquaman, I think DD has the most covers featuring his ass getting kicked. This was one of my favorites. Edgy for it's day.

[Justin Davis]

This is the first thing that popped into my head when I read this week's challenge.

http://image.comicvine.com/uploads/vol/4000/3816/3816-68545-3-superman_400.jpg

[Superheroic]

Thats' right. I went with a Byrne cover!

http://www.artofjohnbyrne.com/cover-ppsm/images/ppsp98a.jpg

[Slam_Bradley]

You can't say Groucho without the "ouch."

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f67/h20lawyer/grouch.jpg

[GloryQuest]

Well it may be rather obvious, but I think it's a great cover by Epting...

http://www.geocities.com/cge_wallpapers/CaptainAmerica25A.jpg

[Gingold]

This looks like it hurt:

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s303/larktom/cass.jpg

[Paul McEnery]

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/2064/400/2064_4_11.jpg

You don't get much more beaten up than dead.

[Paul McEnery]

And on a related theme:

http://home.eunet.no/~christmu/unknown.gif

[Chris Nowlin]

Unless Paul has crucifixion (what do you call it if somebody's nailed to an 'x' instead of a cross?) covered, this looks like it hurts too

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o1/CocaC0la99/uncannyx-men251-1.jpg

[Donald M.]

When it comes to the Avengers getting their butts kicked there's no shortage of cover to choose from, but ultimately I picked this one because it made me laugh my ass off:

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b322/donmilliken/1571_4_161.jpg

[JeffreyWKramer]

I haven't done this contest in awhile, but the first one that came to me was a natural, so what the hell.

http://www.thecomicshop.com.au/covers/comics/b/batman-497-dc-nm.jpg

[jessecuster3]

I remember Cap as a hero not a victim.


http://mindtangle.net/wp-content/captainamerica1.jpg

[Mac Danny]

Boot to Da Head!

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/5510/400/5510_4_027.jpg

[Ryan Day]

My least-favourite Sin City series, but it had some great covers:

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/74976336446.7.GIF

[Lone Ranger]

The Spirt must have kept his tailor very busy:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v471/scottandkat/CBR/Spirit7.jpg

[borateen]

Nothing says "I got my ass kicked" like being decapitated:

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/4874/400/4874_4_0018.jpg

[Slam_Bradley]

And on a related theme:

http://home.eunet.no/~christmu/unknown.gif


Damn. I never knew there was a comic adaptation of Behold the Man. I love that book.

[Ray R.]

I'm pretty sure that's going to leave a mark.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l67/rrivard/cow.jpg

[Mac Danny]

I'm pretty sure that's going to leave a mark.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l67/rrivard/cow.jpg

Well how else you gonna leave your mark on a woman!


Oh.. Ewwwwww...

[Mike Smash!]

This is the line-up it took to kick the Hulk's ass...

http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/hulk/322-1.jpg

[Mac Danny]

This is the line-up it took to kick the Hulk's ass...

http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/hulk/322-1.jpg

You know the black knight isn't really carrying anything. He's just holding on.

[Paul McEnery]

Damn. I never knew there was a comic adaptation of Behold the Man. I love that book.

Did you read the rerelease, revised edition?

[Gingold]

You know the black knight isn't really carrying anything. He's just holding on.

I'm sure Wonder Man and Hercules were really glad that Mockingbird, Tigra, and Hawkeye were there to help lift.

[Slam_Bradley]

Did you read the rerelease, revised edition?

Nope. Mine is the 1970 paperback edition.

[Paul McEnery]

Nope. Mine is the 1970 paperback edition.

The new version is quite a lot better. Which also goes for all the revised Moorcock stuff in the White Wolf big fat fucker series.

[tricksterpup]

Lobo vs Hitman

http://www.shwiggie.com/hitman/hm-lobo/00.jpg

[dingo]

http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/fullsize/96478025451.48.GIF

[Athena Bast]

oh... bah...

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/9967/400/9967_4_008.jpg

[thehod]

Might as well stick with the Dredd covers.

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/2809/400/2809_4_08.jpg

[Forefinger]

http://www.paninicomics.de/artbilder/Lobo92sGreatestHits_308.png


I know it doesn't fit the theme exactly, but I had to post it.

[Spackling Compound]

Good entries, but sticking to the actual request of the contest (the main character(s) being the ones having their asses handed to them), I go with Donald M.

I just like the way the cover says THE Ant Man....

[Lone Ranger]

Donald M.

One of the first comics I remember buying - who could pass up on that cover?

[Agent Helix]

I too have to vote for Donald M..

Very close second goes to Forefinger, though.

[dingo]

JefferyWKramer gets my vote. Extreme chiropracty

[jessecuster3]

Forefinger gets my vote.

[Slam_Bradley]

Lone Ranger.

Because Paul put up two covers and the one I'd have picked went up second.

(But I'm still going to look for that magazine).

[JeffreyWKramer]

Spack gets my vote. I still remember my "Holy Fuck!" response when I initially saw that cover in the comic shop back in the day.

[Agent Helix]

Spack gets my vote. I still remember my "Holy Fuck!" response when I initially saw that cover in the comic shop back in the day.

I do love Spack's cover, because I like to read that caption as "Awww, AGAIN with the Punisher?!"

[JeffreyWKramer]

I do love Spack's cover, because I like to read that caption as "Awww, AGAIN with the Punisher?!"

These days, that's certainly understandable.

Back in the day, though... at this point, Punny wasn't the huge star he later became. Up to that point, the Punisher had been a recurring character in the SPIDER-MAN books for several years, usually with a few years between appearances. Other than that, he'd faced off with Captain America exactly once (a pretty good issue, with another memorable Milelr cover), and had had one issue of one of those over-sized black and white comics. Then Miller featured him in a couple issues of DAREDEVIL, which at the time was the hottest book going at Marvel, other than maybe UNCANNY X-MEN. So, it was a big deal to the readers of the day. In fact, Miller's use of Punny in DD is partially responsible for the character becoming the big fan favorite he turned into during the late 80s and into the 90s, as those issues got a lot of attention that led to that first Grant/Zeck PUNISHER miniseries.

I wouldn't say it's Miller's fault that Punisher became such a constant presence in the comics, though. Rather, once again Miller's (and Grant's, in this case) take on a character ended up being spun off into something bad in the hands of less-competent folk and for purposes of simple greed.

[dingo]

Wait, DD was one of the 2 hottest books? Really?

[thehod]

He's going to think I'm stalking him after voting for him in the avatar comp this week, but Mr Kramer gets it this week with a cover that poor in art, but top of the shop in ouch factor.

[JeffreyWKramer]

Wait, DD was one of the 2 hottest books? Really?

In terms of fan buzz and critical attention, absolutely. The sales were also quite solid, and far above the level previously achieved by that book.

In a short time, Miller took DAREDEVIL from a book that was at the bottom of the Marvel rung in terms of sales - it wasn't even a monthly when Miller started - to one of the best-selling Marvel books. Miller single-handedly turned DD into the major character he is today; before Miller, DD was always a second-stringer at best.

[JeffreyWKramer]

He's going to think I'm stalking him after voting for him in the avatar comp this week, but Mr Kramer gets it this week with a cover that poor in art, but top of the shop in ouch factor.

Hey, I'm just glad for the votes! :)

[dingo]

In terms of fan buzz and critical attention, absolutely. The sales were also quite solid, and far above the level previously achieved by that book.

In a short time, Miller took DAREDEVIL from a book that was at the bottom of the Marvel rung in terms of sales - it wasn't even a monthly when Miller started - to one of the best-selling Marvel books. Miller single-handedly turned DD into the major character he is today; before Miller, DD was always a second-stringer at best.

I guess I though that DD was always a reliable second stringer with reliable art and stories. Less highs, and less lows than any other character.

[Spackling Compound]

Rather, once again Miller's (and Grant's, in this case) take on a character ended up being spun off into something bad in the hands of less-competent folk and for purposes of simple greed.

Illustration:
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/large/95078701518.44.gif

[borateen]

I think I'm going with JWKramer also.

[JeffreyWKramer]

Illustration:
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/large/95078701518.44.gif

The premise is plenty craptastic, of course, but man, that is one ugly-ass cover.

[borateen]

Illustration:
http://image.milehighcomics.com/istore/images/large/95078701518.44.gif

Daredevil sense...tingling!

And Venisher is such a good shot that he doesn't have to look in EITHER direction that he's shooting.

[Justin Davis]

Voting for Spack this time around.

[Spackling Compound]

Daredevil sense...tingling!

And Venisher is such a good shot that he doesn't have to look in EITHER direction that he's shooting.

Direction? Y'see the perspective (or lack thereof) on this cover? Anywhere he shoots it's got to hit something...

[JeffreyWKramer]

Direction? Y'see the perspective (or lack thereof) on this cover? Anywhere he shoots it's got to hit something...

I can't make out the signature scribble... who is the alleged artist responsible for that particular cover?

[JeffreyWKramer]

I guess I though that DD was always a reliable second stringer with reliable art and stories. Less highs, and less lows than any other character.

For years, his book sold crap, and continued publication mainly because it had already been around for awhile and because a lot of the creators and editors at Marvel had affection for the character. I think I read somewhere that DD was somewhat of a puzzle to the editors because sales on other books (DEFENDERS, CAPTAIN AMERICA, SPIDER-MAN) would always go up a bit when he guest-starred in those books, but sales on his own book were always consistently underwhelming. I suspect some factors to this included DD's historically-lame stable of villains (remember, the Kingpin was a Spidey villain Miller stole for DD) and lack of a consistent fan-favorite artist. DD was often served by VERY good artists back in the pre-Miller days - Gene Colan, especially - or at least competent ones, but they weren't the flashy fan-fave artists of the day. No Perez, no Starlin, etc.

Then came Miller, and everything changed.

[Spackling Compound]

I can't make out the signature scribble... who is the alleged artist responsible for that particular cover?

http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=52193

Luke MacDonald is the name of the artist. Could be pseudonym.
Busiek wrote the story. Could be a pseudonym :).

[Gingold]

Luke McDonnell used to be a decent, if unexciting artist in his Suicide Squad days. The 90s ruined everyone, huh?

[Spackling Compound]

For years, his book sold crap, and continued publication mainly because it had already been around for awhile and because a lot of the creators and editors at Marvel had affection for the character. I think I read somewhere that DD was somewhat of a puzzle to the editors because sales on other books (DEFENDERS, CAPTAIN AMERICA, SPIDER-MAN) would always go up a bit when he guest-starred in those books, but sales on his own book were always consistently underwhelming. I suspect some factors to this included DD's historically-lame stable of villains (remember, the Kingpin was a Spidey villain Miller stole for DD) and lack of a consistent fan-favorite artist. DD was often served by VERY good artists back in the pre-Miller days - Gene Colan, especially - or at least competent ones, but they weren't the flashy fan-fave artists of the day. No Perez, no Starlin, etc.

Then came Miller, and everything changed.

If memory serves, DD and Uncanny XMen were so hot that a couple of young comic book fans decided to do a little self-published spoof on the teenage mutant genre and some of the characters from the Miller DD run.
The comic book was titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

[JeffreyWKramer]

http://www.comics.org/details.lasso?id=52193

Luke MacDonald is the name of the artist.

I'm surprised. McDonald's art always displayed sort of an odd sense of anatomy, but it was usually better than *that.*

[JeffreyWKramer]

If memory serves, DD and Uncanny XMen were so hot that a couple of young comic book fans decided to do a little self-published spoof on the teenage mutant genre and some of the characters from the Miller DD run.
The comic book was titled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Yup. A lot of folk forget that TMNT started as mostly just a spoof of Miller's style on DD and the first WOLVERINE mini, and more broadly of Marvel comics of the era.

[Mac Danny]

My vote goes to Spack. A great cover that screams "ouch"

[Chris Nowlin]

I'll give it to Spackling Compound.

I'm tempted to give Superheroic some type of Bizarro World win for choosing the cover to what is possibly the worst Spider-Man saga ever.

[Donald M.]

I vote for Mac Danny's Hitman cover.

[Mike Smash!]

Donald M.

Get 'em, Ant-Man!!

[Ray R.]

Spackling Compound with the gut shot.

[Athena Bast]

Spack

1010

[mgs]

The Spirt must have kept his tailor very busy:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v471/scottandkat/CBR/Spirit7.jpg

why is that monkey carrying him?

[GloryQuest]

And I'm going to have to vote for Spackling Compound also.

[Spackling Compound]

Okey dokey...

This week's tabulation...

Forefinger and Lone Ranger each had one vote.

MacDanny had 2 votes.

Kramer had 3 votes.

Donald M had 4 votes.

And Spackling Compound had 8 votes.

So, I'm up for the next contest and promise to have it before Thursday!