Best of 2018: Top 5 Comic Book Covers

December 12, 2018

2018 is just about in the bag, and we’re counting down our Top 5 Comic Book Covers of the Year.

First off, we’d like to thank all of the publishers that participated this year and contributed nominations. 2018 was another great year in the industry, and getting this list down to the Top 5 was near impossible. Click the following links to see all of the nominees from: Image Comics, Dark Horse Comics, BOOM! Studios, AfterShock Comics, Valiant Comics, and Oni Press.

Nominations were collected from publishers, retailers, and the Monkeys Fighting Robots team. Each MFR team member then voted on their Top 5 choices; the votes were weighted and counted to provide the results below. Now on with the awards!

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Honorable Mentions:

#5 – Black Hammer: Age of Doom #7 Variant Cover by Christian Ward (Dark Horse Comics)

This Black Hammer variant by Christian Ward looks like something out of an acid trip, which perfectly captures Colonel Weird’s mind-bending story. This is pure, gorgeous surrealism, but also, that look on Weird’s face aims to break your heart, giving you a tease of what’s to come within the book.

#4 – Shadowman #1 Cover A by Tonci Zonjic (Valiant Comics)

A great cover jumps out at you among a sea of other new comics on the wall at your local shop. This Shadowman cover by Tonci Zonjic does just that, with using a simple, yet bold black and white contrast. It also delivers a sense of the horrors that lay beyond, and creates an air of intrigue.

#3 – Maestros #6 Cover A by Steve Skroce (Image Comics)

Talk about art that melts your face off… Maestros was another big hit for Image this year. Much like this cover would suggest, it doesn’t hold back or pull any punches. Skroce, who writes and draws the series in addition to this cover, worked as the storyboard artist on The Matrix trilogy, so that should tell you something about his ability to break the mold.

#2 – Catwoman #4 Cover B by Stanley Artgerm Lau (DC Comics)

Wow. Lau’s Catwoman is not only stunning, but it captures the essence of Selina Kyle. The mask, the claws, the ring, and the muted colors, it all screams Catwoman. She comes off very seductive as well, but also dangerous, which secures her femme fatale status, all in one static image.

#1 – Superman #4 Cover B by Adam Hughes (DC Comics)

DC is absolutely killing it with these virgin variant covers, which is why they secured two of our top five spots. So much works with this Adam Hughes masterpiece: the light shining through the clouds, the tiny Superman leaping over a tall building in a single bound. It hits you in the guts with its beautiful simplicity. Superman isn’t even the focus of this cover; it’s Metropolis, standing tall in the sunlight. It just makes you feel good and safe, like a Superman comic should.

What do you think of our selections? What were your Top 5 Comic Book Covers of 2018? Sound off in the comments!