Review: COVER #1

COVER No. 1
DC COMICS/Jinxworld – @DCComics

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

STORY: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: David Mack
COLORS: Zu Orzu
LETTERS: Carlos Mangual
EDITOR: Michael McCalister
COVER: David Mack
VARIANT COVERS: Zu Orzu
32pp, Color, $3.99 U.S. (November 2018)

Rated “M” for “Mature”

Cover created by Brian Michael Bendis and David Mack

Cover is a new comic book series from writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist David Mack, two of the most interesting comic book creators of the last two decades.  Through work on various Spider-Man titles, his creator-owned Powers, and other work, Bendis has proved to be an all-time great comic book writer.  Mack's striking illustrations, comic book graphics, and cover paintings mark him as a master of comics art.  Cover focuses on an indy comic book artist who finds himself drawn into the world of international espionage and intrigue.

Cover #1 opens in the middle of a hectic crowd scene at a comic book convention.  Max Field is just another independent comic book creator and artist hawking his wares from behind a convention table.  Out of nowhere, a mysterious (and apparently wealthy) fan appears before Max's table, praising his art.  She even spends a few thousand dollars buying original art from Max's comic book, “Ninja Sword Odyssey.”  This encounter and financial windfall will not be the last time Max meets the woman who might be his biggest fan, Julia.

I don't have much to say about Cover #1 (although I have been known to ramble even after saying this) because Bendis and Mack are, as I said above, masters.  Cover #1 is filled with Bendis' exquisite dialogue and his hypnotic narrative flow.  Every panel of this story is a drug that hooks the reader into going to the next panel in order to get his or her story fix.

Mack's illustrations tell an intoxicating graphical story; I would not expect less of him.  Zu Orzu's gorgeous digital coloring captures Mack's lovely way of drawing Julia's beautiful Black woman's face.  Carlos Mangual's lettering adds to the beauty of these graphics, and his word balloons create a kind of lyrical flow to Bendis' dialogue.

See.  The creative team is made up of masters of the medium and veteran heavy hitters.  The story may be a little far-fetched (or maybe not...), but when top creators produce something, it is worth a look.  Cover #1 is worthy of several looks.

9 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


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