Judging by the Cover – 05/06/26 new releases

May 5, 2026

Most comic book fans have a solid idea about what they’re going to buy every week as they descend upon their local comic shop. With that said, there’s still a lot of fun to be had just glancing at the week’s new releases and taking a chance on a book that looks promising, funny, scary, etc. That’s where covers come in. A fantastic image can make the difference between trying something new or saying, “Nah, not this week.”

In that spirit, here are the covers that captured our attention this week, with entries from comics editor Chris Coplan. This is Judging by the Cover.

Poison Ivy #44

Variant cover by Manny Vincent Carbonilla

The more the whole “Poison Ivy is mayor” storyline goes on, the more I think it’s a stroke of brilliance. After some 43 issues, it can be hard to keep a book feeling fresh and novel, and yet G. Willow Wilson and company have done just that by giving Pamela a solid bit of power and seeing what happens. (Spoiler: it’s been pretty wild so far.) But if for some reason you’re still not sold, just peep this Manny Vincent Carbonilla variant to issue #44. In a city like Gotham, corruption, murder, and chaos run very, very deep. Fortunately, no one understands the roots of such emotions and happenings like the city’s new mayor. And this visual representation of that theme is done with grace, power, and intent — it’s a jungle out there (metaphorically and, in some cases, literally), and Pamela is very much in the thick of rooting out the rotten bits and letting the good stuff grow. It’s a way to remind us that this mayoral move doesn’t come from a vacuum, and that this storyline connects Poison Ivy and Gotham in some deeply interesting ways that will (like the ongoing series itself) flourish over time. Plus, we get to see her in more very smart suits — enough said.

Cyclops #4

Cover by Federico Vicenti and Marcio Menyz

I get what this cover (from Federico Vicenti and Marcio Menyz) wants from me: To jump out of my chair, scream “hell yeah!,” and high-five 1 million angels. And while my cold disdain for Scott Summers has dissolved a bit in recent months (thanks in part to this book, actually), I’m not exactly ready for such overt enthusiasm. Because as good as this book has been, I’m waiting to the end to see what we really get, and if Scott’s wilderness adventure can have a long-term impact on the character’s arc or if this a one-off experience (for me and the character, really). But I will give this cover credit in that not only is it quite good, but it feels earned. If this whole story is about pushing Cyclops out of his comfort zone, then this piece does it hard. Literally blinded, stuck in the woods with psycho cyborgs, Scott has to go all guerilla warrior to save the day. It’s a speed and intensity he isn’t usually associated with, and yet Mr. Summers seems to be having a wee bit of fun playing post-punk Rambo. It’s a cover that not only nails the story’s themes to a tee, but it does so with a depth and clarity that makes us really consider what this journey is all about. Here’s my final offer: an enthusiastic head nod as Cyclops steps further into decidedly interesting moral/ethical terrain.

Ben 10 #1

Variant cover by Eric Canete

Be prepared for yet another entry about how much I love body horror. (Look, I’d talk this stuff over with a therapist, but this column is free and I won’t get put on any watch lists.) But you may be asking, “Chris, what does Ben 10 have to do with body horror?” And to that I say, “Are you kidding me? Tons!” I mean, just look at some of the aliens he turns into, like Toepick, who is so ugly it has to wear a metal gimp’s mask, or the horor that is Ripjaws (somehow the loin cloth makes it worse?) Heck, even Eric Canete knows what’s up as (in a variant for the all-new Ben 10 #1) he basically depicts the alien’s undulating in a mutant mass that makes moments from The Thing seem tame. But, hey, this ain’t body horror for the sake of being intense and gross. No, there’s a reason for Ben’s immersion into the horrific. For one, he can learn (and teach the audience) to never judge a book by its cover, or that even the weirdest among us are hugely important. And the whole “melted monster blob” visual helps us learn that we’re all in it together, and as horrible as the world can be sometimes, that connection is also super important. If you can’t see the wonderful ways that this series (and hopefully this book) uses body horror, maybe considering transforming into Grey Matter to get a real clue.

If Destruction Be Our Lot #1

Variant cover by Jerome Opeña

When our own David Brooke spoke with Matthew Rosenberg recently, one quote about If Destruction Be Our Lot really stood out. It’s when Rosenberg said that people won’t have to struggle to “see the metaphor of people feeling like they’re going through a system that doesn’t appreciate them and they don’t see the purpose.” And in a story where a robot Abe Lincoln tries to save the world/humanity, I can’t think of a more interesting theme, and one captured so perfectly via this Jerome Opeña variant cover. The idea of a dignified, stoic Lincoln walking through a crowd of “undressed” robots hits you in the part of the brain that goes, “Huh, that’s weird.” And from that, you can feel the distance and disconnect ol’ Robo-Abe might be dealing with, and what it’s like to move through a world with a human face that people don’t care about (and think you’re crazy for perhaps maintaining). Even if you can’t relate to the exact situation (right?), you can still apply that to any time in life where you were the odd one out and you had to keep doing your thing despite the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. It’s ultimately a metaphor for our own unjust world, and how we might survive that, as well as a love letter to the weirdos to keep on keepin’ on. Thank you, Robo-Abe, for reminding us all to never let our stovepipe hats dip for even a single second.

She-Spawn #1

Variant cover by Emma Ríos

I’m both excited by and a little weary of the new She-Spawn miniseries. Because while I’d most most closely associate Jessica Priest as a very effective assassin, writer Gail Simone wants to push her in new directions by giving her a child to protect (and see what happens when she plays matron and not murderer). But what exactly will the resulting story look and read like? It could be sleek and edgy, as series artist Ig Guara captures on the main cover. Or, it could be a tad creepy and dark per this Francesco Mattina variant. Heck, it could be all about guns (as evidenced by this Todd McFarlane variant). But mostly I hope it’s like this Emma Ríos variant. For one, Rios is like Simone in that I wouldn’t associate either with Spawn right away, and yet that’s why they’re both brilliant choices. From there, I love that the gun/violence “stuff” is underplayed, which feels like a nice choice if we’re really delving into other parts of She-Spawn. I also like that the supernatural stuff feels like Mike Mignola by way of Hellraiser, and it’s a nice spin to the otherwise in-your-face tendencies of many Spawn tales. Even just the dark but gentle, earnest but mysterious vibes rolling off the page have me even more jacked. Whatever actually happens in this tale, I just need good banter, lots of capes, and a 6-foot gun and I’m all good.

Excommunicated #1

Variant cover by Tiago Palma

Excommunicated has to have my favorite premise ever: In the most extreme instance of “unlikely allies” in recorded history, an excommunicated nun and a demon banished from Hell must come together to “uncover a sinister plot that endangers their lives and the world.” I’m really hoping for, like, The Other Guys meets R.I.P.D. meets The Exorcist meets Evil Dead. But in the meantime, we’ve got at least some idea of what to expect as series artist Tiago Palma delivers with a really great variant cover. I love the way that the demon-nun are aligned here; it’s an intense, almost uncomfortable “fusion,” and that feels like it carries so much significance. Similarly, the specific look/feel of the demon iconography used here is a little left of center for similar tales; even the fire feels a little more dramatic then terrifying, and that also feels extra noteworthy. What I ultimately get is something that feels like it won’t ever use the inherently gimmicky premise in a way that’s ever silly. Instead, it’s about finding space not just to be rather serious, but to explore the contrast and connection between these spiritual ideas and themes, and to do so in a way that makes the process the right kind of uncomfortable. So many other books might have used this as a joke (and those could work). But I feel like Excommunicated wants to both poke and terrify us, and my mortal soul is very much ready.

Daredevil #2

Variant cover by Bill Sienkiewicz

I pretty much grabbed this cover because of the words “Daredevil” and “Bill Sienkiewicz.” If you’ve ever read Love and War, you know what I mean: Sienkiewicz just captures the grace, fluidity, and intent of The Man With No Fear like almost no other artist. And this variant cover to issue #2 is clearly no different, as Sienkiewicz manages to show said agility but also give him almost a feature-less depiction (no belt or other tidbits), and that adds a magical and/or primal quality. But for me, the biggest draw is the way I thought the bridge was almost like the massive hand of some deity — or, more specifically, the Devil himself reaching for our hero from the pits. And in response, Daredevil is seemingly scrambling to escape Satan’s mighty grasp. Sure, this may be a little bit of a reach on my end, but you can’t tell me that that little scenarios isn’t thematically spot on. Because no matter who’s drawing/writing the story, and what they’re going to do, Daredevil’s core centers around his faith, his grief and desire for transcendence (in terms of his doubt and duality), and the vital role the city (and Hell’s Kitchen specifically) plays in his entire life. It’s basically “Daredevil 101,” and the kind of material that moves in and out of purview to never overwhelm individual stories. To quote a great man, “New York, I love you, but you’re bringing me down.”

Tales of the Green Lantern Corps: Guy Gardner #1

Variant cover by David Aja

From a man of great heart and complexity whipping around NYC to a man whose redeeming quality seems to be his Power Ring (and maybe that bowl cut). Yes, Guy Gardner is “getting his own book,” and that’s pretty cool for most Lantern fans. However, don’t for a second think that this book is going to be some outright celebration of Mr. Gardner; rather, the solicitation calls it a “tale of the best and worst Lantern in the corps.” (And given that it’s from the Deadpool team of Matteo Lolli and Gerry Duggan, expect some especially harsh takedowns of our emerald “hero.”) And in that spirit, I think David Aja really nails that dynamic in this truly excellent variant cover. You’ve got Guy rocking his “standard” uniform, which to me screams, “God, I wish the Lanterns were a ’70s prog rock band!” And don’t even get me started on those boots; they scream “I’ve got a LARP session as a sexy paladin at 7 p.m.” But part of the unwavering honesty/directness of this cover, that must include Guy’s best qualities. Like how he is unafraid to literally step out of the line, and how that makes him a pretty solid warrior for good. Or, that in a whole great, big universe, there really is no one like Lantern Gardner. I love a book that can have its way across the board, and if done right, this one will be a portrait of Guy as “world’s dumbest, bravest fella.”

Fall of the House of Slaughter #1

Cover by Sam Wolfe Connelly

Admittedly, as far as visual metaphors go, this one feels pretty obvious. In a story about the Old Dragon of House Slaughter passing the mantle, and an ensuing fight over his successor, the “tumbling pillar” is universal code for chaos, drama, young eating old/old eating young, and general societal change. But if you haven’t taken a look outside in recent months, we seem to be at the end of our own era (or maybe the whole dang imperial enchilada if we’re really lucky). And so what this image may offer in a rather pointed obviousness, it more than makes up for in also being deeply, deeply satisfying. It’s a sense enhanced by the House member (Erica, right?!) who manages to both A) not care whatsoever and B) exude just a hint of satisfaction via those flirty, shifty eyes. In some ways, I almost sense a modern sensibility in this cover — that if we somehow got to finally see the system crumble, there wouldn’t be obvious cheering. Instead, that dread, frustration, disdain, etc. would color the entire moment, and we’d have to live with achieving something important and the overt disconnect and tinge of pain we’d experience in its wake. It feels like the sort of idea that the Slaughter-verse would pick up on in a second: Change might be good thing, but you too will have to endure the very same spasm and release in all its might and misery. Obvious or not, bring it all down.

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