Jim Lemoine
Sep 3, 2003, 01:49 pm
<img src="http://pages.sbcglobal.net/harahap/top10xcov.gif" border=0 align=left alt="Top 10 X-Covers"></a>The Top Ten Marvel X-Covers
Assembled and Edited by Tan K.
Sometimes the cover of a comic book is the equivalent of eyes into a story's soul. Other times, readers may feel that the cover can be the ultimate deceiver. Regardless of your stance, we call agree that an eye-catching or profound cover is one of the most important elements of the comic book. What makes a great cover? Who knows: different fans have different criteria.
Still, there are some covers that transcend the mere tastes of the individual. Covers so moving... so powerful... that they become instant classics, memorable for the emotions they evoke. As part of our celebration of the X-Men's 40th Anniversary, the ComiX-Fan Staff took a good hard look at all the covers of all the X-Books over the years, searching for the very, very best. And we found them... ladies and gentlemen, we submit for your approval, the Top Ten X-Covers of All Time!
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/337/origin2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/337/origin2.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Origin #2"></a>#10: ORIGIN #2
Art by: Joe Quesada & Richard Isanove
This groundbreaking mini-series tells the origin of the uber-popular and ever-mysterious Wolverine. Every minute detail of Origin had to be planned meticulously, including its covers. For those just tuning in, before controversial Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada called the shots, he was a simple artist, and a damn good one at that. Obviously, editorial didn't have to look far for a seasoned artist to take on such a huge responsibility. For the cover of the very issue that chronicled the first "popping out" of the now-famous claws, Quesada chose an unforgettable closeup image of the sharp bones making their way out of James "Logan" Howlett's virgin hands. Supplying the colors and touchups is painter Richard Isanove, who adds necessary depth and realism to an already incredible image.
This entry written by Al Harahap
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/8/uxmen138.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/8/uxmen138.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Uncanny X-Men #138"></a>#9: UNCANNY X-MEN #138
Art by: John Byrne
Often imitated, never duplicated. This cover of Cyclops leaving the X-Men after the supposed death of his longtime love, Jean Grey (a.k.a. Dark Phoenix), has been honored with many an homage -- New Mutants #99 (Sunspot), Uncanny X-Men #318 (Jubilee), X-Force #44 (Cannonball), and X-Force #70 (team) to just name a few. Cyclops' exit was a momentous event. Not only because he was the quintessential X-Man to stay by Professor X's side, but more so because of the emotional baggage involved - baggage that has never been rivaled throughout the years with perhaps only Shadowcat's recent departure after Colossus' death coming close. Artist John Byrne's capture of this moment, along with the monochromatic colors of the background to convey the team's emptiness, cements it as a great one in X-history.
This entry written by Al Harahap
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/188/uxmen270.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/188/uxmen270.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Uncanny X-Men #270"></a>#8: UNCANNY X-MEN #270
Art by: Jim Lee
This is one of the most eye-catching X-Men covers I've ever seen. Witness the image of Havok amidst an explosion of sheer, unadulterated power. Note the emotion as he stands atop Warlock and Boom-Boom of the New Mutants, and holds Storm in his clutches. Jim Lee is recognized as one of the best modern comic book artists because of covers like this one; because he can convey powerful and dynamic images that drag the reader into the story. The X-Tinction Agenda was a great arc, and it had some great covers... but none quite as powerful as this one. Defeated X-Men, unconscious New Mutants, a powerful X-Man gone bad, the complete upheaval of the X-Men logo... throw it all together and you get one of the best X-Men covers of all time.
This entry written by Tan K.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/184/nwmut026.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/184/nwmut026.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="New Mutants #26"></a>#7: NEW MUTANTS #26
Art by: Bill Sienkiewicz
As the first ever X-Men spinoff, the New Mutants series had a lot to live up to. Not just in terms of overall direction and story, but it of course wanted its own distinct artistic identity. To do this, artist Bill Sienkiewicz began a series of mindblowing painted covers, which was a rarity for comics at the time. This decision to incorporate painted covers for a mainstream series has influenced the industry greatly, contributing to modern art like the artistic covers of DC's Vertigo imprint and even indie books. Arguably the best cover in Sienkiewicz's run is this rendition of Legion for the issue of his first full appearance. At first, the image seems like a typical abstract, but once readers learn of the character's multiple personalities, Sienkiewicz's intent becomes crystal clear. The image in fact symbolizes Legion's tattered psyche and the anguish and inner conflict he was experiencing because of it.
This entry written by Al Harahap
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/188/uxmen142.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/188/uxmen142.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Uncanny X-Men #142"></a>#6: UNCANNY X-MEN #142
Art by: John Byrne
The cover to Part 2 of Days of Future Past says outright what the previous issue’s cover implied: "Everybody Dies!" A towering Sentinel dominates the image, holding a limp and lifeless Storm in one hand while brutally blasting apart Wolverine with the other. The image’s strength lies in its simple brutality showing two of the mightiest X-Men at the total mercy of this monstrous machine. Never before or since has a cover expressed so well the utter futility of a struggle, the hopelessness of a situation. This cover makes the list because nobody seeing this image could resist picking up this issue, and no one who read this issue could deny that the Sentinels were one of the X-Men’s greatest threats.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/Marvels2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://Www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/Marvels2t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Marvels #2"></a>#5: MARVELS #2
Artist: Alex Ross
Upon your first look at this cover, it's hard not to be taken in by its sheer magnificence. If you're a comic fan, you're probably familiar with Alex Ross' award-winning skills of painting realistic portrayals of the superhero genre. But this cover transcends mere beauty and touches the soul. Not only does the scene symbolize the X-Men's whole raison d'etre in fighting the bigotry against mutants and prejudice in general, but Ross' choice of Angel in rescuing the contrasting deformed mutant girl instills a sense of some divine intervention that would otherwise be missing with any of the other four original X-Men. The two figures are a juxtaposition of the most "beautiful" and the most "horrible" a mutant can be physically. Yet with Ross' inclusion of the lynch mob throwing stones, he reminds us that it doesn't matter... because both are unacceptable in society regardless of aesthetics. Thus making this masterpiece the beautiful tragedy that it is.
This entry written by Al Harahap
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/258/wolv-ls1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/258/wolv-ls1.jpg" align=right border=0 alt="Wolverine #1"></a>#4: WOLVERINE #1
Art by: Frank Miller
Wolverine is an icon of modern pop culture. You can argue about his overexposure all you like, but you cannot deny the appeal of this character. The hard edge, the danger, the charisma, and the lethal playfulness...all at work in this classic Frank Miller image. Against a minimalist backdrop, Logan peers out at the reader, mask drawn back. His eyes are squinted with brows arching upwards, his mouth drawn back into a smile that would make Clint Eastwood a little wary. Claws extended on one hand, light gleaming in star cross patterns off the razor sharp steel...and the other hand beckoning the reader in closer. Surely a sight that would send your average fanboy screaming and in desperate need of new Underoos, but here is an invitation into the dangerous world of Wolverine. The risk is well worth the rewards within...
This entry written by Jordan T. Maxwell
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/8/uxmen101.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/8/uxmen101.jpg" align=right border=0 alt="Uncanny X-Men #101"></a>#3: UNCANNY X-MEN #101
Art by: Dave Cockrum
Jean’s dead. She piloted the shuttle to save the X-men’s lives. Their friend, their family member, their beloved, sacrificed herself to save them. Wait, what’s that bubbling beneath the water? Could it be? And on that note the fiery Phoenix triumphantly rises from her ashes in a blaze of glory. Jean Grey, transformed into the powerful Phoenix entity, proclaims, "Hear me, X-Men! No longer am I the woman you knew! I am fire! And life incarnate! Now and forever I am Phoenix!" This very moment was a zenith in the Phoenix’ life, as well as X-dom as a whole. Phoenix is arguably one of the most powerful beings to ever exist in Marvels’ plethoric past, as well as one of the most popular. She has been integral as an instigator of some of the biggest and most well-known events to occur in X-history. Any X-Fan worth their salt can easily identify this cover at a glance, this cover that immortalizes that moment when Jean Grey rose like a phoenix from her watery grave. This cover is one of the top covers of all time for the composition’s symbolism and its sheer awe-inspiring beauty.
This entry written by Nancy N. Young
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/8/uxmen141.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/8/uxmen141.jpg" align=right border=0 alt="Uncanny X-Men #141"></a>#2: UNCANNY X-MEN #141
Art by: John Byrne
The cover to Part 1 of Days of Future Past, in a time before alternate realities were as common as Summers relatives, is another artistic masterpiece. An aging Wolverine stands defiant against whatever is standing before him, flashing its warning lights at him, and no doubt readying itself for an attack. However, it’s what stands behind Wolverine that makes everyone remember this cover: a scoreboard, if you will, showing our favorite past and present X-Men and what has happened to them thanks to the mutant-hunting Sentinels: they have all been "Apprehended" or "Slain." It’s simple, it’s cold, and it’s callously inhuman... much like the robotic destroyers responsible. The shock value alone of such a cover, before fans knew what it meant to have a story in an alternate place and time, places this at #2 on the Top X-Covers list.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/188/uxmen251.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/188/uxmen251.jpg" align=right border=0 alt="Uncanny X-Men #251"></a>#1: UNCANNY X-MEN #251
Art by: Marc Silvestri
After the devastating attack by the Reavers, the X-Men are on the run, but one of their own has fallen and been taken prisoner by Donald Pierce. Chained in the desert to a huge X, Wolverine is subjected to the physical and psychological torture of Pierce, ultimately leading to his actual crucifixion. It is that image that graces the cover of Uncanny X-Men #251: Wolverine, broken, defeated, on his own version of the cross. The image is beautifully rendered: the greens of Logan and the cross contrasting with the purple-hued background gives the entire scene a surreal feeling of suffering and eminent death while a lone vulture draws attention to itself by disrupting the familiar logo. For the final brilliant touch, take a good look at Logan’s arms: there are no chains holding him to the cross. That places this cover chronologically toward the end of the issue after his violent staking to the X. Darkly perfect imagery that is startling potent, without being graphic, makes this cover #1.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
<center><hr width=90%></center>
For more special articles, features, and columns celebrating the 40th Anniversaries of the Avengers and X-Men, click here! (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21464)
Assembled and Edited by Tan K.
Sometimes the cover of a comic book is the equivalent of eyes into a story's soul. Other times, readers may feel that the cover can be the ultimate deceiver. Regardless of your stance, we call agree that an eye-catching or profound cover is one of the most important elements of the comic book. What makes a great cover? Who knows: different fans have different criteria.
Still, there are some covers that transcend the mere tastes of the individual. Covers so moving... so powerful... that they become instant classics, memorable for the emotions they evoke. As part of our celebration of the X-Men's 40th Anniversary, the ComiX-Fan Staff took a good hard look at all the covers of all the X-Books over the years, searching for the very, very best. And we found them... ladies and gentlemen, we submit for your approval, the Top Ten X-Covers of All Time!
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/337/origin2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/337/origin2.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Origin #2"></a>#10: ORIGIN #2
Art by: Joe Quesada & Richard Isanove
This groundbreaking mini-series tells the origin of the uber-popular and ever-mysterious Wolverine. Every minute detail of Origin had to be planned meticulously, including its covers. For those just tuning in, before controversial Marvel Editor-in-Chief Joe Quesada called the shots, he was a simple artist, and a damn good one at that. Obviously, editorial didn't have to look far for a seasoned artist to take on such a huge responsibility. For the cover of the very issue that chronicled the first "popping out" of the now-famous claws, Quesada chose an unforgettable closeup image of the sharp bones making their way out of James "Logan" Howlett's virgin hands. Supplying the colors and touchups is painter Richard Isanove, who adds necessary depth and realism to an already incredible image.
This entry written by Al Harahap
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/8/uxmen138.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/8/uxmen138.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Uncanny X-Men #138"></a>#9: UNCANNY X-MEN #138
Art by: John Byrne
Often imitated, never duplicated. This cover of Cyclops leaving the X-Men after the supposed death of his longtime love, Jean Grey (a.k.a. Dark Phoenix), has been honored with many an homage -- New Mutants #99 (Sunspot), Uncanny X-Men #318 (Jubilee), X-Force #44 (Cannonball), and X-Force #70 (team) to just name a few. Cyclops' exit was a momentous event. Not only because he was the quintessential X-Man to stay by Professor X's side, but more so because of the emotional baggage involved - baggage that has never been rivaled throughout the years with perhaps only Shadowcat's recent departure after Colossus' death coming close. Artist John Byrne's capture of this moment, along with the monochromatic colors of the background to convey the team's emptiness, cements it as a great one in X-history.
This entry written by Al Harahap
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/188/uxmen270.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/188/uxmen270.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Uncanny X-Men #270"></a>#8: UNCANNY X-MEN #270
Art by: Jim Lee
This is one of the most eye-catching X-Men covers I've ever seen. Witness the image of Havok amidst an explosion of sheer, unadulterated power. Note the emotion as he stands atop Warlock and Boom-Boom of the New Mutants, and holds Storm in his clutches. Jim Lee is recognized as one of the best modern comic book artists because of covers like this one; because he can convey powerful and dynamic images that drag the reader into the story. The X-Tinction Agenda was a great arc, and it had some great covers... but none quite as powerful as this one. Defeated X-Men, unconscious New Mutants, a powerful X-Man gone bad, the complete upheaval of the X-Men logo... throw it all together and you get one of the best X-Men covers of all time.
This entry written by Tan K.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/184/nwmut026.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/184/nwmut026.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="New Mutants #26"></a>#7: NEW MUTANTS #26
Art by: Bill Sienkiewicz
As the first ever X-Men spinoff, the New Mutants series had a lot to live up to. Not just in terms of overall direction and story, but it of course wanted its own distinct artistic identity. To do this, artist Bill Sienkiewicz began a series of mindblowing painted covers, which was a rarity for comics at the time. This decision to incorporate painted covers for a mainstream series has influenced the industry greatly, contributing to modern art like the artistic covers of DC's Vertigo imprint and even indie books. Arguably the best cover in Sienkiewicz's run is this rendition of Legion for the issue of his first full appearance. At first, the image seems like a typical abstract, but once readers learn of the character's multiple personalities, Sienkiewicz's intent becomes crystal clear. The image in fact symbolizes Legion's tattered psyche and the anguish and inner conflict he was experiencing because of it.
This entry written by Al Harahap
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/188/uxmen142.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/188/uxmen142.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Uncanny X-Men #142"></a>#6: UNCANNY X-MEN #142
Art by: John Byrne
The cover to Part 2 of Days of Future Past says outright what the previous issue’s cover implied: "Everybody Dies!" A towering Sentinel dominates the image, holding a limp and lifeless Storm in one hand while brutally blasting apart Wolverine with the other. The image’s strength lies in its simple brutality showing two of the mightiest X-Men at the total mercy of this monstrous machine. Never before or since has a cover expressed so well the utter futility of a struggle, the hopelessness of a situation. This cover makes the list because nobody seeing this image could resist picking up this issue, and no one who read this issue could deny that the Sentinels were one of the X-Men’s greatest threats.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/Marvels2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://Www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/Marvels2t.jpg" border=0 align=right alt="Marvels #2"></a>#5: MARVELS #2
Artist: Alex Ross
Upon your first look at this cover, it's hard not to be taken in by its sheer magnificence. If you're a comic fan, you're probably familiar with Alex Ross' award-winning skills of painting realistic portrayals of the superhero genre. But this cover transcends mere beauty and touches the soul. Not only does the scene symbolize the X-Men's whole raison d'etre in fighting the bigotry against mutants and prejudice in general, but Ross' choice of Angel in rescuing the contrasting deformed mutant girl instills a sense of some divine intervention that would otherwise be missing with any of the other four original X-Men. The two figures are a juxtaposition of the most "beautiful" and the most "horrible" a mutant can be physically. Yet with Ross' inclusion of the lynch mob throwing stones, he reminds us that it doesn't matter... because both are unacceptable in society regardless of aesthetics. Thus making this masterpiece the beautiful tragedy that it is.
This entry written by Al Harahap
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/258/wolv-ls1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/258/wolv-ls1.jpg" align=right border=0 alt="Wolverine #1"></a>#4: WOLVERINE #1
Art by: Frank Miller
Wolverine is an icon of modern pop culture. You can argue about his overexposure all you like, but you cannot deny the appeal of this character. The hard edge, the danger, the charisma, and the lethal playfulness...all at work in this classic Frank Miller image. Against a minimalist backdrop, Logan peers out at the reader, mask drawn back. His eyes are squinted with brows arching upwards, his mouth drawn back into a smile that would make Clint Eastwood a little wary. Claws extended on one hand, light gleaming in star cross patterns off the razor sharp steel...and the other hand beckoning the reader in closer. Surely a sight that would send your average fanboy screaming and in desperate need of new Underoos, but here is an invitation into the dangerous world of Wolverine. The risk is well worth the rewards within...
This entry written by Jordan T. Maxwell
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/8/uxmen101.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/8/uxmen101.jpg" align=right border=0 alt="Uncanny X-Men #101"></a>#3: UNCANNY X-MEN #101
Art by: Dave Cockrum
Jean’s dead. She piloted the shuttle to save the X-men’s lives. Their friend, their family member, their beloved, sacrificed herself to save them. Wait, what’s that bubbling beneath the water? Could it be? And on that note the fiery Phoenix triumphantly rises from her ashes in a blaze of glory. Jean Grey, transformed into the powerful Phoenix entity, proclaims, "Hear me, X-Men! No longer am I the woman you knew! I am fire! And life incarnate! Now and forever I am Phoenix!" This very moment was a zenith in the Phoenix’ life, as well as X-dom as a whole. Phoenix is arguably one of the most powerful beings to ever exist in Marvels’ plethoric past, as well as one of the most popular. She has been integral as an instigator of some of the biggest and most well-known events to occur in X-history. Any X-Fan worth their salt can easily identify this cover at a glance, this cover that immortalizes that moment when Jean Grey rose like a phoenix from her watery grave. This cover is one of the top covers of all time for the composition’s symbolism and its sheer awe-inspiring beauty.
This entry written by Nancy N. Young
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/8/uxmen141.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/8/uxmen141.jpg" align=right border=0 alt="Uncanny X-Men #141"></a>#2: UNCANNY X-MEN #141
Art by: John Byrne
The cover to Part 1 of Days of Future Past, in a time before alternate realities were as common as Summers relatives, is another artistic masterpiece. An aging Wolverine stands defiant against whatever is standing before him, flashing its warning lights at him, and no doubt readying itself for an attack. However, it’s what stands behind Wolverine that makes everyone remember this cover: a scoreboard, if you will, showing our favorite past and present X-Men and what has happened to them thanks to the mutant-hunting Sentinels: they have all been "Apprehended" or "Slain." It’s simple, it’s cold, and it’s callously inhuman... much like the robotic destroyers responsible. The shock value alone of such a cover, before fans knew what it meant to have a story in an alternate place and time, places this at #2 on the Top X-Covers list.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<a href="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/media/188/uxmen251.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/4images/data/thumbnails/188/uxmen251.jpg" align=right border=0 alt="Uncanny X-Men #251"></a>#1: UNCANNY X-MEN #251
Art by: Marc Silvestri
After the devastating attack by the Reavers, the X-Men are on the run, but one of their own has fallen and been taken prisoner by Donald Pierce. Chained in the desert to a huge X, Wolverine is subjected to the physical and psychological torture of Pierce, ultimately leading to his actual crucifixion. It is that image that graces the cover of Uncanny X-Men #251: Wolverine, broken, defeated, on his own version of the cross. The image is beautifully rendered: the greens of Logan and the cross contrasting with the purple-hued background gives the entire scene a surreal feeling of suffering and eminent death while a lone vulture draws attention to itself by disrupting the familiar logo. For the final brilliant touch, take a good look at Logan’s arms: there are no chains holding him to the cross. That places this cover chronologically toward the end of the issue after his violent staking to the X. Darkly perfect imagery that is startling potent, without being graphic, makes this cover #1.
This entry written by Joel Phillips
<center><hr width=90%></center>
For more special articles, features, and columns celebrating the 40th Anniversaries of the Avengers and X-Men, click here! (http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21464)