Drawn by Yuko Shimizu, this is the cover to issue fourteen of the series. This is one of those covers that makes me really want a comprehensive book to be released containing all covers of a series. Some fans would surely have a problem with this, and avoid purchasing the thing because they are in essence buying the same thing twice.
There are various ways around this, including special features, which are increasingly included in compilations/trade paperbacks/graphic novels now. These could include a multitude of items, but the ones that come to mind first are interviews with the artist, examples of the process such as thumbnail sketches, rough layouts, pencils, inks and so forth. I would definitely buy one for certain series I follow that are still active, and for some that have finished.
Vertigo has released "Fables Covers: The Art of James Jean Volume 1," but this seems like the exception. I would definitely buy a book of covers from "Y: the Last Man," "Ex Machina," and "The Unwritten." Maybe Vertigo has plans of doing this, but "Y: the Last Man" has been finished for some time now, and "Fables" is currently still running. There surely is some sort of mathematical formula out there to prove this means the James Jean book is a fluke.
Marvel used to do cover collections at one point, especially in the mid-90's. I sometimes wonder if that's why it isn't done more now. People worrying too much about copying the industry before the fall.
ReplyDeleteBut with the beauty of Vertigo covers, I do wish they'd release some collections. The Vertigo Visions hardback is one of my favorite books.