calhoun07

The 70's era Marvel comics were instantly recognizable with the banner MARVEL COMICS GROUP going across the top and the avatar type image of the character/characters in the comic in the upper left with the M image containing the issue number and price.

The old DC's with the black and white checkerboard going across the top also was an iconic image.

I thought Charlton maintained a decent cover style for much of the 70's and going into the 80's,

These are just styles that once you see them you know exactly what company you are dealing with.

I think the best of them all, and even to this day, are the covers for EC Comics. Did any company succeed at creating a more recognizable format for their covers? It's not only associated with their comics, but it's also an iconic image for many horror related projects.


And I have to say I miss those iconic type covers. It's kind of a good thing these days I suppose to give more space to the cover art and just have a small logo for the comics company in one of the corners of the cover, but I think there was something kind of cool in seeing those covers and knowing instantly which company you were dealing with.

boredsilly

I think their covers are god awful, but the Ultimate line of books has a distinctive cover style.

I agree with you about EC though. You could be 200 yards away and still be able to tell an EC book from anything else.

I don't miss distinctive covers, so much as I just miss "good covers". I know that's all relative, but these super generic covers (again, Ultimate Spidey is one of the worst offenders, as well as Punisher) are so boring.

davidh777

Top Cow is pretty distinctive

calhoun07

Amen to that. The One More Day story in the Spider-Man titles had some good old school "good covers" but I agree...most of the comics just seem to have a stock pile of generic paintings/drawings that could be slapped on any of the issues during it's run. Gone, long gone, are covers that actually pertain to the story inside the comic, and I am looking in your direction, Marvel.

mattrat

I thought Valiant had some good covers.... could tell a valiant book from far away, at least at first! This has to be my favorite early 90's cover of all time. Just very iconic, and though it doesnt really speak per say to the story inside..... I love it, instantly noticable

This DHP presents is another one of my favorites.

For the most part though I agree that the 70 marvels rocked. I like the Charlton ones also.....