For years, Ladronn has been knocking me over with his Kirby-meets-Moebius style from his early Thor Annual to the luscious Hip Flask books that he’s done (where’s the conclusion to that.) His recent covers have ranged from pretty good to kind of standard and workman-like. But this cover just blows me away, telling a story in a single image of a man alone against his own kind. This cover is close to the same basic design as Gary Frank’s regular cover but this one is much more subtle and shows Superman isolated in a futuristic world when he should be welcomed to it. It’s a much different version of Kandor or Krypton than we’ve seen before.
The combination of Ladronn’s fine line and pinkish/purplish color palette creates a cover that stands out from the endless rack of generic and garish covers. The more removed I get from mainstream superhero comics (and no, this isn’t turning into a screed against Marvel or DC,) the more all comic covers blend together in my mind, including work by the independent publishers. Most comic shops here in the Chicago area burbs (and I assume everywhere else) have racks and racks of comics, each vying for your attention and money. But the covers hardly ever sell anything. They sell an image that may or may not be connected to the interior of the story but most covers are garish and loud. Ladronn’s cover for World of New Krypton #1 is quiet and reflective. It stood out from everything that was on the shelf this week.
To see what Ladronn is capable of inside a comic, check out these excellent books. Unhuman is an artbook showcasing Ladronn’s designs but if you’re a fan of Richard Starking’s Elephantmen, you need to pick up the two Hip Flask books:
Unhuman: The Elephantmen – The Art Of Ladronn on Amazon
Hip Flask: Concrete Jungle (The Big Here & the Long Now) on Amazon
Hip Flask: Unnatural Selection on Amazon
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Tags: Elephantmen, Hip Flask, Ladronn, Superman, World of Krypton
That is really pretty. I’d also suggest picking up the Inhumans mini-series he did seven or eight years ago with Marvel. That’s where I first discovered his stuff and it’s just reeally pretty to look at. I think it just got collected in the last year or so.
Can’t believe I forgot that Inhumans series. I picked up the trade of it at Wizard World Chicago last year for $5 I think. Didn’t Jorge Lucas finish up the last issue of the mini?