March 18, 2003
NEW COVER FOR FALLEN ANGEL #1
Although everyone agreed that the Mike Kaluta cover for "Fallen Angel #1" (the B&W sketch for which I showed you folks some time ago) was beautifully moody, the feeling at DC was that the first issue cover should practically leap off the stands visually, especially with so many titles out there vying for the reader's eye. So Brian Stelfreze (man, I hope I spelled his name right) was brought in to do a new cover for the first issue, and the Kaluta painting will be saved for a few issues down the line when the book's established.
So here's what you'll be seeing on the newsstands in July for "Fallen Angel's" debut.
PAD
Posted by Peter David at March 18, 2003 04:43 AM | TrackBack | Other blogs commentingWow! Looks beautiful. Although I buy comics for the stories mostly, and not the art, a great cover like that will help me to convince my friends to get "Fallen Angel" as well...
Very nice! It should appeal to a wide segment *cough*vertigo*cough* that might not otherwise be looking for the latest PAD title. I like it.
Wow! If that doesn't catch a browser's eye then they need a seeing eye dog. That's gorgeous!
Fazhoul
Looks Great, Can't wait to see it on the shelf PAD.
Brian Stelfreeze (correct spelling) is amazing and that cover is gorgeous. looking forward to this title.
Wow. Stelfreeze is an excellent cover artist -- he just gets better and better.
Any word on how big of a promotional push DC will be giving the book? From all you've said about it, it seems like it could be a crossover success with various reader groups.
Looks good...next is the question of logo/trade dress to make things really pop.
That's a glorious cover -- can't wait to check out what's behind it!
Rob
This is a nice cover indeed, and that's an understatement.
I liked the Kaluta cover as well, but on some level it reminded me of his MADAME XANADU covers from back in the day. I don't know if others shared that feeling, but if so, I suppose it makes sense for the first cover for this new series to not be too reminiscent of a totally separate character.
Sounds like DC's lined up more than a few awesome cover artists for this series. Is there anyone else whose work's going to wow us that we should know about?
Well, we've seen how the editorial minds at the big comics companies have guided us into this golden age of comics selling better than ever, with a robust and ever-growing readership. This decision can only be seen as another step in the successful direction comics have been going for years!
Or, in other words, I shake my head in wonder at the continual stupidity and hubris that comes from comics management these days. Maybe I'm out of step here, but personally I'm MUCH more likely to buy a new book, sight unseen, if it has a Kaluta cover (or any of our other legendary comics illustrators) than not. This cover is... nice. Well done indeed. But will it make me pick up the book? Not like a new Kaluta cover would.
(And I'm sure it's a fine book, Peter - just kibitzing about the cover, which of course, we can't tell a book by, but we might buy a book for).
A very beautiful cover in it's own right - and I'm happy to hear that the other cover you previewed will in fact be used. It'd be a waste to not use either cover, wow!
As Will said - promotional is important, what kind of push is this book going to get, being 'trapped' between vertigo and mainline DC?
And Scavenger - the trade dress is immensely important, no less the darn logo.
Ah, the fans, we're such information hungry bastards, aren't we. :)
great cover. Just an odd question.. what is that on her arms? looks oddly similar to how tefillin straps are wound (though obviously tefillin are only worn on one arm).
Probably my imagination, but I thought I'd ask anyway =)
Great cover Peter, I think its great that you seem have so many projects lined up.
Cant wait to see Fallen Angel, Spyboy & Teenage Mutant Ninja/Hero Turtles.
By the way just got Captain Marvel #6 (I get my comics through monthly mail order, im in the UK) is Marv what wrestling fans would call a Heel? (i.e. bad guy)
A Kaluta cover sells?
Hmmm. Maybe for us older fans, but I'm not sure he's a strong selling point for younger fans....
Looks pretty sweet. Can't wait.
"By the way just got Captain Marvel #6 (I get my comics through monthly mail order, im in the UK) is Marv what wrestling fans would call a Heel? (i.e. bad guy)"
Well, he is right now, but hasn't always been. It's kind of a new development.
I think it's wonderful! I sure hope this gets all the promotion it deserves, and especially success!
Posted by elijah wilbury:
Just an odd question.. what is that on her arms? looks oddly similar to how tefillin straps are wound (though obviously tefillin are only worn on one arm).
Probably my imagination, but I thought I'd ask anyway
It may well be a design coincidence, but it's not just your imagination; goy though I be, they struck me as somewhat phylactery-esque as well.
July? July? Damn it Peter, I'm a fricking college student. Are you purposely trying to make me too broke to get a date? Who am I kidding... the closest thing I've had to a date in 18 months was when the goth girl showed up in the wrong room during RPG night on campus and thought I was the GM for the Vampire game.
Don't know who this Stelfreze is but that sure is a beautiful cover (kudos to the coloring work too). Even if I wasn't already getting FA #1 and was just looking around a comic shop for an impulse buy this would leap out. Good work by DC (never thought I'd say that after what it did to Supergirl and YJ).
Hey there Mr. David I was wondering if you could tell us a little bit about the title? I love the cover but I would like to know a bit about the story before I decide to pick it up every month. Thanks.
I was rather disappointed when I attended the DC presentation at MegaCon a few weeks back. The presentation showcased the next few months of releases (including stuff that wasn't even done yet) but made no mention of Fallen Angel.
Ho, Bessie!!!
>>the feeling at DC was that the first issue cover should practically leap off the stands visually<<
Mission Accomplished!! I can't wait to see it on the actual stands!!!
By the way, this past Wednesday night, I was at the Florida Film Festival in Orlando taking in: ( among other gems such as: 'The Sweatbox', a behind-the-scenes documentary....co-directed by Sting's wife, Trudie Styler....on how Disney's 'Empire Of The Sun' became 'The Emperor's New Groove', and Don Coscarelli's latest: 'Bubba Ho-Tep', starring Bruce Campbell as a sixty-something Elvis and Ossie Davis as JFK...that's right, Ossie Davis IS JFK!!... as they join forces to battle a soul-stealing mummy in a Texas nursing home!! ) Shinsuke Sato's 'The Princess Blade ( aka 'Shurayuki Hime' )', familiar to manga fans as: 'Lady Snowblood'.
The upshot is, my TV was primed and timed to tape 'Angel'....but my VCR was not!! *Sigh* And I understand it was a goodie!!
I would be greatly appreciative of anyone out there who could either loan me a VHS copy, or provide me with a reeeally detailed synopsis of the 12 March episode!!
Thanks!!
Hooper
You know, and I'm not trying to be difficult, but I really don't like the cover at all. The picture itself is *ok*, but it's the colors that get me. I suppose I'm just not a light green and burgundy sort of guy!
........did I say 'Empire Of The Sun'??! Ut!! I meant 'Kingdom Of The Sun'!!
Hooper
Great cover. Brian always does good work.
This cover will be featured prominently in Diamond Previews, right?!
I love the cover! Stelfreeze is just so good at this sort of iconic imagery stuff. Very cool.
Can' wait to read it!
>>Great cover. Brian always does good work.
This cover will be featured prominently in Diamond Previews, right?!<<
I guess we'll find out.
PAD
As a huge fan of Kaluta's work, and a newcomer to this weblog, I'd love to see his cover sketch, but i don't know where to find it! Linkage would have been helpful. When did you post it? Life is short and I can't go through every entry until I luck up on it.
To answer an earlier
COMMENT: somebody must think Kaluta covers help sales; hes been doing tons of them for the last 5 years at least!
The Kaluta cover can be seen here:
http://peterdavid.malibulist.com/gmlog/00000272.html
Corey
I finished Supergirl 80 minutes ago and just wanted to thank Peter David for a wonderful series. I can hardly wait until July
Thanks, Corey.
That's a sweet illo. Hope it sees print one of these days...