Monday, June 16, 2008

Captain America #42 Cover


(click image to enlarge)

Marvel's September solicitations are here, featuring Captain America #42. Here's how Marvel describes the issue -

CAPTAIN AMERICA #42
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Pencils & Cover by STEVE EPTING
The final chapter of the epic "Death of Captain America" saga is here! The New Captain America, the Falcon, the Black Widow, Sharon Carter - all in a final showdown with the Red Skull and his minions for the future of America!
32 PGS./Rated T+ ...$2.99

Comparing the cover featured in the article to the one above you'll notice that:

A) The cover on Newsarama is unfinished.

and

B) I changed the background at some point during the painting.

Not my favorite cover, but not my least favorite either. After all, it does have Arnim Zola on it.

UPDATE: Just for comparison's sake, and a little peek at the work in progress, here's the cover as posted in the solits-



You can see my pencils on the two main figures of Cap and Red Skull with flat color underneath them. The smaller figures below are more finished, but there was still work to be done on them. I liked the graphic appeal of the star, but the dominant blue field behind it merged too much with the blue of Cap's costume and made him recede into the background. Cap (and the Skull) needed to be the focal point and the cool blues of his costume contrasted much better against the warm red and white stripes.

9 comments:

Kyle Latino said...

Man, I love your covers. You really have been pushing the limit with the compositions lately. It's nice to have a break from single figure pin ups and scenes.

S.H.I.E.L.D boy said...

another great cover Mr. Epting.

nkatradis said...

Steve, another superb cover by the Modern Day definitive Captain America artist!

IADW said...

That's an awesome cover Steve! I've never seen Red Skull look better than when drawn by you.

IADW said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Excellent cover (as always)!!
I'm eager to read this issue !!

Ty Buttars said...

I too like the star graphic but the red/white band 'pops' better and adds the ever so slight illusion of blood running down the book.

And of course you included my Sin... thank you! :-)

Hope all is well.

Anonymous said...

Hey Steve

Another great cover. Just great! I can't wait to see how everything wraps up eventually in #50.

I hope you, Brubaker and co. decide to stay on the book indefinately (*crosses fingers*)

Steve Epting said...

Thanks for the comments everyone!