Cover of the Week – Manifest Destiny #2 by Matthew Roberts

On a quick side note I want to thank everyone for their support because this incredible cover marks my 250th post. It is an insane milestone and one I am incredibly proud of. I sometimes wonder if a colourist can carry a cover on their lonesome, because Owen Gieni’s use of greens and contrasting pink is just breathtaking. Of course I exaggerate because the concept and art is superb but it feels so warm. This is an ridiculous feeling given the themes of horrific battle and death emanate from the page. The sheer spectacle of a skull with axe embedded implies a bloody and brutal confrontation. The poor recipient has been left to rot as there is no vestiges of human life to be found. It has laid there for such a long period of time that the environment has undergone repair and regeneration. A beautiful layer of vegetation has covered the stony landscape and the detail is it’s key feature. There are fungal species and vines intermingling with shooting flowers on the axe head. The small intricate variations in greenery make the cover stand out, and the colouring brings attention to it. The background is an ochre delight bringing a serenity to the scene. The pinks and green perfectly accompany the title and lettering. The whole page is synchronous and is fantastically balanced. It is a pretty sight built upon a seeming tough rock war ground. What was once long ago is no more, and life has returned to the barren land. Whatever the people fought over has been forgotten and the natural world has forgiven and moved on. Sheer wonder.