Josh Middleton has posted the final colorized version of the cover of Supergirl #45 over on his blog ( http://joshuamiddleton.blogspot.com/2009/04/supergirl-45.html ).
As usual, Middleton really hits this one out of the park. One thing that always stands out is his use of lighting on the covers. Here we see Alura and Kara bathed in light from 2 sources. One is the ceiling/logo which creates almost a halo effect around Alura. The other is a more muted light from the floor. This is just wonderful.
But there are a couple of other things I really like about this composition.
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I absolutely love that Alura is running her hand through her hair. We have come to realize just how close to insanity Alura has come. For some reason her flipping her hair has a chilling effect.
First off, there is something suggestive about this (and her expression), almost as if she is somehow aroused as she holds up Reactron's helmet. Look at the smoldering look out of the corner of her eyes as she tosses her hair back
Also, it looks as though she may be adjusting her hair using Reactron's helmet as a mirror. The fact that she would be doing such a mundane task as she holds up her enemies 'head' is frightening.
I think this simple pose and action just speak volumes of who Alura is. And isn't that what good art is all about.
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I also love Kara in this cover.
First off, look at the expression on her face, the distance she is keeping from her mother. She doesn't want to get close to Alura.
And Alura dwarfs her on the cover. One thing that we have yet to see is Supergirl really stand up to her mother. She has sort of remained a bit subservient to Alura, doing anything to please her. Alura dominates the cover over Kara just as she dominates her in the story.
All together it makes the cover a powerful piece.
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This whole cover was a treat for me as Middleton shared with us the process from thumb nails to sketches to finished inks to coloring.
I hope he does the covers on the title for a long time.
13 comments:
Kara's expression seems to say "I've done your bidding, avenged my father, I leave you to your insanity".
Of course I could be reading too much into it, but then that is the beauty of good artwork...and oh how good this pic is!
John Feer
John Feer said...Kara's expression seems to say "I've done your bidding, avenged my father, I leave you to your insanity".Dude I was going to write something similar to that for I feel the same way. Heh. ;)
Alura: This will look great on the hood of my Lexus.
Kara: Ah mom, you drive a Subaru.
Of course, all this still doesn't answer the question as to who freed Reactron from the Phantom Zone to begin with?
Maybe Supergirl is pondering that little poser while her mother preens.
I repeat I suspect Zor El's death is a sort of Kryptonian "Reichstag Fire" it's designed to enable certain groups on Earth and New Krypton...therefore he was killed by a conspiracy...or so it seems to me.
John Feer
Kara's expression seems to say "I've done your bidding, avenged my father, I leave you to your insanity".
Of course I could be reading too much into it, but then that is the beauty of good artwork...and oh how good this pic is!Thanks for the post.
I do think at some point Kara needs to shake free of her desire to please Alura. Maybe this is the tipping point.
Anonymous said...
Of course, all this still doesn't answer the question as to who freed Reactron from the Phantom Zone
When was Reactron in the Phantom Zone?
Hmmm, I don't remember that either. :/
I have a gripe with it. Alura should look older. I kind of like the version where she was lounging on a setee. Middleton posted it as a thumbnail on his blog. As for what we got, its servicable. Josh Middleton always does good work. Its really a comparison between great and astounding so complaints like mine are a bit useless :p
I like that cover a lot. i don't think Alura is looking suggestive though. Rather, I think she looks calculating. She is doing the 'Alas poor Yorick' pose rather well - not knowing Hamlet at all I wonder if the play has nay resemblance to aspects of the Alura subplots?
Kara looks every inch the pissed off teenager here. Sullen, resentful and about to pop. I have a lot of time for snarky Kara, and I think the displays of angrr and hatred towards her mother have been dealt with very well in the recent issues. This cover captures this mother daughter relationship very well. Alura is completely oblivious to Kara and obviously doesn't consider her a threat.
When was Reactron in the Phantom Zone?I don't think he was one of the ones rounded up by the Kryptonians.
I have a gripe with it. Alura should look older. I kind of like the version where she was lounging on a setee.Thanks for the post.
I also like that thumb nail as well.
Alura is drawn rather young appearing in most books. She seems to be more around Lois' age in appearance. Of course she could have been a very young mother.
Kara looks every inch the pissed off teenager here. Sullen, resentful and about to pop. I have a lot of time for snarky Kara, and I think the displays of angrr and hatred towards her mother have been dealt with very well in the recent issues. This cover captures this mother daughter relationship very well. Alura is completely oblivious to Kara and obviously doesn't consider her a threat.Thanks for the post.
I agree that Kara's scenes with Alura have been very well done. I think at some point Supergirl is going to say 'enough's enough' and take off.
This is the first Joshua Middleton cover I've really liked - usually they're too watercolour-wispy for me.
I suppose time could have passed more slowly in Brainiac's bottle, making Alura younger than she should be.
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