Comicon’s Best Cover Artists Of 2023
by Erik Amaya
Welcome to Comicon.com’s Best of the Year Awards, gathering the best comics and comics talent of the strange year that was 2021. This year we will be awarding in the following categories: Best Original Graphic Novels, Best Comic Series, Best Single Comic Issues, Best Writers, Best Artists, Best Cover Artists, Best Colorists, Best Letterers, Best Digital/Webcomics, and Most Progressive Comics.
Contributors to Comicon’s Best of the Year Awards this year include: Rachel Bellwoar, Richard Bruton, Scott Redmond, Tito James, Tom Smithyman, and Tony Thornley.
The following are Comicon’s 5 Best Cover Artists of 2023.
6. Taurin Clarke
Iconic is a word used quite liberally in many cases, especially about newer things. Yet, it’s a word that fits what Clarke brings to comic book covers regularly. Striking imagery that feels realistic and grounded, yet bright and shiny and bold. It has a slight air of unreality radiating from it to remind us these are vibrant, fun, fictional characters. The work also lets us feel like they truly could burst off the page and swing through the streets before us. Whether in action or a profile shot, the characters captured have weight and energy to them that cannot be denied. Just a simple glance can easily remind someone why they fell in love with these characters in the first place.
— Scott Redmond
5. Russell Dauterman
The only trade off to Dauterman’s incredible covers is that he seldom does interiors any more. Whether he’s doing X-Men trading card variants, costume variants featuring characters like Storm, Scarlet Witch, Invisible Woman, and She-Hulk, or his ongoing covers on Scarlet Witch, each one is incredible quality and worth simply staring at.
— Tony Thornley
4. Jessica Fong
Covers used to depict moments — or approximations — of things actually happening in the issue. Over time that has naturally changed. With the right creator, though, while they may not showcase events of the comic, they can set the tone for what is in store. This is what Fong does every single month with a title like Poison Ivy. A truly gorgeous artistic style that smoothly moves into the horrific yet beautiful tone of the series. Allowing the reader to already be scared, disgusted, intrigued, excited, and more before they even turn to the first page. So unique, they stand with the title, yet could be parted from the book and still be masterpieces.
— Scott Redmond
3. Phil Noto
Noto’s work is always a wonder. Every one of his covers is different in style, composition, and colors whether it’s Immortal X-Men’s portraits, Ms. Marvel’s dynamic entry into the X-Men universe or more. All we know is that when we see Noto’s name attached to a cover, it’s going to be one to pause and take in, if not an insta-buy.
— Tony Thornley
2. Peach Momoko
There is little debate (go ahead and try) that Momoko is one of the most unique and best artists working in comics today. While we’re not lucky enough to always get interiors from her, we are treated to a bevy of standard and variant covers on the regular. It’s a style that is both whimsical and fun, characters are slightly exaggerated and not concerned with reality, but also rough and dark. One moment there is a cover with fun, hopeful bounciness. The next: a beloved character has been twisted into a terrifying horror variant visage. No matter the subject, there is clear respect and honor paid to the character and their world. There is power behind these covers, explaining why she’s such an in-demand artist and graces so many books with her art.
— Scott Redmond
1. Alex Ross
Ross is easily one of the most prolific cover artists of modern comics. On top of that, his work, after nearly 40 years, is still very good. He’s one of only a few photo-real artists in comics that can still convey a high level of dynamism and movement in his images, as well as creating awe-inspiring vistas. There’s a reason Marvel still brings him in for so many of their A-list series.
— Tony Thornley
