anatomy of a cover :: D.C Comics

tomer :: The Unmen are a group of deformed creatures living in a city of freaks in the Nevada desert. their origin dates back to the 70's as a group of villains on Berni Wrightson's classic Swamp Thing. The city is a mix of Tokyo, Las Vegas and a side show tent parading your worst nightmare. at the center of the story is Cranius, a humnan brain sewed onto a hand. there's also a winged one arm woman (a real life Winged Victory), a two headed CEO and an FBI agent who is an African american albino, leading the plot after an unsolved murder.
since it's the first cover of an ongoing series it needed to depict a broad idea showcasing the series as a concept rather than a specific scene.
the atmosphere of the book is rather flesh-centric, and by that I mean it doesn't hold back on the gore. many of the freaks are manmade, so operations, extra limbs and a variety of animal+human combos are always present. it made me think about old medical book illustrations, which provided a starting point for the coloring-- they keep an emotional distance from thier objects with a monochromatic utilitarianism, and spots of saturated color to point out certain organs.


colored in Photoshop, 600dpi. (the logo's color/placement is a personal projection)


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in other news, the Marquis De Sade cover showcased here a few months back was awarded the Gold medal at the Society of Illustrators. the show is up, so if you're in NY you can still catch it.