Infinite Crisis Cover War: Second Engagement!

Well, Newsarama *finally* released Perez's cover to IC #2, so I can continue the cover war. For those of you who missed installment #1, look ye here.

First, our contenders. The Champion, Mr. Perez, gave us this:



And the Challenger, Mr. Lee, this:



These are a lot closer than the last two. For instance, Perez's cover doesn't jump at the reader any more than Lee's. They both give a kind of specacle, and have Power Girl front and center, but they touch very different nerves. The comparison isn't as easy as it was with issue 1.

Lee plays to his strengths, giving us an iconic, somewhat posed image of our key players. I have to confess, it's pretty striking. Almost every character is in just the right pose: Power Girl strong and (you'll forgive the word choice) thrust towards the reader, clearly in the fore (I can imagine the cover text as something like "This looks like a job for... Power Girl!". Superboy Prime is raw youth, somewhat wild, but also confident and determined. Alexander Luthor up there is well-framed by the portal as a catalyst for action, and the brains behind the brawn. Earth-2 Superman is suitably patronic (yes, I just made up a word) in the background. The only real problem I have is with Earth-2 Lois, who looks like she just got in from a Frank Frazetta Conan cover. Jim, you've already got your cheesecake with Ms. Hey-Up-Here; you do not need a fifty-something Lois Lane showing that much leg. Eesh.

Perez also goes with what he knows best, giving us a cavalcade of images from throughout DC History. He's obviously playing up the Multiversal recap that will occur in issue 2. Smorgasbords are Perez's specialty, and he gives us one here. But, after you finish playing DC Universe History Pickup-Stix, what's left? Well, Power Girl's ass. And her stretch marks. Maybe some cover text. I do love how her cape flows, though.

So, ultimately, we have to decide which of these images best sells the issue. It's a battle of "Inside, you'll find: These guys, doing something!" vs. "Inside you'll find: A recap!" It's really not much of a fight; recaps=boring. Lee wins this one for going with the smart sales choice.

The score stands now at 1-1. When the Lee covers for 3 and 4 are released, I'll be back with more self-important babbling disguised as legitimate criticism.