12 Days of Best Covers of 2013: Day #5

For this new seasonal end of year list, the fifth book cover that I pick is Christian Schoon’s debut novel from Angry Robot’s YA imprint Strange Chemistry, Zenn Scarlett. Launched last year, Strange Chemistry has put out some great novels and Zenn Scarlett is certainly one of the best that I’ve read. Despite being a near-future science fiction story set in the near-future on Mars, it is also quite a magical fairy tale as well. I love that dual aspect of the novel and I’d certainly recommend it.

And the fifth comics cover that I pick is the first issue of writer Brian Wood and artist Olivier Coipel’s X-Men. This series made some waves before its release because it is a book absent of any male characters in its core team of X-Men. A more appropriate title for this book would have been X-Women. As it is, many people refer to it is as such any way, typically X-(Wo)Men. This is the book that got me really started with reading the X-books, and its been a fun ride for the most part. Another recommended series to read!

Without further ado, hit the break to see both the covers in all their glory! The full list of all these covers is available here.

*****

Zenn Scarlett by Christian Schoon

Cover by Steven Meyer-Rassow

Why: In the link to the cover art post below, I basically say it all. This is one of the most introspective covers I’ve seen in 2013, and it evokes a very magical sense of atmosphere that is indeed very nicely realised in the novel itself. Top marks for that cracking cover by Meyer-Rassow, who also did a thematically similar piece for the book’s sequel.

Helpful links:

• Cover Art: Zenn Scarlett
• Guest Post: Christian Schoon on Names

X-Men #1 by Brian Wood and Olivier Coipel

Cover by Olivier Coipel and Laura Martin

Why: In one image, I can see four of my all-time favourite X-ladies: Jubilee, Kitty Pryde Storm and Rogue. That’s pretty much enough for me and I don’t need a reason more to like this cover. But it bears saying that this is one of the best covers I’ve seen for a female led-series in comics for the express reason that there is no gratuitous pandering sexualisation of any of the characters.

Helpful links:

• Review: #1
• Review: #2-4
• Review: #5
• Review: #6