Worst Cover Ever: Sanity Shat-tering Cover

It's once again time to start the shambling zombie-march towards Halloween '08 with the Blog of Horror. Much like last October, I'll be turning many of my recurring features over to the creepier side of comics. Sure, I'll be covering other stuff as well (like this weekend's FallCon here in the Twin Cities), but the strange, spooky, and weird will definitely be front and center.

Something I saw today at the comic shop easily covers all three of those categories, as well as qualifying for...

I should say right at the top that this frightening sight wasn't an actual comic book cover, but the cover of Comic Shop News. I've been a fan and reader of the weekly comic shop freebie since way back in the 1980's, and its covers are always a welcome sight. Except for today.

Rather than shattering your psyches all at once (like mine was), let's take it slow and build toward the terror, shall we?

First off, we've got a guy with a spooky

Glowing Eyes Helmet-Thing!

Next, a grim Glowering Dude peering out of the darkness!

A sprawling Hellish City belching flames as far as the eye can see!

So, what demonic terror-lord presides

over this flaming horror-scape?

The bloated, floating head of
William Shatner!

Promoting a new line of William Shatner Presents titles from Bluewater Comics (based on the various sci-fi novels the actor has "written"), I think the puffy visage of The Shat completely nullifies whatever apocalyptic dread they were shooting for.

Comments

[De]

I think you've got it wrong, Mark. Shatner caused that apocalypse with his mighty wrath and stilted line delivery.

[Brian]

Since Comic Boy Guy is your recurring muse for this fabulous feature, it seems appropriate that the Shat cover inspired me to respond like a terrified Lisa Simpson: "AHHHHHHHHHH!!"

Look forward to hearing about the Twin Cities con! Any interesting speakers or guests, or is it mostly a hunting-for-back-issues kind of thing?

[ShadowWing Tronix]

He's seems a bit too jovial for the scene in question. Maybe he did cause it.

I think my local shop keeps running out of CSN, as I get it rather sporadically.

[Mark Engblom]

"Look forward to hearing about the Twin Cities con! Any interesting speakers or guests, or is it mostly a hunting-for-back-issues kind of thing? "

Well, there are well over 200 "comic book creators" listed, but only a scant fraction of them are what I would consider "A-list". The vast majority of them seem to be self-publishing indies (which are completely off my radar).

The Fallcon has never had great programming, though with an expanded venue this year, there's definitely a chance for big improvements in this area.

So, yeah, until they airlift John Romita Sr. in and get some really interesting programming/presentations, I'm afraid Fallcon will essentially be "back issue hunting" for me. I'll try to take some photos, though, and post them on my report.