Worst Cover Ever: High Devolutionary

We've all heard how high the standards of the major comic book publishers are. Up-and-coming creators have to jump through all kinds of hoops just to get an editor to look at their work, the implication being that you must be absolute A-list talent to get an assignment from them.

Well, covers like Thor #473 (1994) certainly put that quaint mythology to rest. Yes...for the most part, major publishers select only the very best writers and illustrators to work on their titles...and, yes...this is the unique blight known as early 90's comics...but come on...who was asleep at the switch when this monstrosity was submitted?...

How does the understanding of the human form degrade to the point where Thor's tiny, shrunken head sticking out of his chest and Sequoia-size thigh were considered good enough to print?

More important, what is it about Thor covers featuring the High Evolutionary?

Comments

[john]

I always felt that Thor, Ironman, Captain America, Avengers and a few other marvel titles weren't really looked after by the Marvel editors in that era. I remember because thats when i started collecting comics and even though i was aware of these titles, and they had a big following, looking at the books didn't interest me at all because of the paper stock and the quality of the art. I'm comparing this to Image (which i didn't get into) and the X-men titles.

[Nimbus]

My, they both have rather large thighs, don't they?

And, like a lot of 90s art, this features a lack of feet and nonexistent background.

[Brian Disco Snell]

...what is it about Thor covers featuring the High Evolutionary?

What is it about any comic story featuring the High Evolutionary? The dude has never been anything but lame...

[Mark Engblom]

I'll have to beg to differ with you a bit, Brian. While most of H.E.'s appearances ARE lame, I enjoyed some of his earliest tales. At that time, he was more of an enigmatic "mad genius" type, sort of a space age amalgamation of the Victorian Frankenstein/Dr. Moreau stories...before he became the quasi-godlike being/meddler that nobody really seems to have a handle on anymore.

Plus, one of my favorite covers as a kid was Fantastic Four #175, where a giant-sized High Evolutionary was taking on Galactus...so I guess I have sort of a soft spot for old tea-kettle head (despite his bad influence on Thor covers).

[Wes C]

I suspect Snell may be a secret operative of the Man-Beast.

Personally, I've always had a fondness for the character. But I never had to suffer through too many of his bad stories - having skipped most all of the 90's.

While this cover isn't great, compared to the other Thor/H.E. cover, it's a masterpiece!

Does that early 90's style inking make anyone else feel "itchy?"

[zubzwank]

This really looks Liefeld-esque. I know Elvis said "Don't be cruel", but I never understood how that guy ever got a job as an artist, much less was considered one of the "superstars" (like McFarlane and Lee) who left to form Image.

[Kiteran]

And yet another artist who can't draw feet.

[Wes C]

Also: What's with the teeny tiny logo?

Doesn't exactly declare "Mighty" or "God of Thunder"

I guess they had to leave more room for the muscles.

[ShadowWing Tronix]

All High-Evolutionary Stories lame? Haven't you read the ALF appearance?

[Grumpy]

What's with the wind? HE's breechcloth is blowing to the left while Thor's hair is blowing to the right and his cape is billowing every which way except the direction indicated by the wind lines.

[Chris Mullen]

Yeah. His cape just looks like it's bolted in place and made of super-hard plastic.

[ShadowWing Tronix]

Thor's just happy he can't see what it's covering. :)

[Mystik Tomato]

Was Torgo the reference model for these guys? Yeesh.

[suedenim]

As I've often noted, mid-'90s Marvel was just plain *ugly* much of the time. Not just in terms of the art itself, but the art direction, logos, cover copy, etc.

For instance, here, the (rather ugly) logo is tiny for no apparent reason, and the (ugly) copy balloon is almost as big as the logo, and misplaced. (Wouldn't the cover be significantly improved if the green balloon was placed over on the left, under Thor's right knee?)