Okay... no windy sermons from the mount, this time out.

[Insert Tumultuous Applause Here]

Aside from the occasional observation or two... I'm going to let our putative subject (i.e., the classic covers of comics' greatest era: the grand and glorious Silver Age) speak for itself, for the most part.

After all... that's what the following covers -- and dozens and dozens just like 'em -- did, month in and month out. Unlike tthe ugly, slapdash offerings adorning the fronts of today's titles, by and large.

The simplest (and preferred) method, of course, is to have an artist who can actually, y'know, draw doing your covers. Like master comics cover whiz George Perez, f'rinstance.

Note how the attitudes and respective body language of every other figure on the cover lead your gaze, unerringly, towards the dominant figure within the image -- in this case, the villainous Grim Reaper (who -- being, basically, a large, black vertical "slash" -- anchors the other images splayed out around him). For those of you who've studied your Will Eisner: all perfect textbook execution. A+.

Showing your hero in real, immediate peril -- along with a clutching, desperate "innocent" or two -- is also a pretty good bet. This little gem was rendered by the inimitable Nick Cardy.

Once again: observe how the placement of dark blues and blacks serves to "frame" the central, overriding image: the crouching Bat Lash and his toddler ingenue.

From the "You're Only Allowed to Break the Rules If You Understand the Rules" Dept.: notice how veteran great Bruno Premiani violates practically every one of the cardinal "rules" of comics cover art of the day (i.e., "Keep It Simple"; "Only One Overriding Central Image To Which the Eye Is Drawn"; etc.)... and gets away with what is, really, just a glorious mess.

The reason why this cover succeeds, I think: because -- without exception -- every character on it is so meticulouusly executed.

On the other hand, however: it might just be the talking gorilla. Those are cool, too, really.

Heroes slugging it out with other heroes: another "old reliable," when the subject inevitably turns towards: How Are We Gonna Get Another Twelve Cents Out of 'Em This Month...?

This one is from the imaginative pen of Carmine Infantino, who -- over the years, on various covers -- demonstrated a real, deep-seated fondness for big, muscular guys in shredded costumes. I'm just saying.

By the way: check out the Batmobile, in the lower background of the cover. Geez... you think maybe Hawkman did that...?

If so: he's history.

Rule Numero Uno, in Gotham City: never, ever screw around the the Big Man's wheels.

Again: Heroes Hitting Other Heroes In the Head. I could use fingerpuppets, if you think it'd help.

This time, it's the entire body of one of the heroes which is, like, shredded and stuff. And... hey! Check it out! There's a crumpled-up vehicle at the bottom of this cover, too -- !!!

If only we could just piece together what Infantino was trying to say to us. Other than that whole business about "I hate vehicular transport," I mean. That was just... y'know... gibberish. I think.

From the Desk of Neal Adams, Esq.: this stunningly-realized piece of work, from his "glory days" as DC's resident artist extraordinaire.

The fact that everything in the background (such as the claustrophoic brace of buildings, and the encroaching circle of murderous gunsels) is rendered either in a mono or duochromatic "wash," while our heroes -- by way of comparison -- are In Your Face and In Living Color, is the "key" here, I think. And the fact that Green Arrow apears to be leveling his bow right at the reader's own vitals is another nice touch.

Another good'un from the aforementioned Mr. Adams. Here, it's making everything duochromatic (jet black and an eye-popping emerald green) which makes the cover so immediately arresting.

(You know, though... that's twice now that Green Arrow has pointed one of those shafts of his the reader's way. I hope DC Comics has, like, a ton of insurance out on this guy; some kid out there loses an eye... Lawsuit City, man...)