The 2018 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Cover Artist

2018 will soon come to a close, and with the end of the year comes the time where we reflect on the amazing talent that the comic industry holds. ComicBook.com has gathered the whole team together to nominate five of our favorite creators as part of our Golden Issue Awards over several important categories, including Best Cover Artist.

A great cover can be the difference between people ignoring a book on the shelves or leaving with it in hand. The best cover artists have honed that skill, deciphering what the story inside is about to its base elements and distilling it into a gorgeous image that compels readers to give it a chance. When considering our nominees, who needs posters when there are covers like these?

And the winner of Best Cover Artist is...

Jenny Frison!

Frison's work will be immediately recognizable to fans of X-Men Red, who have been dazzled by her stunning portraits of X-Men like Jean Grey, Storm, X-23, and Nightcrawler to name a few. While Frison can design covers around an entire team if need be, her singular portraits shine even brighter, with each pose, backdrop, and color palette feeling mulled over and specifically, expertly chosen for that character. Her characters are given a more realistic touch, but the vibrant color work never loses sight of the fact that these are superheroes at their core, and that combination creates covers you'll wish were hanging on your wall.

Frison wins the crown over some tough competition too, including fellow Marvel cover artist nominees Alex Ross, Mark Brooks, and Declan Shelvey, as well as DC cover artist Nick Derington. It just goes to show that the talent pool for cover artists is only growing, and will continue to get even better in 2019. As for Frison, X-Men Red might be ending, but we can't wait to see which cover she tackles next!

Be sure to come back and check out the rest of the winners as they are announced throughout the week, then share your own favorite picks from 2018 with us on social media.

List of Nominees:

• Jenny Frison (X-Men Red) [WINNER]
• Alex Ross (Immortal Hulk)
  
• Declan Shelvey (The Punisher)
• Mark Brooks (Extermination)
• Nick Derington (Mister Miracle)