10 Best DC Covers By Dan Mora, Ranked

I don’t think it’s a controversial statement to say that Dan Mora is arguably one of DC Comics’ best talents right now. For the past decade or so, Mora has been contributing to the DC Universe, crafting amazing covers and interior artwork for books like Superman, Justice League Unlimited, and Batman/Superman: World’s Finest. Mora has quickly become a fan-favorite among comic book fans, with many loving the energetic style he brings. I know when I see Dan Mora’s art on a DC book, my interest generally skyrockets, even if it’s a book I’m not reading.

But one has to wonder, what are some of Mora’s best covers? I mean, the guy is a machine, and in the years he’s worked for DC Comics, he’s pumped out dozens and dozens of covers, both as the main cover and as variants. It’s always hard whittling an artist’s collection down to just a few entries, but there’s definitely some standout (just look at his cover for Absolute Power #3). For this list, we’ll be looking at all Mora covers, both standard and variants, so read on to discover 10 of his 10 best DC artworks.

10. Titans #1 (Variant)

DC Comics pushed Titans hard in the Dawn of DC era, and few things sell the team better than this amazing variant. Nightwing leads his best pals in a fantastic group pose against a background composed of the various colors of the members’ respective costumes. Mora does a great job capturing the friendship and love between this team, while emphasizing their more superheroic nature (love seeing Beast Boy mid-transformation). It really reminds me of the New 52 Justice League cover, but with Mora’s signature flair and style. As a fan of the team, this is just a good cover.

9. Immortal Legend Batman #1

If there’s one thing to love about Elseworlds stories, it’s that they give artists a lot of room to experiment and play around with. Mora was one of the artists on Immortal Legend Batman, and he did his damnedest on this cover to sell it to audiences. This world’s version of Batman strikes a pose while dressed in a costume reminiscent of a Tokusatsu superhero. It’s bold, it’s eye-catching, and it really evokes one’s curiosity. Even if you’re not a fan of sentai-inspired stories, you have to admit that Dan Mora really flexes his talent with this cover.

8. DC/Marvel: Batman/Deadpool #1 (Reprint)

I don’t think anyone is surprised that Marvel and DC’s crossover books from last year sold out (how could they not with Batman and Deadpool in them?). While the main cover of DC/Marvel: Batman/Deadpool came with a Mora cover, Mora also provided a cover for the reprint. This time, however, Mora showed off his and Morrison’s creation from the book’s main feature: Deadbat, a combination of Marvel and DC’s heroes. It’s a simple cover, one that shows Deadbat wielding a sword against a starry sky, but damn if it’s not one of the coolest covers I’ve seen on a reprint.

7. DC K.O. #2 (Variant)

I know people are split when it comes to DC K.O., but if there’s one thing I don’t think anyone hated, it’s the covers. Dan Mora really added some fun ones that depicted the remaining fighters in the competition as the field grew thinner and thinner. My favorite of the bunch was Mora’s variant for DC K.O. #2, which showed off the Sweet Sixteen, aka the fighters that went up against one another during All-Fight Month. It’s the little details that make this one so fun, like Harley Quinn making an akanbe face in the bottom corner.

6. Action Comics #1051

As a Superman fan, I can appreciate covers that show off the Big Blue Boy Scout and his huge family. Mora provided the main cover for Action Comics #1051 that shows Superman leading the pack, with classic other heroes like Superboy, Supergirl, Jon Kent, Steel, Super-Man, and the Super-Twins placed strategically around him. Not only was it a good cover, but it was a great way of communicating Action Comics’ shift at the time, which became an anthology for Superman’s supporting cast. I really miss this era of Action Comics, so seeing Mora’s cover really makes me smile.

5. Absolute Power #3

Maybe it’s just me, but I thought Dan Mora brought his A-game when it came to Absolute Power. Every cover of the main series (as well as its interiors) went hard, but I have to give a special mention to Absolute Power #3. Batman is broken and bleeding, wielding Batarangs that reflect Zur-En-Arrh, the Brainiac Queen, and Task Force VII. It’s a cover that expertly communicates the tension and action that drove Absolute Power. We know Batman always comes through in the end, but seeing him go through the wringer like this is a great way of piquing our interest.

4. Absolute Batman #1 (Variant)

If you know anything about Absolute Batman, you know that it has enough reprints and exclusive covers to fill out a double-length comic. With the tremendous success of the Absolute Universe, I can’t say I’m surprised that Mora did a couple of covers of the line’s leading books. But I am surprised at how well Mora captures the absurd size and raw force of Absolute Batman. It’s a bit more stylized than the main series, but as far as alternate covers go, Mora does a great job when it comes to the DCU’s younger, angrier Dark Knight.

3. Superman Unlimited #1 (Variant)

In case you missed it, last year was a big one for Superman. The Man of Steel soared again in a reboot from DCU architect James Gunn, and to honor the event, DC launched the Summer of Superman, an initiative that debuted new Superman-focused books like Superman Unlimited. Dan Mora decided to pay tribute to the then-upcoming reboot with a cover that included both Gunn and the newest on-screen Last Son of Krypton, David Corenswet. It’s just nice to see Mora use his talents to uplift other creatives trying to bring Superman to the world.

2. Action Comics #1 (Reprint)

Speaking of the reboot, Mora had another crack at drawing the new Superman in a tableau I’m sure every comic fan will recognize. DC printed a facsimile version of Action Comics #1 (Superman’s debut issue, of course) for last year’s Superman Day. Mora replicates the original cover, having David Corenswet’s Superman lifting and crashing a car into a nearby hill. I don’t know if it’s as impressive as it was back when Action Comics #1 first hit the stands, but I really do like seeing Mora honor Superman’s history with such a well-done cover.

1. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #50/Bizarro: Year None #1 (Variants)

I don’t care if this is cheating, because these two covers together are straight gold. Now, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest is no stranger to celebrity cameo variants, and the series 50th issue included beloved comedian/musician “Weird Al” Yankovic. But where this really gets funny is the variant Mora did for Bizarro: Year None #1 around the same time. That variant is literally a ‘Bizarro’ version of the World’s Finest cover, with Batman, Superman, and Yankovic all replaced by their Bizarro doppelgangers. I don’t know who pitched this joke, but I absolutely love seeing these two covers side by side.

What’s your favorite DC Comics cover by Dan Mora? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

10 Iconic Batman Covers That Changed Comic History