Martinex1: During our walk around the convention floor recently, we discussed the value of Avengers #2 and why that book is not as sought after as other key Marvel comics. Our pal, Charlie Horse 47, theorized that the yellow cover had much to do with it. I've been thinking about that since, and while delving into my back issues and through the internet I came to the conclusion that I actually like yellow backgrounds. The color definitely has a nostalgic feel as it is not used as boldly in more recent comics, but as a primary color it is definitely significant in the gold, silver, and even bronze ages.
From my recollection, Captain America, tended to use the color frequently on covers. I suspected that it offset the red, white, and blue nicely. While there are many examples with Cap, the trend did start to diminish in the 1990s. I was surprised to see Batman creators using the color so frequently; that too became less frequent as the Dark Knight emerged, but it still tended to show up in the pale moon. I thought Green Lantern would have its share because yellow is the color of his most significant weakness; while used and sometimes quite effectively, it was not as significant as I would have expected. The funny books with their primary color approach used the color readily.
In the below, I chose quite a few covers that I felt used the color yellow effectively. Sometimes it is more subtle, and in a couple of examples it is more centered on the character rather than the background. The color yellow is constantly used in comic logos, but I did not spotlight that here.
For today's round, and since there are so many covers from all ages, pick the four that you feel the yellow was used to the greatest effect. Share your thoughts on the graphic design element and what you think about the color's use in general.
Cheers and don't be afraid (yellow) to share your comments!
