|
|
Post by Icctrombone on Oct 20, 2022 6:10:27 GMT -5
I usually try to stay away from "key" or popular covers whenever we have a topic for the contest , but that's me. Also, I usually post covers after most of the "good" covers have been used because I finish work after 5 and 12 hours have passed from the start of the contest.
What is your method? Do you just experiment, do you pick a favorite cover when you were growing up ?
Share your thoughts.
|
|
shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,451
|
Post by shaxper on Oct 20, 2022 6:40:31 GMT -5
On the rare occasion that I play, it's because the prompt reminds me of a specific book. I never actively search for a cover.
|
|
|
|
Post by adamwarlock2099 on Oct 20, 2022 7:00:51 GMT -5
99% of the time if I cannot find a cover that is in my personal collection I don't participate. Ironically though two out of three of my wins were from covers that the criteria reminded me of something that I knew was a comic but not one I owned. One I can remember was a Herculoids cover, as I watched them on cable at my grandmother's house back in the 80's.
|
|
|
|
Post by kirby101 on Oct 20, 2022 7:07:54 GMT -5
I start with a cover that comes to mind from the subject. If none comes to mind, I start searching in different ways. I will Google various terms related to the contest.
Sometimes I vaguely remember a book and search for that cover.
|
|
|
|
Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Oct 20, 2022 7:17:54 GMT -5
Honestly, I go first with my brain and something it recalls
Then, if nothing stands out, I start searching and it provides me joy to peruse various covers (usually on Mike's Amazing World) and I sometimes "waste" half an hour just looking through various years and what was on the newsstands then.
|
|
|
|
Post by Icctrombone on Oct 20, 2022 7:19:08 GMT -5
Years ago, when I had more free time, I used to look through Mikes amazing world for covers prior to my personal reading experience. I knew covers from the early 60's but was totally ignorant to covers from the 30's to 50's. I never heard of Matt Baker and other great artists that are perennial contenders.
|
|
|
|
Post by foxley on Oct 20, 2022 8:24:17 GMT -5
I don't have a set method, but my general approach is something like this. Sometimes, a cover will leap immediately to mind on seeing the topic and, if no one else has already posted it, I'll probably go with that. (Unless it violates one of my other rules; see below.) If nothing comes immediately to mind, I'll let it percolate for a while and see if anything bubbles to the surface. If I'm still drawing a blank, I'll do some image searching or look through cover galleries of likely titles. I have a personal rule that I'll try to avoid posting a cover that is too similar to a cover already posted. If possible, I'll even try to avoid posting the same title as someone else, but this isn't always possible. And if the the two covers are radically different, I'm happy to ignore the same title rule. Generally, if I have choice between a well-known cover and a more obscure one, I'll probably go with the more obscure one. Ditto with a choice between a well-known book and a more obscure one. For me, part of the enjoyment of the contest is discovering covers I've never seen before, and hopefully some of my choices can give that same pleasure to others.
And I'm more likely to post a cover from one of my favourite, less popular books, e.g. The Maze Agency, Tomahawk, The Adventures of Rex the Wonder Dog, Jonah Hex, etc.
|
|
|
|
Post by badwolf on Oct 20, 2022 8:44:50 GMT -5
I almost always go with the first one that comes to mind, which likely means it's from my personal collection, probably one I read when I was young.
I can only think of one recent one that was a comic I never owned or read but thought was a funny spin on the subject.
|
|
|
|
Post by MWGallaher on Oct 20, 2022 8:50:57 GMT -5
I haven't been able to do a themed personal challenge for quite a while now, but I continue to consider trying that again. I've done it three times:
On the old board, I went through an extensive stretch where I chose covers that met both the current week's topic and the previous week's topic. My greatest accomplishment was posting a cover that was both my favorite John Buscema cover and my favorite Jim Starlin cover.
I did a run in which all my entries had to be cover-dated the same month and year (I think it was May 1963).
My finest achievement was covers featuring all of the characters and features that headlined in THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, trying to use all except Batman (and Robin) only once and never including any lead characters that did not appear in B&B.
Now, when I participate, I just try to dig up something unusual, whether from research or memory. I don't really aim to win.
|
|
|
|
Post by Icctrombone on Oct 20, 2022 8:58:17 GMT -5
I almost always go with the first one that comes to mind, which likely means it's from my personal collection, probably one I read when I was young. I can only think of one recent one that was a comic I never owned or read but thought was a funny spin on the subject. Humor counts in these contests. |
|
|
|
Post by Icctrombone on Oct 20, 2022 8:59:12 GMT -5
I haven't been able to do a themed personal challenge for quite a while now, but I continue to consider trying that again. I've done it three times: On the old board, I went through an extensive stretch where I chose covers that met both the current week's topic and the previous week's topic. My greatest accomplishment was posting a cover that was both my favorite John Buscema cover and my favorite Jim Starlin cover. I did a run in which all my entries had to be cover-dated the same month and year (I think it was May 1963). My finest achievement was covers featuring all of the characters and features that headlined in THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD, trying to use all except Batman (and Robin) only once and never including any lead characters that did not appear in B&B. Now, when I participate, I just try to dig up something unusual, whether from research or memory. I don't really aim to win. You make it fun for yourself. I'm just trying to get a cover. |
|
|
|
Post by MDG on Oct 20, 2022 9:14:30 GMT -5
Like a few folks have said, usually a cover image pops into my head and I'll go to the GCD to try to find the issue, Even that could be a search: was that Superman or Action? Batman or Detective? House of Mystery or House of Secrets? Or Unexpected? Or Witching Hour? or... Finding that particular Archie or pre-code crime, horror or romance comic can be frustrating. Then I have to find a sharable image link--usually mycomicshop.
If nothing pops into my head, I may do a keyword search on Google to see what comes up.
This is also basically my process for the Comic Cover Association game. There, I try to wait until three covers have been posted after my last one before I post again.
|
|
|
|
Post by codystarbuck on Oct 20, 2022 10:18:35 GMT -5
Whatever pops into my head first, unless someone beat me to it. Then I look at a series that I knew used themes like that and see if I find anything that leaps out at me. If I don't have a strong memory of something, I will often go for humorous takes on the theme or specifically juvenile comics with that theme. When I see a bunch of DC and Marvel posted, repeatedly, I will start looking at Harvey, Gold Key and/or Archie and similar publications for something different.
|
|
|
|
Post by Slam_Bradley on Oct 20, 2022 10:32:57 GMT -5
Whatever works. I do actively try to avoid "key" books or actual iconic (Lord that word is overused) covers. And I usually won't vote for them either.
I will frequently try to find a Mad, Little Lulu or Disney Duck cover that will work.
|
|
|
|
Post by tarkintino on Oct 20, 2022 11:16:19 GMT -5
I usually try to stay away from "key" or popular covers whenever we have a topic for the contest , but that's me. Also, I usually post covers after most of the "good" covers have been used because I finish work after 5 and 12 hours have passed from the start of the contest. What is your method? Do you just experiment, do you pick a favorite cover when you were growing up ? Share your thoughts. I believe most comic book fans have artist preferences when it comes to the CCF cover contest, myself included, but I also enjoy posting covers from publications that are not always the go-to covers (e.g, magazines, TPBs, Archie, horror titles--where applicable--humor books or novels, Gold Key, etc.). |
|
