[ VIZ x I'm the Grim Reaper ] Blog 4 - Thinking about the cover... (Patreon)

So, I can't share any of the completed cover concepts, as that is something that has been requested to keep under wraps until the unveiling of the complete book. However, I can talk about my thought process! Woohoo!

So my absolute primary concern is creating an "identity" for ITGR on the shelves. I want people to be able to pick up the patterns I'm laying out for each volume, and recognize it every time they walk past the aisle, or if they see it online. I feel like being one of the first American comics that is gonna get on the same shelves that manga is on, I gotta pull out all the stops. So I'm REALLY thinking about it.

I have a few examples of comics I feel like did really well at creating an aesthetic and identity.

BLEACH, I think, has done this the most successfully. Everyone recognizes BLEACH's covers, to the point where other manga have adopted the style as a homage to it.

Death Note is a little harder to parse because the covers are so cluttered with detail, but that's also part of the identity of the covers. However I'm a big fan of the cross theme on every cover. Creating a symbol that repeats on every iteration is a strong visual cue.

And finally SPY x FAMILY is another more recent comic that's managed to create a cover identity. Character + sitting on a chair on a green background that is the perfect color for a "classified government mission", it shows off the themes of the comic somehow exceptionally well.

I think my final decision is to make use of ITGR's penchant for blinding colors. I am still deciding between eye burning red on every volume or switching it up between the other character's colors. I was told I could maybe use the red on all the spines and then different colors on the covers which is also an interesting thought. Much to think about!