2023 has given fans some of the best comic book covers in recent years thanks to Marvel’s Stormbreakers program. For three years now, the Stormbreakers initiative has been a powerful tool for newer artists to get a major break in the comic industry. The program has provided readers with some of the most beautiful and creative variant covers in Marvel’s long history, and 2023 has been no different.
The Stormbreakers Class of 2023 was officially announced in late 2022 with artists Chris Allen, Jan Bazaldua, Elena Casagrande, Martín Cóccolo, Nic Klein, Federico Vincentini, C.F. Villa and Lucas Werneck making up the team. There have been a wide variety of themes that have put their artistic talents to the test, including zombies, Pym Particles, Marvel’s animal heroes and the Avengers’ 60th anniversary. The result has been a tremendous selection of gorgeous artwork that has made 2023 the best year for the Stormbreakers program yet. Below are 10 of the stand-out covers from Marvel’s Stormbreakers released throughout the past year.
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10 Luke Cage Storms Into Battle
Elena Casagrande, Luke Cage: Gang War #1
As part of a theme revolving around showcasing iconic Marvel heroes in all their glory, artist Elena Casagrande chose to feature Luke Cage. The result is a simple yet powerful piece of artwork that showcases why Cage is one of Marvel’s most underrated heroes. While he has been busy in recent years after becoming mayor of New York City following Kingpin’s reign, this cover for Cage’s solo comic in the Gang War saga features him walking toward the villains. They clearly try to shoot him down, but his indestructible skin makes it a minor inconvenience at most, as he continues toward the unseen enemy with a chain in tow.
9 A Glimpse At Captain America In Wartime
Martín Cóccolo, Avengers: War Across Time #1
For a title hinting at a major battle through time, depicting the Man Out of Time in his element was ultimately the way to go for this variant cover. Artist Martín Cóccolo showcases Captain America in all his glory before joining the Avengers, raiding enemy camps during World War II. He’s shown jumping over a barbed fence, bombers in the air behind him, as he launches his shield toward the viewer. Similar to Casagrande’s Luke Cage artwork, the depiction of Captain America at war is fairly simple one. However, the use of colors and shadows take it a step beyond, capturing the ferocious nature of war, centering Cap as a shining symbol for freedom in the face of tyranny.
8 Scarlet Witch Shrinks Down To Read The Fine Print
C.F. Villa, Scarlet Witch #2
In 2023, several Stormbreaker covers featured Marvel heroes coming into contact with Hank Pym’s famous Pym Particles, which allow the user to alter their size. C.F. Villa’s depiction of Scarlet Witch stands out as one of the best. It features a shrunken Scarlet Witch standing next to an open book, likely making sure she doesn’t miss a single detail about a dangerous spell, while a black cat eyes her from the shadows. The use of color from Wanda’s magic anchors artwork here, as it gives the cover a unique look that screams “Scarlet Witch.” It’s a visually compelling piece, absolutely stunning to look at, and a must-own for fans of the current Scarlet Witch solo series.
7 Ghost Rider Rings In The New Year
Jan Bazaldua, Ghost Rider #21
This is one of the 2023 Stormbreakers program’s final entries, before the next class of artists officially takes over. It’s a perfect way to end this spectacular year of incredible artwork, with Jan Bazaldua’s entry standing above the rest. It features Ghost Rider up-close-and-personal as he looks at the reader with a smile. However, instead of utilizing his iconic Penance Stare, he instead wears an amusing pair of 2024 glasses to ring in the New Year. As goofy as it is, this new look for the Rider is incredibly well-made, blending his flames with the frames of the glasses. It’s simple, but it works well, adding a nice layer of humor to one of Marvel’s most epic characters.
6 Spider-Man Catches The Avengers In His Web
Martín Cóccolo, Groot #2
2023 was a huge year for Marvel. Their iconic team, the Avengers, celebrated their 60th anniversary, and to celebrate, the Stormbreakers were tasked with crafting exquisite covers to document the occasion. Martín Cóccolo’s entry features the Avengers from the 1960s caught in a gigantic web as Spider-Man smiles in his iconic upside-down pose. It’s an amusing creation that shows just how large and influential Spider-Man is. It’s hard to avoid him as he’s essentially become Marvel’s greatest mascot, so him interacting with the Avengers was unavoidable…even if he ended up not joining the team until 40 years later in 2004’s New Avengers #3, not counting his tenure as a reserve member.
5 Baby Groot Makes A New Friend
Federico Vincentini, Invincible Iron Man #5
One of the most shocking betrayals in Marvel Comics from 2023 was Groot’s turn to become a killer as he became the Guardians’ latest foe in the form of Grootfall. However, this didn’t stop the Stormbreakers from highlighting why he’s one of Marvel’s most beloved characters today. Federico Vincentini puts the spotlight on Baby Groot and his adorable new team-up, as he dons Iron Man’s helmet and hands him a flower. The use of scale mixed with Groot’s adorable smile makes this artwork infectiously adorable. It’s impossible not to smile at it, and it’s a piece that stays with the reader long after they first see it.
4 She-Hulk’s Horrifying New Zombie Form
Lucas Werneck, Sensational She-Hulk #1
The return of Marvel’s zombies was a much lauded release in 2023, as they got their own Black, White & Blood anthology. To celebrate, the Stormbreakers unleashed the zombie virus across the Marvel Universe, crafting some horrific new looks for fan-favorite characters. She-Hulk’s zombie design was one of the biggest stand-outs, as she got a grotesque redesigned that looked absolutely disturbing. While she carries the trademark bites and blank eyes that fans attribute to Marvel’s zombies, it’s the unhinged jaw that gives the cover a shocking glimpse at how the zombie apocalypse has treated She-Hulk. Lucas Werneck’s zombie She-Hulk beautifully constructed piece of horror that deserves to appear in future Marvel Zombies stories.
3 Black Panther Teams Up With Marvel’s Pets
Chris Allen, Black Panther #3
Marvel’s Pet Avengers took the spotlight in early 2023 as they dominated the covers of comics, celebrating how adorable they can be. The Stormbreakers’ covers featuring the best pets in Avengers history provided some incredible artwork featuring them in action. However, Chris Allen’s showcase of Black Panther with a wide range of characters, including Goose, Throg, Redwing, Lucky the Pizza Dog and more, stands out the most. Not only does it showcase just how adorable these pets in the Marvel Universe are, but tying it all together with a background supplied by the Inhumans’ Lockjaw gives it an epic punch that shows how capable they are of jumping into battle like their human counterparts.
2 Spider-Man Gets A Renaissance Upgrade
Nic Klein, Spider-Man: Unforgiven #1
2023 saw one of the most interesting Stormbreakers themes in recent years, as they were tasked with replicating an artistic movement throughout history, applying it to Marvel’s characters. There were incredible submissions from each member of the team, but Nic Klein’s take on the German Renaissance period stood out as the absolute best. The attention to detail in this piece as Spider-Man sits atop a spider like a muse from the Renaissance era is incredibly inspired as the linework gives it amazing depth. It’s an absolute treat for the eyes that pleased not just fans of Spider-Man but art history fans as well.
1 Zombie Daredevil Explores His Roots
Federico Vincenti, Daredevil #2
She-Hulk wasn’t the only zombie to get an amazing Stormbreaker cover this year. Federico Vincentini’s take on Daredevil was an impeccable piece of artwork that took the comic world by storm for its incredible design. The use of black and white works well for the character, as it not only accentuates the darkness of a zombified Daredevil, but also calls back to Frank Miller’s time working on the comic when he changed the character, and Marvel, forever. Plus, with the rain pouring down on him in the midst of a lightning storm, it’s a piece that perfectly replicates some of Daredevil’s most notorious moments, making it the absolute best of Marvel‘s Stormbreaker program from the Class of 2023.
