Posted By Dan Greenfield on Aug 6, 2025 | 8 comments

A BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE to the artist…

By PAUL KUPPERBERG

Ed Hannigan had it covered.

Literally.

Beginning as a penciler for Marvel in 1975, Ed, who’s turning 74, made his mark as artist (and sometimes writer) on titles like The Defenders and Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man before making the move to DC in 1983 to become the company’s first full-time cover editor.

I can’t say what the role of cover editor is today (probably juggling all those variants) because I think the nature and importance of the comic book cover itself has changed since 1983. For decades, covers were sort of miniature advertising/coming attraction posters for the contents of the books. Before fandom and before the internet, the first readers knew of a comic book was when it appeared on the newsstand or spinner rack, just one of the dozens of similar advertising/coming attraction posters surrounding it. To stand out, your cover had to be a strong call-to-action; as ridiculous as it looks today, the cover of Detective Comics #324 (February 1964) featuring Batman and Robin trapped inside a giant robot head made 8-year-old me gasp and leap for the newsstand to grab for it.

Now, because of the way the direct market works, most fans know what’s coming three months in advance. They don’t need to be grabbed by a provocative image, just a cool one. Scanning the wall of my LCS, I see a lot of poster shots and, of course, many of the snarkily aforementioned variants.

And throughout its history, DC had helped shape its visual identity with a string of unofficial cover artists, like Win Mortimer, who drew 350 covers between 1945 and 1955 for titles including Detective Comics, Star Spangled Comics, Real Fact Comics, Adventure Comics, World’s Finest Comics, Batman, Action Comics, Mr. District Attorney, Gangbusters, Strange Adventures, Superman, Superboy, and House of Mystery.

In the 1960s, Carmine Infantino became the go-to guy for covers, creating iconic images for The Flash, Detective Comics, Batman, Mystery in Space, and others. As befitting the artist of The Flash, Carmine’s work crackled with movement, and when he became editorial director in 1967, he brought that sense of design and energy to the entire line by conceiving covers that others would draw, and in the 1970s, the DC house style was defined by a number of artists.

Ed, who was born Aug. 5, 1951, held his own in that company, designing some of the most visually compelling and compositionally inventive covers of the day, many of which were created working with the DC editors. His covers focused on storytelling, tension, and making the biggest graphic impact possible. And while he was at it, he also found time to draw the innards of a few comics, notably Green Arrow with Mike Grell, “The Shaman” story arc with Denny O’Neil in Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight, and his own creation, the miniseries, Skull and Bones.

A few years back, 13th Dimension celebrated Ed’s birthday with a selection of his Marvel Comics covers, so I’ve set my sights on highlighting his contributions to the Distinguished Competition. Here then, MY 13 FAVORITE ED HANNIGAN COVERS.

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Detective Comics #524 (March 1983). A masterful use of light and shadow, inked by Dick Giordano.

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The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #10 (August 1983). More than one comic I wrote during that period sported a Hannigan cover, including this example of creepiness personified. Inked by Giordano.

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World’s Finest #299 (January 1984). Keep it simple and intriguing! Inked by Klaus Janson.

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World’s Finest #302 (April 1984). Ed tips his hat to Neal Adams in an issue featuring a reprint of an Adams story from 1968. Inked by Janson.

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Batman #377 (November 1984). Even if you’ve never heard of Little Nemo in Slumberland, this one’s still a grabber. Inked by Giordano.

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Superman #406 (April 1985). Another story of mine to sport a Hannigan cover, this knockout punch of a piece was inked by Janson.

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Superman #408 (June 1985). The last one of mine, I promise (this one based on a story idea by Hannigan), but any art inked by the legendary Al Williamson is worth showcasing!

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Jonah Hex #91 (June 1985). Who says romance is dead? Ed homages Adams again. Inked by Mark Teixeira.

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The New Teen Titans Annual #1 (September 1985). The gang’s all here! Inked by Janson.

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Hawkman #17 (December 1987). Up close and personal! Inked by Giordano.

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Green Arrow #5 (June 1988). Another revealing close-up image. Inked by Giordano.

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Skull and Bones #3 (July 1992). In case you were wondering, this is what it looks like when Ed inks Ed. He also wrote it.

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League of Justice #1 (January 1996). Another miniseries written and penciled by Ed, this one inked by Giordano.

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MORE

— Why ED HANNIGAN Is One of the Greatest BATMAN Cover Artists Ever. Click here.

— 13 COVERS: An ED HANNIGAN Birthday Celebration — MARVEL TEAM-UP. Click here.

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PAUL KUPPERBERG was a Silver Age fan who grew up to become a Bronze Age comic book creator, writer of Superman, the Doom Patrol, and Green Lantern, creator of Arion Lord of Atlantis, Checkmate, and Takion, and slayer of Aquababy, Archie, and Vigilante. He is the Harvey and Eisner Award nominated writer of Archie Comics’ Life with Archie, and his YA novel Kevin was nominated for a GLAAD media award and won a Scribe Award from the IAMTW. Check out his new memoir, Panel by Panel: My Comic Book Life. 

Website: https://www.paulkupperberg.net/

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