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DMC #2 and the Return of the Homage Covers

Darryl Makes Comics Editor-in-Chief Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez explains how he makes them happen.

DMC #2 is headed your way. If you read the first comic featuring Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels in an alternate 80s world, you're familiar with what is being created in the comics from the Darryl Makes Comics publisher. Along with the 80s vibe and authentic street art, the issue introduced us to the characters and also featured a number of homage covers as a sort of special feature in the issue.

Homage covers are a wonderful thing. It's a way to pay tribute to the original artists and a cool way for fans to see the characters in a familiar situation. Just like DMC #1 and DMC #1.5, the second issue will also feature a collection of fresh homage covers. We spoke to Darryl Makes Comics Editor-in-Chief, Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez about how the covers and artists are chosen for the gallery as well as where and when you can pick up DMC #2.

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COMIC VINE: Besides the full story in the first two issues, we’re also getting some homage covers. How did this come about?

EDGARDO MIRANDA-RODRIGUEZ: Personally I am a huge fan of homage covers. I especially enjoy it when you’re not aware it’s an homage! We decided to do homage pinups for our book to play with comic book history. Our book is set in a universe that looks like the 1980s so we thought, “what if we’ve been making comics since then?” So I handpicked comics from mine and DMC’s history and had an amazing group of artists recreate them for our bonus sections. It’s become so popular that we had to do it for the second graphic novel and we already are collecting some for the third book!

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CV: How many different ones are there?

EDGARDO: Between both graphic novels and DMC #1.5 we’ve had 34 artists create 34!

CV: Did the artists get to choose the cover or where they assigned to them based on their strengths?

EDGARDO: I personally selected covers that I felt best represented DMC’s story and character design. With DMC #2, we introduced new characters so the challenge was to find covers that could also work.

CV: If I asked, could you pick which was your favorite?

EDGARDO: Wow, that’s a tough one. So many of them are amazing, especially since I art directed them.

CV: What about DMC? Did he have any favorites?

EDGARDO: DMC loves them all. They remind him of all the comic books his brother made him sell to buy turntables and a microphone when they were young!

CV: Who gets to keep the original art?

EDGARDO: The artists keep the original art. Most of the pieces however these days are created digitally so there aren’t so many.

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CV: Will future issues of DMC have special features like this?

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EDGARDO: Every book we put out will have pinups. Often times, I’ll be inspired by an old book and I’ll download the cover on my phone and email an artist to give them their assignment. I’ll find many artists using social media like Facebook and Instagram. It’s a great way to give independent artists an opportunity to be published alongside established artists and writers. What excites me most about the pinup is being able to find artists from all over the world who many have never been published in a comic book in the United States.

Some that come to mind are Maria Fröhlich from Sweden, Amelia Vidal from Argentina, Elkys Nova from the Dominican Republic, Maria Elena Cariapaza from Peru, Priscilla Tramontano from Brazil, Raul Treviño from Mexico and Salo Farias from Chile. I’ll admit, being Puerto Rican and fluent in Spanish really helped me get many artists from across Latin America especially.

CV: DMC #2 will be for sale at NYCC, correct?

EDGARDO: DMC #2 debuts at NYCC, then Stan Lee’s Comikaze and finally UK’s Thought Bubble Festival. The book goes on sale on December 2 at comic book shops world wide.

CV: You guys will be in Artist Alley again at New York Comic Con?

EDGARDO: You can find us at Artist Alley H18.

Be sure to look for DMC #2. Pick up DMC #1 and 1.5 if you get a chance. Check out some more great homage covers below. (Click to enlarge).

Can you match all the homage covers with the original?