IDW Publishing

No matter what the character, no matter who the creator, it’s always a risk for the publisher to go without a logo on the cover of a comic book or graphic novel. Sometimes, though, that gamble pays off.

The convention edition of Richard Stark’s Parker: The Score created for Comic-Con International: San Diego in 2012, limited to 175 copies, was one such successful roll of the dice for IDW Publishing, editor Scott Dunbier, and writer-artist-adapter Darwyn Cooke.

Cooke’s work in four Parker graphic novels and some shorter pieces to date has provided a huge volume of austere-yet-dynamic images that capture the spirit of the main character, a blunt instrument possessed of grim determination and his own code of conduct. The books thus far have been produced with spot color, which combines black and white line art with a single color (different in each case) for effect.

Many of the images have been downright iconic, so it’s almost counterintuitive that none of those iconic pieces have been seen on the covers, all of which have been very good but none of which have been showstoppers.

Except the convention edition of The Score sold at San Diego in 2012. With no logo on the front, no trade dress of any sort, no author’s byline, just a simple type “san diego score” on the back cover, it still manages to scream “Darwyn Cooke!” “Parker!” and “You must buy this right now!” to fans of the series.

IDW Publishing had no problem selling out the 175 copies which were signed by Cooke. He also hand colored the signature page on the spot. 

When you can find them, copies command a premium. It’s not odd to see them in the $200 range. The work is, of course, available in a variety of formats.

– J.C. Vaughn