Comic book cover design is an art form of its own. In the late 1980s, Marvel began an almost universal cover design for most of its books. In addition to the logo was a box in the upper left corner above or below the price, issue number, date, and Comics Code Seal of Approval. In this box was art that was unique to that title.
Occasionally, that box would be put to use cleverly or artistically. Comics cover-dated January 1985 were part of an event called Assistant Editor's Month when the editors all went to San Diego Comicon. In almost every case, the corner box reflected this admirably silly endeavor. Here are some other good uses of that space.
10 Marvel Fanfare #15
Marvel Fanfare used the same corner box for issues 11-23, with two exceptions. Marvel Fanfare #12 had assistant editor Ann Nocenti pushing editor Al Milgrom out of the way. Marvel Fanfare #15 had a special corner box in honor of the April Fool's Day theme of the main story, with Archie's cigar having exploded as a practical joke.
This little touch of humor let readers know right away that this was not going to be a typical Fantastic Four story. Readers got a special Barry Windsor-Smith story of the Thing falling from one April Fool's trap into another. In the past, the jokes have been a panel or two, a page at the most. This was 19 pages of one joke leading into another and another, all paying off with Johnny Stormrealizing that he got the date wrong.
9 Master of Kung-Fu #91-125
The dramatically lit corner box image of Shang-Chi started running with issue #91 and lasted until the title ended with issue #125. The coloring would change with each cover, helping to tie in with the overall mood of the cover. It was so linked that when Master of Kung-Fu #96 went for a monochromatic blue color theme, the corner box did the same.
At Marvel, the corner box was a static image, becoming part of the logo in its design. It was a localized color theme that was mostly used. Shang-Chi here not only is dramatically lit but breaking the bounds of the corner box with it shattered behind him. That corner box reminds us who is the deadliest kung-fu master.
8 New Mutants #17
Many times in the 1980s, Marvel has had action on the cover that affected the title and sometimes even the corner box. Occasionally the character or characters in the corner box would react to something in the cover. Team books often had the least original corner box art with it just being floating heads of the team members. Avengers and X-Men would adapt it sometimes to conform to the design of the logo.
New Mutants went a step further with its seventeenth issue. It was the last issue before the much-anticipated start of Bill Sienkiewicz's run would start. Sienkiewicz even provided inks over June Brigman's pencils for a cover depicting Cannonball fighting the Hellion Jetstream. Cannonball's explosive blast is pushing the New Mutants off into the edge of the corner box with an appropriate reaction. While Sienkiewicz would customize the box art often, this one helped signify the change that was to come with the art on the title.
7 What If? #31
For What If #31, Marvel visited the first appearance of Wolverine. It detailed what would have unfolded if it had ended with Wolverine killing the Hulk. While it seems odd now, there was not yet a set of stock images for Wolverine to place in the left corner box. All that existed was a headshot in his newer mask, not the whisker-like mask he had at the time.
The solution was to have a heavily-silhouetted close up of Wolverine popping his claws. Given how quickly What If stories deteriorated into the worst of possible outcomes, it sits very ominously on the cover. Unfortunately, it's also sharing real estate with a header advertising an ad running in all Marvel comics that month.
6 Captain America #332
This is the issue where the government gives Steve Rogers an ultimatum. He has to become an active agent of the government or give up being Captain America. By the end of the issue, he chooses the latter.
The corner box, normally home for an image of Cap running into action, is replaced with a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. To set the tone of the issue, Lincoln is shedding a year. While the choice to color the portrait helps integrate it to the rest of the cover, it also helps the tear show up. By the time the reader gets to the last page, it becomes an appropriate image.
5 Rom #50
This might be the best of the Assistant Editor's Month uses of the corner box. It's a comical depiction of Rom and Starshine as a 50s-style couple. Rom's pipe and smoking jacket mesh perfectly with Starshine's apron as they playfully flirt.
By the end of the series, both Rom and Starshine return to their human forms. They stay together, having fallen in love, and have two children on Rom's homeworld of Galador. They even make a return trip to Earth for Rick Jones's wedding.
4 Star Wars #103
After Return of the Jedi, the Marvel Star Wars comic seemed to struggle. It had generally good art and played a little with making attractive covers to draw in readers. The right corner box, the one bit of art that was guaranteed to be visible, even on a newsstand, was a source of exemplary effort.
On Star Wars #103, the corner box highlighted Princess Leia. It also gave her a pose like a true action hero. Brandishing a pistol, she's ever vigilant, even after the fall of the Empire. This is an iconic image of a Rebel leader.
3 Magik #1-4
The Magik limited series told what happened to Illyana Rasputin in between the panels of X-Men #160 when the X-Men lost their grip on her. When they finally pulled her through, years had passed.
The corner boxes show the transformation as Illyana becomes a sorceress and ultimately discovers the darkest side of herself. That darker side would come to be known as the Darkchilde. It would go from being Illyana's dark secret into a threat to the world itself.
2 The Amazing Spider-Man #250
This issue features a pitched battle between Spider-Man and the Hobgoblin. The Hobgoblin's identity was a mystery running through the series. As the inheritor of the legacy of the Green Goblin, the Hobgoblin showed a cruel sense of humor.
That came in the special art in the corner box. The Hobgoblin broke the fourth wall, hyping the issue. "It's great! Steal it!" There was some concern that kids would shoplift the issue and according to blogger David Campbell, at least one did steal it.
1 Incredible Hulk #292-300
Before Incredible Hulk #292, Bruce Banner's mind was in control of the Hulk. He had been pardoned by the President for his past actions as the Hulk and was setting out to use Gamma science for the world's benefit. Of course, as the series progressed, we learned that Nightmare was bringing the savage Hulk back in revenge against Hulk's ally, Doctor Strange.
The corner box art depicted a transformation from the Hulk as a scientist to a mindless monster. It was by far the best use of the space in helping to tell the story unfolding. Of course, the transformation wasn't as gradual as to unfold over nine issues. The final issue was a mindless Hulk fighting against the super-heroes of New York City. Both stories, the comic and the corner box ended with a monstrously savage Hulk.