In the 90s, comics were competing harder than ever for consumers' attention and publishers needed a new way to grab attention on the shelf. After all, we often do judge books by their covers and good art can only go far. Maybe it's not the message that mattered, publishers thought, but the medium—plain old paper.
So over time, comic companies began printing covers that had holograms. Or used glow in the dark inks. Or lenticular imaging. Or featured 3D trading cards. Or were shot with a real bullet.
This wonderful video explains the intricate, ridiculous, and "Weird World of Gimmick Covers."
