Black variant – Comic Bunch

Cover variant released as an appendix of the magazine Weekly Comic Bunch n.25, June 2004.

Let’s be honest—at least half of this cover’s legendary status comes from the simple fact that Tetsuo Hara draws every character exactly the same. So, thanks to some kind of collective self-hypnosis, we all convinced ourselves that the cover featured the Kenshiro we know and love, rather than his less fortunate uncle, protagonist of a series barely anyone actually read.

But… BUT… the other half of this cover’s fame is pure, unfiltered hype and carnage.

Black and gold: the most gloriously over-the-top color combo imaginable. A Kenshiro more furious than ever, his piercing gaze locking onto you like a heat seeking missile (seriously, try moving around the room, his eyes will follow you everywhere,  like the Mona Lisa). And for the truly edgy among you, a reversible side that lets you escape the darker, grittier main cover in favor of a more relaxed one.  Oh, did I mention that its rarity is unbelievable?

More than 20 years later… it still reeks of testosterone!