People: Not surprisingly the most talked about celebrity this week, a stunned JENNIFER HUDSON is front and center, flanked by ANGELINA JOLIE, TARA REID and a random teen with leprosy sharing real estate in the bright turquoise sidebar. We weren’t sure how the weeklies were going to handle this tragedy, and while “AGONY” is the largest word on the cover, all in all it’s pretty tasteful. Our rating: 2.5 stars for using the same tired color palette, but bonus points for pulling an image of Hudson that is situation appropriate — unlike the more sultry photos used by the competition.
Time Magazine: Electronic polling machine on a white background? Is this the best they’ve got? With a whirlwind election season drawing to a close and tons of visual politics moments, they still manage to create a cover that is both predictable and boring. And the shadow of the electronic polling machine is off — the third leg of the polling stand has no shadow connecting to it.Our rating: 1 star for effort
The New Yorker: They’ve built a legacy on a tradition of clever and occasionally controversial illustrated covers, and this election-themed Halloween illustration does not disappoint. The concept of little kids dressed up as John McCain and Sarah Palin scaring a group dressed in more traditional Halloween fare is a simple liberal joke drawn beautifully with character and appeal by CARTER GOODRICH.Our rating: 4.5 stars for being pretty enough for kids to enjoy, scary enough for Halloween, and funny enough for liberals
New York: Barry told us not to get too cocky and yet New York magazine went ahead and placed the most presidential looking photo of Barack Obama on the cover with the inauguration date in big bold letters — and a witty disclaimer in tiny font, natch.Our rating: 4 stars for staying consistent with their cover design and leading the rest of the weekly magazines with an interesting concept.
– Diana Jou