HOT FIVE: Week Of August 22, 2018

Welcome to Comicosity’s Hot Five(ish). Hot Five(ish) is a short list of the top books we think you’ll want to be checking out. Be they new title launches, key issues or just continuing stories from some of the industry’s most acclaimed books, this list is your guaranteed gold in the comic market.

JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK #2
Written by James Tynion IV
Art by Alvaro Martinez Bueno (Pencils), Raul Fernandez (Inks) & Brad Anderson (Colors)
Published by DC Comics – $3.99

Plagued by a rash of otherworldly resurrections, the new JLD team begins scouring the shadowy corners of the DCU looking for leads. Turns out, this latest mystery ties back to the Tree of Wonder, last seen laying down roots in JUSTICE LEAGUE: NO JUSTICE-and it bears poisoned fruit to boot. The Tree serves as a doorway from the Realm of Magic to our world, and the Upside Down Man is just the first of many all-powerful mystic entities looking for a new haunt. It’s gonna take a major twist of fate for our heroes to get out of this one…

Why It’s Hot: The flagship Justice League title has quickly become one of the very best team comics around. If Tynion and company can keep up the quality established in the first issue of this magic based spinoff then it will join the main title in that upper echelon. This comic is a dream come true for fans of the magic DC characters. You have Wonder Woman leading a team featuring and getting to interact with characters like Zatanna, John Constantine, Tim Hunter, Man Bat, and Detective Chimp. Even if this didn’t spin out of one of the biggest stories of the year it would be a must read, and luckily it’s not to late to get in early.

THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN MARVEL #2
Written by Margaret Stohl
Art by Carlos Pacheco & Marguerite Sauvage (Pencils)
Published by Marvel Comics – $3.99

THE DEFINITIVE ORIGIN OF CAPTAIN MARVEL!
For years, Carol Danvers has been at the front lines, protecting Earth and her fellow heroes from harm. Then one visit to her childhood home changed everything. Now her brother’s in a coma, and until he’s safe, Captain Marvel…is standing down. But while Carol may not be looking for danger, it’s looking for her. A weapon has been unleashed. And Carol’s sleepy coastal town is about to become the center of its world. Margaret Stohl and Carlos Pacheco tear apart Captain Marvel’s whole universe in part two of an origin-defining tale!

Why It’s Hot: This series was anticipated from the moment it was announced. A big origin defining series ahead of Captain Marvel’s big screen debut was always going to stand out as feeling a bit more important than usual. Then the first issue came along and was above and beyond what even the most optimistic readers were expecting. Stohl’s hard look at Carol’s youth and how it’s collided with her present was wonderfully juxtaposed by the beautiful art of Sauvage for the former and Pacheco for the latter. It’s going to be fascinating to see whether the creative team can live up to the first issue, but they probably will.

MR. AND MRS. X #2
Written by Kelly Thompson
Art by Oscar Bazadula (Pencils) & Frank D’Armata (Colors)
Published by Marvel Comics – $3.99

LOVE & MARRIAGE PART 2!

ROGUE and GAMBIT find themselves tasked with protecting a mysterious package that everyone in the galaxy suddenly seems to want. Why does everyone want this thing and WHAT exactly is it? Perhaps more importantly, is there anything worse than Deadpool crashing your honeymoon? Yes! There is something worse! TECHNET crashing too! Man your battle stations, people — it’s absolute honeymoon mayhem!

Why It’s Hot: Kelly Thompson is on some kind of streak as of late, and this series (and its predecessor mini-series) is a big reason why. Thompson’s telling of the adventures of Rogue and Gambit are just another example of why X-Men fans are so excited about the direction the books are heading in. This book is new reader friendly, but with enough deep dives for continuity nerds, and great art from Oscar Bazadula and Frank D’Armata. Oh, it also obviously features Deadpool, a jealous Deadpool who has some interesting thoughts on the marriage.

WEST COAST AVENGERS #1
Written by Kelly Thompson
Art by Stefano Caselli (Pencils) & Triona Farrell (Colors)
Published by Marvel Comics – $4.99

A NEW ERA DAWNS…AVENGERS ASSEMBLE!
HAWKEYE (KATE BISHOP). HAWKEYE (CLINT BARTON). A guy named FUSE. Never have they ever been called “the big three” of…anything. And now here they are, reunited for, okay, well, it’s only the second time ever. Thank god they also brought AMERICA CHAVEZ, GWENPOOL and KID OMEGA. Wait. What? That’s right, it’s the new West Coast Avengers, son. And you better hope they can figure out how to save the world because BIG things are headed for the West Coast.

Why It’s Hot: Kelly Thompson comes in Hot with her second title on this week’s list. The launch of this issue is just another example of Thompson’s inability to do no wrong as of late. This debut takes everything great about the writer’s previous take on Kate Bishop’s adventures, and multiplies by a bajzillion by adding in a team element with a great cast of characters. Add in art from the always stellar Stefano Caselli, and throw in a dash of ridiculousness with the last page, and you have an absolutely awesome first issue. As a native Angelino I may be a bit biased, but it sure is nice to have a superhero team of our own once again.

WONDER WOMAN #53
Written by Steve Orlando
Art by ACO (Pencils)
Published by DC Comics – $3.99

At the behest of Aztek, Diana and Artemis join her for a trip to Mexico, but there’s no sightseeing on the agenda. Instead, they must rescue a long-lost Amazon who’s being held captive by rogue deity Tezcatlipoca, who’s trying to break into our world. Can our three heroes save the missing Amazon, stop a raging god and not kill one another in the process?

Why It’s Hot: At first glance Steve Orlando’s run on Wonder Woman is a short fill in run that is only biding time until G. Willow Wilson and Cary Nord take over the book on a full time basis. Once you dig a little deeper you’ll realize that the scribe and his partners are making the most of their opportunity and turning out issues that can stand toe to toe with the best the character has to offer. Issue #51 is going to be in play on a lot of people’s best of the year lists, and last issue reunited Orlando with ACO for another stellar story that continues this week. This is good stuff, and as excited as I am for Diana’s future I’m a bit sad that this run will have to end so soon.

ALSO AVAILABLE THIS WEEK:

* Action Comics #1002
* Amazing Spider-Man #4
* Avengers #6
* Beasts Of Burden #1
* Black Hammer: Age Of Doom #4
* Black Panther #3
* Cold Spots #1
* Detective Comics #987
* Die Die Die #2
* The Flash #53
* The Punisher #1
* The Terrifics #7
* Venom #5
* X-Men Red #7

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