Welcome to Comicosity’s Hot Five. Hot Five 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!
CRY HAVOC #1
Written by Simon Spurrier
Art by Ryan Kelly
Published by Image Comics – $3.99
BEHOLD THE MODERN MONSTROSITY.
X-Men Legacy writer SIMON SPURRIER and superstar artist RYAN KELLY present fiends, fragility, and firepower in an all-new series, mixing the hard-boiled militaria of Jarhead with the dark folklore of Pan’s Labyrinth. Includes an unprecedented use of multiple colorists (MATT WILSON, LEE LOUGHRIDGE, & NICK FILARDI) to define the story’s threads, and an incredible variant cover by Eisner Award winner CAMERON STEWART. This is not the tale of a lesbian werewolf who goes to war. Except it kind of is.
Why It’s Hot: Is this the next big Image comic? There’s a writer in Simon Spurrier that knows how to push the envelope, and get weird. Ryan Kelly is an extremely talented artist who is ready for his big break. Then you have three great colorists in Nick Filardi, Lee Loughridge, and Matt Wilson who contribute their exceptional skills in three different settings. To quote Comicosity’s own Nikki Sherman when she picked this as her most anticipated series of 2016: “When Si Spurrier and Image Comics touted this new series as ‘not the tale of a lesbian werewolf who goes to war. Except it kind of is,’ I was in. I’m totally in. I’ve loved Spurrier’s writing of late, and I’ve been following Ryan Kelly for quite awhile now. I’m really looking forward to seeing what these two will do together, especially with this interesting premise for a story right up my alley.”
DEADLY CLASS #18
Written by Rick Remender
Art by Wes Craig
Published by Image Comics – $3.99
“DIE FOR ME,” Part Two
The Freshman Finals killing spree spills into the streets of San Francisco.
Why It’s Hot: Deadly Class is the best comic being published today, and will go down as an all time great, period. It’s the career defining work of both Rick Remender, and Wes Craig, and they just keep taking the series to another level. Shit hit the fan last issue, with one of the craziest issues of a comic book in recent memory. Freshman Finals are just getting started. Blood will be spilled, loyalties tested, and lives lost.
FAITH #1
Written by Jody Houser
Art by Francis Portella & Marguerite Sauvage
Published by Valiant Entertainment – $3.99
FAITH BEGINS! VALIANT’S MOST DEMANDED HERO STEPS OUT OF HARBINGER…AND INTO AN ALL-NEW ADVENTURE!
Faith Herbert, the psionically gifted “psiot” known as Zephyr, has been a neglected child, a pawn of the Harbinger Foundation, and a washout with the government superteam called Unity. But now she’s taking control of her life and becoming the hero she’s always known she can be – complete with a secret identity, a codename, and a cover assignment that routinely throws her into harm’s way! But flying solo is going to be tougher than she ever thought as she uncovers a deep-rooted alien conspiracy that could destroy human civilization from the inside out! Is Faith out of her depth…or in for her biggest adventure yet? Rising star Jody Houser (Orphan Black) and red-hot artist Francis Portela (Green Lantern) pilot a new chapter for Valiant’s high-flying hero right here in her first-ever limited series!
Why It’s Hot: Valiant Entertainment has created the best superhero line of comics outside of the Big Two, and many would argue that statement should include Marvel and DC. With that said, you know a comic has potential when it’s the most anticipated title ever for a red hot company, like Valiant. Faith was introduced in the early issues of Harbinger, and was an instant fan favorite. To be frank, superheroes don’t look like Faith. She is a big girl. In this age of social media, selfie obsessions, and bullying, body image is as big of an issue as it has ever been. For years comic books haven’t been much help, as they’ve constantly found themselves portraying unrealistic body types. It’s still a problem today, but the business is starting to learn, and Faith is the best example yet. It’s refreshing to see someone that doesn’t look like every other superhero represented on the page. Faith is comfortable in her body, loves being a superhero, and is really good at it. The funny thing? I’ve brought up the character’s looks more than the issue does. Instead of making the series about a heavy girl superhero, writer Jody Houser does an amazing job of making a comic about a young female superhero trying to be an adult, while just happening to be heavy. The difference is important, and the end result is a comic that a lot of people are going to love.
OLD MAN LOGAN #1
Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Andrea Sorrentino
Published by Marvel Comics – $4.99
Fifty years from now, Logan — the man who no longer calls himself Wolverine — will have endured many atrocities: The Marvel Universe’s villains will have banded together and rid the world of its heroes. Logan’s closest friend, Hawkeye, will have been murdered in cold blood right before his eyes. And driven mad by the same radiation that gave him his superhuman strength, Bruce Banner will have fathered a family of hillbilly Hulks…that eventually went on to slaughter Logan’s wife and two children. But now, in the present, Old Man Logan wakes up to discover himself in a world before these atrocities, before the Wasteland. And he’s going to seize this opportunity and change history to ensure that his future never comes to pass…
Why It’s Hot: Jeff Lemire, and Andrea Sorrentino worked together on Green Arrow from February 2013 to September 2014. Their work together has been widely hailed as one of the best Oliver Queen stories of all time. With both creators making their way over to Marvel, it was just a matter of time before the duo worked together again. This series is a perfect fit. Lemire has taken the reins of the X-Men, and had Old Man Logan join the cast of the flagship Extraordinary X-Men. Sorrentino got a head start with the character, having worked with Brian Michael Bendis on the Old Man Logan miniseries during Secret Wars. As expected, that series was beautiful, and Sorrentino showed Marvel fans why he is considered one of the best in the business today. When you add the creative reunion to the equation, Old Man Logan becomes one of the most anticipated titles of the month!
SUICIDE SQUAD MOST WANTED: DEADSHOT & KATANA
Written by Brian Buccelleto & Mike W. Barr
Art by Viktor Bogdanovic & Diogenes Neves
Published by DC Comics – $4.99
Two of the stars of next year’s highly anticipated action movie break out in their own solo adventures in this extra-sized, 6-issue miniseries!
First, in a story by Brian Buccellato, Viktor Bogdanovic and Richard Friend, Deadshot is on the run, taking on a series of new contracts, and re-establishing himself as the world’s most deadly marksman. But things are about to get complicated for Floyd Lawton when a figure from his past threatens to expose a dark secret…and Deadshot gets word of his next target: Lex Luthor!
Then, writer Mike W. Barr returns to the character he co-created in “Katana, Cult of the Kobra,” with art by Diogenes Neves. Katana needs to know more about Soultaker’s origin if she’s going to have any hope of controlling the sword instead of falling under its influence. Dr. Helga Jace, a Markovian astrophysicist, may be able to shed some light-but before Katana can get the info, Kobra’s forces attack!
Why It’s Hot: Last week DC Films had a special on The CW following the mid season premiere of The Flash. They discussed Batman v. Superman, showed the first footage from Wonder Woman, and even confirmed the members of the Justice League. However, the most talked about moment was the brand new Suicide Squad trailer. The movie is hitting theaters in August, and we can expect DC Comics to be pushing the team over the next seven months. With Suicide Squad: Most Wanted, readers are treated to an anthology miniseries, featuring separate solo adventures for Deadshot, and Katana. Get to know two of the Squad’s deadliest members with two stories in each extra sized issue.
ALSO AVAILABLE THIS WEEK: Extraordinary X-Men #6, Grayson #16, Prophet: Earth War #1, Saga #33, Southern Bastards #13
