HOT FIVE: Week Of May 10, 2017

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.

AVENGERS #7
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Phil Noto
Published by Marvel Comics – $3.99

• The Infamous Iron Man joins the Avengers – or, to hear him tell it, they’re joining HIM.
•  How will Earth’s Mightiest Heroes react to a reformed villain like Doctor Doom?

Why It’s Hot: Victor Von Doom joins the Avengers. One of comic’s greatest villains is joining one of comic’s greatest superhero teams. The current run of Avengers is exactly the type of comic Waid that fits in Waid’s wheelhouse, and the great Phil Noto is jumping on board. Add it all up, and there’s a great chance this comic is going to be pretty darn good.

BUG: THE ADVENTURES OF FORAGER #1
Written by Lee Allred
Art by Mike Allred
Published by DC Comics – $3.99

An all-new Young Animal miniseries begins! Forager is just one of the Hive before he breaks out of his cocoon and finds himself in a mysterious house in an unknown realm. There he meets all kinds of strange creatures: a ghostly girl, a talking teddy bear and otherworldly weirdos that have literally jumped out of his worst nightmares. But these interdimensional oddballs are nothing compared to the evil General Electric, who is on the hunt for a reality-bending metal that could alter the fabric of life itself. To stay one step ahead of him and preserve the multiverse, Forager must travel through alternate dimensions to seek the metal and, hopefully, catch up with that cagey stuffed bear. If he does it, will he finally be able to distinguish himself as a New God?
DC’s Young Animal celebrates Jack Kirby’s centenary with this new six-issue miniseries-and who better to tackle this task than the Eisner Award-winning Allred clan! Featuring scripts by Lee Allred (BATMAN ’66), art by Michael Allred (Silver Surfer) and colors by Laura Allred (Lady Killer), BUG! is truly a family affair.

Why It’s Hot: The Allred family doing a tribute to Jack Kirby under the Young Animal imprint is just too good to be true. This is going to be one of the most beloved comics of the week, as there is something for every reader around. An older fan of Jack Kirby? You’ll love this comic. Not too familiar with Kirby’s work, but love what Young Animal has been doing? You’ll love this comic. This is one of those comics that will remind you why you’re a comic book fan, and you do not want to miss it.

REGRESSION #1
Written by Cullen Bunn
Art by Danny Luckert
Published by Image Comics – $3.99

Adrian is plagued by ghastly waking nightmares. To understand and possibly treat these awful visions, Adrian reluctantly agrees to past life regression hypnotherapy. As his consciousness is cast back through time, Adrian witnesses a scene of horrific debauchery and diabolism. Waking, he is more unsettled than before, and with good reason-something has followed him back. Adrian descends into a world of occult conspiracy, mystery, reincarnation, and insanity from which there is no escape.

Presented by CULLEN BUNN (Harrow County, The Sixth Gun, The Empty Man), DANNY LUCKERT (Haunted), and MARIE ENGER (Pistolwhip, 2 Sisters), REGRESSION is a tale of supernatural terror and intrigue unlike any horror comic you’ve ever experienced.

Why Its Hot: Another Cullen Bunn penned book making the Hot Five is no surprise. The writer has been doing solid work for a long time, but recent weeks have seen him even more on top of his game than usual. This time around he is making his way to Image Comics for a new horror series. Joined by Danny Luckert, whose art is a perfect fit for this comic, Bunn is looking to make another big splash on the creator owned comic world.

ROCKET #1
Written by Al Ewing
Art by Adam Gorham
Published by Marvel Comics – $3.99

GET READY FOR A LIFE OF SPACECRIME!

It’s a dirty universe out there, even when you’re not regularly mistaken for trash-foraging vermin. And it’s about to get dirtier. He thought his paws were clean, that he was on the up-and-up. But then an old flame swam back into his life, and he was back in the game… the heist game. If you need a safe cracked, a vault busted or a score taken…ask for Rocket. Just don’t call him a raccoon.

Why It’s Hot: You can’t go wrong with Al Ewing. Not only is the scribe Marvel’s most underrated creator, but he has also been their best writer over the past few years. Now he’s launching a new series with Rocket Raccoon, who is featured in the world’s current number one movie. In a right and just world this comic should be huge. Will it be? We will find out soon, but I sure hope so.

STAR WARS: THE SCREAMING CITADEL #1
Written by Kieron Gillen
Art by Marco Checchetto
Published by Marvel Comics – $4.99

“THE SCREAMING CITADEL” – PART 1

Rebel pilot and rogue archaeologist wander side by side into the darkest shadows of the galaxy as Luke Skywalker reluctantly teams up with Doctor Aphra! The Doctor makes Luke an offer he can’t afford to pass up…one that leads him to a very rare gathering at the heart of the infamous Screaming Citadel. Will Luke find what he’s looking for? Can Aphra be trusted? Or will they both wind up victims of the Citadel’s Queen?
Why It’s Hot: Star Wars goes full blown horror in a story unlike anything the franchise has ever seen (at least in current continuity). Did I mention Luke Skywalker teaming up with Doctor Aphra? How about Kieron Gillen writing? Or the amazing Marco Checchetto, whose art on previous Star Wars comics has blown fans away, on art duties? This has all the ingredients to be yet another winner for Marvel’s Star Wars line.

HIDDEN GEM OF THE WEEK:

PIERCE BROWN’S RED RISING: SONS OF ARES #1
Written by Pierce Brown & Rik Hoskin
Art by Eli Powell
Published by Dynamite Entertainment – $3.99

From the world of the best-selling YA series Red Rising comes a story of love and loss and rage! In the future, when mankind has spread across the stars, the hierarchy of man is dictated by the color of one’s caste. The Golds rule all, but what will happen when one falls for a lowly Red? See how a forbidden love will set the course of events for the future and lead to the formation of the formidable Sons of Ares! Written by author Pierce Brown (The Red Rising Trilogy) and Rik Hoskin (Heroes of Skyrealm, Brandon Sanderson’s White Sand), with art by Eli Powell (Yakuza Demon Killers, The 13th Artifact), comes the in-continuity story of revolution and Red Rising!

Why It’s Shiny: Fellow Howlers, there’s no need to wait until January, it’s time for more Red Rising! Okay, I admit that a comic prequel to a best selling YA novel might be a stretch to consider a “Hidden Gem” but as far as I’ve seen there’s  been remarkably little promotion around this comic. In fact, until putting this week’s column together I didn’t even realize it was coming out. Considering I devoured the first three books when they were released, and I’m eagerly awaiting the fourth, that seems odd. The inclusion of Pierce Brown, the best selling author behind the popular series, on the creative team makes the lack of marketing even more bewildering. The series revolves around the formation of the Sons Of Ares, the rebel group fighting the Martian leaders in the novels. If you’re a fan of compelling characters, science fiction, and/or the novels you should give this series a shot. If you enjoy it, and haven’t read the trilogy, get on that too (when you aren’t too busy reading comic books of course).

ALSO AVAILABLE THIS WEEK: Action Comics #979, All Star Batman #10, America #3, Black Cloud #2, Black Panther & The Crew #2, Detective Comics #956, Dragon Age: Knight Errant #1, The Fix #9, Grass Kings #3, Misfit City #1, Secret Warriors #1, Supergirl #9, Weapon X #3, X-Men Blue #3

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