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!
HOWARD THE DUCK #10
Written by Chip Zdarsky
Art by Joe Quinones
Published by Marvel Comics – $3.99
The person behind all of Howard’s troubles is revealed! Who could it be? Is it Spider-Man? Wolverine? Thor? Ms. Marvel? Am I just mentioning these characters on the off chance that some retailers will just skim the catalogue looking for character names and will accidently order this?
Why It’s Hot: Fans of this series are really going to miss it when it’s gone. For everyone else that hasn’t been reading it, you have no idea what you are missing out on. Under the creative team of Zdarsky and Quinones Howard The Duck has been one of the absolute best comics being published by any publisher. The mix of humor, and huge universe spanning stories showed the world that Chip Zdarsky is as good a writer as he is an artist (if not better). The art of Joe Quinones was the perfect choice to bring this series to life, as his style fit no matter where the story took him, and the series went just about everywhere. With this being the penultimate issue readers are running out of time to find out for themselves why Howard The Duck has been so good. Get a little taste now (especially X-Men fans given last issue’s reveal), go back to read it all, hope that next month isn’t the last time we see this creative team working on these characters, and pray that we at least get a Spider-Man mini from them. Or you can just read it to see why Zdarsky is going to be perfect for the next Star-Lord series.
SAGA #37
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Fiona Staples
Published by Image Comics – $2.99
NEW STORY ARC
“THE WAR FOR PHANG,” PART ONE
SAGA is back with its most epic storyline yet, and to celebrate, FIONA STAPLES graces this issue with a gorgeous wraparound cover! Finally reunited with her ever-expanding family, Hazel travels to a war-torn comet that Wreath and Landfall have been battling over for ages. This arc is a self-contained “event” we’ve been building to since our very first issue, so now is the perfect time for readers who love SAGA’s bestselling collections to join our monthly adventures!
Why It’s Hot: These days a new(er) series reaching 37 issues has become increasingly rare. While we don’t discuss Saga as much as we used to when it was the fresh faced internet darling that took comics by storm, the series continues to chug along with two of the best creators in comics at the helm. With all the glitz and glamor of new number ones, sometimes you need to step back and appreciate a series that has shown it can be at the top of its game month in and month out (more or less) without needing crossovers or relaunches. This week sees the start of a brand new story that the series has been building to since the first issue. If you haven’t been excited for Saga in awhile this might be the perfect time to remember why you (the proverbial you) fell in love with it.
SUICIDE SQUAD: WAR CRIMES SPECIAL #1
Written by John Ostrander
Art by Gus Vasquez
Published by DC Comics – $4.99
When a retired American politician is taken to Europe and tried for alleged war crimes, the USA must recover him from an allied nation before terrible truths are revealed. Enter the Suicide Squad, who storm the Hague itself to save America from her own dark secrets. The writer who started a revolution, John Ostrander returns to the Suicide Squad for the first time in a decade to tell one of his boldest and bloodiest stories
Why It’s Hot: The movie may have been knocked out of first place at the box office this past weekend, but the Suicide Quad train just keeps rolling. In a month that saw the afformentioned movie, and a new series with art from living legend Jim Lee, the coolest thing for long time fans just might be this one shot special. John Ostrander returns for his first Suicide Squad story in a decade! The man that made the squad what it is today is back to once again leave his mark on this band of misfits, and it promises to be crazy.
TMNT UNIVERSE #1
Written by Paul Allor, Kevin Eastman, Tom Waltz
Art by Damian Coucerio, Kevin Eastman, Bill Sienkiewicz
Published by IDW Publishing – $4.99
Introducing a new era in TMNT! This series will explore characters and story-lines that are pivotal to the IDW TMNT universe! When a mysterious new mutant targets Baxter Stockman, it will be up to the TMNT to reluctantly save him. Little does everyone know that a larger trap is being laid by a new arch-foe! Plus a back-up story from TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman and comics legend Bill Sienkiewicz!
• Because YOU demanded it! An ALL-NEW ONGOING series set in the IDW TMNT universe!
• Incredible talent, bringing their unique style to the Turtles!
• A must read for any TMNT fan!
Why It’s Hot: IDW has been publishing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle comics for about five years now, and by all accounts the endevor has been successful. It can be argued that this last half decade worth of comics have consisted of some of the best TMNT stories ever told. With all of the classic characters, new characters, and multiple mini series, the TMNT universe has simply gotten too big for just one ongoing. Focusing on smaller contained stories, and specific characters TMNT Universe is the perfect series for fans looking for a quick turtle fix without the baggage that comes with 60 issues. However, the main reason this issue is hot is that it features a story where Bill Sienkiewicz draws the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. That is worth the price of admission alone.
TOKYO GHOST #10
Written by Rick Remender
Art by Sean G. Murphy
Published by Image Comics – $3.99
MINISERIES FINALE
The final confrontation for the future of mankind is here. It’s Debbie Decay, Mother Nature’s own samurai savior, vs Davey Trauma, the Living Singularity. Critically-acclaimed creators RICK REMENDER and SEAN GORDON MURPHY wrap up their tale of tech addiction, unintended consequences, and love in a world populated by the disenfranchised and isolated.
Why It’s Hot: Tokyo Ghost has been a thrill ride that used a fast paced thrill ride with beautiful art to comment on and make observations about real world issues. In other words, it did exactly what great science fiction is supposed to do. Now it comes to an end. It will be sad to see a great series from two A-List creators that worked so well together end, but I can’t imagine them going out with anything other than an awesome issue.
ALSO AVAILABLE THIS WEEK: 4001 A.D. #4, All New Wolverine Annual #1, Deadpool V. Gambit #4, East Of West #29, Gotham Academy Annual #1