Domino: Hotshots

by Gail Simone, David Baldeón, Michael Shelfer & Jim Charalampidis
collects Domino: Hotshots #1-5
a continuation of Domino’s series, volumes one | two |three – complete

Hotshots is my 100th book of 2019, and I wish it wasn’t such a big stinking mess. No amount of mutant luck powers could have saved it. There are kernels of Simone’s brilliance and lively banter, but it all gets lost in a clunky story and a too-big cast.

Our original trio of mercenaries are Domino, Outlaw, and Diamondback, who are now joined by exiled Wakandan Shoon’kwa (we met her last volume), White Fox (a South Korean heroine, who I realized halfway through has a tail and super long hair), and Black Widow.

Sounds like a cool, badass lady team book right? Which is perfect for Secret Six and Birds of Prey writer Gail Simone, right? One would hope. But Shoonkwa and Fox are mostly filler, minor antagonists who cause Domino to struggle as team leader; Natasha’s necessity to the plot is her Avengers credentials. Deadpool pops up too, but he’s more of a distraction, selling point, and unnecessary love interest/fight scene than anything else.

Most of the secondary teammates have half or full page origin recaps, but it disrupted the story and forced emotional investment. Outlaw, Diamondback and Domino needed to be the focus to finally see why they all love each other so dang much, instead of being told every issue. (I’m sure White Fox and Shoon’kwa aren’t just on the team for diversity – but unfortunately, it is a noticeable coincidence.)

The team never gels like Secret Six or Birds of Prey, and it weighs down the sharp, fun banter between Outlaw, Dimondback and Domino. Just like the last volume, their friendship takes a backseat to a completely bonkers storyline.

Simone excels in witty banter, antihero team books, and maintaining emotional anchors throughout wacky and cosmic story arcs. Unfortunately, this one never came together, with some slips that really surprised me. Domino asks Deadpool what a “creation constellation” is, but neither he nor any other characters used that phrase beforehand. Outlaw has no reaction to Deadpool, her ex, smooching her best friend. Fights happen that don’t make sense. The stakes never feel real or exciting. And a “surprise” villain is cringey, low-hanging-fruit villainy that I never thought I’d see from Simone.

Baldeón became a new favorite artist in the first Domino volume, and his fluid, expressive work continues to impress here. Unfortunately, as has happened in all three volumes, the art quality takes a noticeable dip when Shelfer helps illustrate panels. I’m not trying to bash Shelfer, but it’s frustrating that after three volumes filling in for Baledeón – sometimes panel to panel on the same page – it’s still this easy to point out.

The first volume of Domino was so strong, and the series ends on a whimper. I hope Domino gets better justice in future stories, because there is so much promise in her character as an antihero and mutant. And I hope we don’t have to wait for Deadpool 3 to see it.