The Wicked and the Divine (Vol 1+2) by Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, and Matt Wilson

First, a word from the publisher: “Every ninety years, twelve gods incarnate as humans. They are loved. They are hated. In two years, they are dead. The team behind critical tongue-attractors like Young Avengers and PHONOGRAM reunite to create a world where gods are the ultimate pop stars and pop stars are the ultimate gods. But remember: just because you’re immortal, doesn’t mean you’re going to live forever.” (Also, volume 1 collects issues 1-5, while volume 2 collects issues 6-11.)

What Worked For Me:

The art crisp, clean, and easy to follow visually
The story plays with a lot of tropes and conventions, and in particular the similarities between gods and superheroes. It also packs in plenty of twists and turns.
Both were an enthralling work that I completed in a single sitting

What Didn’t:

For some this might be a pro, but the work has no qualms about throwing readers in “in medias res” and expecting them to figure out a lot as the story progresses (e.g. how the gods relate to each other, their purpose, their “leadership structure,” etc). In short, expect to read attentively if you want to get the most out of this work.
I had trouble with the character of: Cassandra, aka the “reporter.” On one hand, she is considerably more knowledgeable and world-wise than the audience-insert character. She has training (and a camera crew). With that being said, even after some pretty wild events, she still remains both more skeptical than the circumstances seem to allow (ie after seeing multiple people’s heads explode), but also more involved than you’d expect for someone who’s “just trying to get the scoop.” Unless I’m missing something (or she’s not who she says she is), this character is a tough sell.
Consider this a major spoiler for volume 2: at the end of the trade, the “audience insert character,” Laura, is killed by the “matriarch” of the pantheon: Ananke. Oof. I expected a twist, but killing off the presumed protagonist is a risky move.

Conclusion:

I was able to check both of these volumes out for free from my local library. I was pleasantly surprised by the work, even if I didn’t “get it” 100% of the time. The real question for me is this: will this series be enthralling enough for me to continue to read even after the “free” volumes at my local library run out? Considering that I originally read these a few months ago and haven’t picked them up since, the answer seems to be yes.

Check it out here.