Posts Tagged ‘comics annapolis’

JOE THE BARBARIAN #1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* DEBUTS FROM MASTER STORYTELLER GRANT MORRISON (Batman & Robin).. IMAGINE GOING TO A WORLD WHERE YOU COULD FIGHT ALONGSIDE OPTIMUS PRIME, SNAKE-EYES, AND ALL YOUR FAVORITE ’80s TOYS! A MUST-READ FOR FANS OF STUFF OF LEGEND! ISSUE #1 IS ONLY $1.00

Here’s one I’ve been pumped for since I first read the solicits on it a few months back. First off, it’s one of my favorite comic book writers, Grant Morrison, a man who stands right up there alongside that wave of writers that includes Warren Ellis, and Garth Ennis. Secondly, it’s one of those fresh, can’t lose concepts that just hooks you from the get go.

Meet Joe, a young man with a hyperactive imagination, who really hasn’t gotten a fair shake in life. A misfit at school, a victim of bullies, not to mention he lost his father in the Iraq war, and ontop of it all, he’s living with Type 1 Diabetes. You could say that Joe hasn’t really been dealt the best hand of cards in life.

The question though, is it an insulin-deprived delirium, or something much bigger, and much more magical that transports Joe to a land where all of his favorite toys have gotten lives of their own. Whether it’s robot commanders (think Optimus Prime), star fleet captains, or samurai rodents (Ninja Turtles), Joe is navigating a world that’s familiar and foreign to him all at the same time. So, is he the savior of an oppressed land, here to set it’s inhabitants free? Or is he just an over-imaginative boy lost in his own fantasies?

Folks, this one is going to be a true classic. It’s an eight-issue mini-series, and they’re kicking off issue #1 with a $1.00 price tag. The artist, Sean Murphy, is a newcomer who I feel will be getting his big break on this series, as his art is NICE. And, with this incredible modern fantasy tale being penned by a great writer like GRANT MORRISON (the man behind the red-hot BATMAN AND ROBIN series happening right now), you know the story is going to deliver on all fronts. Plus, ontop of all that, it’s just a plain cool concept, and I’m sure most of us our children of pop culture, and at one time or another growing up, we thought about how cool it would be to have Optimus Prime, or Han Solo throw down some stomp-ass.

And, hey, it’s only $1 to try the first one, so what’ve you got to lose? Give this one a shot folks, I’m definitely giving it the THIRD EYE MUST BUY stamp this week, and marking it as one of the coolest books hitting the racks.

Click here to see some preview pages of JOE THE BARBARIAN #1

Clickhere to read an interview with Grant Morrison about the series.

SIEGE ALERT: DARK AVENGERS #13 & DARK WOLVERINE #82 FEATURE A COUPLE OF SPECIAL SIEGE TIE-IN ISSUES! DARK AVENGERS #13 ESPECIALLY LOOKS TO BE A GOOD TIE-IN!

SIEGE kicked off with a bang a couple of weeks ago, and delivered both a killer first issue of the main series, and a very cool start to the SIEGE: EMBEDDED mini-series. This week, the SIEGE rages on in the pages of DARK AVENGERS #13 and DARK WOLVERINE #82.

First off, if you’re not already reading DARK AVENGERS, you really need to be. It got a little off track towards the tailend of the UTOPIA crossover, but other than that, the book has been a consistent top tier Marvel monthly that delivers great art, and great story month after month. Plus, the concept of seeing a dysfunctional team of supervillains and morally questionable characters posing as the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes is still pretty damn cool. We know that this issue of Dark Avengers will definitely be a must-read, even if you haven’t been following the series in a while, because it reveals the secrets, and mysteries of THE SENTRY after years, and years of hints, guesses, and misdirections. Who controls him? How powerful is he really? And, just why does he have the Gods of Asgard trembling with fear? Find out the integral role that both the Dark Avengers, and the Sentry play in the Siege on Asgard in DARK AVENGERS #13 this week! Click here for a preview of DARK AVENGERS #13

Also arriving this week is DARK WOLVERINE #82, which looks to explore what side Daken really is on? He runs with some of the biggest heavyweight villains of the Marvel Universe, but what are his motivations, and where do his loyalties lay? But, more importantly, with his boss, Osborn, and his team-mates the Dark Avengers playing a major role in the Siege on Asgard, what role does he play, and just what happens when this vicious killer goes toe to toe with the Gods of Asgard? Click here for a preview ofDARK WOLVERINE #82

For those of you following SIEGE, make sure you don’t miss either of these epic tie-ins this week here at Third Eye!

Click here to check out the official SIEGE checklist!

BLACKEST NIGHT DELIVERS BIG WITH THREE MUST-READS THIS WEDNESDAY! GEOFF JOHNS’S BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH #2,STARMAN #81 (YES!), and PHANTOM STRANGER #42 PLUS, GREEN LANTERN CORPS #44 CONTINUES GUY GARDNER: RED LANTERN!

Blackest Night continues to rage on this week in the pages of one of the more killer tie-ins we’ve seen, BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH, as well as two more installments of the “Back from the Dead” one-shots, both of which I’ve been personally anticipating since they were announced. And, of course, the next installment of the consistently awesome GREEN LANTERN CORPS featuring GUY GARDNER: RED LANTERN arrives this week.

So, first, lets talk about BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH. Why are we so into this one here at Third Eye? Well, first off.. it’s Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins doing THE FLASH. These guys did one of the best runs on the character that I’ve ever read with story arcs like Rogues. They’ve got a real chemistry together, and their FINAL CRISIS: ROGUES REVENGE limited series was definitely a highlight of that event. The first issue of BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH delivered everything I expected it to…it ties together some pretty integral storyline ideas that fit nicely into what Johns is doing in FLASH REBIRTH, it’s got that ultra-detailed, yet high-energy art that Kolins is known for (and which works perfectly for a character like the FLASH), and finally… it’s got the Rogues.

And, that folks, is what I think really makes Geoff Johns’s FLASH stuff stand out, how he writes THE ROGUES. He has thoroughly developed the personalities of each one of these forever second-stringer supervillains, and actually used their second-string status as a way to further the characters. Of course, the one who has developed the most is CAPTAIN COLD, who has quickly become a favorite of mine over the years, with a killer personality, and a shift into leadership of the Rogues. And, I mean, you can’t not love lines like “Okay, Rogues, lets go kill some zombies.”

The first issue of BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH was a great read, with some killer BLACKEST NIGHT moments, some killer FLASH moments, and it looks very promising. I highly recommend picking up the first issue if you haven’t already, otherwise, we’ll see you this week for #2!

Next up, we’ve got two more of the BLACKEST NIGHT “Back from the Dead” one-shots which give “dead” series one final issue, in a means to further the story of BLACKEST NIGHT. Lets talk about Phantom Stranger first, and then we’ll get to Starman.. I’m saving Starman for last because that’s where your normally cool, calm and collected comic shop guru turns into a rambling fanboy about how much he loved Starman.

Phantom Stranger 42 - The Phantom Stranger is one of those obscure, often-forgotten characters that has amassed a rabid, cult following over the last couple of decades.. and why you might ask? It’s because he’s a cool freakin’ character! This BLACKEST NIGHT one-shot features the Phantom Stranger, as well as a myriad of other DCU “magic”-themed characters, and has them throwing down with the BLACK LANTERN SPECTRE, and BLACK LANTERN DEADMAN. I know that a lot of you, like myself, have a soft spot for characters like Phantom Stranger, Blue Devil, and Zatanna, so I’m sure some of you are looking forward to this one as much as me. Plus, the Black Lantern Spectre is RIDICULOUSLY awesome, and I’m curious to see more about him.

And, then..

Starman 81- Okay, I’m going to try to keep myself from going on too much about what a great series STARMAN was, and how it was one of the defining forces of comic storytelling in the ’90s. All I’ll say is that the idea of character-driven superhero comics, deep stories, and a realistic bent on the idea of “legacy” superheroes… all of these were roads that Starman paved in the ’90s, when most comics were focusing more on splash pages, and less on compelling storylines. This issue features the Shade (a cool character in his own right), going head to head with a certain Black Lantern Starman of days gone past. Will Jack Knight step in on this one?

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #44 - GUY GARDNER, RED LANTERN, IS HE BEYOND REDEMPTION?

Blackest Night has been really tearing through a lot of books, and refreshing the stories in them, but I’d have to say one of the ones I feel has benefited the most from Blackest Night has been Green Lantern Corps. The series really started to hit it’s stride after the Sinestro Corps with Ring Quest and Sins of the Star Sapphires, and as soon as the Blackest Night hit, it just jumped up the scale of awesomeness tenfold. Peter Tomasi is a great writer, and you can tell that he and Geoff Johns work closely together and making the core Green Lantern book and Green Lantern Corps compliment each other well.

Anyways, currently in Green Lantern Corps, the biggest story arc to hit the series continues, and that’s the fall of Guy Gardner to becoming a Red Lantern. One of the coolest things about Blackest Night so far has been witnessing the different color rings pick and choose key DCU characters to recruit into their corps. Guy Gardner is a perfect choice for the Red Lanterns, being that he is, and always has been the epitome of a fly off the handle hot-head. After the earth-shattering events of Green Lantern Corps #42, we witnessed Guy become a Red Lantern in Green Lantern Corps #43, and now, we see more madness to fuel his rage, and the question is asked: Can anyone save Guy Gardner from himself?

This one’s a must-read if you’re digging Blackest Night, so definitely pick up on the Green Lantern Corps!

GARTH ENNIS’S (THE BOYS, PREACHER, CROSSED) BATTLEFIELDS: HAPPY VALLEY #2 CONTINUES HIS LATEST, AND GREATEST FORAY INTO GRISLY WAR STORIES!

A lot of you, like us, are hooked on Garth Ennis from his over-the-top madness in books like CROSSED, and THE BOYS, but there’s something you may not know about this fantastic writer: he can write one of the best damn war stories you’ve ever read. In fact, I think that Ennis’s war comics are the BEST war stories I’ve seen told in any medium. The amount of love, and passion that Ennis has for the genre is obvious from the first page of each story he’s written, and it shines through brightest here in the pages of BATTLEFIELDS: HAPPY VALLEY.

The story of HAPPY VALLEY is about an English bomber pilot who gets saddled with a rowdy crew of Australian bomber crew pilots, during World War II. Of course, it’s up to this young pilot to not just earn the respect of these guys, but also to be able to fly the treacherous path known as Happy Valley, and bomb the hell out of those Nazi bastard’s industrial complexes.

Ennis manages to reveal the horrors of war in bloody, grisly detail while still bringing his own trademark style of developing characters, and a compelling story. His war stuff is often some of the stuff you can tell he really puts his heart into the most, because of his own huge love for the genre.

We still have plenty of Battlefields Happy Valley #1 in stock, if you’d like to catch up, and we couldn’t recommend it enough!

LADY DEADPOOL DEBUTS THIS WEEK INDEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #7! GREAT JUMPING ON POINT WITH A BRAND NEW STORY ARC!

Just when you thought the insanity of everyone’s favorite Merc With A Mouth couldn’t reach further heights, a whole new spin is given to the character this week with the debut of LADY DEADPOOL in the pages of DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUTH #7, in a very special double-sized issue featuring art by ROB LIEFELD, KYLE BAKER, and more.

What do you do with a crazy zombie Deadpool head that’s feeling a tad bit homesick? Well, you take it back home to the zombieverse where it belongs. Of course, things go a bit awry when Deadpool finds himself making some wrong turns, and ends up in alternate realities that’re more warped than anything we’ve seen before in Deadpool’s troubled head. The Deadpool Kid… Major Deadpool.. and, the arrival of the Merc with A Mouth’s female counterpart; LADY DEADPOOL!

The thing that we love about the Deadpool books here at Third Eye is the quirky, weirdness, and sense of fun they capture, and this new story looks to be a Deadpool classic in the making. And, is it just me, or is anyone else curious to see what Lady Deadpool’s all about?

Yes, it’s ridiculous, but c’mon, that’s what makes Deadpool so cool!

Clickherefor a preview of DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUTH #7

COWBOY NINJA VIKING #3 – THE FRESHEST NEW IMAGE BOOK WE’VE SEEN SINCE LAST YEAR’S CHEW! FIND OUT WHY THIS SERIES IS TEN DIFFERENT KINDS OF AWESOME!

One of the coolest new series we’ve seen launch in the last few months has been IMAGE’s COWBOY NINJA VIKING. The stylized artwork, and the off-the-wall story make a match made in comic book heaven, and we can’t get enough.. and that’s only after two issues! If you haven’t read COWBOY NINJA VIKING yet, let me give you the scoop on this little gem..

Basically, in the near-future, the government takes individuals with multiple personality disorder and turns them into agents of destruction called “Triplets” in the battle against terrorism. Essentially, they find three of the dominant personalities, hone in on them, and use those to shape the triplet into a lethal, killing machine.

Now, what happens when one of these Triplets goes rogue, and runs loose? Well, that’s the case of COWBOY NINJA VIKING. The storytelling is awesome, and while the concept sounds goofy, it’s actually pretty cool, and more reminiscent of a film like KILL BILL or something in terms of the pacing, and plot progression. One of the coolest aspects is how the title character’s three personalities conflict with one another. Each time one talks, it’s conveyed through a word balloon shaped like a six-gun (the Cowboy), a battle-axe (the Viking), or a katana sword (the Ninja), and each one has it’s own unique personality. The Cowboy constantly talking about getting drunk, and visiting brothels, the Viking saying they should just kill and eat their enemies, and the Ninja being the calm, and collected strategic thinker of the group. The humor in the book is sharp, and clever, but without being heavy-handed, and trust us, when they start introducing other triplets, like issue #2’s Pirate/Gladiator/Oceanographer.

We know, the title of the book makes it seem like it could be a one-trick pony, but this is a clever, sharp, and well-told story that has a lot of life to it. We highly recommend giving it a look, because we think you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that this book defies the cliches that it could fall into with a name like COWBOY NINJA VIKING.

And, in this week’s issue, the solicits don’t say much other than “You know how Jason Bourne got his ass kicked all over the globe, well picture that, but with Cowboy Ninja Viking, and an Amish dude”.. how can you go wrong with a description like that?

Did you miss issues #1, and #2? Pick ‘em up here at Third Eye, as we still have limited quantities of both in stock!

Clickhere for a preview of COWBOY NINJA VIKING #3

CAPTAIN AMERICA #602 – FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF “WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIED?” WHAT DOES BRUBAKER HAVE IN STORE FOR THE WORLD OF CAP? FIND OUT HERE! AND READ BELOW TO FIND OUT THE SCOOP ON CAP REBORN #6

Before I start talking about why I’m pumped for Cap #602, I want to just let everyone know the deal with Captain America REBORN #6. Bryan Hitch, an incredible artist, is also incredibly slow… due to this, the 6th issue of REBORN has been running behind schedule. Instead of holding up the story, and letting it affect the flow of things in the Marvel Universe, Marvel went straight to WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD, and now CAP #602. Reborn #6 WILL be out, an  as of right now has a release date of 1/27/10.

Ed Brubaker writes Captain America better than just about anybody. His long, epic run on the character has lasted a total of 52 issues (57 if you include REBORN), and he has done more with the character than just about any writer I can think of in recent memory. Brubaker is able to take Cap, write him like he should be, a soldier, and not just any soldier, but the ULTIMATE soldier, and then effortlessly mesh that realistic tone with some of the coolest, pulpiest, comic book magic that you could think of.

In Captain America #602, we see a return to Cap’s regular monthly series, but for those of you following REBORN, we definitely recommend sticking around, because things are going to really start getting good after the revelations of WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD? What happens when the crazy ’50s clone of Cap resurfaces? And, just how does the dynamic work between Bucky and Steve Rogers, in the face of new enemies, and new threats?

The awesomeness of Brubaker’s Cap returns to a monthly schedule starting here, and we couldn’t be more stoked. A brand new story arc spilling out from the events of Cap Reborn and WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD!

Click here for a preview of CAPTAIN AMERICA #602!

SOLOMON KANE: DEATH’S BLACK RIDERS #1BRINGS PURE PULP NOIR OCCULT WEIRDNESS, AND ADVENTURE THIS WEDNESDAY!

This Wednesday, Dark Horse brings us a slab of creepy, pulp awesomeness with the return of Robert E. Howard’s classic insane 16th-century Puritan who has no other mission in life than to wander the Earth looking for evil to vanquish… at the end of a bloody sword, or the barrel of a smoking flintlock pistol.

This all new story from Dark Horse is a great entry point if you haven’t read a Solomon Kane story before, and we gotta say, folks, we think a lot of you would dig this cult classic pulp anti-hero. The story takes place in the depths of Germany’s Black Forest, where Kane comes across gypsies being terrorized by bandits… but Kane’s not sure which horror is worse, the bandits and their sadistic actions, or the horrific occult evils residing in the depths of the forests.

These weird tales are a must-read, and capture the classic spirit of the Solomon Kane pulp stories, with a modern comic storytelling approach to the art and writing of the books. Great reads, and recommended for any fans of Hellboy, and BPRD.

Clickhere for a preview of SOLOMON KANE: DEATH’S BLACK RIDERS #1

INCORRUPTIBLE #2 FOLLOWS UP ON THE FIRST ISSUE OF MARK WAID’S FLIP SIDE TO HIS SUPERMAN GONE EVIL SERIES, IRREDEEMABLE! WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE BAD GUY GOES GOOD?

Dude! The firs issue of INCORRUPTIBLE blew me out of the water! Waid proves that he’s got what it takes to apply the post-modern comic energy hum that he delivers on IRREDEEMABLE to a companion series while still making it feel fresh, and accessible. The concept is pretty simple: What happens when the supervillain goes good? We’ve seen the flip side in Irredeemable, as well as many other books exploring the idea of a world’s greatest hero becoming it’s greatest villain, but very rarely have we seen the opposite idea explored.

The first issue carries that same energy, and rock solid comic storytelling that Waid has perfected in a book like Irredeemable. The superhumans names are cheesy, yes, but just like in Irredeemable, the cartoonishness of their names contrasts so well with their believable, realistic actions, that it’s a perfect match.

The plot? Meet Max Danger, one of the world’s most despicable supervillains, he and his companion/sidekick, Jailbait, have terrorized and ripped off the world on a global scale many times before. But, Max was there the day that the Plutonian lost his mind, and began scorching the earth, and that, in Max’s words was the day he “saw the face of God”, and it told him that if the world’s greatest hero can go bad, then someone needs to step up and handle the mess. This is his road to redemption, so to speak, and we’re sure the details of it will be revealed more and more, in each issue, just like the Plutonian’s fall is chronicled in flashbacks in the pages of Irredeemable.

All in all, I really liked issue #1, and would most definitely recommend giving issue #2 a shot. We currently have limited quantities of issue #1 in stock if you missed it the first go around, so be sure to check out!

Click here for a preview of INCORRUPTIBLE #2

FALL OF THE HULKS CONTINUES THIS WEEK IN HULK #19 *HULK vs. THE THING, ED MCGUINNESS RETURNS TO ART* *FALL OF THE HULKS PT 4* and INCREDIBLE HULK #606 *FALL OF THE HULKS PT 5*

Click here for the FALL OF THE HULKS Checklist!
This issue of HULK is big, and for more than oen reason. First off, it’s the return of superstar artist ED MCGUINNESS to HULK. This man was born to draw BIG, and nothing is more perfect for that than hopping back on HULK. Secondly, this is the next chapter in the epic FALL OF THE HULKS storyline, where many of the Marvel’s greatest minds have combined forces in an effort to once and for all rid the Marvel Universe of those giant, gamma-irradiated pests. Oh, and we can’t forget that FALL OF THE HULKS is also leading up to the big reveal of the Red Hulk (finally!). The preview pages of this one promise one major, knockdown, drag-out brawl between the Red Hulk and the Thing, and with McGuinness illustrating… it looks cooler than all get out.

Oh, and did we forget to mention that the reason for this epic clash is due to the brand new Frightfoul Four charging an onslaught on the Baxter Building, and the Fantastic Four? Just like all the other issues of McGuinness’s HULK, this one is guaranteed to be a bigger than life, over-the-top, high energy comic book fightfest.

Clickherefor a preview of HULK #19

Also dropping this week is the fifth chapter of FALL OF THE HULKS, with INCREDIBLE HULK #606, where we get to see the triumphant return of the original, the classic, the legendary INCREDIBLE HULK, yes, Bruce Banner makes a change back into his original Hulk-mode, and he’s going to be going head to head with DR. DOOM.

The Incredible Hulk series (which officially began the new direction at issue #601) has actually been really good, and well-written stuff. Greg Pak (writer of PLANET HULK) is telling a compelling story where Bruce Banner is teaching his son, Skaar, how to be a HULK. He’s having Skaar go head to head with classic heavyweight baddies like Juggernaut, classic Hulk villains like the Harpy, and then modern day creeps like Dark Wolverine. All in all, it’s been a cool way to see Banner showing his son how to handle himself in each situation, and showing the parallels between the battles he himself had once fought. He’s also teaching him how to know when to run, when to fight, and how to hide, because you know, being a Hulk, these are essential skills.

And, this issue, playing into the big FALL OF THE HULKS storyline, is supposed to deliver not just pure smashmouth action, but a whole array of revelations about both Bruce Banner, Skaar, and Dr. Doom’s role in the Fall of the Hulks.

Click here for a preview of INCREDIBLE HULK #606
Click here for the FALL OF THE HULKS Checklist

THIRD EYE TRADE PAPERBACK PICK OF THE WEEK: REBELS v.1: THE COMING OF STARRO!

I’m really surprised by this one, folks, I’ve gotta be honest, I slept on this series for a while until the BLACKEST NIGHT tie-in. I had flipped through some of the early issues of this series when it began last year, but, not being a long-time LEGION fan, I figured I’d be too unfamiliar with it to really “get it.” Well, I read the BLACKEST NIGHT tie-in to REBELS (#10), and I was so impressed with just that one issue that I went back and read all the way up from issue #1 to current, and dude… this is one of DC’s most underrated books, I can’t believe it.

Seriously, the way the characters are written makes even the biggest LEGION noob feel at home, and the artwork is REALLY good, especially considering the book kind of exists in that overlooked end of the DCU that doesn’t really get a lot of critical buzz, or marketing hype. The concept? Brainiac’s son, the arrogant Vril Dox has to recruit a new team of freedom fighters to take out a new, unseen force that’s compromised L.E.G.I.O.N. The hook? He’s basing each member he recruits off of the galaxy’s greatest superheroes and supervillains.

The villain of the series is definitely one of the cooler ideas, as they’ve taken the idea of STARRO, and really played up the “the Conqueror” part of his name. Originally, we’ve always seen Starro as a giant star-fish thing that just consumes worlds through attaching little starfish things to people’s faces, and turning them into mindless zombies. It’s revealed in this storyarc that STARRO is actually an ancient warlord, a humanoid, who uses the starfish things as his drones across the galaxy.

Overall, the combination of big widescreen sci-fi action, with cool concepts like the reinvention of Starro make the series a great read. One of the strongest points of the book though is the characterization of the egotistical Vril Dox. He’s a hero, yeah, but there’s also a very dark, brooding undertone to him that’s shown in his arrogance, a trait that I’m sure runs through the entire Brainiac bloodline.

Looking for a new DC series? Give this one a shot, it’s actually surprisingly very good stuff so far!

OUTSIDERS #26 – NEW DIRECTION, NEW CREATIVE TEAM FEATURING DC EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAN DIDIO & BATMAN & ROBIN SUPERSTAR ARTIST BILLY TAN!

The Outsiders as a book has had a shaky history. Moments of great runs (like Judd Winick/Tom Raney’s original run a few years back), and then moments of total mediocrity. This week, DC is trying to get the book back on track with an all-new direction, and a new creative team consisting of DC’s Editor in Chief Dan Didio, and superstar artist Billy Tan.

The details on this one have been pretty closely guarded, but what we do know is that a certain Kryptonian joins the team, and the Outsiders as a whole have been cast as enemies in the eyes of the world. We’re more curious about the creative team than anything, to be honest. Didio hasn’t written a lot that we know of for DC yet, so it’s going to be interesting to see how good the man in charge’s chops are. There’s also the fact that the incredibly talented Billy Tan is handling the art, so that’s something to keep an eye out for as well. Either way, this issue serves as a great jumping on point for those of you who’ve been on the fence about trying the Outsiders.

Click here to read more about OUTSIDERS #26

STAFF PICKS

Trish – Daytripper #2 – One of the best examples of letting a story take you to where it’s going, and not bothering to question it. This one has some of the best art, and the story just sucks you in.

Torma – SECRET SIX #17 *BLACKEST NIGHT* - AWESOME second half conclusion to what began in the pages of SUICIDE SQUAD #67. A really cool Blackest Night tie-in, and worth picking up.

Steve – Invincible Iron Man #22 – Every issue of this series just gets better, and better, if you’re sleeping on Fraction’s Iron Man run, you’re missing out!

WHAT’S NEW @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 1/13/10

Hey gang! Here’s a full listing of new releases arriving at Third Eye this Wednesday! See something you just absolutely gotta have? Shoot us an email at thirdeyecomics@gmail.com, and we’ll be happy to set it aside for you!

• ABSOLUTION #6
• ACTION COMICS #885
• ADVENTURE COMICS #6
• AGE OF REPTILES JOURNEY #2
• ALAN MOORE’S NEONOMICON #0 HORNBOOK *BRAND NEW ALAN MOORE SERIES FROM AVATAR PRESS!*
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #617 *THE GAUNTLET CONTINUES, AS THE RHINO RETURNS!*
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #617 QUINONES VILLAIN VARIANT
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #617 RHINO IS COMING VARIANT
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #617 SOMETHING IS COMING VARIANT
• THE ANCHOR #4
• ANGEL #29
• ANGEL #29 VIRGIN COVER
• ANITA BLAKE LAUGHING CORPSE EXECUTIONER #3
• ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #205
• ARMY OF DARKNESS TP v.9
• ALIENS VS PREDATORS THREE WORLD WAR #1
• BARACK THE BARBARIAN #4
• BATGIRL #6
• BATMAN #695
• BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD TP
• BATMAN WIDENING GYRE #4
• BATMAN WIDENING GYRE #4 VARIANT
• BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST
• BLACK PANTHER 2 #12
• BLACK WIDOW DEADLY ORIGIN #3
• BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL TP v.22
• BOOSTER GOLD #28
• BORIS KARLOFF TALES OF MYSTERY HC v.2
• BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #31
• CARS #0
• CATWOMAN #83 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• CAVEWOMAN MERIEMS GALLERY #5
• CLEANERS TP v.1 ABSENT BODIES
• CONAN THE CIMMERIAN WEIGHT OF THE CROWN
• CYBERFORCE/HUNTER KILLER #4
• DANTES INFERNO #2
• DARK X-MEN #3
• DAYTRIPPER #2
• DEAD ROMEO TP
• DIE HARD YEAR ONE #4
• DMZ #49
• DOC SAVAGE THE SILVER PYRAMID
• DOCTOR WHO ONGOING #7
• ED HANNIGAN COVERED
• ELEPHANTMEN TP v.2 FATAL
• FALLEN ANGEL REBORN TP v.1
• FLASH VS GORILLA GRODD MINI-STATUE
• GALACTICA 1980 #4
• THE GHOUL #2
• GI JOE MOVIE SNAKE-EYES #4
• THE GOON TP v.00 ROUGH STUFF
• GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY #28
• HACK/SLASH #29
• HUMAN TARGET CHANCE MEETING
• INCREDIBLES #4
• INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #22 *STARK DISASSEMBLED PT 3*
• MAGOG #5
• MARVELS PROJECT #5
• MARVELS PROJECT #5 PAREL VARIANT
• MUPPET SHOW #1
• NATION X #2
• NO HERO TP
• ODYSSEY TP GN
• PHANTOM GHOST WHO WALKS #7
• POWER OF SHAZAM #48 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• PSYLOCKE #3
• PUNISHERMAX #3
• REALM OF KINGS IMPERIAL GUARD #3
• REBELS #12
• RED SONJA OMNIBUS TP v.1
• REX MUNDI TP v.6 GATE OF GOD
• RUNAWAYS ESCAPE TO NEW YORK HC
• SECRET SIX #17 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• SHIELD #5
• SHONEN JUMP FEBRUARY 2010
• SKY DOLL FACTORY #2
• SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #208
• SPAWN ORIGINS TP v.4
• SPIDER-MAN AND SECRET WARS #2
• SPIDER-MAN ELECTION DAY TP
• SPIDER-MAN RETURN OF THE BLACK CAT HC
• STAR TREK CAPTAINS LOG SULU #1
• STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC v.8 TP
• STAR WARS OMNIBUS SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE TP
• STRANGE #3
• SUPER FRIENDS #23
• SUPER HERO SQUAD #1
• S.W.O.R.D #3
• TALISMAN ROAD OF TRIALS #3
• THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY #7
• TITANS #21
• TOYFARE #151
• TRANSFORMERS ALL HAIL MEGATRON TP v.4
• TRANSFORMERS ONGOING #3
• TRANSFORMERS ONGOING #3 VARIANT
• ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN TP v.22
• ULTIMATUM TP
• UNCANNY X-MEN FIRST CLASS #7
• THE UNWRITTEN #9
• WALT DISNEY’S COMICS & STORIES #702
• WEEKLY WORLD NEWS #1
• X-MEN FOREVER #15
• X-MEN ORIGINS CYCLOPS

The Third Eye Subscription Service

Can’t make it to the store every week, or always losing track of what series you’re following? Join our Third Eye Subscription Service, and have all your favorite titles reserved for you each and every week! It’s free to join, and the only requirement is that you come in at least once a month to pick up your books! You can even manage your subscriptions right from the comfort of your own home via our website!

Interested? Shoot us an email at thirdeyecomics@gmail.com, and we’ll tell you how to get started!

WHAT’S NEW @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 1/6/10

Hey gang! Here’s a full listing of new releases arriving at Third Eye this Wednesday! See something you just absolutely gotta have? Shoot us an email at thirdeyecomics@gmail.com, and we’ll be happy to set it aside for you!

• 28 DAYS LATER #5
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS JACKPOT #1
• ANGEL HOLE IN THE WORLD #2
• ARCHIE & FRIENDS TP v.2
• ARCHIE DIGEST #260
• ATHENA #4
• ATOMIC ROBO TP v.3
• AUTHORITY #18
• BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #40 *Sam Keith art!*
• BLACKEST NIGHT WONDER WOMAN #2 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• BLACKEST NIGHT WONDER WOMAN #2 VARIANT
• THE BOYS #38
• BPRD KING OF FEAR #1
• BRINGING UP FATHER FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA HC
• BUCK ROGERS #7
• CABLE #22 *HOMECOMING PT 2*
• CAPTAIN CANUCK v.2 HC
• CHILL HC *VERTIGO CRIME! THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL*
• CINDERELLA FROM FABLETOWN WITH LOVE #3
• CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #17
• DAFFODIL #1
• DAREDEVIL BORN AGAIN TP
• DARKNESS #82
• DEAD @ 17 SOURCEBOOK
• DEADPOOL TEAM-UP #897
• DINGO #2
• DOC SAVAGE DOUBLE v.32
• DONALD DUCK AND FRIENDS #349
• DOOM PATROL #6
• DRONE #2
• ESSENTIAL AVENGERS TP v.7
• FATE STAY NIGHT GN v.6
• FEMALE FORCE #10 J.K. ROWLING
• FORGETLESS #2
• FROM THE PAGES OF BRAM STOKERS DRACULA
• FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST TP v.20
• FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST TP v.21
• FVZA #2
• GIGANTIC #5
• GOD COMPLEX #2
• GREAT TEN #3
• GREEK STREET #7
• GRIMJACK MANX CAT #6
• HAUNT #4
• HAUNT #4 CAPULLO VARIANT
• HAUNT #4 MCFARLANE SKETCH VARIANT
• HERCULES KNIVES OF KUSH #5
• HORRORHOUND #21
• HOUSE OF MYSTERY #21
• HUNTER X HUNTER TP v.26
• I HATE GALLANT GIRL TP
• INVINCIBLE IRON MAN PREMIERE HC v.3
• JENNIFER LOVE HEWITTS MUSIC BOX #2
• JONAH HEX #51
• JSA ALL-STARS #2
• KILL AUDIO #4
• KING CITY #4
• KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #157
• KYO KARA MAOH GN v.5
• LIFE AND TIMES OF SCROOGE MCDUCK HC
• MARVEL: THE LIST HC
• LITTLE ADVENTURES IN OZ BOOK 01
• MAD ABOUT SUPERHEROES TP v.2
• MARVEL BOY URANIAN #1
• MARVEL DIVAS TP
• MARVEL PREVIEWS #77
• MASS EFFECT REDEMPTION #1
• MICKEY MOUSE & FRIENDS #299
• THE MIGHTY #12
• MUPPET SHOW TREASURE OF PEG LEG WILSON TP
• NATION X X-FACTOR ONE-SHOT *NATION X*
• NEW MUTANTS #9 *NECROSHA*
• NEXUS ARCHIVES v.10 HC
• NIGHT OF THE BEDBUGS HC
• ORC STAIN #1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*
• PHANTOM DOUBLE SHOT #1
• PHANTOM JULIE WALKER
• POLITICAL POWER #4 RONALD REAGAN
• PREVIEWS #256 JANUARY 2010
• PRINCESS VALENTINE TP
• PROOF #25
• PUNISHER MAX GET CASTLE #1 ONE-SHOT
• QUEEN SONJA #3
• RED ROBIN #8
• RED TORNADO #5
• RESISTANCE SERIES 1 ACTION FIGURES
• RESURRECTION v.2 #6
• SAVAGE DRAGON #156
• SHADOW DOUBLE NOVEL v.33
• SIEGE #1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY!!!!!*
• SIEGE #1 COIPEL SKETCH VARIANT
• SIEGE #1 DELL’OTTO VARIANT
• SIEGE #1 QUESADA SKETCH VARIANT
• SIEGE #1 QUESADA VARIANT
• SIEGE: THE EMBEDDED #1 *SIEGE*
• SIEGE PRELUDE TP *SIEGE*
• SKY PIRATES OF NEO TERRA #4
• SOUL KISS HC v.1
• SPIDER-MAN NOIR EYES WITHOUT A FACE #2
• THE SPIRIT TP v.5
• STAR TREK SPOCK REFLECTIONS TP
• STAR TREK NEXT GENERATION GHOSTS #2
• STAR WARS CLONE WARS #12
• STARCRAFT GHOST ACADEMY GN v.1
• STARSTRUCK #5
• STUMPTOWN #2
• SUICIDE SQUAD #67 *BLACKEST NIGHT TIE-IN*
• SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #11
• SWEET TOOTH #5
• TANK GIRL SKIDMARKS #2
• TERRY MOORE’S ECHO #18
• TERU TERU X SHONEN v.6
• THICKER THAN BLOOD #3
• TIMELY ANNUALS 70th ANNIVERSARY
• TITANS OLD FRIENDS TP
• TRANSFORMERS TALES OF THE FALLEN #6
• ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #6
• THE UNWRITTEN TP v.1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY, ONLY $9.99*
• WALKING DEAD TP v.11 FEAR THE HUNTERS *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*
• WARLORD #10
• WASTELAND #27
• WEIRD WESTERN TALES #71 *BLACKEST NIGHT TIE-IN*
• WE KILL MONSTERS #6
• WILDSTORM AFTER THE FALL TP
• WILLIAM SHATNER PRESENTS TEK WAR #4
• WIZARD MAGAZINE #221
• X-MEN MUTANT MASSACRE HC
• X-MEN NOIR MARK OF CAIN #2
• X-MEN VS AVENGERS PREMIERE HC
• X-MEN VS. FANTASTIC FOUR PREMIERE HC
• YOUNGBLOOD TP v.2 VOTED OFF

The Third Eye Subscription Service

Can’t make it to the store every week, or always losing track of what series you’re following? Join our Third Eye Subscription Service, and have all your favorite titles reserved for you each and every week! It’s free to join, and the only requirement is that you come in at least once a month to pick up your books! You can even manage your subscriptions right from the comfort of your own home via our website!

Interested? Shoot us an email at thirdeyecomics@gmail.com, and we’ll tell you how to get started!

THE NEW CAPTAIN AMERICA REVEALED INCAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN: WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD ONE-SHOT THIS WEDNESDAY!

This is it, folks… is it going to be Steve Rogers rocking the Captain America duds again, or is it going to be Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier? The question to this, and many other things surrounding the epic, sweeping story that Brubaker has laid out with REBORN are answered this Wednesday.

Now, you’re probably wondering “How come this is coming out before CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN #6?” Well, there’s two answers to that. The first is that Marvel has pegged this as a pre-emptive epilogue to REBORN. The other answer is that the incredible art of Bryan Hitch tends to make the man run slow, and REBORN #6 should’ve been out by now. From what Marvel has told us though, reading this issue before Cap Reborn #6 doesn’t mess with the sequence too much.

Anyways, I am very excited about this one, because not only have I been enjoying Brubaker’s REBORN storyline, but his entire run on Captain America in general has been some of the best comic reading on the shelves. So, needless to say, I’m pretty stoked to see how this one follows up, and nears it’s conclusion.

And, ontop of all that… this could possibly be (like it’s no secret) the Return of Steve Rogers as Captain America! If you would’ve told me I’d be pumped about that in 1999, I would’ve been hard-pressed to believe you. While I respect the iconic nature of Cap, and some of the great stories of the past that’ve been told with the character (my personal pre-Civil War Cap story being Mark Waid and Ron Garney’s incredible run on the series), I just never really saw that many stories that stood out with the character. In my opinion, it took the influence of Millar’s characterization of Cap in THE ULTIMATES, and then, his 616-characterization in CIVIL WAR, to really get me into the character. Luckily, right around the same time that CIVIL WAR was happening, a (at the time) unknown writer by the name of Ed Brubaker was spinning some very gritty, hard-nosed espionage-fused stories with Cap. And, I’ve been a fan of the character ever since.

Who Will Wield The Shield is kind of a summing up of the last decade of Captain America stories. And, I hate to admit, that this is probably where the road to the end of Brubaker’s run begins. Although, I could be wrong. Anyways, it looks like we’ll be seeing the big decision made between who will be wearing the mantle of Captain America… Steve Rogers, or Bucky Barnes. The thing that makes this so exciting is that the development of Bucky as a character over the course of the last 50-some issues of Brubaker’s run has been some of the best character development of a comic character I have ever seen. And, to be honest, while I’m excited to see how things play out with Rogers, I really would be sad to see Bucky not be Cap.

And, then of course, there’s those spoiler pages in the back of DARK AVENGERS and NEW AVENGERS ANNUALS from the last couple of weeks… but, are we convinced that’s who it appears to be? And, that all is what it seems? I guess we’ll find out all the answers this week in WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD.

Click here for a preview of CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD one-shot

And, for those of you who haven’t been following Brubaker’s run on Cap, I want to give you the skinny on where it begins, and why it’s been so damn good. He manages to combine elements of old school pulp fiction with a 21st century spin with the feel of old ’70s and ’80s exploitation movies. Brubaker’s Cap run has been a high-quality superhero book with a definite espionage by way of grindhouse kind of feel to it.

Where to start? CAPTAIN AMERICA: WINTER SOLDIER VOLUME 1 TRADE PAPERBACK – This trade collects the first six issues of Brubaker’s run, and begins the series with a bang by re-introducing the long-thought dead Cap sidekick, Bucky Barnes. Of course, as we learn through the course of the story, Bucky’s history is  not what we thought, and his re-appearance has him as a conflicted, hardened soldier with a mission to kill Steve Rogers. From, there the story follows in CAPTAIN AMERICA WINTER SOLDIER VOLUME 2, CAPTAIN AMERICA RED MENACE 1 & 2, and so on, and so forth.

Why It’s So Good? Brubaker has managed to take the history of the Captain America series, including all of it’s somewhat B Movie-esque supervillains, and fuse it with a modernistic, 21st century espionage-fueled approach that’s had us on the edge of our seats ever since. Brubaker re-introduced Cap’s wholesome teen sidekick, and revealed his history as a cold-blooded black ops killer, then he killed Captain America himself, and put the reformed Bucky in the costume. All the while, he’s effortlessly blended old with new, and managed to tell one of the most compelling Marvel stories we’ve seen. The grindhouse feel he gives to Cap’s bigger than life supervillains (like Arnim Zola… a robot with a giant face in it’s chest) has given Cap a solid rogue’s gallery to go to bat against.

THREE BIG BLACKEST NIGHT TITLES THIS WEEK! GREEN LANTERN #49 DELIVERS ANOTHER CRUCIAL CHAPTER OF BLACKEST NIGHT!

It’s a good week for Blackest Night, folks, with three killer titles hitting the shelves of Third Eye carrying the Blackest Night banner. And, as we’ve already seen nearly everything tying into DC’s Blackest Night has been high quality reading material.

The biggest of the three, of course, is the newest issue of GREEN LANTERN with GREEN LANTERN #49. The Green Lantern monthly title has been almost as essential as the Blackest Night mini-series itself, written by Blackest Night writer Geoff Johns, and filling in the gaps between issues of the core mini-series, each issue of this title has done a great job of moving the story along and explaining all the stuff that can’t be fit into the core Blackest Night book. This week, we get to see John Stewart’s role in the Blackest Night, and it’s impact on him. John Stewart has always been one of my favorite Lanterns, and the whole GL spin on his past as US Marine is pretty freaking cool. Plus, we haven’t seen a lot on him yet in Blackest Night, and it will be cool to see some more attention put on the character.

Next up, we have the first issue of one of those killer 3-issue limited Blackest Night miniseries that have been so good, and that’s BLACKEST NIGHT JSA #1. I’m really excited about this one, for a couple of reasons. First off, I really love the Justice Society, and secondly, I really dig Wesley Dodds, the Golden Age Sandman. Also, the fact that a killer creative team consisting of James Robinson (Starman, Justice League Cry for Justice), and one of DC’s rising star artists Eddy Barrows, along with the addition of classic Kyle Rayner-era Green Lantern writer Ron Marz, makes this one an exciting book to look out for.
From the looks of the preview, and the solicits, it looks like we’ll be seeing a ton of dead JSA and JSA-related characters. Wesley Dodds, the Golden Age Sandman, of course is pretty awesome (for those of you who haven’t read it before, I highly recommend the entire run of SANDMAN MYSTERY THEATER), and I’m hoping we’ll see Ted Knight, Al Pratt, and more. Anyways, we’ll be seeing the ultimate in the heroes of today fighting the heroes of yesteryear, with Dr. Midnite vs. Dr. Midnite, Mr. Terrific vs. Mr.Terrific, Sand vs. Wesley Dodds, and more. Plus, you know Golden Age Green Lantern, Alan Scott, will be playing a big role in this, and it’ll be interesting to see where he fits into things (since his backstory and character is a tad different than most of your Green Lanterns).
Click here for the preview of BLACKEST NIGHT JSA #1

Finally, to round things off, we’ve got the Teen Titans #78, which admittedly, isn’t as quite as highly anticipated as the other two, it still looks like it should follow-up on Teen Titans #77 *Blackest Night* (which was very solid, and still in stock here at Third Eye) pretty well. The thing that’s exciting to me the most about this issue is that it’s featuring a pretty sweet team-up between Deathstroke (one of my favorite DC characters), and his daughter Ravager, and of course, we know that means only one thing: they’re gonna be hacking and slashing through a mountain of Black Lanterns. And, we all know that Ravager and Deathstroke have their fair share of fallen foes, and family that’ll be rising up as Black Lanterns to dish out some ass-whippings.

AVENGERS INITIATIVE #31 *SIEGE*FEATURES SPECIAL SIEGE TIE-IN! ANOTHER DOSE OF SIEGE TO PREPARE YOU FOR THE BIGGEST MARVEL EVENT SINCE “CIVIL WAR”

The Road to Siege began with a bang a few weeks ago in the pages of SIEGE: THE CABAL, and now you can fill in another piece of the puzzle with this week’s AVENGERS INITIATIVE #31, tying into SIEGE: THE CABAL. This is where it’s explained why Taskmaster is now seated upon the Cabal, and shows Osborn’s offer, and proposals to this often overlooked (but still, badass) Marvel villain.

And, meanwhile, on the Initiative end of things.. the Initiative gets called upon to assault an enemy that’s carrying some heavy duty power. Could that enemy be Asgardian?

Clickhere to read a preview of AVENGERS INITIATIVE #31

LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME #1ARRIVES FROM RADICAL (PUBLISHERS OF FVZA, CITY OF DUST, ect) from THE WRITER OF FEAR AGENT & PUNISHER – ONE WEEK TO COMMIT THE LAST CRIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY!

Here’s a cool one I got an advance copy of last month, and really dug. Rick Remender (writer of cult favorite FEAR AGENT, and the current Punisher run featuring Frankencastle) has made this one his new pet project, and it reads AWESOME. A great, gritty noir-influenced style of artwork matched with some fast-paced, tense storytelling make this one a very fun read.

What’s the plot? In the not too distant future, the government basically plans to transmit a secret signal that will make it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit a crime. After the complexity of crimes like identity theft, and the rates of terrorism, this is their answer to preventing things from getting worse.

And, that’s where our hero comes in to play, Graham Brick, a low-life career criminal who’s never gotten a break. And, now, he finally comes on a killer way to make the heist that’ll set him up for life. Of course, it’s announced by the media that in just one week they’ll be transmitting that whole Anti-Crime signal, and this leaves Graham with a problem: he has only one week to commit the last crime in American history.

It’s as fun as it sounds, folks, and I’m already itching to see the next one. You can click here to read a preview of LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME #1

FALL OF HULKS GAMMA ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY FEATURING ARTWORK BY JOHN ROMITA JR!

Fall of Hulks ALPHA kicked things off with an awesome, old-school feeling origin story of the Intellectia, a gathering of assorted Marvel mad scientists, ranging from obscure characters like Egghead and the Mad Thinker to big baddies like the Leader, and Dr. Doom. And, now, this week, the other half of that arrives in the pages of FALL OF HULKS GAMMA! Before, I go any further…

IT’S JOHN ROMITA JR… DRAWING THE HULK. NOT JUST THE HULK. BUT LOTS OF HULKS! What more could you want?

Seriously though, it’s not often that I get excited by the artist alone that’s attached to a book, but Romita JR was born to draw BIG. His run on Thor with Dan Jurgens in the ’90s was great, and trust me, it wasn’t because of Dan Jurgens. And, his later work on Hulk was also awesome. But enough of my fanboy freakout over Romita JR, lets get onto just what you can expect this week out of FALL OF HULKS GAMMA.

This finishes up the set-up for the biggest Hulk storyline since World War Hulk, and leaves the stage set for the Fall of the Hulks. We don’t know much, but what we do know is that a certain Hulk’s death sets the entire Hulk family of characters into an unstoppable rage, and could really dish out some serious havoc for the rest of the Marvel Universe.

For those of you keeping track, here’s a quick run down of what’s out in the line of FALL OF THE HULKS so far:
FALL OF THE HULKS ALPHA – still in stock at Third Eye
HULK #18 - still in stock at Third Eye
and now..
FALL OF HULKS GAMMA – in stock at Third Eye this Wednesday 12/23/09

CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #3 HITS THE SHELVES THIS WEDNESDAY! THE BEST COMIC YOU’RE NOT READING! FIND OUT WHY CRIMINAL IS A MUST-READ! ISSUES #1 & #2 STILL IN STOCK!

CRIMINAL is flat out the best crime comic I think I’ve ever read. And, that’s a tall order, because crime noir has been pretty well-represented in the world of comics over the past couple of decades. I mean, I loved me some Sin City, and 100 Bullets, but nothing tops CRIMINAL. Criminal is more than just a comic book, it’s an experience. When a new issue comes out, I can spend a good thirty minutes sunk deep within it. Every page, every panel, is packed with so much atmosphere, and storytelling that it really accomplishes that rare feat of sucking you into another world and not letting go.

The alchemy of art and story from Brubaker and Phillips pulls you in, and doesn’t let go.. and just when the story ends, leaving you on the edge of your seat… you’re still left with a good four to six pages of awesome back-matter to read about crime noir. A lot of times, Brubaker has guest-writers come in, and talk about their favorite aspects of genre fiction. Guys like Patton Oswalt rapping about their favorite crime movies from the ’60s just makes the entire package better.

And, folks, this is a book you do NOT want to wait for trade on. The back-matter does not get reprinted into the trades, so you are really missing out on the whole experience.

Seriously, there are very few books that I will proclaim universally as something everybody should be reading, but CRIMINAL is most definitely one of those books.

Now, I’ve sung it’s praises more than enough, you’re probably wondering just what the hell CRIMINAL is all about?

Each story arc of CRIMINAL is self-contained to 4-6 issues. While the characters all exist within the same world, you can read CRIMINAL in any order you please. This means that the current arc, THE SINNERS, is a perfect entry point for those of you who haven’t yet read CRIMINAL. The shared world thing is just a part of what makes CRIMINAL so cool, as it’s neat to see a background character you barely notice in an earlier story become a prominent figure in a later story (as was the case with “Bad Night”). The current arc, the SINNERS, is all about someone who is killing off “made men”.. criminal power-players, if you will, who should otherwise be untouchable. And, since the underworld can’t exactly go to the police, they bring in enforcer Tracy Lawless to investigate things. A conflicted man who doesn’t even want to be working in this world in the first place.

The characterization in this book is so sharp, that by the time you finish the first issue, you’ll feel like you’ve known Lawless all your life. And, with the developments of CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #2, I personally can’t wait to see where things are going in issue #3 this week.

If you haven’t yet read CRIMINAL, we’ll the previous two issues, in addition to issue #3, well-stocked this week, to make it easy on you to catch up. Don’t miss out on one of the best series of this decade.

Click here to read a preview of CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #3

“THE BOYS”, “PREACHER”, & “CROSSED” WRITER GARTH ENNIS’S BATTLEFIELDS: HAPPY VALLEY #1 BRINGS US MORE OF ENNIS’S GRUELLING, BLOODY WAR STORIES! IF TARANTINO’S “INGLORIOUS BASTARDS” WAS A COMIC, THIS WOULD BE IT!

He’s taken superheroes to their darkest extremes in THE BOYS. He’s given a whole, twisted new meaning to survival horror in CROSSED, and he’s written countless other epics (including the legendary PREACHER series)… Garth Ennis is a man who knows how to do comics right. But, there’s one thing, that’s a personal labor of love for him, and it really shows. Some of his best material happens to fall under the genre of war stories, and Ennis manages to tell some of the most brutal, well-paced, yet accessible war stories you could think of.

This go around, he’s back with a brand new series called BATTLEFIELDS: HAPPY VALLEY, and the first issue debuts this Wednesday. The year is 1942. And a young Australian Ken Harding arrives in London, anxious to play his part in the aerial bombing of all those Nazi bastards. Losses are high, and morale is low, but our hero remains unphased until he meets his crew: a foul-mouthed, battle-hardened gang of guys who take no prisoners. And, now they’re headed to the heavily guarded industrial heartland of Ruhr, known to the fighter pilots as Happy Valley.

We’ve seen Ennis’s previous war stuff, and it’s always dripping with blood, and realism, while at the same time keeping in habit with his knack for strong characterization, and sense of dark humor.

If you’re a fan of the Boys, Crossed, or any of Ennis’s other work, we HIGHLY recommend giving his war stuff a shot this week with Happy Valley.

Click here for a preview of GARTH ENNIS’S BATTLEFIELDS: HAPPY VALLEY #1

THOR #605 – DR. DOOM VS. THOR! ASGARDIANS TURNED INTO HORRIBLE CYBORG MONSTROSITIES! THE NEW DIRECTION OF THOR IS AWESOME!

First off, if you missed issue #604 of THOR, you need to pick it up, and hop aboard the current arc of Thor, cause it’s SMOKIN’! We were pretty skeptical about how well the new creative team would do following up a major act like JMS, but they picked up the ball and ran with it, kicking off a brand new story arc that’s bringing all the cool Dr. Doom/Asgard connections to full culmination. If you did miss THOR #604, don’t worry, because we still have it in stock here at the shop, in limited quantities, so you can still hop aboard the monthly series with only two issues to catch up.

As for what’s to expect this week in the newest installment of THOR.. simply put.. it’s DR. DOOM versus THOR in a throwdown that’s sure to be epic. #604 ended with Doom’s Asgardian cyborg hybrid monstrosities coming into plain sight, and then.. a certain God of Thunder appearing on the horizon to deal out some righteous justice.

Click here for a preview of THOR #605

IMAGE UNITED #2 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY, AND CONTINUES THE HIT NEW SERIES THAT KEEPS SELLING OUT! FIND OUT WHY THIS LIMITED SERIES PENNED BY ROBERT KIRKMAN (WALKING DEAD, HAUNT) & ILLUSTRATED BY ALL THE IMAGE FOUNDERS IS A HIT! #1 STILL IN STOCK AT THIRD EYE!

The first issue of IMAGE UNITED went to a second print almost immediately, and it looks like the second issue will be going to as well. But, worry not, folks, we’ve got PLENTY of copies of IMAGE UNITED #2 coming in this Wednesday, and trust us, you’re gonna wanna give it a look. It’s actually pretty damn cool what they’ve accomplished with IMAGE UNITED, combining the talents of all the classic IMAGE founders on one book written by Robert Kirkman.

So, here’s how it works: Spawn appears in the book.. McFarlane draws him. Witchblade appears. Silvestri draws her. Get the idea? The book itself was a fun read, and is an action-packed nostalgic joyride for anyone who grew up reading comics during the IMAGE era in the ’90s. Bigger than life, with a well-paced story from Robert Kirkman, and tons of killer arrt, IMAGE UNITED is a blast.

Of course, the big reveal at the end of issue #1 was pretty cool… the villain of the series? Al Simmons, you know, the original Spawn, the guy we all remember from back in the day. And, yes, that’s him above with the horns. See, it looks like ol’ Al has found that destiny they always eluded to in those issues of Spawn way back in the day, and now he’s out to wreak havoc on the entire Image universe.

All in all, it’s not a plot-heavy book, but IMAGE UNITED is a blast, and provides a fun read, and a fun trip down memory lane for a lot of us who grew up reading comics in the ’90s. If you need us to put a copy in your box, just shoot us an email!

Oh, and if you missed out on issue #1, don’t worry.. we had a feeling it’d be a hit, and still have a decent amount of issue #1 hanging out here at the store for you to catch up with.

THIRD EYE ASKS “ARE YOU READING?” ABSOLUTION FROM AVATAR PRESS.. THINK ROBOCOP MEETS DEXTER

Here’s one that I wanted to spotlight because I feel that it’s an AWESOME series that’s continuing to fly under the radar here at Third Eye. While issue #5 ships this Wednesday, and I’m stoked about that, I wanted to take a moment to give an overview on the whole series and why I’m digging it so much.

First off, the story of Absolution is set in a world where “vigilante police forces” have been established. Basically, special police departments equipped with superhuman abilities to handle crime in the most extreme ways possible, HOWEVER, they are still required to uphold the same code of ethics as any other law enforcement official… in other words.. they can’t go around making dude’s heads explode.

And that’s where our (anti)hero comes in. John Dusk is one of these special police officers who has crossed the line from law officer to serial killer, albeit, of criminals. In the first issue, we’re led to believe that Dusk has seen many horrors before making this decision, and it culminates in him letting a rapist murderer die of blood loss.

From there, after getting his first taste of justice, he begins leading a double life, compulsively executing criminals, and evil men.

This series has all the makings of a modern day take on the age-old tale that stories like Robocop (but without the trademark satire), Judge Dredd, and more have explored. It kind of reminds you a little of DEXTER, mixed with a world of superhumans.

Plus, the art just gets better and better with every issue! We currently have all issues of ABSOLUTION instock here at Third Eye for you to catch up, otherwise, I’m sure those of you already reading the series are pumped for issue #5 this Wednesday!

HELLBOY: BRIDE OF HELL ONE-SHOT GIVES US A STRONG DOSE OF HELLBOY AND MIKE MIGNOLA TO END THE YEAR!

Nobody does creepy, mythology-rich horror comics like Mike Mignola. Nobody! I’ve been a Hellboy fan since I was just a snot-nosed kid in a Cramps t-shirt, and I gotta tell you, it’s only gotten better since then. This week, we get a nice little Christmas gift in the form of a Mignola-written one-shot with Richard Corben art. If you just want a good Hellboy story, done in one, then this one’s a gotta-read. Or, if you’ve never read a lot of Hellboy before, then now’s your chance to give it a try!

In BRIDE OF HELL, a young girl has been kidnapped and Hellboy’s tracked her down to rural France, where she’s about to be sacrificed to Asmodeus. This one’s definitely a pulpy, weird tale filled with love gone wrong, demonic revenge, ghosts, and the tombs of King Solomon.

Click here for a preview of HELLBOY: BRIDE OF HELL

IRREDEEMABLE #9 & IRREDEEMABLE VOLUME 2 TRADE PAPERBACK ARRIVE THIS WEDNESDAY TO FILL YOUR “SUPERMAN GONE EVIL” FIX!

Are you reading IRREDEEMABLE yet? If you’re not, you really should be. It’s one of our big favorites here month in and month out, and is one of the most well-written superhero books coming out right now.

We’ve got a double dose of IRREDEEMABLE this week for you, with both the 9th issue hitting (which continues from the epic reveals of issue #8), and the second volume of the IRREDEEMABLE trade paperback, which collects issues #5-8.

Why should you be reading IRREDEEMABLE? First off, the book practically pulsates with an insane post-modern 21st century comic book energy. It’s the story of the Plutonian, your standard Superman arch-type, who has gone mad, and started slaughtering the world around him. Basically, it’s SUPERMAN gone EVIL, and it’s great.

Why is it so good? The reason why it reads so well is because the series writer, Mark Waid (the man who did KINGDOM COME), is quite possibly the biggest SUPERMAN fan… in the world. He loves SUPERMAN, he loves the world of SUPERMAN, and he gets the character almost better than anyone else. And, this, this is what it takes to write a well-done take on what would happen if the Man of Steel went wrong? And, what did it take to get him to that point? Because Waid is such a fan of Superman, and his history, he is able to make all those little details that most writers would miss, count.

I don’t know, there’s a certain kind of electric excitement I get when I pick up a new issue of IRREDEEMABLE (and now the companion series, INCORRUPTIBLE), where I know I’m going to be thrust into a world of superheroes that SHOULD be cookie-cutter, but aren’t. They’re more fleshed-out, and three-dimensional than most characters that’ve been around for years.

Simply, put IRREDEEMABLE rules, and you need to check it out! The first trade paperback is only $9.99, and we can either catch you up in the single issues, or you can just follow up with Volume 2!

STAFF PICKS

Trish – Green Lantern Corps #43 – I made this my pick just because of the fact that it was such a fun read, and it was so easy to get into, even though I’m not as familiar with the Green Lantern Corps as Steve or Torma. I do like Guy Gardner, and seeing him running around ripping off arms, and kicking ass was AWESOME.

Torma – Dark Avengers #12- TOTAL MAYHEM! The best issue of DARK AVENGERS yet. They finally do something awesome with the Sentry, and it is bigger than life. There’s a great final page splash that gives a nice reference to what’s coming in SIEGE!

Steve – INCORRUPTIBLE #1 – Man, am I easy to read or what? I was hyped for this one like hell, and it totally lived up to the hype. Incorruptible takes everything you always THOUGHT a sketchy, shady supervillain would do… and makes it happen.. and then shows how tricky his road to redemption is. A great read for Irredeemable fans, and non-fans alike.

WHAT’S NEW @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 12/23/09

• ABSOLUTION #5
• AGENTS OF ATLAS TP DARK REIGN
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #611 2ND PRINT
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #616 *THE GAUNTLET PT 5*
• ANGEL ANNUAL #1
• ANGEL ONLY HUMANS #5
• ANGELUS #1
• ANITA BLAKE PREMIERE HC BOOK 02 LAUGHING CORPSE
• ARCHIE #604
• ARKHAM REBORN #3
• AVENGERS INITIATIVE #31 *SIEGE TIE-IN*
• AZRAEL #3
• BART SIMPSON COMICS #51
• BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #12
• BATMAN THE WRATH TP
• BEASTS OF BURDEN #4
• BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #200
• BILLY BATSON AND THE MAGIC #11
• BLACK TERROR #6
• BLACK WIDOW AND MARVEL GIRLS #2
• BLACKEST NIGHT JSA #1
• BLACKEST NIGHT JSA #1 VARIANT
• BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS 10 YEARS AT MARVEL TP
• BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER WILLOW ONE-SHOT
• CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD ONE-SHOT *CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN*
• CHEW #7
• CLASSIC TRANSFORMERS TP v.5
• COMICS BUYERS GUIDE #1662
• COMPLETE DRACULA #5
• CRIMINAL MACABRE CELL BLOCK 666 TP
• CRIMINAL SINNERS #3
• CROSSED #8
• DANNY KETCH GHOST RIDER MINI-BUST
• DAREDEVIL OMNIBUS HC v.2 BY BENDIS
• DARK AVENGERS ARES #3
• DARK REIGN THE HOOD TP
• DARK REIGN SINISTER SPIDER-MAN TP
• DARK REIGN SKRULL KILL KREW TP
• DARK REIGN YOUNG AVENGERS TP
• DARK TOWER BATTLE OF JERICHO HILL #2
• DETECTIVE COMICS #860
• DETECTIVE COMICS #860 VARIANT
• DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP #7
• DOCTOR VOODOO ORIGIN OF JERICHO DRUMM
• ENDERS GAME COMMAND SCHOOL #4
• ENDERS SHADOW COMMAND SCHOOL #4
• FALL OF HULKS GAMMA *FALL OF THE HULKS – FEATURING ART BY JOHN ROMITA JR!*
• FANTASTIC FOUR #574
• FANTASTIC FOUR MASTERS OF DOOM TP
• FANTASTIC WORLDS OF FRANK FRAZETTA HC
• FRANK FRAZETTAS DARK KINGDOM #3
• FREDDY VS JASON VS ASH NIGHTMARE WARRIORS #6
• GANTZ TP v.8
• GARTH ENNIS BATTLEFIELDS HAPPY VALLEY #1
• GI JOE ORIGINS #10
• GI JOE ORIGINS #10 VIRGIN COPY
• GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #7
• GREEN LANTERN #49 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• GREEN LANTERN #49 VARIANT
• GREEN LANTERN CHRONICLES TP v.2
• GRIMM FAIRY TALES #43
• GRIMM FAIRY TALES #43 VARIANT
• GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #21
• GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HC PREMIERE v.3 WAR OF KINGS
• HALO BLOOD LINE #1
• HELLBOY BRIDE OF HELL ONE-SHOT
• IMAGE UNITED #2
• INCREDIBLE HERCULES #139
• INCREDIBLE HERCULES PREMIERE HC MIGHTY THORCULES
• INCREDIBLE HERCULES DARK REIGN TP
• INVINCIBLE #69
• IRON MAN VS WHIPLASH #2
• IRREDEEMABLE #9
• IRREDEEMABLE #9 VARIANT
• IRREDEEMABLE TP v.2
• JACK OF FABLES #41
• JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #34
• LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME #1 THIRD EYE MUST BUY
• MADAME XANADU #18
• MARVEL ADVENTURES SPIDER-MAN #58
• MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN HC
• MEGAMAN OFFICIAL COMPLETE WORKS SC
• MIGHTY TP v.1
• MINI MARVELS TP ULTIMATE COLLECTION
• MARVEL MASTERWORKS UNCANNY X-MEN TP v.2
• MONSTERS INC LAUGH FACTORY #4
• MORE THAN COMPLETE ACTION PHILOSOPHERS
• NEW AVENGERS #60
• NEW MUTANTS #8 *NECROSHA*
• NEON GENESIS EVANGELION SHINJI IKARI RAISING PROJECT TP
• NORTHLANDERS #23
• ONE MODEL NATION GN
• POWERS #2
• PSYLOCKE #1 2ND PRINT
• PUNISHER #12 *FRANKENCASTLE PT 2*
• SECRET WARRIORS #11
• SONIC UNIVERSE #11
• SPARTACUS BLOOD AND SAND #3
• SPIDER-WOMAN #4
• STAND SOUL SURVIVORS #3
• STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION GHOSTS #2
• STAR WARS CLONE WARS TP v.4
• STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC #48
• STAR WARS LEGACY #43
• SUB-MARINER TP DEPTHS
• SUPERGIRL COSMIC ADVENTURES IN THE EIGHT GRADE TP
• SUPERMAN #695
• TEEN TITANS #78 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• THOR #605
• TINY TITANS #23
• TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES #1 FULL COLOR ONE-SHOT
• TRACKER #2
• TRANSFORMERS ONGOING #2 *BACK IN STOCK*
• TRANSFORMERS TALES O/T FALLEN #5
• UNCANNY X-MEN #519 *NATION X*
• UNKNOWN SOLDIER #15
• USAGI YOJIMBO #125
• VICTORIAN UNDEAD #2 *THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL*
• WALL-E #1
• THE WEB #4
• WHAT IF ASTONISHING X-MEN
• WHAT IF SPIDER-MAN HOUSE OF M
• WILDCATS #18
• WITCHBLADE #133
• WOLVERINE ORIGINS #43
• WOLVERINE WEAPON X #8
• WONDER WOMAN #39
• WORLD OF WARCRAFT SERIES 5 ACTION FIGURES
• WORLDS FINEST #3
• X-FORCE CABLE MESSIAH WAR TP
• X-FORCE PREMIERE HC v.3
• X-MEN FOREVER #14
• X-MEN LEGACY #231 *NECROSHA*
• ZORRO #18