JULY

• BRIGHTEST DAY #5
• BRIGHTEST DAY #6
• JUSTICE LEAGUE GENERATION LOST #5
• JUSTICE LEAGUE GENERATION LOST #6
• GREEN LANTERN #56
• GREEN LANTERN CORPS #50
• THE FLASH #4
• JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #47 (JLA/JSA CROSSOVER!)
• JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #41 (JLA/JSA CROSSOVER!)
• TITANS #25
• BIRDS OF PREY #3
• GREEN ARROW #2

AUGUST

• BRIGHTEST DAY #7
• BRIGHTEST DAY #8
• JUSTICE LEAGUE GENERATION LOST #7
• JUSTICE LEAGUE GENERATION LOST #8
• GREEN LANTERN #57
• GREEN LANTERN CORPS #51
• GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS #1
• THE FLASH #5
• JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #48 (JLA/JSA CROSSOVER)
• JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #42 (JLA/JSA CROSSOVER)
• TITANS #26
• BIRDS OF PREY #4
• GREEN ARROW #3

THE FINAL OF THE BIG FOUR AVENGERS BOOKS ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY WITHNEW AVENGERS #1 - AND, IT’S FREAKIN’ AWESOME! ONE OF OUR FAVORITES SO FAR, AND A BIG SURPRISE! I wasn’t expecting to like this one nearly as much as I did. I expected it to be a good read, but I was very skeptical about where NEW AVENGERS would fit into the grand scheme of things regarding the Avengers line-up of SECRET AVENGERS, AVENGERS, and AVENGERS ACADEMY. Each one of those books had an obvious, and clear direction. However, I wasn’t sure where New Avengers would fit… but after reading, it’s obvious that NEW AVENGERS fills a very cool niche in the line-up of Avengers books. While Secret delivers the dark and gritty covert ops thrills, AVENGERS delivers the big and bold superhero epicness, and Academy shows insight onto the next generation, NEW AVENGERS is THE personality book. This is the one with the heart in it, where you’re enraptured as much by the dialogue and interaction of the characters as you are by the bigger-than-life events happening within. I really, really dug it, and I thought Stuart Immonen’s art looked the best I’ve ever seen on it. When reading this one, I got the same kind of feeling I got from reading the early issues of Bendis’s NEW AVENGERS, and that’s a pretty high compliment, because the early issues of the original run still remain some of the best Marvel books of the previous decade. Now, why does it work so well? Well, the roster of NEW AVENGERS is more or less a who’s who of Bendis’s favorite characters, and you can tell it. The characterization, and interaction between the characters is some of the best I’ve seen in a superhero comic in a years. Bendis does a fantastic job of keeping you interested, getting you involved, and making these characters seem as familiar as old friends to the reader, while at the same time bringing in a good dose of action, and dynamic storytelling. The fact that he’s paired up with Stuart Immonen (long-time Bendis collaborator on both NEW AVENGERS v.1 and ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN) makes the book work even better, as Immonen’s art style clicks perfectly with Bendis’s dialogue and writing. Immonen delivers the facial expressions and body language of the characters that match perfectly with Bendis’s dialogue and characterization. Okay, but I’m starting to gush here about this book. I was really impressed, and I think that’s why I keep going on about it. Now, onto the fascinating part about these new Avengers books. The Line-up. This one looks to consist of: LUKE CAGE WOLVERINE SPIDER-MAN THE THING IRON FIST JESSICA JONES / JEWEL MS MARVEL Out of all the new teams, this seems to be the most in tune with the previous Avengers incarnation. Bendis, throughout the issue, gives good reason for each member’s inclusion, as well as the need and purpose for a second Avengers teams. Now, as for the overall story, the first issue read fantastic, and it looks like it’s taking things into a very cool direction where a familiar face has fallen prey to a sinister possession. But, at it’s core, this is definitely the character-driven Avengers team, and delivers some classic interplay between the team. I really dug the inclusion of Ben Grimm on the team, and how he’s brought on board. Plus, who doesn’t love Iron Fist? It’s nice to see him back in the picture of things again too after his own series kinda got the axe (which is a shame because it was GREAT). Final Verdict: All in all, if you’re digging the direction of Marvel right now, and digging the Avengers stuff, I’d recommend trying the first issue, ’cause it’s one of my favorites so far. I’ve gotta give it to Marvel, they’ve been delivering some really good stuff with the Heroic Age, and now is a great time more than ever to hop on board with the Marvel Universe. Click here for a preview of NEW AVENGERS #1 *HEROIC AGE* CROSSED: FAMILY VALUES #2 HITS THIS WEDNESDAY – ARE YOU READING THE MOST ULTRA-VIOLENT SURVIVAL HORROR COMIC IN EXISTENCE? IF NOT, PICK UP #1 THIS WEEK AND FIND OUT WHY THIS IS A HUUUUGE STORE FAVORITE! GARTH ENNIS’S (writer of THE BOYS, and PREACHER) TWISTED WORLD OF SURVIVAL HORROR CONTINUES TO LIVE ON! Folks, it doesn’t get anymore brutal than this. The most sickening, disturbing survival horror comic we’ve ever seen returns this week with CROSSED: FAMILY VALUES #2. As we saw from the shocking first issue of this one, FAMILY VALUES is every bit as mean and vicious as the first run of CROSSED, and we couldn’t be more happier about that. Now, this week, we get the second issue of this crazy good series, and we know you guys are as amped about this one as we are. But, for those of you that remain uninitiated into the wonderful world of CROSSED, please allow me to give you the full rundown.. WHAT IS CROSSED? CROSSED is a survival horror comic where a disease turns those infected into pure evil. They’re not quite zombies, because they’re not undead, and they don’t have a need to devour the flesh or brains of the living. But, instead, they’re normal human beings who’ve basically been dosed with a case of some seriously screwed up rabies. But, here’s the kicker, and here’s what REALLY makes CROSSED stand out as a truly disturbing work: they’re still sentient, and they can still plan and reason. See, in zombie stories, or even things like THE CRAZIES or 28 DAYS LATER, the infected are pretty much mindless driven by a sole instinct to do one thing, be it eating brains or whatever. With THE CROSSED, their most primal, most sadistic desires are what drive them, and they WANT to inflict pain, that’s all they care about, and they have the same reasoning and ability to plot and plan that they did when they were living. This makes them VERY dangerous. They have the kind of intelligence to know “hey if we set the house on fire, they’ll have to run outside, and then we can kill them there!” and of course, they’re much more devious than what I can say here. CROSSED FAMILY VALUES is a brand new series set in the CROSSED universe, and provides a fresh entry into the world of CROSSED. In other words, if you’ve never read CROSSED, you could hop on board with CROSSED: FAMILY VALUES #1, and be totally cool. ‘Cause Family Values kicks things off in a new direction, set in a completely different corner of the world that CROSSED was set in. And, folks, it’s fantastic. If you’re remotely interested in good horror comics, or just plain violent and vicious reads, then you have to check this out. And, please, don’t write this one off as a cheap gross-out book, ’cause IT’S NOT. The writing on both the original 9 issue CROSSED series, and FAMILY VALUES is sharper than a lot of what’s out there. The dialogue is great, the characterization is strong, and you’ll find as many clever plot twists as you do in a top notch series like Y or Walking Dead. Want to read the original 9 issue CROSSED series, Pick Up the CROSSED Trade Paperback! If you’re loving CROSSED FAMILY VALUES, or if you want to go back and start with the original 9 issue series, we’ve currently got plenty of the CROSSED Trade Paperback in stock here at Third Eye to get you caught up. Pick up a copy this week! Missed Issue #1 of CROSSED: FAMILY VALUES? We’ve still got plenty in stock to catch you up to #2 Final Verdict: If you’re not easily disturbed, then you should be reading CROSSED. No questions asked. This is one of those books that everyone is always anxious to see the next one of! AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #634 BEGINS THE GRIM HUNT! ONE OF THE COOLEST SPIDER-MAN STORIES I’VE READ IN A WHILE, TYING BACK TO THE IDEAS IN J.MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI’S RUN! One of the best Spider-man stories of all-time is the classic KRAVEN’S LAST HUNT. The story took an underused Spidey villain and made him into one of the most memorable, and terrifying villains to date. The story featured Kraven, who’s sanity has completely gone to pieces due to his inability to capture his ultimate prey: Spider-man, defeats Spider-man, and throws on his costume, roaming New York proving himself worthy of his ultimate adversary’s former activities. Now, after a big build up through the events of THE GAUNTLET, Marvel is bringing the Kraven family back into the spotlight. See, there’s a whole lineage of Kravens, including his son, as well as Lady Kraven. And, I’ll tell you, I just got done reading the advance of this one, and I REALLY dug it. It’s dark, it’s grim, and it’s one hell of a solid read. Now, this one is good for many reasons, but one of the obvious is that JOE KELLY is handling the writing duties on it. See, Spidey has had this whole rotating creative team thing going for a bit, and honestly, not all of the guys on that team are that great. However, Joe Kelly, is one of the best, and he writes one of the best Spideys I’ve seen. There’s some good twists in this one, so I don’t want to reveal too much, but I will say that it looks like this story arc is going to deliver a perfect end point to what began in KRAVEN’S LAST HUNT many, many years ago. Basically, the Kraven Family is hunting “Spiders”, anyone who is a Spider-related/themed character. This means your Madame Webs, your Arachnes, hell, even Kaine gets it pretty bad, and it all ties back into the ideas and elements that J.Michael Straczynski set up in his killer run on Amazing Spider-man. I don’t want to ruin any surprises, but, you’ll be pretty stoked to see what I mean about this. Anyways, long story short, they’re hunting Spiders, in an attempt to use their blood to fuel the rebirth of their dead father, Kraven the Hunter. It’s pretty kick-ass, so give it a look this Wednesday! Click here for a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #634 *GRIM HUNT CHAPTER ONE* BRIGHTEST DAY #4 – THE NEW AQUALAD DEBUTS! – BRIGHTEST DAY CONTINUES TO IMPRESS US WEEK AFTER WEEK! Want to get into DC Comics? THIS is the series to read! Brightest Day has been living up to the hype in a big way. We were really curious about what direction Geoff Johns was going to be taking things back when Blackest Night was wrapping up, but we have to say that we couldn’t have even imagined all the cool stuff that he’s been doing in BRIGHTEST DAY. Geoff Johns pretty much said it would be DCU Rebirth, and he wasn’t kidding. In the fourth issue due out this Wednesday, not only does Johns continue to develop the major plot lines he’s been building for quite some time now, but he’s also introducing the new Aqualad to DC Continuity. What is BRIGHTEST DAY? Brightest Day is a new DC event that follows up on last year’s smash hit, BLACKEST NIGHT, the writer of BLACKEST NIGHT and GREEN LANTERN, Geoff Johns, is writing. The basis of BRIGHTEST DAY, at it’s core, is DCU: REBIRTH. Basically, in the aftermath of BLACKEST NIGHT, we’re seeing many formerly deceased DC characters being resurrected and given new purpose and place in the DCU. The series serves as an EXCELLENT place to come into the DCU for those of you who’ve been thinking about getting onto a good DC book, but haven’t found the right one yet. The series also picks up on several plot elements and storylines directly from BLACKEST NIGHT, and works as a direct continuation of what Geoff Johns was doing in that incredible series. Why we love it? Each issue is like a blockbuster movie in 32 pages. Whether it’s the cataclysmic return of the Anti-Monitor, or Aquaman resurrecting undead sealife, and watching in horror as a zombie shark chomps a pirate in half. Compelling, well-written, and with some incredible art, it delivers big-time. Wanna get caught up on BRIGHTEST DAY? You can jump on with BRIGHTEST DAY #0, and that serves as a fresh spot to come in. We currently have BRIGHTEST DAY #0, #1 (with limited quantities of the free white lantern ring that comes with it), #2 and #3 available at the store to get you caught up. Check out this great series, and find out why we’re so wrapped up in it! Click here to read more about BRIGHTEST DAY #4 *BRIGHTEST DAY* Click here to check out the official Third Eye Brightest Day Checklist BIRDS OF PREY #2 *BRIGHTEST DAY*SHIPS THIS WEDNESDAY! GAIL SIMONE & ED BENES’S NEW HIT ONGOING SERIES IS AWESOME, ONE OF THE BEST NEW “BRIGHTEST DAY”-RELATED TITLES! The first issue of the new ongoing BIRDS OF PREY series totally knocked us off our feet. I had high hopes for this one, because Gail Simone and Ed Benes did one of the best damn runs on the series I think I’d ever read, but they really stepped up their game and delivered a killer book. I think this is one of my favorites in the line-up of new series that’ve launched under the BRIGHTEST DAY banner. Simone is as good as ever with great characterization of these characters she defined for so long, and some snappy dialogue. Benes is doing some of the best work of his career, and you can definitely tell that BoP is THE book he was meant to draw. Anyways, this week the second issue of Birds of Prey hits, and after the set-up of the first issue, we’re pretty pumped to see what’s next. For a first issue, Birds of Prey did a fantastic job of introducing the book and the characters to new readers, while at the same time keeping the story interesting and moving forward. Simone is at the top of her game, and even the inclusion of the new blood (Hawk and Dove) works out pretty well. The second issue looks to be continuing the storyline that Simone was introducing towards the tail end of the first issue, especially with a big reveal I don’t want to spoil for those of you who haven’t yet read the first one. If you missed #1, don’t worry, we still have limited copies of BIRDS OF PREY #1 in stock to get you caught up. Click here to read more about BIRDS OF PREY #2 *BRIGHTEST DAY* THE SECOND COMING EVENT GETS BETTER AND BETTER, CONTINUING THIS WEEK IN NEW MUTANTS #14 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 11* I can’t stress how freakin’ good SECOND COMING has been. Marvel has really hit it out of the park with this one, and it’s pretty freakin’ awesome to see the X-MEN back to the high level of quality and critical acclaim that they once were back in the day. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a really good strong X-Men story like this, and now looking ahead to what is on the horizon after SECOND COMING, I really think Marvel is getting the X-Men back on point. In recent issues of the SECOND COMING, some really cool developments have been happening. In last week’s Chapter 10 (UNCANNY X-MEN #525), we saw some seriously major stuff going down as the Avengers and the FF get involved, and we were given a glimpse at Hope’s mutant power. Fraction did a fantastic job of weaving the mythos and stories of X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST into the events of SECOND COMING, as we see Nimrods from that future pouring into the present. After all the ass-kicking of last week’s UNCANNY X-MEN 525, it looks like things are going to get even crazier in this week’s NEW MUTANTS #14, as the X-Men are looking to enlist the aide of the highly dangerous and highly unpredictable LEGION in battling the Nimrod Sentinels! If you’re not already reading X-MEN SECOND COMING, clickhere to check out a brief synopsis of what the event is about as well as a full checklist of the event. Click here for a preview of NEW MUTANTS #14 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 11* JOKER’S ASYLUM DELIVERS MORE TWISTED ONE-SHOT GOODNESS THIS WEEK WITH JOKER’S ASYLUM: HARLEY QUINN and JOKER’S ASYLUM: MAD HATTER We love when DC dishes out one-shots, and we love it even more when they’re focusing on the Batman Rogues Gallery! Seriously though, this year, the Joker’s Asylum line-up is filled with top notch creative teams telling stories surrounding some of Batman’s most intriguing foes. The concept is pretty simple, each one-shot is narrated by the Joker, telling a special stand-alone story that gives us an inside look into the insanity of the Caped Crusader’s worst enemies. This week, we’re getting hit with a double whammy of these, and while we mean no disrespect to the Mad Hatter, we think that Miss Quinn takes center stage this week. Yup, everyone’s favorite giggly baddie gets her own chance at the spotlight this week in the Joker’s Asylum: Harley Quinn one-shot. Now, it’s no secret that not only are we big fans here at Third Eye, but we know that you guys are as well. And, this week, we get to see a killer one-shot story that provides some interesting insights into who Harley Quinn is, and what her future in the DCU is centered around. And of course, it’s all narrated by her own Mr. J. The creative team on this one’s sharp, with some outstanding artwork by Joe Quinones. Now, we can’t overlook the killer Mad Hatter one-shot hitting this week either. This one features art by the legendary Bill Sienkiewicz, and focuses in on the twisted little hat-obsessed Hatter. The fact that Sienkiewicz is doing the artwork on this one is enough of a draw for me, as his art has been a long-time favorite of mine, and should fit the tone and nature of a one-shot centering around the Mad Hatter perfectly. If anyone can capture a perfect blend of dream-like surreality and nightmarish insanity, it’s Sienkiewicz. Check out these two kick-ass one-shots this Wednesday at Third Eye! CRIMINAL v.5 THE SINNERS TRADE PAPERBACK HITS THIS WEDNESDAY! THE BEST DAMN CRIME COMICS YOU WILL EVER READ. PERIOD. Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips’s CRIMINAL series is one of my favorite comics, it’s that simple. They have yet to disappoint me with their perfect blend of pulpy, classic noir stylings and modern day comics storytelling dynamics. Criminal is one of those books that I look forward to so much, I read the damn thing twice when it comes out. And, don’t get me started on how much I enjoy all the cool extras that they chuck into each and every issue. This week, the 5th graphic novel collecting the most recent CRIMINAL story arc arrives, THE SINNERS. This arc was fantastic, and delivered one of the most compelling Criminal stories I’ve ready yet. Revisiting the character of Volume 2’s LAWLESS, Tracy Lawless, we see where he’s ended up after the events of CRIMINAL v.2. Lawless has found himself working for the very mobster he despised, and set out to kill, after his bad luck in his introductory arc. Now, with wiseguys showing up dead all over town, his boss decides to use Lawless as his guy to figure out who is committing these slayings, since going to the cops is out of the question. And, just like in all good crime fiction, the ending is inevitable. You know that Tracy Lawless’s fate is sealed, and he’s doomed from the very first chapter of the Sinners. The series wraps us deep into the underworld that Tracy operates in, and the complex sense of morality that surrounds him. The more the story goes on, the more it looks like Tracy may be on a one way ticket to nowhere, and with us knowing that, it makes the story that much poignant. Just like each slab of CRIMINAL, this is a very nihilistic story. No happy ending. Bleak, pitch black and hopeless, as a good crime noir story should be. And, Sean Phillips manages to deliver the goods on the art once again. Phillips is probably the best guy working in the crime noir style of comics, and I couldn’t imagine CRIMINAL without him, or the colorist who delivers the perfect lighting for the story. Criminal is fantastic. You can’t go wrong with this series. If you’ve never read any of them before, we recommend starting with CRIMINAL v.1 COWARD, which tells the tale of a bank robber who refuses to use guns, and his unseemly downfall. The beauty of CRIMINAL is how each story links up, but still stands on it’s own. You’ll see a character as the bartender in the first trade paperback, and then in the third trade paperback, you’ll see a story flashing back to the ’70s, focusing on him as a central character. You’ll see characters who are background players in some arcs become major ones in others. It all links up in CRIMINAL, but still manages to keep each story arc a solid stand-alone read. Okay, I’m done, I’m done. READ CRIMINAL. :) DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES #2 – THE AWE-INSPIRING HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE CONTINUES TO BE TOLD THIS WEEK IN THIS KILLER NEW SERIES! FEATURING ARTWORK BY ANDY KUBERT, J.H WILLIAMS III, and SCOTT KOLINS! DC has been on a roll, with many of the new titles they’ve launched this year really doing well for themselves. DCU Legacies is another one of those titles that really has us impressed, and eager to read the next issue. And, looking at the freakin’ list of artists involved with this issue? Holy crap, dude… it’s a who’s who of awesomeness… you’ve got Andy Kubert, you’ve got J.H Williams III (who’s known for his AMAZING work on Batwoman/Detective Comics), and Scott Kolins. A fantastic line-up for a fantastic book. This second issue explores the transition of the Mystery Men to the emerging superheroes like the Justice Society of America, and shows us how these groups of yesteryear influenced regular citizens to action, like the Newsboy Legion. Plus, we get a look at the Seven Soldiers of Victory! What is DCU Legacies? DC Universe Legacies is a 10-issue maxi-series that is literally telling the history of the DC Universe, from the very start of masked vigilantes and mysterymen, like The Sandman, and the original Atom all the way up to the current space-age titans of the Modern Age. And, with continuity in comics getting confusing all the time, it’s pretty awesome that DC is doing this. This is the OFFICIAL continuity and history of the DCU, and helps make sense of some of the stuff they’ve done over the last few years. The first issue kicked off with a bang, giving us a prominent story focusing on the pulp-inspired heroes like Crimson Avenger and the Sandman, and then it also gives us a back-up focusing on the more mystical characters of the Golden Age. If you already checked out issue #1 of this, we can almost guarantee you’re gonna be checking out issue #2, because the first one was so damn good. If you missed issue #1, we recommend picking it up this week and giving the book a try. It’s really quality quality stuff. Click here to read more about DCU LEGACIES #2 ULTIMATE X #3 HITS THIS WEEK, AND DELIVERS THE THIRD ISSUE IN ONE OF THE BEST NEW ULTIMATE-LINE RELAUNCHES WE’VE SEEN! ART ADAMS is KICKING SOME SERIOUS BUTT ON THIS BOOK! Ultimate X has been one of the biggest, and most pleasant surprises in the recent relaunches of the Ultimate books. I don’t know if it’s cause Loeb is working with predominantly all new characters here, or what, but he’s really channeling the same kind of energy he brought to books like the early issues of Superman/Batman way back when it was a must-read. It’s that kind of raw, comic book energy that makes Ultimate X such a fun read, and when you couple that with the incredible work of Art Adams (one of my favorite artists), you’re in for a real treat. What is Ultimate X? The Ultimate X book is essentially the relaunch of ULTIMATE X-MEN, but with a brand new cast of characters, and a brand new direction. In the first issue, we see Kitty Pryde helping reveal the destiny of Wolverine’s son to him, as well as his true origins. And, then in the second issue, we’re introduced to Karen Grant, a dark haired super-powered woman living in Baltimore, MD,  who is desperately trying to hide her past from the world. And, then we learn that this is Jean Grey, and we’re shown what she’s been up to since Ultimatum. Lots of mystery and intrigue surround Ultimate X, and it looks like this month, we’re going to see another addition to the line-up, and I’m pumped to see what the backstory is on him. All in all, the Ultimate X book delivers a lot of surprise, and the whole issue by issue mystery thing has been handled very well. Of course, the artwork by Art Adams makes this one stand out even more, and I’d say this is one of the prettiest books on the stands. Adams is that good. Even if you were disappointed in ULTIMATES 3, don’t let it cause you to overlook ULTIMATE X, ’cause this series is fantastic so far, and stands out as one of the best of the new Ultimates books. Click here for a preview of ULTIMATE X #3 ATLAS #2 *HEROIC AGE* - MARVEL’S CULT FAVORITES, THE AGENTS OF ATLAS, CONTINUE TO DELIVER A KILLER READ THIS MONTH We’re pretty stoked to see the return of Marvel’s AGENTS OF ATLAS. These guys have had a couple previous series, but this one looks like it’s going to be the one that sticks, as it’s off to a fantastic start. Jeff Parker’s quirky and fun take on the more obscure side of the Marvel Universe has had us hooked on these characters for some time now, and with the Heroic Age, it looks like they’re finally getting the limelight they deserve. What is ATLAS? ATLAS is the new ongoing series featuring the Agents of ATLAS, a team of heroes who originated during Marvel’s Golden Age in the ’50s (hence the ATLAS tag-line). Their first big present day debut was in the 2006 AGENTS OF ATLAS mini-series, and delivered a very cool, super spy-meets-pulp-fiction kind of feel for the characters. The team consists of Namora, Venus, Marvel Boy/The Uranian, Jimmy Woo, Gorilla-Man and more. If you dig stuff like the indie gem ATOMIC ROBO, or pulpier super-hero stuff, then ATLAS is right up your alley. This new ongoing series is a perfect spot to jump aboard, and we still have plenty of issue #1s in stock to get you caught up. Click here for a preview of ATLAS #2 *HEROIC AGE* AVATAR PRESS’S FEVRE DREAM #2 by GEORGE R.R MARTIN DELIVERS MORE BLOODY NEW ORLEANS-STYLE VAMPIRE AWESOMENESS! One of the better Vampire comics we’ve seen recently, GEORGE R.R MARTIN’S FEVRE DREAM delivers a down and dirty, drenched in blood Southern Gothic kind of Vampire tale that kicks ass. Avatar Press, who delivers us some twisted and amazing books like CROSSED, CHRONICLES OF WORMWOOD, CAPTAIN SWING, and GRAVEL, has done a fantastic job of putting out a solid vampire comic. Fevre Dream is set on the Mississippi River. It features a group of vampires who get into league with a riverboat captain to build the biggest, fanciest, and fastest paddlewheel riverboat on the river: The Fevre Dream. Of course, the Vampires have a plan, and it’s to fill said riverboat with tons of passengers and have themselves an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet, much to the previously mentioned Captain’s dismay. The first issue set things off with a very creepy, and strong start for a Vampire book. It’s an Avatar series, so you’re definitely going to get all the gratuitous sex and violence you can handle. If you’re into good horror comics, give this one a look this week at Third Eye. We’ve still got limited quantities of issue #2 to get you caught up. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS BLACK CAT #1 – A GRIM HUNT TIE-IN! In addition to GRIM HUNT kicking off this Wednesday, there’s a companion mini-series featuring everyone’s favorite cat-burglar who’s first name is not Selina, THE BLACK CAT. This limited series ties in with the events of GRIM HUNT, as the latest heist of the Black Cat puts her face to face with the family that’s been terrorizing Spidey and those close to him. I read the advance of the first issue of this, and I thought it was pretty damn good. It had a very cool, almost retro-psychadelia feel to it. You know, sort of like an updated version of an old school Silver Age Spidey story, but with a lot of teeth to it. Definitely worth checking out, and if you’re a Black Cat fan, this is probably one of the best written characterizations of her I’ve seen. Click here for a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS BLACK CAT #1 STAFF PICKS Steve -  NEMESIS #2 = Just like I was thinking, Millar hooks us hard with issue #2. The first issue of any Millar series is always way quick, but it’s the second one where he gets ya. I loooved NEMESIS #2, and the origin of the character is definitely ANTI-BATMAN. Trish – SHIELD #2 = Nostradamus, and Leonardo DaVinci who has a superpower of being the “ultimate architect”? this series is too good! Torma – BATMAN #700 = Awesome story with an awesome cast of artists.. loved the nod to Terry McGinnis and Batman Beyond in there. Matt – DEADPOOL: WADE WILSONS WAR #1 = Probably the best Deadpool book I’ve read since the original ongoing launched a couple years ago. Funny as hell and a solid story to boot!

And that’s a wrap, folks, we’ll see you guys around the shop this week! Can’t wait to hear what you guys thought of NEMESIS #2 and the whole Batman Beyond revelations in #700!

]]> http://thirdeyecomics.com/main/2010/06/14/this-weeks-highlights-third-eye-for-wednesday-61610/feed/ 0 http://thirdeyecomics.com/main/2010/05/31/this-weeks-highlights-third-eye-for-thursday-6310/ http://thirdeyecomics.com/main/2010/05/31/this-weeks-highlights-third-eye-for-thursday-6310/#comments Tue, 01 Jun 2010 01:21:24 +0000 thirdeye http://thirdeyecomics.com/main/?p=423 AVENGERS PRIME #1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* – THE LIMITED SERIES THAT REUNITES CAPTAIN AMERICA, IRON MAN, and THOR, AND HELPS SET UP EVERYTHING HAPPENING WITH THE AVENGERS NOW!

Okay, I just finished reading the advance of the first issue on this one, and I’m freakin’ impressed. If there was any one book that seems to embody the feel, and appeal of what Marvel is calling their new “Heroic Age”, AVENGERS PRIME sure does fit the bill. Maybe it’s the artwork by the iconic Alan Davis, or maybe it’s the fact that we’re getting just a damn good story featuring Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man, but this one just screamed with energy. I’m serious, folks, I’m really impressed.

What is AVENGERS PRIME? Avengers: Prime is a 5-issue limited mini-series that takes place immediately after the events of SIEGE, but from the looks of it, before the events of AVENGERS and SECRET AVENGERS. This story looks like it’s the ultimate “Getting the Band Back Together” kind of tale, as we see the much anticipated reunion of Steve Rogers (Captain America), Iron Man, and Thor. Otherwise known as the Big 3 of the Marvel Universe, and the trio that embodies the word AVENGER.

Now, as many of you know, these three have had MAJOR differences with one another over the course of the last ten years. From the very start of CIVIL WAR, all the way up til recently, and even though they worked together in taking down Osborn during SIEGE… it doesn’t mean that everything is OK between these guys.

But, that’s where AVENGERS PRIME comes in… this mini-series shows us the Big 3 reuniting, and what’s led to the new direction of the AVENGERS in both AVENGERS and SECRET AVENGERS.

Now, besides all of that… it’s a freakin’ KICK-ASS read. Like, this one feels on the level of a big event book in how much action Bendis packed into it. And, Alan Davis, with Mark Farmer inking him, has never looked better. The story itself starts out with the three standing amidst the ruins of Asgard with Thor, asking him what they can do to assist in the rebuilding… and then, everything goes wrong. While I don’t want to drop spoilers, I will say that this one takes our Avengers Prime here into some very dangerous territory.

As far as how it read? It’s fantastic. I mean, if you were reading SIEGE, you should read this, as it feels like it picks up directly from where SIEGE ends. Even if you skipped SIEGE and you’re checking out all the new Heroic Age stuff, this one is worth a go. It’s just a great way to get up to speed with the three most important Marvel characters happening right now. And, we can’t help but acknowledge the perfect timing of this mini-series with the arrival of both Captain America and Thor movies in the near future to join the Armored Avenger.

So, final verdict? Action-packed, incredible artwork, and Bendis working at the top of his game to deliver a compelling read… AVENGERS PRIME #1 is most definitely a THIRD EYE MUST BUY this week!

Click here for a preview of AVENGERS PRIME #1 *HEROIC AGE*

BRIGHTEST DAY #3 - THE REBIRTH OF THE DC UNIVERSE CONTINUES THIS WEEK AT THIRD EYE, AND AFTER ISSUE #2… WE GOTTA SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT!

DC’s BRIGHTEST DAY has been one of the boldest, and most exciting new things we’ve seen in 2010, and so far, not one issue has failed to knock us off our feet. I’ll admit, we were wondering if Geoff Johns and crew could keep up the same momentum he was carrying with BLACKEST NIGHT in this bi-weekly series, but, dude, I think this one is going to turn out surpassing BLACKEST NIGHT in terms of how good it is.

BRIGHTEST DAY, otherwise known as DCU: REBIRTH, is the series focused on the events following last year’s mega-hit BLACKEST NIGHT series. Basically, it was revealed that there was a cosmic Lord of the Dead by the name of Nekron who had sparked up his own little Lantern Corps, and sent the Black Rings out into the galaxy, resurrecting nearly every dead DC Comics character you could think of. And, when they rose up, they were out with one mission: to rip out people’s hearts, and wreak havoc. And, it was awesome. Super awesome. In fact, if you haven’t read BLACKEST NIGHT yet.. you need to pop in the shop, and grab the series while we still all the issues in stock. ‘Cause it’s THAT good.

Anyways, when BLACKEST NIGHT ended, it was revealed that there, of course, was a White Lantern, and what did the White Lantern rings and power do? They brought life. And, now, a chosen few have been given second chances on Earth again, and just like in Pet Semetary, when Herman Munster uttered those creepy words… we’re learning that sometimes dead is better, and we’re loving it.

Basically, BRIGHTEST DAY is showing us that it’s not necessarily a GOOD thing that these characters have returned, and we’re seeing the impacts of it.

Now, at it’s core, BRIGHTEST DAY is also serving as the Rebirth of the DCU as a whole. In other words, you’ve been hearing about all the cool new stuff DC’s been doing, and how they’ve been stepping up their game on many of their titles, and you’ve been wondering where a good point was to jump in? Well, BRIGHTEST DAY is most definitely that. This is the complete rebuilding of the DC Universe from the ground up, and it’s a perfect place for those of you who haven’t followed the DC Universe in a while, or have been waiting for a killer storyline to kick off, to jump in with.

Anyways, the previous issue of BRIGHTEST DAY, BRIGHTEST DAY #2, was a fantastic read, and moreso than any issues in the series so far, this one really showed that BRIGHTEST DAY is worthy of it’s nickname, DCU REBIRTH. We watched as Johns and Tomasi tinker with the origins of many star players in a way that simultaneously reminds us what makes them unique, but also opens up many doors for new stories. And, then, we’re left with another killer cliffhanger ending, and you guys know about who I’m talking about… so I cannot wait to see what happens in issue #3 this week.

If you’re looking to jump onboard of BRIGHTEST DAY, we currently have plenty of issue #0, #1 and #2 in stock to get you caught up. So, feel free to check ‘em out this week at the shop! Plus, we have all the issues of all the other side-line stories that are fitting into this killer storyline stocked as well.

Click here for the official THIRD EYE BRIGHTEST DAY CHECKLIST

Click here to read more about BRIGHTEST DAY #3

SERENITY: FLOAT OUT ONE-SHOT *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* FROM JOSS WHEDON & COMEDIAN PATTON OSWALT GIVE FIREFLY FANS ANOTHER DOSE OF AWESOMENESS THIS THURSDAY @ THIRD EYE!

One of the best damn Sci-Fi universes created, Joss Whedon’s Firefly/Serenity world has had many of us enthralled for years, and while it’s few and far between that we get to re-visit it, when we do, it’s always worth the wait. And, now, we’ve got a new addition to the Serenity canon, with this week’s SERENITY: FLOAT OUT one-shot featuring tales of the Serenity universe’s past, and everyone’s favorite starship pilot, Wash.

This one’s being helmed officially by comedian Patton Oswalt (who himself is a well-known comic book head) and Joss Whedon. And, apparently, it’s got a HUGE surprise cameo that’ll send all of you long-time Serenity and Firefly fans reeling. Heck, I’m usually pretty good at guessing these things, but even I’m on the edge of my seat to find out who it is. Finally, there are supposed to be some hints about future SERENITY/FIREFLY stories being dropped within this one-shot as well… could it be, maybe, an ongoing SERENITY/FIREFLY comic series? That would rock so hard.

Anyhow, there’s really not a whole lot else to say about this one, other than it looks great, and lets face it, if you’re as much of a fan of the show as I am, you were already planning on picking this one up before you got to the write-up here.

For those of you who are already SERENITY/FIREFLY fans, but haven’t read any of the comics, we currently have both the previous series in stock in collected form:

SERENITY: BETTER DAYS Trade Paperback
SERENITY THOSE LEFT BEHIND Hardcover

Click herefor a preview ofSERENITY: FLOAT OUT one-shot

JOKER’S ASYLUM BEGINS A NEW SERIES OF ONE-SHOTS BY A-LIST TALENT FEATURING BATMAN’S DEADLIEST AND CRAZIES ROGUES!
THIS WEEK: JOKER’S ASYLUM: RIDDLER ONE-SHOT by ETHAN VAN SCIVER!

Man, I love it when they do stuff like this. Every so  often, DC will kick off a round of one-shots with some of their more high profile creators doing some very cool stand-alone, self-contained stories about the characters you’ve always wanted to know more about, and that’s exactly what they’ve got planned this month with the Joker’s Asylum.

The first one of these one-shots to debut is this week’s JOKER’S ASYLUM: THE RIDDLER one-shot, and it looks fantastic. Looking over the preview pages, I’m very impressed, they’ve really stepped up their game on these one-shots.

Each one-shot is narrated by The Joker and tells a special self-contained stand-alone story that gives us an inside look into the insanity of Batman’s rogues gallery. The first of these features the Riddler, and after a quick page or two of introducing who, why, and what he is, throws us into one of the best damn Riddler stories I’ve read in a long time. He’s such a great villain, and we just don’t see enough comics featuring him. This one really digs deep into who he is now, and how he’s been slipping further and further into his own sickness, despite his temporary dabbling on the side of the angels.

This one’s a must-read for Batman fans, and after how impressed we were with last year’s Joker’s Asylum one-shots, we recommend checking these out for some fun, self-contained stories featuring the one thing we all love about the Caped Crusader: his awesome, awesome bad guys!

Click here to read more about JOKER’S ASYLUM: THE RIDDLER one-shot

THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: IZOMBIE #2DELIVERS MORE BRAIN-MUNCHING, QUIRKY VERTIGO ZOMBIE AWESOMENESS THIS WEDNESDAY!

SWEET! We loved the first issue of last month’s IZOMBIE (still available at Third Eye, and for only a buck too, how can ya beat that?). This quirky, high-energy new little Vertigo book delivered something fresh and unique amongst all the new series coming out, and we definitely took notice of it. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Mike Allred is dishing out some of the best artwork he’s done since Madman on this book.

What is IZOMBIE? I,ZOMBIE is the story of Gwen, a gravedigger in Eugene, Oregon who lives in the graveyard, and hangs out with her ghost friend Ellie every night. Gwen’s got a little bit of an issue though, see, Gwen’s a zombie, and she has to eat a brain at least once a month, or else she ends up going Romero, and turning into a mindless, shambling “Braiiiiiins” kind of ghoul. By eating a brain once a month, she keeps her personality in tact, and keeps herself from turning into a danger to others. And, as a gravedigger, she’s able to harmlessly munch away on a fresh corpse’s brain once a month.. but therein lies the rub: Gwen absorbs the memories, and personality of whoever’s brain she devours. And, if it just so happens that person died as a result to wrong-doing, or had affairs that were left unsettled, Gwen finds herself compelled to take care of these, which adds a very cool almost detective-esque slant to the book.

But, that’s not all, one of the things I liked most about the world of I,ZOMBIE is how it’s this kind of quirky, almost retro horrorland of awesomeness. In other words, vampires, werewolves, and more all exist here, and have all found their niches. One cool example of this is how there’s different breeds of werewolves, you know, because of the canine connection, and some folks instead of turning into bloodthirsty wolves at the sight of a full moon turn into were-terriers. Were-terriers! How killer is that?

IZOMBIE is a fun, fresh new series, and we highly recommend checking it out. We’ve still got plenty of the $1.00 #1 for you to hop on with.

Click here to read more about IZOMBIE #2 *THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL*

HAWKEYE & MOCKINGBIRD #1 *HEROIC AGE*DEBUTS THE ALL-NEW ONGOING SERIES FEATURING THE “MR. AND MRS. SMITH” OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE!

Okay, first off: Hawkeye is Hawkeye again. This alone is worthy of celebration. Many of you know that Hawkeye is my favorite Avenger, and I can’t tell you guys how stoked I am to see him not only returning to his original duds, but getting his own ongoing series, alongside his long-time flame, Mockingbird!

Marvel dubbed this duo the “Mr. and Mrs. Smith of the Marvel Universe”, referencing that movie with Brad Pitt and I think it was Angelina Jolie or somebody, and it seems to be a pretty apt description. Granted, I only saw the trailers for said movie, but it was about a wise-cracking, quarrelsome couple that worked as like secret agents or something, right? I don’t know.. what I do know is that I thoroughly enjoyed last year’s NEW AVENGERS THE REUNION mini-series, and I’m stoked to see us getting a monthly dose of Hawkeye and Mockingbird in the wake of the Heroic Age.

The book reads very well, and provides a fun, action-packed espionage-fueled kind of read, but with a bit of levity to it. Imagine the light-hearted feel of something like Power Girl,or Secret Six applied to the Marvel Universe, and then mixed in with a crapton of guns, bombs, and craziness.

Unfamiliar with the characters? No worries, while this one is totally a big treat for long-time Hawkeye fans, it still serves as a nice jumping on point into one of the new ongoing Heroic Age Marvel books.

The characterization is sharp, the artwork fits the story perfect, and the book as a whole is a lotta fun. Plus, IT’S HAWKEYE! There’s even a cool take on a classic Marvel baddie who appears at the end… and it’s a pretty neat twist, I must say.

Click here for a preview of HAWKEYE & MOCKINGBIRD #1 *HEROIC AGE*

ZENESCOPE’S TALES FROM WONDERLAND ONE-SHOTS RETURN WITH THIS THURSDAY’S TALES FROM WONDERLAND: THE WHITE KNIGHT ONE-SHOT!

One of our favorite guilty pleasures here at Third Eye is Zenescope’s gory, and gorgeous WONDERLAND and GRIMM FAIRY TALES series. For the last few years, Zenescope has delivered us some wonderfully demented takes on the classic stories of Alice in Wonderland and her adventures through the looking glass.

And, while the Wonderland saga ended this past Spring with Escape from Wonderland, the third and final installment in Raven Gregory’s Wonderland Trilogy (with Return to Wonderland pt 1, and Beyond Wonderland pt 2 both available currently in graphic novel for those of you looking to catch up), Zenescope is back with some more of their killer Tales from Wonderland one-shots exploring the past, present and future of Wonderland.

This week, they’re starting things off right with the Tales from Wonderland White Knight one-shot which explores the back-story of the White Knight of Wonderland, a young boy born of an unholy union in ancient times who’s found himself transported to a world of madness and mayhem. Donning a suit of magical armor he finds on a desolate battle field he becomes one of the few shining lights of purity in the dark world of Wonderland, and the twisted Queen of Hearts.

For a fun, horrific, and always delivering on the artwork front spin on the classic Wonderland stories, definitely check out Tales from Wonderland White Knight this week. If you want more of the earlier stuff, we’ve got all the graphic novels collecting the Return to Wonderland, Beyond Wonderland, and Tales from Wonderland 1 and 2. The third part of the trilogy, Escape from Wonderland will be available in graphic novel soon.

CONTINUING FROM LAST WEEK’S THANOS IMPERATIVE IGNITION, THANOS IMPERATIVE #1 KICKS OFF THE MAD TITAN’S RAMPAGE!

Wow! Last week’s THANOS IMPERATIVE: IGNITION *THANOS IMPERATIVE CHAPTER ONE* one-shot blew me the hell out away. I had high expectations, but, Abnett and Lanning met them BIG-TIME. The Return of Thanos is here, and we couldn’t be more stoked. If there’s any storyline that should grab you into the killer corner of Marvel that Abnett and Lanning have been building with the cosmic characters, then this is it. A great jumping on point to experience all the great stories that’ve been going on in books like Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova.

What’s the scoop on the THANOS IMPERATIVE? Well, if you’ll remember back in Realm of Kings, there was a dark alternate universe we saw glimpses of. And, now, a dangerous mysterious fissure known as the Fault has opened, and the dark forces of this rival universe where there is no death are pouring through to claim and harvest the regular Marvel Universe. It’s up to cosmic heavy-weights like Nova, The Silver Surfer, Quasar, Gladiator, and a surprise cosmic champion you’re not gonna see coming, to stop thse folks. Of course, everyone’s favorite rag-tag crew of space freedom fighters, the Guardians, have a plan, and it’s a pretty crazy one.. what plan would that be? It’s called THANOS.

Block-buster widescreen cosmic madness that fuses the Marvel Universe with space operas like Battlestar Galactica and gritty futuristic warfare like Warhammer 40K, Abnett and Lanning deliver again big-time with the THANOS IMPERATIVE.

If you missed THANOS IMPERATIVE IGNITION last week, don’t worry, because we still have it in stock for you to hop aboard with.

Click here for a preview of THE THANOS IMPERATIVE #1

NEW IMAGE SERIES: BULLETPROOF COFFIN #1 DEBUTS THIS THURSDAY WITH SOME OF THE WEIRDEST, MOST WHACKED OUT STUFF YOU COULD IMAGINE!

Relive the Golden Age of Comics! That’s what the solicit for Image Comics’s BULLETPROOF COFFIN reads, and after reading the preview pages of this one, I’m inclined to believe… but it’s a different Golden Age. If you took an archivist dosed on LSD and sent him digging through the catacombs of history for the most obscure, and bizarre Golden Age comics you could find, then you would most definitely come back with BULLETPROOF COFFIN. A modern day ancestor to the raw energy, and complete weirdness of long-forgotten Golden Age madness.

So, WHAT is BULLETPROOF COFFIN? First off, lets start off by saying that Shaky Kane is one of the most unique, and stylized comic artists working right now. He cut his teeth back in the UK on books like Deadline and 2000AD, and after looking at the simple yet ultra-detailed pages of BULLETPROOF COFFIN, I’m convinced that this guy is one of the better ones I’ve seen. His work reminds you of Moebius meets Geoff Darrow run through a blender of old Tank Girl comics.

Now, onto what BULLETPROOF COFFIN is: Bulletproof Coffin is a series of comic strips that re-tell classic golden age UK comics in a surreal, tripped out manner, as well as fictious comics created specifically by Hine and Kane. Characters like the Unforgiving Eye, The Shield of Justice, Ramona Queen of the Stone Age, and the Coffin Fly. Surreal, twisted, and gorgeously illustrated, BULLETPROOF COFFIN kicks ass. Check it out this week at Third Eye! And look at this death tank!

DMZ VOLUME 8 HEARTS AND MINDS HITS THE SHELVES THIS THURSDAY AT THIRD EYE!

It’s always a good day when you get a new DMZ trade paperback, and this Thursday is one of those days. Brian Wood’s incredible politically-charged guerilla journalism meets Escape from New York story has been keeping us compelled for nearly half a decade, and we know that there’s many of you folks who’re eagerly awaiting this next slab of collected DMZ awesomeness, like we are.

But, for those of you who have not yet tried DMZ, I feel like this is a good opportunity to hype up a book that I feel is one of the better Vertigo series on the stands.

So, what is DMZ about? A near-future America is torn by war between the Free Armies, who control New Jersey and the inland, and the United States, ensconced in New York City’s boroughs. Basically, NYC has become the stand-still DMZ in the midst of a 21st Century Civil War. In the middle of all this, Matty Roth, hired as a phototech intern to a famous battlefield journalist, is stranded when the rest of his crew is killed. Overcoming the initial panic, he decides to remain as the sole embedded journalist in the devastated, largely depopulated city. It’s a career-making assignment, if it doesn’t get him killed. Befriended by former med student Zee, who runs a clinic, Matty discovers a society struggling to survive amid skirmishes and snipers, hell, you can almost hear the Talking Heads’s LIFE DURING WARTIME playing as you read the book.

And, this week, we’ve got the 8th volume of this incredible series ready and waiting for you to scoop it up.

If you’re interested in hopping aboard DMZ, start with DMZ v.1 ON THE GROUND, which has the first 5 issues, for only $9.99!

Click here to read more about DMZ v.8 HEARTS AND MINDS Trade Paperback.

NEW IMAGE SERIES: DUST WARS #1 DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY BLENDING ALTERNATE WWII SCI-FI MADNESS WITH KICK-ASS FEMME FATALES AND POP CULTURE AWESOMENESS!

If there’s one thing we’re a sucker here at Third Eye, it’s alternate history stories, especially ones that’re steeped in science fiction, and feature kick-ass soldier chicks. This new series from IMAGE COMICS looks to be another surefire shot of awesomeness, and we cannot wait to get our hands on a full copy to read. The pages we have seen look fantastic, and we’re pumped to see more.

What is DUST WARS? Dust is an alternate sci-fi universe set amidst the events of WORLD WAR II, and inspired by real WWII stories blended with a splash of sci-fi, pop culture, femme fatales & kick-assery. Imagine giant robots, steam-powered death machines, and more, and you’re on the right track to what DUST WARS is all about.

The series takes place around the 1950s in a cold war that’s in some way similar to our own, but in other ways far far different. In this reality, Nazi Germany survived the second World War and in this uneasy peace both sides have developed robotic monstrosities, genetically engineered intelligent apes, and re-animated zombie soldiers, as well as other bizarre weaponry that they’re about to pit against each other in a whole new war. In this sci-fi military mash-up, the Allies and the Soviet Union are teaming up to finally put a stop to those Nazi bastards!

It all started when the Axis found a space ship full of technology and build incredible modern robot weapons to take over the world. So when D-Day happened the Axis countered the Allies offensive with the reobots, and that’s where Dust Wars is set, a 20-some year cold war between the Allies and the Axis.

The artwork in it looks fantastic, and who doesn’t love the pulpy retro-sci-fi idea of giant robots, kick-ass commando chicks, and zombie soldiers?

Check out DUST WARS #1 this Thursday at Third Eye!

RED HOOD LOST DAYS #1 – THE UNTOLD TALE OF JASON TODD’S TRANSFORMATION INTO THE MENACING RED HOOD!

Just in time for the latest DC Animated feature, BATMAN: UNDER THE HOOD, this killer mini-series from Judd Winnick, author of the original UNDER THE HOOD story arc, explores who Jason Todd is, and more importantly who the Red Hood is. Many of us simply know Jason Todd as “the Robin that got his brains bashed out by the Joker”, but, there’s a lot more to him than that. This limited series tracks the time from the Red Hood’s rebirth to his return to Gotham. In this series, we get to understand the Red Hood/Jason Todd in a new way. It explains both how he’s sympathetic, and an unrepentant monster. And, after what Grant Morrison did with this character in his 3-issue Batman and Robin arc, I’m personally very intrigued to see more of how he went from somewhat stable to completely off the deep end.

For those of you looking for a little more back-story on the Red Hood/Jason Todd scenario, we recommend checking out these two trade paperbacks, in stock now at Third Eye by Judd Winick and current GREEN LANTERN artist Doug Mahnke.

BATMAN UNDER THE HOOD Vol.1 TRADE PAPERBACK
BATMAN UNDER THE HOOD Vol.2 TRADE PAPERBACK

Click here to read more about RED HOOD: LOST DAYS #1

SUPERMAN/BATMAN ANNUAL #4 INTRODUCES THE WORLD OF TERRY McGINNIS and BATMAN BEYOND INTO THE REGULAR DC CONTINUITY, AND SERVES AS A PRELUDE TO THE NEW BATMAN BEYOND SERIES RELEASING THIS SUMMER!

There’s no denying that the animated series, BATMAN BEYOND, still stands the test of time as one of the best explorations of Elseworld / What If? scenarios in regards to the DCU. And, the fact that it was an animated series that did it, with such a high level of quality, makes that fact even more impressive.

For years, the show has had a cult following, and the characters of that world have always been near and dear to many of our hearts. And, now, with the advent of a new series debuting later this Summer, DC is bringing the world of Terry McGinnis and Batman Beyond into regular DCU continuity.

So, what’s the deal? Well, this Superman/Batman annual shipping this week serves as an official Prelude to the Batman Beyond limited series due out later this summer, and answers a lot of those questions of how this fits into the continuity of the DCU. See, we learned already in Countdown to Final Crisis that the Terry McGinnis Batman was shown to be an inhabitant of Earth-12.

It looks like the introduction of McGinnis and Batman Beyond into the mix, could very well be a look at a possible future for the Batman mythos. In this annual, we get to see the fate of Superman hanging in the balance, as well as a very old and very vindictive nemesis.

Click here to read more about SUPERMAN/BATMAN ANNUAL #4

MOUSEGUARD: LEGENDS OF THE GUARD #1 DEBUTS THIS THURSDAY, ALLOWING CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED CREATORS TO EXPLORE THE WORLD OF DAVID PETERSEN’S MOUSE GUARD!

We just can’t get enough of David Petersen’s world of little meeces running around trying to kill each other with battle axes, and stuff. Seriously though, the Mouse Guard comics have really earned a fond place in our favorite reads, and whenever a new series that takes us into the surreal, and magical world of Mouse Guard begins, we like to talk it up a bit.

This Thursday, the arrival of MOUSEGUARD: LEGENDS OF THE GUARD #1, allows several creators that’ve been handpicked by David Petersen to play in the sandbox he’s created. A four issue anthology mini-series, we get to see various interpretations, as well as explorations of the Mouse Guard world and it’s mythos by these assorted creators.

What is Mouse Guard? Picture this: mice with capes and swords defending themselves against their predators as if they were the Knights of the Round Table. Told in Petersen’s INCREDIBLE lush and detailed art which does a fine job of mixing the realistic and the fantastic: the mice and other animals always look realistic no matter how fantastic the situations they’re in get, even when they’re facing giant snakes or crabs. Things straddle the line between cute, but not too cute, as things often take a grim turn at times.

In this world, The Mouse Guard protect its fellow creature and patrols the passageways between the villages of the Mouse Territories. In the first story, FALL 1151, members of the guard investigate the disappearance of a traveling grain merchant. During their search for truth, the three uncover a plot to attack Lockhaven, the home of the guard, fight hungry snakes, escape a fiery death, and even find a long-lost hero. And, that’s just the first book. David Petersen’s indie gem creates a fully realized, and fantastically illustrated world that will appeal to fans of series such as STUFF OF LEGEND in a big way.

Okay, where do I start? You can pick up with Mouse Guard either by sampling it in the MOUSE GUARD: LEGENDS OF THE GUARD limited series that debuts this Thursday, or you can go further back and hop on with these collected editions:

MOUSE GUARD: FALL 1152 GRAPHIC NOVEL (available in both softcover and hardcover)
MOUSE GUARD: WINTER 1152 GRAPHIC NOVEL (available in hardcover)

DODGEM LOGIC #2 – ALAN MOORE’S CRAZY, WHACKED OUT MAGAZINE FEATURING COMICS, ART, AND MUSIC ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY!

We love ol’ Alan Moore here at Third Eye, and while we love him for his awesome comics work, we also love him for his sheer oddity appeal.

This week, the second issue of his quarterly magazine, 100% edited, and partially written by Moore, we get a whole nother 52 pages of full color content that is 100% advertisement free. And, not only do you get Moore’s writings on comics, music, art and film, but you also get a FREE CD, and an eight-page mini-comic, written and illustrated by Moore.

What more is there to say, folks? It’s Alan Moore, it’s weird as hell, and we love it!

WARREN ELLIS’S FREAKANGELS VOLUME 4 HITS THE SHELVES THIS WEDNESDAY DELIVERING ANOTHER SLAB OF STEAMPUNK POST-APOCALYPTIC AWESOME!

Now, it’s pretty obvious that we’re rabid devotees to the mad scientist of comics, Warren Ellis. This guy has been delivering some of the best damn serial fiction for nearly two decades, and he very rarely disappoints. And, I’m not just saying this because the man was kind enough to put my old band in one of his podcats way back when, although that doesn’t hurt our appreciation for his fantastic works.

One of the best things Ellis has done in recent memory is the incredible FREAKANGELS series, which focuses on twelve strange children with stranger abilities. So, for those of you who aren’t already reading FREAKANGELS, allow me to give the rundown on what we consider to be one of the finest comics on the shelves here at Third Eye!

What is Freakangels? Freakangels is the story of twelve strange children who were born in England twenty three years ago at the same exact moment. Six years later, the world ended. This is the story of what happened next. So, welcome to Whitechapel, some years from now, just barely above ground in a flooded England, where a clan of eleven strange people with purple eyes – the Freakangels – have carved out some sort of a life for themselves. A life that starts showing big cracks when a girl called Alice from Manchester turns up with a shotgun and a grievance, having met the lost, prodigal last Freakangel, who had very different ideas about what they should do with themselves and this flooded future in England. Because the Freakangels have a big secret: Something very bad is their fault.

The series pulls heavily from the influences of steampunk fiction in terms of the style of the world it exists in, the appearance of the characters, and the overall feel of things. The story kind of reminds you of a grittier, darker steampunk riff on Brian K. Vaughn’s RUNAWAYS in the way that it deals with the dynamics of the Freakangels and focuses on their relationships and characters, with their special abilities working more as background pieces. And, the artwork in this series is sooooo good.

Wanna get started with Freakangels? We’ve got volumes 1, 2 and 3 of the graphic novels already in stock, check ‘em out this week here at Third Eye!

JONAH HEX NO WAY BACK ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL HITS THIS THURSDAY! FIND OUT WHY THE JONAH HEX STUFF IS ONE OF DC’S BEST KEPT SECRETS!

All right, folks, if you’ve been sleeping on the current run of Jonah Hex stuff that’s been around for the last few years, then you are missing out… but that’s OK, ’cause DC is debuting the ultimate chance to check out some of the best, and most underrated comics magic on the shelves these days with JONAH HEX: NO WAY BACK.

For over 50 issues, Palmiotti and Justin Gray have been telling some of the most hardboiled, gritty, and ultra-violent rough and tumble western stories you could imagine featuring DC’s Man with No Name, Jonah Hex.. okay, so he has a name, but you get my point. We were lucky enough to get to read through No Way Back, and folks, it ROCKS.

JONAH HEX: NO WAY BACK is what the Jonah Hex movie SHOULD be. If they took and did a page for page adaptation of this story, it would be the best Western movie in like 30 years. Gray and Palmiotti have taken the anti-hero they’ve grown accustomed to and elaborated their usual one-shot, single issue stories into a full scale graphic novel, and it’s about as perfect as it gets when it comes to what anyone could want in a Western story.

The longer format allows Palmiotti and Gray to really elaborate on themes and scenes that they couldn’t normally expand on in the format of the regular monthly. The scope of the story is pretty epic, as it follows Hex travelling from Nevada to Arizona and finally to Heaven’s Gate, Colorado. Along the way we find out more about Hex’s origin than we’ve found out in all the series’ issues prior. While the series relies mostly on the present of the Old West, the book ahs room to go back and show us how Jona’s mother left him and how his bastard of a father treated him and blamed him for her departure. We also get to see the origins of Hex villain, El Papagayo, and why he hates Hex so much.

All in all, this is a rock solid damn good Western tale. A story of a lone man riding into town with a checkered past and bringing hell, pain, misery and gunfire with him. Dirt in the blood Western gunfights, knife fights, gangs of bandits, and so much whiskey you can almost smell it, make this book a fantastic, and vivid read.

If you want a damn good read, check this one out this week at Third Eye!

STAFF PICKS

Steve -  THUNDERBOLTS #144 = Who saw this one coming? The surprise sleeper hit of last week, the new line-up of the Thunderbolts is killer, and the new creative direction is great. Luke Cage leading a team composed of Juggernaut, Crossbones, Moonstone, and MAN-THING!?! This is awesome. The ending was a great surprise too.

Trish – GREEN LANTERN #54 *BRIGHTEST DAY* = Dex-Starr rocks! Ok so Green Lantern is good every month, but when the Red Lantern kittie is in there it makes it even better.

Torma – SECRET AVENGERS #1 = AWESOME TEAM, AWESOME BOOK. They brought back the Serpent Crown and the cliffhanger at the end was killer. Loved the kind of way Brubaker channels that Steranko/Ditko espionage feel in a new school way

Matt – BATMAN RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE 2 = Batman in the Witch-Hunting era? Too cool for words. Dug this one a lot more than issue one, probably because there was a lot less caveman talk. Can’t wait for the third one!

]]> http://thirdeyecomics.com/main/2010/05/31/this-weeks-highlights-third-eye-for-thursday-6310/feed/ 0 http://thirdeyecomics.com/main/2010/05/17/this-weeks-highlights-third-eye-for-wednesday-51910/ http://thirdeyecomics.com/main/2010/05/17/this-weeks-highlights-third-eye-for-wednesday-51910/#comments Tue, 18 May 2010 01:15:28 +0000 thirdeye http://thirdeyecomics.com/main/?p=407 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & JOHN ROMITA JR KICKS OFF THIS WEDNESDAY, USHERING IN MARVEL’S “HEROIC AGE”, AND WE’RE CELEBRATING IT BY HOSTING AN OFFICIAL AVENGERS DAY!
THE HEROIC AGE IS HERE!
A PERFECT JUMPING ON POINT FOR NEW AND OLD READERS ALIKE!

One of the biggest, and most anticipated series relaunches is set to happen this Wednesday, and we could not be more stoked about it, folks. In the aftermath of SIEGE, Marvel has officially made the shift into a new direction of stories, and themes for the Marvel Universe. And, the debut issue of AVENGERS this Wednesday is the perfect place to jump onboard with the HEROIC AGE. And, folks, we got out our special advance copy last week to read, and review, and I have to tell you: this series is going to rock so freakin’ hard it’s not even funny.

What’s The Deal With AVENGERS #1 and WHY You Must Read It? First of all, this is the Avengers book that I think we as fans have been clamoring for since the moment CIVIL WAR ended. While there’s no doubt that the past decade of Marvel stories have been some of the best around, it’s no secret that we’ve all wanted to see the heavy-weights, the classic AVENGERS reunite. See, ever since the beginning of the 2000s, we’ve seen the Avengers splintered and fragmented into various teams and incarnations. We’ve seen them at each other’s throats. We’ve seen them accusing each other of being Skrulls. And, we’ve seen them as fugitives under Norman Osborn’s reign. And, while all of these stories were fantastic, and did a great job of shaking things up, I think nearing the end of Dark Reign, we as Marvel fans were all ready for one thing: to hear the words Avengers Assemble, and see Cap, Thor, Iron Man, Hawk-Eye, and the rest of the gang forming together. And, now, with the newly relaunched Avengers title, we’re getting exactly what we wanted.

Now, what’s the role of the new AVENGERS title? This is THE go-to title for the Marvel Universe, folks. In other words, if you’re looking for a flagship book to follow in the advent of Marvel’s HEROIC AGE, then this is it. This is the book that focuses on Marvel’s big guns, the top players of the Marvel Universe, and this is the book where you’ll be seeing those world-threatening storylines unfold.

AVENGERS #1 is also special in the regard that it serves as a fantastic jumping on point for anyone who has been curious about getting into the Marvel Universe. The book is tight, it’s self-contained, but at the same time manages to contain all of the big, craziness of the Marvel U. The best part is whether you’ve been keeping up on all the current events of the Marvel Universe, or if you’re just getting into these stories, Avengers does a great job of catching you up to speed, and throwing you into the story without making you feel lost or confused as to what’s going on.

And, now, in regards to just how the book is.. IT’S FANTASTIC. Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita JR deliver pure, unadulterated Marvel magic in every single page, and the first issue of this read very nicely. Romita’s art is PERFECT for the kind of story Bendis is telling here, and I haven’t had this many “HOLY $@%@” moments in a comic in a very long time. I mean, it’s big, it’s bold, it channels that kind of Marvel energy that made you love comics as a kid, and when you get to the last page, the surprise reveal will KILL you. I mean, it’s freakin’ awesome. The book does an outstanding job of introducing readers to what’s going on, and right from the get go, you get to see the team put together, and see the reasons on why it consists of who it does. You also see a little bit of the groundwork that comes together in regards to the other Avengers teams (Secret Avengers, New Avengers), and it’s very cool to be caught up to speed in that way.

But, at it’s core the first issue of the new Avengers run was good because it was a fun, bigger-than-life, smashmouth kind of read. It’s action-packed, it’s got some very cool surprises from classic Marvel characters, and it ends on a fantastic cliffhanger. There’s also some interesting nods to newer characters that you may be familiar with in the book as well, which helps spice things up a bit. All in all, I was really impressed with the first issue, and I’m really on the edge of my seat after the big cliffhanger at the end. Bendis’s plotting, and dialogue is on-point throughout the entire issue, and he really writes the kind of story you wanna see John Romita JR draw. And, speaking of that… Romita has never looked better. It’s no secret that I’m a huge Romita JR fan, and I love the energy that he brings to the page, and with the first issue of Avengers, we get to see him draw all the kinds of stuff you like to Romita JR draw. In other words, big, bad superpowered people smacking the hell out of each other.

Final Verdict - AVENGERS #1 is a must-read, whether you’re a Marvel fan, a DC fan, or a non-superhero fan who’s been looking for a great opportunity to try some pure, raw unfiltered pulp hero action… this is a great book, and we can’t recommend it enough. Pick it up this Wednesday at Third Eye, and find out just what the heck we’re raving about!

Click here for a preview of AVENGERS #1

AVENGERS DAY THIS WEDNESDAY 5/19/10 – FREE JOHN ROMITA JR PRINTS, EXCLUSIVE COVERS, AND 20% OFF *ALL* AVENGERS-RELTAED GRAPHIC NOVELS (this includes stuff like CIVIL WAR, SECRET INVASION, as well as any IRON MAN, THOR, CAP, ect)

Man, we got so wrapped up in talking about how much we dug AVENGERS #1, that we almost forgot to tell you about our special AVENGERS DAY event this Wednesday! Yup, in celebration of the launch of AVENGERS #1, Third Eye has been chosen as one of the premiere hosts of AVENGERS DAY.

What does this mean? It means we’ve got all kinds of cool swag to give out, and we’re going to be having a killer Avengers-themed sale!

So, check this out:

So, come on by this Wednesday, score your copy of AVENGERS #1, some free swag, and take advantage of our killer Avengers Day sale. And, save room for cake! :)

BRIGHTEST DAY #2 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* – IT’S OFFICIAL, BRIGHTEST DAY RULES HARD, AND WE CANNOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT’S NEXT! AQUAMAN HAS NEVER BEEN COOLER, SERIOUSLY.

Okay, after reading last week’s BRIGHTEST DAY #1, I’m sold. This is going to be one hell of a killer story. I mean, I’ll admit, I was skeptical when they first announced who some of the characters were that were going to be getting major focus in BRIGHTEST DAY. Aquaman has never really stood out as a must-read kinda guy, except for maybe a couple of great runs here and there. However, after the first two issues of BRIGHTEST DAY, I’ve gotta say: they’ve made the King of the Seas cooler than he’s ever been. Thanks, Geoff Johns. Seriously though, they’ve incorporated a new dynamic to the Aquaman character who seems to still be in touch with his Black Lantern roots. I mean, pictures speak louder than words, and seeing Aquaman resurrect a gigantic, dead squid from the sea was incredible.

Anyways, it’s not just Aquaman though that’s getting the coolness factor upped by BRIGHTEST DAY. The story’s focus on Deadman has been intriguing, Hawkman and Hawkgirl’s story continues to evolve, and the ending of BRIGHTEST DAY #1 with a classic DCU villain resurfacing… pretty damn cool. Of course, amidst all of this, we can’t overlook the fact that the central story of BRIGHTEST DAY that continues to keep us hooked is the saga of Hal Jordan, Sinestro, and Star Sapphire as they try to solve the Excalibur-like problem of the White Lantern that’s embedded itself in a crater here on Earth. It’s the mystery of the White Lantern, and just who is considered to be a ring-bearing White Lantern (other than the mysterious situation Deadman’s in) that really has me hooked.

All in all, BRIGHTEST DAY is continuing to kick ass, and is definitely proving to be a worthy follow-up to BLACKEST NIGHT. The level of writing from GEOFF JOHNS, and the killer artwork by IVAN REIS and co. is top notch, and in all honesty, I was gonna go through withdrawal without something to follow up the awesomeness of BLACKEST NIGHT.

What is BRIGHTEST DAY? BRIGHTEST DAY is the follow-up story to BLACKEST NIGHT, but it’s also a fantastic jumping on point for those of you who might be new to the DC Universe. See, at the end of BLACKEST NIGHT #8, several key DC characters who’d been resurrected as BLACK LANTERNS ended up being restored to their old selves, and given a second chance at life. In doing so, the question that’s being asked now though in BRIGHTEST DAY is what if some of these characters were supposed to stay dead? You know, that age old Pet Semetary kind of thing… sometimes dead is betterrr.. :)

The thing that’s cool though about BRIGHTEST DAY, other than the fact that it’s a killer follow-up to the epic BLACKEST NIGHT, is that it really does serve as a nice ground-zero jumping on point for the DCUniverse. Geoff Johns coined the term “DCU Rebirth” as to how he would describe BRIGHTEST DAY, and he couldn’t be more on point with it. We’re basically seeing many integral elements of the DCU that didn’t work before being rebuilt now so that they work better. And, if anyone was qualified to do this, it’s Geoff Johns. The man knows how to write, and we don’t think we’ve seen anyone with a better handle on how the DCU and it’s characters work than Mr. Johns.

If you missed BRIGHTEST DAY #0, or BRIGHTEST DAY #1 *Free White Ring With Purchase!*, we’ve still got plenty of both in stock to get you caught up. So, hop aboard this Wednesday and find out just what the heck we’re all raving about!

Click here to read more about BRIGHTEST DAY #2

STEPHEN KING’S AMERICAN VAMPIRE #3ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY, AND CONTINUES ONE OF THE BEST TAKES ON VAMPIRES WE’VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME!

Dude, if you’re not reading AMERICAN VAMPIRE, you have gotta check this one out. One of the most compelling, and interesting takes on Vampires we’ve seen in a long time here at Third Eye is going down in this book, and honestly, we feel this one is going to turn into the “Walking Dead” of Vampires. Co-writer Scott Snyder has already announced that he’s got big plans for where this one’s headed, and that he intends for it to be a very long-running series, which means we’re going to see plenty of room for storyline development, character growth, and more. And, folks, that’s awesome, because after two issues of this series, I’m hooked, it’s become one of my favorites, and after last month’s issue #2… I’m fiending to read issue #3 this week.

So, why are we so hooked on this new Vertigo series? Well, okay, I’ll admit, the first thing to intrigue me about the book was the fact that this is officially STEPHEN KING’s FIRST real, original comic work. It’s not just his name attached to the series, folks, he’s actually writing this book alongside Scott Snyder. And, that was the hook that drew me in, plus the actual story concept did sound cool. And, then, I read issue #1, and was so impressed with the story, the art, and the overall presentation, that I was pulled in by that alone. But, then, I got to issue #2, and dude… what happens in the first half of the book, in regards to Skinner and Pearl… so damn cool, so intriguing, that I was 100% sold. This is a good book.

The reason it’s good? It’s taking the often overused angle of vampire fiction, and applying a new direction, a new twist, and a new feel to it. The concept is basically about how the disease that creates a vampire has different effects on individuals from different regions of the world. And, as we learn in the story, Skinner Sweet, a bastard of an Old West outlaw is the FIRST American Vampire, hence the title. And, the storytelling of the comic is fantastic, as we see two tales being told in one book. The first half of the book focusing on the “present” which is the roaring 1920s, and the second half focusing on the Old West, and Skinner’s origin (as well as the development of some of the more dastardly vampires). The way these two tales are told, and connect to one another do a great job of moving the story along, and sucking you into the events. So far, we’ve learned that not all vampires are affected by sunlight the same way, nor are they affected by old vampire afflictions like being buried underwater. In fact, we’ve learned many things so far, but…

..the real stand-out moment of the series so far was definitely the first half of last month’s issue #2 where Skinner has turned Pearl, and left her with a list of the men responsible for draining her blood, and telling her to figure out the rest. That was fantastic.

Anyways, I’m rambling, I tend to do that when I talk about a series I’m really digging, so sorry about that! If you missed out on AMERICAN VAMPIRE #1, and #2, don’t sweat it, ’cause we got plenty of both in stock here at Third Eye. So you can snag issues 1-3 this Wednesday to get good and caught up!

Click here to read more about AMERICAN VAMPIRE #3

Click here to read an interview with AMERICAN VAMPIRE co-writer, SCOTT SNYDER that we did.

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #26 *RESILIENT CHAPTER 2* THIRD EYE MUST BUY* – THE HEROIC AGE CONTINUES IN THIS BOLD, NEW CHAPTER OF MATT FRACTION & SALVADOR LARROCCA’S INCREDIBLE IRON MAN RUN!

Okay, now, it’s no secret that I have been a die-hard supporter of Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca’s incredible 25 issue (and counting!) run on INVINCIBLE IRON MAN. I mean, these guys made me go from a sorta-Iron Man fan to a full-on “Invincible Iron Man is my favorite monthly Marvel book!” kinda fan. That’s how good their runs been. And, I mean, I went into it being completely unaware of what had recently been going on with Iron Man, and as a testament to how good these guys have been on the book, all I needed was INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1, and I was sold.

Seriously though, this is good comics, folks. And, with last month’s INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25, Fraction and Larocca provided readers with the PERFECT jumping on point to the series, while at the same time kicking off an INCREDIBLE new story arc called RESILIENT. Hell, they even put ol’ shellhead in some new armor, and I gotta be honest.. I dig the new duds. I’m always weary when they change a character’s armor or costume, because to be honest, sometimes it seems gimmicky, but I really do like not just the look of the new Iron Man armor, but also how it affects Tony Stark and how he operates it.

So, you’re probably asking, Okay, so what’s up with this new story arc, and what do I need to know to jump aboard? Okay, well, first off, what you need to know is that over the last 6 months to a year, in the World’s Most Wanted saga, Iron Man has been on the run from Norman Osborn, and then after lobotomizing himself to prevent Osborn from tinkering with his brain, he was comatose. These events took part in INVINCIBLE IRON MAN: WORLDS MOST WANTED (available in trade paperback as INVINCIBLE IRON MAN: WORLD’S MOST WANTED BOOK 1, and INVINCIBLE IRON MAN: WORLD’S MOST WANTED BOOK 2) and STARK DISASSEMBLED (Invincible Iron Man #20-#24, now in stock here at Third Eye). Anyways, long story short, Tony Stark was brought out of his coma, and had his brain restored with an older “back-up” copy of his brain. And now, here we are in resilient. Chunks of Stark’s memory are missing, including much of what happened in regards to CIVIL WAR. And, here we have Justin Hammer’s daughter selling her own version of the Iron Man armor known as Detroit Steel to the U.S Military, and of course, we know she’s not on the up and up here. Tony’s stopped dealing in weaponry altogether, and begins to rebuild his company with a new philosophy. There’s also a very killer interaction between Thor, and Stark that leads to the two settling their differences. And, so Resilient begins with a bang, as Iron Man debuts a new suit of armor, and also reveals that he once again is reliant upon his technology to keep him alive.

Folks, this is one of the best damn monthly superhero books on the stands, and we can’t recommend it enough. Jump on with the new story arc that began in INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 (and it really is a great jumping on point, which gives you a heads up on everything that’s led up to this point), and find out why we rave about this book nearly every month.

Click here for a preview of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #26 *RESILIENT PT 2*

THE HEROIC AGE MAKES A BIG SPLASH THIS WEDNESDAY WITH A HANDFUL OF KILLER NEW TITLES, CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE GREAT NEW SERIES CARRYING THE HEROIC AGE BANNER THAT LAUNCH THIS WEDNESDAY!
The AGENTS OF ATLAS return in ATLAS #1 – A pulpy, quirky retro sci-fi superhero book guaranteed to impress!

With the launch of the HEROIC AGE, we’re seeing a lot of new titles getting their shot at grabbing our attention and bringing us into their world, and one of the ones we’re pretty pumped about is the relaunch of AGENTS OF ATLAS in ATLAS #1.

The first issue of this new series serves as a fantastic jumping on point for new readers who aren’t yet familiar with the world of the AGENTS OF ATLAS. And, honestly, if you’re not familiar with who the Agents of Atlas are, then I really need to give you the rundown on these guys, ’cause without proper introduction, they look like a bunch of goofs.

ATLAS #1 is the new ongoing series for the team that’s been known as the Agents of Atlas. This series will appeal to those of you who dig stuff like ATOMIC ROBO, Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters, Project Superpowers, and The Twelve. It’s got a great retro feel to it, but of course, it’s set in the present day Marvel Universe. Who are the Agents of Atlas? It’s a team of superheroes from long-forgotten stories published in the 1950s by Marvel’s predecessor company, Atlas Comics. The team originally debuted way back in What If?, but were brought back in 2006 in a limited series by Jeff Parker and Leonard Kirk. That limited series was so freakin’ good, and got us so into the characters that we were convinced what sounded like a kind of weird concept could actually work. The new series, ATLAS, is set in the present day, and consists of a quirky cast of characters. Namora, Gorilla-Man, Marvel Boy, and others. All of the Atlas series have done a fantastic job of weaving these quirky Golden Age characters into modern day continuity, and the Atlas books always provide a fun, pulpy, retro-fueled sci fi superhero yarn. The newest series, ATLAS, looks to fit the Agents firmly into the events of Marvel’s HEROIC AGE, and promises to take the team to the weirdest and most fantastic heights they’ve seen yet as they return to solve the mystery behind The 3-D Man.

Click here for a preview of ATLAS #1

AGE OF HEROES #1 DEBUTS A NEW ANTHOLOGY SERIES FEATURING KURT BUSIEK (ASTRO CITY), RICK REMENDER (FEAR AGENT), and MORE HIGHLIGHTING DR. VOODOO, CAPTAIN BRITAIN, and MORE!

Marvel brings back the superhero anthology with the new AGE OF HEROES this Wednesday, and it sounds pretty rad. One of the biggest reasons we’re excited is that it marks the return of KURT BUSIEK to Marvel Comics, and while Kurt’s been up and down (we love his Astro City work, and his Avengers and Iron Man were top notch, but his Trinity kinda stunk..), we feel that he’ll really be in his element with his work on the new AGE OF HEROES anthology. Plus, it gives folks a chance to see some of the lesser-used Marvel characters get their spotlight with stories featuring Dr. Voodoo, Captain Britain, and more.

Click here for a preview of AGE OF HEROES #1

ENTER THE HEROIC AGE #1 ONE-SHOT PROVIDES A SAMPLING FIVE NEW ONGOING HEROIC AGE-BRANDED SERIES!

For those of you looking to get a feel for all the new HEROIC AGE titles springing up, this one-shot serves as a great way to see what the five new HEROIC AGE series are all about.

Click here for a preview of ENTER THE HEROIC AGE #1

THE LEGION OF SUPERHEROES RETURN COURTESY OF PAUL LEVITZ IN A NEW ONGOING SERIES, LEGION OF SUPERHEROES #1 HITS THIS WEDNESDAY!

Dude, the new LEGION series looks SICK! And, this is coming from someone who didn’t really grow up as a Legion fan. In fact, I never really got into the Legion of Superheroes until recently with Geoff Johns’s killer Superman and the Legion of Superheroes story arc, and Brad Meltzer’s Lightning Saga story arc. It took those two tales to kinda show me just what kind of potential the Legion has for good stories, and after those, I sought out a lot of the older stuff, and found out just what the heck everyone was raving about. And, now, the Legion returns this Wednesday in a brand new ongoing series featuring the characters he helped to define and make awesome many years ago.

Now, whether you’re an old-time Legion fan, or if you’re brand new to the characters, and are intrigued by things like the currently awesome REBELS series, as well as their appearances in other storylines, this new LEGION series serves as a great spot to jump on with the characters. I just finished reading some preview pages, as well as an interview with Levitz about the characters, and I’m pretty pumped.

Basically, it looks like Legion is really going to take on that broad, sweeping sci-fi  feel while combining the dramatic relationships that make the Legion who they are. The first issue is a real whopper of madness, as it involves: the destruction of the homeworld of one of the characters; the Legionnaires getting forced to accept among them a member that htey hate, and who they think hates them and hates much of what they stand for; the kidnapping of a loved one; revelations of a relationship that’s gone sour; and many interesting characters that are planted throughout who will grow into being important parts of the Legion mythology.

So, essentially, as you can tell, it looks like Levitz has a perfect fusion of the big and the crazy sci-fi stuff with the more, personal, character-driven stuff to make this one a good read. And, of course, the artwork on this one looks fantastic. Newcomer Yildiray Cinar continues the DC tradition of breaking in bold, and talented new artists on big books, and we’re pretty pumped to see what this guy can do. The pages we’ve seen so far look incredible.

Another thing that’s pretty cool about the new Legion series is how it ties back to a lot of the threads that Geoff Johns has set up in his arcs related to the Legion, including what was going on in the 31st Century for the Green Lantern Corps. We get to see what happens when you have the LAST of the Green Lantern Corps working alongside the Legion, and it should be pretty interesting to see where that whole subplot goes.

All in all, the new Legion sounds pretty awesome, and we cannot wait to see this one start on Wednesday.

Click here to read an interview with writer Paul Levitz talking about the new Legion of Superheroes series!

BRIAN WOOD’S (DEMO, DMZ) DV8: GODS AND MONSTERS CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY WITH DV8: GODS AND MONSTERS #2 *THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL*

I gotta say, folks, I really enjoyed the first issue of Brian Wood’s new DV8 series. I mean, I always have high expectations for anything being written by Brian Wood, because he’s really proven himself time after time as a true talent, but I wasn’t sure what to expect out of him reviving a long-forgotten mid-’90s Gen13 spin-off. I mean, the Gen13 books in the last fifteen years have developed such a negative reputation through their various incarnations that it was kind of a “Huh?” moment when he announced he would be reviving what was essentially “evil Gen13.” But, Wood’s enthusiasm for the project, along with the concept he’d described were enough to get me excited, and I’m glad I gave it a chance, because it’s one of the most interesting takes on a superhero team book that I’ve seen in quite some time.

Basically, what Wood has done with the new DV8 series is he’s set it up so the team has been frozen in stasis for the last fifteen years, and now they’ve been dropped out of stasis into the prehistoric age. The subtle little touches to the characters, like the emphasis on how their ’90s style of dress has not changed helps to subtly drive home the point that these characters have literally been pulled out of deep freeze, and unleashed on the modern comics world. Now, the first half of issue #1, while I thought it was good, it was build-up, and it wasn’t until the last three or four pages that I was seriously hooked. Those last few pages are what sets everything up, and shows you how cool of an idea this limited series is. Basically, we learn that the team DV8, falling into the prehistoric age, where several different tribes are feuding with one another, are seen as Gods by the tribes, and each team member is adopted by a different tribe as their deity of choice. And, of course, with the actual team of DV8 being composed of dysfunctional metahumans, this means you’ve got them acting in differing degrees of responsibility (or irresponsibility, more likely) about what it means to be a God amongst men. And, of course, they’re all at each other’s throats.

All in all, this one reads really well with some fantastic artwork, and I highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t. The first issue is a nice set-up, but it’s those last few pages that really punch you in the gut, and get you hooked. If you missed issue #1, we still have plenty in stock to get you caught up, so give it a shot this Wednesday at Third Eye!

Click here to read more about DV8: GODS AND MONSTERS #2

BRIGHTEST DAY SHINES IT’S LIGHT ONJUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #45 THIS WEDNESDAY AS SUPERGIRL REJOINS THE JLA AND GOES HEAD TO HEAD WITH POWER GIRL!

We’ve been loving the current direction of the JUSTICE LEAGUE title and where it’s been heading. James Robinson and Mark Bagely are doing a terrific job of keeping us hooked month after month, and with BRIGHTEST DAY shining it’s light on the JLA, the book has gotten even better.

This issue continues the JLA/JSA crossover that began in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #44, and shows us Supergirl returning to rejoin the Justice League as something has possessed her and Power Girl to fight it out to the death.

Click here for a preview of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #45

HAUNT #7 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*- A BRAND NEW STORY ARC BEGINS IN ONE OF OUR FAVORITE NEW ONGOING SERIES THIS WEDNESDAY! COURTESY OF WRITER ROBERT KIRKMAN (WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE) and TODD MCFARLANE (LEGENDARY SPAWN CREATOR!)

Visceral. Gratuitous. Awesome. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten a new issue of HAUNT, and I’m really excited for this one. Issue #6 was a nice one-shot middle-point story, but I think we’ve all been waiting to get back to the story of the Kilgore brothers and their strange predicament.

This Wednesday, the second explosive story arc of Haunt begins in issue #7, as Daniel Kilgore is now firmly entrenched in his brother’s life of espionage and intrigue, but is he ready to handle this life?

The story of HAUNT has been one of our biggest favorites as far as new series go, and after a slow start in issue #1, it turned into one of the most addicting, rapid-fire awesome reads we’re following here at Third Eye.

But, could you expect any less from the man behind WALKING DEAD and INVINCIBLE, Robert Kirkman? I mean, this guy can write, and he’s known for taking a standard concept, and turning it on it’s head. The way that I often describe HAUNT to people is it’s if Spawn was still really, really good. But, seriously, Kirkman manages to tell a compelling, and fun story that invokes the inner teenager in all of us. In other words, it’s violent as hell, fast-paced, and has a ton of “Holy $%@! that’s cool!” moments. You know that feeling you got when you were reading comics ten or fifteen years ago for the first time? Haunt captures it perfectly in every issue. And, still manages to keep everything wrapped up in a very satisfying story with killer plotting and dialogue.

And, don’t even get us started on the artwork on this one… it’s one of the best fusions of art and story on the stands. The team of McFarlane, Capullo and Ottley manage to present the perfect visuals for Kirkman’s story, and play a big part in why this series is so freakin’ cool.

What’s the story on Haunt, and How Can I Get Caught Up On This Series? That’s probably what you’re asking yourself. Well, here’s the deal, Haunt is about Daniel Kilgore, and his brother Kurt Kilgore who is killed after botching a mission (for noble intents) overseas. See, Kurt was a black ops covert missions kinda guy, and when he refuses to bring back an evil scientist who’s been experimenting on women and children, and instead kills that scientist, well, he gets taken out. The people who take Kurt out are looking to clean up their loose ends, and seek out his brother, but Kurt, now a ghost, “haunts” his brother, and possesses him, causing a symbiote-like shell of ectoplasm to encase Daniel and forming the character we know as Haunt. As the series carries on, we learn some interesting stuff about Daniel, Kurt, and the world they exist in, as well as the newfound abilities they share together as Haunt. It’s also pretty cool to see the interplay between the two as Kurt tries to instruct Daniel on things like, well, killing.

Just like with series WALKING DEAD and INVINCIBLE, Robert Kirkman manages to reinvent and innovate, as he takes what could be a tired, old concept (government assassin has a change of heart, gets killed for it, and now gets mixed up in a supernatural adventure) and infuses a very killer, and very unique spin on it. All in all, Haunt is a fantastic series, and we HIGHLY recommend checking it out.

And, what’s the easiest way to get caught up?

Well, we’ve got issues #1-6 all well-stocked here at Third Eye, or you can snag the first trade paperback with issues #1-5 for only $9.99, and hop on with issue #6, and voila, you’re caught up. Either way, you’ll be glad you checked out Haunt, ’cause this series is GREAT.

SCALPED v.6 THE GNAWING TRADE PAPERBACK HITS THIS WEDNESDAY! PLUS, TRY SCALPED #1 FOR ONLY $1.00 THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE!

I’ve said this before, but a publisher like Vertigo, who’s known for high quality sequential art, always seems to have one series that’s kind of the flagship for the line. You know, I mean, at any given time (and especially right now), there are several great series that come out on the Vertigo imprint, but there’s always that one, the one that everyone speaks about in reverent tones, and people can’t get enough of… and right now, it’s SCALPED. I mean, first you had Sandman, then there was Preacher, then there was Transmetropolitan, then there was Y The Last Man, then there was 100 Bullets, and now, it falls on SCALPED.

This series is fantastic… imagine THE WIRE set on a Native American reservation. Imagine some of the best damn character-driven storytelling being done in the business. Imagine the grittiest, nastiest, most hard-hitting crime comic you’ll read. And, you’re only halfway to imaging what the heck SCALPED is all about. Scalped is by far one of my consistent favorites, and if you haven’t tried it, you really need to give it a shot.

The series lulls you in, thinking it’s going to focus strictly on the plight of Dashiell Badhorse. I don’t want to give away the twist at the end of the first issue that sets up Dashiell’s story, but, it’s a good one. The thing that’s interesting though is as  the story progresses you realize you’re not just following Dashiell’s story, but you’re watching as characters that may have seemed as minor or background characters grow into their roles, and become just as important as Dashiell. This is where the comparison to the television show THE WIRE comes in, because it’s very similar how in both SCALPED and THE WIRE, every character has their own story arcs that are happening as the bigger stories unfold, and you get just as wrapped up in those stories as you do the main story.

While SCALPED is a gritty crime/noir kinda story, it’s so good it transcends genre, and we’d put it up there in the must-read category with PREACHER and Y THE LAST MAN in terms of how good this one reads. Just like with PREACHER and Y, it’s hard to really put a finger on why the book is so good, because there’s so many factors at work. It just is. And, just like PREACHER and Y, the characterization is so rich, and the world is so realized, that it’s easy to get wrapped up in the storyline completely. The fact that one of the characters who comes off as one of the most despicable in the beginning slowly evolves into one of the most sympathetic by the fourth or fifth book, and one of the characters who in the beginning seems to be the “hero” becomes more and more despicable as the series continues is a testament to how good this thing is written.

This Wednesday as part of the new THIRD EYE DOLLAR MENU, we’re going to be offering SCALPED #1 for only a buck. So give it a try, and if you dig it, you can snag the first trade paperback SCALPED v.1 INDIAN COUNTRY (collecting issues 1-6) for only $9.99. Trust us, folks, SCALPED is too good not to read. Give it a shot.

And, for those of you already in the know, then we know you’ll be eagerly awaiting the release of SCALPED v.6 this Wednesday!

Click here to read more about SCALPED v.6 THE GNAWING

DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES #1 KICKS OFF THE MODERN DAY TELLING OF THE HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE IN THIS TEN-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES FEATURING ALL-STAR TALENT LIKE ANDY KUBERT, JOE KUBERT, AND JG JONES!

Here’s another new DC series I’m pretty excited to see. With DC doing so many bold, and exciting new things this year, it’s the perfect time to see a killer modern day incarnation of the History of the DC Universe. And, the art team on board for this is a HUGE plus… Andy Kubert, Joe Kubert, and JG Jones? Holy cow.. that’s one hell of a team there. And, apparently, Perez is supposed to come into the mix at some point soon, as well as J.H Williams III, Brian Bolland, and Walt Simonson. This is like a Who’s Who roster of dream artists on any book.

But, what is DCU Legacies all about? Well, simply put, it’s a 10 issue limited series which explores the history of the DCU as it stands in this modern day and age, but through compelling, and well-done storytelling. Legacies is a series that breaks down, over its chapters, the five generations of the DCU. Very concise generations, each with a beginning and an end, and what it does is allow you to see the various incarnations of the DC characters evolve, change, and grow as the generations pass on. In other words, if you’ve ever been confused of how we got from the Alan Scott Green Lantern to the Hal Jordan Green Lantern, and everything in between, this series answers those kinds of questions.

The opening story takes place during the Golden Age of comics with an appearance by the original DC masked crime-fighter, the Crimson Avenger. And then it goes from the mystery men of the Crimson Avenger, the Atom, and the Sandman who are introduced in the first issue, to the second issue where you see the first time characaters have actually changed costumes. You see the advent of the superhero from men in suits and jackets and cloaks to something along the lines of spandex. So, it really shows you the evolution of the superhero in the DCU. Of course, the first arc deals heavily with the mysterymen days of the DCU, but as the series carries on, it takes us further into stuff like the Silver Age and even Modern Age. A real, natural, flowing evolution of the DCU and it’s characters over the ages.

Final Verdict? This one sounds too damn cool, and with the rotating cast of artists onboard, it’s going to be awesome.

Click here to read more about DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES #1

ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #2ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY FOLLOWING UP THE FIRST ISSUE OF MARK MILLAR & LEINIL YU’S KILLER NEW ULTIMATES SERIES!

After the first issue of the new ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2, I think this might be my favorite take on the ULTIMATE universe since Millar and Hitch’s original run of ULTIMATES and ULTIMATES 2 way back in the day. It might just be the perfect pairing of Millar and Yu, as Yu captures the energy and madness of Millar’s writing perfectly, or it might be the new direction that they’re taking with the book, but either way, I’m loving it.

From what we saw in the first issue of ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2 #1, Nick Fury no longer has complete control over his original team of Ultimates (Cap, Iron Man, ect), and that team has kinda gone off on their own. Now, that doesn’t mean they’re Anti-Fury, but, it does mean that Fury doesn’t have a team of super-powered footsoldiers to handle the dirty work he often needs done. And, so Fury sets out to put together a new team, and he starts by recruiting the Ultimate version of Frank Castle, the Punisher, and folks, it’s a badass recruitment too. And, now, with a few other additions, including the Ultimate War Machine, the Avengers have their first mission: track and kill the Ghost Rider. But, they need one more person capable of handling this job, and he’s not really being cooperative… so, how do you convince the newest HULK to join the fight? You toss War Machine at him, and see who’s left standing.

This new series has some of the best looking art I’ve seen, and Millar definitely has something good cooking here. The first issue literally showed you a man’s skull being cracked open with the stock of a shotgun… how awesome is that? If you want more of that trademark, Mark Millar awesomeness, then ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 is right up your alley.

Click here for a preview of ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #2

VERTIGO CRIME: EXECUTOR GRAPHIC NOVEL ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY – ANOTHER SLAB OF GRITTY, CRIME NOIR AWESOMENESS!

Vertigo does it again with another slice of miserably bleak crime fiction. Part of the VERTIGO CRIME imprint of pulpy little graphic novels that deliver a giant throat punch, the Executor comes to us from crime novelist JON EVANS. It’s the story of former hockey star Joe Ullen, who’s recently been named the executor of his high school sweetheart’s will, and has to return to his hometown of Elora, NY where he uncovers a sniister mystery surrounding his ex-sweetheart’s death.

DC is pretty cool about providing us with advance copies of these Vertigo Crime novels, and I gotta say, this is one of the better ones. In fact, these little crime books get better with each one. My favorites remaind AREA 10 and THE CHILL, but this one is fantastic, and sits comfortably besides those. Both the art and the story perform very well keeping the pages turning, and Evans’s knack for dialogue is smartly handled in how it prevents any major (and there are some major) plot twists from being revealed. A real pulp fiction treat, we recommend checking out the Executor this week if you’ve dug the other Vertigo Crime novels, or if you’re just a fan of crime noir stuff.

Click here to read more about THE EXECUTOR!

PAUL DINI (co-creator and writer of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES) KICKS OFF THE NEW ZATANNA ONGOING SERIES THIS WEDNESDAY WITH ZATANNA #1!

I’m excited about this one for a few different reasons, but lets start with the number one reason: Paul Dini. This is the man who’s responsible in a big way for BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, and ever since, has really made a name for himself writing some damn fine comics. His work on DETECTIVE COMICS remains as some of the best, and most underrated work on the book we’ve seen, and his current work on stuff like GOTHAM CITY SIRENS and BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM has really kept him fresh in our minds as a talented writer. But, most importantly, Zatanna is the character Dini was meant to write. He’s got such an enthusiasm for Zatanna, and when you look back at her appearances in many of his DETECTIVE COMICS stories, she really stood out as a cool character. And, she should, because Zatanna has that unexplainable cool factor that many characters wish they had. I mean, she’s a magician, and she kicks ass, what more could you want? Dini lending his writing chops to her new ongoing series is pretty awesome, and we couldn’t be more pumped.

Now, another reason we’re stoked, is because the art on this series, judging from the preview pages we’ve seen, is FANTASTIC. And, while writing is a huge part of what makes us like a series here at Third Eye, it’s the art that can really make or break a book, especially a character like Zatanna, where you need to have all the cool magic visuals.

This one should be a blast, and we’re pumped to check it out this Wednesday.

Click here for some unfinished preview pages of ZATANNA #1

Joe the Barbarian has really been a big favorite here at Third Eye, as Grant Morrison weaves this fascinating, and compelling urban fantasy, he’s pulling us in deeper and deeper with each issue.

What’s JOE THE BARBARIAN? Well, Joe, a young man who has diabetes, falls into a coma, and wakes up in a world populated by his action figures. Set against the backdrop of the Iraq War, but using themes, toys, and settings reminiscent of the ’80s, Joe the Barbarian shows our hero fighting alongside his pet rat (who in this world is reminiscent of Splinter from TMNT), as they travel through this strange new world. If you took STUFF OF LEGEND and crossed it with LORD OF THE RINGS, you’d get JOE THE BARBARIAN. Really, our description doesn’t do the book proper justice, as there’s so much going on that it’s hard to really sum up in a couple of paragraphs. What we can say though is if you try it, pick up issue #1 (which is only $1.00), and issue #2 at the same time, because the first issue is a very slow set-up issue and really doesn’t do the book justice. You need to read through issue #2 to really give it a fair shake. We weren’t hooked 100% until we got through issue #2, and then we fell in love with the book.

If you’re a fan of STUFF OF LEGEND, or FABLES, you should give this one a shot. It’s really well-done storytelling, with some fantastic art, and I gotta admit: I’m a sucker for all the nostalgic references to stuff like NES, Transformers, GI Joe, and more, but this book carries just as much substance as it does style, and we highly recommend it.

If you’re thinking of jumping aboard, issues #1-4 are all well-stocked here at Third Eye to get you caught up.

Click here to read more about JOE THE BARBARIAN #5

X-MEN LEGACY #236 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 8* and X-FACTOR #205 *X-MEN SECOND COMING REVELATIONS TIE-IN* CONTINUE THE SECOND COMING!

The BEST X-Men storyline in like ten years continues this Wednesday in the pages of X-MEN LEGACY #236, and dude, I don’t know how much more they can turn things up, because the last couple of chapters have really put me on the edge of my seat. I mean, how can you top killing Nightcrawler? Well, as we saw last week, they’re still finding ways to top themselves with SECOND COMING.

Are you reading X-MEN SECOND COMING? If you’re not, and you’re an X-Men fan, even a retired X-Fan… you need to check this one out, because it has been pure quality since the first Chapter. Basically, everything that was set up in the pages of MESSIAH COMPLEX is coming to fruition now, and it’s tearing the X-Men apart as they debate whether it’s worth protecting the recently returned Hope (who’s been running through time with Cable for the last few years) or not. While some of the X-Men are convinced that she is the only hope left for the mutant race, other X-Men are not sure she is worth the casualties they’re taking as Bastion and his Human League (consisting of old-time baddies like Bolliver Trask) hunt them and Hope down. If you’re curious about hopping onboard with X-MEN SECOND COMING, we recommend picking up the X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER ONE one-shot in stock now here at Third Eye, and jumping in, ’cause this storyline is fantastic, man!

This week in X-MEN LEGACY #236, the eighth chapter of SECOND COMING arrives as we witness Bastion’s masterplan coming to fruition as an impenetrable dome makes the Bay Area a prison. Of course, this is where 98% of the world’s mutants live… so you can imagine this really sucks for them.

Meanwhile in the pages of X-FACTOR #205, Bastion has sent the Mutant Response Division and the newly resurrected Bolivar Trask after X-Factor with one mission: kill them all! While this isn’t as major a tie-in as Legacy #236, this and X-Factor #204 are both pretty kick-ass, and serve as a good entry point to one of the most underrated Marvel books on the stands. Seriously, the writing and art in X-Factor has been constantly top notch all the way through, and is some of the most unique superhero storytelling being done these days.

Click here for the official THIRD EYE X-MEN SECOND COMING CHECKLIST

Click here for a preview of X-MEN LEGACY #236 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 8*

Click here for a preview of X-FACTOR #205 *X-MEN SECOND COMING TIE-IN*

STAFF PICKS

Steve -  BATMAN: RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1 = No surprises here that this was my pick. I’m completely hooked on everything going on right now in Morrison’s Batman run, and this issue really set things off right. If you haven’t read it yet, check it out ASAP!

Trish – BIRDS OF PREY #1 *BRIGHTEST DAY* = I got into Birds of Prey after Simone’s run had ended, and it’s been a while but I was able to jump into this first issue no problems at all. Great artwork and Gail Simone is on point with the dialogue and story. Recommended!

Torma – SIEGE #4 = I thought that this was a great wrap-up of the event, and now I’m on pins and needles waiting for AVENGERS this Wednesday. SO GOOD!

Matt – ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS #1 = Probably the best Astonshing I’ve read since Whedon’s run, Kaare Andrews and Warren Ellis go together like peanut butter and jelly, and this first issue really has me pumped for the rest of the series.

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 atthirdeyecomics@gmail.com, and we’ll be happy to set it aside for you!

• A-TEAM WAR STORIES MURDOCK #1
• ABANDONED CARS SC
• ACTION COMICS #889
• ALADDIN LEGACY OF THE LOST #3
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #629
• ANGEL #32
• ANGEL #32 VIRGIN VARIANT
• ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #208
• ARMY OF TWO #4
• AUTHORITY THE LOST YEAR #8
• BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #16
• BLAZING COMBAT SC
• BPRD TPB v.12 WAR ON FROGS
• BRIT TP v.3 FUBAR
• BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SUPERNATURAL DEFENSE KIT
• CAPTAIN AMERICA #605
• CAPTAIN AMERICA #605 IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT
• CARS #4
• MARVEL’S GREATEST COMICS CIVIL WAR #1 *FREE THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE!*
• CONAN THE CIMMERIAN #20
• CROSSED HC SIGNED BY ENNIS & BURROWS
• DARK REIGN HAWKEYE TP
• DARKNESS #84
• DC LIBRARY JLA BY GEORGE PEREZ HC v.2
• DEADPOOL #22
• DEADPOOL #22 IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT
• DETECTIVE COMICS #864
• DISNEYS HERO SQUAD #4
• DOCTOR WHO ONGOING #10
• DYNAMO 5 TP v.4 CHANGE OR DIE
• ERB JOHN CARTER OF MARS JESSE MARSH YEARS HC
• FALL OF HULKS RED HULK #4 *FALL OF THE HULKS*
• FANTASTIC FOUR #578 *PRIME ELEMENTS PT 4*
• FANTASTIC FOUR #578 IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT
• FLASH REBIRTH HC *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*
• FRAGGLE ROCK #1
• GARRISON #1
• GOLLY #5
• GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS NEVERLAND #2
• GRIMM FAIRY TALES PRESENTS NEVERLAND #2 VARIANT
• GI JOE COBRA II #4
• GI JOE COBRA II #4 VIRING VARIANT
• GIGANTIC TP v.1
• GIRASOL PULP DOUBLES THE SPIDER v.15
• GOTHAM CITY SIRENS #11
• GREEN LANTERN #29 SECRET ORIGIN PT 1 *FREE THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE!*
• GREEN LANTERN CORPS #47 *BRIGHTEST DAY*
• GREEN LANTERN CORPS #47 VARIANT
• GRIMM FAIRY TALES #5 SLEEPING BEAUTY SPECIAL EDITION
• HACK/SLASH SERIES #32
• HOUSE OF M HC NO MORE MUTANTS
• HUSK #1
• IMAGE FIRSTS INVINCIBLE #1 *FREE THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE*
• IMAGE FIRSTS PROOF #1 *FREE THIS WEDNESDAY AT HIRD EYE*
• INCORRUPTIBLE #5
• INCORRUPTIBLE #5 VARIANT
• INCREDIBLE HERCULES TP MIGHTY THORCULES
• INCREDIBLES #8
• INVINCIBLE #71 *NEW ARC, GREAT JUMPING ON POINT!*
• INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 *THE HEROIC AGE BEGINS, NEW STORY ARC, PERFECT JUMPING ON POINT* THIRD EYE MUST BUY
• INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 FOILOGRAM VARIANT
• INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 MOVIE VARIANT
• INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 TRIMPE VARIANT
• INVINCIBLE IRON MAN OMNIBUS HC v.2
• IRON MAN 2 PUBLIC IDENTITY #1 *BRIDGING THE STORYLINE BETWEEN IRON MAN, and IRON MAN 2 – LOOKS KILLER*
• IRON MAN DEADLY SOLUTIONS PREMIERE HC
• JACK OF FABLES #45
• JENNIFER LOVE HEWITTS MUSIC BOX #5
• JLA DELUXE EDITION HC v.3
• JSA SERIES 2 CYCLONE ACTION FIGURE
• JSA SERIES 2 HOURMAN ACTION FIGURE
• JSA SERIES 2 KINGDOM COME SUPERMAN ACTION FIGURE
• JSA SERIES 2 STARGIRL ACTION FIGURE
• JUSTICE LEAGUE THE RISE OF ARSENAL #2 *RISE AND FALL OF GREEN ARROW*
• JUSTICE SOCIETY OF AMERICA #38
• JUXTAPOZ #41
• KABUKI REFLECTIONS HC
• KEVIN SMITH’S GREEN HORNET #3
• KEVIN SMITH’S GREEN HORNET #3 CASSADAY SKETCH VARIANT
• KYO KARA MAOH GN v.6
• LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME #2
• LAST UNICORN #1
• LITTLE LULU GIANT SIZE TP v.1
• LOCKE & KEY CROWN OF SHADOWS #5
• LOCKE & KEY CROWN OF SHADOWS #5 VARIANT
• MADAME XANADU #22
• MARVEL PREVIEWS MAY 2010
• MARVEL SUPERHERO SQUAD INFINITY SWORD QUEST HC
• MARVEL ZOMBIES 5 #2
• MARVEL MASTERWORKS SILVER SURFER TP v.1
• MIGHTY AVENGERS #36 *SIEGE TIE-IN*
• MS MARVEL TP v.8 WAR OF MARVELS
• MS MARVEL v.9 BEST YOU CAN BE HC
• NEMESIS #1 2nd PRINT
• NEW AVENGERS #64 *SIEGE TIE-IN*
• NEW AVENGERS HC v.4
• NEW MUTANTS PREMIERE HC NECROSHA
• NEW MUTANTS TP v.1 RETURN OF LEGION
• NEW WARRIORS CLASSIC TP v.2
• NEON GENESIS EVANGELION SHINJI IKARI RAISING PROJECT v.4
• NORTHLANDERS #27
• OUTSIDERS #29
• PANTHEON #1
• PETER PARKER #2
• PREDATOR PREY TO HEAVENS TP
• PREVIEWS #260 MAY 2010
• PUNISHER #16 *FRANKENCASTLE PT 6*
• PUNISHER #16 IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT
• RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE *THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL*
• RAPTURE TP v.1
• RED ROBIN THE GRAIL TP
• SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN TP v.7
• SAYONARA ZETSUBO SENSEI GN v.6
• SCALPED #37
• SCOTT PILGRIM BOOKMARKS! *FREE, AVAILABLE THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE!*
• SECRET WARRIORS #15
• SECRET WARRIORS #15 IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT
• SHUDDERTOWN #2
• SIEGE SECRET WARRIORS #1
• SIEGE SECRET WARRIORS #1 DJURDJEVIC SKETCH VARIANT
• SLAINE DEMON KILLER TP
• SOLOMON GRUNDY TP
• SONG OF SAYA #3
• SONIC THE HEDGEHOG #212
• MARVEL SUPERHEROES SPIDER-MAN #1
• STAR COMICS TP ALL-STAR COLLECTION GN v.3
• STAR TREK MOVIE ADAPTATION #3
• STAR WARS INSIDER #117 PREVIEWS EDITION
• STAR WARS INVASION TP v.1
• STAR WARS LEGACY #47
• STRANGE TP THE DOCTOR IS OUT
• STUFF OF LEGEND TP
• STUMPTOWN #3
• SUPER FRIENDS #26
• SUPERMAN #699
• SUPERMAN LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON #3
• SUPERMAN LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON #3 VARIANT
• TALE OF ONE BAD RAT HC
• TANK GIRL ROYAL ESCAPE #2
• TEEN TITANS #82
• TERMINATOR #2
• TERRY MOORE’S ECHO #21
• THOR #609 *SIEGE TIE-IN*
• THOR #609 IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT
• THUNDERBOLTS #143
• TRANSFORMERS ONGOING #6
• TRANSFORMERS ONGOING #6 VARIANT
• TSUBASA GN v.26
• TWI LIT
• ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #1
• ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #1 FOILOGRAM VARIANT
• ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #1 VILLAIN VARIANT
• ULTIMATE COMICS WOLVERINE VS HULK TP
• ULTIMATE COMICS X #1 SECOND PRINT
• UNKNOWN SOLDIER #19
• USAGI YOJIMBO #128
• VICTORIAN UNDEAD #6
• THE WAKING #3
• WALKING DEAD #71
• WASTELAND #28
• THE WEB #8
• WILDCATS #@2
• WILSON HC
• WIZARDS OF MICKEY #4
• WOLVERINE NOIR GN
• WOLVERINE ORIGINS #47
• WOLVERINE ORIGINS #47 IRON MAN BY DESIGN RAMOS VARIANT
• WONDER WOMAN #43
• WORLD WAR HULKS HULKED OUT HEROES #2 *WORLD WAR HULKS*
• WORLD WAR HULKS HULKED OUT HEROES #2 VARIANT
• WORMWOOD GENTLEMEN CORPSE v.2 IT ONLY HURTS WHEN I PEE HC
• X-FORCE #26 *X-MEN SECOND COMING PT 5*
• X-FORCE #26 FINCH VARIANT
• X-FORCE #26 IRON MAN BY DESIGN VARIANT
• X-FORCE #26 RIP VARIANT
• X-MEN FOREVER #22

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