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.

Okay, now I’m realllly excited about this storyline, and I’m on the verge of gushing on and on about how much I’ve enjoyed what Morrison has done with the Batman-universe since Bruce Wayne’s disappearing act. But, I also realize that you guys want to hear just what the heck this whole RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE shebang is all about. Now, a lot of you are already in the know, and have been following BATMAN AND ROBIN, so you’ve got a bit of an idea, but for those of you who may be jumping on fresh with the launch of RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE, here’s the rundown!

Batman is lost in time. See, we all thought Bruce Wayne was dead… okay.. well, the characters of the DCU though that. As readers, we saw the wink and the nudge of Bruce Wayne in a cave scrawling a Bat at the end of FINAL CRISIS. From that moment forward, we knew it was coming. The eventual return of Bruce Wayne. And, then, the images began to show up late last year of a Pirate Batman, a Caveman Batman, a Western Batman, ect.. and that was it, we knew it was coming… the Return of Bruce Wayne. See, the Batman character is going to be fighting his way through the time-stream to return to the present, but it’s the actions of what happens along the way that really opens things up to some fascinating possibilities.

What’s interesting is that each time period is still set in the locale that Batman is known for. In other words, you’ll see Gotham in the Old West, you’ll see what eventually will become Gotham in the Stone Age. Hell, we even get a Prohibition-era Noir Batman. And, one of the biggest things we’re curious about is just what will Bruce Wayne do when confronted with the fact that he could possibly prevent his parents murder? The very thing that MADE him Batman….

And, what is the deal with the giant Bat-Skin he’s wearing? According to Morrison, it’s a major plot point.. hmmm..

Meanwhile, as seen in the 3-issue Prologue to Return of Bruce Wayne story arc in BATMAN AND ROBIN 10-12, we know that Dick Grayson and Alfred are onto the fact that Wayne is Lost in Time. We know that they’re noticing changes in the Wayne family portraits, and could those things possibly be clues as Bruce alters the timeline? And, then finally, the biggest reveal….

SPOILER WARNING….

We know this guy is involved somehow:

So, not only do we have Bruce Wayne slugging his way through the past as he hurtles towards the present. We’ve also got Dick Grayson and co. in the present dealing with the recently revealed Clown Prince of Crime.

Why This is All So Cool: It’s Batman duking it out in various historical periods! I mean, just the sight of a Pirate Batman is pretty damn cool, but when you think about all the possibilities of storytelling about the history of Gotham, the Wayne family, and even many of the inhabitants of Gotham…. it’s mindblowing. Morrison has already gone on record as saying that Jonah Hex will be showing up in the Western-era story. And, who knows what else we’re going to see… I mean, I’m not sure what proximity to the Gotham locale Vandal Savage was, but, heck, we might even see him popping up too. Most importantly though… it’s going to deliver us one of the most fresh, and exciting Batman stories we’re ever going to see.

The master detective trying to solve the ultimate question: time.

Will I Be Lost Jumping Into This? NO. While this storyline does take a lot of cues from previous story beats in Morrison’s run, RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1 is a perfectly fresh and accessible spot to jump in at. If we’d recommend anything to get caught up, it’d be maybe picking up the 3-issue BATMAN AND ROBIN *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE PROLOGUE* story arc that went through BATMAN AND ROBIN #10, #11 and #12. Other than that though, you can jump on, and just enjoy the ride.

And If I Want To Go Back And Experience The Awesomeness of Morrison’s Run From The Start? We’d recommend beginning with BATMAN AND SON trade paperback, then going onto BATMAN: THE BLACK GLOVE trade paperback, then BATMAN: RIP hardcover, and then BATMAN AND ROBIN (available both in hardcover and in the individual single issues). The whole run has been incredible, and if you’re really looking to go back to the beginning, that’s the perfect path to do. Battle for the Cowl is a nice in between spot for RIP and BATMAN AND ROBIN, but not necessarily a major piece. However, if you just want to start with RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE, you can jump on with ISSUE #1 with no problem.

Okay, Time For The Morrison Batman Love-Fest: I mentioned above, I had to break this one down into a couple of separate parts, so I didn’t get ahead of myself. Now that we’re done talking about WHAT Return of Bruce Wayne is, and WHY we’re so excited, now it’s time to talk about how we went from the hyper-realistic, dark and brooding Batman of the late ’90s to the surreal, and cutting edge Batman stories of now.

A lot of us as readers were a bit disappointed when we got to the end of BATMAN: RIP. I was at first. But, after reading BATMAN AND ROBIN, I see exactly what Morrison intended to do, and how genius it’s all been. Let me start off by saying that I have not enjoyed Batman comics this much in ten years. Everything is fresh, everything is new, but somehow, it all works, and fits the world of Batman perfectly. What Morrison did with RIP was not necessarily killing Batman as a character, but killing the rut that Batman storylines had fallen into. In other words, we’d taken the character and idea of Batman about as far as it could go into the ’90s and early ’00s, and things were beginning to get kinda silly. So, Morrison did the trilogy of BATMAN AND SON, BLACK GLOVE, and RIP. And, the common theme throughout was taking the 50 some odd years of Bat-history, condensing it down, and making sense of it all. In other words, the zaniness of the ’60s was there, the darkness of the ’70s, ect… but it was all done in such a way that it worked perfectly. The end result, so it appeared, was BATMAN AND ROBIN. A true gem of 21st Century comics storytelling. Incredible artwork, fresh and quirky storytelling, and a colorful, slightly science fiction-influenced slant that hadn’t been seen in the Batman comics for years. And, it’s all worked out perfectly. It’s why BATMAN AND ROBIN has become one of my favorite books. And, now, the ultimate send-up in all of this, is the RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE storyline. I mean, lets be honest… ten years ago, if you said “Okay, so we’re going to shoot him back in time, and then bring him back, as a Pirate and a Cowboy and blah blah”… everyone would’ve been like “You’re on crack.” But, since we’ve seen how well Morrison has been able to make this kind of storytelling work in BATMAN AND ROBIN… this storyline sounds like the most awesome thing in the world.

And, beyond all of this… it’s the Return of Bruce freakin’ Wayne, folks. The original DARK KNIGHT. The Caped Crusader. And, while we love Dick as Batman, and are curious to see where his position will be in the end of all this… it’s just plain cool to see Wayne returning.

So, folks, make sure you pick up a copy of BATMAN: RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1 this week. It’s Third Eye Guaranteed Good. The story. The art. I mean, heck, we didn’t even talk about the art… Chris Sprouse, most famous for his work on TOM STRONG with ALAN MOORE, is looking AWESOME on this book. But, okay, I’m rambling again.

Click here for a preview of BATMAN: RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1

THE LONG-AWAITED SIEGE #4 WRAPS UP THE BIGGEST MARVEL STORYLINE SINCE CIVIL WAR THIS WEDNESDAY! AND, FOLKS, THIS ONE IS EPPPIIIIIC!

It’s finally here! Okay, so, the wait for SIEGE #4 isn’t as long as it’s felt. It’s only been about a month and a half or so, which in comparison to other titles running late, isn’t so bad. But, the reason it feels like an eternity is because the cliffhanger ending of issue #3 left us on the edges of our seats.. BIG TIME! Norman Osborn screaming like a maniac in green face paint, Tony Stark rocking the briefcase armor, the crumbling of Asgard, and then that one fateful panel of The Sentry’s true nature revealed once and for all. And, now, all of our questions will be answered this Wednesday in the pages of SIEGE #4. The biggest ones I have? WTF is up with the Sentry, and of course, what will be the final thing that brings the much-anticipated Heroic Age into full swing?

For those of you not reading SIEGE, or just coming back into the comic-lovin’ fold, here’s a brief rundown on what this whole SIEGE thing is about and why we’re so excited to see the conclusion. Six or seven years ago, Marvel pretty much defined the 2000s with CIVIL WAR. See, comics in the late ’90s were an interesting beast. A lot of the mainstream, broad and big Superhero books… they sucked. And, meanwhile, you had innovative little titles popping out of the cracks like Brian Michael Bendis’s POWERS, and Warren Ellis’s THE AUTHORITY. In the early 2000s, Marvel launched their Ultimate line, and I think that really gave them the recharge they needed to revamp their mainline continuity. And, so you saw the books begin to take on a more cutting edge, bolder tone, and then… CIVIL WAR. Heroes fighting heroes. Characters dying. Insanity. And, Civil War began a cycle of storytelling that really made Marvel what it is during this past decade. The Avengers became cool again. The classic Marvel heroes once again were interesting. And, compelling character-driven storytelling once again reminded us why we loved the Marvel Universe. Now, as the decade winded down, it was obvious that it was time for a new direction, and a new change. In the aftermath of SECRET INVASION, and during DARK REIGN, I think a lot of us were pretty happy to hear about SIEGE.

See, SIEGE is the end to what Marvel originally began with CIVIL WAR. And, just like we were ushered into a brand new age of storytelling, and a shift in tone back in 2000, we’re going to be seeing that again with the HEROIC AGE. Siege is not just about the downfall of Norman Osborn, but it’s about the reuniting of the classic Marvel heroes, after years of turmoil and strife.

So, in a nutshell… this is what you need to know before reading SIEGE: CIVIL WAR=Heroes fight each other, Norman Osborn comes into a position of government power, and gets his own superteam of morally questionable (but obedient) footsoldiers. SECRET INVASION=Suspicions, paranoia, and Norman Osborn makes the killshot that gives him control over the security of the U.S. DARK REIGN=Norman Osborn, now the head of SHIELD (now called HAMMER), puts supervillains into superhero positions, and begins his plans of control and revenge.

SIEGE=Norman Osborn, obviously losing his grip on sanity, is persuaded by Loki into invading Asgard, and taking it over. And of course, everything goes horribly wrong, which brings the combined forces of the Marvel Universes back together in one hell of an epic storyline.

If you haven’t started with SIEGE yet, we’ve currently got plenty of issue #1,#2, and #3 in stock to get you caught up, so give it a shot. We highly recommend the series, and we think anybody, whether you’re brand new to comics, or an old fan, will enjoy this. The writing, and the artwork have been fantastic, and it really is a great entry-point into the Marvel Universe as things get ready to relaunch at ground zero with the HEROIC AGE.

The beauty of SIEGE is it thrives on the things that we all love about comics, and the Marvel Universe specifically. It’s bigger than life, it’s action-packed, and it turns the pulp insanity level of superpowered beings duking it out up to levels we rarely see. It’s bold, and swashbuckling, and it’s an indicator of the exciting things to come with the HEROIC AGE. If you’re NOT reading SIEGE, you really need to give this one a shot, as it’s probably one of the best Marvel events we’ve seen since CIVIL WAR.

Now, for those of you already reading SIEGE… you already know that this is the big one, folks, and are just as pumped as we are to see what comes of it this Wednesday. So, the less I say, the better… lets be surprised. :)

Click here for a preview of SIEGE #4
Click here for the official THIRD EYE SIEGE CHECKLIST

THE MYSTERIOUS SIEGE: FALLEN #1 ONE-SHOT SERVES AS THE OFFICIAL EPILOGUE TO SIEGE!

Okay, it’s often rare that we’re completely in the dark about a book. Even when they’re kept under lock and key, we’re still in the know enough to get an official handle on just what the heck it’s all about. However, with SIEGE: FALLEN, we know very little… and here’s what we do know:

The SIEGE: FALLEN one-shot is being described as Marvel as being a nice wrap-up issue to SIEGE, you know, an epilogue of sorts. Of course, we’re expecting some major ramifications at the end of SIEGE, and it seems like this one-shot is what deals with not just the major events that occur within SIEGE #4, but also the landscape of the Marvel Universe as a whole.

The second thing we know is that Tom Raney is handling the art chores, while the writer is classified… which means that whoever is writing this one-shot probably has a good deal invested in the character that’s being held on the cover there. Now, while we won’t speculate on who it is that bites it, we do know that this issue is supposed to deal with the whats, the whys, and the hows of the character’s death, as well as the world-shattering aftermath of SIEGE. In other words, if you’re following SIEGE, you should probably give this one as read, as it looks like it’ll pertain to the story in a big way.

Either way, we’re pumped to see what the hush-hush surprises that await in SIEGE: FALLEN are, and why Marvel is being so tightlipped about them!

FLASH #2 *BRIGHTEST DAY* FOLLOWS UP THE FIRST KILLER ISSUE OF GEOFF JOHNS’S NEW ONGOING FLASH SERIES THIS WEDNESDAY!
THIRD EYE MUST BUY

Man, the first issue of Geoff Johns’s new FLASH ongoing series really blew me away. I mean, I was expecting it to be good, because lets face it: Geoff Johns has an incredible track record, but damn… it exceeded my expectations in a hundred different ways. The artwork, the writing, everything just clicked so perfectly, and for someone like me who grew up with Wally West, and isn’t as familiar with Barry Allen, it was accessible as hell. I mean, one of the things that I felt was so cool about the new FLASH series was how it just hit the ground running.. no pun intended. Whether you’re brand new to the world of THE FLASH, or an old-time fan, it served as a great point to jump onboard, and I was really impressed with how Johns pulled that off.

On top of everything mentioned above, it was just a plain good story. The big ending with the Rogues from the future acting as a form of police… brilliant. And, now, this week, the follow up issue comes with FLASH #2, and we could not be more pumped here at Third Eye to read it.

In the first issue, Johns introduces us to the world of the Flash and Barry Allen effortlessly while still managing to tell an exciting, and killer story. The artwork by Francis Manapul is probably some of the best stuff going in superhero comics right now, and it really captures the fluidity and movement of THE FLASH perfectly. There’s this great sense of speed that comes through in the storytelling and artwork, where you as the reader get the feeling that things never stop moving. This is the perfect compliment to a character like THE FLASH, and it really helps draw us into his world. Plus, the way that Johns is taking classic Flash elements but mixing them with his own new-school approach, is incredible. He really delivers some good comics storytelling here, and in just one issue, the new ongoing Flash series is at the top of my stack as one of my favorite new series.

What’s the hook on the new FLASH ongoing? In a nutshell, it’s got this great “Superhero CSI” kind of feel to it. See, Barry Allen is a police forensic scientist, and as the Flash, the fastest man alive, he’s also one of the DCU’s most classic superheroes. Johns plays up the detective element of Barry, and shows us in the first issue, that while this isn’t a traditional noir, gritty detective story, there is this very cool tech-savvy forensic science feel to how Barry solves the crimes that are put before him. Of course, we also get to see the Flash side of Barry A LOT, and it’s cool to see how Johns is showing us all the different and exciting ways Barry can and will use his powers as the Flash.

Perfect Blend of Character-Driven Storytelling and High Action: The other thing that really stands out about the new Flash series is how Johns adds so much life and multiple layers to not just the Flash and his enemies, but also his supporting cast. It really feels like you’re walking into a fully realized world, and he manages to balance out the character-driven storytelling with a quick, rapid-fire non-stop action approach to the superheroics of the book.

All in all, the new Flash series is one of DC’s most promising new series this summer, and we highly recommend checking it out. We’ve still got plenty of FLASH #1 in stock, and hey, FLASH #1 even comes with a FLASH ring! :)

If you want to go back a little deeper, and get the full scoop on Barry Allen and his return, we recommend snagging FLASH REBIRTH 1-6 (available both in the back issues here at Third Eye or the recently released hardcover), and the FLASH: SECRET FILES one-shot. These serve as an excellent primer to give you more backstory on the FLASH. For those of you who’d rather just jump in, then all you need is the new FLASH #1, and you’re good to go.

Click here to read more about FLASH #2 *BRIGHTEST DAY*

SWEET TOOTH VOLUME 1 OUT OF THE WOODS TRADE PAPERBACK ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY! FIND OUT WHY THIS HAS QUICKLY BECOME ONE OF OUR TOP FAVORITE BOOKS ON THE STANDS! VERTIGO DOES IT AGAIN! AND, THIS FIRST VOLUME IS ONLY $9.99!
“GUMMO” meets “THE WALKING DEAD”

Man, it’s funny how some of the ones that turn into your favorite books are the ones that sneak up on you, and don’t snag you right off the bat. Sweet Tooth has been like that for me. I read the first issue that Vertigo put out (for only a buck! And, heck, if you’d rather do this series in singles, we do have all the previous issues in stock to check out too), and I enjoyed it.. but, I wasn’t sold. You know, I thought it was good, but it was just a set-up, and there was nothing that really snapped me into it. So, I forgot about Sweet Tooth for a little bit. I breezed through the next couple issues, but it wasn’t until a few months back I sat down with all five issues at one time, and read through them, that I was hooked. I had found a brand new favorite book. See, Jeff Lemire is doing INCREDIBLE stuff with this series, and he manages to do it without you realizing until you’re fiending for the next issue. The fact that he both writes and illustrates the series just enhances the surreal, dream-like feel that the series has.

What’s SWEET TOOTH all about? Sweet Tooth is the story of Gus, one of a rare new breed of human/animal hybrids who was raised in isolation by his father following a pandemic that struck ten years previous. When Gus’s father dies, Gus does the one thing his father had always begged him not to… leave the woods. He quickly runs into hunters, who kill hybrid children and sell their parts off for various things (food, experiments to cure the disease, ect… oh, did we mention that this new human/animal hybrid is immune to the disease that killed off half the world?). Gus runs into a massive drifter named Jepperd (who reminds you of the Punisher circa Garth Ennis’s PUNISHER: THE END), and promises to help get Gus to a safe haven for all human/animal hybrids, a place known only as the Preserve.

Sweet Tooth reads like a real twisted road trip story, but there’s also a very surreal, dream-like quality to the art and storytelling that contrasts really nicely with the dark, gritty post-apocalyptic world it’s set in. See, the quirkiness is almost only superficial, as the real charm of Sweet Tooth isn’t the kids with antlers and the strange alternative future it’s set in, but in the way that it explores Gus’s brittle humanity, and Jepperd’s crude humanity.

Lemire’s unique art style really gives the book a unique look and feel, and there’s some really eerie close-ups on the eyes of characters, that are often used as a beat in the pacing of a character and their thoughts.

All in all, Sweet Tooth comes HIGHLY recommended, and this Wednesday, you can snag the first five issues in trade paperback format for only $9.99!

Click here to read more about SWEET TOOTH v.1 OUT OF THE WOODS

BRIGHTEST DAY: THE BIRDS OF PREY RETURN THIS WEDNESDAY COURTESY OF THEIR FAN-FAVORITE CREATIVE TEAM GAIL SIMONE (SECRET SIX) & ED BENES (JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA) IN BIRDS OF PREY #1 *BRIGHTEST DAY*

The Brightest Day is shining it’s light in a few different directions this Wednesday, and one of the big ones we’re excited to see is the relaunched BIRDS OF PREY series. Now, I know, it’s odd, considering that towards the end of it’s run, BIRDS OF PREY was not a book that would be getting top billing from Third Eye here. Why? Well, it kinda sucked towards the end there, and wasn’t really doing much of anything.

But, then amidst the announcements of new series for the summer, DC made a big one… the original fan-favorite creative team of GAIL SIMONE and ED BENES who made BRIGHTEST DAY what it was way back in the day are returning to once again knock it out of the park, and folks, we’re pumped.

I feel like before I go on, i should explain why we’re stoked, and just a bit about what BIRDS OF PREY is. Wayyyy back in the late ’90s, I remember BIRDS OF PREY kicked off courtesy of CHUCK DIXON and GREG LAND, and I think I picked it up because I heard it had Blue Beetle, and I’ve always liked Blue Beetle. But, anyways, there was something about the series that really made it stand out back then. There was a real cool fusion of high-action, and a down-to-earth sense of humor about it. It was really good stuff. And, then, time passed by, and a new writer came onboard, Gail Simone. This is before she’d really made a big reputation for herself, so she was new to the series, and alongside her, a new artist by the name of Ed Benes. And, together, they took the Birds of Prey idea to a new level of awesomeness. It was a big cult favorite of mine, and delivered a really clever team book that didn’t read like any other kind of team book on the market. See, Birds of Prey played up a cool mix of clever humor, gritty espionage and covert ops, and familiar characters that we all knew and love (Oracle, the Huntress, Black Canary, ect). The writing in it was razor sharp, and was some of the most realistic portrayals of women superheroes in comics that we’ve seen, but still, at the same time maintained a real fun, and action-packed feel.

Now, WHAT are the BIRDS OF PREY? Birds of Prey are a loose-knit team of superheroines that work with Oracle. Oracle, as you know her, is the former Batgirl who’s now paralyzed from the waist down due to being shot by the Joker in THE KILLING JOKE. See, after Oracle was shot, she didn’t let that stop her, she kept fighting crime, but sharpened her prowess in technology, and computers, becoming a literal information bank for many superheroes within the DCU. The team’s greatest strength comes from Oracle’s connections to heroes across the DCU stemming from her connection to Batman, meaning that it’s no surprise to see Wonder Woman or Superman show up in BIRDS OF PREY. And, while BIRDS OF PREY is a predominantly female team, there have been male members including NIGHTWING, and WILDCAT.

The thing that is awesome about this though is the return of Gail Simone and Ed Benes. Simone is probably the best writer we’ve seen on Birds of Prey, and really gets the characters. And, if you’re not already reading her awesome work on SECRET SIX, you’re really missing out. However, we have a feeling that Birds of Prey is gonna blow that out of the water. :) Not to mention Ed Benes is handling the art, and this guy is a SUPERSTAR, folks. In the tradition of bigger-than-life artists like Jim Lee, J. Scott Campbell, and Michael Turner, Ed Benes has really carved out a major niche for himself as a fantastic superhero artist. And, folks, he is the perfect fit for Birds of Prey. The fact that he’d already worked on the series previously is just a bonus in that we know the chemistry between him and Simone will really make this relaunch a killer read.

BRIGHTEST DAY! The other thing that makes this one stand out is it’s one of the books carrying the BRIGHTEST DAY banner, and tying into DC’s BRIGHTEST DAY storyline. As we’ve seen from everything that’s come out so far rocking the BRIGHTEST DAY banner, these are quality jumping on points, and if you’ve never read BIRDS OF PREY before, this is a good spot to start. How it ties into BRIGHTEST DAY? Well, the involvement of Hawk and Dove is interesting, and I feel that might play a part, but I guess we’re going to have to see. All I know is so far everything rocking the BRIGHTEST DAY banner has been a solid read, and I cannot wait to check this one out.

Click here to read more about BIRDS OF PREY #1 *BRIGHTEST DAY*

NEW AVENGERS FINALE #1 *SIEGE TIE-IN*WRAPS UP 10 YEARS OF AVENGERS STORIES, AND PAVES THE WAY PERFECTLY FOR THE RELAUNCH OF AVENGERS THIS SUMMER!

Man, I read the advance of this one last night, and folks, it’s freakin’ beautiful. This one-shot penned by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS, and illustrated by the legendary BRYAN HITCH (THE ULTIMATES, CAPTAIN AMERICA: REBORN), is a fantastic final chapter in a decade of AVENGERS history, as well as a nice opening to what’s to come for the AVENGERS in the Marvel Universe.

This one-shot takes place after the events of SIEGE, but before the official relaunching of the AVENGERS (coming soon with the launch of the highly anticipated AVENGERS #1, as well as SECRET AVENGERS and NEW AVENGERS). The entire landscape of the Marvel Universe has changed during the craziness of SIEGE, and with the HEROIC AGE on the horizon, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are unsure of what and where their places are in the Marvel Universe. This double-sized one-shot shows us how that before the Avengers can move on, all loose ends must be tied-up, and everything that’s been left hanging in the storylines of the Avengers books for the last five years is resolved right here. And, folks, it reads fantastic. The artwork by Hitch looks great, and Bendis really delivers some SIEGE-level action in the actual story.

My favorite part though is as you near the end, you really get the sense that this is an “End of an Era” moment, and there’s some actually really cool moments that totally lay the groundwork for things to come for the Avengers, including what team-mates are going where, and the final line-ups, ect. Of course, a major focus is tying up unresolved affairs here, and folks, it’s a badass way of wrapping up many plot threads from the last few years.

I’d have to say that this, Dark Avengers #16, Siege #4, and Siege Fallen all read very nicely together, and almost feel like a set of books in that sense.

All in all, this one’s worth picking up, and is not just another one-shot, but something that really progresses the storyline of the Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

Click here for a preview of NEW AVENGERS FINALE #1

BRIGHTEST DAY: JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #1 – KEITH GIFFEN RETURNS TO THE JUSTICE LEAGUE HE MADE FAMOUS WITH JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL!

DC is really on point this Summer with the new series that they’re kicking out there. Another one that I’ve been excited about since it was announced is the new JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST limited series that’s going to be kicking off this Wednesday. The simple fact that Keith Giffen is returning to the Justice League characters he made famous, and forever memorable is reason enough, but the fact that it’s also going to be following up on the sudden return of MAXWELL LORD in the wake of BRIGHTEST DAY (or at least this is who we’re speculating is the mysterious villain that’s killing off former members of the now defunct JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL) just ups the ante of awesomeness for this one.

Most of you who are familiar with DC in the last few years know Maxwell Lord as one of the major players during the time of INFINITE CRISIS, and the man responsible for the OMACS, and the death of Ted Kord (Blue Beetle). Now, it looks like he’s back to his old tricks, as seen in BRIGHTEST DAY #0, and members of the JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL (a team Lord has a personal tie to) are being targeted for death.

Now, the big hook with this new series is that it’s a return to a Justice League incarnation that a lot of us love, and hold dear to our hearts in terms of character-defining JLA runs. Way back when, Keith Giffen, J.M DeMatteis and Kevin Maguire completely turned the concept of the Justice League on it’s head by putting together a team made up of B-Listers, and one or two heavy-hitters. The reason why it worked though was Giffen’s knack for adding personality, and humor to the book, and using the second stringers to really make the book entertaining. The interplay between characters like Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Guy Gardner, and Batman and Martian Manhunter was half the fun, and while the action levels were high, it was some of the incredible and humorous touches to these characters that really made the story. This was the infamous Justice League run where Batman flat out slugs Guy Gardner, and knocks him out in one punch, leaving the rest of the team to joke about “One Punch! I can’t believe it!”

And, now Giffen is back, and he’s working with the characters he made famous. The surviving members of Justice League International are all here… Booster Gold, Fire and Ice, Captain Atom, and more, and while there’s a very grim shadow being cast on the team as their former team-mates are being hunted down and killed.. we are expecting Giffen to still bring that trademark wit and humor to the series just like he did back in the day.

On top of all this, this limited series carries the Brightest Day banner, and ties into the resurrection of many character. Of course, the biggest, is the returned Maxwell Lord. But, we can’t help but wonder if we’ll see Martian Manhunter involved at all, due to his previous involvement with the team.

We expect this one to be a must-read, and if you’re a DC fan, new or old, you really should give this one a look this week. And, if you’re following Justice League, then you definitely should pick this up, as it’s going to be providing some pretty big shake-ups for the premiere DC Superhero team.

But, at the end of the day.. we’re excited about this one for one big reason: It’s Giffen returning to Justice League International, and with Winick (who’s proven he’s got a nice knack for humorous tales with his excellent run on EXILES, and his Barry Ween work), it should be a fantastic read.

Click here to read more about JUSTICE LEAGUE: GENERATION LOST #1 *BRIGHTEST DAY*

Piqued your curiosity with all this talk of how awesome JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL was? Check out these great trades collecting the Giffen/Maguire run currently in stock at Third Eye!

JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL VOLUME 1 TRADE PAPERBACK
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL VOLUME 2 TRADE PAPERBACK
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL VOLUME 3 TRADE PAPERBACK
JUSTICE LEAGUE INTERNATIONAL VOLUME 4 TRADE PAPERBACK

FRENEMY OF THE STATE #1 FROM ONI PRESS DELIVERS A QUIRKY, FUN TAKE ON THE ESPIONAGE CONTRACT KILLER DRAMA! AND IT’S CO-WRITTEN BY THAT ONE CHICK FROM THE OFFICE… YOU KNOW, THE ONE THAT DIDN’T GET JIM.

I’ve gotta admit, when I first glanced over this one in the Previews catalog, I totally overlooked it. The name was kind of goofy, and I really didn’t see anything about it that reached out and grabbed me. Well, Oni was cool enough to send us some preview copies of this as well as other new ones coming out, and I read this one over the weekend, and folks, I really dug it. The writing is sharp, the artwork is fantastic, and works perfectly for the story, and the overall plot and story is playful yet engaging.

So, what’s it about? Well, you’ve got this girl who has lived a life of privilege, attended the best schools, and learned every language, but her obsession with spying on exes gets her caught up in some serious mojo with the CIA. And, in exchange for not going to prison, they recruit her to be a spy. It’s got a big humor element to it, and it definitely plays around with the modern day circus that is Hollywood, and folks who’re famous for no other reason than being famous.

I actually had no idea this was written by someone who’s on TV until after I read it, and that’s good, ’cause usually it makes me automatically going to assume the comic is going to suck if it’s written by a TV personality, but man, this one’s good. It’s fun, it’s entertaining, and it reads well. And, hey, it’s that chick from THE OFFICE too.

DARK AVENGERS #16 *SIEGE TIE-IN* – THE FINAL ISSUE OF DARK AVENGERS SENDS THE TITLE OFF WITH A BANG, AND WRAPS UP A CORNER OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE NICELY! A ROCK SOLID READ!

I just sat down and read the advance of DARK AVENGERS #!6 before writing this, and I’ve gotta say… it’s probably one of my favorite Marvel titles I’ve read today. In fact, I’ve gotta tell you, if you fell off of DARK AVENGERS during the UTOPIA storyline or the Molecule Man storyline, I’d highly recommend going back and picking up around issue #13 when the SIEGE Tie-Ins began in this book. This was probably one of the best SIEGE tie-ins of the bunch, in my opinion, and issues 13-16 really are on the caliber of the events going on in the main SIEGE book. Why? The characterization. Bendis gives the enemy side of SIEGE personality, and depth that makes them even more compelling, and through issues 13-16, he fleshes out not just Norman Osborn and his star players like Bullseye, but also turns Victoria Hand into one of the coolest new Marvel characters I’ve seen in quite a while. And, in this week’s DARK AVENGERS #16, she especially comes out of SIEGE as a very interesting character. But, that’s not all, the Dark Avengers tie-ins went a long way of explaining THE SENTRY, why he’s such an evil, bad mojo kinda dude, and what happened to send him over the edge to do the things he’s done. In fact, his official origin in DARK AVENGERS #13 is one of the coolest things I’ve read from Marvel this year.

And, now this Wednesday, in DARK AVENGERS #13, it’s the end of an era again, as the short-lived yet excellent DARK AVENGERS title goes out with a bang. I can’t say much, because I don’t want to spoiler anything, but I will say this: read this one AFTER you read SIEGE #4, as that’s where it takes place in the scheme of the storyline. This issue really wraps up the whole Dark Avengers thing nicely, and it sets the stage for the futures of many of the characters who were on the team, some of which in pretty shocking ways. However, I think my favorite part is near the end, involving Osborn… you’ll know it when you see it.

All in all, Dark Avengers #16 is definitely highly recommended this week, and like I said, if you missed DARK AVENGERS #13, #14, or #15, snatch ‘em up. We’ve still got limited quantities of each in stock here at Third Eye!

SUPERMAN: WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #2 FOLLOWS UP THE FIRST SMASH HIT ISSUE OF WAR OF THE SUPERMEN! IT’S ZOD vs. SUPERMAN IN THIS KILLER NEW LIMITED SERIES!

Dude! The first issue of WAR OF THE SUPERMEN was AWESOME. I was super-impressed, and man, this feels like it might be one of the best Superman stories done in the last few years.. and Geoff Johns isn’t even writing it! :)

Seriously though, they kicked things off with a bang in WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #1. Robinson and Gates do a fantastic job of making the first issue of this one feel HUGE, and the artwork by Igle is fantastic, and works perfectly in the scale of the storyline. This book makes all the weirdness of the last year or two of Superman stories post-New Krypton feel worth it, and we cannot wait to read the second issue this Wednesday.

What is WAR OF THE SUPERMEN all about? It’s pretty simple… there’s too many Supermen, and General Zod, being the downright dastardly fellow he is, decides he’s going straight to Earth with hundreds of Supermen following behind him.. and of course, only Superman stands in his way. It’s also looking like WAR OF THE SUPERMEN is going to be the perfect set-up for the highly anticipated arrival of J.Michael Straczynski writing Superman later this Summer.

A fantastic read, and we’re pretty pumped to see where the story goes next!

FIRST WAVE #2 FOLLOWS UP BRIAN AZZARELLO’S KILLER NEW PULP TAKE ON THE DCU! A GUN-WIELDING BATMAN, THE RETURN OF DOC SAVAGE, AND A COOL TAKE ON THE SPIRIT? IT’S ALL HERE! AND, WE’VE STILL GOT PLENTY OF #1 IF YOU MISSED IT!

The debut of Brian Azzarello and Rags Morales’s FIRST WAVE was a huge surprise hit here at Third Eye. While we thought the whole idea of an “Elseworlds-esque” storyline featuring a DC Universe set amidst the backdrop of 1940s Hollywood Babylon, and playing up a pulpy noir environment was a killer idea, we really had no clue how big of a hit it was going to turn out to be. And, it really looks like you guys were digging the first one, so I’m sure you just as excited as I am to see issue #2 hitting this Wednesday.

What is FIRST WAVE? First Wave is a 6 issue limited series that’s setting up a brand new DC Universe sandbox for creators to play in. It’s basically resurrecting classic pulp fiction characters like Doc Savage, the Shadow, and the Avenger, and giving them the same kind of high quality 21st century storytelling and artwork that’s become the standard of quality today. In other words, it’s an Elseworld, where instead of Gotham City, Batman operates in a ’40s-era Hollywood which is way too lawless, and way too decadent. There are NO superpowered beings in this world, and Doc Savage is about as high as it goes in terms of super-powered individuals. Everything is very grounded in reality. So, while you might see characters like Batman, the Blackhawks, or even Green Arrow, you’re not going to see Superman, or Wonder Woman. The series focuses heavily on Doc Savage and Batman, but manages to include the Spirit as well to nice effect.

“100 Bullets” and “JOKER” writer Brian Azzarello really delivers a world that feels fleshed out, and fully realized. It’s dripping in gritty pulp and noir trappings, and Morales’s artwork does a fantastic job of pulling you into this tense, mysterious pulp world Azzarello is crafting. The first issue did a fantastic job of setting up the world of FIRST WAVE, and now, we really cannot wait to see where things’ll be going next in the second issue this week as Doc Savage is pursuing the Blackhawks, the Blackhawks are pursuing The Spirit, and Rima the Jungle Girl, the eyes of the jungle, is the only one who knows something none of these heroes do… something dangerous, and glorious has risen, and the world at large is not ready for it.

If you haven’t yet checked out First Wave, don’t worry, we’ve still got plenty of FIRST WAVE #1 and the BATMAN / DOC SAVAGE one-shot that sets up FIRST WAVE in stock to get you caught up.

Dive in, and find out why this is one of the coolest new limited series to hit the stands.

Click here to read a preview of FIRST WAVE #2

WARREN ELLIS (IGNITION CITY, SUPERGOD, CAPTAIN SWING, PLANETARY) and KAARE ANDREWS (SPIDER-MAN: REIGN) LAUNCH A NEW CHAPTER FOR THE X-MEN INASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS #1 THIS WEDNESDAY!

After reading the advance copy of this last night, I am a lot more excited for it than I was before. Not to say that I wasn’t looking forward to the book. I mean, I really enjoy what Ellis has been crafting with ASTONISHING X-MEN. But, you know, I wasn’t expecting something as fresh, and as exciting as this. Now, you’re probably wondering what the difference is between this and the current ASTONISHING X-MEN run.

This new limited series ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS, is a six-issue mini-series that falls in line with the same mentality that last week’s ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN / WOLVERINE did. In other words, it’s a kick-ass limited series featuring the characters you know, and you love, doing the things you want to see them do. And while it’s in continuity, it’s not tied in tightly, so you can pick up on issue #1 of this bad boy, and just simply enjoy it without having to worry about going back to get the back story on anything. All you need to know is who the X-Men are, and you’re good. Now, does it connect to ASTONISHING X-MEN currently running? It’s the same team, and does reference a thing or two, but it’s mostly a brand new story arc. The regular ASTONISHING X-MEN ongoing will continue, albeit on a much slower schedule than ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS due to artist delays.

Now, why did I dig ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS so much? Well, it was just plain good. I mean, it feels really fresh, and Kaare Andrews is a perfect fit art-wise for Warren Ellis’s storytelling. See, I’m a firm believer that a good writer needs a good artist, but most importantly, writers need artists that work with their style, just like artists need writers that work with their style. I really didn’t care for how Bianchi’s art meshed with Ellis on GHOST BOXES, and I felt like that affected how much I enjoyed the story. And while Jiminez is damn talented, again, it just doesn’t capture that feel of Ellis’s writing like I feel it should. Don’t get me wrong both GHOST BOXES, and the Ellis/Jiminez stuff is great, but after reading the first issue of XENOGENESIS with Ellis/Kaare… dude… it’s perfect. Kaare Andrews art is very reminiscent of Frank Quitely in some regards, and just like Quitely captures Morrison’s mad genius, Kaare does the same thing with Ellis’s mad science fiction insanity. The writing is sharp, and the characterization of the team is some of the best I’ve seen in a bit. I’ve gotta tell you, there’s some really cool moments, and Storm especially stands out as a strong lead character in this. The characterization of Emma is also pretty fun, and entertaining as well.

AND, this one is action-packed like a mofo. Ellis starts things right off with explosions, chaos, and mad science that gets you rolling on a roller-coaster ride of X-Fun. All in all, Astonishing X-Men: XENOGENESIS is a great start for the series, and I can’t stress how much I enjoyed the artwork, even the coloring on it works perfectly. It’s one of those rare occasions where you see many different factors (art, story, coloring, inking) come together to make one nice, and super enjoyable package. If you want a good self-contained X-Men story with a bit of weirdness, and that trademark Ellis mad science attached… pick up a copy of ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS #1 this Wednesday.

Click here for a preview of ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS #1

HEROIC AGE: BLACK WIDOW #2 FOLLOWS UP THE FIRST KILLER ISSUE OF THIS NEW “HEROIC AGE” ONGOING SERIES FEATURING EVERYONE’S FAVORITE SUPER-SPY!

I was really impressed by the first issue of the new BLACK WIDOW ongoing series. I don’t know if it’s ’cause I’m jazzed on this whole HEROIC AGE thing Marvel’s doing, or maybe it was really that good, but I really dug it. There’s a great sense of espionage-fueled storytelling going on here, and enough balance of Marvel Universe classics (Wolverine, Iron Man) to keep the book rooted in the overall Marvel U. But yeah, they did a really great job, and I’m pumped to see where the book goes with issue #2. I think a big part of why I enjoyed it so much too was Marjorie Lieu’s writing and Daniel Acuna’s artwork fit together perfectly and delivered a really solid read.

This first arc is pretty straight-forward.. someone wants Natasha dead, and they’ve come pretty damn close to getting exactly what they want. Now, she’s got to hunt down her would-be killer, and find out what her friends Daredevil, Wolverine and Iron Man are keeping from her about her killer’s identity.

This one kicked off with a great start, and kind of embodies that fun, swashbuckling feel you want out of the HEROIC AGE books. But, there’s also a very gritty, and dark espionage super-spy underworld kinda vibe to the book as well. When you put the two together, you get a pretty good read, so if you missed BLACK WIDOW #1, we’ve still got limited quantities of the first printing of #1 in stock, so check it out!

Click here for a preview of BLACK WIDOW #2 *HEROIC AGE*

EX MACHINA VOLUME 9 RING OUT THE OLD TRADE PAPERBACK HITS THIRD EYE THIS WEDNESDAY! BRIAN K. VAUGHN’S (writer of Y: THE LAST MAN) EPIC “ROCKETEER” MEETS “THE WEST WING” CONTINUES!

There are certain series that we just feel read fantastic in trade paperback format, and it’s always a cause for celebration when a new slab of goodness comes out for them. Ex Machina is one of those series. Written by BRIAN K VAUGHN (the man behind RUNAWAYS and Y THE LAST MAN), Ex Machina is a fantastic series that explores the world of Mitchell Hundred, a man given a superhuman ability to talk to machinery. And, with that ability, Mitchell becomes the world’s first real-deal SUPERHERO, the Great Machine. But, when Mitchell can only save one of the World Trade towers from falling on 9/11, he realizes that he’s doing no good as The Great Machine, goes public with his identity and runs for Mayor of New York… and wins.

From there, you get Ex Machina, a fascinating and extremely well-written series that manages to create a perfect mix of policital drama and grounded superheroics into one damn good comic. If you haven’t read it, you gotta try it, and if you have read it, then we know you’re already eagerly awaiting the next volume!

X-MEN SECOND COMING: NEW MUTANTS #13 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 7*CONTINUES THE BEST X-MEN STORYLINE IN TEN YEARS! NOT READING “SECOND COMING”? WE’VE GOT ALL THE CHAPTERS WELL-STOCKED, SO HOP ABOARD WITH THE X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER ONE AND FIND OUT WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT!

Dude, it’s no secret that the X-MEN: SECOND COMING storyline is one of the things we’re super jazzed about here at Third Eye. Marvel has managed to once again make the X-Men cool again, and is delivering us one of the biggest, and boldest X-Men crossovers we’ve seen in decades. I mean, THIS is how the X-Men should be. Tons of action, all the characters you enjoy, and just plain exciting through and through. And, folks, this series has been a roller-coaster. It’s been long enough now where most of you are aware of what happened in X-FORCE #26, and lets face it: if Nightcrawler (one of our own personal favorite X-Men) isn’t safe from Death’s shadow in this one, then no one is.

And, now, this week, after the tear-jerking funeral in UNCANNY X-MEN #524, things continue to heat up as Cyclops tries to keep the X-Men held together. There’s divides forming regarding Hope, and how much is worth sacrificing for her survival. And, Bastion’s spy continues to terrorize Marvel’s Merry Mutants in their own home.

If you haven’t been reading X-MEN: SECOND COMING, and want to jump on.. we’ve currently got ALL the chapters well-stocked here at Third Eye to get you caught up. Just click here for our handy OFFICIAL THIRD EYE X-MEN SECOND COMING CHECKLIST, and that’ll tell you what you need!

Click here for a preview of NEW MUTANTS #13 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 7*

BRIGHTEST DAY: TITANS: VILLAINS FOR HIRE SPECIAL #1 – DEATHSTROKE ASSEMBLES A TEAM OF “DARK TITANS” IN THIS SPECIAL BRIGHTEST DAY ONE-SHOT!

Man, I’m impressed, so far all of the BRIGHTEST DAY books that’re coming out or have come out have all been ones I’m excited about. There hasn’t been one where I’ve been kinda like “meh” on, and if you told me that I was going to be excited about a Titans one-shot this time last year, I would’ve said you are out of your mind. But, it’s true, I’m pretty freakin’ pumped about this one-shot setting up this corner of the DCU. Know why? Well, the obvious answer is I’m a total Deathstroke fanboy. But, there’s more to it than that.

With the TITANS: VILLAINS FOR HIRE one-shot, it looks like the Titans are going to get a little more interesting than they’ve been in recent memory. And, how’re they doing that, well in the midst of all these resurrections, and BRIGHTEST DAY craziness, Deathstroke has decided to form his own Titans team. So far, what we know is that Cheshire (the evil assassin), the Tattooed Man, and the rest are still under speculation at this time. Now, Deathstroke is one of the coolest friggin’ characters in the DCU, so seeing him get the spotlight here is a big deal. But, with this one-shot, we’re going to see Deathstroke taking on a new role as leader, and the big question I think many people have is:

Why is Deathstroke forming his own Titans team? Well, all we do know is their first mission: Assassinate the Atom!

And, that is one of the many reasons why we’re pumped to see what’s in store with this one on Wednesday.

Click here to read more about TITANS: VILLAINS FOR HIRE SPECIAL #1 *BRIGHTEST DAY*

SAM & TWITCH: WRITER #1 – A KILLER-LOOKING NEW CRIME NOIR LIMITED SERIES FROM IMAGE COMICS!

Here’s another new one that looks pretty rad. Now, ignore the fact that this one is featuring characters originally debuting in Todd McFarlane’s SPAWN universe. The Sam and Twitch duo have a long history of quality, self-contained crime noir stories that have little to nothing to do at all with SPAWN, and are much more grounded in a gritty, hyper-realistic crime noir setting. I fondly remember being really into the Sam and Twitch stories from a few years back, and I think that’s a big part of why I’m pumped for this one.. PLUS, it just sounds cool!

A hardboiled crime tale set in the boroughs of NYC, this one takes us to the dead of winter, a snowstorm looming, and a routine homicide investigation suddenly gets a literary twist. A suspected drug dealer has been found dead and naked, with what seems to be parts of a story written all over his body. And, now, the grizzled duo of Sam and Twitch are on the trail of the killer.

If you’re into the darker SE7EN-esque crime noir stuff, definitely give this one a look this Wednesday at Third Eye!

STAFF PICKS

Steve -  BATMAN AND ROBIN #12 *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE PROLOGUE PT 3* = All I can say is: WOW. The last two pages of this comic have just turned Batman and Robin from an incredible run into an unforgettable one. I cannot wait for RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE!

Trish – DEMO #4 = I love how each one of these has a different feel, and tone to it. Brian Wood owns srsly.

Torma – ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN AND WOLVERINE #1 = DEVIL DINOSAUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously though, this one is great, and reminds you of those old school team-ups from the ’80s before team-up books became cheap filler minis. Awesome art, awesome story! Must read!

Matt – BRIGHTEST DAY #1 = Holy crap. I’ve never cared about Aquaman before, but he has just went up the list of characters that I think are awesome by a few dozen notches. What a great issue!