PLUS, WIN A FREE THEATRICAL POSTER FOR IRON MAN 2 THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE!

If you haven’t been reading Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca’s incredible run on Iron Man with the ongoing INVINCIBLE IRON MAN series, then now you have the perfect opportunity to find out why this is the BEST Marvel book we’re reading month in, and month out. No hyperbole here, folks, Fraction and Larroca have managed to make Invincible Iron Man feel like a must-read title each and every month for two years straight. No fill-in creative teams, no big delays between issues, just issue after issue of great storytelling, great artwork, and bigger than life Marvel madness.

I never thought that Iron Man would be the Marvel book I looked forward to the most on a monthly basis. Why? ‘Cause I grew up reading comics in the era where Iron Man was kinda not so cool… you know, the whole kid Iron Man brought back to the future to stop evil Tony Stark era… yeah, the ’90s, it was a mess. And, while I did dig the Kurt Busiek run that came out in the late ’90s, the character never really clicked with me until I got into INVINCIBLE IRON MAN. I’ll have to admit though, it was a perfect synergy, because the first issue of this current run came out right around the same time that the IRON MAN movie came out two years ago. That first IRON MAN movie was so good, and captured the essence of what made the Armored Avenger cool so well that my mind was kind of opened to how cool the character could be. And, then, in step Mr. Fraction and Mr. Larocca with the debut of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, and I was hooked. See, Fraction and Larocca’s INVINCIBLE IRON MAN captures that perfect blend of bigger-than-life action, hard-hitting drama, and overall swashbuckling appeal that the IRON MAN movie had. The way that Stark is characterized is perfect, and the way that they are able to deal with technological situations, while keeping a very human feel to the characters involved is truly unique. See, for me, one of the pitfalls of Iron Man stories was they would get too bogged down in the technical details, and neglect the characters, but Fraction is able to balance the future-tech awesomeness of Iron Man with strong character-driven stories that make for some fantastic reading. And, the artwork has been consistently great since issue #1. Larocca has managed to keep a consistent, timely pattern of work, and really brings the world of Iron Man to life very well in the series. Seriously, folks, I love this book, and if you’re not reading it yet. You need to give it a shot this Wednesday.

The Perfect Jumping On Point – This Wednesday’s issue #25 is the perfect spot to jump onto INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, and find out why this is one of the best monthly Marvel books on the stands. If you’ve ever been curious about following an Iron Man title, or heck, if you’re just a fan of good comics, then now is your chance to jump in without coming into the middle of a previously running story. Issue #25 start fresh with an awakened Tony Stark who’s empire is in financial ruin, and his memory is missing certain blocks and pieces of actions he’s done. In other words… that whole Civil War escapade? He’s still trying to figure all of that out. Now, he’s trying to rebuild both his own company, as well as his legacy as the Armored Avenger. And, at the other side of the table? Hammer Industries, and their answer to terrorist threats: Detroit Steel. A new corporation intent on building robotic bodyguards piloted by former military men to be sold off to private corporations to protect their financial interests.

Now, I’ve just finished reading the advance copy that we got of this, and I’ve gotta say… it’s probably one of the best issues of the run so far. And, I thought that the whole Stark Disassembled thing would be hard to top, but I was wrong. This is a great start, and a great entry point to the series, but beyond all that.. it’s just a damn good comic. There’s a fantastic two or three interplay between Thor and Stark that’s probably one of the strongest character-driven moments in a comic that I’ve seen in a long time, and I was extremely impressed with how that played out. I mean, such a powerful story moment, and it’s just conversation, just two characters talking.

As for how this issue serves as a jumping on point, it’s a fantastic area to come in fresh, and it reads well without any back-story on what’s been going on in the Iron Man title. There’s a couple of references here and there, but all in all, #25 serves as a great spot to come aboard.

The New Armor Revealed – The other big milestone about this issue is that it shows the debut of the latest, and greatest in the evolution of the Iron Man armor. When I first saw shots of the new armor a few months ago, I wasn’t totally sold on it, but seeing it in action, and watching how it’s incorporated into the character… it’s freakin’ awesome. There’s a very cool retro, almost ’80s-kinda feel to the new armor, but with a 21st century spin. It has a timeless feel to it, but also still comes off as cutting edge. And, with this being the armor that Marvel is deciding on going with for Iron Man from here on out, this makes issue #25 of Invincible Iron Man one of those milestone armor-changing issues. Much like the appearance of previous incarnations of the armor that stuck around in the past.

The Heroic Age is Here; What is the Heroic Age? – Ever since the start of SIEGE, Marvel has been throwing around references to an upcoming HEROIC AGE for their titles. And, in my opinion, nothing showcases the feel and direction of the HEROIC AGE better than INVINCIBLE IRON MAN.

What is the Heroic Age? Basically, SIEGE is closing the book on the last decade of stories running through the Marvel Universe. The Heroic Age is the start of a new book, a new journey, and a new direction for the Marvel Universe as a whole. The Heroic Age represents a bold, new era for the Marvel Universe’s greatest superheroes as they emerge from the darkness of things like CIVIL WAR and DARK REIGN with a renewed sense of hope and optimism. The last ten years have been a very long, and trying time for the Marvel Universe, and with the HEROIC AGE, it looks like we’ll be seeing a focus on the bigger-than-life, swashbuckling kind of stories that we’ve all come to love and enjoy in books like Fraction’s IRON MAN, Brubaker’s CAPTAIN AMERICA, Hickman’s SECRET WARRIORS, and most recently, Bendis’s SIEGE event. In other words, we’re going to see a renewed take on supervillains being supervillains, and the heroes being the heroes, while still maintaining the cutting edge 21st century storytelling that we’ve grown used to over the last decade.

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 could not be a more perfect title to usher in the HEROIC AGE. And, for those of you who may have missed it a couple weeks ago, check out the first issue of the new ongoing Black Widow series, as that also carries the HEROIC AGE banner, and was a fantastic read.

And, if you end up digging INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 – We know once you guys get a taste of the awesomeness that is Fraction and Larocca’s Iron Man run, you’re gonna wanna go back and read some of the earlier stuff. We currently have nearly all of the back issues of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN in stock, and are well-stocked on the entire STARK DISASSEMBLED story arc that began in INVINCIBLE IRON MAN 20 and ran through to INVINCIBLE IRON MAN 24. If you’d rather catch up with the trade paperbacks, we’ve also got the first three volumes of Fraction’s INVINCIBLE IRON MAN run available in trade paperback and hardcover.

Speaking of hardcovers, have you seen this killer INVINCIBLE IRON MAN HC?

For those of you looking to catch up in one fell swoop, take a peek at this killer oversized hardcover collection of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN 1-19, and it’s only $39.99. This beautiful slab of Iron Man awesomeness collects the first big chunk of the Fraction run, and for only $40, it’s a hell of a deal.

WIN A FREE THEATRICAL POSTER OF IRON MAN 2 WHEN YOU PURCHASE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 THIS WEDNESDAY
So, Marvel has hooked us up with a few of KILLER IRON MAN 2 posters, and while we only need one of these bad boys here in the store, we figured we’d do something cool with the others… we’re gonna give it away! We’ll be randomly inserting a winning slip into a three random copies of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 this Wednesday. When you get your copy home, and crack it open to read it, you’ll find out if you won the poster or not. Of course, we’re counting on whoever the winner is to make sure they give us a ring or an email to let us know they won it! We’ll be running this as a one-day promotion only on Wednesday, so make sure you snag your copy this week!

Click here for a preview of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 *RESILIENT CHAPTER ONE*

BRIGHTEST DAY SHINES IT’S LIGHT ONGREEN LANTERN CORPS #47 THIS WEDNESDAY!

We’re only a couple of books in, but so far, from what I’ve read in BRIGHTEST DAY #0, the first issue of The Flash, and most importantly, last week’s GREEN LANTERN #53… BRIGHTEST DAY is KICKING ASS! Last week’s GREEN LANTERN was probably one of the best issues of the series I’ve read, and dude, the cliffhanger at the end… DAMN! For all of you who may have thought things were going to tone down with BLACKEST NIGHT at it’s end, don’t jump off yet, ’cause last week’s Green Lantern was one of the best issues in the run so far.

And, this is why I really cannot wait for Green Lantern Corps #47 this week. We saw during the events of BLACKEST NIGHT how the Corps was affected. And, honestly, I really think that out of all the books that tied in with BLACKEST NIGHT, Green Lantern Corps really got a chance to shine. The book went from being to one I looked forward to on occasion to one of my favorite DC monthlies, and a lot of that is due to the dynamic that Tomasi was able to write into the book against the backdrop of BLACKEST NIGHT. Now, while I don’t want to drop any spoilers, I will say that after the last page of last week’s GREEN LANTERN, I’m really pumped to see how a certain Corps member is going to be acting in this issue. I’m also excited about seeing how the Corps picks up the pieces after the cataclysmic tragedies of BLACKEST NIGHT. The whos, and the hows of the survivors of BLACKEST NIGHT, and what the road ahead of the Corps looks like.

I have a feeling that out of many of the books that BRIGHTEST DAY is going to be affecting, Green Lantern Corps will be one of the most interesting, and dynamic in the changes that are to come. Just by judging from what we’ve seen so far, and the new attitudes of certain characters… it’s gonna be one hell of an interesting summer for the GL books.

Click here to read more about GREEN LANTERN CORPS #47 *BRIGHTEST DAY*
Click here for the official THIRD EYE BRIGHTEST DAY CHECKLIST

ROBERT KIRKMAN’S (writer of WALKING DEAD & HAUNT) KICKS OFF NEW STORY ARC FOR INVINCIBLE WITH INVINCIBLE #71! A GREAT JUMPING ON ARC FOR ONE OF THE BEST SUPERHERO BOOKS ON THE STANDS!

With all this talk of WALKING DEAD getting the TV series in the Fall, and all the hype that HAUNT’s been building, we feel that it’s about time that Kirkman’s incredible ongoing superhero saga INVINCIBLE gets some spotlight. This book is one of the most consistently well-written, well-illustrated reads on the stands. It’s hard to put into words all the things that we like about INVINCIBLE here at Third Eye, but, all we can say is it’s just… good.. You know how you watch a movie, and you can’t figure out why you’re so into it, you just are? Well, that’s INVINCIBLE. The way that Kirkman tackles traditional superhero concepts is so fresh, and so believable that it just keeps us coming back for more, and more. The characters that he’s built up over the course of the last 70-some odd issues have really taken on lives of their own. And, the twists and turns he’s dished out over the course of these 70 issues, well, lets just say they rival WALKING DEAD in how bad they punch ya in the gut.

This Wednesday, the biggest storyline to hit INVINCIBLE yet begins with INVINCIBLE #71. The Viltrumite War, which is a storyline that Kirkman has been building up to for quite some time kicks off, and we couldn’t be more stoked. Now, aside from the fact that we’re pumped about The Viltrumite War, we’re also pretty stoked to say that INVINCIBLE #71 provides a great opportunity for new readers to jump aboard. And, while INVINCIBLE is so damn good you’re gonna wanna go back and read all the trades that came previously, you can jump in with this week’s issue #71 and last month’s INVINCIBLE RETURNS #1 (still in stock here at Third Eye) to find out what all the fuss is about this incredible superhero book.

Give it a shot this week, INVINCIBLE carries the Third Eye seal of approval, big-time.

ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #1 DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY FROM MARK MILLAR (writer of NEMESIS, KICK-ASS, OLD MAN LOGAN) and LENIL FRANCIS YU (SECRET INVASION ARTIST)

The first run of Millar’s ULTIMATE AVENGERS this year with Pacheco on art was a solid read, and helped re-establish the world of the ULTIMATE AVENGERS, in a more proper way, after some missteps during ULTIMATES 3. However, while we thought Millar was on point, we could tell that the first round of ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS was definitely the set-up for something bigger, and after last week’s conclusion, and a chance to sit down and read the advance of ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2 #1… we think we were right. Hot damn, this one was a killer read.

The first issue of this limited series reads like a demon, it’s very good, very fast-paced, and has that frenetic energy and style that you’d expect from a Millar-written book. The artwork really shines, with Yu delivering some of his best stuff in a while, in my opinion. And, of course, as to be expected from the ULTIMATE universe, there’s plenty of fresh, and interesting new takes on the Marvel Universe.

So, what’s the actual story on the plot behind the new ULTIMATE AVENGERS storyline? Well, as we saw in the events of books like the first ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS, and NEW ULTIMATES, a schism has formed between Nick Fury and Captain America. Fury understands that there are jobs that need to be done at any cost, and Captain America, even though he may be as hard as nails in the Ultimate Universe, still cannot condone the shady nature of certain wetworks operations. And, this is where the split has come between Fury and Cap, and this is why we have NEW ULTIMATES and ULTIMATE AVENGERS. The NEW ULTIMATES kind of act as the bigger-than-life superhero replacements for the original Ultimates team, and feature a mix of the classic Ultimate Avengers with newer characters, whereas the ULTIMATE AVENGERS have shifted into more of Fury’s personal hush-hush covert ops team that’s willing to cut throats, snap necks, and complete the mission at any cost. In the first issue of this series, we’re introduced to the Ultimate version of the Punisher, who has evolved into one of the most ruthless murderers on the streets. The opening sequences give us a good look at this. From there, things take an interesting direction (and mind you, I’m trying to avoid dropping spoilers here) for both the future of The Punisher, and Fury’s team of Ultimates.

Bloody, brutal, and cutting-edge, I really dug the debut issue of ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #1, and I’m really looking forward to seeing where this one takes us. Leinil Yu’s art is incredible, and it really has us on the hook for more.

While we feel that it’s a pretty good jumping on point, we do still have the original run of ULTIMATE AVENGERS #1-6 well-stocked here at Third Eye for you to get caught up with.

Click here for a preview of ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #1

JIMMY PALMIOTTI and JUSTIN GRAY (JONAH HEX, BACK TO BROOKLYN) DELIVER THE ULTIMATE HORROR STORY ONE-SHOT THIS WEEK WITH RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE! PURE ’80s SLASHER-INSPIRED (FREDDY, JASON, YA KNOW THE DRILL) FUN!
“THE HANGOVER” meets “SILENCE OF THE LAMBS”

Here’s a cool one-shot that we’re pretty stoked to read this week. The writing team of JIMMY PALMIOTTI and JUSTIN GRAY is one of the most underrated duos working in comics today, and they prove month after month how damn good they are with their work on the sleeper DC hit, JONAH HEX. See, Gray and Palmiotti have a real knack for cool done-in-one storytelling, and this is why we were pretty pumped to hear about them doing this splatterpunk one-shot.

RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE is a true tribute to the old days of horror comics when they were grimy, violent, and subversive things. It features a “slasher” inspired by the likes of Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers. The story focuses on a horror character created by a duo of comics writers who inspires a real-life serial killer in the style of their creation. The way that co-writer Gray describes it as “THE HANGOVER” meets “SILENCE OF THE LAMBS.” A weird fusion of different genres that takes on one of society’s biggest fears: that video games, comics, music and movies will create some sort of Frankenstein’s monster.

I’m looking over the preview pages, and it looks pretty badass so far. A bit of sharp humor, mixed with a true, old school splatterpunk horror comic, and it’s definitely violent as hell. It’s a clever story wrapped up in the genre cliches of ’80s slasher flicks, and we highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good horror comic, or is a fan of all those old school slasher movies.

Click here to read an interview with Palmiotti and Gray about RANDOM ACTS OF VIOLENCE

IT’S SIEGE MADNESS THIS WEDNESDAY AS THIRD EYE AS WE NEAR THE CONCLUSION OF MARVEL’S BIGGEST EVENT IN YEARS! THE STORY CONTINUES THIS WEEK IN THOR #609, THUNDERBOLTS #143, NEW AVENGERS #64, MIGHTY AVENGERS #36, and MORE!

It’s a big week for SIEGE as several key tie ins to Marvel’s biggest storyline in quite some time lead up to the final issue of SIEGE (due out very soon). After the crazy events of SIEGE #3 where we saw Asgard reduced to rubble, and the true nature of The Sentry was revealed, we’ve all been dying to see where things are going next. And, this week, Marvel dishes out some crucial tie-ins that help fill the gap in between SIEGE #3 and SIEGE #4. And, folks, I gotta tell ya, I’ve been really impressed with the level of quality that the SIEGE tie-ins have carried. Each one of these has really felt important to the grand scheme of the storyline, and felt like they’ve had a purpose. It’s often seen in big events like this where the tie-ins don’t really live up to the quality of the marquee book, but, with SIEGE, I’ve been pretty happy with most of the tie-ins.

First off, this week, we’ve got NEW AVENGERS #64which concludes the SIEGE arc running through NEW AVENGERS. I read the advance of this, and it’s probably my favorite issue of the SIEGE tie-ins for NEW AVENGERS so far. The story is taking place right around the same time as the Asgard-crumbling events, and it really shows an very crucial angle on some key Marvel characters that doesn’t get shown in the pages of SIEGE #3. I don’t want to drop any spoilers, but this one is a great read, and long-time NEW AVENGERS fans will especially get a kick out of where the story is heading.

One of my favorite tie-ins to SIEGE has been THOR. The first SIEGE tie-in that took place in THOR #607 was a HUGE issue in regards to the Marvel U, and kind of following up on the past events of CIVIL WAR, and their ramifications. The fact that the creative team of Kieron Gillen and Billy Tan have been dishing out some of the best damn Thor stuff we’ve seen since, well, since JMS left.. which I guess means there hasn’t been a big gap in quality Thor runs, but still, they’ve been doing a fantastic job.

And now this week in THOR #609, things are really getting crazy as we witness the forces of HAMMER raiding the Asgardians amidst the destruction of Asgard. Loki and Balder finally going head to head, and in the midst of this Thor is on a one way mission against an opponent that could rock him and Asgard to their very core: Ragnarok, AKA, the Thor clone that debuted way back in CIVIL WAR.

And, rounding out the series of one-shots that’ve been hitting us throughout April fleshing out the details of SIEGE, we’ve got the SIEGE: SECRET WARRIORS one-shot from Jonathan Hickman. Now, nevermind the fact that I’m a total fan for SECRET WARRIORS, which is one of my favorite ongoing Marvel books out, but after reading SIEGE: SECRET WARRIORS, I think this may be my favorite of the SIEGE one-shots. I mean, the fact that we’re finally seeing some development in regards to how Phobos (the son of Ares) is dealing with the events of SIEGE #2 is pretty damn cool. This issue was action-packed as hell, and Phobos shows just how big of a badass he can be. Plus, we get some very cool insight into just what Fury’s plans are in regards to the events of SIEGE.

The conclusion to the SIEGE tie-in to MIGHTY AVENGERS continues in this week’s MIGHTY AVENGERS #36 as we see Hank Pym and Jocasta going head to head all by their lonesome against the killer android, ULTRON. Meanwhile, the rest of the Mighty Avengers are left to fight on the frontlines of SIEGE. This one fits in right near the end of SIEGE #3.

One of the quirkiest books in the Marvel roster, Thunderbolts has seen the shady characters who’re enlisted in the Thunderbolts going head to head with the Mighty Avengers. Now, as we’re getting closer to the conclusion of SIEGE with THUNDERBOLTS #143, it looks like everything that’s been set in motion by Osborn is coming to an explosive resolution. This one is the end of an era for the Thunderbolts, and sets the stage for the new direction and new line-up of the team coming out of SIEGE.

Click here for the official THIRD EYE SIEGE CHECKLIST

IRON MAN 2 PUBLIC IDENTITY #1 - THIS 3-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES BRIDGES THE GAP BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND IRON MAN FILMS! A NEW TALE OFFICIALLY IN CONTINUITY WITH THE STORY OF THE MOVIES!

You know, the rule of thumb on movie tie-in comics is that they SUCK. And, I’ve found this to be the case 98% of the time. However, this IRON MAN 2: PUBLIC IDENTITY mini-series actually looks pretty badass. The fact that it’s got a creative team I’m familiar with (Barry Kitson’s art is still some of my favorite, wish the dude did more stuff these days) is a plus, and the concept is actually pretty cool.

Basically, Public Identity is a limited series that fleshes out the events that happened between the end of IRON MAN, and the beginning of IRON MAN 2. Since the sequel to IRON MAN takes place months after Stark’s epic announcement of him being Iron Man, there were quite a few things that happened in the life of Stark and Iron Man between that and this.

So, you could basically say that IRON MAN PUBLIC IDENTITY is IRON MAN 1.5 as it kind of sets us up nicely for what’s to come in IRON MAN 2.

Click here for a preview of IRON MAN 2: PUBLIC IDENTITY #1

INCORRUPTIBLE #5 – ONE OF OUR FAVORITE NEW SERIES CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY, AS THE ORIGIN OF MAX DARING’S SIDEKICK, JAILBAIT,  IS REVEALED!

The universe that Mark Waid has been building with his two unique looks at the superhero deconstruction genre, INCORRUPTIBLE and IRREDEEMABLE have had us so hooked it’s not even funny. Both of these series have provided some of the most intriguing, and compelling looks at the world of superheroes that we’ve read in quite some time, and have continued to quickly build their reputation as being solid, consistent monthly reads. This week, we’re getting the 5th issue of INCORRUPTIBLE, which reveals the origin of Jailbait, and just what her true nature is.

Not reading INCORRUPTIBLE? Well, here’s why you should be… while Waid is doing a fantastic job of taking the whole “Superman gone Evil” thing in new and exciting directions, it’s INCORRUPTIBLE where we’re really seeing a lot of new ground being tread. Nobody does the Superman Gone Evil thing as good as Waid has been in IRREDEEMABLE, there’s no doubt about that, but nobody hardly touches on what happens when the big bad evil supervillain tries to go right.. at all. And, this is why INCORRUPTIBLE has become such a big deal for us to look forward to.

Here’s some back-story.. in the world of IRREDEEMABLE and INCORRUPTIBLE, the world’s most powerful superhero, The Plutonian (think your classic Superman-esque figure here) goes mad and turns on the world he once protected. In the rain of fire and death the Plutonian has unleashed, big-time super-villain bad guy (picture a mix of Batman’s TWO-FACE, and Spider-man’s SANDMAN), Max Danger, realizes that someone needs to step up. He sees this as his opportunity for redemption, and begins his path to set the world right, and what appears to be, protect it from the Plutonian. Of course, the most interesting thing about INCORRUPTIBLE, is much like with IRREDEEMABLE, where elements that’re familiar to us as comic readers are turned on their heads, or further explored by Waid as he toys with the dynamics of his world. Watching Max Danger try to do the right thing, but making all the wrong moves to do it, is fascinating, and adds a very compelling aspect to the world.

Ontop of all this, the world that Waid is building between INCORRUPTIBLE and IRREDEEMABLE is probably one of the most exciting, new superhero universes we’ve seen come to be. It all comes together in a very natural, non-forced way, where the characters, major and minor, see development through the course of the story.

If you want some good, cutting edge comic awesomeness, we couldn’t recommend INCORRUPTIBLE or IRREDEEMABLE enough.

Wanna get caught up? We’ve currently got issues 1,2,3, and 4 of INCORRUPTIBLE in stock for you to get caught up with, and as for IRREDEEMABLE, we have both volumes 1 and 2 of the trade paperbacks, as well as the issues you’d need to catch up following volume 2. Give these series a try if you’re looking for a really fresh take on the world of superhumans.

Click here for a preview of INCORRUPTIBLE #5

EIGHTBALL & GHOST WORLD CREATOR DAN CLOWES DEBUTS BRAND NEW GRAPHIC NOVEL THIS WEDNESDAY!

Oh man, first we got that killer Peter Bagge HATE ANNUAL #8 a couple weeks ago, and now we’re getting a new DAN CLOWES graphic novel? Heck, all we need to finish out this trilogy of “Send Steve Down Nostalgia Lane” awesomeness is a new issue of Evan Dorkin’s DORK. Seriously though, we are so pumped to see a new Dan Clowes book. I’ll spare you a repeat of my ramblings from when HATE came out a couple weeks ago, but, the work of Clowes, Bagge, Dorkin, and others were really some of my stand-out favorite comics of the ’90s when I was growing up. There was a really weird, and wild subversiveness to their stuff that was the perfect thing for a teenager into comics and punk rock. And, maybe it’s the fact that it’s so rare that we see new work from Clowes that I’m even more excited about this, but, nothing captures the spirit of indie comics like his work on EIGHTBALL, and so on.

Anyways, this Wednesday, Clowes will be unleashing a new graphic novel, WILSON, which is being billed as Clowes’s first original graphic novel. Meaning that none of this has been serialized in issues of EIGHTBALL before. Wilson is a completely new story, which focuses on a bitter, lonely man named Wilson. This graphic novel takes us in and out of Wilson’s life through stand-alone vignettes that contain gags that stick in your throat, instead of going down easy. The whole thing combined with Clowes’s trademark style of artwork fuses together to give us a story that follows one lonely man’s existence and his desire to pull himself out of the repetitions of hostility and failure. In other words, Clowes is giving us a slab of misanthropic misery that’s just as brilliant as all of his other work.

This one’s highly recommended for anyone who’s into indie comics, and I really can’t express how excited I am about it. Part of that might be the nostalgia of being a snot-nosed kid finding Eightball hidden on a comic rack somewhere, and reading it like 15 times in the back of my parent’s car on the way to Ocean City, but, seriously, Clowes does some fantastic work, and if you haven’t been turned onto his stuff yet, then give him a shot.

Other Dan Clowes stuff we recommend:

• Ghost World – The most famous, this is the story they based the movie off of.
• Like A Velvet Glove Cast in Iron – A creepy look at aliens, satanists, and the weirdness that dwells beneath the surface of everyday people’s lives.
• 20th Century Eightball – A collection of Clowes’s one-or-two page gags, and strips.
• Caricature – The bittersweet story of a caricature artist.

And, of course, there’s a ton more out there too, but those are just a few off th top of my head that I’d recommend checking out here at Third Eye. And, rest assured you can find ALL of Clowes’s stuff on our shelves here, ’cause dammit, it’s good comics! :)

FILM-MAKER KEVIN SMITH’S GREEN HORNET #3 CONTINUES THE HIT REVIVAL OF THE CLASSIC PULP HERO! SOMEONE WILL DIE THIS WEDNESDAY, BUT WHO WILL IT BE?!

The revival of the Green Hornet has been a very pleasant surprise, and this Wednesday, we get the third installment in the headlining title of that revival with KEVIN SMITH’S GREEN HORNET. The director of Clerks, Mallrats, and more has really been breathing new life into the world of the Green Hornet, and we’ve been digging it so far. It’s a fun series with a true blockbuster popcorn movie kinda feel to it. He’s done a great job of adding a new dynamic to the Green Hornet, and so far, judging by the first two issues, we’re pretty stoked about the direction the series is going. The dialogue is sharp, as to be expected from Smith, but you can definitely tell this one is his style of writing, even right down to the action sequences.

And, now, this Wednesday, the big buzz is which Green Hornet character is going to bite it. While Dynamite has released a series of teaser images (like the one above), they’re being pretty tight-lipped with who it is that’s gonna bite it, and have given us several images teasing just who might be the one to bite the dust.

If you’ve missed out on checking out Green Hornet, don’t even sweat it, because we have plenty of the first two issues in stock to get you caught up. Check it out this Wednesday!

FLASH REBIRTH HARDCOVER ARRIVES THIS WEEK COLLECTING THE LIMITED SERIES THAT BROUGHT BARRY ALLEN BACK, AND LEADS DIRECTLY INTO THE HIT NEW ONGOING FLASH SERIES! FROM THE CREATIVE TEAM THAT BROUGHT YOU GREEN LANTERN REBIRTH!

The creative team that made Hal Jordan cool again with GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH has done the same thing again with their recent FLASH: REBIRTH limited series. And, now, this Wednesday, you can grab the entire thing in it’s entirety to find out just how good of a job they did. Let me put it like this, I’ve never been a major Barry Allen fan, and after reading Rebirth, he’s become a favorite. Just like he did with Hal Jordan, Johns has been able to take the silver age sensibilities of Barry, and meld them with the 21st century style of comic storytelling that makes characters so compelling. And, it’s not just the characterization that’s so good, but also the whole world of the Flash that Johns has managed to rebuild and flesh out over the span of this six issue mini-series.

I’ll go on record as saying that the Flash #1 (from the new ongoing series by Johns) was probably my favorite book I read that week, maybe only being beat out by Brightest Day #0 (only ’cause I’m a sucker for Deadman, and Maxwell Lord). And, having set down and read FLASH REBIRTH 1-6 in it’s entirety once the series has ended, I have a much better understanding and appreciation for where Johns is headed with the new Flash series.

So, if you’ve been waiting for The Flash to get good again, wait no longer, jump on with Flash Rebirth, and then check out the brand new ongoing series that’s totally kick-ass.

Click here to read more about FLASH REBIRTH

THE SECOND COMING CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY IN X-FORCE #26 *X-MEN SECOND COMING PT 5* – FIND OUT WHY THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST DAMN X-MEN STORYLINES IN A VERY LONG TIME!

AND TRUST US, FOLKS, THIS ONE’S GOT A HUGE SURPRISE!

You know, I was wondering just how well they could keep the momentum going after that incredible opening chapter of SECOND COMING in the X-MEN SECOND COMING one-shot, but, here we are, five chapters in, and dude, I’m hooked. It’s great. They’ve totally brought back the excitement and buzz I used to feel for the X-Men universe back when I was in middle school. It’s just a big, crazy storyline that’s focusing on the characters we actually give a damn about, and it feels like it’s leading up to even cooler things.

This week, the 5th chapter of X-MEN SECOND COMING takes place in X-FORCE #26, and I’m pretty pumped. The artwork on X-FORCE is always top notch, whether it’s Choi or Crain, it’s always gorgeous, and getting to see Nightcrawler, Cyclops, and company being done by Choi is pretty killer. Also, after the events of X-MEN LEGACY last week, it’s pretty damn cool to see Rogue as an interesting character again. Another stnad-out about the SECOND COMING has been the bad guys. It’s been a while since we’ve seen X-Villains that were this cool, and the whole concept of Bastion, Cameron Hodge, Trask and others using their Human League to hunt down Hope is pretty interesting. Best part about it? The bad guys actually do something here. There’s a ton of action that’s running through this storyline, and it’s not the anti-climatic letdown that a lot of past recent X-Storylines have been.

As for this week’s chapter, the less I say the better, as there’s not a lot that can be said without dropping spoilers. All I can say is that this one has one hell of a surprise, and definitely shows that no one is safe during the events of SECOND COMING.

For those of you who haven’t yet hopped aboard with SECOND COMING, we’ve currently got all the chapters in stock that you need to get caught up.
You can click here to check out the SECOND COMING checklist, and get caught up on what you need.
Click here for a preview of X-FORCE #26 *X-MEN SECOND COMING PT 5*

STUFF OF LEGEND ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY IN TRADE PAPERBACK! ONE OF THE THIRD EYE FAVORITES OF 2009, THIS SERIES DELIVERS A VISCERAL, TRIPPY “SAVING PRIVATE RYAN” meets “TOY STORY” BY WAY OF GUIELERMO DEL TORO KIND OF EXPERIENCE! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Here’s one that was a HUGE favorite around the store last year. This little indie gem came out of nowhere, and it took everybody by storm. Everything from the writing to the amazing artwork to the overall presentation and format of the book was top notch, and Stuff of Legend really built a following amongst the Third Eye Faithful here.

So, what is STUFF OF LEGEND? The way that I often describe it in terms of style and content is a cross between the gritty, dark violent turmoil of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN and then a kind of surreal, creepy take on TOY STORY… if it was directed by Guilermo Del Toro. Seriously though, it’s a very cool story, basically a young boy during WW 2 is kidnapped by the boogeyman, and his toys come to life to crossover into the Boogeyman’s realm to rescue him. And, when they do crossover, they become much more intimidating versions of themselves. In other words, the cuddly Teddy Bear becomes a giant rip-your-head-off grizzly bear, and the Jack-In-The-Box shows his meanstreak. The book is a fantastic story in it’s simplicity of dealing with toys come to life and the boogeyman, but there are themes much more complex at play such as love, loyalties, betrayal, war, and death. The story takes a very dark turn at the end of the first chapter, especially.

And, the artwork is fantastic. The artwork, with it’s sepia-tone style of coloring, really pulls you in, and makes you feel like you’re THERE in the story. It fits the nature, and the mood of the story completely, and really makes the book stand out.

The next arc of STUFF OF LEGEND is due out this summer, but in the mean-time, the fine folks at Th3rd World have put together this fantastic trade paperback collection. Make sure you snag a copy this week, and find out why nearly everyone at the shop is raving about STUFF OF LEGEND.

THE WAKING #3 CONTINUES “WONDERLAND” CREATOR RAVEN GREGORY’S TWISTED, AND KILLER NEW HORROR SERIES!

Zenescope has really hit it spot on with their newest series, THE WAKING, from “Return to Wonderland” writer RAVEN GREGORY. This killer series takes a traditional gothic horror ghost story and mixes it with the detective noir genre for some fantastic results. See, in the world of THE WAKING, murder victims are rising from their graves and looking to dish out grisly revenge on their killers, in true E.C Comics grandiose fashion.

And, the detectives who’re investigating these murders are dealing with the moral dilemma of whether they should dig deeper into the murders that could be seen as justice. The second issue really kept the dread that the first issue had going for it building, and that’s where the zombies, and buckets of blood came into play.

Now, this Wednesday, the third issue of THE WAKING hits, and we can’t wait to read more. Gregory and Drujiniu are really delivering an atmospheric, mentally and visually creepy horror story that you just don’t see that much anymore. Sure, it’s bloody, and sure it’s violent, but there’s definitely a concerted effort to really deliver an atmosphere of dread, and creepiness. It actually has a slight E.C horror comics feel to it, but, without as much humor.

If you missed issue #1, or issue #2, we’ve still got limited quantities of both to get you caught up. So, check ‘em out this Wednesday!

Click here to check out a video trailer for THE WAKING

STAFF PICKS

Steve -  AMERICAN VAMPIRE #2 = Dude, the second issue of this new VERTIGO series totally blew me away. The whole take on how the biology of vampires work, and the development of the Pearl character was fantastic. This series could be to vampires, what Walking Dead was to zombies. Awesome stuff.

Trish – CROSSED FAMILY VALUES #1 = You know, I thought Garth Ennis couldn’t push the envelope any further than he did, but then David Lapham comes along and rips the envelope to shreds with the new CROSSED series. Read it, and when you see the ending.. you’ll know what I mean.

Torma – GREEN LANTERN #53 *BRIGHTEST DAY* = One of the best issues of Green Lantern I’ve read, and that’s saying a lot. The way the relationship between the New Guardians is touched on, as well as the cliffhanger at the end were great.

Matt – JOE THE BARBARIAN #4 = Morrison continues to increase the epic feel of this new Vertigo limited series. Each issue gives this one a modern day Lord of the Rings-kinda feel, and I’m really loving it. Very cool fantasy storytelling that you don’t see done this well often.