Posts Tagged ‘ignition city’

KICK-ASS HARDCOVER by MARK MILLAR (OLD MAN LOGAN) & JOHN ROMITA JR ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY! THE MUST-READ SERIES OF THE LAST TWO YEARS! READ IT BEFORE YOU SEE THE MOVIE!

YOU. MUST. READ. KICK. ASS!!! One of the most widely anticipated releases hitting the Third Eye racks this Wednesday is the KICK-ASS hardcover. Why? Cause this whole series friggin’ smoked from start to finish. It took a while to finish, but heck, that ending was worth it. Millar was in true form here, delivering some vile yet humorous dialogue, some horribly gory action, and some of the most clever comics storywriting we’ve seen. And, who can forget John Romita JR’s part in all this? His skill as a storyteller shined through here so well, that you got lost in every issue of KICK-ASS you read. Every broken bone, every knife in the gut, every bullet in the face… he makes the violence hammer you over the head, in a quick, machine-gun fire burst.

And, soon, in just a matter of months, you will be able to see KICK-ASS on the big screen, as this film went straight from the pages of the comic to the movie theater. So, now, before we just keep rambling on and on about why we think this series is so damn good, lets tell you WHAT it’s about, and WHY it’s good.

WHAT IS KICK-ASS? KICK-ASS is a story about a teenage comic book fan named Dave Lizewski. Disenfranchised with his everyday ordinary life, Dave decides to take his love of comic books to the next level, and embark on becoming a vigilante. And, from there, everything goes horribly wrong. Right from the start, he purchases a wetsuit from eBay, to fashion into his costume. His first night out, he tries to stop some teenagers from spraypainting a wall, and ends up getting brutally beat and hospitalized. Broken ribs, broken collar bone, he’s a mess.

Six months to a year later, and Dave is out of the hospital. He swears he’s done with the superhero game, and burns all of his comics, tossing out all of his “secret plans”, and more. And, then, weeks later, he feels that itch.. to go out, and try again. And, this time, things work out where he ends up an internet viral sensation known as KICK-ASS.

And from there, the story begins, carrying us into a world where REAL people disenfranchised with the way things are, have decided to put on costumes, and try to change it. The thing that makes this interesting though is most of the people acting as superheroes are psychologically damaged in some way. Whether it be the relationship between Hit-Girl and Big Daddy (which you learn more about in the later issues of the series), or the motivation of the Red Mist… it’s a world of people desperately trying to escape their day-to-day through the guise of “fighting the good fight.” Of course, a real, flesh and blood gangster gets involved in the picture, and that’s when the world of superhero role-play quickly turns into a bloody war across the city streets.

WHY WE LOVE KICK-ASS? The series is sharp as hell. The characterization of everyone from the main character, Dave Lizewski, to the psychotic Hit-Girl, is dead on. Each character’s dialogue is so believable for them, and their background, that it really helps to pull you into the story. And, the pacing, the pacing is perfect. The story never feels like it’s dragging, but at the same time, you’re given brief moments where the backgrounds of these characters you may have just met are explored and fleshed out.

And, of course, the pop culture references and the insane amount of violence. What can we say, folks? We love our ultraviolence here at Third Eye, and KICK-ASS has it every which way. Plus, being the big pop culturally obsessed kinda folks we are, Millar’s use of comic book and T.V references in the dialogue, and even some of the storytelling of the book is most appreciated.

At it’s heart, KICK-ASS is a modern-day everyman superhero story, that serves as a nice 21st Century spiritual successor to the classic Stan Lee/Steve Ditko Spider-man stuff. I know, I know, you’re like “Steve, how the hell do you connect those two?” Well, to me, both are stories about guys who do find themselves wielding a responsibility, even though it gets them their asses handed to them. And, both also tend to put on that suit just as much for the self-gratifying escapist need, as they do the need to “do the right thing.” Both are characters that could be anybody, and are written that way too.

I HEARD THERE’S A KICK-ASS MOVIE? Ontop of all of the above mentioned factoids, there is a KICK-ASS movie hitting this Spring, and it looks… well, KICK-ASS. The trailers for it look INSANE. And, Nick Cage actually looks like he’s got a good role for him, for once! At first we were skeptical about how the book would translate to film, but, after seeing the red-band trailer… we’re convinced it’s going to rock.

OKAY, OKAY.. I WANT IT! We’ll have plenty of the hardcover in stock this Wednesday, packs the eight issue series into one giant slab of awesomeness for only $24.99. This one is going to be a popular one this week, so if you’re really set on getting one, make sure you get in here this week, or drop us a line about holding you a copy.

Click here to read more about KICK-ASS on the KICK-ASS wiki page.

Click here to see a trailer for the KICK-ASS movie.

BLACKEST NIGHT: GREEN LANTERN #51 & GREEN LANTERN CORPS #45 DELIVER A DOUBLE-DOSE OF BLACKEST NIGHT AWESOMENESS THIS WEDNESDAY!

It’s funny, but the quality and importance of the GREEN LANTERN title in the big scheme of BLACKEST NIGHT has become so important that I look forward to it almost as much as I do the core BLACKEST NIGHT series. Each issue of GREEN LANTERN fills in the gaps between BLACKEST NIGHT issues very nicely, and nothing proved that more than GREEN LANTERN #50 from a few weeks ago. If you’re only reading the core BLACKEST NIGHT title, and skipping GREEN LANTERN, you’re seriously missing out on a lot of cool stuff that Geoff Johns and Doug Mahnke have been expanding on in the core series.

Anyways, last month’s issue of GL, issue #50 (still in stock here at Third Eye, in case you missed it!) picked up directly after the last page of BLACKEST NIGHT #6, with the deputized Lanterns throwing a beat-down on the Black Lantern. And, not only did we get to see Orange Lantern Luthor, Yellow Lantern Scarecrow, Star Sapphire Wonder Woman, and more, go to town, but we also got to witness the likes of Sinestro, Atrocitus, St. Walker, and more prepare to go to battle with the Black Lantern Spectre.

Of course, the Spectre being the embodiment of God’s wrath, and all that made things a little tough… and that’s where things really got interesting, with Hal Jordan re-inventing the Parallax entity back into his being, to reunite to take down the Spectre.

And, now, here we are GREEN LANTERN #51, and the question everyone has on the top of their mind is: How will they take down  the Spectre, but more importantly, what’s going to happen to Hal and this Parallax thing when all is said and done? I guess this is what we’ll find out this week in GREEN LANTERN #51.

Meanwhile in the pages of GREEN LANTERN CORPS, we’ve been seeing Guy Gardner as a RED LANTERN. And, what former Green Lantern would be more fitting to represent the Rage than the infamous hothead, Guy Gardner. Ever since the finale of GREEN LANTERN CORPS #42, Guy has officially flipped his lid. And, c’mon… the Red Lanterns are just plain cool. From the looks of the cover for this week’s GREEN LANTERN CORPS #45, it looks like Guy is going to be going head to head with his former comrades in the Green Lantern Corp as they try to bring him back from the dark side of the Red Lanterns.

BLACKEST NIGHT: BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH #3WRAPS UP GEOFF JOHN’S AWESOME INCLUSION OF THE FLASH AND HIS ROGUES INTO BLACKEST NIGHT!

If there’s one character besides Green Lantern that you can tell Geoff Johns (Blackest Night mastermind) was born to write it’s The Flash. In fact, before Johns relaunched the world of Green Lantern and brought it back to the top of everyone’s mind, he was belting out some killer Flash yarns on the regular ongoing series. It’s actually kind of funny, because in the late ’90s, The Flash had kind of registered on my radar as being a book that always tended to have a very strong creative team onboard, from Mark Waid’s run (which got me into the Flash) to those killer Morrison/Millar issues, but it was Geoff Johns who really helped me appreciate, understand, and feel a connection to the Flash, his supporting cast, and his villains.

And, this is why I feel that the Blackest Night Flash has shined as one of the better Blackest Night-related limited series. Johns has a real love for the character, and you can really feel how he manages to connect both FLASH: REBIRTH and BLACKEST NIGHT to the world of Flash. Johns is doing a fantastic job of tying the events of BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH with FLASH REBIRTH, in regards to Reverse Flash, and of course, his Black Lantern counterpart.

But, the best thing about the Blackest Night Flash so far has been the return of Johns’s focus on the Flash Rogues. These characters have always been some of my favorite in his Flash works, and they are really shining in this limited series. It’s pretty awesome to see Captain Cold and crew taking down the Black Lantern Rogues, not only because the Black Lantern Rogues are out to get them, but because they feel a responsibility to put them to rest.

Scott Kolins, who has worked with Johns before on some of his earlier Flash stuff, in addition to last year’s FINAL CRISIS ROGUES REVENGE, brings his trademark, hyper-kinetic artstyle to the book, and that just compliments the high energy tone of this mini.

Folks, if you’re a Flash fan, or just plain ol’ digging Blackest Night, and you’ve yet to try BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH, I can’t recommend it enough. We currently have plenty of issues 1, and 2 in stock, and issue #3 will be in this week.

From the looks of BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH #3, we’re going to possibly see some Nekron action going on here. And, I wonder if this will maybe touch on Barry’s transformation into a deputy BLUE LANTERN.

Click here to read more about BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH #3

BLACKEST NIGHT SERIES 3 ACTION FIGURES THIS WEDNESDAY! YOU KNOW YOU WANT YOUR LARFLEEZE! MINEMINEMINE

This Wednesday, the next fearsome foursome of Blackest Night action figures arrive from DC DIRECT! So far, we’ve been so impressed with the quality of the sculpts on the Blackest Night stuff, and this next wave looks just as killer as the previous two. This week, we’ve got LARFLEEZE, THE ORANGE LANTERN! BLACK LANTERN AQUAMAN! STAR SAPPHIRE! and ARISIA!

If you’re stoked on these, and want us to reserve you any of them, then feel free to drop us a line!

DARK AVENGERS #14 – THE SIEGE CONTINUES AS NORMAN OSBORN NEGOTIATES WITH THE SENTRY’S DARK SIDE!

Okay, Marvel has really knocked things up quite a few notches with their SIEGE event. So far, this has probably been the best event that they have done since CIVIL WAR, and is definitely living up to the hype they’ve given it. Surprisingly, the tie-in issues have all been very solid so far, but the best of the bunch thus far, was DARK AVENGERS #13 which revealed the origins and true nature of the Sentry.

Now, the Sentry has always been a character I’ve really disliked. I just couldn’t get into him, or the concept of his backstory. The REAL origin that they revealed in DARK AVENGERS #13 completely changed my opinion of the Sentry, and I feel that he has truly found his place now in the Marvel Universe as a top tier heavy-hitting bad guy.

Continuing the story of the Dark Avengers in regards to SIEGE, DARK AVENGERS #14 arrives this week and picks up right where DARK AVENGERS #14 left off. The way that it reads, it looks like it takes place directly before SIEGE #2, and it really is a good follow-up issue to the strong origin issue of the Sentry. I don’t want to give too much away, but this issue explores the Sentry’s new embracing of his dark side, and his complete submission to the Void side of his personality. And, of course, how Osborn deals with it. We also see how Osborn is slowly losing his own grip on his sanity, and is put into check by Victoria Hand.

Without giving away too much, this sets up what you already saw in regards to the Sentry’s actions in SIEGE #2, perfectly. It’s a very action-packed issue, that has some very cool character growth for Osborn, as well as an interesting look at what The Sentry’s goal is now that he has embraced his dark side.

Click here for a preview of DARK AVENGERS #14

Click here for the official Third Eye SIEGE Checklist

THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: DEVIL #1 – LEGENDARY ANIME/MANGA STUDIO MADHOUSE (TRIGUN, NINJA SCROLL, ect) DELIVER THEIR FIRST AMERICAN-STYLE COMIC WORK! SCI-FI VAMPIRE CRAZINESS!

Here’s one that caught my eye while doing the Previews orders last month. DEVIL is a brand new Dark Horse limited series where the powerhouse anime/manga studio behind NINJA SCROLL, and TRIGUN, are bringing their incredible and unique artwork to the world of American comics. Please note, this is not a manga, but a Western-style comic being illustrated by some of the most talented animators and artists from Japan. Of course, the killer artwork is what got my eye, but, then I read about the concept of the story, and this one sounds pretty damn killer. Let me tell you some more about it.

A virus has been unleashed on the planet, and is spreading quickly. It turns ordinary people into superhumans with a thirst for blood called “Devils”, while most of them “burn out” and die within days, or weeks, there’s a new strain that allows the “Devils” to survive. And, this poses as a threat to mankind, with them being replaced on the food chain by this new predatory breed of human.

The only ones left to stand in the way of humanity going the way of the dinosaur are a couple of detectives from the Tokyo Police department.

From what I’ve seen in preview pages, this one has some gorgeous art, and looks like a very cool cyber-punk-esque horror tale.

Click here to read a preview of DEVIL #1

INCORRUPTIBLE #3 - BOOMS! RED HOT IRREDEEMABLE SPIN OFF CONTINUES TO ASK THE QUESTION: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE BAD GUY GOES GOOD?

One of the best new ones to come out here in 2010 has been Mark Waid’s companion book to IRREDEEMABLE, INCORRUPTIBLE. What’s awesome about this is that whether you’re reading IRREDEEMABLE or not, the book is still accessible, and easy to follow, so you really need no prior knowledge of the world of the Plutonian (Irredeemable) to enjoy it.

However, if you are reading Irredeemable, then you’re like me, and REALLY digging INCORRUPTIBLE. The world that Waid is building here is so compelling, and is turning into one of the best superhero universes I’ve seen. This story runs parallel to the events of IRREDEEMABLE, where one of The Plutonian’s arch-enemies, in the wake of the Plutonian’s turk to the dark side, has had a revelation that he needs to step up, and change his path of criminal behavior. Basically, it’s the flip side of IRREDEEMABLE.. what happens when the bad guy goes good?

And, so far, two issues in, it’s been great. Just as interesting, and compelling as Irredeemable, if not moreso. The characterization of the main character, Max Danger (formerly Max Damage) is dead on, and the somewhat creepy former relationship to his sidekick is slightly disturbing. The motivation of Max is very cool, and the way Waid is writing him so that he’s applying the same kind of thinking he’s lived with his entire life, but applying it to the flip side of what he’s always done.

It’s really an interesting take on the world of superheroes, and one that hasn’t been explored fully before. We’ve seen the hero fall, but it’s rare that we see the path to redemption being traveled by the bad guy. And, Max Danger was a very, very bad man, as we find out through glimpses at his past in Incorruptible.

Both IRREDEEMABLE, and INCORRUPTIBLE practically hum with fresh, post-modern superhero energy that manages to take the standard foundations of classic superhero storytelling and infuse it with a fresh breath of air.

We currently have both INCORRUPTIBLE #1, and #2 well-stocked here at Third Eye, in case you haven’t hopped onto the series yet, so if you need to catch up, we got you covered.

Click here for a preview of INCORRUPTIBLE #3

WHAT IS IRREDEEMABLE? You’re probably wondering after seeing the references to IRREDEEMABLE above just what the heck IRREDEEMABLE is. Well, for those of you who haven’t yet stepped foot into the exciting new superhero universe Waid’s been building, here’s the rundown.

Irredeemable is the story of the Plutonian, who is basically the equivalent of Superman in this world. Essentially, it’s WHAT IF SUPERMAN WENT EVIL? The series kicks off with the Plutonian hunting down and murdering his former team-mates (Imagine Superman systematically exterminating members of the Justice League, and their family one-by-one, and that’s pretty much the feel here), and the first story arc culminates in the Plutonian sinking Singapore just to prove a point! Much like INCORRUPTIBLE, the characterization of the Plutonian and his supporting cast is fascinating, and we learn more and more about the why of him snapping and turning to the dark side through well-placed flashbacks to past events. We see a man who has saved the world time and time again, and we see the times where he’s been taken for granted, betrayed, and otherwise crapped on by a world that he’s made vows to protect. All of these things culminate in one major event that finally sends him over the edge, and when you get to that point, it’s one of the best reveals in comics, in recent memory.

Want to check out IRREDEEMABLE? For only $9.99, you can grab the first trade paperback collecting issues 1-4, and then either hop on with issue #5 (which is only $.99 cents), or go straight to the second trade that collects issues 5-8. The series itself is currently at issue #10.

DOOMWAR #1 – DR. DOOM IS MORE POWERFUL THAN HE’S EVER BEEN BEFORE, AND OUT FOR BLOOD! AND HE’S GOING HEAD TO HEAD WITH THE BLACK PANTHER, THE UNCANNY X-MEN, and THE FANTASTIC FOUR.. PLUS… DEADPOOL’S THERE TOO?

Who doesn’t love Dr. Doom? One of the best Marvel villains of all-time, and over the course of the last couple of years, they’ve really re-established Doom as a major force in the Marvel Universe, as he should be. And, now, in DOOMWAR, a limited series beginning this week, we see the good Doctor getting the title billing he deserves.

See, for the last few years, Doom has been slowly plotting and manipulating events and people in the Marvel Universe. In the pages of books like Black Panther, we’ve seen Doom launch vicious sneak attacks against T’Challa, and manipulate key events so that the support of Wakanda would lean towards Doom. With Storm being held prisoner, T’Challa has decided the time is right to strike back at Doom, and get his revenge. Now, T’Challa has called in the aide of the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four to wage war against Doom and his forces. T’Challa has also paid for the services of one of the most unpredictable and dangerous men in the Marvel Universe: DEADPOOL.

Why Are We Stoked About It? It’s going to be a five-issue over-the-top brawl from start to finish, featuring one of our favorite Marvel baddies, Dr. Doom. It’s also got a roster of characters involved that is pretty impressive, with Black Panther, the X-Men, the FF, and Deadpool all being thrown into the mix. Also, from the preview pages we’ve seen, Scott Eaton’s art is seriously on point, and this one looks like a fantastic event where one of our favorite villains gets to shine.

Click here to read an interview with the creative team on DOOMWAR about the series

WARREN ELLIS’S IGNITION CITY ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY IN TRADE PAPERBACK! GRITTY STEAMPUNK AWESOMENESS! DEADWOOD MEETS BUCK ROGERS MAYHEM!

Available in trade paperback this Wednesday, we’ve got one of Ellis’s coolest stories in ages. Ignition City was one of the best things we read last year, and we know that a lot of you guys have been waiting to scoop this one up when it hit trade, and now it’s finally here!

Ignition City delivered a great, pulpy steampunk/retropunk tale that Ellis has gone on record as describing as “Deadwood meets Buck Rogers”. Essentially, it’s a story set in a steampunk alternate history where World War II was interrupted by a Martian invasion. As a result, space travel became the norm, and the age of space heroes was born. Of course, in the wake of World War II’s ending, things have changed drastically. The world is now one where spaceships belch smoke, and it’s not uncommon to see a quickdraw raygun shoot-out in some dusty tavern.

The story itself focuses on a former space pilot, Mary Raven, as she ventures to Ignition City to recover her dead father’s possessions.  Once she’s there, she discovers the true nature of Ignition City, a dead island on the equator, where lawlessness runs rampant, and space heroes go to die. She finds that her father was murdered, and begins her quest to find out who did the deed in this World of Tomorrow rotting out from the inside. On Ignition City, broken down men who were once swashbuckling science heroes pass out drunk in the shells of their former ships. On Ignition City, rayguns burn holes in the torsos of card cheats. On Ignition City, the ugly face of the World of Science is revealed.

This, my friends, was a fantastic read, and we can’t recommend it enough.

Check it out this Wednesday here at Third Eye!

FALL OF THE HULKS CONTINUES THIS WEEK INHULK #20 and INCREDIBLE HULK #607! RED HULK vs. THE X-MEN! RED SHE-HULK vs. THE AVENGERS!

The monster epic FALL OF THE HULKS has been a big hit here at Third Eye, as it barrels forward to a conclusion that should reveal many things, including the identity of The Red Hulk and Red She-Hulk! So far, I’ve been really enjoying the FALL OF THE HULKS storyline. It’s got everything that I’ve loved about the current direction of the HULK title: big, over-the-top, beat’em up fun. larger than life Marvel characters making guest-appearances, and incredible artwork.

The concept is pretty simple: The Intelligencia, a gathering composed of Marvel’s mad scientists, old and new, ranging from obscurities like Egghead to heavyhitters like Dr. Doom, all working under the banner of The Leader, have combined their scientific know-how and demised a final solution to rid the world of all the different Hulks running around.

The storytelling has a nice edge to it, but definitely fills a niche in Marvel as having an old school late ’70s/early ’80s vibe fused with some modern day Marvel madness to keep it from feeling dated (I mean, c’mon… Red She-Hulk broke Green She-Hulk’s neck, for God’s sake!)

Coming down the pike this week, we’ve got two big FALL OF THE HULKS chapters in the pages of HULK #20, and INCREDIBLE HULK #607. In the pages of HULK #20, we get to see the Red Hulk going toe-to-toe with the X-Men, and, ontop of that, the Red Ghost and the Super Apes are up to some bad mojo regarding The Beast and Black Panther. Of course, this issue is being illustrated by the insanely talented ED MCGUINNESS. This guy is pretty much THE Hulk artist, and whenever he’s cranking out the book, you know you’re going to get BIG, because McGuinness does BIG very well.

Next up, is INCREDIBLE HULK #607, the next chapter in FALL OF THE HULKS, where it looks like we’re going to be seeing the Red She-Hulk going toe-to-toe with the Avengers (anyone noticing a theme here?). And, that’s when Banner and Son step in to save the day. Apparently, in this one, we get to see just where Banner stands, and what his true motives are now in the grand scheme of things. And, to be honest, I’m as excited about that as I am about finding out who Red Hulk is going to be. Ever since World War Hulk, I’ve been wondering just what Banner’s overall plan about things was.

Anyhow, folks, if you want some killer Marvel fun with bigger than life characters, lots of extremely brutal comic book brawls, and every Marvel character you could think of… all in gorgeous artwork by folks like Ed McGuinness and Paul Pelletier, then do yourselves a favor and check out FALL OF THE HULKS. One of the most fun mini-events we’ve been following here at Third Eye!

Click here to check out the official Third Eye FALL OF THE HULKS Checklist

JOE THE BARBARIAN #2 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*FOLLOWS UP THE FIRST ISSUE OF GRANT MORRISON’S KILLER NEW VERTIGO SERIES! A MUST-READ FOR FANS OF STUFF OF LEGEND! IMAGINE FIGHTING ALONGSIDE YOUR OPTIMUS PRIME AND SNAKE-EYES ACTION FIGURES! MISSED #1? STILL PLENTY IN STOCK!

Oh man, here’s one I’m so excited for it’s not even funny! Joe the Barbarian, I could tell from the first issue, is already going to become one of my favorite books. I mean, nevermind the fact that Grant Morrison is writing it, and he’s one of my favorite writers, or that Sean Murphy is showing us just how incredible his artwork can be, but dude.. it was a GOOD read. That’s what got me hooked!

This Wednesday, the second issue of Morrison’s Joe the Barbarian arrives, and picks up from the cliffhanger issue #1 left us on. If you’ve already read Joe #1, then you probably felt like I did after the first issue: AWESOME set-up, but c’mon.. lets get to it, I want more! And, this is why I can’t wait to read issue #2 this week. The first issue did a solid job of establishing the main character, and the world around him, but it wasn’t until those last three or four pages, that I was caught hook, line and sinker. For those of you who haven’t yet read JOE THE BARBARIAN #1 (and you should, it’s only a buck!), here’s a brief rundown on what the heck this book is all about!

WHAT IS JOE THE BARBARIAN? Joe the Barbarian is a 8 issue miniseries about a kid named Joe. Joe’s kind of a typical geeky kid, who hasn’t really gotten a fair shake in life. He lost his father in the Iraq War, and he’s got diabetes, not to mention the kids at school tend to give him a pretty hard time. Joe retreats to his world of drawing, and action figures, avoiding the harsh realities of his mother fighting to keep their house. He spends a lot of his time finding ways to escape the somewhat sour real world around him. The first issue, which admittedly, is a quick read that doesn’t really give you much to go on with the series other than that it’s going to be a wild, crazy trip, ends with Joe heading up to his bedroom, and waking up in a strange world surrounded by his action figures in the flesh. Characters ranging from Optimus Prime (okay, an Optimus Prime stand-in, licensing, I know, I know) to Batman to Darth Vader crowd around him, and from that point forward… we have no clue what’s going to happen next, but we know it’s going to be a wild ride.

Morrison injects his unique blend of well-paced, high concept storytelling with his knack for capturing a human feel in his dialogue and characterization. His story pops perfectly with the INCREDIBLE art of Sean Murphy, who is a real rising star newcomer, that I think is going to break out big on this book.

The story looks like it might have a feel similar to STUFF OF LEGEND (another fantastic book that we can’t recommend enough), but we feel that Morrison may have a different take on this one as he moves things forward.

All in all, JOE THE BARBARIAN is a definite Third Eye Must Buy series, and if you missed #1, pick it up for a buck here at Third Eye this week.

Click here to read what POP MATTERS has to say about JOE THE BARBARIAN

PUNISHER #14 *FRANKENCASTLE PT 4* – ONE OF THE FRESHEST, QUIRKIEST MARVEL COMICS ON THE STANDS! A PERSONAL FAVORITE, AND A MUST-READ FOR FANS OF BIZARRE, FUN COMICS!

All right, what started out as a guilty pleasure has become a full-fledged obsession here for me with FRANKENCASTLE. Dude, this is the illest, craziest comic I have read in quite some time. It’s definitely the freshest thing they’ve done with the Punisher in the 616 Marvel Universe, and while I’m trying not to get hung up on “What happens after this story ends? What’s gonna go down with the Punisher?”, I think it’s probably one of the best things I’m reading. Seriously.

First off, the artwork is fantastic. Tony Moore is the man, and he’s got such a unique, stylized technique to his art, that he just takes whatever book he’s on, and makes it into his own world. The coloring especially on this one really pops for me, and I’m pretty excited to hear we’re going to see some guest-art by a favorite legend of mine, Dan Brereton, in this week’s issue.

Secondly, Rick Remender has managed to take an idea that could’ve totally flopped, and been complete crap, and make it into something that is fresh, fun, and definitely on the trail-blazing fore-front of 21st Century Comic Awesomeness. His characterization of not just The Punisher, but the Legion of Monsters, is dead on, and has given these under-used characters more life than they’ve seen in years.

So, now you’re probably wondering why I’m so amped up on a storyline that sounds.. well, kind of goofy? Well, let me tell you about FRANKENCASTLE, and maybe you’ll get where I’m coming from on this one.

WHAT IS FRANKENCASTLE? The FRANKENCASTLE story arc takes place directly after the DARK REIGN LIST PUNISHER one-shot where Daken chopped the Punisher into pieces and dumped his remains in the sewers. His remains are then gathered by Man-Thing and the Morlocks that live below, and taken deep into the Morlock Tunnels where all of the Marvel Monsters have gone into hiding.

Why are the Marvel Monsters hiding? Well, they’re being hunted by a steampunk monster of a man in a giant clockwork suit, and an army of Cyber-Samurais. Folks. I can’t make this up. It’s too good. And, what do they want with The Punisher’s remains, you’re probably asking?

Well, they patch him together into this Frankenstein-looking monstrosity, and are hoping to receive his military strategy as an aide in saving their skins. Now, Castle, of course, is ticked they didn’t leave him dead. He’s an abomination now, and he knows it. He has to constantly keep taking these brain-glue pills to keep his synapses firing right, or else he finds himself reduced to a mindless, growling beast. As the story goes on, we see a Morlock.. in a Devo shirt.. bringing Castle his pills, and just helping him adjust to life amongst the Monsters. Castle, of course, is still not sold on his newfound existence or in helping these folks… and then the Cyborg Samurais raid the tunnels, and we see Castle cradling the body of said Morlock in his arms.. a smoking hole in his Devo shirt. And, then, from there, Castle decides it’s time to throw down.

I know it sounds weird, but this is the good kind of weird, folks. It’s got great art, great story, and probably the best take on the Legion of Monsters characters in a long time. And, they’re all here too… Morbius the Living Vampire, Werewolf by Night, the Living Mummy.. some baby Fin-Fang-Fooms.

If you want to try FRANKENCASTLE, we still have all of the chapters in stock, and you can get started by picking up PUNISHER #11 *FRANKENCASTLE PT 1*.

Click here for a preview of PUNISHER #14 *FRANKENCASTLE PT 4*

A DOUBLE-DOSE OF DEADPOOL THIS WEDNESDAY WITH DEADPOOL #19 *WHATEVER A SPIDER CAN PT 1* & DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUTH #8..PLUS, A LADY DEADPOOL POSTER!

What’s better than ONE Deadpool book? How about TWO Deadpool books? Yup, this week we get a double-dose of the Merc With A Mouth, and hell, they even threw in a smoking cool poster of Lady Deadpool too.

First on the agenda, we’ve got DEADPOOL #19 which begins the new story arc pairing ol’ Wade Wilson with Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man. Now, you know as well as I do that a dream team couldn’t be better made than these two. You’ve got two of the biggest smart-asses in the Marvel Universe coming head to head, and you know… it’s only going to end in a very horrible, horrible… yet hilarious way. We can only assume that Deadpool’s taken his whole “finding himself” thing to the streets of New York, where he figures maybe.. just maybe, he could be a good stand-in for the wallcrawler..

Click here for a preview of DEADPOOL #19 *WHATEVER A SPIDER CAN PT 1*

Next up, we’ve got the zaniest of the Deadpool titles with DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #8. Deadpool, Headpool, Betty, and Agent Bill head into the Marvel Zombieverse to get to the bottom of this whole flesh-eating superhero thing, once and for all.

Click here for a preview of DEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #8

And, then, last but not least… A LADY DEADPOOL poster!

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #42 – JAMES ROBINSON’S KILLER NEW DIRECTION ON THE JLA CONTINUES AS DICK GRAYSON JOINS THE TEAM!

I don’t know about you guys, but I really enjoyed last month’s JLA #41, where the new direction of the JLA began, and the new team was revealed. I thought that the storytelling was sharp, and there was enough of a balance between the characters we all know and love, and then the lesser known characters that you need in the mix, to keep things interesting. I also really dug Bagely’s pencils on the book, and feel that he really shines as a team-book artist.

This week, Robinson continues his new direction for the League (which is essentially the Titans grown up, with a mix of some heavy-hitters like Green Arrow, and Green Lantern), as we find out whether or not Dick Grayson will accept the invitation to join the team (aw c’mon, we all know he’s going to). Plus, it looks like Dr. Impossible (remember the guy that Brad Meltzer made cool on his relaunch of JLA a few years back?)

All in all, the new JLA looks to be a solid team book, and we’re excited to see what the second issue of the official new direction holds.

Click here to read more about JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #42

ZOMBIES VS. ROBOTS: AVENTURE #1 DELIVERS… ZOMBIES ROBOT SMACKDOWN MADNESS!

What more can be said then.. Zombies vs. Robots. I mean, c’mon.. what more could you want? Seriously though, I’m intrigued by this one. I mean, imagine this… the world is now over-run by zombies, the human race is pretty much extinct, and there’s a handful of robots left fighting off the zombie hordes, and trying to restore the human race.

And, you know.. zombies do need brains, so what the heck are they going to do when they try to sink those teethers into a metal robot skull? Well, it’s not going to be pretty.

Each issue is made up of three stories that continue in each issue. The first story is Kampf, which is the big war story, set in the early days of the Zombie/Robot War, where you’ve got humans and robots fighting alongside each other to squash the zombie menace. The second story is Masques, which focuses on how scientists have tried to build this giant metal suit to go through some sort of time-travel gateway.. and of course, it fails miserably, and then some maintenance guy finds the suit and uses it to kind of half-assedly fight zombies. And, then the third of the stories in each issue is Zuvembies, which is follows a small group of survivors in Haiti, as they try to use voodoo and magic to form their own resistance against the zombies.

All in all, this one sounds like a lotta fun, and I’m pretty interested to read the first one this Wednesday and see how it is.

STAFF PICKS

Steve – Mesmo Delivery = Dude, awesome art, awesome story, violent as hell, and it’s caused me to coin a new term: Truckstop Noir. Seriously, if you took Johnny Cash’s darkest ballads, a couple of Pogues bar-room romps, Steve Ditko, Paul Pope, and Geoff Darrow and mixed them all together in a tumbler of Jack Daniels.. you’d get MESMO DELIVERY. Pick this one up, for sure!

Trish – Choker #1 = I LOOOOOOVE Ben Templesmith’s art, and this book is a perfect fit. Kind of reminds me of Ed Brubaker’s CRIMINAL meets Men in Black. Weird crime noir mixed with mutants and aliens.

Torma – NEXTWAVE: AGENTS OF H.A.T.E ULTIMATE COLLECTION= one of my favorite all-time comics. it’s like you took every obscure Marvel character and ran them through a blender with ’80s Arcade games, and Warren Ellis’s twisted brain.

Matt – Haunt #5 = Robert Kirkman continues to make this one of the best comics coming out monthly. Super bloody, but well-written all the way through.

BLACKEST NIGHT #4 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE! GREEN LANTERN #47, AND BLACKEST NIGHT TITANS #3 RIGHT ALONGSIDE IT! THE SECRETS OF THE BLACK LANTERNS REVEALED

What better way to end out the month than with the fourth installment of the biggest damn comic out hitting the stands? What more can we say about the Blackest Night that we haven’t already said? It’s the best thing coming out, and probably the best superhero book we’ve been reading this year (especially now that OLD MAN LOGAN has ended). As far as events go, this is one of the best we’ve seen in years. Everything about it is a A+.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with it yet, it’s DC’s big storyline this year, which has been steadily build for the last few years by Geoff Johns in Green Lantern. In a nutshell, dead DC characters returning as vengeful zombied-out Lanterns. And, it rules, hard.

This Wednesday, after the shocking events of Blackest Night #3, the origins and truths behind the Black Lanterns are revealed! Find out just what the deal is on who they are, where they come from, and their motivations.

And, hey, if that wasn’t enough for you, coming right alongside Blackest Night is it’s sister book, GREEN LANTERN. Even if you’re not reading all of the Blackest Night tie-ins, you have got to be reading Green Lantern. Each issues helps fill in the space in between issues of Blackest Night. And, with Blackest Night writer Geoff Johns penning GL, you know that it’s top notch material. And, this week, Green Lantern #47 looks to kick off the big war between the Blue Lanterns and the Orange Lantern Corps.

And, then, finally, Blackest Night Titans concludes as the dead husks of former Teen Titans, now risen as Black Lanterns, are looking to rip the life right out of the Titans. And, you know, it’s funny, but I’m not even a huge Titans fan, and I’ve been really enjoying this Blackest Night tie-in.

Are you all caught up on your Blackest Night? We currently have all the issues of the tie-ins, main series, and more well-stocked at Third Eye. Click here to see the checklist, and make sure you’re up to date!

NECROSHA BEGINS THIS WEDNESDAY IN X NECROSHA ONE-SHOT & NEW MUTANTS #6.THE BLACK QUEEN RETURNS SPINNING OUT OF X-FORCE, ONE OF THE COOLEST LOOKING CROSSOVERS WE’VE SEEN COME DOWN THE PIKE!

X-Force has been one of Marvel’s best kept secrets almost since it’s launch. It’s gotten some attention with killer storylines like MESSIAH WAR, but it’s always kind of hovered right under the radar as the one X-Book everyone KNEW was going to be good month after month. The fact that the book has been pretty self-contained, and has held the same crew of creators onboard since issue #1, is definitely a big part of why this is so. The other thing is that the creative team has managed to really build up a very cool, rich and engrossing world within the confines of the X-Force title.

And, now, for those of you who aren’t yet reading X-FORCE (and those of you who already are, you’re already waiting for this one), here’s the perfect opportunity to start. The big NECROSHA storyline begins this Wednesday in the X-NECROSHA one-shot *NECROSHA PT 1*, and NEW MUTANTS #6 *NECROSHA PT 2*. It’s going to be going back and forth between X-Force, and New Mutants, and it’s going to be KILLER. The big hook? It’s the return of the true Black Queen. And, that Black Queen, is the immortal psychic vampire Selene, who’s been around since the glory days of the Egyptian empire. And, she’s here to raise hell. An undead legion of deceased mutants being thrown against the most brual X-Team operating.

And, with the gorgeous art of Clayton Crain, and the stellar writing team of Yost and Kyle heading this up, you can bet your ass that this is going to be worth checking out.

Clickhereto read a preview of X-Necrosha one-shot *NECROSHA PT 1*

WOLVERINE OLD MAN LOGAN HARDCOVER ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY! ONE OF THE BEST MARVEL STORIES OF THIS DECADE!

Did you read OLD MAN LOGAN? Well, whether you did, or not, you’re going to want this gorgeous hardcover collection of one of the most epic, and entertaining Marvel Comics this decade. Quite possibly the best Wolverine story in 20 years, in our opinion. We know a lot of you have waited for the graphic novel on this one, so we made sure to have plenty of these puppies coming in this week.

As for those of you who aren’t yet familiar with OLD MAN LOGAN, here’s the scoop… it’s 50 years into the future, Wolverine is dead, and in his place, remains a man of peace known only as Logan. Logan hasn’t popped his claws in nearly three decades, due to a horrible tragedy that occured in his past (and trust us, when you read what happened to make him that way.. holy crap, one of the best reveals in comics!), and he resides on the West Coast with his wife and kids. Oh, and the best part about Old Man Logan? The world it’s set in is completely distorted from the Marvel Universe know well. Almost all the superheroes are dead. The Red Skull is the President of the U.S. The Hulk and She-hulk have had an inbred lineage of grandchildren that run the West Coast like a crime family. And, it’s just Logan and an 80-year old, blind Hawkeye, road-tripping across this Madd Max-esque landscape to deliver a mysterious cargo.

Trust us, folks, this is one of the best reads we’ve seen in a very long time, and the combination of outstanding storytelling, and high caliber artwork make OLD MAN LOGAN a welcome addition to any fan’s bookshelf. This hardcover collects the entire story in one giant slab, and in a great format for a great price.

Please note, that while we’ve got a bunch of these coming in, the demand is going to be huge, so if you really want one, shoot us an email about setting one aside for you.

FVZA #1 – BRAND NEW RADICAL SERIES, FEATURING… THE FEDERAL VAMPIRE ZOMBIE AGENCY? IT LOOKS AWESOME!

Radical has made a name for themselves by putting out consistently high quality series that bring new ideas to the table of comic storytelling. Their production values, and the gorgeous artwork that’s become a trademark of Radical, always ensures you’re getting a quality product. Most importantly, the stories are almost always fresh, and compelling, offering up some new twist on serial fiction.

This Wednesday, one of the Radical books that I’m most excited about begins, and I can tell you guys, I read an advance of the first issue, and you’re going to love this one. Gorgeous artwork, great, creepy concept. Fans of things like World War Z, will especially dig it.

So, now you ask, what’s the scoop? FVZA stands for Federal Vampire Zombie Agency. It chronicles a world where deadly disease, representing a new kind of global terrorism, transforms it’s victims into zombies. Of course, that’s when the FVZA is called into action. And, their history goes back far. The FVZA was began during the Civil War, and existed up through World War II, preventing the spread of zombie infections and vampirism. And, then the cure was invented during WW 2, and they’ve since been in waiting for the threat of zombies and vampires to resurface. Basically, FVZA is a reinterpretation of American history, that delivers a fresh new mythology to the world of zombies and the undead. It’s a big thick book, filled with dark, creepy (and awesome-looking) artwork, and the writing is pretty on point.

Clickhere to check out a preview of FVZA #1

SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN #2 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY, CONTINUING BLACKEST NIGHT WRITER GEOFF JOHNS’S EPIC 21ST CENTURY RE-INVENTION OF THE MAN OF STEEL!

Geoff Johns is the man. ‘Nuff Said. Seriously though, when it comes to writing DC Comics that you have gotta read, anything Geoff Johns puts his name on is essential. Like, for example, I’ve never been a big Superman fan. I mean, elseworlds like Red Son and All-Star Superman were cool, and I could appreciate the John Byrne Man of Steel stuff, but I never really had an appreciation for Superman until Geoff Johns’s run on ACTION COMICS (available in trade paperback, as “Last Son”,“Superman and the Legion of Superheroes”,“Brainiac”, “Escape From Bizarro World”, and “New Krypton”). It was these stories that really captured the essence of what makes Superman cool. Johns managed to take a character that’s normally kind of stale due to his immense power, and flesh him out into one of the most compelling characters around. And, lets face it, if anyone deserves that treatment, it’s Superman. He’s one of the icons. His comics SHOULD rock.

This is why we’re so stoked about Johns’s Superman: Secret Origin, with Action Comics collaborator, Gary Frank. Johns knows how to make it work. He’s re-telling Superman’s life and origin with a 21st century spin, and infusing the character with the magic that only he can. Lets face it, it’s Geoff Johns who’s made the Green Lantern into one of DC’s biggest characters. Now he’s working his magic with the Man of Steel.

The first issue of this was OUTSTANDING, and if you missed it, fear not.. cause we still have it in stock for you to catch up. If you already read it, then we know you’re going to be eagerly anticipating the follow up issue this Wednesday.

Click hereto read more about SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN #2

THE SWORD VOLUME 3 “EARTH” ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY! NOT READING THE SWORD YET? FIND OUT WHY THIS IMAGE SERIES IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE BOOKS RIGHT NOW! ELRIC MEETS HIGHLANDER MEETS KILL BILL! IT RULES!

The Sword is one of those series that if you like good comics, then you need to be reading. Whether you’re a fan of the off-the-wall stuff, or strictly the mainline stuff, you will like the Sword. This series combines elements of modern day storytelling with classic mythology, and sword and sorcery. In fact, if you took Highlander, Kill Bill, and a stack of Michael Moorcock books and threw them in a blender, you’d get the Sword.

The story? A young paraplegic college student with a normal, wholesome family, finds out her father’s really centuries old. Of course, three strangers show up, looking for a mystical old sword, and slaughter her entire family. She’s left to burn to death, but coincidentally enough lands beneath the floorboards near the Sword.. and when she grabs it, she can walk. At first, she’s in shock, and has no idea what’s going on. The Sword almost acts as a defense system, she gets attacked, and before she can even think about it, she’s whipping the Sword out and cutting dudes in half. The Sword also gives her super-strength, super-speed, the ability to jump super-high, and regeneration. Basically, it makes her badass.

By the time you get to the very end of Volume 1, she’s begun her quest for vengeance, and that’s where things really kick into high gear, with the three siblings who killed her family being hunted by Dara, and the history of the Sword, her family, and her adversaries becoming unravelled throughout.

This Wednesday, the third trade arrives, and like any very good series, we know there’s a lot of you eagerly awaiting the third installment. The Sword v.3 collects issues 13-18, and there’s only one issue out after the trade, with issue #19, and we have plenty available. So, if you get real hooked, and want to jump onto the monthly singles, Third Eye’s got you covered!

DARK REIGN: THE LIST CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY WITH THE TWO MOST HIGHLY ANTICIPATED “LIST” ONE-SHOTS. THE PUNISHER *DARK REIGN THE LIST CHAPTER 6* AND WOLVERINE *DARK REIGN THE LIST CHAPTER 7* BY ALL-STAR CREATORS LIKE JASON AARON & JOHN ROMITA JR!

THE LIST has been providing a very satisfying wind-down to the events of DARK REIGN. Each one of these one-shots, headed up by some of Marvel’s top notch creative teams has delivered big time. But, the two we’ve been most eagerly anticipating, are both dropping this Wednesday. Due to the all-star creative teams on both of these books, along with the big events rumored o be happening in both, we’re pumped.

First off, in DARK REIGN THE LIST: PUNISHER *DARK REIGN CHAPTER 6*, we get the long-awaited showdown between the Punisher and the Dark Avengers. This is what’s leading up to the very mysterious Rest In Pieces/Frankencastle story arc that’ll be happening this winter. Basically, now that Osborn has everything he needs under control, his big decision is to take care of The Punisher. He dedicates an afternoon, using the entirety of H.A.M.M.E.R, and the Dark Avengers, to exterminate the Punisher. And, the big rumor is that Dark Wolverine does some REALLY messed up stuff to ol’ Frank Castle. Ontop of this awesome storyline from Rick Remender, it’s being drawn by one of the definitive PUNISHER artists.. JOHN ROMITA JR (the man behind KICK-ASS). Romita JR does gritty REAL well, and seeing him back on the Punisher is a BIG deal. Click here to check out the preview of DARK REIGN THE LIST CHAPTER 6 PUNISHER

Next up, we’ve got the DARK REIGN THE LIST WOLVERINE *DARK REIGN THE LIST CHAPTER 7* one-shot, which features the incredible creative team of JASON AARON (SCALPED, WOLVERINE WEAPON X) and ESAD RIBIC (LOKI, SUBMARINER THE DEPTHS, ect). If you’ve read WOLVERINE: WEAPON X, then you know that Jason Aaron is one of the perfect fits for writing Wolverine. He manages to recapture the awesomeoness of those old school Wolverine comics you used to read from the ’80s. You know, back when it was just Wolverine, his cigar, and a pile of dead Hand ninjas. Paired up with Esad Ribic, he’s going to be delivering an awesome story. Esad Ribic hasn’t done a lot of comic work, but he’s most well-known for his gorgeous painted pencils on books like Sub-mariner the Depths, Silver Surfer Requiem, and Loki. And, the plot? Basically, Osborn wants the Weapon Plus program, but Wolverine isn’t going to be having that. Throw Marvel Boy into the mix, and the emergence of a brand new Weapon XVI, and you know this one’s a must. We’re stoked because we know Aaron’s track record on Wolvie, and if anyone delivers must-read Wolverine stories, it’s this guy. Clickhere to read a preview of DARK REIGN THE LIST CHAPTER 7 WOLVERINE

PILOT SEASON DECLASSIFIED – “WALKING DEAD” WRITER ROBERT KIRKMAN & COMICS LEGEND MARC SILVESTRI UNVEIL A WHOLE NEW WORLD.. AND IT’S ONLY $1.00!

When names like Robert Kirkman and Marc Silvestri are attached to things, we tend to take notice. Robert Kirkman, is one of Third Eye’s favorite writers, and consistently wows us on everything from WALKING DEAD and INVINCIBLE to stuff like HAUNT and the recently finished DESTROYER. Plain and simple, the man can write some damn good funnybooks. And, Marc Silvestri, well, the man is a legend. From his work on X-Men, to his own hand in helping invent numerous comic characters, there’s not a lot that Silvestri hasn’t been involved in.

So, seeing that these two comics heavyweights were pairing up to create a whole slew of brand new characters, to tell new stories with, it got us pumped. First off, the concept behind Pilot Season is fantastic. Basically, Kirkman and Silvestri create five new characters, and run five one-shots, and then we, the fans, get to vote on which one we liked best. Whoever wins, gets their own series.

And it all begins this Wednesday in PILOT SEASON DECLASSIFIED, which you can snatch up for just a buck! You can’t even get a pack of gum for that, these days. So, give it a shot!

ARKHAM ASYLUM IS REBORN THIS WEEK IN THE ARKHAM REBORN LIMITED SERIES!

Lets face it, if you’re a fan of Batman, you’re a fan of his rogues, and if you’re fan of his rogues, then you’re just as obsessed with ARKHAM ASYLUM as we are. In the pages of BATTLE FOR THE COWL, Arkham Asylum was destroyed by BLACK MASK. Now is Dr. Jeremiah Arkham gonna let that stand? Nope! He’s rebuilt the asylum more in line with the insanity of his Uncle Amadeus. Dr. Jeremiah’s slowly losing his mind, and what starts as a new way of treating Gotham’s criminally insane slowly mutates into a torture chamber, where Dr. Arkham IS the criminally insane, and they are his captives.

This one is sure to be a creepy, awesome ride through the underbelly of Batman’s world, and a nice tie-in to the events of BATMAN:REBORN.

AN ULTIMATE DOUBLE DOSE THIS WEDNESDAY WITH MARK MILLAR’S (OLD MAN LOGAN, KICK-ASS) ULTIMATE AVENGERS #3 & WARREN ELLIS’S (TRANSMETROPOLITAN, PLANETARY) ULTIMATE ARMOR WARS #2

Mark Millar’s return to the Ultimate Universe has been a breath of fresh air. I gotta say, the Ultimates were my favorite Marvel book back during Ultimates 1 and Ultimaes 2, but man, when Jeph Loeb did Ultimates 3… they lost me, big-time. I mean, it was fun, but… it didn’t come close to the awesomeness of the firs two “seasons.” Now, with a fresh slate to work with, Mark Millar (writer of OLD MAN LOGAN, KICK-ASS, and much more) has made the Ultimates a top of the pile read once again. The first issue was a little slow, but they had to set things up. Issue #2 however, was OFF THE HOOK. The origin of Ultimate Red Skull was amazing (basically, in the Ultimate Universe, the Red Skull is Captain America’s illegitimate son, who was raised by the U.S government until he murdered an entire facility of workers at the age of 17, and then proceeded to carve his own face off with a kitchen knife), and now we’re on the hook, eagerly awaiting to see where things go next as Captain America’s gone rogue, finding out the secrets of his offspring. Did you miss issues 1 and 2? Fear not, folks, we got them in stock, so you can still easily catch up on the series!

The aftermath of Ultimatum is being explored now in the pages of Ultimate Armor Wars from critically acclaimed writer WARREN ELLIS (the man behind TRANSMETROPOLITAN, PLANETARY, ect). The first issue of this one was awesome, as the focus is on Ultimate Tony Stark (and man, the way he’s portrayed in the Ultimate Universe is pretty awesome), his stolen armors, and a world of espionage. Nobody does things like high concept sci-fi, and gritty, dirty espionage better than Ellis.

WARREN ELLIS’S STEAMPUNK EPIC IGNITION CITY CONCLUDES THIS WEEK WITH IGNITION CITY #5 “WHERE THE SPACE HEROES GO TO DIE”

Ignition City was one of the better Avatar series we read last year. Warren Ellis, who’s always a Third Eye favorite here, took the world of space heroes, rocket ships, and ray guns, and drenched in a dark, gritty Old West-style aesthetic. The series can best be described as Deadwood meets Buck Rogers. Carrying the tag line, Where the Space Heroes Go To Die, Ignition City (which gives off a very strong League of Extraordinary Gentlemen feel) is set in a world where World War II was interrupted by a Martian invasion, and as a result, space travel became the norm. It focuses on Ignition City, a spaceport/island on the equator, where broken down shells of space heroes, and sci-fi adventurers go to spend the rest of their days. The world of Ignition City is explored through the character Mary Raven, who’s father was killed in Ignition City, and who demands answers for his death.

The series really shines on the whole World of Tomorrow gone bad bent that it’s got going on. Seeing the equivalent of Flash Gordon, or Buck Rogers, drunkenly blasting it out with rayguns in the middle of a dusty, street is pretty damn cool. The little touches, like old pilots living in the hollowed out husks of their rocket ships, is pretty neat too.

All in all, Ignition City was a great steampunk-esque adventure comic, and we highly recommend it. We’ve got the four prior issues well-stocked, so if you haven’t yet read it, give it a shot this Wednesday. Otherwise, we know a lot of you guys’ll be eager to finish it out, and see the conclusion Ellis has in mind.

WORLDS FINEST #1 DEBUTS THE RETURN OF DC’S WORLDS FINEST! FEATURING RED ROBIN!

The Worlds Finest banner has always been a mark of quality on DC’s part. Normally, the Worlds Finest series would focus on a great Superman/Batman team-up, but with Superman doing who knows what in regards to New Krypton, and Batman being… “deceased.” It’s time for a new generation to fly the flag of World’s Finest. In this limited series by Sterling Gates (Geoff Johns’s writing protege), Red Robin (Tim Drake) teams up with the mysterious Kryptonian Nightwing, and somehow, someway, Penguin and the Gotham Underground get thrown in the mix. If you’re a DC fan, this one looks to be a good read, especially with a rising star writer like Sterling Gates penning it.

A DOUBLE DOSE OF ZENESCOPE THIS WEEK WITH GRIMM FAIRY TALES HALLOWEEN SPECIAL & TALES FROM WONDERLAND MAD HATTER II!

It’s time for another dose of guilty pleasure cheesecake art and grisly horrific retellings of classic fairytales from the folks at Zenescope. One of our big guilty pleasures here at Third Eye, we’re big fans of Zenescope’s Grimm Fairy Tales, and Wonderland series, and we’re also big on Halloween specials, so this is a perfect fit. This Wednesday, we’ll be getting the Grimm Fairy Tales Halloween Special (all three covers), which features a retelling of the Monkeys Paw with a Zenescope twist, of course, plus some other Halloween goodies.

Also, next up in their famous Wonderland series, comes to the further adventures of the twisted Mad Hatter. We’ve already met the sick man who’s been filling the role of the Mad Hatter, but, who wore the skins before him? The original Mad Hatter gets revealed in this one-shot!

DARK AVENGERS ARES #1 – THE GOD OF WAR GETS HIS OWN LIMITED SERIES THIS WEDNESDAY!

The concept of ARES character is what’s got us so into the character. He IS the God of War. He’s just as comfortable toting a sub-machine gun, as he is cleaving an axe through someone’s head. And, being the God of War, the way the character’s portrayed is perfect. He’s a soldier. He lives for battle. He lives for war.

Honestly, we weren’t sure how we felt about the character when he was originally introduced way back in 2002/2003, but, after his portrayal in those early issues of MIGHTY AVENGERS (the Bendis/Cho run), we were pretty sold on the character. He’s just plain cool. The whole “master of any weapon” thing is pretty cool, because it makes sense.. him being the God of War and all.

Of course, Ares hasn’t really truly shined until recently in the pages of the DARK AVENGERS. Lets just say that him and Norman Osborn are right in line with their ways of thinking, or so it would seem. And, now Osborn has given Ares his own unit of soldiers to whip into shape, and turn into the most elite H.A.M.M.E.R commandos under Osborn’s employ.

Either way, judging from the preview pages we’ve seen, and the fact that we really do dig the character, we’re pretty excited to see how this limited series turns out!

HULK #16 CODE RED PT 3- THE RED SHE-HULK REVEALED! WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT?

Oh, Jeph Loeb, you zany rascal. We don’t know what it is about the Red Hulk title, but we just keep coming back month after month. Sometimes.. you just want to see ridiculous, bigger than life, over-the-top stories with awesome art, and Red Hulk definitely delivers that. The recent storyline, featuring Red Hulk and his team, Code Red (composed of.. Deadpool, Crimson Dynamo, Elektra, ect ect.. get it?), going head to head with X-FORCE, has been a lot of fun.
But, the real draw this month? It’s the arrival of the Red She-Hulk.. and she’s trying to eat Wolverine’s face! For big, bad, crazy fun, with some killer artwork… you know this one won’t disappoint. And, I know, I know, we still don’t know who the Red Hulk is… so, are we ready for a Red She-Hulk? Who knows, who cares, it’s going to be big stupid fun, and we’re pumped!

STEPHEN KING’S THE TALISMAN GETS THE COMIC BOOK TREATMENT!

We know quite a few of you folks are big Stephen King fans. So, we figured we’d give you a heads up on the next comic book adaption of his works. The Tasliam “Road of Trials” #0 debuts this Wednesday, kicking off the comic book prequel King’s Talisman novels.

DEADPOOL 900 POSTER AVAILABLE AT THIRD EYE THIS WEDNESDAY!

And, who doesn’t love Deadpool? You can never have too much Merc With A Mouth adorning your walls, and this Wednesday, the killer cover to DEADPOOL 900 by Dave Johnson hits. And, man, what more could you want? It’s a pin-up, it’s got Mimes, and it’s got Deadpool. That’s the recipe for an awesome Deadpool poster.

TRY PREACHER WRITER GARTH ENNIS’S THE BOYS! ISSUE #1 AVAILABLE FOR ONLY $1.00 THIS WEEK AT THIRD EYE! IF YOU LIKE IT, GET $1.00 OFF THE BOYS v.1 TRADE PAPERBACK!

Okay, you’ve been hearing us rave, and rave every month about this series the Boys. Well, now’s your chance to try it out, no excuses! The Boys is one of our big favorites here at Third Eye. It’s a twisted, darkly humorous series that’s set in a world where superheroes are the next step in national defense, and work as private contractors in the military industrial complex. And, they’re all REALLY screwed up. Like, mad with power, totally decadent, and carrying a complete disregard for the affairs of normal people. In fact, being a superhero is just a front for most of them, a way to reach fame, and fortune. So, they’re basically like celebrities. :)

But, anyways, in this world, there’s a group.. the Boys.. that works for the CIA. They exist as the government’s means of keeping a leash on the superheroes, so they don’t get too big to control. And, the Boys, and their motivation? It’s a group, who’ve all had their lives somehow, someway totally screwed up due to the capes. The story is seen through the eyes of Little Hughie, who you see in the first issue, loses his girlfriend (she’s literally ripped from her arms in the crossfire of a superhero fight), and is recruited into the Boys.

Look, this is an awesome series, and we really want to continue getting people into it, because we know you’ll find it as entertaining as we do. This Wednesday, you can snag the first issue of the Boys for only $1.00. And, we’re going to take things a step further, if you buy the first issue for $1.00, and really enjoy it, then you can grab the graphic novel of Volume 1, for $1.00 off.

So, do yourselves a favor, and try the Boys this week!