A couple of weeks ago, the biggest Batman story arc in Grant Morrison’s critically acclaimed BATMAN AND ROBIN series began. A story arc that not only intends to answer some very crucial questions about Bruce Wayne, and his relation to BLACKEST NIGHT, but also, serves as a lead-in to this spring’s highly anticipated BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE. And, it began with a bang!

Since the beginning of Blackest Night, we’ve all been wondering what the deal was with Black Hand, and the supposed skull of Bruce Wayne. In Blackest Night 5, we were completely mind-boggled by what appeared to be the resurrection of Batman as a Black Lantern. Of course, there were some little clues and hints that it may not be the real thing. In other words, there’s some very well done collaboration going on between Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, and DC’s editorial department in making sure that everything links up how it should.

And, this leads us to Grant Morrison’s BLACKEST KNIGHT storyline which began in BATMAN AND ROBIN #7, and will be running through BATMAN AND ROBIN 8 and 9. We started out in BATMAN AND ROBIN #7, with the reintroduction of two of my personal favorite characters: Knight and Squire. Essentially, England’s answer to Batman and Robin. They’re assisting Dick Grayson in locating one of the last remaining Lazarus Pits. We get a very cool, and interesting trip into the underworld of England, and even a neat look at the Rogues Gallery of Knight and Squire. It’s kind of cool to see the paralells that run between here and Gotham City. Of course, we know why they’re looking for the Lazarus Pits, but you and I both know things aren’t going to work out quite how they should. The end of BATMAN AND ROBIN #7 showed us something very cool, involving the gloved hand of a certain Dark Knight. But we’re thinking that all is not as it seems.

This week, the storyline continues in BATMAN AND ROBIN #8 *IN BLACKEST KNIGHT PT 2*, as we see Dick Grayson, Knight, Squire, and Batwoman explore the mysteries of the Lazarus Pit,  and the terror they may have unleashed on the world. The ties between Bruce Wayne and Blackest Night baddie, Black Hand may be revealed a little more. Meanhwhile, back in Gotham City, Alfred and Damian (Robin), who’s recuperating, are at the mercy of some serious bad mojo.

Folks, I can’t stress enough how great of a book BATMAN AND ROBIN has been, and it just gets better. If you’re not reading Batman and Robin, and you’re a Batman fan at all, then you are missing out on what is possibly the best Batman monthly series in many years. Morrison has demonstrated his passion for the characters by not paying homage to great stories of the past, but also, adding a fresh, new dynamic to the characters, and their world. I mean, in just 8 issues, Morrison’s introduced several villains and supporting characters that’re already much more interesting than some characters that get full 6 issue arcs fleshing out their back stories. And that’s after just a few panels of appearances!

If you’re looking to hop onboard with the current arc, BLACKEST KNIGHT, you can do so by grabbing BATMAN AND ROBIN #7 *IN BLACKEST KNIGHT PT 1*, this serves as a fantastic jumping on point, and is a great area for new readers to come aboard. If you’re really intrigued by the series, and want to get the entire run so far, we currently have issues 1-7 all well-stocked here at Third Eye.

Either way, be sure to check out BATMAN AND ROBIN #8 *IN BLACKEST KNIGHT PT 2*

Click here to read an interview with Grant Morrison about BATMAN AND ROBIN: IN BLACKEST KNIGHT

HAUNT #5 – THE FIRST STORY ARC IN THE HIT ONGOING SERIES FROM ROBERT KIRKMAN (WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE) AND TODD MCFARLANE CONCLUDES THIS WEDNESDAY!

One of the best books to come out of 2009 was the new Image ongoing series HAUNT. Written by one of our favorite writers here, Robert Kirkman (the man behind WALKING DEAD and INVINCIBLE), and illustrated by comics legend TODD MCFARLANE, and rising star INVINCIBLE artist RYAN OTTLEY, HAUNT is a true all-star title. Each issue is better than the last, in our opinion, and we feel that Kirkman is really hitting his stride now with issue #5 due out this week. The beauty of HAUNT is it celebrates the fun you can have with comics. It brings you back to when you were 13, and you found yourself saying “THAT’S SICK!!”, but at the same time, it’s got a very well-written story that keeps you interested, and doesn’t come off as one-dimensional. It’s this combination of a visceral fun read, with a well-paced, and well-crafted storyline that makes HAUNT so damn good. Oh, and the art is crucial. :)

What’s Haunt all about? HAUNT is the story of two brothers. Kurt and Daniel Kilgore. Daniel, a catholic priest, is estranged from his brother Kurt, a government agent. When Kurt gets murdered, due to his mission, and his refusal to follow the agenda of it completely, soemthing goes wrong. He’s still on this plane, as a ghost, and as his brother Daniel, is about to be murdered in connection to Kurt, Kurt posesses him, and the two bond.. forming HAUNT. The two begin a bloody path to find out the mysteries behind Kurt’s murder, and also how to protect themselves and any of their loved ones from being hurt in the crossfire. And, this is just the first story arc.

Why we love it? On the surface, the plot sounds like it could be a little one dimensional, but that’s the beauty of HAUNT. Kirkman takes an ages old concept (two brothers who hate each other, one dies, the other takes vengeance), and adds depth, and a compelling storyline to it, which makes everything seem fresh. The art and story mesh together perfectly, and each issue is a literal breakneck joyride from cover to cover. The book is violent as hell, which adds to the hyper-kinetic visceral appeal the series has. And, the plot, and characterization are just plain great. The story behind Kurt and Daniel continues to flesh out with each issue, making for a more compelling relationship between the two brothers. The supporting cast, as well as the “bad guys” of the series also gain more depth as things go on. Another reason why we love it? Every issue is packed with those moments that evoke that teenage excitement of a stack of comics, and Slayer albums, where you just go “dude.. that’s awesome.” The way that Kirkman is exploring the character’s powers is pretty damn cool, and there’s many moments when it comes down to that.

Want to Catch Up? We currently have HAUNT issues #1-4 all well-stocked here at Third Eye, so if you’re interested in hopping on, we got you covered.

ADVENTURE COMICS #7 *WHAT WOULD BLACK LANTERN SUPERBOY DO?* FEATURING BLACK LANTERN SUPERBOY - A VERY SPECIAL BLACKEST NIGHT ISSUE EXPLORES BLACKEST NIGHT’S EFFECTS ON CONNOR KENT!

Blackest Night continues to deliver some of the best stuff on the stands. The conclusion to last week’s BLACKEST NIGHT WONDER WOMAN was awesome, and that QUESTION one-shot rocked pretty hard too. And, now this week, we get to see a very cool one-shot issue of ADVENTURE COMICS featuring Connor Kent, Black Lantern. You might remember at the end of BLACKEST NIGHT 5, and then throughout BLACKEST NIGHT 6, many of the DCU’s characters who had previously returned from the grave (like Green Arrow, Superman, Wonder Woman, and yes, Superboy) were reclaimed by Nekron, and converted into BLACK LANTERNS.

Picking up on that plot thread, this week, in ADVENTURE COMICS #7, we get to see the very dark side of Superboy, as all the nasty stuff hiding beneath his subconcious comes to surface. And, according to the DCU Source blog, we learn a pretty nasty secret about Connor Kent that’s going to blow a lot of fans away. In addition, something big that’s supposed to significantly impact the character and his place in the DCU is supposed to happen in this issue as well.

All we know is that Adventure Comics has been one of our favorite new DCU titles since issue #1. Geoff Johns launched this series perfectly, and it’s continued to carry steam all the way through. We did think it may have jumped the shark a little with Superboy Prime, but now that they’ve gotten back to focusing on Connor Kent, it’s picking back up a lot of steam. PLUS, it’s Blackest Night this week, and it’s one of the coolest Blackest Night angles we’ve seen: what does the corrupting influence of Nekron do when it taints heroes who already escaped death once?

Click here to read more about ADVENTURE COMICS #7 FEATURING BLACK LANTERN SUPERBOY

SECRET SIX #18 *BLACKEST NIGHT*CONCLUDES THE SECRET SIX / SUICIDE SQUAD BLACKEST NIGHT SAGA! FIND OUT WHY SECRET SIX IS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE DC BOOKS!

Secret Six has really turned into one of my favorite DC titles over the last year and a half. Gail Simone proves that she’s one of the best “team book” writers in the biz, and especially excels at working with characters that have been out of the spotlight for a bit. Her characterization of the members of Secret Six is dead on, and has fleshed out this team as a very cool, very solid line-up. The concept of taking a line-up of assorted DC supervillains, and neutral characters, and using them as a last resort kind of team.

The current story arc that’s been going down is a crossover with the predecessors of Secret Six, the Suicide Squad. Gail Simone has teamed up with the original Suicide Squad writer, John Ostrander, to tell this tale, and set against the backdrop of BLACKEST NIGHT, it’s been great.

Suicide Squad #67 is where it begins with the original Suicide Squad, featuring characters like Bronze Tiger, Amanda Waller, and more, going head to head with the Secret Six… and the common theme? Deadshot. A prominent member of both teams, and both teams want him. Of course, there needs to be a reason for why this book carries the Blackest Night banner, and it’s in the shape of old school DC villain, The Fiddler. Yes. The Fiddler. Seriously. But, it works, we swear!

The story continues in SECRET SIX #17, and admittedly, feels much smoother than the rocky start of SUICIDE SQUAD #67. Gail Simone’s quirky characterization of the Secret Six really shines here, against the backdrop of the Black Lantern invasion. The brutality of the Black Lanterns is really taken up quite a few notches in both this and Suicide Squad 67, showing us some of the creepiest, most intense actions by the Black Lanterns yet. They’re savage as hell, and haven’t shown vicious streaks like this since Blackest Night #1. Caliafore’s art really brings the Lanterns to life.

This week, the storyline concludes in the pages of SECRET SIX #18 *BLACKEST NIGHT*, and all that needs to be said is Amanda Waller is unleashing a Manhunter on the Black Lanterns.

If you missed Suicide Squad 67, or Secret Six 17, don’t worry, we still have plenty of both in stock.

MESMO DELIVERY GRAPHIC NOVEL ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY, AND DELIVERS ONE OF THE BEST LOOKING NEW STORIES I’VE SEEN! EX-BOXERS, ELVIS IMPERSONATORS,  AND SOME INCREDIBLE ART!

One thing that I take pride in here at Third Eye is we have a pretty good eye for new talent, and finding those real gems that could be often overlooked amongst the sensory overload of the monthly PREVIEWS catalog. The most recent of these killer finds, is the graphic novel MESMO DELIVERY by Rafael Grampa. This is something that I’ve been excited about since I first heard about it last year. The artwork is INCREDIBLE looking, and reminds me of a cross between Geoff Darrow and Paul Pope. And, the story concept sounds AWESOME.

What’s MESMO DELIVERY about? Mesmo Delivery is about a don’t ask, don’t tell delivery service that employs Sangrecco, an aging Elvis impersonator, and a retired boxer named Russo. From there, we follow the pair as they descend into a gritty, grungy hell of shady deals, and shadier characters. There’s some very cool storyline twists, and turns, so we’re trying not to say too much about the plot, because it’s one of those stories that pulls you in, and takes you to some very unexpected places. It’s a very cool action/horror kind of vibe that the book carries.  It almost reminds you of something like Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction, with the level of violence and consequences that apply to it.

Why we love it? Well, first off.. the artwork is INCREDIBLE. I mean, I think most of you guys can tell that I tend to pay more attention to writers than artists, but I do appreciate good art, and dude, Rafael Grampa has got it. The characters in the book are ugly, but in that noble way, where you can almost hear the sounds of Johnny Cash playing in the background as they crash through their twisted world. The characters are over-the-top, but the dialogue helps keep them grounded in believability. From the story, to the art, to the whole aesthetic of the book in general.. we can’t talk enough good about MESMO.

MESMO DELIVERY kind of feels like a weird cross between SCALPED and THE GOON. Gritty as hell, hardcore to the max, but, also, very much over-the-top. We can’t recommend this one enough folks, check it out this week!

Click here to read a preview of MESMO DELIVERY!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #620 *THE GAUNTLET PT 9* THE RETURN OF MYSTERIO CONCLUDES HERE!

The Gauntlet storyline that’s been running through Spider-man has been top notch all the way through. There’s just something that’s cool about getting Spidey back to his roots, and reintroducing all the classic Spider-man villains we all grew up with. From the very start with the new twist on Electro, up through the new Rhino… it’s been good reads all the way through.

What is the Gauntlet? The Gauntlet is an over-arching themed storyline that’s running through AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. It began in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #512, and has consisted of two and three issue mini-story arcs reintroducing many of Spide-man’s deadliest classic Rogues (Sandman, Electro, Rhino, ect). The whole thing is leading up to the return of the Sinister Six, and is kind of a way of wearing Spidey down one by one, for the devastation that The Sinister Six will deliver en masse.

Want to catch up on THE GAUNTLET? Click here for the Third Eye Gauntlet Checklist. All issues are currently in stock here at Third Eye!

Now, onto the current story arc.. Mysterio! The reintroduction of MYSTERIO has been pretty badass, and the character is as vicious as he’s ever been. This Wednesday, we see the third and final chapter of Mysterio’s “introduction arc.” Marcos Martin’s artwork in this arc has been incredible, and Dan Slott has been able to deliver a very fresh, fast storyline that has kept us interested. In fact, I think that’s part of what has made the GAUNTLET so good is the rotating arcs have featured different creative team, giving each classic Spidey villain their own distinct feel, and energy. In other words, what works for Sandman, may not work for Rhino, and so on. We haven’t seen much of Mysterio, other than him acting as a behind-the-scenes puppet master, but we’re expecting in this week’s issue to see what’s up with his motivations, and renewed interest in the wallcrawler.

Click here for a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #620

HELLBLAZER: PANDEMONIUM GRAPHIC NOVEL ARRIVES WEDNESDAY! BRAND NEW STORY! ORIGINAL WRITER JAMIE DELANO RETURNS TO CONSTANTINE WITH LOSERS ARTIST JOCK!

As long-time Hellblazer fans, we’re very excited about the news of original series writer, Jamie Delano, returning to Constantine’s world again. And, even better, is he’s paired up with the incredibly talented Jock for the art duties on the book. And, even better than better, is that the plot behind this new original graphic novel featuring everyone’s favorite con artist sounds pretty damn cool.

First off, Delano takes Constatine to a place he’s never been: Iraq. The ultimate anti-authoritorian, Constantine, has been somehow convinced (or coerced) by government agents to be their interrogation expert on a P.O.W who’s been driving all the other interrogators mad with some form of magic.

Delano carefully crafts a tale where the politics don’t get in the way of the story, but are still made relevant in regards to Constantine and his world. The real cool aspect of Constantine’s new surroundings is all of the interesting occultism, and mysticism that hasn’t really been explored that deeply before in the pages of Hellblazer.

Jock’s artwork fits the story perfectly, making it so you can almost feel the oppressive sunlight beating down on you, and feel the sand stinging your face. His art, and Delano’s story makes a perfect match, and the end result is a damn good Hellblazer story. Probably one of the best ones we’ve seen in a few years.

Click here for a preview of HELLBLAZER PANDEMONIUM

WARREN ELLIS’S NEXTWAVE ULTIMATE AGENTS OF H.A.T.E
COLLECTION TRADE PAPERBACK OUT THIS WEEK! ONE OF ELLIS’S BEST! HILARIOUS, WHACKED OUT, OVER-THE-TOP SUPERHERO SCI-FI MARVEL MADNESS!



Back in 2006, one of the best damn Marvel comics of this past decade was released. A rare fusion of over-the-top superhero awesomeness, twisted humor, bigger than life sci-fi madness, and of course, a generous helping of the inimitable Warren Ellis, Nextwave quickly rose to the top as one of those books that many comic fans hadn’t read, but anyone who had.. LOVED IT. Not just loved it, but we were fanatical about it. Talking about it in reverant tones. And now, after a couple years of the first volume trade paperback of this series being out of print, Marvel has put the complete series (volumes 1 and 2 of the trade paperbacks) together in one giant slab of awesome. So, lets talk a little about what the heck NEXTWAVE: AGENTS OF H.A.T.E is all about.

WHAT IS NEXTWAVE? NEXTWAVE was a series that was written in two issue story arcs.  Each issue starting with a humorous F.A.Q in which the questions are answered in enthusiastic, over-the-top, marketing language that goes into some strange and disturbing territories. This also helps introduce the characters to readers, as well as fleshing out the world for first-time readers. The actual NEXTWAVE team, AGENTS OF H.A.T.E, is composed of several minor, third-string Marvel characters, like  Monica Rambeau, the former Captain Marvel, Tabitha Smith, formerly known as Boom Boom / Meltdown from X-FORCE, Aaron Stack, the Machine Man, Elsa Bloodstone, the Monster Hunter, and a brand new character only known as The Captain (formerly known as CAPTAIN ####, but apparently the words were so horrible that, allegedly, Captain America beat the hell out of him, and left him in a dumpster with a bar of soap in his mouth). This team are known as H.A.T.E, which stands for Highest Anti-Terrorism Effort, and are tasked with fighting U.W.M.D (Unusual Weapons of Mass Destruction). Once the team finds out they’re funded by S.I.L.E.N.T, a terrorist group, they pack their bags, and hightail it in the Shockwave Rider. They fly around, getting into messes, destroying U.W.M.Ds S.I.L.E.N.T has planted all around the country as H.A.T.E commander Dirk Anger (a parody of NICK FURY) pursues them.
The U.W.M.Ds include Fin Fang Foom, Broccoli Men, Ultra-Samurai, and the Mindless Ones.

Why We Love NEXTWAVE? Warren Ellis once described his process on NEXTWAVE as being the Authtority stripped of all logic, and insanity. He said it’s an absolute distillation of the superhero genre, and said that he was going for a series that was 100%, pure, unadulterated comic book mayhem and fun. People kicking people, and exploding.  And, this, this is why we love NEXTWAVE. It’s funny as hell, violent as hell, and has an insane energy that literally leaps off of each and every page. The dialogue, of course, is on point, and sharp as hell, with Ellis putting his distinct flavor on both that and the high-action storytelling. The characterization is quirky as hell, but awesome. Machine Man as an alcohol-chugging, human-hating jaded, bitter robot, Boom Boom talking in internet speak, and memes, and more make the cast really shine. And, then there’s the flashbacks, where we see characters like Captain America, Ulysses Bloodstone, and The Celestials acting comedically out of character. NEXTWAVE feels like a weird cross between bigger than life Silver Age MARVEL COMICS, post-modern superhero storytelling like THE AUTHORITY and the ULTIMATES, an internet forum where people post pictures of cats in zany messes, and a 16-bit shoot’em up video game.

In other words, NEXTWAVE is awesome.

This Wednesday, we’ll have the complete NEXTWAVE: AGENTS OF H.A.T.E ULTIMATE COLLECTION trade paperback available here at Third Eye, and if you just flat out enjoy good comics, we recommend picking it up.

CHOKER #1 *THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL* – BRAND NEW HARDBOILED CRIME NOIR MINI-SERIES FROM BEN TEMPLESMITH (artist on FELL, 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, ect). FANS OF FELL CHECK THIS OUT!

One of our favorite artists here at THIRD EYE is BEN TEMPLESMITH. He’s done an incredible amount of stuff, including the modern classic series FELL, the horror series that spawned a franchise 30 DAYS OF NIGHT, the DEAD SPACE comics, and much, much more. His style is unique, fresh, and very cool.. and it’s a perfect fit for crime noir series, as showcased by FELL.

This is why we’re so freakin’ stoked about his brand new series CHOKER from IMAGE COMICS. The story of CHOKER features Johnny “CHOKER” Jackson, who was once one of SHOTGUN CITY’s most promising police officers, and is now a bitter private detective. And, now he’s been offered his job back on the force, provided he can nail a twisted drug dealer that’s selling a very exclusive product. Oh, and he’s got a terrible case of something called Alien Hand Syndrome.

Judging from the preview pages we’ve seen, this one looks very promising as an exploration of a dirty, filthy city brimming with corruption and despair. The perfect setting for a good crime noir comic. And, while the premise does seem very familiar, considering we’re all very big fans of FELL, we’re sure it’s got a much different twist than Fell, not to mention the storytelling of FELL is very much dependant upon the unique format Ellis uses for it. In other words, this is a fresh new crime noir book that is going to kick seven different kinds of ass. Templesmith has proven in the past he’s got a good knack for plotting, and his artwork speaks for itself.

Check out a preview of CHOKER #1 by clicking here.

GRANT MORRISON’S ALL-STAR SUPERMAN VOLUME 2 TRADE PAPERBACK AVAILABLE WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE!

The second half of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s (the creative team that launched the current hit series, BATMAN AND ROBIN) ALL-STAR SUPERMAN arrives this Wednesday in softcover, and it’s definitely a big deal. While it’s been almost a year since the actual hardcover of ALL-STAR SUPERMAN v.2 arrived, we do know that some of you have been waiting for the second volume to hit softcover, and we’re sure you’re gonna be stoked to finish up this epic run.

Morrison’s ALL-STAR SUPERMAN is probably one of the best takes on the Man of Tomorrow we’ve ever read. This storyline came out back before Geoff Johns had shown us why Superman can be cool, and we can proudly say that this series was the first in opening the door to us really appreciating the character of SUPERMAN. From the storytelling to the artwork, it’s top notch all the way through. Not familiar with ALLSTAR SUPERMAN? Here’s the skinny..

What’s ALL-STAR SUPERMAN all about? Grant Morrison did something that, at the time, was impossible. He showed us how cool the Silver Age was, and how cool those concepts could be. In this 12 issue limited series, Morrison stripped the Man of Steel down to his timeless, iconic appeal, and showed us why he is one of the best comic book characters of all time. The story? Superman is dying of what is essentially a super-cancer, and each issue deals with him tying up his affairs and leaving the world in the best shape possible that he can.

Basically, when a team of scientists on a mission to explore the sun ends up in danger, Superman swoops in to save the day from a genetically enhanced clone of Lex Luthor. Luthor, of course, has orchestrated all of this to overwhelm Superman’s cells with a massive amount of solar radiation, giving him the power to project his bioelectric aura, but also overloading his cells.. and leaving him with one year to live. Superman hides his impending death from the public, but embarks on a 12 issue journey to wrap up his affairs. Moments ranging from his reveal of his secret identity to Lois, and the design of a “Super” suit for her to be like him for a day, to the death of Pa Kent, all make for very heart-touching moments in Superman lore. The series more or less takes the Silver Age quirkiness of the old Superman comics, and puts a modern day spin on it, making for a really cool read. You see that some of the things that make Superman great are the bigger than life scenarios he ends up finding himself in. The story is all set within it’s own continuity, allowing Morrison to do exactly what he wishes with the story, and making the story stand alone as a solid piece of storytelling.

Simply put, this is one of the best Superman stories of all time, and even if you HATE the character.. we guarantee that by the end of the first chapter of the first trade paperback, you’ll end up in love with the whole concept of Superman and the world he exists in.

ALL-STAR SUPERMAN volume 1 trade paperback is currently in stock now at Third Eye, and volume 2 will be available in softcover this Wednesday.

“WONDERLAND” PUBLISHERS ZENESCOPE UNVEIL NEW SERIES: SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY ILLUSTRATED #1 THIS WEDNESDAY!

The fine folks at Zenescope who’ve brought you twisted renditions of the Alice in Wonderland sagas, and now currently, with their dark take on the world of NEVERLAND, have brought us a brand new series in addition to their library, in the shape of SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY ILLUSTRATED. This new series takes classic Sci-Fi and Fantasy stories, and ideas, but adds a brand new twist to them, and of course, the killer cutting edge artwork of Zenescope’s impressive roster of artists.

It looks to be a throwback to the old pulp fiction tales of way back when, but with a modern twist, and judging from Zenescope’s track record on stuff like Wonderland, and Grimm Fairy Tales, this one should be a fun, tongue-in-cheek twist on some great sci-fi yarns.

PUNISHERMAX #4 CONTINUES JASON AARON’S (writer of SCALPED) BRUTAL, UNRELENTING RUN ON THE PUNISHER! THE BEST PUNISHER RUN SINCE GARTH ENNIS’S MAX RUN CONTINUES! ENTER: BULLSEYE!

Every issue of Jason Aaron’s new run on PUNISHERMAX takes the level of brutality up another notch. We thought he couldn’t top issue #2, but he totally did with some of the ridiculous, brutality that was in issue #3. We were definitely of the school of thought that when Garth Ennis’s character-defining 60 issue run on PUNISHER ended, there wasn’t much left to  say, but we were wrong. Aaron has taken the ball that Ennis left behid, and ran with it. The series feels like it’s picked up shortly after the end of Ennis’s run, and carries the same tone perfectly.

In addition, Aaron has added a lot of interesting new dynamics to the world of PUNISHER MAX, including the introduction of characters like Kingpin into the gritty, realistic world of PUNISHER MAX.

For those of you unfamiliar with the world of PUNISHER MAX, it’s basically a separate continuity from the regular 616 Marvel Universe. There are no superpowers in this world, and the Punisher mostly goes head to head with real criminals ranging from the Mafia to Russian slavers to war criminals and more. Existing Marvel characters are introduced at some points, but they’re chosen only by being within the bounds of believability (i.e Kingpin, or Nick Fury), and their superhuman attributes are downplayed (no Nick Fury jetpacks, no Kingpin kung fu).

And, this is the perfect setting for a character like the Punisher, who’s portrayed as more of a lone sociopath, in the vein of Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle, than a rocket-launcher toting superman.

And, in this week’s latest issue of PUNISHERMAX, it looks like we might be seeing just how the MAX version of Bullseye operates. Should be awesome.

Wanna catch up on PUNISHER MAX? We currently have plenty of issues 1, 2 and 3 in stock here at Third Eye.

Click here for a preview of PUNISHERMAX #4

DAYTRIPPER #3 CONTINUES VERTIGO’S KILLER NEW SERIES!

One of the best new Vertigo series we’ve seen in some time is DAYTRIPPER from the team of Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba. This series, only three issues in, has proved to be one of the most poignant slice-of-life tales we’ve seen in quite some time… with a very cool twist on the everyday trials and tribulations of a young obituary writer who feels he’s not living up to the standards he’s set of himself.

I don’t want to give away too much for those of you who haven’t read the first issue yet, but it’s got a very shocking ending, and then from there goes into some very unexpected territory in issue #2. For those of you who did read #2, then you can see the direction the story’s taking, which while different from what I had expected.. is very cool.. showing us the past of the main character, Bras.

I think what’s kind of unique about Daytripper is also what makes it kind of hard to explain… it’s a complete mystery, but in a good way. The writing and art is so good that you almost could care less about what the story is ABOUT, and you just kind of let it pull you in, and carry you where the story’s going. Moon and Ba obviously have many surprises up their sleeves with this one, and we feel that each issue is going to continue to confirm what we thought from the start: this series is going to be something special.

If you’re not yet reading Daytripper, and enjoy stuff that captures the small moments in life well, while still weaving a compelling tale, then we highly recommend checking it out. We currently have plenty of issues #1, and issue #2 in stock, so catch up to issue #3 this week here at Third Eye.

Click here for a preview of DAYTRIPPER #3

THE ANCHOR #5 and THE ANCHOR TP v.1 (collecting issues 1-4, only $9.99) ARRIVE THIS WEEK FROM BOOM! (publishers of IRREDEEMABLE & INCORRUPTIBLE) – HELLBOY MEETS KAIJU MONSTER FIGHTING INSANITY!

One very cool, little sleeper book that started late last year was BOOM!’s ANCHOR ongoing series. This book has been a lot of fun, and takes a couple of standard comic book ideas (a holy avenger, a giant monster fighter, ect ect) and puts a fresh new spin on them. The story of the Anchor is that of a hulking beast of a man who was taken in by a monastery many years ago, and turned into what the series creators have called “God’s Leg Breaker.”

Basically, the Anchor lives a dual existence, half of him (his soul) in the Borderlands guarding Earth from Demons that try to escape to Earth, and the other half (his body) doing a very similar job for those demons that actually do escape to Earth. While at first look, you might think the series is just a Hellboy rip-off, but it’s really got it’s own thing going on. While Hellboy plays up more of a mystery, occultism angle, and exploration of folklore and myth, the Anchor is much more of a big hulking avenging monstrosity beating the snot out of giant monsters kind of thing.

The artwork makes the series pop, and the colors especially give the book a very fresh feel. It really feels like somebody took the elements of something like Hellboy, and crossed it with every Ultraman or Godzilla movie you could think of.

This week, Boom, who’s really built a solid reputation for itself on books like IRREDEEMABLE, and INCORRUPTIBLE, delivers both the first trade paperback of THE ANCHOR (collecting issues 1-4), and then the 5th issue, providing readers who may have not yet jumped onto the series the perfect time to hop aboard. All in all, it’s a really fun series, and if you’re into stuff like Hellboy, the Goon, or just a fan of seeing giant monsters getting the hell out beat out of them, then we recommend it. Great art, great story, this one’s definitely an overlooked gem.

Click here for a preview of THE ANCHOR #5

X-MEN: PIXIE STRIKES BACK FEATURES FAN-FAVORITE X-CHICKS X-23, ARMOR, AND PIXIE!

This one caught my eye, because of two things: 1) The cover is great. Stuart Immonen does some of the best covers, seriously. 2) It’s featuring three X-Characters that are what I’d consider relatively new (all three being created during the 2000s), and all three being pretty cool characters. It’s funny too, because just the other night I was having a conversation with someone here at the shop about how the X-Books always try to shoehorn in new characters, and very rarely do they stick. Well, looking at the cover of this book, it looks like I’ve proven myself wrong, because X-23, Armor, and Pixie are all “new” characters that not only have “stuck” but have really won over loyal fan-followings.

Personally, I dig X-23. I think she’s a great character, and when she was first introduced, I thought I’d hate the character, but it turned out that the writers behind her had a good idea, and it worked. And, then Armor, of course, is also a very cool character, who by the end of Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men run, had won me over. Plus, you’ve got Pixie, who a lot of fans really dig, Mercury, and Blindfold, who’re also both pretty cool.

Anyways, what the hell is this one all about you’re probably wondering? Well, it’s a 4 issue limited series where this rag-tag bunch of X-Girls face something they’re not exactly prepared for: High School. Kathryn Immonen did a great job I thought writing the Hellcat mini last year, so it should be cool to see how this one plays out.

Click here for a preview of X-MEN: PIXIE STRIKES BACK #1

Staff Picks
Steve – DEMO #1 – This was AWESOME. It was a strong tie between this and SIEGE #2, but I figured since Torma was already doing SIEGE 2, this would win out. The first issue of DEMO delivered everything I hoped, and it shows why Brian Wood is one of the greats.
Trish – Legends: Enchanted - This was awesome! Jack rides a motorcycle powered by giant blood. Red Riding Hood’s a monster hunter. A real cool steampunk horror take on fairy-tale worlds.
Torma – SIEGE #2 - TOTAL MAYHEM. This is one of the best comics Ive read this year so far. I’ve always liked the Sentry, but this issue proves why he’s such a badass.
Matt – The Boys #39- One of the best issues in this series yet. This book continues to be one of my favorites every month.