Posts Tagged ‘the gauntlet’

GREEN LANTERN #50 *BLACKEST NIGHT* HAL JORDAN vs. the BLACK LANTERN SPECTRE! ATROCITUS RISES TO POWER! ALL THE COLOR SPECTRUMS UNITE! SPECIAL DOUBLE-SIZED ISSUE!

The biggest issue of GREEN LANTERN yet is hitting the stands this week with the double-sized 50th issue of the series penned by Geoff Johns, and illustrated by Doug Mahnke. All I can say, folks, is that this one is going to be EPIC. The solicitations aren’t revealing much, but from where we’ve seen the story going in both Green Lantern and Blackest Night, it looks like some big stuff will be going down in this issue. Plus, it’s an issue 50, and you know with hallmark books like GL, they pull out all stops for the 50th issue. Ontop of all that, each and every issue of GREEN LANTERN has served as a very special in-between story, filling in the gaps between issues of Blackest Night. After the events of BLACKEST NIGHT #6, I think you guys are just as eager as I am to see what’s going to be going down in this one.

From what the solicits do say, it looks like Hal Jordan will be going head to head with the Black Lantern Spectre, who you know, as the friggin’ spirit of God’s wrath, is pretty unbeatable already. As a Black Lantern? He’s going to be impossible. How is Hal going to tackle this, and what does the cover of GL tease with him done up in some VERY familiar looking armor mean? Is Hal going back to the way of Parallax? There’s also some mention of Atrocitus finding new means of power that will make him the most powerful of the Lanterns. All I know is that this issue is going to be packing some big punches, and we cannot wait to see what they are.

Each, and every issue of Green Lantern has been building on the Blackest Night story in a very substantial and meaningful way, and if you’re reading the main series, then you really need to be checking out the Green Lantern issues as well. They basically serve as Blackest Night 1.5, Blackest Night 2.5, Blackest Night 3.5, ect ect… very cool way of keeping things going, and expanding on important things in the storyline and keeping key elements from being glossed over in the main book.

Click here to see some rough preview pages of GREEN LANTERN #50!

BATMAN AND ROBIN #7 BEGINS “IN BLACKEST KNIGHT”… Does Black Hand really have Bruce Wayne’s skull? The road to this spring’s “Return of Bruce Wayne” storyline begins here!

And, as if DC wasn’t already dishing out one huge, monumental issue wasn’t enough, we’re also getting the start of what will probably be the biggest story arc yet in Grant Morrison’s red hot Batman & Robin series. Ever since the very beginning of BLACKEST NIGHT, everyone has been wondering just what the hell is up with that skull Blackhand has been carrying around and claiming as Bruce Wayne’s. And, then after the events of BLACKEST NIGHT #5 where Batman was momentarily resurrected as a Black Lantern, and then put back to rest… we’ve all been puzzled as to just what the deal is. Well, now, these questions are beginning to be answered in this very special three-part story arc that begins in this week’s BATMAN AND ROBIN #7, and it could only be titled none other than “In Blackest Knight.”

While Morrison has said that his series would not be carrying the banner of Blackest Night, because he does enjoy keeping everything contained to the pages of just BATMAN AND ROBIN, he has said that it takes influence and plot-threads from the atmosphere of Blackest Night. The biggest one being: Where does the supposedly-deceased (or lost in time) Bruce Wayne exist in this environment? The book is also going to be featuring every prominent current Bat-character you can think of, ranging from big characters like Batwoman to obscure favorites like Knight and Squire (the English equivalents of Batman).

Why we’re stoked? Well, as if we haven’t given you reason enough already as to why we’re pumped, with all the mention above about what it’s all about.. this is simply put going to be one of the best story arcs in one of the best Batman runs we’ve ever seen. I mean, Batman and Robin already exists as one of the major top tier favorites here at Third Eye, and each issue is guaranteed, quality reading, but from the way Morrison has described this “In Blackest Knight” storyline… we feel that this could be a nice slice of Bat-history unfolding right before our eyes. AND, ontop of all that, it leads into the increasingly anticipated “Return of Bruce Wayne – Fight Through Time” storyline that will be launching this Spring. Add in the involement of Black Hand, and the atmosphere of Blackest Night, plus the teased reveal of what’s going on with Batman’s skull in Black Hand’s grasp.

Knight and Squire? Another reason why I’m stoked about this arc is the involvement of Knight and Squire, the UK equivalent of Batman and Robin. These characters originally appeared way back in the Silver Age, and Morrison first brought them back in his classic run of JLA back in the ’90s (JLA #26, collected now in JLA v.5: JUSTICE FOR ALL) and given more showtime as members of the Ultramarine Corps in Grant Morrison and Ed McGuinness’s often overlooked, but killer JLA: Ultramarine Corps (available now in trade paperback at Third Eye) story arc. Most of you might remember them from the recent BLACK GLOVE storyline (BATMAN: THE BLACK GLOVE TPB). Out of all the members of the “International League of Batmen”, Knight and Squire are my personal favorites, and their involvement in recent happenings throughout the DCU has been very cool to see.

Knight, an “English Batman” who can’t handle the death of his father, and blows his inheritance on booze, drugs, and women, and ends up being dragged out of his self-destructive spiral by a tough, working class girl, is very intriguing. It’s a really cool dynamic to see between the two, and there’s definitely an Avengers (the Emma Peel AVENGERS) and even a little bit of a Doctor Who vibe to the dynamic between Knight and Squire, and it really makes them stand out as some of my favorite supporting DCU characters now.

All in all, this is a must-read story arc, and even if you’ve yet to jump onboard with Morrison’s awesome Batman and Robin series, we highly recommend jumping in with issue #7, and checking out this arc.

If you’ve yet to check out Morrison’s incredible re-invention of the Batman and Robin dynamic with BATMAN AND ROBIN, we currently have all issues, 1-6, in stock now at Third Eye, for you to catch up with.

Click here to read more about BATMAN AND ROBIN #7
Click here to read an interview with about the “Blackest Knight” storyline that begins this week in Batman and Robin #7

THE SIEGE CONTINUES IN NEW AVENGERS #61 *SIEGE*,and AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #32 *SIEGE* STEVE ROGERS RETURNS TO THE AVENGERS THIS WEEK!

I gotta say, I am super impressed so far with the SIEGE tie-ins that have hit. Each one so far has done a fantastic job of not just being relevant to the overall SIEGE storyline, but truly making the books and characters they’ve spotlighted feel important, and integral to the overall scheme of things in SIEGE. Granted, there’s only been a couple to hit the racks so far, but each one has delivered big time. Way better than past tie-ins to Marvel major events.

And, before I go forward in talking about this week’s round of SIEGE awesomeness, let me tell you… check out last week’s DARK AVENGERS #13 *SIEGE* and DARK WOLVERINE #82 *SIEGE*, both of these were very pleasant surprises. Dark Avengers #13 took a character I’ve had nearly zero interest in, the Sentry, and revealed the REAL origin of the character and how he fits into the scheme of things with SIEGE and Norman Osborn, and by doing so… they have made me dig the Sentry a hundred times more than I did before. I don’t want to spoil anything, because I know some of you have yet to read this one, but, the origin Bendis has laid out for the Sentry gives him potential to become one of the coolest flawed characters, or over-the-top supervillain. There’s just so many layers to the character, and his whiny, obnoxious demeanor now makes complete sense. As for DARK WOLVERINE #82, the character of Daken also became a thousand times more interesting for me as well. Again, a character that just never clicked with me, I found myself digging Daken a little bit more with his inclusion on the DARK AVENGERS, but, after seeing those last three pages of DARK WOLVERINE #82… he’s much cooler now in my eyes. Now, what happened in those pages, is a HUGE spoiler, and I don’t want to drop it, because it’s a good payoff. But, dude, they really knocked things up a notch with Daken, his place in the Marvel U, and his place in Norman Osborn’s world.. you will be surprised!

Now, lets talk about the books coming out this week that carry the SIEGE banner.
NEW AVENGERS #61 *SIEGE*
First off, we’ve got the next installment of NEW AVENGERS (a consistent Marvel favorite around here), with NEW AVENGERS #61. Again, Marvel reveals very little in the solicits for this issue, but just like with last week’s DARK AVENGERS, and DARK WOLVERINE, we’re expecting some pretty big surprises. What we do know is that this issue features a newly returned Steve Rogers Captain America and his reunion with the AVENGERS. Who does he trust? Who does he count amongst his closest allies in this grave new world? It’s time to see how Marvel’s greatest hero kicks some ass in the face of the God-Killer, Norman Osborn. Click here for a preview of NEW AVENGERS #61

AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #32 *SIEGE*



The issue preceding this, AVENGERS INITIATIVE *SIEGE PRELUDE* surprised the hell outta me! I haven’t really followed the Initiative book that closely for a few months, because honestly, I just wasn’t digging it. However, the SIEGE tie-in, and the inclusion of one of my favorite B-listers, TASKMASTER, piqued my curiousity as well. Man, was I impressed! It was a very cool look at how the “average” supervillain views their place in the world, and portrayed Taskmaster as your everyman supervillain who just wants to make some cash, and meet beautiful women… and now he’s been roped into Osborn’s Cabal of heavy-hitters, and is getting charred to a crisp by the likes of Dr. Doom!

This SIEGE tie-in that takes place this week in AVENGERS THE INITIATIVE #32 sees Tasksmaster, and many other supervillains just like him being thrown up against the combined forces of THOR, and the immortal Gods of Asgard. This is a little more than they had bargained for when they thought serving as Osborn’s second wave of super-powered goons was a sweet gig.It should be a pretty cool issue, and if the characterization and writing in issue #31 was any indication, it’ll be a really well-written, well-shaped issue. Click here for a preview of AVENGERS: THE INITIATIVE #32

GEOFF JOHNS WRITES “BACK FROM THE DEAD” BLACKEST NIGHT ONE-SHOT ATOM & HAWKMAN #46 THIS WEEK, AND IT LOOKS KILLER!  INDIGO LANTERN ATOM vs. BLACK LANTERN HAWKMAN AND HAWKGIRL!

The “Back from the Dead” one-shots that’ve been carrying the story forward in BLACKEST NIGHT this month have been pretty cool. There’s been a couple where I’ve questioned their involvement, but overall, there’s been some really good reads to come out of these. My favorites so far? Starman, of course, Power of Shazam, and the Suicide Squad/Sinister Six arc.

But, the big one is this week’s ATOM AND HAWKMAN #46, and it’s got us stoked for more than just one reason. First off, it’s being written by GEOFF JOHNS, the man behind BLACKEST NIGHT and GREEN LANTERN. And, then, it’s got an up and coming artist by the name of Ryan Sook rocking the art duties. If you haven’t seen Sook’s pencils, you should look him up, he’s actually pretty good, and I’m hoping that this is the book that gives him some exposure.

But, most importantly, it’s Geoff Johns exploring the fates of Hawkman and Hawkgirl, who we saw killed in the pages of BLACKEST NIGHT #1. It’s no secret that Johns has a soft-spot for these characters, as one of his earliest DC works was the killer Hawkman run he and Rags Morales did. It’s going to be very cool to see where he takes things with this one-shot, and the spin that he puts on two characters who have a huge part of their backstory based around the whole death and resurrection concept.

Ontop of all that, it features the Atom, who is now part of the INDIGO TRIBE, who’s being hunted by Black Lantern Hawkman and Hawkgirl. Personally, after the big events of BLACKEST NIGHT #6, I’m anxious to see all the different characters who were given rings, and while I’m a little more jazzed on Scarecrow as a Yellow Lantern and Lex Luthor as an Orange Lantern, it’s still pretty damn cool to see the results of Atom being inducted into the Indigo Tribe explored.

Click here to read more about BLACKEST NIGHT ATOM & HAWKMAN #46

Have you been following all the Blackest Night “Back from the Dead” one-shots? Each one is the next issue after the “final” issues of many series that were cut down in their prime, giving these books one more chance to tell their stories, and casting the Blackest Night shadow on every corner of the DCU.

In case you’ve missed any of them, we currently have all of the “Back from the Dead” Blackest Night checklists in stock, here’s a list of what’s been released:
The Power of Shazam! #48 by Eric Wallace
- The Question #37 by Greg Rucka
- Suicide Squad #67 by John Ostrander and Gail Simone
- Phantom Stranger #42 by Peter Tomasi
- Catwoman #83 by Fabian Nicieza
- The Atom and Hawkman #46 by Geoff Johns
- Weird Western Tales #71 by Dan DiDio
- Starman #81 by James Robinson

KICK-ASS #8 CONCLUDES MARK MILLAR (WRITER OF OLD MAN LOGAN) AND JOHN ROMITA JR’S ULTRAVIOLENT, YET HUMOROUS TAKE ON THE WORLD OF COSTUMED VIGILANTES!

The finale to Mark Millar and John Romita JR’s ultra-violent, yet humorous real-world take on costumed vigilantes arrives this Wednesday, after much delay. And, even though it’s been almost five months since issue #7… we couldn’t be more stoked. And, of course, there’s the little fact that the trailers have been showing up everywhere for KICK-ASS these days, and they look… AWESOME.

For those of you who’ve been following KICK-ASS, then the series needs no explanation. For those of you who haven’t, we’d recommend waiting, because the graphic novel will be hitting in a week or so, and the early issues of this series have been out of print and impossible to get a hold of since last summer.

What’s the scoop on Kick-Ass? Meet Dave Lizewski, an ordinary high school student who loves comic books. He loves ‘em so much he uses them as inspiration to become a costumed crime-fighter. After buying a wetsuit on eBay, and turning that into his superhero costume, he goes out, and ends up getting his ass kicked. Like, really bad. So bad, they put him in the hospital, and it takes him months to recover. He gets out of the hospital, swears off the idea of fighting the good fight, burns all of his comics, but…. something just won’t let him give it up. He goes out, one more time, in costume, and sees a guy getting beaten by a few guys. He tries to interfere, and they blow him off… so he pulls out his batons, and starts wailing on these guys from behind. And, every single person witnessing this begins to record it on their phones. And, an internet celebrity sensation is born, as the video is uploaded to YouTube, Facebook, and so forth. He’s dubbed KICK-ASS by the world, and uses his newfound confidence to continue his crime-fighting career. Of course, his second time out.. he ends up getting into a bigger mess, and that’s when Hit Girl comes into the picture. A 10 year old girl slicing dudes apart with Katana swords. And, that’s when we find out there’s more than just one costumed amateur crimefighter out there taking out bad guys.

The book is violent, and is fueled by a frenetic energy that makes each issue a fun, breakneck fast read. Mark Millar (OLD MAN LOGAN) demonstrates his knack for dialogue well, and the book is by far one of the most clever we saw last year. For those of you who’re already hooked, we know you’re gonna be eagerly awaiting this one, and for those of you who’ve yet to jump onboard, the graphic novel should be arriving next week.

Click here for a preview of KICK-ASS #8

CHEW #8 *INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR PT 3*CONTINUES THE BREAKOUT IMAGE SERIES OF 2009! ARE YOU READING THIS INCREDIBLE TAKE ON DETECTIVE PROCEDURALS MIXED WITH A LITTLE CANNIBALISM? IF NOT, GET CAUGHT UP THIS WEEK WITH CHEW VOLUME 1 TPB (1-5) FOR ONLY $9.99! THIRD EYE SPECIAL OFFER: TRY CHEW v.1 THIS WEEK, AND IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT, BRING IT BACK FOR A FULL REFUND!

The second story arc of IMAGE’s best new series of 2009 continues this Wednesday, as we see Detective Chu tracking down a prize-winning fighting bird. One that’s impossible to defeat, and now that it’s missing, there’s some people who want Poyo (the feathered ass-kicker) back, and Detective Chu’s on the case. How does this tie in to the case Chu’s been working? I guess we’ll find out!

Click here for a preview of CHEW #8!

For those of you who haven’t yet tried CHEW, you have gotta check this series out. Even if you’re not normally a fan of the more off-the-wall books, you will be hooked on this one. It really is a great read, and combines killer art, and killer story to make for a compelling series.

What’s the scoop on CHEW? In a world where all poultry is illegal due to the outtbreak of Bird Flu, and an underground market has developed for the real thing, Detective Tony Chu exists. Chu, though, happens to be cibopathic, which means he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. He eats a hamburger? He sees the cow being killed. He eats an apple? He can smell the pesticides being sprayed on the trees. It makes his life very unpleasant, and because of that, he only eats beets. You can’t get a strong psychic residue from dirt. And, then, in the first chapter of CHEW, Chu is on a case with his partner, undercover, at a speak-easy that serves chicken. He has the soup, thinking it’ll be his safest bet, and he can’t blow his cover… and then he sees images of girls being killed. He can feel the killer nearby, charges into the kitchen, and well, lets just say, after that incident, the FDA (who is like the ATF in this world) hires Chu on to eat the remains of murder victims to determine how they died. Sound awesome, doesn’t it?

Try CHEW v.1: TASTER’S CHOICE TPB this week at Third Eye, and if you don’t like it, we’ll give you your money back!
Wanna hop onboard with CHEW? The first trade paperback collects issues 1-5, and we’ve got plenty of issues #6, and #7 to catch you up to where the series is currently. We have so much faith in this series, and we personally like it so much, that we’re pretty sure you’re gonna dig it. If you try the trade, and don’t like it, bring it back, and we’ll give you a full refund for it!

GEOFF JOHNS’S (BLACKEST NIGHT WRITER)SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN #4 CONTINUES THE BEST SUPERMAN STORY WE’VE READ IN YEARS!

Man, has this been a good mini-series or what? You know, it’s funny, a few years back, I was the least likely person you could find that’d be raving about a Superman title. The character never clicked for me, but then the combination of Grant Morrison’s incredible ALL-STAR SUPERMAN (available now in TPB here at Third Eye) and then later, Geoff Johns’s killer run on ACTION COMICS (collected in trades likeSUPERMAN: BRAINIAC, and SUPERMAN AND THE LEGION OF SUPERHEROES) got me hooked. I went back and rediscovered some of the great stories of yesteryear like John Bryne’s Man of Steel run, and Alan Moore’s take on the Man of Tomorrow, and I realized that Superman can be one of the coolest characters in superhero fiction when he’s written well. And, Geoff Johns gets that. He understands what makes the character appealing, he understands how to keep the iconic feel of the character while still adding a human, believable feel to the character. He realizes that what makes Superman so human is the fact that he’s not human at all, but from another planet.

The SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN series has been a great read, month after month, with the gorgeous pencils of GARY FRANK (who’s Superman resembles Christopher Reeves more than just a little bit), and the stellar writing of GEOFF JOHNS.

What’s the scoop? SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN is a six-issue limited series that re-introduces, and explores the origins of the Man of Steel, but with a 21st century spin. Essentially, it’s Johns showing us who Superman is, why he can be such a great character, and at the same time, developing the world around the character. Each issue seems to be focusing in on a key part of Superman’s life, we start issue #1 with him as an adolescent, first discovering his powers, and then having his origins revealed to him by Ma and Pa Kent. The second one showcases him as a teenager, and his first meeting with the Legion of Superheroes, who idolize him in the future, and the third, the best of the bunch, focuses on him as a young man in his early 20s, his first day in Metropolis and at the Planet, and a very iconic, first time revealing Superman to the world. Each issue shows the paralells that run between Superman and Lex Luthor, their upbringing, and how they’re getting to where we’ve all come to know them. We currently have all issues out so far, 1-3, well-stocked here at Third Eye, so if you haven’t yet jumped on, be sure to try the book this week, it’s REALLY good. Trust us, folks, this isn’t just a rehash of everything we already know… this is a 21st Century take on the MAN OF STEEL, and the superb characterization shows us why Geoff Johns is the man born to write this character.

This Week in Superman Secret Origin #4? We see the real turning point where Luthor decides it’s time to turn his priorities towards ridding the world of the Man of Steel. There’s hints of Parasite being introduced, as well as a look into his Kryptonian past.

Click here for a preview of SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #4

IRREDEEMABLE #10 CONTINUES TO BUILD ONE OF THE MOST COMPELLING NEW SUPERHERO UNIVERSES WE’VE SEEN IN A VERY LONG TIME WITH MARK WAID’S “SUPERMAN GONE EVIL” STORYLINE!

Every single issue of IRREDEEMABLE makes this series better, and better. What could’ve been a simple, one-trick pony with the concept of a powerful superhero gone evil, has turned into a compelling new world being shaped by Mark Waid in the pages of Irredeemable, and now Incorruptible. Simply put, this is superhero awesomeness at it’s finest, and it just gets better with each issue.

The world of Irredeemable is one where the equivalent of SUPERMAN, The Plutonian, snaps after years of being taken for granted, betrayed, and abused by the very world he protects. Through series of flashbacks, we see small events that led to his descent into madness, and each issue, the story gets richer. Mark Waid is on point big time with this one, and he makes the story work, by building up the entire supporting cast, and world of the Plutonian. From his former team-mates, to his arch-enemies, the Plutonian’s world becomes more interesting with each issue.

If you haven’t yet tried IRREDEEMABLE, snag up the first trade paperback for just $10 here at Third Eye. We guarantee you’ll be hooked.

If you’re already aware of what is one of the greatest superhero books hitting the stands now, then we know you’re as anxious to see where things go with Modeus in this issue.

Click here for a preview ofIRREDEEMABLE #10

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #619 *THE GAUNTLET PT 8* THE NEWLY RETURNED, AND EXTRA-VICIOUS MYSTERIO CONTINUES HIS TORMENT OF THE WEBCRAWLER THIS WEDNESDAY IN WHAT’S BEEN THE BEST RUN OF SPIDEY IN RECENT MEMORY!

First off… this cover is AWESOME. Secondly, if you’re a Marvel fan, or a lapsed Spidey fan who fell off during the whole Mephisto nonsense, then you need to hop onboard AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. It has been one of the best returns in quality of a character that we have seen in a long time. The Rhino issue from two weeks ago proves that, and last week’s start of the Mysterio arc continued the trend.

What’s the Gauntlet?
The Gauntlet is an over-arching storyline that’s been running through AMAZING SPIDER-MAN since issue #612. It’s basically the re-introduction of many of Spidey’s classic Rogues Gallery, as they wear him down one by one, for the eventual return of an all-new, all-brutal Sinister Six. So far, each 2-3 issue arc has done wonders with reintroducing these classic villains, and adding a new level of excitement to the world of Spider-man. And, lets be real, Spidey’s Rogues Gallery is one of the best, up there with Batman’s.. it’s only fair to see these villains being given their due.
Click hereto read the checklist of titles associated with the GAUNTLET

Mysterio!
Last week in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #618, we saw the return of MYSTERIO to things, and I have to say, I like what they’ve done reintroducing him a lot. I think Mysterio, and the new Rhino are probably my favorites so far, and it looks like we’ve got some killer storytelling to look forward to in the next couple of chapters involving Mysterio. PLUS, Marco Martin is doing the art, and he is one of the most perfect fits for Spidey I think I’ve seen in quite some time. A very cool, retro-esque style that definitely fits the overall tone of where the Gauntlet has been heading.

Clickherefor a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #619 *MYSTERIO PT 2*

BLACKEST NIGHT JSA #2 BLACK LANTERN LOIS LANE IN PURSUIT OF SUPERMAN?



The first issue of BLACKEST NIGHT JSA was a personal favorite for me because I have always been a big fan of the Justice Society. DC handles the idea of “legacy” characters so well, and JSA has always done a fantastic job of reflecting this. If you were reading Blackest Night Superman, you’re probably wondering where Earth-2 Lois Lane, now a Black Lantern, went… well she’s in the pages of BLACKES NIGHT JSA in pursuit of Black Lantern Superman. And, this can only mean one thing: Power Girl’s days could be numbered.

PLUS, a whole slew of classic JSA members have returned from the grave, and are hungry for pain, death and misery.

Click here to read more about BLACKEST NIGHT JSA #2

CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #6 CONCLUDES THE EPIC SAGA OF STEVE ROGER’S RETURN THIS WEDNESDAY!

The epic saga of Steve Rogers return concludes here this week in CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #6. We know, it’s a little late, considering both Cap #602, and Who Will Wield the Shield have already shipped, but while late titles suck, we’re glad Marvel decided to keep things progressing and didn’t let the delay on this one slow down everything else in the Marvel U (being that Rogers plays a big role in the currently ongoing SIEGE event).

This whole story arc though has been an incredible read from start to finsh, delivering the bigger than life pulp-fusion storytelling that makes Brubaker one of the best writers Cap’s ever had. And, in this issue, we see the events that precede CAPTAIN AMERICA: WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD, and their effects on the future of the Marvel Universe. It’s the Cap and the Avengers vs. The Red Skull, and someone’s going to go down big time.

We’re excited to see where things are going now, considering that a good deal of Brubaker’s run on Cap has been spent developing the character of Bucky Barnes, and his place in the world as the replacement for Captain America. It should be interesting to see his handling of Steve Rogers, in a world that’s a few years removed from what Rogers remembers last (Civil War, ect).

If you haven’t yet checked out REBORN, we currently have the entire series in stock now at Third Eye, which includes CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #1-5 (and now #6), and the CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN: WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD one-shot.

Clickhere to read a preview of CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #6!

ROBERT KIRKMAN (writer of HAUNT and WALKING DEAD) debuts next PILOT SEASON one-shot this Wednesday with DEMONIC



When you’ve got Robert Kirkman writing a book, we tend to pay attention. The man behind some of our top Third Eye favorites like HAUNT, WALKING DEAD, and INVINCIBLE tends to not disappoint. And, after the killer success of his MURDERER one-shot, and it’s quick sellout at the publisher (c’mon TOP COW, give us a second printing!), we’re stoked to see what he has in store for us next.

This week, Kirkman’s going to be rolling out the next in his PILOT SEASON one-shots. Basically, the PILOT SEASON is a series of one-shots he’s writing where he’s doing one-shot “pilots”, and then letting the fans vote to see which one becomes a regular series. This week, it’s DEMONIC.

What’s the scoop on DEMONIC? When is murder justifiable? It’s justifiable to defend yourself, right? It’s justifiable if you’re defending your family, right?  But, is it justifiable if you’re killing in defense of yourself or family, AND to quench the thirst for souls of an ancient demon?

Meet Scott, a superpowered vigilante who kills bad guys. But, he’s not killing them out of his own vendetta for justice, but instead to quench the thirst of an ancient demon’s need for souls, or else he risks losing his family to that same very demon. Now, the question being asked here is: is the demon for real? Is Scott just a guy who’s mind was shattered by the weight of receiving superpowers, and uses the demon deal to explain his murders? And, a reason for his powers to exist.

Honestly, this one sounds freaking cool, and it’s Kirkman, so we know that the story is going to be way on point. Not to mention the interior art looks gorgeous by Joe Benitez.

Click here to read more about PILOT SEASON: DEMONIC

FROM THE FOLKS WHO BROUGHT YOU RETURN TO WONDERLAND, COMES A TWISTED RENDITION OF NEVERLAND IN THIS WEDNESDAY’S NEVERLAND #0! ONLY $1.99!

Here’s one that we’re pretty stoked about at Third Eye. The folks at Zenescope who’ve brought us their Grimm Fairy Tales & Wonderland sagas with a dark twist, are unveiling their next big series this Wednesday, and it’s exploring the mythology of Peter Pan, Neverland, and Captain Hook with a very dark twist. One thing we can almost guarantee sight unseen is that the artwork in this book will be stunning, because that’s one of the big things that Zenescope has become known for.

From what I’ve read of the series, it sounds like it may be an all-new take on the subject, going as far to possibly be casting Peter Pan as the actual villain in this rendition of Neverland. What we do know from Zenescope’s track record is they will apply a very different, and very dark twist to the Peter Pan mythos, and we’re pumped to see where it goes this week. Check it out this Wednesday at Third Eye for only $1.99!

JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #41 DEBUTS THE ALL-NEW JUSTICE LEAGUE LINE-UP AND ALL-NEW DIRECTION FEATURING DICK GRAYSON AS BATMAN, HAL JORDAN, DONNA TROY, AND MORE!



Another one I’m really excited to see this week is the first issue of Jame Robinson’s JLA featuring the all-new line-up. The JLA has such a long, rich history that it’s always interesting to see a new team brought in, and I’ve been enjoying James Robinson’s JLA enough that I have high hopes for this one. The line-up is interesting, and for the most part, is one that I think is pretty solid in terms of believability, impact on the DCU, and storyline potential. It’s a good mix of classics like Batman (albeit Dick Grayson), JLA mainstays like Green Arrow, heavy-hitters like Green Lantern, legacy characters moving up the ranks like Starfire, Cyborg, and Donna Troy, and then some oddballs like Dr. Light, The Guardian, and Congorilla.

Yes, I’m excited about a book featuring Congorilla. I know, I can’t believe it either.

Seriously though, this is a great opportunity to hope aboard JLA if you haven’t already been following the book, and it’s a pretty promising start for some killer story arcs to launch out of this issue with the new team.

Click here to see some preview pages of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #41

JUSTICE LEAGUE CRY FOR JUSTICE #6 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY! READ THE SERIES THAT’S PAVED THE WAY FOR THE NEW JUSTICE LEAGUE LINE-UP!



James Robinson has been setting up the previously mentioned JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA roster change for a while now in the pages of this killer 7 issue limited series. This limited series, which began after the events of FINAL CRISIS, features a rag-tag gathering of Justice Leaguers, current, and former, who’ve had enough seeing their friends die time and time again. It’s in this series that the heroes step up their game quite a deal, and bring it to the bad guys head to head as they investigate a string of murders tied to (one of my personal favorite) an older JLA villain by the name of Prometheus (often described as the Anti-Batman).

They end up discovering a whole string of murders that tie back to Prometheus, as he has been on a quest to create the ultimate mass murder weapon: a teleporting device he plans to use to wipe out entire cities. Prometheus has been bringing it to the JLA pretty badly, and the events of this limited series are what set up for the brand new team and direction of JUSTICE LEAGUE in JLA #41.

Miss an issue? Haven’t read Cry for Justice yet? We currently have the previous 5 issues all well-stocked here at Third Eye, so if you wanna check the series out, catching up is no problem at all.

Click here to read more about JUSTICE LEAGUE CRY FOR JUSTICE #6!

ROBOCOP RETURNS THIS WEDNESDAY IN DYNAMITE COMICS ‘S (Publisher of THE BOYS, COMPLETE ALICE IN WONDERLAND, and MORE) CUTTING EDGE ROBOCOP #1

Who didn’t grow up in the ’80s or ’90s that wasn’t obsessed with ROBOCOP? It’s funny, because all the things that make the original ROBOCOP movie great (lets just forget the two sequels) were completely lost on me as a kid. I just knew it was awesome seeing a cyborg cop running around blowing people up. I recently watched ROBOCOP again a few years ago, and man, Paul Verhoeven really had something cool with that flick. Great social satire, and commentary, in a neat, distinctly late ’80s cyberpunk vein, meshed with some of the craziest ultraviolence you’d catch on a movie theater screen back then.

And, this, is why I’m stoked for Dynamite’s launch of a ROBOCOP comic. The character of ROBOCOP, and his world, lend itself very nicely to the modern style of comic books. And, Dynamite, who has proven they’re not afraid to let the blood spill, or to take a sarcastic approach to a subject (see THE BOYS), means that this should be a pretty solid read for anyone who’s a fan of Verhoeven’s cult classic flick.

Click here to read a preview of ROBOCOP #1

WALKING DEAD #69… NO WORDS NEEDED TO DESCRIBE THE NEXT INSTALLMENT IN ONE OF THE ALL-TIME TOP 5 THIRD EYE FAVORITE SERIES!

Words can’t do this series justice. In fact, the less I say about this next issue, the better. As you can see, big things are about to begin to be revealed, and we can’t wait to see what’s happening next.

Are you reading WALKING DEAD in trade, and want to jump onto the singles? Can’t stand waiting months at a time to find out where the most compelling comic series on the stands is going next? We currently have both of the issues that follow after WALKING DEAD v.11 (released two weeks ago), issue #67, and #68, so all you need to hop aboard the monthly is Walking Dead v.11, #67, and #68.. trust us, it makes waiting a little bit easier.

For those of you not reading WALKING DEAD yet… all I can say is: pick up the trade paperback of Volume 1 as soon as you can. I have yet to find one person who didn’t like it. This is some of the best writing in comics. If you think it’s just a zombie story, you’re way off… this is character development, cliffhanger plots, and more. You’ll be hooked.

THOR #606 CONTINUES THE KILLER DR. DOOM vs. THOR STORYLINE THAT LEADS DIRECTLY TO SIEGE! NEED TO CATCH UP? WE HAVE PLENTY OF THOR #604, and THOR #605 (chapters 1 and 2 of the new arc) IN STOCK!

If you were digging JMS’s run on THOR, and left when he did.. then you are missing out on some of the finest THOR storytelling since JMS’s run began! Beginning in issue #604, and carrying over from the finale of JMS’s run, we see that Doom has been using the blood and organs of Asgardians to fuel his war machines, even going as far as to twist the Asgardians into hideous cyborg monsters to do his bidding. Of course, Thor is not down with this, and that leads us to some major throwdowns involving THOR, the Destroyer armor, and Dr. Doom!

Both THOR, and IRON MAN have been running parallel directly into, and alongside SIEGE, and out of many of the ongoing Marvel books, I feel that this series and INVINCIBLE IRON MAN are two of the most crucial to be reading if you’re getting amped up on what’s going down in SIEGE. Plus, Thor’s been a good book for over three years now, and just keeps on getting better. The new creative team of young gun rising star writer Kieron Gillen, and young gun rising star artist Billy Tan are delivering some of their best work on this one. Don’t believe me? Check out those preview pages… tell me the art’s not kicking.

It looks like in this issue we’re going to see what secrets Doom has up his sleeve, in addition to where Loki’s allegiances really lie. Is this going to be Doom’s play for power in taking over Asgard?

Clickhere to read a preview of THOR #606

ULTIMATE COMICS ENEMY #1 FROM BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS REVEALS THE ULTIMATE UNIVERSE’S GREATEST EVIL!

Brian Michael Bendis, the main man responsible for some of the Ultimate line’s biggest stories delivers this new limited series featuring many ultimate fan favorites like Spidey, Iceman, the FF, and more. This limited series is supposed to explore one of the Ultimate universe’s greatest threats, but outside of that, there isn’t a whole lot of info on the series. What we do know is the preview pages look sweet, and Bendis normally delivers big time on anything set in the ULTIMATE universe.

Clickhere to read a preview of ULTIMATE COMICS ENEMY #1

PUNISHER #13 *FRANKENCASTLE PT 3* HITS THIS WEDNESDAY! FIND OUT WHY FRANKENCASTLE IS TURNING INTO ONE OF MY PERSONAL BIG CULT FAVORITES! ONE OF THE BEST “LEGION OF MONSTERS” STORYLINES EVER WITH A GREAT QUIRKY, STEAMPUNKY BAD GUY!



Folks, I am loving Frankencastle. I’ll admit, the first issue, I was kind of left with my jaw hanging page after page, thinking one thing: WTF? But, then I read the second issue, and I’m so glad I gave it a chance to win me oer, because it did big time.

First off, you have two very talented guys working on this thing. Rick Remender, and Tony Moore. This is the same creative team who did some really cool stuff on the DARK HORSE series FEAR AGENT. Tony Moore also did the artwork on the first trade of WALKING DEAD. His art in Frankencastle looks to be some of his best work yet, and the colors on it are PERFECT. Most importantly, it fits the quirky, funky tone of the story just right. Secondly, it’s a very fun, fresh idea that brings some forgotten old characters back into the spotlight, and shows us why they’re cool.

The thing is though, you cannot go into FRANKENCASTLE expecting a straight-forward PUNISHER story. In fact, Frankencastle is more of a REALLY AWESOME Legion of Monsters story than it is a PUNISHER story, and I think that’s why it works so well.

What’s the scoop? Punisher got his head cut off in the brutal DARK REIGN THE LIST: PUNISHER one-shot (still in stock here at Third Eye, if you missed it!), by Dark Wolverine (Daken). His body parts get dumped into the sewers, and retrieved by the remaining Morlocks, where they take them deeper into the Morlock tunnels to some very familiar frightful characters. Morbius the Living Vampire, Man-Thing, Werewolf By Night, the Living Mummy… they’re all here. And, they patch the Punisher back together into an undead monstrosity that can only be called Frankencastle (due to the resemblance to Frankenstein’s Monster). See, there’s a legion of cyborg Samurai’s led by a steampunk-esque madman who has one goal in life: DESTROY ALL MONSTERS! Morbius, and his monster brethern decide they need the Punisher’s war time strategy to defend their dying people, and the Punisher (who’s using a synaptic nerve medicine to keep his brain functioning, so he’s not just a rambling madman) is reluctant to help. In fact, he keeps asking “Why did you bring me back?” And, it’s not until the surreal final pages of PUNISHER #12 *FRANKENCASTLE PT 2*, where we see Frank come to the realization he has to help these people, as he cradles a young child Morlock (in a Devo shirt…) in his arms, a smoking hole in the youngster’s chest.

I know, it sounds like it shouldn’t work on any level. It sounds completely absurd, and ridiculous, but I think this is part of why I love it so much, and because of these things… it does work, and takes a completely different angle on the PUNISHER. I won’t lie either, the incredibly fitting artwork of Tony Moore is a big draw too. He manages to capture the surreal, sideshow monster feel in vivid color, and it makes the story moves so smoothly.

If you haven’t yet jumped onboard with FRANKENCASTLE, we still have PUNISHER #11, and PUNISHER #12 in stock, and those two chapters’ll catch you up to the newest installment this week. If you’re a fan of irreverent, quirky fun in books like CHEW, and COWBOY NINJA VIKING, then you should totally be reading this. It rocks.

For those of you who’re on board, it looks like we’re gonna see a giant chaingun-toting Frankencastle laying waste to the monster-hunters in glorious technicolor style.

Click here for a preview of PUNISHER #13 *FRANKENCASTLE PT 3*

TRANSFORMERS: LAST STAND OF THE WRECKERSBRINGS ON MORE CLASSIC G1-STYLE TRANSFORMER GOODNESS!

I’m a child of the ’80s and ’90s, so it’s obvious that I’ve got a soft spot for everyone’s favorite giant robots. The problem I had for a while though, was IDW’s Transformer books often strayed too far from the characters I grew up with, and loved. While I really enjoyed the expanded mythos of the Transformers, I really had no interest in the inclusion of the stuff from the films. Well, it looks like with the introduction of the brand new TRANSFORMERS ongoing series, they’re getting back to basics, and I can tell you from the responses I’ve seen from many of you, I’m not alone in my renewed excitement about the Transformers books.

This Wednesday, we get a new limited series from the creative team that brought us the killer MAXIMUM DINOBOTS, and it’s featuring the Autobots, THE WRECKERS. Now, this can only mean one thing, right? Constructicons? We can hope.

Either way, I’ve been impressed so far by the new ongoing series in terms of the writing and the art, so I’m stoked to see where they go with this new limited series.

Click here for a preview ofTRANSFORMERS: THE LAST STAND OF THE WRECKERS #1

THE GAUNTLET CHECKLIST PART 1
The best Spider-man storyline in recent memory has been THE GAUNTLET, an over-arching storyline re-introducing many of the wallcrawler’s classic Rogues Gallery, and assaulting him at every turn, to wear him down for the eventual return of a much more vicious Sinister Six. If it’s been a while since you’ve read Spidey, we highly recommend hopping aboard with AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #612, and giving the GAUNTLET a shot. Here’s a checklist of what’s to come so far:

THE GAUNTLET CHECKLIST PART 1

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #612 *THE GAUNTLET PT 1* - ELECTRO RETURNS PT 1

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #613 *THE GAUNTLET PT 2*- ELECTRO RETURNS PT 2

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #614 *THE GAUNTLET PT 3* – ELECTRO RETURNS PT 3

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #615 *THE GAUNTLET PT 4* – ENTER SANDMAN PT 1

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #616 *THE GAUNTLET PT 5* – ENTER SANDMAN PT 2

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #617 *THE GAUNTLET PT 6* – THE RHINO’S RETURN

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #618 *THE GAUNTLET PT 7* - MYSTERIO’S RE-APPEARING ACT PT 1

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #619 *THE GAUNTLET PT 8* – MYSTERIO’S RE-APPEARING ACT PT 2

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #620 *THE GAUNTLET PT 9*- MYSTERIO’S RE-APPEARING ACT PT 3

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #621 *THE GAUNTLET PT 10* – THE LIZARD!

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #622 *THE GAUNTLET PT 11* – MORBIUS THE LIVING VAMPIRE!

THIRD EYE ’80s COMIC NIGHT THIS THURSDAY! COME BY, AND JOIN IN ON THE FUN!

WE’VE SEEN GOOD GUYS GO BAD, SO WHAT HAPPENS WHEN BAD GUYS GOOD? FIND OUT THIS WEEK IN INCORRUPTIBLE #1! FROM THE CREATORS OF IRREDEEMABLE! THIS WEEK’S THIRD EYE MUST BUY!

If IRREDEEMABLE was the story of Superman or Captain America gone Wrong, then INCORRUPTIBLE is the tale of Lex Luthor, Two-Face, or The Sandman gone right.

From the creators of the incredibly awesome IRREDEEMABLE comes INCORRUPTIBLE which takes a whole new approach to the dynamics of superhero and supervillain arch-types. We’ve seen many different stories that focus on the fall from grace of Superhero icons, but it’s rare that we see things seen from the opposite end of the spectrum, and that’s the road to redemption walked by a supervillain gone good.

This week, we get to see a completely new and fresh approach to the deconstruction of super-heroes and super-villains in this brand new ongoing series from the folks who’ve brought us IRREDEEMABLE. And, as a big fan of IRREDEEMABLE, I couldn’t be more stoked to see how Waid will be approaching this. So, now, lets get down to the details, and talk about what exactly INCORRUPTIBLE is.

What’s the scoop? Set in the same universe as IRREDEEMABLE, but offering a completely new and accessible entry point (in other words, if you’re not already reading IRREDEEMABLE, you won’t be lost), INCORRUPTIBLE focuses on the story of super-villain Max Damage. See, the day that the Plutonian (the main character of IRREDEEMABLE, think Superman gone completely insane) destroyed Sky City, Max had an epiphany: in a world where the world’s most beloved super-powered icon has turned on them, maybe now he can step up and walk the road of the righteous.

The fact that Waid has been a compelling new world of superheroes and villains for us as readers to play in is a big part of the enjoyment of Irredeemable, and we’re sure it’ll be part of the fun of Incorruptible. The big hook on this one is summed up pretty well by a statement made by Max Damage in regards to the Plutonian, and why he is taking the path he is:

“We were all playing a game until the Plutonian went and turned the board upside down. The world’s most powerful man has turned berserk. He’s killed most of the super-heroes… Somebody’s got to step up.”

So, instead of the obvious route that could be taken with a bad guy gone good, where he’s walking the road of the righteous in order to earn fame, glory, and riches, it’s instead a case of what happens when a flawed individual who’s been on the wrong side of the law the better part of his life, sees what he views as the ultimate evil, and decides to make a change to combat that evil.

Of course, we can be sure to expect the same kind of action-packed sequences that Waid has delivered in the pages of IRREDEEMABLE, but what I’m really looking forward to is not only how he delves into the origins of the Max Danger character, but also the state of mind Max has that’s got him on this road, as well as the public’s response to a formerly vicious super-villain turning hero. The preview pages look great, and the fact that Waid’s already proven himself with IRREDEEMABLE gives me a lot of confidence in this one being a great read this week.

You can read a preview of INCORRUPTIBLE #1 by clickinghere.

And, if you’re not reading IRREDEEMABLE: You really need to give it a shot. It’s on issue #8 now, with a trade paperback of the first four issues available for only $9.99. It’s one of the best superhero comics I’m reading right now, and by the time the book hit issue #3 and issue #4, it had really hit a rhythm. The first issue was a set-up, and didn’t grab me right away, but man, now that I’ve seen the direction it’s going, I’m hooked.

What is IRREDEEMABLE? IRREDEEMABLE is the story of the Plutonian, who you can basically consider to be SUPERMAN, and his descent into madness. There’s so many cool paralells, and neat twists on those iconic Superhero moments that Waid uses to flesh out the story, and man, it really makes for good reading. One of my favorite twists in the story is the take on the whole Lois & Clark thing.
You have the Plutonian dating this news radio lady, and the whole time they’re dating, there’s this guy who she thinks has a crush on her. Of course, the guy ends up proposing to her. She laughs it off, and then he takes off the fake hair-piece, and glasses, and reveals himself to be the Plutonian. SHE FREAKS OUT, and when you think about it: the fact that Superman is by Lois’s side every day, and getting to know her without her knowing, is pretty creepy.
There’s other great moments too, like when the Plutonian is auctioning himself off to the United Nations, and ends up sinking Singapore with meteors from above, telling one of his former team-mates to choose 10 people to save. The team-mate’s response is there are millions, how can he only choose ten to save? And, the Plutonian, in a chilling, but very fitting line, says “Now you know how it feels.”, basically expanding upon the idea of being unable to be everywhere at once to save everybody.
If you haven’t read IRREDEEMABLE, we HIGHLY recommend giving it a shot. It’s some of the best 21st Century Superhero storytelling we’ve seen.

BLACKEST NIGHT: GUY GARDNER – RED LANTERN! THIS WEEK IN A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE OF GREEN LANTERN CORPS #43 *BLACKEST NIGHT*

Okay, first off, if you haven’t been following Green Lantern Corps, you’re missing out on a REALLY good read. Tomasi and Gleason have really made this book into a must-read for me. Now, if you missed issue #42 of Green Lantern Corps, then you have GOT to get it, because it’s BIG. Like, major character dying big. And, that is the set-up for what’s going to be going down in this week’s issue… Guy Gardner becoming a Red Lantern!

Now, as we’ve seen from Blackest Night so far, the tie-in issues have all been very good, and there have been big happenings in the places where you least expect it. And, this is why we’re pumped for this week’s issue of GL Corps, because the transition of Guy Gardner into Red Lantern is definitely monumental.

Gardner, out of all the Green Lanterns, was the most obvious choice to fall prey to the road to rage that the Red Lanterns walk, and after being given that final push at the end of issue #42, it’s going to be pretty cool to see what he does with his abilities as a Red Lantern.

Make sure you don’t miss GREEN LANTERN CORPS #43, and if you missed GREEN LANTERN CORPS #42, don’t worry, we still have some issues in stock!

BLACKEST NIGHT: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #40 – JUSTICE LEAGUE VS. BLACK LANTERN JUSTICE LEAGUE! ALSO, DON’T FORGET OUTSIDERS #25 FEATURING BLACK LANTERN TERRA! AND, FINALLY, THINGS GET WACKY WITH THE DYNAMIC DUO OF BIZARRO AND MAN-BAT TAKING ON BLACK LANTERN SOLOMON GRUNDY INSUPERMAN/BATMAN #67.

The Blackest Night continues to cast it’s dark shadow on the DCU this week in two more corners of the DC Universe. We’ve got the third issue in Robinson’s killer new direction of JLA, which is the second issue of the Blackest Night tie-in to JLA. In issue #39, along with the Black Lantern Dr. Light, we saw several dead Justice League members rise as Black Lanterns, including many from the Justice League Detroit. I think I dug this Blackest Night tie-in, and the REBELS, and Booster, the most out of the “ring” books from last month (although, Adventure Comics was really good as well). I think a big part of that though is due to the fact that I’m really digging the new creative team on JLA, with Robinson and Bagley adding a fresh new spin to the book. It’s definitely different, but it’s a good different.

Also arriving this week is the Blackest Night tie-in to OUTSIDERS, which features Black Lantern Terra. I think anyone who grew up digging those classic Titans stories can appreciate the involvement of Terra in things as far as Blackest Night goes. And, while Outsiders wasn’t a big stand-out amongst the rest of the Blackest Night tie-ins, I thought it was a solid tie-in that added a nice look at a part of the DCU that hasn’t been getting as much attention during this event.

Finally, we’ve got the next part of the Blackest Night spin on SUPERMAN/BATMAN, with the nutty pair of BIZARRO and MAN-BAT. The first one of these was a lot of fun, but man, between Bizarro’s silly talk, and Solomon Grundy’s speeches, the dialogue definitely had me scratching my head. The big stand-out about these two issues though? Killer Scott Kolins art (Blackest Night Flash, Rogues Revenge, ect). I really dig his Geoff Darrow-esque art-style, and seeing him draw bigger than life craziness involving Man-Bat, Bizarro, and Grundy is great. And, judging by the cover image, it looks like we’re going to see Bizarro get his heart eaten. But, I could be wrong.

CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #5 – HAS STEVE ROGERS FINALLY RETURNED? OR IS IT THE RED SKULL RUNNING AROUND IN HIS BODY?

Ed Brubaker’s Captain America has been one of the most well-written Marvel books of the past few years. And, when they split things off into the saga of Reborn, the consistency has stayed just as strong. The level of detail, and craft that Brubaker uses to weave a compelling story with the Marvel Universe as his backdrop is amazing, and you can tell from page one of each issue that he gets the iconic feel that Captain America should have.

The story of REBORN has been an interesting one, as it’s been revealed that Steve Rogers, when he was shot was actually displaced, or “unstuck” in the timestream, using a special kind of gun constructed from Dr. Doom’s time machine. Rogers is then forced to re-live moments in time, consciously aware of the fact that he’s not intended to be there. He’s literally watching his life play out before his eyes.

At the end of Captain America Reborn #4, it was revealed that the Red Skull had put himself into Steve Rogers’s body, and now this leads ups to REBORN #5… just who is Steve Rogers, and what are his motives? Has the original Steve Rogers returned, or is this mysterious stranger that’s been appearing in the pages of New Avengers Annual, and Dark Avengers Annual, the Red Skull in Rogers’s body?

If you’re not already reading Cap Reborn, we highly recommend it, as it’s been one of the better Marvel storylines this year, and the impacts from it are sure to play into the big rumored Avengers reunion that’s going to play part in the SIEGE. We still have plenty of Cap Reborn #1,2,3,4 all in stock for you to catch up!

Click herefor a preview of CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #5

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #615 *THE GAUNTLET PT 4* – ENTER SANDMAN!

Isn’t it great to see the Spidey books climbing in quality again? The GAUNTLET (which began in issue #612, still in stock here at Third Eye), has been doing a fantastic job of re-introducing classic Spider-man Rogues, and setting up for the return of the Sinister Six. This week, after the events of the three-part Electro “Power to the People” storyline concluded last week, we see the return of the Sandman, one of Spidey’s most classic foes.

Now, it’s weird for me, because I grew up reading a lot of comics in the ’90s, and while Spider-man has always been one of my favorite Marvel characters, lets be real: Spider-man comics weren’t that great in the ’90s. Sure, you had your Torment storyline, and a pretty epic run by John Romita JR, but there was also the Spider-armor, the Clone Saga, and more mishaps than you could shake a stick at.

So, the Spider-man comic I really grew attached to as a young comic fan was Kurt Busiek’s UNTOLD TALES OF SPIDER-MAN. This book was introduced as part of an initiative by Marvel to sell books for only a buck, and well, it failed, because the other books in the line sucked.. BUT.. Untold Tales of Spidey was the highlight. This WAS the Spider-man book to read, folks. It had a cool retro art style, and the concept was that it would tell stories set IN-BETWEEN the early issues of the original AMAZING SPIDER-MAN. So, this means, you got a Spider-man series written in a modern style, but set in the classic time period. In fact, if you’re a Spidey fan, I recommend picking up the Spider-man Visionaries: Kurt Busiek trade which collects all of the Untold Tales of Spider-man stuff.

Anyways, I’m getting sidetracked, my point is… I grew up reading stories with the classic Spidey bad guys, but not reading the original stories they were feaured in. Either way, I have always thought Spidey’s Rogue’s Gallery was top notch, and the whole idea of the Gauntlet has gotten me stoked.

And, now, that leads us to GAUNTLET, the next wave… featuring the Sandman. As we saw with Electro, someone is powering up Spidey’s rogues, and unleashing them on the wall-crawler. And, as we saw at the end of Amazing Spider-man #614, someone is taking these foes and putting them together as part of a new Sinister Six. The Sandman has always been one of my favorite Spidey villains, and I’m stoked to see him taken back to his vicious roots (another bad part of Spidey in the ’90s… Sandman was part of Silver Sable’s SIX PACK.. it was awful.). The art from Javier Pulido looks like a perfect fit to the classic nature of these stories.

Click here to read the preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #615 *THE GAUNTLET PT 4*

ARE YOU READING VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT? THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED NEW MARVEL BOOKS WE’VE SEEN! KILLER STORY, KILLER ART! ISSUE #4 SHIPS THIS WEEK! CATCH UP ON THE FIRST THREE, STILL IN STOCK HERE AT THIRD EYE!

Dude, Gregg Hurwitz and Jerome Opena’s relaunch of Moon Knight has been freaking sweet. I’m sorry, but this is one of the most overlooked new titles coming out right now. It may be that I’m a huge fan of Jerome Opena’s art (first got hooked with some FEAR AGENT stuff he did, and then the early Remender Punisher run from last year), or it might be that Hurwitz’s breakneck action-packed writing has me hooked, but this is good stuff.
Why’s it so good? The real hook I feel is that they’re taking the main thing that drives most Moon Knight comics (the fact that he’s INSANE), and then using that to add a new dynamic to the story (the fact that he’s trying to play right at being a hero, and not cut off people’s faces and sacrifice them to an Egyptian death god). From the first issue, you  feel like someone took Moon Knight, dropped him into the center of a DIE HARD movie set in the Marvel universe. He’s crashing his ship into New York in broad daylight, surfing on cargo vans as they crash into traffic, and shooting little moon-shaped hooks into the bad guys…. as it’s being telecast on the Times Square jumbotron. And of course, Norman Osborn wants this nutbag gone.

So, Osborn has the Hood, along with some others resurrect the body of the man who torments Marc Spector’s pscyhe… the Bushman. Some psycho mercenary killer that got his face cut off by ol’ Moon Knight. And, hey, what’s a good soldier of fortune do when he’s gunning for the schizophrenic equivalent of Batman? He puts together an army. Yup, every third-rate supervillain you remember from the ’80s and ’90s is sprung from Ravencroft Asylum, and emptied onto the streets of NY. How long can Moon Knight walk the line of being a true hero, before he loses control and starts impaling bad guys on anyone of his zany moon-shaped gadgets.

I know, I know, this sounds totally ridiculous, but it WORKS. It’s well-paced, well written, doesn’t drag, and delivers a fun, visceral old school vigilante story with new school art. And, man, CHECK OUT THE ART ON THIS BOOK! I swear, Jerome Opena’s one of my favorite new guys. He’s got this great gritty, yet stylized approach to his art that just carries your eyes from panel to panel without you even realizing it.

If you haven’t yet read VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT, we currently have issues 1,2 and 3 all available here at Third Eye, and we highly recommend giving the book a shot. It’s really a good read.

Clickherefor a preview of VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT #4

DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUTH #6 – THE FIRST STORY ARC CONCLUDES, AND IS THIS NOT THE COOLEST DEADPOOL COVER EVER?

This one, folks, wins the Cover of the Week award here at Third Eye. Nevermind the fact that ALIEN is one of our all-time favorite movies, but, dude, this one is just plain clever.
Anyways, it’s time for your weekly fix of Deadpool goodness, as the first story arc of the Merc With A Mouth series concludes. Good ol’ Wade Wilson, Headpool, and Dr. Betty are back from space, and in that good ol’ swamp where zombies seem to keep popping up.
Of course, they gotta deal with A.I.M, and the hallmark of ’70s Marvel monsters, the Man-Thing. You know Deadpool’s gonna be cracking all kinds of puns in this one, folks.
Click here for a preview of DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUTH #6

SKIN YOUR IPHONE WITH KILLER COMIC ART IPHONE GELASKINS AVAILABLE NOW AT THIRD EYE!

For those of you like myself who have had your IPhones turn into your virtual lifeline to the rest of the world, Dark Horse has put together the perfect thing, and we’re going to have them available for sale beginning this Wednesday at Third Eye. IPhone Gel Skins featuring the killer artwork of books like Mike Mignola’s Hellboy, Eric Powell’s The Goon, and Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8. Now you can spice up your phone, and showcase your favorite comic art all at the same time.

COMPLETE ALICE IN WONDERLAND #1 – ALAN MOORE’S DAUGHTER, LEAH MOORE, DELIVERS HER UNIQUE TAKE ON THE WORLD OF ALICE IN WONDERLAND!

The world of Alice in Wonderland is one that’s always been filled with enough surreal imagery, and imagination to make for good stories. And, whether it’s Zenescope’s Wonderland sagas, or video games like American McGee’s Alice, there’s always some really interesting stuff to be expanded upon in Lewis Carroll’s classic.
This week, Leah Moore, the daughter of Alan Moore, is debuting her take on the world of Alice in Wonderland, where she plans to do both a comic book re-telling of Lewis Carroll’s classic book, but also add her own dark twist to the story.
The real standout on this one for me is the artwork, judging from the preview pages, there is some incredible looking art in this book, and we’re stoked to see more. The dreamy, surreal art compliments the story perfectly, from the looks of it.
Click here for a preview of COMPLETE ALICE IN WONDERLAND #1

HULK #18 *FALL OF HULKS PROLOGUE* – FALL OF THE HULKS KICKS OFF IN THIS ISSUE, FOLLOWING UP ON FALL OF THE HULKS ALPHA!

While the reveal of the Intelligencia (a gathering of various Marvel mad scientists led by The Leader, ranging from The Mad Thinker to Egghead) and their motives was set-up in the pages of FALL OF THE HULKS ALPHA, the prologue to the storyline and the Hulk end of it, kicks off in this issue here.

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, but Marvel’s HULK book is just plain pure fun. It doesn’t normally make sense, but the bigger than life ridiculousness of it fills that void of good ol’ fashioned smash-em-up superhero storytelling that’s lacking in a lot of books. Sometimes you just want to see ridiculous villains, and giant monsters beating the hell out of each other. And, after the cool sort of retro set up of FALL OF THE HULKS ALPHA, I’m excited to see where the FALL OF THE HULKS storyline is going.

Whilce Portacio, a superstar artist in his own right, joins the creative team of Hulk with this issue that explores the villainous side of Doc Samson, and just what side of the war he falls on.

Clickhereto read a preview of HULK #18 *FALL OF HULKS PROLOGUE*

THE THIRD AND FINAL CHAPTER OF THE “MESSIAH” TRILOGY BEGINS THIS WEEK INCABLE #21 *HOMECOMING PART 1* – THE FOLLOW-UP TO MESSIAH COMPLEX AND MESSIAH WAR!



A few years back, Marvel began one of the most intriguing X-Men storylines with MESSIAH COMPLEX (available in trade paperback here at Third Eye). The plot? The first mutant baby is born since the notorious M-Day where the Scarlet Witch uttered those fateful words: No More Mutants (see HOUSE OF M for the whole story, available in trade paperback at Third Eye). Messiah Complex was an epic storyline in and of itself, and then last year, the second part of the trilogy arrived in the pages of MESSIAH WAR (available in oversized hardcover at Third Eye), which served as a very cool middle-piece for the saga of Hope.

This week, the penultimate final chapter in the “Messiah” saga is here with the beginning of HOMECOMING. Ever since Messiah Complex ended, and Cable jumped into the timestream, he only had one goal: to keep Hope alive so she can decide her destiny. Now, with Hope having grown up over the course of the last few years, she tells Cable the time has come, and she’s ready to go home. She’s ready to return to our time. Of course, not only does this mean big changes for Hope and Cable, but also for Bishop who’s been chasing the two of them through the timestream, to prevent Hope from returning home (because he believes her existence will bring about the destruction of the entire mutant race, and maybe the world itself).

So, for those of you like myself, who’ve been coming back to Cable off and on again, mostly to find out how the “Messiah” saga plays out, be sure to snag a copy of Cable #21 this week. So far, the first two chapters of the whole Messiah storyline have been great, and I’m really excited to see how this one ends out, and apparently, the big changes that the X-Men will face with Hope returning to our time.

Click here for a preview of CABLE #21!

DARK AVENGERS #12 – COULD THE MOLECULE MAN BE NORMAN OSBORN’S SECRET WEAPON?

For those of you who haven’t been following the current DARK AVENGERS story arc, you’re missing out. This one has been a solid read, and a return to the awesomeness of the first five issues. For one thing, Deodato is back on art, and that alone, knocks the book up a few notches. But, the actual storyline of this arc, from the looks of it, is helping set up some very important building blocks for SIEGE. Now, I could be way off… but I think the whole idea of having a story that’s centered around an obscure villain like the Molecule Man… has got to have more to it than just a stand-alone arc.

So, the question is: Could the Molecule Man be Osborn’s secret weapon? Well, I don’t know, I don’t think it’s going to be that obvious a choice, but what I have been able to gather from the last couple of issues of DARK AVENGERS is that Bendis is definitely weaving his story so it’ll go right into SIEGE alongside the other books that’ve been leading up to it (Thor, Invincible Iron Man).

Click here for a preview ofDARK AVENGERS #12

FORGETLESS #1 – AMERICAS NEXT TOP MODEL… TURNED CONTRACT KILLER?

Here’s one that caught my eye as kind of a fresh, quirky concept from Image comics. The hook? Professional models turn into crazed contract killers. It sounds so ridiculous, and I’ll admit, the slick cover of the book, are the two things that really drew me to it. The style of artwork has a “DEAD @ 17″ meets Luna Bros (Girls, The Sword) kind of thing going for it, and I think that’s pretty cool.

What’s the actual story about? The Forgetless night club is the spot to be in New York, but now that’s no more. Two struggling models who want to send things off with a bang, and the hapless loser that’s caught in between them seem to be the recipe of disaster here.

Cool art, neat concept.. I think it’s at least worth taking a peek at. Image has been putting out a lot of great new series lately, and it’s always cool to see something fresh and different hit.

SOME GREAT GRAPHIC NOVELS HITTING THIS WEEK, INCLUDING SECRET WARRIORS v.1 PAPERBACK, THE COMPLETE ROCKETEER, AND THOR: AGES OF THUNDER!

It’s a good week for collected editions this week, folks, as we get to see the release of SECRET WARRIORS v.1: NICK FURY AGENT OF NOTHING,which is in my opinion, a consistently stellar read. This first trade collects SECRET WARRIORS 1-6. Written by Brian Michael Bendis, Jonathan Hickman (Pax Romana), and illustrated by Stefano Caselli, this is one of the freshest Marvel books out, and delivers the kind of pop art espionage awesomeness that you can trace all the way back to Jim Steranko’s Nick Fury stuff. Very cool book.

Of course, the real stand-out this week is IDW’s THE COMPLETE ROCKETEER, which collects all of Dave Stevens’s epic Rocketeer comic material. The artwork in this series still stands the test of time, and the storytelling had this great retro feel to it, yet at the same time, it felt like it was paving new paths into modern comic storytelling. Since neither Marvel, nor DC had a hand in publishing this, it was always impossible to find even single issues. Now, the whole shebang is available in one big slab of awesomeness. The Rocketeer was a very cool take on pulp heroes, as it followed the adventures of test pilot Cliff Secord, and the mysterious jetpack he finds that takes him to the skies. A modern classic, for sure, we know many of you are going to be snagging a copy of this gorgeous hardcover.

Also, this week, the paperback edition of Matt Fraction’s killer THOR: AGES OF THUNDER will be available. This collection of themed one-shots Fraction did over the course of 2007/2008 is some of the best Thor stuff we’ve ever read. The fact that he’s paired up with a stellar artist on each story, is worth the price of admission alone, but it’s the storytelling that really shines. The stories are set in Thor’s younger days, and Odin is hellbent on humbling the brash God of Thunder. Highlights include: Thor’s hammer getting thrown through a frost giant’s head. Thor drinking mad ale with the Valkyrie. Thor carrying a chainful of giant heds into the kingdom of Odin. And, hell, Thor just beating the hell out of all sorts of Storm Giants, Frost Giants, and everything else in between. He even throws down with Odin.

STAFF PICKS

Trish – Muppet Show #0 – Yay! Muppets! Boom! finally stops with the miniseries and gives us a monthly Muppets series! Who doesn’t love Muppets?

Torma – Incredible Hulk #605 - Greg Pak’s Incredible Hulk run has been awesome. The whole idea of Bruce Banner teaching his son Skaar in the ways of superhero combat, and pitting him against everyone from Juggernaut to Daken is too cool. And in this issue.. it’s the Son of Hulk vs. The Mole Man! Yes, THE MOLE MAN! It ruled.

Steve – PUNISHER MAX #2 – OH MY GOD. I think Jason Aaron just Out-Ennised Garth Ennis on this issue of Punisher. It’s only the second issue, and holy crap, he really took things to some dark places. And, that’s exactly how a Punisher comic should be.. dark, gritty, and unrelenting. If you haven’t yet read PUNISHER MAX, you have got to check this out.

WHAT’S NEW @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 12/16/09

• AIR #16
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #615 *THE GAUNTLET PT 4 – ENER SANDMAN!*
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #615 QUINONES VARIANT
• AMAZING SPIDER-MAN PRESENTS ANTI-VENOM #3
• AMORY WARS TP v.2 SECOND STAGE TURBINE
• ANGEL #28
• ASTONISHING X-MEN #33
• AUTHORITY THE LOST YEAR #4
• BATMAN #694
• BATMAN 80 PAGE GIANT #1
• BATMAN ARKHAM ASYLUM SPECIAL
• BATMAN CONFIDENTIAL #39
• BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM #7
• BLACK PANTHER 2 #11
• BRAVE AND THE BOLD #30
• CABLE #21 *Homecoming Chapter 1 – the Conclusion to Messiah Complex begins here!*
• CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #5
• CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN #5 FINCH VARIANT
• CHIMICHANGA #1 *FROM ERIC POWELL, CREATOR OF THE GOON*
• COMPLETE ALICE IN WONDERLAND #1
• DAREDEVIL #503
• DARK AVENGERS #12
• DARK WOLVERINE #81
• DARKNESS/PITT #3
• DEAD AT 17 AFTERBIRTH TP v.1
• DEAD KINGDOM OF FLIES TP
• DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUOTH #6
• DEADPOOL TP v.2 DARK REIGN
• DOCTOR VOODOO AVENGER OF SUPERNATURAL #3
• DOCTOR WHO ONGOING SERIES #6
• DOCTOR WHO ONGOING SERIES #6 VARIANT
• ESCAPE FROM WONDERLAND #3
• ESCAPE FROM WONDERLAND #3 VARIANT COVER
• EX MACHINA #47
• FABLES #91
• FARSCAPE ONGOING #2
• FEAR AGENT TP v.5 I AGAINST I
• FINDING NEMO REEF RESCUE TP
• FORGETLESS #1
• FRINGE TP
• GELASKINS DARK HORSE COMICS IPHONE SKINS (featuring the art of The Goon, Hellboy, Umbrella Academy, Buffy, and more!)
• GHOSTBUSTERS DISPLACED AGGRESSION #4
• GI JOE #13
• GI JOE #13 VARIANT
• GIANT SIZE GRIMM FAIRY TALES HOLIDAY SPECIAL
• GIANT-SIZE GRIMM FAIRY TALES HOLIDAY SPECIAL VARIANT
• GOON TP v.6 CHINATOWN
• GRAVEL TP v.2 THE MAJOR SEVEN
• GREEN ARROW/BLACK CANARY ENEMIES LIST TP
• GREEN LANTERN CORPS #43 *BLACKEST NIGHT – GUY GARDNER – RED LANTERN!*
• GREEN LANTERN CORPS #43 VARIANT
• HELLBLAZER #262
• HULK #18 *FALL OF HULKS PROLOGUE*
• HULK #18 MCGUINNESS VARIANT
• HULK #18 SANTA MCGUINNESS VARIANT
• INCORRUPTIBLE #1 *FROM THE CREATORS OF IRREDEEMABLE!* THIRD EYE MUST BUY
• INCORRUPTIBLE #1 INCENTIVE COVER
• JLA TROPHY ROOM GREEN LANTERN RING DISPLAY
• JUGHEADS DOUBLE DIGEST #156
• JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #40 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• KOOKABURRA K #2
• LAST RESORT #5
• LOCKE & KEY CROWN OF SHADOWS #2
• LOCKE & KEY CROWN OF SHADOWS #2 VARIANT
• MANGALICIOUS TICK #4
• MARVEL ILLUSTRATED TP KIDNAPPED
• MARVEL SUPERHERO SQUAD #4
• MARVELOUS LAND OF OZ #2
• MIGHTY AVENGERS #32
• MS MARVEL #48
• NAOKI URASAWA 20th CENTURY BOYS v.5
• NEXT ISSUE PROJECT #2 SILVER STREAK
• NOLA #2
• NOMAD GIRL WITHOUT A WORLD #4
• OFFICIAL INDEX TO MARVEL UNIVERSE #12
• OKKO CYCLE OF EARTH #3
• OLYMPUS TP v.1
• OUTSIDERS #25 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• POWER GIRL #7
• PROJECT SUPERPOWERS CHAPTER TWO #4
• PS238 #42
• PUNISHER FRANK CASTLE MAX TP DOWN IN BAYOU
• REALM OF KINGS INHUMANS #2 *REALM OF KINGS*
• ROBERT E HOWARD THULSA DOOM #4
• ROCKETEER COMPLETE COLLECTION HC
• ROCKETEER COMPLETE COLLECTION HC DELUXE EDITION
• SECRET WARRIORS TP v.1
• SIMON DARK TP v.3
• SIMPSONS COMICS #161
• SPIDER-MAN #1602 #3
• SPIDER-MAN CLONE SAGA #4
• STAR TREK DS9 FOOLS GOLD #1
• STAR WARS THRAWN TRILOGY HC
• STREET FIGHTER II TURBO #10
• SULLENGREY SACRIFICE TP
• SUPERGIRL #48
• SUPERMAN/BATMAN #67 *BLACKEST NIGHT*
• TALES OF TMNT #65
• THOR TP AGES OF THUNDER
• THUNDERBOLTS PREMIERE HC WIDOWMAKER
• THUNDERBOLTS #139
• TRANSFORMERS ANIMATED TP v.12
• TRANSFORMERS BUMBLEBEE #1
• ULTIMATE COMICS ARMOR WARS #3
• UNCLE SCROOGE #386
• UNDERGROUND #4
• UNKNOWN DEVIL MADE FLESH #3
• VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT #4
• VIXEN RETURN OF THE LION TP
• WHAT IF DAREDEVIL  VS ELEKTRA
• WORLD OF WARCRAFT SPECIAL #1
• X-FACTOR #200
• X-FORCE #22 *NECROSHA*
• X-FORCE #22 *NECROSHA* CRAIN VARIANT
• X-INFERNUS TP
• X-MEN LEGACY #230
• YOTSUBA 7 ! GN v.7
• ZOMBIES THAT ATE THE WORLD #7

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #614 *THE GAUNTLET PT 3* CONTINUES THE BEST SPIDER-MAN STORY WE’VE SEEN IN YEARS!

This week, the third part of the GAUNTLET arrives, and we gotta tell you guys… two issues in, and this storyline is already shaping up to be one of the best Spidey arcs we’ve seen. Before I get into talking about what’s to come, let me give everyone the scoop on what the Gauntlet is all about.

Everything You Need To Know About The Gauntlet: The Gauntlet is a big storyline running through the pages of Amazing Spider-man which is essentially being told to re-introduce Spider-man’s most iconic villains, as the new Sinister Six. Each mini-chapter of the Gauntlet is 2-3 issues long, and focuses on not only bringing back and re-vamping the classic villains in Spidey’s Rogues Gallery, but also shows him getting put through the ringer by them. And, since this is happening for the entirety of the storyline, villain after villain, hence the name… The Gauntlet.

The Gauntlet began in Amazing Spider-man #612, which serves as the perfect entry point to jump on with. In other words, if it’s been years since you’ve read Spidey (and I know there’s quite a few of you who have because of all the wackiness of One More Day), then Amazing Spider-man #612 is a great spot to come in.

This first story arc has been focusing on Electro, who we really haven’t seen much of since the early days of the New Avengers. Electro, who is now older, and is seeing his powers become very erratic, has kind of given himself a new meaning in life. First off, it’s been mentioned that his powers are now haywire due to his age and metabolism changing, and becauuse of that, Electro has become a downtrodden shadow of his former self. Secondly, he’s broke, due to losing most of his (ill-gotten) funds in the economic meltdown of 2008. And, now, his anger is being vented at the execs and bankers that were taken care of in the bailout. So, you have this very interesting approach to Electro as a folk hero, a man of the people, being taken. But, he’s still blowing people up with electricity, and of course, Spidey has to stop him. And, that’s what’s made this so interesting because it casts Spidey once again in the role of outsider. The people who see Electro as a sort of working class hero despise Spidey for his interference, and you once again see Spidey in that role of well-intentioned outcast hero that fits him so well.

The third chapter of the Gauntlet ships this week, and then I believe the next villain on the agenda is going to be the Rhino, or Sandman, I can’t recall. Either way, this storyline has been awesome, and has tons of potential to continue to do so.

It’s early enough to still catch up, so if you haven’t already hopped aboard the Gauntlet, we recommend grabbing a copy of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #612, and AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #613 to hop aboard.

Click here for a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #614

A BLACKEST NIGHT ENCORE THIS WEEK AT THIRD EYE WITH FOUR BLACKEST NIGHT TIE-IN ISSUES! ADVENTURE COMICS #5BOOSTER GOLD #27, REBELS #11, AND DOOM PATROL #5

Blackest Night has been delivering some high caliber storytelling in the form of the various tie-in issues that carry the Blackest Night banner. And, last month, we saw some killer storylines spark up from the Blackest Night in the pages of books like Booster Gold and REBELS.

Now, before I go any further, let me say that I was totally blown away by how much I enjoyed REBELS. I really wasn’t expecting anything special from it, and had my sights set on Booster as being the coolest of these tie-in issues, but man, REBELS is a good book. I liked the tie-in so much I went back and read the previous issues to the series, and this is an overlooked gem. I’m not even that big of a Legion fan, and I really dig it. C’mon, Brainiac as a Sinestro Corps Member? How cool is that? The story continues this week in the pages of REBELS #11

Another favorite was the recent issue of ADVENTURE COMICS, with the return of SUPERBOY PRIME. Who doesn’t love SUPERBOY PRIME? He’s such an obnoxious bastard, that you can’t help but enjoy seeing him involved in things. Of course, it’s been satisfying seeing Prime getting his butt handed to him by the Black Lanterns, but it’s going to be even more exciting to see how he lashes back at the Black Lanterns. And of course, the fact that Adventure Comics has been kick-ass since issue #1 helps us get exciteda bout this.. I’m sure the fact that Geoff Johns is writing it doesn’t hurt either. Everything continues this week in ADVENTURE COMICS #5

Next up on the agenda isBOOSTER GOLD #27, which picks up the storyline of the Blackest Night tie-in I had most anticipated. The Return of Ted Kord (the original Blue Beetle) as a Black Lantern. Not only do we get to see the ol’ Blue Beetle chomping hearts, but we get some decent character development for the new Blue Beetle. So, we’re eager to see how things get followed up this week in the next part of the Booster Gold Blackest Night tie-in.

And, then finally, the Blackest Night’s effects on Doom Patrol are explored in the pages of this week’s DOOM PATROL #5. Now, to be honest, this and Outsiders were probably my least favorite of the Blackest Night “ring” tie-in books, but I will say that the Kevin Macguire Metal Men back-up story has kept me coming back each month to Doom Patrol. Should be interesting though to see where things go with this next issue of Doom Patrol.

PUNISHERMAX #2 FROM SCALPED WRITER JASON AARON & PREACHER ARTIST STEVE DILLON CONTINUES THE BEST PUNISHER WE’VE SEEN SINCE GARTH ENNIS! HAVEN’T CHECKED IT OUT YET? WE STILL HAVE ISSUE #1 IN STOCK TO HOP ABOARD!

The new PUNISHER MAX series from Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon kicked off with an incredible first issue. Flat out, just from one issue, I can tell that this is the BEST Punisher run I’ve seen since Garth Ennis’s classic 60-issue MAX series. And, I think the fact that Jason Aaron is writing it, has a lot to do with that. Jason Aaron is the man behind what I think is the best Vertigo series hitting the shelves: SCALPED. He brings his hardboiled, gritty true crime sensibilities to the world of the Punisher, and you literally feel as if this story has picked up right where Ennis’s epic Punisher run left off.

Okay, so, lets get to the meat of things, and talk about what PUNISHER MAX is, and what the new PUNISHERMAX series is about. First off…

What’s the difference between PUNISHER MAX and THE PUNISHER?Punisher MAX is a self-contained world, set outside of normal Marvel continuity where the character is treated much differently. The world of Punisher MAX does not have superpowered individuals, and in fact, it’s very rare that Marvel characters show up in this world. When they do show up, it’s always characters that are easily grounded in reality. In other words, you’ll see a Cold War warhorse like Nick Fury, smoking a cigar and drinking scotch. The world of PUNISHER MAX is very much rooted in reality, and the thing that makes it so damn unique is it’s approach to the character of the PUNISHER. A lot of this is due in part to Garth Ennis’s development of the character. In Punisher MAX, the Punisher is portrayed like a hybrid mix of the classic remorseless stranger (ala MAN WITH NO NAME from the Good, the Bad and the Ugly, ect) and borderline sociopaths on a mission like Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver. He’s written as a man who served in Vietnam, and it shows that he’s in his 50s. He’s a bulky, scarred up, ugly man who says very little, and kills without a second thought. And, in the world of PUNISHER MAX, it’s the silent killer persona that’s helped bring the Punisher back from the lameness of ’90s Punisher (you know, when he was running around with rocket launchers, jetpacks, and demon-killing shotguns).

In the world of Punisher MAX, there’s no supervillains, just real-life bad guys. So, it means that you see Castle going up against everything from the Mafia (whether it’s the classic Italian Mob, the Irish Mob, or the Russian Mob) to corrupt CIA officials to ENRON.

So, what’s the story then on this new PUNISHER MAX series? Well, the first issue provides one of the best jumping on points for a new series that I’ve seen in a while. Whether you fell off of Punisher MAX with the end of Ennis’s run, have never read a Punisher story in your life, or have been following the book between the end of Ennis’s run and now, Aaron’s first issue was a well-written entry point. The basic plot, other than the back to basics approach of returning to the spirit of Ennis’s stuff, is the introduction of The Kingpin (Wilson Fisk) to the MAX world.

In the first issue, we see the remnants of the Mafia gathering to figure out what to do as their empire slowly crumbles, and the Punisher is one of the biggest contributing factors. It turns out that a low-level enforcer, that’s not a “made” guy, has come up with the plan of having a figurehead, a kingpin, put into place to give the Punisher something to gun for. You know, taking the whole old school mafia myth about a boss of bosses to an extreme. And of course, that figurehead, would be this young enforcer. I think you can see where this is going.

Stand-out moments from the first issue? The Kingpin popping a guy’s eyes out of his head. Said guy shoving his eyes back into his head, and then getting his head blown off right as he says “I can almost see..”. And, of course, that killer last shot of the Kingpin passing up the perfect opportunity to take out the Punisher, which clues us into his true motives.

This week, the second issue comes out, and it continues the storyline, and as you guys can tell, I’m excited about this one. If you haven’t checked it out already, I’d highly recommend giving it a read.

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #21 *STARK DISASSEMBLED CHAPTER 2* CONTINUES THE MUST-READ IRON MAN STORY OF THE DECADE! NEED TO CATCH UP? WE STILL HAVE INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #20 *STARK DISASSEMBLED CHAPTER 1* IN STOCK!

It’s been no secret that ever since Fraction and Larocca relaunched the Armored Avenger in Invincible Iron Man, I’ve been a fan. This entire run has been a solid as hell, and I’m telling you guys… if you haven’t been reading Iron Man, then now is the time to start. Invincible Iron Man #20 served as the perfect jumping on point for new readers, and judging from how a lot of you who picked it up (without having read prior issues), I’d say that it was a pretty big hit with you guys. And, I’m glad, because some books are so damn good, they deserve to be read. But, the new arc that began two weeks ago in Invincible Iron Man #20 is something that anyone with even the slightest interest in ol’ Shellhead should be reading.

Lets recap real quick, and get you those of you who haven’t started reading the book yet up to speed… Tony Stark, a fugitive under Norman Osborn’s reign, finally gives in, and pretty much turns himself into a vegetable to keep Osborn from getting what’s in his brain. And, now, it’s up to his friends and associates (ranging from Pepper Potts to Bucky Captain America) to bring him back…. IF they want to. See, that’s where the first chapter of this was so interesting. Tony Stark, has pre-recorded a hologram message and left it inside the Iron Woman armor, and in it, he talks about the last half a decade of Marvel history, more or less. He talks about the Civil War, the Secret Invasion, and he says… this is how you can bring me back, but after everything, DO YOU WANT TO? And, then comes three of the most heartfelt funnybook pages I’ve read, Third Eye Faithful. Tony Stark comparing Thor and Captain America to a higher power, and then breaking into a defiant speech of how to topple the reign of Osborn… it’s not often that sequences are written so well that they move you, but, man, that was a moving moment. Of course, aside from the standout moment of “the speech”, there’s a very interesting subplot with Madame Masque making plans to have Stark’s comatose body exterminated. And, all of this, serves as a very nice prelude to the events of SIEGE (which is said to have one major goal of reuniting the Marvel Trinity of Cap, Thor, and Iron Man).

Anyways, that brings us up to speed on Stark: Disassembled, and now we can talk about what we think might be going down in this week’s issue. See, Tony’s closest friends, allies, and loved ones have all banded together to bring the man back… but, now the question is, does he want to come back? All of this, AND, a hit squad sent to execute the nearly-gone body of Tony Stark, means that this should be one hell of an action-packed issue.

So, folks, if you’re Marvel fans, and aren’t already reading the Invincible Iron Man, we really recommend giving picking up INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #20, which serves as an excellent jumping on point to the series and this new story arc. Find out why month in, and month out, this is one of the most consistently high quality ongoing series Marvel has going. Same writer, same artist, for nearly two years… that’s gotta tell you something!

And, for those of you that picked up Invincible Iron Man #20 a couple weeks ago and loved it, be sure to check out:

Invincible Iron Man Volume 1: The Five Nightmares Trade Paperback (in stock now at Third Eye)
Invincible Iron Man Volume 2: World’s Most Wanted (in stock now at Third Eye)

And, we have all the single issues that pick up after the second trade too, for those of you who can’t get enough of Fraction’s incredible take on the Armored Avenger.

Clickhere for a preview of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #21 *STARK DISASSEMBLED PT 2*

NATION X #1 DELIVERS EVERY FRIGGIN X-MAN YOU COULD THINK OF AND THEN SOME!

Whether it’s heavy-hitters like Wolverine and Colossus or fan-favorites like Magik and Nightcrawler, it looks like everyone’s crawling out of the woodwork for this four issue limited series that’s going to explore the brand new mutant nation that’s been created on UTOPIA.

The preview pages on this one look sharp, and while I have a love/hate relationship with the X-Books, I gotta admit the X-Fan in me is excited to check this one out. Sometimes you just want to see all your favorites from back in the day crammed into one slab of awesomeness, and judging from the cover alone, we’re definitely going to get that.

NEW AVENGERS ANNUAL #3 – HAWKEYE GETS RESCUED FROM OSBORN BY THE LADIES OF THE NEW AVENGERS!

This one-shot Annual issue of the New Avengers is awesome for two reasons: A) it picks up where DARK REIGN THE LIST AVENGERS one-shot left off, with Hawkeye being locked down and on the list of execution by Norman Osborn, and B) it’s got the rarely seen interior artwork of the incredibly talented artist Mike Mayhew.

Seriously though, I think we’ve all been waiting to see how ol’ Clint Barton was going to end up after the events of DARK REIGN THE LIST AVENGERS, and it’s nice to see some closure to that story in this issue.

The plot? Basically, since most of the Avengers are all left with their handsfull, the ladies of the Avengers have banded together to break into Osborn’s fortress, and break Hawkeye (Clint Barton) free.

And of course, it’s written by Bendis, so you know it’s going to be up to that same level of quality that we get every month with the New Avengers.

Click here for a preview of NEW AVENGERS ANNUAL #3! Just take a look at how awesome the interior art looks too!

X-NECROSHA: THE GATHERING ONE-SHOT EXPLORES THE ORIGINS OF THE BLACK QUEEN’S HIT SQUAD… AND ANSWERS THE QUESTION: HOW IS BLINK ALIVE?

The stuff that Kyle and Yost have been doing with X-Force for the last few years has been incredible. They’ve really carved out a corner of the Marvel Universe where good stand alone X-stories are told, and still give you the doses you want out of your favorite characters.

It’s kind of unfortunate that their event, Necrosha, bears some resemblances to the biggest storyline happening right now, because it really has been a good read. We know, both stories feature characters returning from the dead as vengeful messengers of death, but that’s where the similarities end. Necrosha is much more of an X-Men story, which brings us mutants and characters we have not seen in over a decade.

Dropping this week, we’ll be seeing the Necrosha: Gathering one-shot which delves into the origins of the Black Queen’s death squad, and of course, reveals just what Blink (the fan favorite from Exiles and Age of Apocalypse) is doing a live.

If you were a fan of the X-Books in the ’90s, do youreslf a favor and try Necrosha, it’s the perfect storyline to come aboard the X-Force book with.

Clickherefor a preview of NECROSHA: THE GATHERING

DEADPOOL #18 *DEADPOOL JOINS THE X-MEN PT 3!*  – NATION X TIE-IN

Everyone’s favorite wise-cracking mass-murdering mercenary continues his trials and tribulations of finding a place where he belongs. Seriously though, the whole Deadpool joins the X-Men story arc that’s been going down the last couple of issues has been one of the best arcs in the series since he threw down with Bullseye. The fact that Paco Medina has returned to the art chores on this arc is probably a big contributing factor to why it’s been so good.

Of course, Deadpool’s ongoing series is always strong stuff, and lets be real: it’s hard to say no to more Deadpool. He’s the fourth-wall breaking, schizo-madman that we’ve all come to know and love.

So anyways, Cyclops has let ol’ Deadpool play ball, but instead of giving him the keys to the kingdom, he’s had Domino monitoring him in San Francisco. Of course, Deadpool’s been up to no good all along, or has he? Either way, it looks like some serious bad mojo is going down, and he’ll be at the center of it.

If you missed out on Deadpool 16, or 17, worry not, cause we still have ‘em in stock for you to catch up!

DARK X-MEN #2 “THE RETURN OF NATE GREY!”- A SURPRISE HIT! THE FIRST ISSUE OF THIS LIMITED SURPRISED US BIG TIME, AND NOW WE’RE STOKED TO SEE THE SECOND!

Anyone remember X-MAN? If you’re like me, and grew up in the ’90s devouring every X-Men comic that came your way, then the adventures of Nate Grey were a prominent fixture in your life. It seems like with a lot of us when we’re young, we’re brought into comics by prominent comic events. For me, it was Age of Apocalypse, and when that ended… all I had was X-Man to give me my AoA fix, but hell, I dug it. And, I’m pretty damn stoked to see the return of Nate Grey.

It doesn’t hurt that the first issue of Dark X-Men really knocked it out of the park. I think this one flew under the radar for a lot of you, probably due to the overload of Dark Reign stuff, but trust me, it’s actually a really good read.

Dark X-Men #1 did a good job of moving things forward in the whole idea of a team of mutants working under Osborn’s employ. But, the book focuses less on the whole Dark Reign aspect of things, and Osborn, and more on the actual idea of a team composed of rogue mutants, and some very memorable faces that we haven’t seen in quite some time. Don’t get me wrong, the idea of a book like Dark X-Men could be easily exploited as a cheap one-trick pony, but the talented creative team of Cornell and Kirk pulled it off in a very refreshing way.

Anyways, the team is composed of Mimic, Mystique, and Weapon Omega, oh, and of course, Dark Beast (another Age of Apocalypse favorite). Cornell manages to put a fun, fresh spin on each of the characters, and gives what could be a very lame line-up (I mean, c’mon, when Mystique is your big name, that’s not exactly an all-star supersquad), an awesome approach. Their’s a great sense of humor at the core of the book, and it’s the genuine ineptitude of the characters and their difficulty functioning as a team that makes the book such a refreshing read. Leonard Kirk’s expressive artwork really does add a lot, and I think if the book had been done by anyone other than this duo, it could’ve been “just another Dark Reign” book.

Oh, and, of course… this issue, we get to see them going up against Nate Grey, the X-Man. As I said above, I have a soft spot for this character, and I’m really glad to see such a cool character getting tossed back into the spotlight.

Great team dynamics, bigger than life craziness. Give Dark X-Men a shot, if you’re an X-Fan at all, or if you just enjoy a fun, quirky trip into the Marvel Universe. We still have plenty of #1 in stock, so try it out.

Click here for a preview of DARK X-MEN #2

GOD COMPLEX #1 DELIVERS AN INTERESTING TAKE ON THE GREEK GODS OF MYTH LIIVING AMONG US IN MODERN TIMES! FROM “POWERS” CO-CREATOR MICHAEL AVON OEMING

Here’s one that sports a truly neat concept: What happens when you’re the son of Zeus, and Zeus wants you dead? You go into hiding amongst the world of mortal man. This is the story of Apollo, you know, the Greek God, and how he’s sought out refuge in the world of man.

Of course, Apollo’s pops, Zeus, and the other Greek Gods are looking to bring some serious death down on him, so this could make things problematic.

I haven’t gotten a whole lot of information on this one, other than the core concept, but the preview pages look cool, and the fact that Michael Avon Oeming is involved is a big plus (Powers is one of my personal favorites.)

It looks like this little take on the world of Greek gods, and monsters could be a fresh, new Image book worth checking out.

Click herefor a peek at a preview ofGOD COMPLEX #1

BRAND NEW VERTIGO SERIES, DAYTRIPPER, BEGINS THIS WEDNESDAY FROM UMBRELLA ACADEMY ARTIST GABRIEL BA

Daytripper looks pretty damn cool. Kinda trippy, and definitely one of those Vertigo books that it’s hard for me to distill into a few words. But, the fact that we’re getting Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon (two up and coming creators who deliver the goods on everything from the cult favorite CASANOVA to the mega-hit UMBRELLA ACADEMY) heading up this brand new original limited series, it tells us this one could be a really good read.

This is the story of Bras De Oliva Domingos, an obituary writer with a famous father, a career he hates, and tons of questions about life. How does he reach his goal of becoming a successful writer? How does he get out of his father’s shadow? But these questions are nothing to the giant surprise twist in his life that he sees at the end of the first issue. Something that us, or him, will never see coming.

Sounds pretty cool? Check out the preview ofDAYTRIPPER #1 by clickinghere.

STAFF PICKS

Trish – The Sword #20 – STILL my favorite book! They might be slow in coming out, but each issue is better than the last!

Torma – Fall of the Hulks Alpha - Total mayhem! A great look at all the different “scientist”-type characters of the Marvel Universe. From the obvious (Dr. Doom) to the obscure (Egghead). Awesome start to this mini-event.

Steve – SIEGE: THE CABAL #1 – I know its the biggest one of last week, but the set-up in this issue for SIEGE has me stoked. I am a big time Avengers fan, and every page, and every panel of this one has me stoked.