Now, don’t get me wrong, the fact that this book is tying into the uber-rad CURSE OF THE MUTANTS storyline does help make it even better. I’m so digging the whole Marvel Vampires on the Rampage thing that I’m eager to devour anything tied into it right now, ’cause it’s been off to such a good start. Don’t get me wrong though, this is a quality read, and really has potential to introduce a new character and corner of the Marvel Universe for readers.

Part of the appeal of the first issue is that Namor is such a blank slate that the creative team could really do a lot of new things with the character, and it made not just Namor, but the entire mythology of Atlantis in the Marvel Universe much more interesting. The book read pretty much like a ground-up rebuild of the mythos of Atlantis, while at the same time dishing out some tidbits on the whole Atlantean Vampire thing.

But, enough of my fanboy praises, lets get right to it and talk about what this book is, and where it’s headed.

What is NAMOR: THE FIRST MUTANT? Namor: The First Mutant is a brand new ongoing series that brings one of Marvel’s oldest, and often times, most conflicted, characters center stage. In a nutshell, you could say Namor was the first anti-hero. He was never a good guy, and has straddled the line of good and evil many times before.

The way that they’re approaching the character in this new series is very reminiscent of stuff like Robert E.Howards Conan and Kull stories. You know, the whole mythic, old-world nature of forgotten, fallen kingdoms.

The other cool angle, of course, is the big tie-in to the current X-Men storyline, CURSE OF THE MUTANTS, which is the storyline where the X-Men are fending off a vampiric invasion of San Francisco. While Marvel does say you don’t need to have read X-Men #1 and #2 to jump in, we feel that you will get a much bigger picture of the events that are surrounding the whole story. I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that Namor has been sent on a mission for the X-Men. See, Namor’s a little extra sensitive to the whole vampire vs. mutant thing considering that many of his own people have been turned into Atlantean vampires.

Why we loved it? It’s a completely fresh, completely new arena of stories for the Marvel Universe. Yes, it does tie into a killer storyline running through X-Men, but it also sets up a very compelling, and interesting sandbox for creators to play in, much like Abnett and Lanning did with the cosmic arena of characters. The way that Atlantis is written in this is so cool, and reminds you of old school arcane worlds, forgotten kingdoms, and even hints of Lovecraftian otherworldly beings.

The writing is tight, and man, the artwork is gorgeous. Ariel Olivetti brings a surreal, dream-like atmosphere to the underwater kingdoms of Atlantis, while delivering a ton of raw energy and action to the story.

All in all, there’s a very cool pulp horror and weirdness that sets the tone for this series. There’s also a modern kind of horror film sensibility that permeates the book, and keeps the suspense running high.

Gotta tell you, folks, this one could end up being the sleeper of the summer. Do NOT miss it! I was super impressed.

Click here for a preview of  NAMOR: FIRST MUTANT #1
Click here for the official Third Eye Comics X-MEN: CURSE OF THE MUTANTS Checklist

THIRD EYE MUST BUY: GUARDING THE GLOBE #1 – “WALKING DEAD”, “HAUNT” & “INVINCIBLE” writer ROBERT KIRKMAN DEBUTS THE MOST BADASS SUPERHERO TEAM BOOK.. EVER in this NEW IMAGE SERIES!

Folks, you know as well as we do: Robert Kirkman can do no wrong. He’s probably one of our favorite writers working today, and I really cannot think of any book he’s written that I didn’t enjoy.

So, it’s no surprise to many of you that we’re super pumped about the upcoming GUARDIANS OF THE GLOBE.. er.. I mean, Guarding the Globe mini-series. Yeah, I don’t know what the scoop is, but I heard (and please note, this could all be rumor :) ) that the name of the series was changed due to it’s similarities to the Marvel title, GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.

Either way, no matter what the book is called, it’s gonna kick ass, and there’s no question about that. I’ve gotten my hands on some preview pages, and trust me, folks, if you love INVINCIBLE, HAUNT,  ASTOUNDING WOLF-MAN, ect ect, then your’e gonna love GUARDING THE GLOBE. This mini-series, using characters that’ve mostly originated in the INVINCIBLE corner of the Image Universe, picks the perfect time to focus on many of the characters that we see weaving in and out of the INVINCIBLE title, you know, since Invincible is out in space fighting Viltrumites and stuff.

While INVINCIBLE fans are sure to get a lot out of this one, and totally dig it, we feel that for those of you who’ve never even read INVINCIBLE before, you’ll still get a really great read from this, as the first issue reads really well with many of the characters being freshly introduced to the readers. In other words, it’s a great way to kinda poke your head into Kirkman’s INVINCIBLE world, and see how you dig it. And trust us, folks, INVINCIBLE is pretty much the WALKING DEAD of superhero comics. Incredible character-driven storytelling, over-the-top superhero fights ending in bloody disembowlments, and shocking twist after twist, it’s a series that’ll hook you in just like WALKING DEAD.

Anyways, the plot of GUARDING THE GLOBE focuses on the efforts of Cecil Stedman, director of the Global Defense Agency and the driving force behind the Guardians, and the remaining team members to bulk up the ranks of the team and help the world feel safe and protected again. At the same time, Kirkman gets into the machinations of The Order, an international crime organization, starting to come to fruition, taking advantage of the lessened numbers in the Guardians. So, the question is whether or not the team can get it together in order to stop the plans of the mysterious leader of The Order.

The team line-up is one that’ll be both familiar to those of you who’ve followed Kirkman’s other Image and INVINCIBLE stuff, as well as new. We’ve got some returning characters like Brit, and then newer members like Yeti, Kaboomerang, and Outrun. The thing that’s going to be cool about this series is it allows Kirkman to continue to build the large superhero universe he’s been building for a bit now in books like INVINCIBLE and Wolfman. The man is a fantastic writer, and we cannot wait to see him explore the whole superhero team dynamic in greater detail.

Why You Should Check This Out? First off, it’s written by ROBERT KIRKMAN, and that’s reason enough. He rocks. He rocks big-time. Secondly, for INVINCIBLE fans, it’s your one shot to know what’s going on back on planet Earth while Mark is fighting dudes with evil mustaches in space. And, with “Brit” and “Astounding Wolf-man” concluding, this is a great book to access the Invincible universe outside of the regular book.

And, for those of you who’ve never read “INVINCIBLE”, this book is the only place you’re gonna find yetis, Martians, and invulnerable senior citizens beating up extraterrestrial cephalopods for the fate of Atlantis. I mean, how can you go wrong? Plus, it’s a great spot to jump into the super cool superhero universe Kirkman has been building with INVINCIBLE and other books.

THIRD EYE MUST BUY: BATMAN #702 *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE TIE-IN* – THE SECOND HALF OF GRANT MORRISON’S “UNTOLD TALE” THAT BRIDGES BATMAN: RIP and FINAL CRISIS, REVEALING HOW WAYNE GOT ZAPPED BACK IN TIME HITS THIS WEDNESDAY!

The second half of Grant Morrison’s “Missing Chapter” of BATMAN: RIP continues this Wednesday, and dammit, I wanna read it now, I’m so stoked! Tying into the events of RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE, and kicking off in BATMAN #700, Morrison has been exploring, unveiling and expanding upon the disappearance of Bruce Wayne into the timestream. It’s no secret that we’ve been completely hooked on Morrison’s redefining of the Batman mythos, and things have really heated up this summer with the RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE.

But, it’s also no secret that we, like many others, were completely puzzled about the conclusion of BATMAN: RIP, and then the sudden Darkseid zapathon in FINAL CRISIS. It SORT OF made sense, but not totally. And, that’s where this current arc in BATMAN comes from, written by the man who penned both BATMAN RIP and FINAL CRISIS, and starting in BATMAN #700, this 3-issue arc shows us just what the device was that Wayne was strapped into, and then in #701, we’re shown what happens after that helicopter blows up, and before Wayne ends up confronting Darkseid. And, this Wednesday, we’re finally going to see the missing piece of the puzzle that not just explains how Bruce Wayne got sent back into time, but also the complete chain of events surrounding BATMAN: RIP and Batman’s fate in FINAL CRISIS.

If you missed BATMAN: #700, or BATMAN #701, don’t worry, because we do still have copies in stock to get you caught up this Wednesday. If you’re even remotely into the Batman books, or if you’ve been totally devoted to the currently awesome RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE arc, then you should check this companion storyline out!

Click here for a preview of BATMAN #702 *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE TIE-IN*

THIRD EYE MUST BUY: AVENGERS #4 – Brian Michael Bendis & John Romita JR continue to WOW the hell out of us with this incredible, over-the-top slobberknocker of a superhero book! Freakin’ War of the Worlds-style Martians, and more! :)

AAAAAAAH. I just got done reading issue #4 of AVENGERS, and man, I’m having a hard time keeping my mouth shut about the spoilers in this one. IT WAS FREAKIN’ OFF THE CHAIN. But, I’m gonna keep silent, I swear!

The AVENGERS has been one of my favorite books this summer. While I still have to go with SECRET AVENGERS as my favorite over-all, AVENGERS is definitely giving it a run for it’s money. John Romita JR’s artwork has been bringing an incredible amount of energy to the page, energy so raw that it makes the characters literally jump off the page at you. I swear, no one draws a big-time superhero slugfest like Romita JR. His unique, stylized approach brings so much movement and pacing to the page. And, Bendis, Bendis is truly impressing us issue after issue, as he manages to tell a bigger-than-life, swashbuckling time-travel saga with the Avengers. The kind of Avengers story that we haven’t seen in a long time, but with a very cool, contemporary twist.

What is AVENGERS? Well, by now, you’ve probably heard me give this spiel a few times, but for those of you who may be new to the shop, or just curious about jumping into the Marvel Univese, here’s the skinny. AVENGERS is kind of the big flagship book of Marvel right now. In other words, this is the book where many of the big storylines happen that impact the rest of the universe. While AVENGERS is a completely self-contained title, it’s kind of ground zero for everything big, and epic in the Marvel U. The first story arc, which has been way too awesome for it’s own good, has shown us that all the alternate futures of the Marvel Universe, ranging from the Age of Apocalypse, Days of Future Past, Avengers Forever, and more, are in danger of crashing down upon the present and just completely destroying everything. So far, we’ve seen a crazy whacked out old man version of Hulk, who could possibly be (and totally resembles) The Maestro, we’ve seen Apocalypse and his future Four Horsemen (Wolverine as Death, Spider-man as Pestilence, Scarlet Witch as Famine, and Hulk as War), and we’ve seen the kids from Next Avengers. Plus, the team line up here is pretty awesome, with all of Marvel’s big guns and major plays on board, and then some very cool newer characters like Marvel Boy.

Anyways, it’s been 3 issues so far of gigantic smash-up tooth-and-nail, broken face fights, and this fourth one… HUGE HUGE reveals continue, and even more superhero ultraviolence.

If you’ve missed the first few issues, we’ve currently got issues #1, #2, and #3 in stock to get you caught up.

Click here for a preview of AVENGERS #4

THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: DRACULA, THE COMPANY OF MONSTERS #1 – BOOM! (publishers of IRREDEEMABLE) and Kurt Busiek (ASTRO CITY) debut a killer new ongoing series in the vein of the classic Gene Colan TOMB OF DRACULA! This one looks rad!

I am an incredibly huge fan of the old school Gene Colan era TOMB OF DRACULA comics. There was just something interesting, and exciting to be said about a Marvel series that spotlighted the Lord of Darkness as a strange, anti-hero protagonist. And, they’ve never really been able to kinda recapture that magic, at least not until now, I think.

Boom! Studios, the folks who’ve brought us the awesomeness of series like IRREDEEMABLE, INCORRUPTIBLE, THE ANCHOR, and more, are kicking off a brand new ONGOING series with Kurt Busiek handling the writing (and folks, this guy is one of the true underrated greats in comics, forget about stuff like Trinity, and look back to his killer work on ASTRO CITY, ARROWSMITH, The Avengers, and much more) that takes the Tomb of Dracula concept and kinda runs with it.

Now, please take note, this is a brand new start, and a brand new series, not a continuation of the Tomb of Dracula series. However, what I’m referring to is that it kinda recaptures the FEEL of that series, in how Dracula was portrayed as this anti-hero sort of character.

Anyways, the series kicks off with a powerful, predatory corporation acquiring a very valuable asset… Dracula, himself! They think they own him, but no one can own the Son of the Dragon. There’s a monster in their midst that puts Hannibal Lecter to shame – and he plans to gain his freedom in blood. Yup, the first arc is one pitting bloodsuckers vs. bloodsucker, and Busiek is bringing a very cool, very modern spin to the Dracula mythos.

Click here for a preview of DRACULA: COMPANY OF MONSTERS #1

THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: ACTION COMICS #892 – LEX LUTHOR’S QUEST FOR THE POWER OF THE ORANGE LANTERN CONTINUES! HOLY CRAP, THIS RUN HAS BEEN GOOD SO FAR!
Lex Luthor vs. Deathstroke the Terminator!

Folks, I have gotta say, this Paul Cornell guy rocks. I mean, I’ve enjoyed his work so much on the previous two issues of ACTION COMICS that I’ve gone back and read some of his really killer Captain Britain and the MI-13 stuff, and damn, it’s criminal that series got canceled. Really, really good stuff.

Anyways, starting in ACTION COMICS #890, Paul Cornell and the uber-talented Pete Woods came aboard to basically make ACTION COMICS into Lex Luthor’s book. Now, what’s been so super rad about this? Well, the main driving plot point is Luthor’s quest for the Orange Lantern ring. The first two issues (which are both in stock to get you caught up here at Third Eye) have been outstandingly good, and what’s really awesome is that when issue #894 hits: Death, from the Endless, aka you know, Neil Gaiman’s classic SANDMAN series, is going to make an appearance. That’s a HUGE deal. Gaiman doesn’t just let anyone use his characters, so you gotta believe that Cornell must be doing something right here.

This week, we’re gonna see old Lex butting heads with Deathstroke the Terminator in his all-consuming quest for power. What’s gonna happen when the DCU’s most ingenious criminal mastermind meets it’s most lethal killer…. well, one thing we can say for sure: pure comic awesomeness!

If you’re not reading this one yet, snag issues #890 and #891 this week at Third Eye, and find out why Action Comics is slowly becoming serious must-read material!

Click here for a preview of ACTION COMICS #892

SHADOWLAND CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY WITH SHADOWLAND: MOON KNIGHT #1

Who doesn’t love Moon Knight? I mean, c’mon, first off: he looks freakin’ awesome. Secondly, he’s some crazy dude who used to cut off the faces of bad guys and sacrifice them to some Egyptian death god, and then third, well, he’s Moon Knight. He rocks. And, of course, being based out of New York, you know that ol’ Marc Spector has to play some kind of a role in the whole Shadowland madness that’s going down.

And, here’s something that’s kind of a twist: Daredevil, now completely insane, and you know, totally evil, is looking to take Moon Knight out… for NOT killing bad guys with him. :) And, to do it, a mysterious figure has been enlisted to help: a second avatar of Khonshu. Has Khonshu finally decided to replace Moon Knight with someone that WILL cut off dudes faces again?

Click here for a preview of SHADOWLAND: MOON KNIGHT #1

Click here for the Third Eye Shadowland Checklist!


THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: SCIENCE DOG #1 ONE-SHOT by ROBERT KIRKMAN, writer of “WALKING DEAD”, “HAUNT”, “INVINCIBLE”, and MORE BRINGS US ANOTHER KICK-ASS ONE-SHOT IN THE VEIN OF SEABEAR & GRIZZLY SHARK. FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE. FIGHT EVIL WITH… SCIENCE?!

Okay, so you already saw all the really nice things we’ve got to say about Robert Kirkman earlier in the newsletter when we were going on and on about Guarding the Globe #1. So, you’re aware: Robert Kirkman rocks. End of story. Whatever he writes, it tends to kickass. Okay, so, we got that out of the way.

Now, lets move right on ahead, and talk about SCIENCE DOG. Much like the ridiculous, and totally fun SEABEAR AND GRIZZLY SHARK one-shot.

Words cannot do the awesomeness of Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker’s Science Dog justice. So, just check out the preview, trust me on this one, folks… if ya dig Kirkman, you’re gonna love it.

Click here for a preview of SCIENCE DOG #1 One-Shot

SUPERMAN/BATMAN #75 DELIVERS A VERY SPECIAL ONE-SHOT ISSUE WITH AN INCREDIBLE ROSTER OF TALENT: DAVID FINCH WRITES AND DRAWS A STORY, ADAM HUGHES WRITES AND DRAWS A SUPERGIRL STORY, PLUS, JOE KELLY, BILLY TUCCI, FRANCIS MANAPUL and MORE!
Don’t Miss This One!

Here’s one that slipped right past me originally, and then upon further inspection, I was like HOLY CRAP, this one’s a must-read!

This week, the 75th issue of SUPERMAN/BATMAN hits, and with it, a slew of incredible creators doing some nice one-shot stories in this oversized issue.

First off, Paul Levitz unites the World’s Finest with the Legino of Superheroes to throw down with Lex Luthor. Okay, that’s pretty damn cool, but, wait…

Joe Kelly, a totally underrated writer in my opinion, joins with many artists to do some great stories. Adam Hughes, who rarely does interior art anymore is drawing a KILLER looking Supergirl and Batgirl story, Francis Manapul, the artist on Flash right now, is doing a Superboy/Red Robin team-up, and David Finch has a HUGE surprise pairing of Bats and Supes that I cannot wait to see.

This one’s a must-have, even for just the one issue, ’cause man, what a great list of creators.

Click here to read more about SUPERMAN/BATMAN #75

X-MEN: CURSE OF THE MUTANTS DOUBLE DOSE THIS WEEK: X-MEN CURSE OF THE MUTANTS BLADE ONE-SHOT & X-MEN CURSE OF THE MUTANTS STORM AND GABMBIT #1
Two Must-Reads Tying Into the Killer CURSE OF THE MUTANTS storyline!

The Curse of the Mutants has been bad-ass so far, and this week, in addition to the NAMOR: FIRST MUTANT #1, we’ve got two other CURSE OF THE MUTANTS tie-ins coming.

First on the list is the X-Men CURSE OF THE MUTANTS: Storm and Gambit limited series, which shows us how the X-Men may have discovered a means for stemming the invasion of vampires. The bad news though is that what they need is in the clutches of the vampires themselves. Luckily, the X-Men have two thieves in their employ that may just be able to pull off such a heist… Throw in Storm’s own past with Dracula, and this one should be pretty freakin’ cool.

Click here for a preview of X-MEN: CURSE OF THE MUTANTS STORM AND GAMBIT #1

Also hitting this week is the X-MEN CURSE OF THE MUTANTS BLADE #1 one-shot, where someone… something… is killing vampire slayers all over the world. Of course, this brings Blade, the biggest, and baddest slayer of them all, to investigate. He’s pulled together an emergency assault team to blitz the vampire legions and force some answers out of whoever’s left standing. But, Blade’s not gonna like what he finds out.

Click here for a preview of X-MEN CURSE OF THE MUTANTS BLADE #1 one-shot
Click here for the official Third Eye Curse of the Mutants Checklist

STAR WARS BLOOD TIES TALE: JANGO & BOBA FETT #1 – JANGO FETT & BOBA FETT FIGHTING SIDE BY SIDE – We’re a sucker for Star Wars Bounty Hunter stories!

I can’t help it, I’m a sucker for anything involving Boba Fett. I grew up with Star Wars, but you know, before the prequels. It was during the late ’80s/early ’90s, when it had kinda turned into this just below the surface thing. Everyone knew about Star Wars, but it wasn’t the legendary and iconic thing it is today. Back then, there was a TON of great stories being told in the expanded universe arena, like Heir to the Empire, Dark Empire, ect ect.. and one of those were the solo stories that focused on Boba Fett and other SW Bounty Hunters.

Anyways, long story short, that kinda past is why I’m so pumped to read this week’s SW: Blood Ties with Boba Fett and the less cool, but still not too bad Jango Fett pairing up together on a mission.

Should be pretty awesome stuff.

Click here for a preview of STAR WARS BLOOD TIES: A TALE OF JANGO AND BOBA FETT!

GREEN ARROW #3 *BRIGHTEST DAY* – The new GREEN ARROW ongoing series ROCKS!

The new GREEN ARROW ongoing has been REALLY good so far. We’ve been seriously impressed. The mystery of what’s going on in the forest has been keeping us enthralled, the new harder edge to Ollie is a lot better, and reminds us of Longbow Hunters, and the overall story has been pretty top notch all the way through.

Can’t recommend it enough, if you haven’t checked it out yet, we’ve got issues #1 and #2 in stock to get you caught up.

Click here to read more about GREEN ARROW #3 *BRIGHTEST DAY*

PUNISHER MAX: HAPPY ENDING #1 ONE-SHOT – JUAN JOSE RYP, artist of BLACK SUMMER, NO HERO & NANCY IN HELL, DELIVERS THIS RIDICULOUSLY VIOLENT AND AWESOME PUNISHER ONE-SHOT!

Dude, Juan Jose Ryp’s art is so freakin’ good. If you’re a fan of stuff like GEOFF DARROW, then you really should check this guy out. He’s been one of my favorites since I first noticed him on Warren Ellis’s BLACK SUMMER.

And, hey, this Wednesday you’ve got the perfect opportunity to check out Ryp’s work with this killer PUNISHER MAX one-shot focusing on some serious misfortune that befalls the mild-mannered Joe. See, after a quarrel with his wife sends him seeking comfort at a massage parlor, the mild-mannered accountant enters a whole different world, and gets caught up with a beautiful woman on the run from a vicious mob boss… and well, of course, the Punisher is involved in this one.

It’s Punisher, it’s MAX, you know it’s gonna be bloody, awesome, and with Ryp’s artwork, REALLY freakin’ cool looking.

Click here for a preview of PUNISHER MAX: HAPPY ENDING #1 ONE-SHOT

STAFF PICKS

Steve -IDES OF BLOOD #1- A truly awesome first issue. Caesar’s taken over Transylvania, turned half of his centurions into vampires, and now there’s a serial killer on the loose. Trust me, folks, this one’s gonna be a hit. Great, great read.

Trish – TRUE BLOOD #2 = Hooked on the TV show, and the comic is just as good. I want more!

Torma -AVENGERS & THE INFINITY GAUNTLET #1= AWESOME. Brian Clevinger from ATOMIC ROBO makes this one really fun, and it’s even got SLEEPWALKER!

Matt – BRIGHTEST DAY #8 = One word: WOW. Kick-ass issue that delivers some answers to many big questions surrounding BRIGHTEST DAY. REALLY good read.

1. The Team It’s got one of the coolest team line-ups we’ve seen in a superhero book in a long time. I mean, sure, it’s great to see a book that features the biggest of the big guns, and sure, it’s cool to get that nostalgia rush from familiar settings and characters, but Secret Avengers manages to put together a team that has at least one of everybody’s fan-favorite “cult following”-type characters. In other words, if you’re a big time Nova fan, he’s here, and he’s kicking ass. If you’re like me, and you really dig Moon Knight, well, bam, you got him. And, then there’s more traditional Avengers material, like The Beast (yes, from the X-Men) acting as the team’s science guy, Steve Rogers in his new Nick Fury-esque role leading the team, and long-time Iron Man ally, War Machine, handling the heavy artillery. Add into the mix diverse characters like Valkyrie (imagine a really pissed off, and slightly more bloodthirsty female version of Thor), The Black Widow (for all the down and dirty espionage awesomeness), and the Irredeemable Ant-Man, ’cause, well, every team needs an obnoxious loudmouth, and heck, you’ve got yourself one hell of an interesting team. It’s this dynamic line-up that makes reading Secret Avengers such a blast, and keeps us coming back for more.

2. High Concepts Grounded In Reality Make An Interesting Mix – Writer Ed Brubaker (ya know, the guy who’s done killer reads like CRIMINAL, INCOGNITO, CAPTAIN AMERICA) makes Secret Avengers unique by taking that old school team book appeal of having mission-driven storylines, and then completely hosing it down in his own brand of psychotronic storytelling, which makes for one hell of a great read. See, with Secret Avengers, it’s totally not out of the ordinary to see the team stalking around on the planet of Mars, and while this could be corny in any other book, Brubaker and Deodato manage to make it work too freakin’ well. Deodato brings a very H.R Giger/Ridley Scott’s ALIEN feel to the outer space aspect, as Mars is littered with weird caves, tunnels, and hieroglyphics all throughout. Add in that the layers of espionage and intrigue that Brubaker is building the plot with, and then mix with a dose of old school Steranko Nick Fury Agent of Shield craziness, and it makes for some very compelling reads.

3. The Creative Team - You’re getting two guys at the top of their game, and it shows. Deodato is fresh off his work on Dark Avengers, and his artwork makes the book work exactly right for what it is: a covert ops team of Avengers who’ve been assembled to clean up the messes of Norman Osborn, and many others, so the public knows they never even existed. The mood, the atmosphere, and the attention to detail that Deodato brings is fantastic. Ed Brubaker is writing the superhero book he was born to write here, and it’s probably his best superhero stuff since his early work on Captain America with the Winter Soldier saga. His characterization of each team member is unique, his introduction of the villainous characters is perfect, and the plot behind the first arc has been top notch all the way. Good creative team = Good Book.

Now, does this sound like something you’re itching to read? Well, we’ve still got limited quantities of issues 1, 2 and 3 in stock to get you caught up to this week’s issue #4. Do not miss out on this series, folks, it’s one of the best books on the stands, and the early issues are already starting to become hard to come by, so grab ‘em while we’ve got copies in stock!

For those of you who’ve already been on board with Secret Avengers, well, you saw the madness that happened at the end of issue #3, so we know you guys are stoked about what’s coming next. And, if this week’s cover to #4 is indicative.. holy crap. Plus, the puppet master behind this whole thing? We might just get to meet him in this issue.

Click here for a preview of SECRET AVENGERS #4

THIRD EYE MUST BUY: BRIGHTEST DAY #8 – Geoff Johns’s DCU Rebrith Continues This Wednesday – Who Is The One and Only White Lantern?

Okay, so, first off, you’re probably wondering why I’m using the cover to Brightest Day #7… well, it’s cause Brightest Day #8 is supposedly a big issue, and DC is keeping the cover image, and all spoilers under tight lock and key. I gotta say, I’m pretty pumped to see what the hell is gonna be going down.. ’cause after issue #7, we learned some pretty interesting things about Deadman and why he’s been especially chosen by the White Ring to solve the mysteries of the White Lantern.

Now, going into issue #8, it looks like we’re going to learn WHO the White Lantern ends up being, for real, and with many of the possible candidates, I’ll admit, I’m intrigued.

All in all, Brightest Day has continued to be one of the best things I’ve been reading this summer. It delivers each and every issue, and while it’s bi-weekly schedule gives it kind of a weird rhythm of story development one issue, action the next, it has been really really good.

What is BRIGHTEST DAY? Well, essentially, Geoff Johns, the writer of last year’s mega-awesome BLACKEST NIGHT (now available in hardcover here at Third Eye), has defined Brightest Day, his follow-up to Blackest Night, as DCU: REBIRTH. In other words, this series provides an excellent entry point for those of you who have been meaning to try the DC Universe, but it also serves as a great refresher of things for those of you who’ve already been following DC. Basically, Johns and crew are rebuilding the DCU from the ground up, and are giving some specific focus to forgotten characters like Aquaman, Firestorm, Deadman, ect.

The series so far has really done a great job of defining these characters, shaping the current direction of the DCU, and providing a damn good story in the process.

For those of you who’re thinking about jumping into the series, we’ve got all the issues in stock, #0-#7, so you can get caught up pretty easily still. While BLACKEST NIGHT is not mandatory to understand what’s going on in BRIGHTEST DAY, we do recommend checking out at least the core Blackest Night story. Why? Well, other than the fact that it totally kicked ass, it’s a good primer for a lot of what’s going on now with the White Lantern stuff.

Be sure to check out our checklists for the series and it’s tie ins at: BRIGHTEST DAY Checklist Pt 1 & BRIGHTEST DAY Checklist Pt 2


THIRD EYE MUST BUY: THE BOYS: HIGHLAND LADDIE #1 – HUGHIE GETS HIS OWN SOLO LIMITED SERIES by GARTH ENNIS! A CRUCIAL SPIN OFF OF ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SERIES!

I’m pretty stoked to read this one when it hits on Wednesday. This mini-series spinning off of one of our favorites, The Boys, hits this week, written by THE BOYS writer Garth Ennis, and focusing on Hughie’s character. Basically, his origins, his background, and his motivations.

So, what’s the scoop? Well, you know how in the BOYS we were kinda getting the backgrounds on all the different characters and their pasts? Well, this is Hughie’s story, but it’s a little too big to be told in the pages of the series, not to mention he’s not popping up in the monthly series as much currently. Also, in Highland Laddie, we’re going to see the origin of another Boys character, but Ennis is leaving that one as a surprise. And, as we’ve seen from his work on stuff like THE BOYS, CROSSED, and PREACHER, Garth Ennis does surprises well.

Now, obviously, there’s going to be comparisons drawn to Highland Laddie and last year’s Boys mini-series, Herogasm, but Ennis said that Highland Laddie is way more closer to the tone and mood of THE BOYS than Herogasm was. In other words, Herogasm was more played for laughs, which was cool, whereas Highland Laddie is a much more serious (yet I’m sure, still dementedly funny) tale.

Also, for those of you who’re not yet reading THE BOYS, by Garth Ennis, well, now is the perfect time for me to give you the scoop on what’s become one of our favorite series here at Third Eye. Also, this Highland Laddie limited series serves as a nice spot to jump on and try the book as well.

So, WHAT is THE BOYS all About ? Okay, let me say this first: It’s my favorite thing Garth Ennis has written since PREACHER. And, that’s a bold statement, considering all the really cool stuff that Ennis has done in between PREACHER and now. Stuff like PUNISHER MAX, CROSSED, HITMAN, his war stuff in BATTLEFIELDS, and more, have all been great reads, but it’s THE BOYS that I always find myself comparing to PREACHER. Why? ‘Cause it maintains that same style of heartfelt storytelling, shocking plot twists, and of course, the sometimes depraved humor of Preacher. But, at it’s core, it’s a long, epic story exploring the kind of themes that Ennis explores best.

The plot of the BOYS is basically about a world where superheroes are the next step in National Defense. They’re the equivalent of a private security company like Blackwater, which contracts out to the U.S to provide security for extraordinary situations. The actual superheroes in question, are all, for the most part, horrible, horrible people. They’re negligent, often causing people to die in the middle of their encounters. They’re corrupt, abusing their power to satisfy their depravities. And, they know that there’s very little that can be done to stop them from doing what they want.

In come THE BOYS, The Boys are a group of individuals who, as we learn, have all had their lives somehow screwed up because of the superheroes (or as they’re called by the Boys, The Capes), or by the corporation that employs them. The Boys work for the CIA to make sure that the superheroes stay on their leash, and don’t get too out of control for the U.S Government. They do this by doing everything from blackmailing and spying on the Capes to pumping themselves with a steroid-like compound and beating the hell out of them. The Boys, led by Butcher, are an interesting bunch, and it’s the strong characterization that Ennis brings to them that really makes the book interesting.

Hughie, is the character that we kinda see the story through. He’s a guy, who, in the first issue, has his fiancee completely destroyed as a superhero throws a bad guy without looking, and it literally rips her body from her arms, pulverizing her into a wall. He’s left holding onto her arms, and from there, he joins the Boys.

And, then it gets crazier, and crazier.

This series is fantastic, and it’s about six trade paperbacks deep. We can’t recommend it enough. Pick up Volume 1 this week if you’re not already reading the Boys, we guarantee you’ll love it.

For those of you who’re already reading THE BOYS, we know you’ll be checking out Highland Laddie, cause lets face it: a double dose of Ennis’s depraved exploration of super-humans is never a bad thing.

THIRD EYE MUST BUY: BATMAN BEYOND #3 – The Batman Beyond Revival is Kicking Ass! We Couldn’t Be More Stoked to See Terry McGinnis’s Return!
“Hush Beyond” Continues!

Dude, the return of BATMAN BEYOND has been one of the most exciting things of the summer for me. This animated series still remains as one of the best exploration of the Bat-mythos, in my opinion, and it’s great to see DC returning to this world and exploring it again. The writing and art on this one recapture everything that made Batman Beyond great, and manage to take the world of Terry McGinnis further into new directions as well.

But, know what the most kick ass part about this is? It’s giving us a “Beyond” take on one of the most infamous Bat-villains in the last twenty years: HUSH. It’s still not clear if this is the same Hush as the one we all know, but so far in the first couple issues, we’ve seen a killer on the loose that’s been dubbed Hush by the media. I think it’s pretty safe to say this is a new incarnation of Hush, and is not the original, considering this one’s pretty athletic and is fighting Mcinnis as if he was young. We’re watching as Batman’s surviving Rogues gallery is getting thinned out in interesting and strange ways. There’s even a new Catwoman who pops up, and she actually comes off as a pretty interesting character.

All in all, the Batman Beyond revival is kicking major ass, and if you loved the show, or just love good Elseworlds-style Batman stuff… we highly highly recommend checking it out.

We’ve still got issues #1 and #2 in stock to get you caught up on the series!

THIRD EYE MUST BUY: THE IDES OF BLOOD #1 - Caeser Conquers Transylvania, Vampire Roman Gladiators, and a Serial Killer Mystery that makes you think of SE7EN.. This one is AWESOME looking.
“True Blood” meets “Spartacus”

This series looks freakin’ kick-ass. I read the concept, checked out the preview pages, and maybe I’m just a sucker for alternate history stuff, but, this one looks really rad.

Ides of Blood is a new six-issue limited series from Wildstorm that follows an alternate history where Caesar conquered Transylvania and subjugated its inhabitants – who also just so happen to be bloodsucking undead – as a slave class in the ever-expanding Roman Republic. As the political landscape begins to change at a rapid pace, things alter just as quickly on a personal level for vampire slave-turned Roman-soldier Valens, who suddenly finds himself tasked with hunting down a vampiric serial killer draining the life out of Rome’s rich upper class.

The series, from the preview pages, looks awesome, and it’s loaded with blood, sex, and all the other things you’d want out of the Roman Empire and Vampires put together. The series takes place around 44 BC, at the height of Caesar’s power, and the exact year of the would-be emperor’s assassination. The addition of vampires definitely makes things interesting, and completely alters the path of things going.

This one looks like a crazy awesome mash-up of many different genres, and I can’t wait to get a chance to read the whole shebang this week.

Click here to read more about IDES OF BLOOD #1

THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: MARVEL UNIVERSE vs. THE PUNISHER #2 - “I AM LEGEND” with THE PUNISHER… YOU MUST READ THIS AWESOME “WHAT IF?”-Style Limited Series…. THE THING wears a necklace made of human hands, for God’s sake! HOW AWESOME IS THAT?
And we still have copies of issue #1 still available!

Dude, the first issue of this four-issue WHAT IF?-style mini-series freakin’ blew me away. I was seriously impressed. I mean, the concept sounded rad, but I had no clue how much fun this was going to end up being.

So, what’s the deal on this one? Well, it’s pretty much what it sounds like… it’s I AM LEGEND with the Punisher as the Last Man on Earth, and the Marvel Universe as his playground. Basically, five years ago, a plague swept through the Earth, turning everyone, human, hero, villain, god and monster, into sadistic cannibal predators. As Spider-man, The Hulk, the Thing (who rocks a necklace made of human hands!!) and many others start a feeding frenzy, the world falls in a wave of insatiable violence. And, now, five years later, the Punisher, the Last Gun on Earth, spends his days hunting these crazy, whacked out predator Marvel characters.

This one rocks, and is simply put, straight up, bloody awesomeness.

Click here for a preview of MARVEL UNIVERSE vs THE PUNISHER #2

If you missed issue #1, no worries, ’cause we’ve still got some copies left in stock to get you caught up!

ATTN: SCOTT PILGRIM FANS – CHECK OUT SEEDLESS This Week from Corey Lewis – AWESOME little graphic novel that kicks out a Scott Pilgrim-esque tale that’s like MEGA MAN meets the CALIFORNIA RAISINS. IT’S AWESOME.

Dude, this one looks SO FREAKIN’ COOL. Corey Lewis, the creator of the cult hit Sharknife, returns with this brand new graphic novel series, SEEDLESS. Lewis comes from the same school of comic storytelling as creators like Bryan Lee O’Malley (Scott Pilgrim) and Brandon Graham (King City). He manages to blend a ton of different comic styles effortlessly into one hyper-active, pop culture fueled mess of awesome.

So, what is Seedless all about?

Seedless is about three little alien grape warriors from another planet who come to Earth battling with a crazy grape named Crazy. Crazy is looking for ’seeds’ on planet Earth, and the only way for the grapes to stop Crazy is to use their ‘gel powers’ and the advanced robots they pilot called ‘Robotstomps.’ In the midst of all these crazy grapes, you’ve got Harmony. Harmony is kinda the human character that’s there for readers to relate to, and well, she also happens to be a quick-witted, and very kind girl. She’s the daughter of an inventor, and ends up falling in league with these crazy mech-suited grapes. The trio of grape warriors? Funky, Pulse, and Dash. The classic teenage hero archetypes, ya know? Funky’s the progressive and optimistic one, Pulse is the powerful hothead, and Dash is the silent ninja.

So, I know what you’re thinking, this sounds totally bizarre, right? Well, that’s cause it is, but trust me, Lewis delivers a tight, well-told story that delivers the same kind of video game-fueled, character-driven awesomeness of stuff like Scott Pilgrim, and more recently, Super Pro KO.

Check it out this week!

SIXTH GUN #3 – AWESOME STEAMPUNKY WEIRD WEST STORYTELLING HITS THIS WEEK! MISS ISSUE #1 AND #2? WE’VE GOT ‘EM IN STOCK TO GET YOU CAUGHT UP!

The new Oni Press series, SIXTH GUN, is freakin’ awesome. This steampunk occult Weird West delivers a killer read. Mixing up elements of series like HELLBOY, The Dark Tower, and the HBO series, DEADWOOD, The Sixth Gun is a great read that tells the tale of the Pinkerton Detective Agency being hired by the mysterious Mrs. Hume to recover various artifacts of power; a lantern, a tarot deck, a gun. But it’s the Sixth Gun that seems to be the most dangerous, rumored to be so vile that it’s not only indestructible but that Hell itself wouldn’t take the item back. And, it’s that artifact that not only the Pinkertons, but an independent agent called Drake Sinclair is also trying to find. The problem is, once someone’s touched the gun, they’re bound to it for life, and that’s when things start getting sticky.

The series has a lotta atmosphere, with art that’s kinda reminiscent of P. Craig Russel, bringing a very Mike Mignola Hellboy feel to the whole thing. It’s loaded with lots of really rad occult artifacts, and steampunky Old West goodness. Cursed weapons, demons from Hell, and more make this one heck of a read.

If you missed issues #1 and #2, we’ve still got copies in stock to get you caught up.

SHADOWLAND THIS WEEK: A DOUBLE-DOSE WITH SHADOWLAND DAUGHTERS OF THE SHADOW #1 & SHADOWLAND POWER MAN #1

From the depths of SHADOWLANDS, a legacy born in blood stands revealed. Spinning out of the uber rad SHADOWLAND event, we’re going to see just what is up with the all-female hit squad that’s working for Daredevil? Who is Colleen Wing and what’s her secret connection to the Hand? And, what is the mysterious birthright that compels her to fufill Matt Murdock’s bloody crusade to purge new York of corruption by any means necessary?

Click here for a preview of SHADOWLAND DAUGHTERS OF THE SHADOW #1

Straight out of the streets of Shadowland: the all-new, all-different Power Man! Who is he? Why is he one of the few heroes to oppose Daredevil’s rule over Hell’s Kitchen? And, what’s his mysteriou connection to Iron Fists’s dojo, and the notorious Bullseye? It’s up to Luke Cage and Iron Fist to solve this mystery, and find out just what the new Power Man’s deal is.

Click here for a preview of SHADOWLAND POWER MAN #1

TRUE BLOOD #2 – THE UNTOLD TALE OF SOOKIE, AND THE REST OF THE TRUE BLOOD GANG CONTINUES THIS WEEK by TV Series Creator ALAN BALL and Show writers ELIZABETH FINCH & KATE BARROW!
Miss Issue #1? We’ve got copies in stock to get you caught up!

True Blood is one of the most kick-ass shows on TV right now. There’s no denying it. It’s that kind of HBO series that really just stands tall as a great watch, and we’re totally hooked.

And, luckily, the comic book series is just as kick-ass. Written by Alan Ball, the creator of the TV series, and show writers Elizabeth Finch & Kate Barnow, this series is OFFICIALLY in True Blood continuity and explores untold stories of the world of True Blood.

Awesome, awesome stuff. If you missed the first issue, we’ve still got a very limited amount of #1s in stock to get you caught up.

AVENGERS & INFINITY GAUNTLET #1 – ATOMIC ROBO creator BRIAN CLEVINGER RE-TELLS THE CLASSIC MARVEL STORY WITH HIS OWN UNIQUE FRESH STYLE!

Gotta tell ya, folks, I’ve been recently discovering how awesome some of these re-tellings of classic Marvel tales can be. Not only do they make great All Ages books, but they’re also just plain cool self-contained storylines where anyone can pick ‘em up and enjoy without having to know a ton of back story. And, sometimes, they actually bring a very fresh, funky kinda feel to the original source material, like in the case of this week’s upcoming AVENGERS & THE INFINITY GAUNTLET.

Brian Clevinger, who’s pretty well known in the indie comics circles for his killer Tesla-fueled WW2 Robot badass, ATOMIC ROBO, is handling the writing duty on this limited series that brings us a brand new telling of Thanos’s acquiring of the Infinity Gems, and his quest to destroy the galaxy. Joined by the highly underrated Brian Churilla (Artist on THE ANCHOR), this book looks like so much fun, I can’t wait to sit down and read the full issue. Just bigger than life, over-the-top Marvel madness the way you like it, with a modern edge.

Click here for a preview of AVENGERS & THE INFINITY GAUNTLET #1

THE LAST PHANTOM #1 – Dynamite Entertainment brings The Ghost Who Walks back into the spotlight!

Dynamite Entertainment delivers a brand new series, and continues their revival of classic pulp characters (ala Green Hornet, Lone Ranger, ect) with the brand new LAST PHANTOM series.

Like they’ve done with many other characters, the Phantom has been redesigned with the utmost care by Alex Ross, so it maintains the classic style but also has a sharp, modern look. The story? I’m not sure, they haven’t really shown us much, but the preview pages look pretty damn slick.

Click here for a preview of THE LAST PHANTOM #1

UNCANNY X-MEN #527 *THE FIVE LIGHTS CHAPTER 2* – THE FOLLOW UP TO SECOND COMING CONTINUES, AS WE GET CLOSER TO “GENERATION HOPE”

The X-Books are better than they’ve been in ages, and between the awesomeness of CURSE OF THE MUTANTS, and what’s going on over here in UNCANNY, we’re hooked hardcore.

In the wake of SECOND COMING, we saw that the first chapter of THE FIVE LIGHTS (in UNCANNY X-MEN #526) brought the emergence of five new mutants. The first new mutants since M-Day. And of course, the X-Men are interested. Meanwhile, Hope is in search of who her parents actually are, as well as some very cool explorations of how her power works.

It looks like this plot is going to be leading us into the upcoming Generation Hope storyline, which pretty much signals more mutants emerging now that Hope is here to carry out the role she was born to.

Click here for a preview of UNCANNY X-MEN#527 *THE FIVE LIGHTS PT 2*

STAFF PICKS

Steve – GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS #1- We all know that I’m a big sucker for all the GL stuff happening right now, but the first issue of this new ongoing series was better than I had even thought it was gonna be. Really solid characterization, amazing artwork, and some serious fan-favorite moments. Can’t wait for more.

Trish – WALKING DEAD #76 = Not quite the jaw-dropper that we got with #75, but still really really good.

Torma -THANOS IMPERATIVE #3= THIS SERIES IS THE BEST THING EVER. Cthulhu Marvel Universe aka the Cancerverse gets it’s own origins revealed here… PLUS, MORE GIANT ENGINES OF DESTRUCTION.

Matt – X-MEN #2 *CURSE OF THE MUTANTS* = Never thought I’d be so hooked on the X-Men again, but this new series is total fun. Vampires vs X-Men? Too good.