THIRD EYE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDES Presents:
Ten Must-Read Trade Paperbacks and Hardcovers of 2008!
Ten Must-Read Trade Paperbacks and Hardcovers of 2008!
It's the holiday season, and you're clueless on what to get yourself, or ask for from that creepy old guy in the red suit? Well, fear not, Third Eye faithful, we're going to be giving you all sorts of great top five, and top ten lists of some of the best reading you could get yourself for the holidays (or get for your favorite non-comic reading heathen friend!).
So to kick things off today, we're going to be showing you Third Eye's TOP TEN must-read trade paperbacks for 2008. What're the requirements? Well, it's got to be released in '08, and it's gotta be something you absolutely MUST read! And, as always, these are all plentifully stocked here at our shop, so you see something you like? Pop on in, and grab it, or shoot us an email, and we'll be happy to hold one for you.
10.
LOCAL HC Collecting Local 1-12.
I have a feeling that Brian Wood is going to dominate this list, but there's nothing wrong with that. Local is an amazingly put together story that was released in hardcover this year. For only $30.00, you get this massive tome that has one of the best 12 issue stories you'll have read in a long time. One of the things that makes Local so unique is the painstaking amount of detail put into each panel. Ryan Kelly, the artist, worked directly from photographs sent around from fans across the country when laying out each town where the story takes place, so when you see clubs, restraunts, record shops, ect... those are REAL places.
12 Short stories all following career dreamer Megan as she travels the country, and gets into all sorts of messes. Whether it's dead end jobs, being on both ends of a creepy relationship, screwing over others, or getting screwed over herself, the stories that follow her are very reflective of the normalcy applied to a screwed up society that affects everyone that's grown up in the last two decades. Don't miss out on this one!
9.
Nova: Annihilation HC - Collecting the current Nova ongoing series 1-12. Who thought that Nova could be cool? Okay, so maybe it's because I grew up in the '90s when the Human Rocket just wasn't cutting it when you put him next to what was prevalent in my adolescent mind. Maybe that's part of the reason why I'm so blown away by the current Nova series. So, what's so great about Nova? Well, lets start at the beginning. It's the dawn of the 21st century, great new creators are springing up right and left, new concepts of storytelling are popping up more rapidly than trendy coffee bistros in Annapolis, and guess what? Not a cosmic character to be seen. The '90s had done a real number on the space-styled Marvel characters, rendering them completely, and totally LAME. And then came Annihilation, and the braintrust of Abnett and Lanning. Out of Annihilation, we got the coolest re-invention of character of this decade (with maybe the exception of Iron Fist).
Nova goes from being the happy go lucky (and extremely obnoxious) Richard Ryder to being the last remaining agent of the Nova Corps. Posessing the entire knowledge of the Nova Corps, and tasked with rebuilding the Corps, it's literally one man against an entire galaxy.
You want high-concept sci-fi space action? You got it. You want well-written character moments? You got it. You want to see old characters recharged for the new millenium? It's all here in the pages of Nova. This very nice oversized hardcover collects Nova 1-12 of the ongoing series, along with the annuals and one-shots, and it's a fantastic starting point for anyone who's looking for a good superhero fix mixed with a little sci-fi.
8.
BATMAN: THE BLACK GLOVE HC collecting Batman 667-669 and 672-675.
Grant Morrison is one of the great few in comics writing. He's one of those kinds of writers, like William Burroughs, or Phillip K. Dick, where you're just as interested in the author as you are his works. And in some cases, this has an impact on how we view his work. Well, seeing the mad wizard on the pages of DC's biggest icon (sorry, Supes, but the Dark Knight has you beat these days), is definitely a treat. Starting with the Batman and Son trade paperback, Morrison began completely re-inventing the Caped Crusader for the 21st century. Moving away from the over-exaggerated darkness and psychosis of the character (which came to a head during the events of IDENTITY CRISIS), Morrison kept the darkness and tragedy but also imbued a sense of adventure and nobility into the caped crusader. Giving the book a feel that harkened back to the older Neal Adams-style Batman, where he was a dark detective, and not just a dark knight. The mid-way point between Morrison's Batman and Son and his recently ended R.I.P saga was The Black Glove.
In the Black Glove, which is my favorite of the run so far, you get two amazing stories. The first of which being the tale of the League of Batmen, where an obscure silver age story featuring a fraternity of Batmen formed by a rich philantropist are being murdered off one by one by a mysterious individual. Now, older, and mostly washed up, the League of Batmen can only go to one person for aid... the Dark Knight.
The second tale in this collection is the story of Three Batmen, which explores the idea of corrupt Gotham City officials and their solution to a city without a Batman. They physically, mentally and spiritually twist three Gotham police offers and turn them into dark fascimiles of the Dark Knight. An excellent story, and very dark in tone. This one wraps up the Black Glove collection nicely, and leads you right into RIP. Read about it!
7.
SCALPED v.3 DEAD MOTHERS TP - Collecting Scalped 12-18.
If you're not reading Scalped yet, then shame on you! Rising star Jason Aaron has crafted a story dripping in misery and despair that keeps you coming back for more. The third volume of Scalped, follows undercover FBI Agent, Dashiell Bad Horse as he searches for the to find the murderers of dead women. The story of Scalped isn't so much about what's happening in each issue, but the overall downward spiral that each and every member of the cast takes. Modern day crime noir set against the backdrop of an American Indian reservation. This is a fantastic book. The research put into the culture of it's characters, and it's settings is incredible. The art style takes a little getting used to at first, but once you've read a couple issues, you couldn't imagine it done any other way.
If you haven't read Scalped yet, grab the first trade, it's only $9.99, and will have you hooked. Read about it.
6.
The Boys volume 3: Good for the Soul trade paperback collecting The Boys #15-22
The Boys is one of our top five favorite ongoing series here at Third Eye, and we just had to make sure it got a spot on the list here. This is the latest trade paperback in Garth Ennis's amazing series about a world where Superheroes are complete power-hungry degenerates, and the individuals who are there to police them. Look, I could gush and gush about how much fun this book is, but do yourselves a favor, if you're not already reading it, GET THE FIRST TRADE. You will not be sorry, in fact, if you don't like it, we'll give you your money back! The series is THAT good.
And what'd you get in this third trade? The whole dark and dirty story behind the Seven, and their corporate masters. The 9/11 conspiracy. The secrets of the Legend, and much more.
5.
WALKING DEAD volume 8 collecting up issues 43-49 of Walking Dead.
Another one that is a consistent top fiver here at Third Eye, Walking Dead never fails to dissapoint. In the most recent trade paperback collection of the series, you're treated to some of the biggest cliffhangers and reveals in the series yet. And if you're a regular reader of Walking Dead, then you know that it's ALL about the cliffhangers and twists and turns.
The more we DON'T say about this installment of everyone's favorite survival horror series, the better. Why? Cause the surprises in this one will make your head explode, and we don't want you making our's explode for ruining them!
4.
Criminal v.3 Dead and Dying (collecting Criminal 2 1-3)
So to kick things off today, we're going to be showing you Third Eye's TOP TEN must-read trade paperbacks for 2008. What're the requirements? Well, it's got to be released in '08, and it's gotta be something you absolutely MUST read! And, as always, these are all plentifully stocked here at our shop, so you see something you like? Pop on in, and grab it, or shoot us an email, and we'll be happy to hold one for you.
10.
LOCAL HC Collecting Local 1-12. I have a feeling that Brian Wood is going to dominate this list, but there's nothing wrong with that. Local is an amazingly put together story that was released in hardcover this year. For only $30.00, you get this massive tome that has one of the best 12 issue stories you'll have read in a long time. One of the things that makes Local so unique is the painstaking amount of detail put into each panel. Ryan Kelly, the artist, worked directly from photographs sent around from fans across the country when laying out each town where the story takes place, so when you see clubs, restraunts, record shops, ect... those are REAL places.
12 Short stories all following career dreamer Megan as she travels the country, and gets into all sorts of messes. Whether it's dead end jobs, being on both ends of a creepy relationship, screwing over others, or getting screwed over herself, the stories that follow her are very reflective of the normalcy applied to a screwed up society that affects everyone that's grown up in the last two decades. Don't miss out on this one!
9.
Nova: Annihilation HC - Collecting the current Nova ongoing series 1-12. Who thought that Nova could be cool? Okay, so maybe it's because I grew up in the '90s when the Human Rocket just wasn't cutting it when you put him next to what was prevalent in my adolescent mind. Maybe that's part of the reason why I'm so blown away by the current Nova series. So, what's so great about Nova? Well, lets start at the beginning. It's the dawn of the 21st century, great new creators are springing up right and left, new concepts of storytelling are popping up more rapidly than trendy coffee bistros in Annapolis, and guess what? Not a cosmic character to be seen. The '90s had done a real number on the space-styled Marvel characters, rendering them completely, and totally LAME. And then came Annihilation, and the braintrust of Abnett and Lanning. Out of Annihilation, we got the coolest re-invention of character of this decade (with maybe the exception of Iron Fist).Nova goes from being the happy go lucky (and extremely obnoxious) Richard Ryder to being the last remaining agent of the Nova Corps. Posessing the entire knowledge of the Nova Corps, and tasked with rebuilding the Corps, it's literally one man against an entire galaxy.
You want high-concept sci-fi space action? You got it. You want well-written character moments? You got it. You want to see old characters recharged for the new millenium? It's all here in the pages of Nova. This very nice oversized hardcover collects Nova 1-12 of the ongoing series, along with the annuals and one-shots, and it's a fantastic starting point for anyone who's looking for a good superhero fix mixed with a little sci-fi.
8.
BATMAN: THE BLACK GLOVE HC collecting Batman 667-669 and 672-675.Grant Morrison is one of the great few in comics writing. He's one of those kinds of writers, like William Burroughs, or Phillip K. Dick, where you're just as interested in the author as you are his works. And in some cases, this has an impact on how we view his work. Well, seeing the mad wizard on the pages of DC's biggest icon (sorry, Supes, but the Dark Knight has you beat these days), is definitely a treat. Starting with the Batman and Son trade paperback, Morrison began completely re-inventing the Caped Crusader for the 21st century. Moving away from the over-exaggerated darkness and psychosis of the character (which came to a head during the events of IDENTITY CRISIS), Morrison kept the darkness and tragedy but also imbued a sense of adventure and nobility into the caped crusader. Giving the book a feel that harkened back to the older Neal Adams-style Batman, where he was a dark detective, and not just a dark knight. The mid-way point between Morrison's Batman and Son and his recently ended R.I.P saga was The Black Glove.
In the Black Glove, which is my favorite of the run so far, you get two amazing stories. The first of which being the tale of the League of Batmen, where an obscure silver age story featuring a fraternity of Batmen formed by a rich philantropist are being murdered off one by one by a mysterious individual. Now, older, and mostly washed up, the League of Batmen can only go to one person for aid... the Dark Knight.
The second tale in this collection is the story of Three Batmen, which explores the idea of corrupt Gotham City officials and their solution to a city without a Batman. They physically, mentally and spiritually twist three Gotham police offers and turn them into dark fascimiles of the Dark Knight. An excellent story, and very dark in tone. This one wraps up the Black Glove collection nicely, and leads you right into RIP. Read about it!
7.
SCALPED v.3 DEAD MOTHERS TP - Collecting Scalped 12-18.If you're not reading Scalped yet, then shame on you! Rising star Jason Aaron has crafted a story dripping in misery and despair that keeps you coming back for more. The third volume of Scalped, follows undercover FBI Agent, Dashiell Bad Horse as he searches for the to find the murderers of dead women. The story of Scalped isn't so much about what's happening in each issue, but the overall downward spiral that each and every member of the cast takes. Modern day crime noir set against the backdrop of an American Indian reservation. This is a fantastic book. The research put into the culture of it's characters, and it's settings is incredible. The art style takes a little getting used to at first, but once you've read a couple issues, you couldn't imagine it done any other way.
If you haven't read Scalped yet, grab the first trade, it's only $9.99, and will have you hooked. Read about it.
6.
The Boys volume 3: Good for the Soul trade paperback collecting The Boys #15-22The Boys is one of our top five favorite ongoing series here at Third Eye, and we just had to make sure it got a spot on the list here. This is the latest trade paperback in Garth Ennis's amazing series about a world where Superheroes are complete power-hungry degenerates, and the individuals who are there to police them. Look, I could gush and gush about how much fun this book is, but do yourselves a favor, if you're not already reading it, GET THE FIRST TRADE. You will not be sorry, in fact, if you don't like it, we'll give you your money back! The series is THAT good.
And what'd you get in this third trade? The whole dark and dirty story behind the Seven, and their corporate masters. The 9/11 conspiracy. The secrets of the Legend, and much more.
5.
WALKING DEAD volume 8 collecting up issues 43-49 of Walking Dead.Another one that is a consistent top fiver here at Third Eye, Walking Dead never fails to dissapoint. In the most recent trade paperback collection of the series, you're treated to some of the biggest cliffhangers and reveals in the series yet. And if you're a regular reader of Walking Dead, then you know that it's ALL about the cliffhangers and twists and turns.
The more we DON'T say about this installment of everyone's favorite survival horror series, the better. Why? Cause the surprises in this one will make your head explode, and we don't want you making our's explode for ruining them!
4.
Criminal v.3 Dead and Dying (collecting Criminal 2 1-3)Ed Brubaker, writer of such modern greats as Immortal Iron Fist, Captain America, and more, has given us THE best crime comic being published today with Criminal. And this year, we saw the release of the third trade paperback in the series, which collects 1-3 of the current run. Criminal is crime comics done right. It's noir set against a believable modern backdrop, and it's extremely well done. A shared world where characters link up, but where you don't have to read EVERY story arc (although you'll want to after sampling just one), makes this a very unique, and cohesive world for stories to be told in.
The art and story drips with atmosphere, and it's one of the few comics out there nowadays that just pulls you so far into the story that you don't even realize you're almost finished an issue. I'd highly recommend checking out the most recent of the trades, and giving it a shot. Read about it.
3.
The Sword v.1: Fire (collecting The Sword 1-6)
Kill Bill meets Highlander sums the Sword up pretty well. The Luna Brothers (the creative team behind Girls and Ultra) have delivered a very compelling monthly read with the Sword. Conspiracies, immortals, girl with a sword hacking and slashing people to pieces, guys getting their jaws punched off (literally), and much more make the Sword a fun, bloody read with a very interesting story full of twists and turns. A definite must!
2.
Y The Last Man v.10
Some series get hyped to death, and they just don't live up to the hype. Y is not one of those series. Y is worth every single bit of hype it's been given, and if you haven't read it yet, then you need to. It's required by good comic shop law. And why is Y the Last Man v.10 number two on our list here? It's because it's THAT damn good. It's the end of the series, and it's extremely satisfying. It's extremely bittersweet, but, c'mon, aren't the best endings always that way? Trust us, if you're already reading Y, then you've been through volume 10 already, so this is more of a way for us to stress how great this series is. Pick up volume 1. Read it, love it, and you'll find yourself worked all the way up to volume 10 in no time. Read about it.
The art and story drips with atmosphere, and it's one of the few comics out there nowadays that just pulls you so far into the story that you don't even realize you're almost finished an issue. I'd highly recommend checking out the most recent of the trades, and giving it a shot. Read about it.
3.
The Sword v.1: Fire (collecting The Sword 1-6)Kill Bill meets Highlander sums the Sword up pretty well. The Luna Brothers (the creative team behind Girls and Ultra) have delivered a very compelling monthly read with the Sword. Conspiracies, immortals, girl with a sword hacking and slashing people to pieces, guys getting their jaws punched off (literally), and much more make the Sword a fun, bloody read with a very interesting story full of twists and turns. A definite must!
2.
Y The Last Man v.10 Some series get hyped to death, and they just don't live up to the hype. Y is not one of those series. Y is worth every single bit of hype it's been given, and if you haven't read it yet, then you need to. It's required by good comic shop law. And why is Y the Last Man v.10 number two on our list here? It's because it's THAT damn good. It's the end of the series, and it's extremely satisfying. It's extremely bittersweet, but, c'mon, aren't the best endings always that way? Trust us, if you're already reading Y, then you've been through volume 10 already, so this is more of a way for us to stress how great this series is. Pick up volume 1. Read it, love it, and you'll find yourself worked all the way up to volume 10 in no time. Read about it.
1. 
Joker HC (original graphic novel)
Speaking of things that are worth the hype.. this original graphic novel from 100 Bullets writer Brian Azzarello turned out to be an amazing piece of work. The story is told through the eyes of a young man who becomes the Joker's driver after the Joker has returned from Arkham. Gotham City no longer belongs to the Joker, and we follow the Joker's path to reclaim his city by any means necessary. The character that we witness the Joker through sums up the public's views on this character perfectly. In the beginning, we (through the eyes of the character) admire the Joker for the admittedly honest way he views the world. We see his coolness, laugh at his jokes, and admire the fact that he just does not give a damn about anything. It's all those things that have ingrained him (especially over this last year) in our minds as such a pop icon. However, as the story goes on, we (and the character we're seeing the entire story through) are let more and more into the Joker's head.
While I won't say it's the first time, it's one of the VERY few times that they have portrayed the character as more than just a sadistic maniac. He is genuinely portrayed as mentally ill and criminally insane individual. Azzarello leads us down that dangerous path of sympathizing with him, and just as we're beginning to see his point of view, we're smacked in the face with what a monster the character can be. The window into the Joker's madness makes him seem like an extreme case of bipolar disorder, or manic depression, where he goes from extremes in mood quicker than you can bat an eye. You even get to see the Joker cry, and it's done well. Tell me that's not good storytelling. Read about it.
Joker HC (original graphic novel)Speaking of things that are worth the hype.. this original graphic novel from 100 Bullets writer Brian Azzarello turned out to be an amazing piece of work. The story is told through the eyes of a young man who becomes the Joker's driver after the Joker has returned from Arkham. Gotham City no longer belongs to the Joker, and we follow the Joker's path to reclaim his city by any means necessary. The character that we witness the Joker through sums up the public's views on this character perfectly. In the beginning, we (through the eyes of the character) admire the Joker for the admittedly honest way he views the world. We see his coolness, laugh at his jokes, and admire the fact that he just does not give a damn about anything. It's all those things that have ingrained him (especially over this last year) in our minds as such a pop icon. However, as the story goes on, we (and the character we're seeing the entire story through) are let more and more into the Joker's head.
While I won't say it's the first time, it's one of the VERY few times that they have portrayed the character as more than just a sadistic maniac. He is genuinely portrayed as mentally ill and criminally insane individual. Azzarello leads us down that dangerous path of sympathizing with him, and just as we're beginning to see his point of view, we're smacked in the face with what a monster the character can be. The window into the Joker's madness makes him seem like an extreme case of bipolar disorder, or manic depression, where he goes from extremes in mood quicker than you can bat an eye. You even get to see the Joker cry, and it's done well. Tell me that's not good storytelling. Read about it.
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