BATMAN #687 *BATTLE FOR THE COWL EPILOGUE* & RED ROBIN #1DEBUT THIS WEEK TO CONTINUE THE NEW DIRECTION FOR THE BATMAN BOOKS!
DC is on the right track to giving us a great summer for DC Comics with all the big moves they're making in the Batman titles, Green Lantern books, and exciting new ideas like Wednesday Comics and FLASH: Rebirth. This is probably the most excited we've been about the Batman books in a few years, as the slate is clean, and we're ready for a whole new direction for Gotham's Caped Crusader. Last week, DC blew us away with the first issue of GRANT MORRISON & FRANK QUITELY's Batman & Robin series. We were totally and completely impressed with how well done the book was, even though it was a very quick read. And now, this week, BATMAN #687 is the epilogue to Battle for the Cowl, and the first issue of the new direction for the BATMAN title. Writer Judd Winnick (known for his very much underrated UNDER THE HOOD story arc that brought back Jason Todd, and made the character cool before Countdown watered it down a bit) and very talented artist Ed Benes (who did the Lightning Saga and Tornado's Fury Justice League arcs with Brad Meltzer) are going to be bringing us the first issue of Dick Grayson and his first time hitting the streets of Gotham City in the Bat-suit. Not to mention, we get to see the thoughts of Superman and Wonder Woman (the other two parts of DC's Big 3) on Grayson and his taking of the mantle of the Bat. This special 40 page issue is a must for Bat-fans, and is one of the key books you guys will want to be following in regards to the new direction of the character. We're VERY excited here at Third Eye about this one, and we think it's going to be one heck of a solid read. Click here to check out a preview of BATMAN #687 *BATTLE FOR THE COWL EPILOGUE*
Also dropping this week is RED ROBIN #1 , which is a brand new ongoing series from Christopher Yost (the writer who's made X-FORCE so darn cool for the last couple of years) and artist Ramon Bachs. The big question with this one, who's wearing the Red Robin costume? Originally, it was the identity that Dick Grayson assumed in the alternate reality of KINGDOM COME, but now it looks like there's a new face behind the cowl of RED ROBIN. And, whoever Red Robin is (and we're betting big it's Tim Drake, who's matured into the role, and his taking on of this identity is very similar to Grayson assuming the NIGHTWING identity many years ago), he's still holding out hope that Bruce Wayne is alive, and he's on a mission to find him. Another must-read for Bat-fans, this one should be a great read, as Yost has proven himself as a very solid writer capable of delivering a great straight-forward action-packed title. Click here to check out a preview of RED ROBIN #1!
FINAL CRISIS HARDCOVER & FINAL CRISIS COMPANION AVAILABLE THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE! DON'T SLEEP ON THIS ONE, FOLKS! RESERVE YOUR COPY NOW!
This Wednesday, the biggest DCU event of 2008, FINAL CRISIS, hits our racks in a beautiful, hardcover collected edition, and right alongside it comes the FINAL CRISIS COMPANION which collects the Final Crisis #1 Director's Cut (chockfull of a page by page commentary on the events of the series by Morrison), Final Crisis Requiem #1, Final Crisis Resist #1 and Final Crisis Secret Files #1. If you've been waiting to read this mind-bending, epic apocalyptic deathfest, then now's your chance. The FINAL CRISIS hardcover packs in the entire Final Crisis limited series, issues #1-#7, and is one heck of a beautiful package. The cover art alone is amazing-looking. And, it's extremely reasonably priced for a hardcover, at only $24.99. You want to see Morrison killing the DCU piece by piece, and shaking up the landscape for what's to come this year and forward? This is the story to read. And, we'll have plenty of these this week for you, but if you're really hyped to get one, go ahead and shoot us an email, so we can make sure we put one of those aside for you.
DEADPOOL #11 *DARK REIGN: DEADPOOL VS. DARK HAWKEYE (BULLSEYE) CHAPTER 2* HITS THE RACKS, WITH MORE OF DEADPOOL #10 *DEADPOOL VS. DARK HAWKEYE CHAPTER 1* BACK IN STOCK! DARK AVENGERS FANS TAKE NOTE! ALSO,DARK REIGN: DEADPOOL vs. THUNDERBOLTS AVAILABLE THIS WEDNESDAY IN TRADE PAPERBACK!
Who doesn't love the Merc With A Mouth? His new ongoing series has been one of our biggest sellers here at Third Eye, and the current story arc, DEADPOOL vs. DARK HAWKEYE is the PERFECT jumping on point for those of you who want to get into the series, but don't want to catch up on the previous 9 issues (although, if you need to catch up, we've got both DEADPOOL v.1 SECRET INVASION TPB & DARK REIGN: DEADPOOL vs. THUNDERBOLTS TPB in stock, which brings you up to current). And why else is this new arc so freaking awesome? Well, it's Deadpool vs. Bullseye, who has been one of the coolest characters to rise to popularity in the wake of the DARK AVENGERS series. So, not only are you getting good ol' Wade Wilson, but you're getting the Worlds Craziest Archer, with Dark Hawkeye (Bullseye). The first issue kicked things off right, and was packed with all the humor and ultraviolence you'd expect out of a good Deadpool comic! And now, this week, we've got the second installment arriving to give you guys your Deadpool fix! So, click here to check out a preview of DEADPOOL #11 *DEADPOOL vs. DARK HAWKEYE PT 2* , and if you missed #10 the first go around, be sure to snag up your copy, as we've got plenty back in stock.
And, why not go for the double whammy, as we'll also be receiving the trade paperback, DARK REIGN: DEADPOOL vs. THUNDERBOLTS , which collects all four parts of the bloody and hilarious Deadpool vs. Thunderbolts crossover (Deadpool #8, Deadpool #9, and Thunderbolts #130, and #131). Click hereto read more about DARK REIGN: DEADPOOL vs. THUNDERBOLTS!
ABSOLUTION #0 FROM TV'S LAW & ORDER WRITER CHRISTOS GAGE DEBUTS BRAND NEW ULTRA-VIOLENT AVATAR PRESS (publishers of CROSSED, IGNITION CITY, ect) SERIES THAT GIVES US AVATAR'S TWISTED LOOK AT SUPERHEROES GONE TOO FAR!
While we've seen a rise in stories that explore the concept of superheroes gone wrong, this new series from AVATAR looks very promising. The writer of this new series is relatively unknown even though he's cranked out some pretty solid reads (and admittedly, a couple of misses) in the last few years. Christos Gage, a writer from LAW & ORDER: Special Victims Unit, first got our attention with his criminally overlooked and underrated STORMWATCH: PHD, which was a neat little look at a superteam having to function at the same level as law enforcement and working under the same restrictions (having to provide probable cause, budget issues, ect), and then after that, he kind of fell off the map. Well, he's back now with a brand new series from AVATAR PRESS, the publishers of such twisted books as CROSSED & NO HERO.
The plot behind ABSOLUTION sounds pretty rad.. it's basically set in a world where super-powered police wield unworldly powers but must work within the same red tape as real-world law enforcement officers. Enter Dusk, a police officer who finds himself letting a murderer die, and finds himself enjoying the feeling so much, that he embarks on a mission to kill the worst criminals he can find, usually in horribly, painful ways. The catch is he's leading a double life, and can't let the officers he works with know what he's doing. He knows what he's doing is pretty horrible, but he's unable to stop, and he knows he's going to come head to head with his fellow officers sooner or later over this.
Fans of Avatar's trademark over-the-top blood and bullets will want to give this one a read, and it looks like Gage is going to be providing a compelling story to along with the insane body count. While I'm sure some elements of what he's done on TV crime dramas will come into play, it doesn't look like this one's going to be spending a whole lot of time in the courtrooms. Click here to read more about ABSOLUTION #0!
FLASH REBIRTH #3 CONTINUES GEOFF JOHNS (Green Lantern/Blackest Night mastermind) & ETHAN VAN SCIVER'S (Green Lantern: Rebirth) AWESOME FLASH LIMITED SERIES!
One of the other big books that DC has given us this summer has been FLASH: REBIRTH by the extremely talented GEOFF JOHNS (the guy responsible for making all the Green Lantern stuff so cool these days), and Ethan Van Sciver (the amazingly talented artist who worked with Johns on GL: Rebirth and other GL arcs). Now, we here at Third Eye grew up on Wally, and he was our favorite Flash. All those crucial Mark Waid stories (lets just forget about the recent one where he gave the Flash kids, and uh, yeah, lets overlook that), Geoff Johns, and Grant Morrison yarns really had us hooked. HOWEVER, we've got to say FLASH: REBIRTH has been AWESOOOOOOME. Johns has taken Barry's character, and given him new life, and an exciting new dynamic, and without giving any spoilers away to those who haven't read #2 yet.. you know you want to read #3 to see where this crazy arc is going to take us next! And, the pencils by Ethan Van Sciver have made every issue pop so nicely. The way he draws Barry when he's not in his Flash uniform, but is constantly in motion.
All in all, Flash Rebirth has been a fantastic read, and we are totally stoked to check out the new issue this week. Plus, it's the answer to the age-old question revealed: Who is faster, the Flash, or Superman?!
Click here to check out a preview of FLASH: REBIRTH #3!
FANTASTIC FOUR #567 *MASTERS OF DOOM PT 2* CONTINUES AFTER THE JAW-DROPPING FIRST ISSUE! WHO IS THE MARQUIS OF DEATH?
One of the biggest story arcs to kick off last month was the new Fantastic Four arc by Mark Millar (writer of KICK-ASS, OLD MAN LOGAN & More!) & Bryan Hitch which kicked off the final arc of their run on Fantastic Four. For the last year, Millar has gone on record several time in interviews stating that his run on Fantastic Four, his limited series from last summer "1985", and OLD MAN LOGAN are all going to tie together in the end. Now, we don't know how solid of a tie-in this is going to be, but we have seen some clues from each of the books pop up in other books, and we're very eager to find out how this hooks in with each other.
Now, onto the subject of the actual MASTERS OF DOOM story arc. Plain and simple, it kicks twenty different kinds of ass. The first chapter (FF #566, which we still have some left in stock here at Third Eye for you to jump aboard with) starts off with the Watcher dead on the beach, and his guts sprayed on the sand, and ends with the arrival of Doom's Dark Master, and well.. we won't spoil the rest, but lets just say he's not too pleased with Doom's progress. Click here to read a preview of FANTASTIC FOUR #567 *MASTERS OF DOOM P 2!*
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #37*PRELUDE TO BLACKEST NIGHT* CONTINUES THE ROAD TO THIS SUMMER'S BLACKEST NIGHT!
Some of the most high quality superhero books we've been reading have been the Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps titles. Johns and Tomasi have both done a fantastic job of keeping the books consistent with each other, while at the same time having their own identity and feel. While Green Lantern gets most of the glory (which it definitely does deserve), Green Lantern Corps is also just as rock solid when it comes to delivering high-action, epic superhero storytelling. And, now with Green Lantern Corps #36, we're hitting the penultimate chapter of EMERALD ECLIPSE, as we're gearing up for the lead in to Blackest Night! Oa is in serious trouble, and Kyle, Guy, Kilowog and company have their hands full with the Red & Yellow Lantern Corps. You know you can't miss this one, folks! Click here to read more about GREEN LANTERN CORPS #37!
THE UNWRITTEN #2 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY, ONE OF THE BEST NEW VERTIGO SERIES WE'VE SEEN COME ALONG IN A WHILE! ISSUE #1 STILL AVAILABLE FOR ONLY $1.00! HARRY POTTER MEETS CELEBRITY SCANDAL
When I first heard the premise for THE UNWRITTEN by LUCIFER writer Mike Carey and AMERICAN JESUS artist Peter Gross, I was a little iffy. I'm not a real big Harry Potter fan, no personal dislike of the stories, just never got interested in them, so an ongoing series which essentially is a riff on the cult of celebrity surrounding J.K Rowling and her Harry Potter books didn't exactly reach out and grab me. And, then, I read UNWRITTEN #1, and holy cow, I was blown away. This new Vertigo series, of which we still have plenty of #1 available at only $1.00 cover price, has IT. I can't put a finger on what IT is, but it's got it. You know that feeling you get when you read a new series where the concept, the art, the storytelling, the characters, they all just click? Yeah, Unwritten has that.
What's the premise? Basically, you have Tom Taylor, whose father wrote many successful novels dubbed the Tommy Taylor series. The cult of celebrity surrounding Tommy Taylor is exactly that of Harry Potter, so it's very easy to make comparisons, so just hang in there with me. So, Tom Taylor's dad goes missing, and what's he do? No skills, no unique traits to make him stand out... he builds his living off of being a Z-List celebrity who signs his father's books, riding off the fact that he was the inspiration for the Tommy Taylor character. And then, a scandal erupts, and Tom Taylor is outed as not having been the real son of his father. And in fact, he finds out that he may not even be real at all, but the fictional character his dad had wrote about.
Sounds cool, doesn't it? This series looks like it's going to be a Vertigo classic in the making, and if you have not already read #1, I highly recommend doing so. And this week, the second issue will be hitting, so make sure you don't miss it!! Click here to read more about THE UNWRITTEN .
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #597 *AMERICAN SON CHAPTER 3* PUTS SPIDEY HEAD TO HEAD WITH NORMAN OSBORN & THE DARK AVENGERS AS HE INVADES AVENGERS TOWER!
How great does it feel to have a good Spidey book to read again? The AMERICAN SON *DARK REIGN* story arc which kicked off in the pages of AMERICAN SON CHAPTER 1 (still in stock here at Third Eye) has delivered two awesome issues of Spider-man goodness. As one of our favorite characters, we're stoked to see Spidey being integrated back into the mainline Marvel Universe, and the title getting away from all the lame weirdness it's been mired in off and on for the last couple years. This week, the third installment of AMERICAN SON hits, and it's giving us a big showdown between Spidey and the DARK AVENGERS as his mission to infiltrate Dark Avengers Tower continues. Click here to check out a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #597!
DYNAMITE DOUBLE DOSE: BUCK ROGERS #1 DEBUTS & SHERLOCK HOLMES #2 FOLLOWS UP THE IMPRESSIVE FIRST ISSUE OF THIS NEW SERIES THIS WEEK!
Between the COMPLETE DRACULA series they're running, and this new SHERLOCK HOLMES limited series, we're extremely impressed with Dynamite's handling of classic literary and serial fiction characters and the modern twist they're spinning on them. They already impressed us with the job they've done with Lone Ranger, and while we're still undecided on Buck Rogers, we do think it has potential. If you missed the first issue of Sherlock Holmes, do yourselves a favor and snag it up on your next trip to Third Eye, we still have a limited quantity available, and while we hope Dynamite keeps this one heavily stocked with our distributors, they do have a track record of being spotty on that, so don't miss it while it's available! And, why should you check it out? Well, number one, it's got some gorgeous artwork that perfectly evokes the mood and tone of a classic Sherlock Holmes yarn. And, number two, it's written by Alan Moore's daughter, Leah Moore, and she's really making a good showing with it, by crafting a very cool Holmes, and setting the environment and the story just right. Give SHERLOCK HOLMES a look by clicking here .
For those of you who already snagged up #1, then you know exactly what I'm talking about, and will be snapping up the second issue this Wednesday.
And, then also arriving from Dynamite this week, we've got the first issue of Dynamite's new BUCK ROGERS series. Dynamite applies their modern storytelling and artwork to this classic sci-fi hero in a series that looks like it could have some serious potential. For the Buck Rogers fan, this series is perfect, and we really did dig the #0 issue that Dynamite put out a month or two ago. Click here to see a preview of BUCK ROGERS #1!
IGNITION CITY WRITER WARREN ELLIS'S ANNA MERCURY: ULTRASPACIAL DREADNOUGHT VANAHEIM #1 DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY, CONTINUING THE ADVENTURES OF HIS STEAMPUNK 21ST CENTURY PULP HERO!
Warren Ellis has been pumping out a lot of comics these days, and you know what, we're reading and loving every single one of them. And, while we thought the first Anna Mercury was good, it did have the burden of being a set-up book. Ellis had a handful of issues to introduce us to his foxy cat-suit and wig wearing protagonist, and because of this, we feel that it didn't have the frenetic weird science momentum that other Ellis books have. HOWEVER, we really did dig it, and this fact has gotten us even more stoked to read the upcoming new series this Wednesday. Now that the universe has been established, and Anna's character has been firmly grounded, we know we're in for some crazy raygun-blasting madness, and we can't wait.
What's the story behind ANNA MERCURY? Well, Ellis dubbed her his Steampunk Lara Croft. Anna Mercury is the ultimate 21st Century Pulp Hero, in the tradition of characters like THE SHADOW and THE SPIDER, she watches over the city of New Ataraxia, who doesn't quite believe she exists. The big twist at the end of the first issue of the original mini-series (which we now have available in trade paperback here at Third Eye) reveals her to be a woman from OUR world, and working with the Constellation Project, but that's too much plot to give away, and we'd rather not spoil any of the sweet surprises in it. All you need to know is Anna Mercury shoots ray guns, flies from rooftop to rooftop like a character out of Crouching Tiger, and is overall badass.
If you're a fan of titles like IGNITION CITY, then give ANNA MERCURY a look this Wednesday.
To see a preview from the new series, click here.
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