Ever since the debut of a deadly, re-energized Electro a couple of months back in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #612, we have been hooked month after month on the title. For a very long time, Amazing Spider-man, as a title, suffered. It didn't have a consistent story, or creative team, and the creative teams that did rotate on and off, were so up and down in their consistency. There were glimmers of hope in storylines like NEW WAYS TO DIE, and AMERICAN SON, but the book felt directionless. And, while we feel the book really hit it's stride and return to quality with AMAZING SPIDERMAN #612 *GAUNTLET PT 1* (still in stock here at Third Eye), it was AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #600 where it looked like things were turning in the right direction.
Now, almost 18 issues later, and we can say that Amazing Spider-man is a must-read title once again. The Gauntlet storyline has been GREAT, and the idea of having "mini-arcs" that help develop and shape some of Spidey's most wicked rogues is great. The thing that's cool about this whole Gauntlet deal is that it's taking the time to build up each of the characters, and prepare them for what the Gauntlet is ultimately leading to: the Return of the Sinister Six.
What is the Gauntlet? The Gauntlet is an over-arching storyline running through Amazing Spider-man this year that began in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #512. So far, it's been two and three issue story arcs reintroducing classic Spidey rogues, who were all members of the Sinister Six. Basically, it's Spider-man being forced to run the Gauntlet of these villains, being worn down one by one by these guys, in preparation for when the new Sinister Six (which we've seen referenced a few times so far in the Gauntlet) returns. So far, it has been a great trip through one of the things that makes Spidey so great: his classic Rogues Gallery.
What's up with this week's Amazing Spider-man #617 "The Rhino is Coming"? The next mini-arc features the return of the classic Spidey villain, the Rhino, and with Joe Kelly (the man who defined Deadpool in the late '90s, and has given us a few killer Spidey arcs already) heading it up, it looks to be a great new twist on the character. From the looks of it, the Rhino is being given a much more animalistic, feral approach. There's also the fact that Marvel is making a big fuss about this story arc, a much bigger fuss than they did about the previous two arcs (Sandman, and Electro), which both rocked. This is pure speculation on my part as to where the story is going, but I think that we're going to see the Rhino play a major role in doing some damage to the wallcrawler. Man, I am such a geek for Spidey. :) Probably one of my favorite Marvel characters, which is why I'm so stoked to see the stories getting better in the book.
Want To Catch Up On The Gauntlet? Here's a quick rundown of the books you'd need to get caught up on the Gauntlet. We currently have all of these in stock here at Third Eye, so jumping on is pretty easy.
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #612 *THE GAUNTLET PT 1* - ELECTRO
AMAZING SPIDDER-MAN #613 *THE GAUNTLET PT 2* - ELECTRO
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #614 *THE GAUNTLET PT 3* - ELECTRO
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #615 *THE GAUNTLET PT 4* - THE SANDMAN
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #616 *THE GAUNTLET PT 5* - THE SANDMAN
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #617 *THE GAUNTLET PT 6* - RHINO *NEW THIS WEEK*
Clickhere for a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #617 *THE RHINO IS COMING PT 1*
ALAN MOORE RETURNS TO COMIC WRITING WITH NEW HORROR SERIES, NEONOMICON, THIS WEDNESDAY!
Alan Moore returns to comic storytelling with a brand new horror series pairing him up with CROSSED artist JACEN BURROWS. It's been a while since Moore has done any comic work outside of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and even longer since he's done straight-to-the-throat horror stuff. Neonomicon looks like we'll be seeing Alan Moore channelling his inner HP Lovecraft, and telling some tales of madness, despair, and Elder Gods.
From what we've read of this, it sounds like we'll be seeing some of the darkest, most disturbing work Moore has done in ages. And if anyone is capable of applying an interesting re-invention of the Lovecraft mythos, it's Moore.
This Wednesday, a very special #0 issue "Hornbook" features a short prelude to Neonomicon, and other material to get us primed for Moore's exciting new book, and hey, it's only $1.99!
BLACKEST NIGHT: BACK FROM THE DEAD ONE-SHOTS CONTINUE THIS WEEK WITHCATWOMAN #83, AND POWER OF SHAZAM #48. PLUS, SECRET SIX #17 PICKS UP FROM LAST WEEK'S SUICIDE SQUAD #67
The idea of DC's "Back from the Dead" one-shots is pretty damn cool. I read both the Weird Western Tales, and the Suicide Squad last week, and they were both pretty awesome. I REALLY dug the Weird Western Tales, and the Suicide Squad, of course, was cool, but then again, I'm a big Secret Six fan. In case you missed it last week, "Back from the Dead" is a line of one-shots DC is doing in January to continue the story of Blackest Night. They've hand-picked fan-favorite series that were killed off in their prime, and brought them back for one final issue. Each issue serves as a special one-shot which furthers the story of BLACKEST NIGHT in the DCU.
This week, the "Back from the Dead" theme continues with POWER OF SHAZAM #48, and CATWOMAN #83, as well as the continuation of the SUICIDE SQUAD #67 from last week in SECRET SIX #17. Lets take a quick look at each, as all three look pretty cool.
First off, POWER OF SHAZAM #48is sure to be cool because it's bringing the Blackest Night spotlight onto the Black Adam family. We've all gotten hooked on Black Adam in the pages of stuff like 52 (ripping bad guys in half!), and the more recent Black Adam and Isis storyline in Justice Society. In this one-shot, we see Osiris re-animated as Black Lantern, and wreaking havoc on the Billy and Mary Marvel, who're both now powerless. The Power of Shazam series was a cult favorite in the '90s, with it's well done retro storytelling by Jerry Ordway, so it's cool to see it back.
Next up is theCATWOMAN #83 one-shot, where we see Selina Kyle dealing with the blackoutt in Gotham City, and, hey, the resurrection of the original Black Mask as Black Lantern. You know, the guy she killed a while ago? Black Mask has always been a cool villain, and it's going to be pretty damn cool seeing him as a crazy heart-eating Black Lantern. We know this series had a legion of loyal die-hard fans, so I'm sure many of you are excited to see one final issue of Ms. Kyle.
Finally, the Suicide Squad #67 from last week continues into the pages of the regular Secret Six series with SECRET SIX #17. Now, if you're remotely into DC Comics at all, you gotta be reading Secret Six. This series isn't just good, it's DAMN good. Gail Simone has managed to carve out her own little niche of the DCU, and tell some pretty cool stories there featuring a mixed batch of heavy-hitter supervillains, and the more obscure lightweights. The Suicide Squad's pulled Deadshot back into the mix, and, there's some Black Lanterns out there causing havoc.
Also, this week we will have the next batch of Blackest Night checklists available completely free!
BATMAN: WIDENING GYRE #4 CONTINUES FILM-MAKER KEVIN SMITH'S EPIC BATMAN LIMITED SERIES!
Kevin Smith's got a pretty good track record of dishing out some great comic yarns... when they come out on time. And, I think that's what's kept us all hooked here on the Widening Gyre. While there was a bit of a delay between issue 3, and 4, he has managed to keep a good schedule of getting the book out on time. Which is awesome, because Widening Gyre rocks.
What is BATMAN WIDENING GYRE About? Since the series is in by four issues so far, I figured I should give you a quick rundown on just what it's all about... It's basically, a self-contained story where Bruce Wayne is still Batman, Dick Grayson is still Nightwing, and Robin is still Tim Drake. It features a new character, a vigilante in a goat mask, who keeps swooping in and throwing an assist to Batman. And, basically the concept is what is it like for The Dark Knight to have an actual partner, and not just a sidekick. Of course, Smith sprinkles a liberal dose of classic Batman rogues, and supporting cast to make this a fun read for any long-time Bat-fan.
The combination of Smith's sharp storytelling, and Flanagan's trippy artwork make for a great read, and we think that this limited series is going to stand the test of time as one of those classic Bat-stories you read and hear about all the time.
If you're a Batman fan, we definitely recommend giving this one a shot. The first issue alone has a very cool Etrigan (the Demon) / Poison Ivy moment.
Click here to read more about BATMAN WIDENING GYRE #4
DAYTRIPPER #2 FOLLOWS UP ON THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE TRIPPY NEW VERTIGO SERIES! MISSED #1? WE'VE GOT IT IN STOCK FOR YOU TO CATCH UP WITH!
Vertigo has been knocking it out of the park lately with a lot of great new series, and the new book DAYTRIPPER from the talented duo of Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba is no exception. It's a very dreamy, yet subtle book that appears to be carving out it's own unique niche in the line of Vertigo books. It takes a very personal look at a human being who is trying to make his way in life as a writer that's trying to get out of his father's shadow. Of course, he's become quickly disillusioned with his day job (writing obituaries), and the fact that his own life is ticking away day by day. In other words, he's not getting any younger, and he's yet to make a mark on the world like his father. The main character is very easy to identify with, and I think that's part of what really helped drew us in to the first issue. The artwork is also kind of low-key like the script, and sets a very dream-like tone that lures you into a false sense of safety... which gets abruptly shattered at the ending, which I don't want to ruin for you because it's a good surprise that sets up the entire series.
Anyways, the second issue of DAYTRIPPER arrives this week, and we're pretty excited about it. Great artwork, great story, in the first issue, so we're eager to see where things go this week in #2.
Click here to see a long preview of DAYTRIPPER #1
INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #22 *STARK DISASSEMBLED PT 3* CONTINUES THE BIGGEST STORY ARC YET IN MATT FRACTION'S INCREDIBLE IRON MAN RUN!
STARK DISASSEMBLED has really been turning out to be one of the best arcs yet in Matt Fraction's incredible INVINCIBLE IRON MAN run. And, folks, I know I've been preaching it for a while, but, INVINCIBLE IRON MAN is one of the best monthly books Marvel has been putting out for the last couple of years. It truly is a shining example of what a strong, consistent creative team can do for a book. And, you're talking to a guy who's never been a diehard Iron Man fan. But, Matt Fraction and Salvador Larocca manage to capture the essence of what makes Iron Man COOL. They capture that Robert Downy Jr-esque approach where you can feel the character's smugness, an cockiness, but not to the point where it's overbearing or arrogant. And, they also manage to capture the bigger than life wonder and awe of the technology without letting the book become bogged down and focused on JUST the technology. Not to mention it's got classic Iron Man baddies galore, from Madame Masque to MODOK. All in all, if you're reading Stark Disassembled, and dig it, we highly recommend going back and snagging INVINCIBLE IRON MAN v.1 THE FIVE NIGHTMARES and INVINCIBLE IRON MAN v.2 WORLDS MOST WANTED, both available in trade paperback here at Third Eye.
Now, lets not forget about what's happening in what's turning out to be the best story arc yet of Fraction and Larocca's run, and that's STARK DISASSEMBLED. The story starts with Tony Stark comatose, after having lobotomized himself to prevent Norman Osborn from getting into his head. There's this great sequence where you see a pre-recorded holomessage from Tony explaining there is a way to "reboot" him and bring him back, but the question he asks is after everything they've been through... the Civil War, the Initiative, ect..ect... Do they want to bring him back? There's a really cool part where Tony kind of sidetracks himself, and gets into how the closest thing to a higher power he's believed in was Thor and Captain America, and how everything getting all screwed up destroyed him.
The story so far has bounced back and forth between Tony Stark, comatose, existing in a dream-like state and being taught something by the familiar names of a Howard and a Maria. In the real world, you've got Pepper Potts dealing with the love/hate relationship she has with her boss, and she prepares to give up her repulsortech to aid in bringing Tony back to life.
Of course, there needs to be some bloodshed, and that's where Madame Masque, and Ghost come in, see Masque has sent Ghost to execute the comatose Stark.
All in all, the STARK DISASSEMBLED arc has been one of the best reads we've seen, and just proves why this book is such a strong read month in and month out. You can hop on with issue #20, which is still in stock, and we also have issue #21 in stock as well.
Click here for a preview of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #22 *STARK DISASSEMBLED PT 3*
ALIENS VS. PREDATORS: THREE WORLDS WAR #1 - THE BLOODIEST, MOST BRUTAL AVP CONFLICT YET HAS ARRIVED!
One of our big guilty pleasures here at Third Eye are the Aliens and Predator comics that Dark Horse has brought back. I think a lot of it goes back to the huge popularity of the original ALIENS comics back when I was a kid. I remember stumbling across some of the most grisly, gory comics featuring all sorts of whacked out premises in these books. This was back when there were still mom-and-pop video stores, and you'd often see spinner racks full of horror movie magazines, and comics like these. Hitting up the comic shop, and then the video store was a weekly ritual for me as a kid, and I think getting that double dose of ALIENS on the racks was what got me hooked.
Dark Horse resurrected the franchises last year in two super-fun limited series that were very true to the original spirit of the comics and films. And, now, they're bringing back the fan-favorite idea of ALIENS VS PREDATOR. Now, don't let the recent AVP films change your opinion on these, because the comics have always been full of blood, guts, and you know, space dust. But, seriously, we're pumped to see the return of AVP, and you know, it might be a guilty pleasure, but we think that there's enough of you guys out there who grew up on these books to warrant giving it a shout out in this week's newsletter.
Click here for a preview of ALIENS VS PREDATOR: THREE WORLDS WAR #1
WARREN ELLIS'S NO HERO TRADE PAPERBACK OUT THIS WEDNESDAY.. "WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO BE SUPERHUMAN?"
It's always a reason for rejoice when another of Ellis's Avatar series hits trade, and this week, we're seeing the arrival of last year's high-octane, superpowers-as-drug-addiction epic collected into trade paperback. No Hero is an EXCELLENT read, and features the artwork of JUAN JOSE RYP, which is very Geoff Darrow-influenced, and looks fantastic. If you dug Ellis's BLACK SUMMER, then you'll definitely be into NO HERO.
What's NO HERO about? No Hero is a story by the master of the widescreen comic (among other things), Warren Ellis. From his amazing take on the AUTHORITY to the Mad Science Fiction he's known for in stories like IGNITION CITY and TRANSMETROPOLITAN. NO HERO is set in a world where superhumans have existed since the 1960s, and came about as a reaction to the violent police reactions towards the counter-culture movements of the '60s. While the intentions of the original group, the Levellers, is noble, their mastermind and leader is a cross between Lex Luthor and Timothy Leary, and you quickly learn that the pills that give these characters their powers are his very own drug-like way of keeping them under control. You get a quick glimpse of the world of superhumans under his control through the 60s, 70s, and then in the '80s, you start seeing former superheroes who've now been ravaged by the drug, and resemble far-gone drug addicts. Fast forward to the year 2011, and we see a young man who's taken the notice of Masterson (the above mentioned Luthor/Leary hybrid), and seeks to induct him into his team after the ranks have thinned considerably. From there, we see just how the series asks "How Bad Do You Want To Be A Superhero?"
This was one of our favorite limited series of 2009, and we highly recommend giving it a look to anyone who's into Transmetropolitan, Irredeemable, The Boys, Doktor Sleepless, or the Authority. It takes a very unique way at the world of superheroes, and from a very fresh perspective.
JASON AARON'S (writer of SCALPED)PUNISHERMAX #3 CONTINUES THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED WRITER'S UNRELENTING APPROACH TO THE WORLD OF THE PUNISHER!
Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon have done an incredible thing with their new run on PUNISHER MAX. This is the best the series has been since Garth Ennis's character-defining run, and we'd even go as far to say it's just as brutal as Ennis's epic run. We know only good things will be coming from what Aaron has said will be a very long run on PUNISHER.
The first story arc in the run is focusing on the introduction of the KINGPIN to the world of PUNISHER MAX. For those of you unaware of what the world of PUNISHER MAX is, it's a self-contained story where the Punisher exists, and only fights real crime, ranging from the Mafia and Russian Slavers to corrupt military officials and ENRON-like white collar criminals. There are no superpowered characters, and everything is played very straight-forward, very brutal, and very graphic. And, in doing so, we get to see certain Marvel characters that fit into this world introduced in a whole new way. The story of Wilson Fisk is one of a Mafia enforcer who's hatched a plot to take out the Punisher, so it seems. His boss passes it off as his own idea (just like Fisk wants him to), and basically it's the positioning of Wilson Fisk as a mythical Boss of Bosses figure... a Godfather. This way the Punisher is gunning strictly for Fisk, and none of the other Mafia bosses, and it allows for the Mafia to weed him out and gun him down. However, Fisk has his own agenda, using this as a way to eliminate the Mafia bosses, and position himself as a true power player in the world of organized crime.
Folks, this series is a chilling read. The first two issues alone have definitely proven that Aaron is keeping things true to the dark, unrelenting spirit of Ennis's original work. Steve Dillon's pencils look the best they have since PREACHER, and fit very well with Aaron's writing. You can tell that Aaron is a fan of Ennis's work, but you can also tell he is doing his own thing with it too.
The characterization of the KINGPIN is especially brutal, and without saying too much, Aaron sets him up as an instant classic villain.
We still have the first couple issues of this series in stock, so for those of you who have yet to jump on, definitely check it out. For those of you who've already hopped aboard, then we know after last month's grisly issue, you're going to be stoked to read this one.
Click here for a preview of PUNISHERMAX #3
THE SURPRISE HIT DARK X-MEN SERIES CONTINUES THIS WEEK WITH DARK X-MEN #3
One of the big surprises for us this winter has been the DARK X-MEN limited series which picks up some of the plot points that were originally set up in the DARK X-MEN / UTOPIA saga, and carries them forward. The reason why I say it was a big surprise is because it's turned out to be very good. In fact, this series could almost stand on it's own without the whole Dark X-Men banner, as kind of a Marvel version of the SECRET SIX. It really is a cool, quirky read.
Why we like it so much? The story is a very fun, darkly humored look at some of the second-stringers of the X-Men world. The inclusion of characters like Nate Grey (X-Man from AGE OF APOCALYPSE), and Mystique give us some cult fan-favorites, and the team dynamic of the Dark X-Men that's explored through characters like Dark Beast is great. The Dark X-Men consists of the mutants that Osborn rounded up that ended up sticking around. No heavyweights like Namor, or Emma Frost, in fact, the biggest character on the team is probably Mystique, who fills the reluctant leadership role very well. The story is focused on Osborn's X-Men, and how half of them don't even know why the hell they're here, and how the other half is trying to figure out how to squeeze their own agendas into things.
This is a series that's definitely much better than you would have expected it to be, and we highly recommend any X-Men fan gives the first issue a shot if you haven't already. We think you'll really dig it. And, don't worry, we still have plenty of issue #1, and issue #2 for you to get caught up with.
Click herefor a preview of DARK X-MEN #3
MARVELS PROJECT #5 - THE FIRST MISSION OF CAPTAIN AMERICA REVEALED!
The sleeper favorite from Marvel this year has definitely been Ed Brubaker's THE MARVELS PROJECT. This series which explores the official origins of superpowers in the Marvel Universe has provided some of the most well-written, well-paced, and gorgeously illustrated Marvel storytelling in a long time. Don't be scared off by thinking this is a hokey, or dated Golden Age re-tread. This series has teeth, folks, and manages to explore what Marvel was like before the days of Spider-man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men.
The story began with Marvels Project #1, where we see a dying Kid Colt talking of futures where men shoot lasers from their eyes, and green giants roam the earth. He passes off his legendary six-guns to a young reporter named the Angel, who becomes a vigilante in his own right. The story is mostly seen through the Angel's perspective, and in the first issue we see how the invention of superhumans is mostly due in part to an arms race between Allied Forces and Nazi Germany. One of the stand-out scenes is a Nazi boat netting Atlanteans, and then the Submariner dishing out his vengeance on them. The shot of Submariner riding the waves, and snapping the Nazi's necks with the water is pretty intense.
In the last issue, we get a better look at the origins of Steve Rogers. We get to see what his motivation was for volunteering to test the supersoldier serum. Plus, another obscure Golden Age character is broken out of obscurity, and I gotta say, folks.. it's pretty awesome to see Brubaker mining Marvel's rich history and digging out these forgotten classics.
All in all, the MARVELS PROJECT is a well-paced, maturely written story on the origins of the Marvel Universe as a whole, and it manages to accomplish what it's doing very well. In this week's issue, it's Steve Rogers as Captain America, assigned his first task. We're stoked to see how it turns out.
Clickhere for a preview of MARVELS PROJECT #5
ULTIMATUM TRADE PAPERBACK AVAILABLE THIS WEDNESDAY! WANT TO KNOW HOW THINGS GOT TO WHERE THEY ARE IN ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS & ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN?
A lot of you guys, like us here at Third Eye, have been really digging the whole new approach to the ULTIMATE universe that was launched in books like ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #1, and ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS #1. However, a lot of you are also wondering just how we got to this point, and why half of the friggin' Marvel Universe is dead or missing. Well, wait no longer, because this Wednesday, the collected edition of ULTIMATUM arrives in softcover.
The best way to describe ULTIMATUM is a Marvel blockbuster story in the truest sense. It's not really hung up on going into great detail about certain things, but instead is just page after awesome page of crazy death, and disaster. The real shining stand-out about ULTIMATUM was the artwork from David Finch, who manages to capture the scale, and make you believe that Magneto really did drown NY in tidal waves.
What's the plot of ULTIMATUM? Well, in the wake of ULTIMATES 3, Magneto loses his cool, completely, and snags up Thor's hammer. Using Thor's hammer, and his own mutant powers, he decides he's going to flood the earth in a very biblical way, and pretty much wipe out humanity.
Of course, along the way, we get to see some crazy cool moments, and while I don't want to drop the spoilers..... LOTS of characters die in pretty intense ways. Heads being blasted off by optic blasts, people being eaten, ect ect.
So if you're looking to get caught up on what happened prior to the new Ultimate series you're following, Ultimatum is the perfect place to start.
STAFF PICKS
Trish - Walking Dead Volume 11 - Now I can go back and re-read it again without the torture of waiting for the next issue!
Torma - SIEGE #1 - TOTAL MAYHEM! If you've been waiting for something to happen in the Marvel Universe, this is definitely it. The first issue just teases what looks like a huge payoff for everything that's happened in the last two years.
Steve - SIEGE #1 - We try not to pick the same things, but I couldn't choose SIEGE. The art by Coipel is great, Bendis's brought his A game with the writing, and c'mon, there is nothing cooler than seeing Asgard being stormed by the combined forces of H.A.M.M.E.R and the Dark Avengers. If you haven't tried this yet, check it out!
Trish - Walking Dead Volume 11 - Now I can go back and re-read it again without the torture of waiting for the next issue!
Torma - SIEGE #1 - TOTAL MAYHEM! If you've been waiting for something to happen in the Marvel Universe, this is definitely it. The first issue just teases what looks like a huge payoff for everything that's happened in the last two years.
Steve - SIEGE #1 - We try not to pick the same things, but I couldn't choose SIEGE. The art by Coipel is great, Bendis's brought his A game with the writing, and c'mon, there is nothing cooler than seeing Asgard being stormed by the combined forces of H.A.M.M.E.R and the Dark Avengers. If you haven't tried this yet, check it out!
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