Here's one I've been pumped for since I first read the solicits on it a few months back. First off, it's one of my favorite comic book writers, Grant Morrison, a man who stands right up there alongside that wave of writers that includes Warren Ellis, and Garth Ennis. Secondly, it's one of those fresh, can't lose concepts that just hooks you from the get go.
Meet Joe, a young man with a hyperactive imagination, who really hasn't gotten a fair shake in life. A misfit at school, a victim of bullies, not to mention he lost his father in the Iraq war, and ontop of it all, he's living with Type 1 Diabetes. You could say that Joe hasn't really been dealt the best hand of cards in life.
The question though, is it an insulin-deprived delirium, or something much bigger, and much more magical that transports Joe to a land where all of his favorite toys have gotten lives of their own. Whether it's robot commanders (think Optimus Prime), star fleet captains, or samurai rodents (Ninja Turtles), Joe is navigating a world that's familiar and foreign to him all at the same time. So, is he the savior of an oppressed land, here to set it's inhabitants free? Or is he just an over-imaginative boy lost in his own fantasies?
Folks, this one is going to be a true classic. It's an eight-issue mini-series, and they're kicking off issue #1 with a $1.00 price tag. The artist, Sean Murphy, is a newcomer who I feel will be getting his big break on this series, as his art is NICE. And, with this incredible modern fantasy tale being penned by a great writer like GRANT MORRISON (the man behind the red-hot BATMAN AND ROBIN series happening right now), you know the story is going to deliver on all fronts. Plus, ontop of all that, it's just a plain cool concept, and I'm sure most of us our children of pop culture, and at one time or another growing up, we thought about how cool it would be to have Optimus Prime, or Han Solo throw down some stomp-ass.
And, hey, it's only $1 to try the first one, so what've you got to lose? Give this one a shot folks, I'm definitely giving it the THIRD EYE MUST BUY stamp this week, and marking it as one of the coolest books hitting the racks.
Click here to see some preview pages of JOE THE BARBARIAN #1
Clickhere to read an interview with Grant Morrison about the series.
SIEGE ALERT: DARK AVENGERS #13 & DARK WOLVERINE #82 FEATURE A COUPLE OF SPECIAL SIEGE TIE-IN ISSUES! DARK AVENGERS #13 ESPECIALLY LOOKS TO BE A GOOD TIE-IN!
SIEGE kicked off with a bang a couple of weeks ago, and delivered both a killer first issue of the main series, and a very cool start to the SIEGE: EMBEDDED mini-series. This week, the SIEGE rages on in the pages of DARK AVENGERS #13 and DARK WOLVERINE #82.
First off, if you're not already reading DARK AVENGERS, you really need to be. It got a little off track towards the tailend of the UTOPIA crossover, but other than that, the book has been a consistent top tier Marvel monthly that delivers great art, and great story month after month. Plus, the concept of seeing a dysfunctional team of supervillains and morally questionable characters posing as the Earth's Mightiest Heroes is still pretty damn cool. We know that this issue of Dark Avengers will definitely be a must-read, even if you haven't been following the series in a while, because it reveals the secrets, and mysteries of THE SENTRY after years, and years of hints, guesses, and misdirections. Who controls him? How powerful is he really? And, just why does he have the Gods of Asgard trembling with fear? Find out the integral role that both the Dark Avengers, and the Sentry play in the Siege on Asgard in DARK AVENGERS #13 this week! Click here for a preview of DARK AVENGERS #13
Also arriving this week is DARK WOLVERINE #82, which looks to explore what side Daken really is on? He runs with some of the biggest heavyweight villains of the Marvel Universe, but what are his motivations, and where do his loyalties lay? But, more importantly, with his boss, Osborn, and his team-mates the Dark Avengers playing a major role in the Siege on Asgard, what role does he play, and just what happens when this vicious killer goes toe to toe with the Gods of Asgard? Click here for a preview ofDARK WOLVERINE #82
For those of you following SIEGE, make sure you don't miss either of these epic tie-ins this week here at Third Eye!
Click here to check out the official SIEGE checklist!
BLACKEST NIGHT DELIVERS BIG WITH THREE MUST-READS THIS WEDNESDAY! GEOFF JOHNS'S BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH #2,STARMAN #81 (YES!), and PHANTOM STRANGER #42 PLUS, GREEN LANTERN CORPS #44 CONTINUES GUY GARDNER: RED LANTERN!
Blackest Night continues to rage on this week in the pages of one of the more killer tie-ins we've seen, BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH, as well as two more installments of the "Back from the Dead" one-shots, both of which I've been personally anticipating since they were announced. And, of course, the next installment of the consistently awesome GREEN LANTERN CORPS featuring GUY GARDNER: RED LANTERN arrives this week.
So, first, lets talk about BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH. Why are we so into this one here at Third Eye? Well, first off.. it's Geoff Johns and Scott Kolins doing THE FLASH. These guys did one of the best runs on the character that I've ever read with story arcs like Rogues. They've got a real chemistry together, and their FINAL CRISIS: ROGUES REVENGE limited series was definitely a highlight of that event. The first issue of BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH delivered everything I expected it to...it ties together some pretty integral storyline ideas that fit nicely into what Johns is doing in FLASH REBIRTH, it's got that ultra-detailed, yet high-energy art that Kolins is known for (and which works perfectly for a character like the FLASH), and finally... it's got the Rogues.
And, that folks, is what I think really makes Geoff Johns's FLASH stuff stand out, how he writes THE ROGUES. He has thoroughly developed the personalities of each one of these forever second-stringer supervillains, and actually used their second-string status as a way to further the characters. Of course, the one who has developed the most is CAPTAIN COLD, who has quickly become a favorite of mine over the years, with a killer personality, and a shift into leadership of the Rogues. And, I mean, you can't not love lines like "Okay, Rogues, lets go kill some zombies."
The first issue of BLACKEST NIGHT FLASH was a great read, with some killer BLACKEST NIGHT moments, some killer FLASH moments, and it looks very promising. I highly recommend picking up the first issue if you haven't already, otherwise, we'll see you this week for #2!
Next up, we've got two more of the BLACKEST NIGHT "Back from the Dead" one-shots which give "dead" series one final issue, in a means to further the story of BLACKEST NIGHT. Lets talk about Phantom Stranger first, and then we'll get to Starman.. I'm saving Starman for last because that's where your normally cool, calm and collected comic shop guru turns into a rambling fanboy about how much he loved Starman.
Phantom Stranger 42 - The Phantom Stranger is one of those obscure, often-forgotten characters that has amassed a rabid, cult following over the last couple of decades.. and why you might ask? It's because he's a cool freakin' character! This BLACKEST NIGHT one-shot features the Phantom Stranger, as well as a myriad of other DCU "magic"-themed characters, and has them throwing down with the BLACK LANTERN SPECTRE, and BLACK LANTERN DEADMAN. I know that a lot of you, like myself, have a soft spot for characters like Phantom Stranger, Blue Devil, and Zatanna, so I'm sure some of you are looking forward to this one as much as me. Plus, the Black Lantern Spectre is RIDICULOUSLY awesome, and I'm curious to see more about him.
And, then..
Starman 81- Okay, I'm going to try to keep myself from going on too much about what a great series STARMAN was, and how it was one of the defining forces of comic storytelling in the '90s. All I'll say is that the idea of character-driven superhero comics, deep stories, and a realistic bent on the idea of "legacy" superheroes... all of these were roads that Starman paved in the '90s, when most comics were focusing more on splash pages, and less on compelling storylines. This issue features the Shade (a cool character in his own right), going head to head with a certain Black Lantern Starman of days gone past. Will Jack Knight step in on this one?
GREEN LANTERN CORPS #44 - GUY GARDNER, RED LANTERN, IS HE BEYOND REDEMPTION?
Blackest Night has been really tearing through a lot of books, and refreshing the stories in them, but I'd have to say one of the ones I feel has benefited the most from Blackest Night has been Green Lantern Corps. The series really started to hit it's stride after the Sinestro Corps with Ring Quest and Sins of the Star Sapphires, and as soon as the Blackest Night hit, it just jumped up the scale of awesomeness tenfold. Peter Tomasi is a great writer, and you can tell that he and Geoff Johns work closely together and making the core Green Lantern book and Green Lantern Corps compliment each other well.
Anyways, currently in Green Lantern Corps, the biggest story arc to hit the series continues, and that's the fall of Guy Gardner to becoming a Red Lantern. One of the coolest things about Blackest Night so far has been witnessing the different color rings pick and choose key DCU characters to recruit into their corps. Guy Gardner is a perfect choice for the Red Lanterns, being that he is, and always has been the epitome of a fly off the handle hot-head. After the earth-shattering events of Green Lantern Corps #42, we witnessed Guy become a Red Lantern in Green Lantern Corps #43, and now, we see more madness to fuel his rage, and the question is asked: Can anyone save Guy Gardner from himself?
This one's a must-read if you're digging Blackest Night, so definitely pick up on the Green Lantern Corps!
GARTH ENNIS'S (THE BOYS, PREACHER, CROSSED) BATTLEFIELDS: HAPPY VALLEY #2 CONTINUES HIS LATEST, AND GREATEST FORAY INTO GRISLY WAR STORIES!
A lot of you, like us, are hooked on Garth Ennis from his over-the-top madness in books like CROSSED, and THE BOYS, but there's something you may not know about this fantastic writer: he can write one of the best damn war stories you've ever read. In fact, I think that Ennis's war comics are the BEST war stories I've seen told in any medium. The amount of love, and passion that Ennis has for the genre is obvious from the first page of each story he's written, and it shines through brightest here in the pages of BATTLEFIELDS: HAPPY VALLEY.
The story of HAPPY VALLEY is about an English bomber pilot who gets saddled with a rowdy crew of Australian bomber crew pilots, during World War II. Of course, it's up to this young pilot to not just earn the respect of these guys, but also to be able to fly the treacherous path known as Happy Valley, and bomb the hell out of those Nazi bastard's industrial complexes.
Ennis manages to reveal the horrors of war in bloody, grisly detail while still bringing his own trademark style of developing characters, and a compelling story. His war stuff is often some of the stuff you can tell he really puts his heart into the most, because of his own huge love for the genre.
We still have plenty of Battlefields Happy Valley #1 in stock, if you'd like to catch up, and we couldn't recommend it enough!
LADY DEADPOOL DEBUTS THIS WEEK INDEADPOOL: MERC WITH A MOUTH #7! GREAT JUMPING ON POINT WITH A BRAND NEW STORY ARC!
Just when you thought the insanity of everyone's favorite Merc With A Mouth couldn't reach further heights, a whole new spin is given to the character this week with the debut of LADY DEADPOOL in the pages of DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUTH #7, in a very special double-sized issue featuring art by ROB LIEFELD, KYLE BAKER, and more.
What do you do with a crazy zombie Deadpool head that's feeling a tad bit homesick? Well, you take it back home to the zombieverse where it belongs. Of course, things go a bit awry when Deadpool finds himself making some wrong turns, and ends up in alternate realities that're more warped than anything we've seen before in Deadpool's troubled head. The Deadpool Kid... Major Deadpool.. and, the arrival of the Merc with A Mouth's female counterpart; LADY DEADPOOL!
The thing that we love about the Deadpool books here at Third Eye is the quirky, weirdness, and sense of fun they capture, and this new story looks to be a Deadpool classic in the making. And, is it just me, or is anyone else curious to see what Lady Deadpool's all about?
Yes, it's ridiculous, but c'mon, that's what makes Deadpool so cool!
Clickherefor a preview of DEADPOOL MERC WITH A MOUTH #7
COWBOY NINJA VIKING #3 - THE FRESHEST NEW IMAGE BOOK WE'VE SEEN SINCE LAST YEAR'S CHEW! FIND OUT WHY THIS SERIES IS TEN DIFFERENT KINDS OF AWESOME!
One of the coolest new series we've seen launch in the last few months has been IMAGE's COWBOY NINJA VIKING. The stylized artwork, and the off-the-wall story make a match made in comic book heaven, and we can't get enough.. and that's only after two issues! If you haven't read COWBOY NINJA VIKING yet, let me give you the scoop on this little gem..
Basically, in the near-future, the government takes individuals with multiple personality disorder and turns them into agents of destruction called "Triplets" in the battle against terrorism. Essentially, they find three of the dominant personalities, hone in on them, and use those to shape the triplet into a lethal, killing machine.
Now, what happens when one of these Triplets goes rogue, and runs loose? Well, that's the case of COWBOY NINJA VIKING. The storytelling is awesome, and while the concept sounds goofy, it's actually pretty cool, and more reminiscent of a film like KILL BILL or something in terms of the pacing, and plot progression. One of the coolest aspects is how the title character's three personalities conflict with one another. Each time one talks, it's conveyed through a word balloon shaped like a six-gun (the Cowboy), a battle-axe (the Viking), or a katana sword (the Ninja), and each one has it's own unique personality. The Cowboy constantly talking about getting drunk, and visiting brothels, the Viking saying they should just kill and eat their enemies, and the Ninja being the calm, and collected strategic thinker of the group. The humor in the book is sharp, and clever, but without being heavy-handed, and trust us, when they start introducing other triplets, like issue #2's Pirate/Gladiator/
We know, the title of the book makes it seem like it could be a one-trick pony, but this is a clever, sharp, and well-told story that has a lot of life to it. We highly recommend giving it a look, because we think you'll be pleasantly surprised to find that this book defies the cliches that it could fall into with a name like COWBOY NINJA VIKING.
And, in this week's issue, the solicits don't say much other than "You know how Jason Bourne got his ass kicked all over the globe, well picture that, but with Cowboy Ninja Viking, and an Amish dude".. how can you go wrong with a description like that?
Did you miss issues #1, and #2? Pick 'em up here at Third Eye, as we still have limited quantities of both in stock!
Clickhere for a preview of COWBOY NINJA VIKING #3
CAPTAIN AMERICA #602 - FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF "WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIED?" WHAT DOES BRUBAKER HAVE IN STORE FOR THE WORLD OF CAP? FIND OUT HERE! AND READ BELOW TO FIND OUT THE SCOOP ON CAP REBORN #6
Before I start talking about why I'm pumped for Cap #602, I want to just let everyone know the deal with Captain America REBORN #6. Bryan Hitch, an incredible artist, is also incredibly slow... due to this, the 6th issue of REBORN has been running behind schedule. Instead of holding up the story, and letting it affect the flow of things in the Marvel Universe, Marvel went straight to WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD, and now CAP #602. Reborn #6 WILL be out, an as of right now has a release date of 1/27/10.
Ed Brubaker writes Captain America better than just about anybody. His long, epic run on the character has lasted a total of 52 issues (57 if you include REBORN), and he has done more with the character than just about any writer I can think of in recent memory. Brubaker is able to take Cap, write him like he should be, a soldier, and not just any soldier, but the ULTIMATE soldier, and then effortlessly mesh that realistic tone with some of the coolest, pulpiest, comic book magic that you could think of.
In Captain America #602, we see a return to Cap's regular monthly series, but for those of you following REBORN, we definitely recommend sticking around, because things are going to really start getting good after the revelations of WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD? What happens when the crazy '50s clone of Cap resurfaces? And, just how does the dynamic work between Bucky and Steve Rogers, in the face of new enemies, and new threats?
The awesomeness of Brubaker's Cap returns to a monthly schedule starting here, and we couldn't be more stoked. A brand new story arc spilling out from the events of Cap Reborn and WHO WILL WIELD THE SHIELD!
Click here for a preview of CAPTAIN AMERICA #602!
SOLOMON KANE: DEATH'S BLACK RIDERS #1BRINGS PURE PULP NOIR OCCULT WEIRDNESS, AND ADVENTURE THIS WEDNESDAY!
This Wednesday, Dark Horse brings us a slab of creepy, pulp awesomeness with the return of Robert E. Howard's classic insane 16th-century Puritan who has no other mission in life than to wander the Earth looking for evil to vanquish... at the end of a bloody sword, or the barrel of a smoking flintlock pistol.
This all new story from Dark Horse is a great entry point if you haven't read a Solomon Kane story before, and we gotta say, folks, we think a lot of you would dig this cult classic pulp anti-hero. The story takes place in the depths of Germany's Black Forest, where Kane comes across gypsies being terrorized by bandits... but Kane's not sure which horror is worse, the bandits and their sadistic actions, or the horrific occult evils residing in the depths of the forests.
These weird tales are a must-read, and capture the classic spirit of the Solomon Kane pulp stories, with a modern comic storytelling approach to the art and writing of the books. Great reads, and recommended for any fans of Hellboy, and BPRD.
Clickhere for a preview of SOLOMON KANE: DEATH'S BLACK RIDERS #1
INCORRUPTIBLE #2 FOLLOWS UP ON THE FIRST ISSUE OF MARK WAID'S FLIP SIDE TO HIS SUPERMAN GONE EVIL SERIES, IRREDEEMABLE! WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE BAD GUY GOES GOOD?
Dude! The firs issue of INCORRUPTIBLE blew me out of the water! Waid proves that he's got what it takes to apply the post-modern comic energy hum that he delivers on IRREDEEMABLE to a companion series while still making it feel fresh, and accessible. The concept is pretty simple: What happens when the supervillain goes good? We've seen the flip side in Irredeemable, as well as many other books exploring the idea of a world's greatest hero becoming it's greatest villain, but very rarely have we seen the opposite idea explored.
The first issue carries that same energy, and rock solid comic storytelling that Waid has perfected in a book like Irredeemable. The superhumans names are cheesy, yes, but just like in Irredeemable, the cartoonishness of their names contrasts so well with their believable, realistic actions, that it's a perfect match.
The plot? Meet Max Danger, one of the world's most despicable supervillains, he and his companion/sidekick, Jailbait, have terrorized and ripped off the world on a global scale many times before. But, Max was there the day that the Plutonian lost his mind, and began scorching the earth, and that, in Max's words was the day he "saw the face of God", and it told him that if the world's greatest hero can go bad, then someone needs to step up and handle the mess. This is his road to redemption, so to speak, and we're sure the details of it will be revealed more and more, in each issue, just like the Plutonian's fall is chronicled in flashbacks in the pages of Irredeemable.
All in all, I really liked issue #1, and would most definitely recommend giving issue #2 a shot. We currently have limited quantities of issue #1 in stock if you missed it the first go around, so be sure to check out!
Click here for a preview of INCORRUPTIBLE #2
FALL OF THE HULKS CONTINUES THIS WEEK IN HULK #19 *HULK vs. THE THING, ED MCGUINNESS RETURNS TO ART* *FALL OF THE HULKS PT 4* and INCREDIBLE HULK #606 *FALL OF THE HULKS PT 5*
Click here for the FALL OF THE HULKS Checklist!
This issue of HULK is big, and for more than oen reason. First off, it's the return of superstar artist ED MCGUINNESS to HULK. This man was born to draw BIG, and nothing is more perfect for that than hopping back on HULK. Secondly, this is the next chapter in the epic FALL OF THE HULKS storyline, where many of the Marvel's greatest minds have combined forces in an effort to once and for all rid the Marvel Universe of those giant, gamma-irradiated pests. Oh, and we can't forget that FALL OF THE HULKS is also leading up to the big reveal of the Red Hulk (finally!). The preview pages of this one promise one major, knockdown, drag-out brawl between the Red Hulk and the Thing, and with McGuinness illustrating... it looks cooler than all get out.
Oh, and did we forget to mention that the reason for this epic clash is due to the brand new Frightfoul Four charging an onslaught on the Baxter Building, and the Fantastic Four? Just like all the other issues of McGuinness's HULK, this one is guaranteed to be a bigger than life, over-the-top, high energy comic book fightfest.
Clickherefor a preview of HULK #19
Also dropping this week is the fifth chapter of FALL OF THE HULKS, with INCREDIBLE HULK #606, where we get to see the triumphant return of the original, the classic, the legendary INCREDIBLE HULK, yes, Bruce Banner makes a change back into his original Hulk-mode, and he's going to be going head to head with DR. DOOM.
The Incredible Hulk series (which officially began the new direction at issue #601) has actually been really good, and well-written stuff. Greg Pak (writer of PLANET HULK) is telling a compelling story where Bruce Banner is teaching his son, Skaar, how to be a HULK. He's having Skaar go head to head with classic heavyweight baddies like Juggernaut, classic Hulk villains like the Harpy, and then modern day creeps like Dark Wolverine. All in all, it's been a cool way to see Banner showing his son how to handle himself in each situation, and showing the parallels between the battles he himself had once fought. He's also teaching him how to know when to run, when to fight, and how to hide, because you know, being a Hulk, these are essential skills.
And, this issue, playing into the big FALL OF THE HULKS storyline, is supposed to deliver not just pure smashmouth action, but a whole array of revelations about both Bruce Banner, Skaar, and Dr. Doom's role in the Fall of the Hulks.
Click here for a preview of INCREDIBLE HULK #606
Click here for the FALL OF THE HULKS Checklist
THIRD EYE TRADE PAPERBACK PICK OF THE WEEK: REBELS v.1: THE COMING OF STARRO!
I'm really surprised by this one, folks, I've gotta be honest, I slept on this series for a while until the BLACKEST NIGHT tie-in. I had flipped through some of the early issues of this series when it began last year, but, not being a long-time LEGION fan, I figured I'd be too unfamiliar with it to really "get it." Well, I read the BLACKEST NIGHT tie-in to REBELS (#10), and I was so impressed with just that one issue that I went back and read all the way up from issue #1 to current, and dude... this is one of DC's most underrated books, I can't believe it.
Seriously, the way the characters are written makes even the biggest LEGION noob feel at home, and the artwork is REALLY good, especially considering the book kind of exists in that overlooked end of the DCU that doesn't really get a lot of critical buzz, or marketing hype. The concept? Brainiac's son, the arrogant Vril Dox has to recruit a new team of freedom fighters to take out a new, unseen force that's compromised L.E.G.I.O.N. The hook? He's basing each member he recruits off of the galaxy's greatest superheroes and supervillains.
The villain of the series is definitely one of the cooler ideas, as they've taken the idea of STARRO, and really played up the "the Conqueror" part of his name. Originally, we've always seen Starro as a giant star-fish thing that just consumes worlds through attaching little starfish things to people's faces, and turning them into mindless zombies. It's revealed in this storyarc that STARRO is actually an ancient warlord, a humanoid, who uses the starfish things as his drones across the galaxy.
Overall, the combination of big widescreen sci-fi action, with cool concepts like the reinvention of Starro make the series a great read. One of the strongest points of the book though is the characterization of the egotistical Vril Dox. He's a hero, yeah, but there's also a very dark, brooding undertone to him that's shown in his arrogance, a trait that I'm sure runs through the entire Brainiac bloodline.
Looking for a new DC series? Give this one a shot, it's actually surprisingly very good stuff so far!
OUTSIDERS #26 - NEW DIRECTION, NEW CREATIVE TEAM FEATURING DC EDITOR-IN-CHIEF DAN DIDIO & BATMAN & ROBIN SUPERSTAR ARTIST BILLY TAN!
The Outsiders as a book has had a shaky history. Moments of great runs (like Judd Winick/Tom Raney's original run a few years back), and then moments of total mediocrity. This week, DC is trying to get the book back on track with an all-new direction, and a new creative team consisting of DC's Editor in Chief Dan Didio, and superstar artist Billy Tan.
The details on this one have been pretty closely guarded, but what we do know is that a certain Kryptonian joins the team, and the Outsiders as a whole have been cast as enemies in the eyes of the world. We're more curious about the creative team than anything, to be honest. Didio hasn't written a lot that we know of for DC yet, so it's going to be interesting to see how good the man in charge's chops are. There's also the fact that the incredibly talented Billy Tan is handling the art, so that's something to keep an eye out for as well. Either way, this issue serves as a great jumping on point for those of you who've been on the fence about trying the Outsiders.
Click here to read more about OUTSIDERS #26
STAFF PICKS
Trish - Daytripper #2 - One of the best examples of letting a story take you to where it's going, and not bothering to question it. This one has some of the best art, and the story just sucks you in.
Torma - SECRET SIX #17 *BLACKEST NIGHT* - AWESOME second half conclusion to what began in the pages of SUICIDE SQUAD #67. A really cool Blackest Night tie-in, and worth picking up.
Steve - Invincible Iron Man #22 - Every issue of this series just gets better, and better, if you're sleeping on Fraction's Iron Man run, you're missing out!
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