THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 4/7/10

NEW COMIC DAY IS WEDNESDAY! THE EASTER HOLIDAY HAS NOT PUSHED IT BACK!

S.H.I.E.L.D is HERE! JONATHAN HICKMAN (SECRET WARRIORS, PAX ROMANA, FANTASTIC FOUR) and DUSTIN WEAVER UNVEIL THE FRESHEST NEW MARVEL SERIES WE'VE SEEN YET... IMAGINE LEONARDO DaVINCI, GALILEIO, GENGHIS KHAN, and MORE FIGHTING GALACTUS, CELESTIALS AND THE BROOD... SHIELD IS HERE! THIRD EYE MUST BUY!! One of the books I'm most excited about this Spring season is S.H.I.E.L.D by Jonathan Hickman and Dustin Weaver. Hickman has been turning into one of my favorite writers for the last couple of years, after wowing us here at Third Eye with stuff like his work on Secret Warriors, Nightly News, Pax Romana, and his currently killer run on Fantastic Four. In other words, this guy's got the chops, and he's really becoming a true rising star creator at Marvel. The addition of Dustin Weaver's incredible pencils makes this new book even sweeter, and we could not be more pumped about it. But, I could go on and on about how much I love the creative team on this.. so lets skip all of that, and get to the real meat and potatoes... What The Hell is This New SHIELD book All About? Essentially, SHIELD is about the secret history of the world. Basically, before SHIELD was a military-esque organization led by a certain one-eyed Colonel Fury, it was a gathering of great thinkers, inventors, warriors, and leaders who banded together throughout time to fend off timeless threats like Galactus, or the Celestials. Isaac Newton = Agent of SHIELD. Leonardo DaVinci = Agent of SHIELD. Benjamin Franklin = Agent of SHIELD. Michelangelo=AGENT OF SHIELD. Imhotep=Agent of SHIELD. You get the drift. Men and women who possessed great gifts, and even had a certain destiny in protecting the world from extraordinary threats. The book is a look at the rich history of the Marvel Universe, and how entities like the Celestials, or alien races like the Brood or the Kree have been coming to our planet for years. And, long before we had Captain America, or Iron Man to fight 'em off... there was the original founding members of SHIELD ready to answer the call. From what Hickman has said in interviews, the book predominantly takes place in the past, focusing on different time periods involving these characters, but at times will jump to the present. We'll see everybody from Vlad the Impaler to Howard Stark and Nathaniel Richards (Tony Stark and Reed Richards's fathers). This story is not just meant to be the origins of the acronym S.H.I.E.L.D, but also the story of how historical figures played major roles in Marvel's history. Why You Have To Read This Book? It's going to be a big one, folks. I've read an advance of issue #1, and I can say that I'm personally blown away already by the first issue. Unlike a lot of other series that take things back to the past of an existing comic book universe, this one really has a bigger-than-life, grandiose feel to it. The inclusion of historical figures, like DaVinci is incredible, and honestly, some of the people you see show up side-by-side with ancient Marvel entities... are so surprising I don't want to ruin it. The fact that Marvel is going on record that this is IN-CONTINUITY for the 616 universe also helps make the book seem even more fun. But, really, you need to pick this up because it's high concept, it's got some gorgeous art, and it's being written by one of the best young writers in the game right now, AND IT SHOWS. Who would've thought that exploring, and developing a rich back history for an agency of super-spies, like SHIELD, could be so much fun? But, it really is. If you ever wondered what League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, or Planetary would be like if they were set in the Marvel Universe, then SHIELD answers that question very well. This book has potential to be one of the best Marvel books of the Summer. Click here to read a preview of SHIELD #1 THIRD EYE DECLARES WEDNESDAY "WE LOVE GRANT MORRISON'S BATMAN AND ROBIN DAY"! THE NEW ISSUE OF THE SERIES! THE FIRST GRAPHIC NOVEL RELEASES! AND YOU CAN EVEN GET ISSUE #1 FREE THIS WEEK AT THIRD EYE! BATMAN AND ROBIN #11 CONTINUE TO LEAD ON TO "THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE!" Grant Morrison continues to make Batman and Robin one of the Top 5 Must-Read Books of the Month here at Third Eye. Just when you think he's shown you everything he's got to offer, he shakes everything up, and leaves you wanting more, and more, and more. And, with the addition of Andy Clarke as the artist of the current story arc, Batman and Robin is the best it's been since the opening Frank Quitely story arc. Last month in Batman and Robin #10 (still available here at Third Eye), Morrison began paving the way to the highly anticipated Return of Bruce Wayne story arc. For those of you who may have been out of the Batman loop, Morrison sent the Dark Knight thousands of years back into the timestream during the events of 2008's Final Crisis. Now, ever since then, many have dismissed Bruce Wayne as deceased, but of course, you guys knew as well as I did that the Dark Knight wasn't down for the count. And, then a few months ago, pictures began leaking to the web of a Pirate Batman, a Cowboy Batman, ect ect... and of course, we all started getting completely, and totally stoked on the idea of a Batman saga where the Dark Knight is literally fighting his way through the time stream. And, now, finally the road to The Return of Bruce Wayne has kicked into high gear, as witnessed in Batman and Robin #10 which was my pick of the week for the week it was released. In it, we were introduced to Oberton Sexton, the Gravedigger, a mysterious new character who I know some of you are speculating may be an agent of Bruce Wayne, or even Wayne himself. The entire first issue of this arc had a very cool masterpiece theater kinda feel to it.. you know, a real mystery, as Alfred and Dick Grayson examined the rows of Wayne portraits, realizing that it had to be Bruce in each one, leaving clues for them to figure out how to bring him back. Of course, underneath all of this intrigue, there's the equally interesting plotline of Damian being called upon to kill Dick Grayson by his mother, and him trying to fight this programming. It's almost cool, because Damian began as a character we all hated, and his evolution into a character we're starting to kind of like, is pretty damn cool. Very good writing. Anyways, this week, both the Return of Bruce Wayne Prologue arc, and the Batman vs. Robin storyline continue in BATMAN AND ROBIN #11. For those of you not yet reading Batman and Robin, CHECK IT OUT. You're missing out on one of the best comics on the stands, and c'mon.. nearly everybody loves Batman, right? So, why not read the best Bat-book in years? Click here to read more about BATMAN AND ROBIN #11 GET GRANT MORRISON'S BATMAN AND ROBIN #1 - TOTALLY FREE - THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE! If you've been beating around the bush, and waiting for the perfect opportunity to pick up the best damn Batman comic in many years, well, now is your chance, cause this Wednesday we're giving out the very first issue of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's BATMAN AND ROBIN.... FOR FREE! You've heard our praise, you've seen the write-ups, and now you're wondering just what the heck this book is all about and why it's got us so hooked. This Wednesday, snag the first issue of Batman and Robin for free, and we promise you, you will want to check out the rest of this great series. And, you couldn't pick a better time to come aboard either, we currently have all the back issues of Batman and Robin in stock to get you caught up, or you could just jump on with the hardcover collection of the first six issues that hits this Wednesday. Hey, speaking of that hardcover collection... BATMAN AND ROBIN VOLUME 1: BATMAN REBORN HARDCOVER ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY COLLECTING THE FIRST SIX ISSUES OF GRANT MORRISON & FRANK QUITELY'S CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED BATMAN AND ROBIN SERIES! We told you guys that this Wednesday would be "We Love Grant Morrison's Batman and Robin" day, and we meant it. So, not only do those of you who're already hooked onto this incredible series get a brand new issue of Batman and Robin with BATMAN AND ROBIN #11, and not only are we giving out issue #1 of this series totally free for those of you who are not already reading it, BUT, BUT... the fine folks at DC Comics are putting out a nice thick slab of awesomeness in the form of BATMAN AND ROBIN Volume 1: BATMAN REBORN. This beautiful hardcover collection slaps together the first six issues of Morrison's critically acclaimed Batman series, and we know that many of you who've been waiting for the collected version of this one are gonna be beating down the door to grab one of these puppies this Wednesday. And, for those of you who haven't read the series yet, but have been meaning to, and would prefer to have it in that nice bookshelf format... well, there ya go! Now, after all this talk about Batman and Robin this, and Batman and Robin that, I suppose I should revisit WHY this series is so damn good, and why we feel that you need to read it. Long story short, DC shot Bruce Wayne back into the time stream about two years ago. They did a whole "Battle for the Cowl", which was cool, but, it wasn't until we read the first issue of Batman and Robin, that we knew they had done the right thing by putting Mr. Wayne on the bench for a bit. From the first page of Batman and Robin #1, where you can almost feel the wind smacking you in the face as an all-new Batmobile screams across the page. The crackle of raw energy, the same kind of energy you felt when Morrison re-invented the X-Men in NEW X-MEN eight years ago, practically singes your fingertips as you follow through the first issue of the series. In just one issue, Morrison cements an exciting new dynamic in the Batman and Robin relationship, with Dick Grayson as the confident, yet very slightly reluctant Batman figure, and Damian as the Robin with everything to prove. In one issue, Morrison introduces new villains, like the Circus of Strange, and Mr. Pyg. Of course, the artwork is a perfect fit for Morrison's post-modern Silver Age dynamic on LSD storytelling. Quitely brings back the return of comic sound effects, incorporating the Boooooms, and the Whoooosh's as part of the actual scenery, whether you see them whipping out of the back of the Batmobile's engines, or rising from the water. And, folks, that's JUST the first issue, from there on out, you're taken on an incredible, intense ride that channels the same kind of fun, and wonder you got reading ALL-STAR SUPERMAN. New villains that are actually intriguing, a very cool character-driven dynamic between the Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder, and the constant subplot of FINDING BRUCE WAYNE all keep you turning the page, over, and over, and over. I'd go as far as to cast my vote for this BATMAN AND ROBIN hardcover as one of the best graphic novel releases of the year... AND we're only in April! If you haven't read it yet, do yourself a favor this Wednesday, and pick it up. Find out why you love Batman, and the Gotham universe all over again. Click here to read more about BATMAN AND ROBIN VOLUME 1: BATMAN REBORN X-MEN: SECOND COMING CHAPTER 2 CONTINUES THE BIGGEST X-SAGA SINCE MESSIAH COMPLEX THIS WEDNESDAY INUNCANNY X-MEN #523! Marvel has finally done it. After reading the first chapter of X-MEN SECOND COMING last week in the X-MEN: SECOND COMING one-shot,it looks like they're finally getting the X-Books back to their roots. I haven't been this excited about the X-Men since Messiah Complex, hell, I'm even more excited than I was about that one! And why? 'Cause they gave us what we've been wanting to see.. the X-Men being X-Men! The one-shot that hit last week started things off on the right foot within the first five or six pages, by having Cyclops divide the team into different task-forces, and then allowing the book to focus on what he called his "Alpha Team." In other words, all the X-Characters we've been wanting to see get the spotlight... Psylocke, Colossus, Wolverine, Magik, Archangel, X-23, Nightcrawler.. a very cool mix of new and old characters, but first and foremost... they were all ones we want to see kicking ass. And, the first chapter of SECOND COMING was VERY much action-packed fun from start to finish. I mean, X-23 puts her claws through a guy's face.... how awesome is that? I've said it before, and I'll say it again: as comic fans, 99% of us want to love the X-Men, all we need is a good story, and kudos to Marvel, 'cause it looks like they've given us one with SECOND COMING. Now, in case you're clueless as to what the deal is with SECOND COMING, let us give you the lowdown... It all began with HOUSE OF M (available in trade paperback here at Third Eye), which led to the eradication of nearly the entire Mutant race. But, it wasn't until we got into MESSIAH COMPLEX, that things really began to heat up, and we saw the first, and only mutant born since M-Day, Hope. And, from there, we've seen a nearly four-year saga of Hope being rushed through the time line, and protected from danger by Cable, under orders of Cyclops. And, now, it's brought us to this point, where Hope and Cable have returned to the present, and Cyclops believes her to be the mutant messiah. This story arc is not just a great event for X-Fans, but it really does deliver a nice jumping on point for those of you who haven't read the X-Men in a while. Very strong start, characters we're all familiar with, and a compelling storyline that's explained effectively as the action pulls you through the story. This Wednesday, the second chapter of Second Coming arrives, and we're very anxious to see where things are going next in this event. It looks like Cyclops will be taking a much more proactive stance, as he takes the fight directly to... well, you know, that surprise villain revealed at the end of last week's Chapter One. :) Click here for a preview of UNCANNY X-MEN #523 *SECOND COMING PT 2* Click here to review the official Third Eye X-MEN SECOND COMING CHECKLIST IMAGE COMICS UNLEASHES JONATHAN ROSS'S TURF #1 THIS WEDNESDAY! MEET THE NEXT SLEEPER IMAGE HIT, DO NOT MISS THIS ONE, FOLKS! PURE CRIME NOIR GANG WAR MADNESS WITH VAMPIRES ON ONE SIDE, GANGSTERS ON THE OTHER, AND SOME ALIEN LIFEFORMS THROWN IN FOR GOOD MEASURE! Hands-down, the book to snag this week in terms of both a solid, fantastic story, as well as a book with potential to heat up on the back market is the new Image title, TURF. The buzz on this book has been slowly building, and I'm getting the same kind of vibes we got when CHEW first came out and took everyone by storm. And, while it does have a celebrity on board, with Jonathan Ross (think the BBC equivalent of Jon Stewart), after having read the book, and reading interviews with the guy, one thing is clear: he loves comics, and he's out to make a good comic, bar none. Ontop of all that, it's being illustrated by the very talented Tommy Lee Edwards, whom you might remember from Mark Millar's 1985. What's the Scoop on Turf? Set in 1920s New York, Turf offers a twist on the hard-boiled crime thriller, incorporating vampires, and aliens to the traditional mix of booze, broads, and bullets. So, imagine a vicious, bloody gang war that's taking place between mobsters and vampires, and an extraterrestrial who will either save or destroy them all. The story begins in Prohibition-era New Yyrok as a gang war erupts between the booze-smuggling mobsters, and the blood-thirsty Dragonmir Family. As an ancient prophecy unfolds amidst this hurricane of bloodshed, the entire city is pretty much left up for grabs, and no one knows who will come out as the victor. The only real glimmer of hope is an unlikely alliance between mobster Eddie Falco, and a strange visitor from another world. All in all, this new limited series from Image Comics sounds fantastic, and we really can't wait to get our hands on a copy this Wednesday. The buzz is building, and with Ross's fame on the rise in the UK, we're expecting this one to be sought-after all summer long. Click here to check out some preview pages we've posted on our the Third Eye Tumblr. INVINCIBLE RETURNS #1 PROVIDES THE PERFECT JUMPING ON POINT FOR ONE OF THE BEST SERIES OUT! FIND OUT WHY ROBERT KIRKMAN'S (writer of WALKING DEAD & HAUNT) INVINCIBLE IS A CONSTANT TOP FIVE BOOK HERE AT THIRD EYE! You've heard us singing the praises of this one for quite some time, and you may have already gotten hooked on the series in trade paperback, but now's your chance to hop aboard the monthly awesomeness of one of the best damn superhero comics on the stands. Robert Kirkman, the man responsible for WALKING DEAD (soon to be a TV show on AMC), and the red-hot HAUNT, has been re-inventing the superhero genre for quite some time now with his INVINCIBLE series, and this Wednesday, he's taking the series in a brand new direction, which serves as the perfect entry point for new readers. After wrapping up many of the killer plot lines that have been running through the book for the last few years, the world of Invincible is about to really kick into high gear with the Viltrumite War beginning in next month's issue #71. This special issue, INVINCIBLE RETURNS, serves as a nice self-contained one-shot that'll introduce new readers to the wonderful world of INVINCIBLE. For those of you who've been following the series for quite some time, just wait til you read this one, 'cause not only is it a new beginning, but also a startling revelation as to the future of Invincible. Now, why should you read INVINCIBLE? Robert Kirkman manages to do everything he does with zombies and survival horror in the Walking Dead, and in turn, do it for the world of costumed superheroes. In other words, strong characterization, fantastic dialogue, and cliffhanger endings galore. I've often said that Invincible is probably one of the most "real" superhero books I've ever read, and I don't mean that in the traditional way of how we think of "realistic" superhero comics. In other words, Kirkman doesn't take the easy way out by trying to make everything very gritty, very nihilistic, to simulate the feel of realism. No, instead, what Kirkman has done is build the actual personalities and relationships of these characters that fly around, and beat the hell out of each other. The title character, Invincible, truly channels the same kind of energy that made Spider-man great 40 some odd years ago. He's believable. You watch as he gets older, you watch as he experiences heartbreak in his personal life, and you watch as he develops more, and more as a hero. Another aspect of the series that adds to it's "grab you by the throat and plunge you into the story" sense of reality is the impact that superhero fights have. When Invincible and another big baddie throwdown.. it's a bloody mess, folks. After all, these are super-strong individuals, and when they slug it out, you see the blood, the broken jaws, and the mass destruction in full color glory. All the while, you find yourself becoming more and more attached to each and every character that shows up in this one. There's one moment in particular involving a long-running character..... that almost rips the heart out of your chest, because of the possible consequences to it. All in all, Invincible is Grade A good COMICS, and if you've been kind of worried about jumping on due to the sheer amount of trade paperbacks, and back issues available for it, then now is your chance to hop on for a fresh start with INVINCIBLE RETURNS #1 this Wednesday. Click here for a preview of INVINCIBLE RETURNS #1 JEPH LOEB AND ART ADAMS KILLER NEW ULTIMATE HIT CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY IN ULTIMATE X #2! We have to admit, we were very impressed by the debut first issue of ULTIMATE X. And, judging by how quickly they were flying off the racks, you guys were too. I don't know if it's the fact that it feels like Loeb is finally getting his mojo back after a couple of less-than-stellar recent efforts, or if it was the grand return of Art Adams, and his incredible artwork, but either way, this book really catapulted itself onto the top of the heap as far as the Ultimate line goes. I think a lot of it has to do that it's kind of a fresh start, with a whole new cast of characters. Granted, some of these are characters we might recognize from the regular 616-Marvel Universe (i.e the Hudsons, ect), but the whole idea of an exciting new Ultimate X-Men team being put together in the wake of Ultimatum has got us pretty stoked on this series. The big reveal at the end of issue #1 that Wolverine's son is being told of his origins by Kitty Pryde was pretty damn cool, and we like the Ultimate version of Wolverine's son a lot more than Daken. But, of course, the real star here was the artwork. Man, is it good to see Art Adams again, or what? He's an incredible talent, and his stuff is looking better than ever. For those of you who missed issue #1, give it a shot, we've still got limited quantities available to get you caught up. For those of you looking forward to issue #2, it looks like we're being introduced to a new character here.. the mysterious and alluring Karen, who is trying to build her life back together but seems to be running away from something. Of course, judging from what she looks like on the cover.... this could be Ultimate Domino, but then again, it could be a whole swerve to make us think that. Either way I'm pumped to read issue #2 of Ultimate X this week. Click here for a preview of ULTIMATE X #2 ATTENTION BLADE RUNNER/DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SLEEP FANS! PHILIP K. DICK'S ELECTRIC ANT GETS THE COMIC TREATMENT COURTESY OF DAVID MACK & CO. THIS WEDNESDAY IN PHILLIP K. DICK'S ELECTRIC ANT #1! So, if you're anything like us here at Third Eye, you're probably a fan of Philip K. Dick's mindbending cyberpunk sci-fi awesomeness. The most famous of which being Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, which was then turned into the infamous cult hit, BLADE RUNNER (you know, with that Harrison Ford guy...). The fine folks at Marvel Comics are dishing out a killer comic book adaptation of Philip K. Dick's Electric Ant, and the main man behind the gorgeous KABUKI series, David Mack, is handling both the writing and art chores on this one, which means not only is it gonna read great, but it's gonna look AWESOME. For those of you unfamiliar with the story of Electric Ant, well, here's the scoop... Garson Poole had a pretty swell life: a good job, a nice pad, and a beautiful assistant. And, then he finds himself waking up in a hospital room after being in a car accident, and now... they can't treat him. Why? Because he's a robot! Specifically, Garson is an Electric Ant, a humanoid robot programmed to serve a specific function. But, WHAT that function is.. Garson doesn't know. Now, he's in a whole new world, where he's not sure how his friends and co-workers will respond to him knowing he's a machine, and not a person. And, just how much of his world and memories are real, and how much are artificial? All in all, this one should be a very cool cyberpunk read, and we're pretty stoked to give the first issue a read. Click here for a preview of PHILIP K. DICK'S ELECTRIC ANT #1 AVENGERS: THE ORIGIN #1 REVEALS THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE AVENGERS IN THIS FIVE ISSUE LIMITED SERIES FEATURING THE INCREDIBLE ART OF PHIL NOTO! Normally, when they do these little flashback mini-series, they suck pretty bad, and just take up space on the rack, which is why I never really highlight them on here. However, I have to admit, I'm pretty excited about this one, because of the creative team attached. Joe Casey, the writer, did two very cool takes on the Avengers a few years back with Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes I, and Earth's Mightiest Heroes II. And, now, we get to see him further explore the mythos, and back story of the Avengers. The thing that sounds cool about this one is how he plans on revealing things about the Origin of the Avengers that we've never known before. And, after seeing how Casey's been able to do stuff like this before with the Earth's Mightiest Heroes books, I'm pretty faithful about how this one's gonna turn out. The addition of Phil Noto as the series artist has me pretty optimistic as well. I LOVE Noto's stuff, and he just doesn't do enough work these days, so anytime he's doing something new, it's a big deal for me. Click here for a preview of AVENGERS: THE ORIGIN #1 BRIAN WOOD & BECKY CLOONAN'S DEMO CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY IN DEMO #3! THIRD EYE MUST-READ MATERIAL HERE, FOLKS! DEMO RULES! Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan's DEMO has been one of my favorite monthlies since it returned with DEMO #1 a couple months ago. There's just something to be said for nice, solid, self-contained one-shot stories, and Wood and Cloonan do a fantastic job of crafting each tale. They could easily stretch some of these stories and characters out into two or three issues, but they're able to tell a tight, quick, and satisfying story in the span of just 32 pages. What's this DEMO thing all about? Well, essentially, DEMO is a series of one-shots united by one theme: normal, everyday people in their late teens up into their early thirties who find themselves developing extraordinary abilities, which are sometimes a curse, and sometimes a gift. The thing that makes DEMO such a great read though is the strong focus Wood puts on developing his characters. In fact, you almost forget that these characters are put into these abnormal or extraordinary situations, and get more caught up in the actual existence of their every-day lives. And, while it takes a great writer to make the extraordinary exciting, it takes an even greater writer to make the every day ordinary exciting. The third installment of the current run of DEMO hits this Wednesday, and focuses on Marlo, a happy young woman who suffers from an extreme case of OCD who plots her daily travels through L.A with the help of an intricate system of post-it note instructions. But, then one day her system gets hacked, new notes appear, and it threatens to derail her entire existence completely. If you're curious about trying DEMO, each issue is a self-contained one shot, but for those of you (like myself) who need to have each issue as they go in order, we still have plenty of DEMO #1 and DEMO #2 to catch you up. Click here to read more about DEMO #3 VERTIGO CRIME: ABSOLUTION WRITER CHRISTOS GAGE DELIVERS A SERIAL KILLER EPIC IN THE VEIN OF SE7EN WITH A PARANORMAL TWIST! One of the sleeper hits of last year was the killer Avatar series, ABSOLUTION, which had a very cool "Dexter" meets "ROBOCOP" vibe going on in it. Well, the writer of ABSOLUTION, Christos N. Gage (who also has written several episodes of LAW & ORDER: SVU) will be delivering us the next killer installment in Vertigo's unique VERTIGO CRIME line of hardboiled crime noir graphic novels. I was lucky enough to get an advance of this a few months back, and I can say that I'd put this up there with some of the better Vertigo Crime books that've hit, like THE CHILL and FILTHY RICH. The story of AREA 10 is about a NYPD Detective named Adam Kamen who's pursuing a serial killer dubbed "Henry the Eighth" due to his predilection for chopping off and keeping the heads of his victims. But, here's the thing that makes the story neat.. there's a paranormal twist, where Kamen is stabbed in the forehead, injuring part of the brain called "Brodmann's area 10" which some ancient cultures believed expands the mind. This accidental "trepanning" gives Kamen headaches, plus what appear to be visions of the future and the past. Is Kamen enjoying enhanced awareness, or is he going insane? The writing on this is sharp, and carries the same kind of excellent procedural awesomeness that he showed in ABSOLUTION, and the artwork is a fantastic fit. It's nothing fancy, but it's clear, crisp, and tells the story so well that you almost forget you're reading a comic. If you've been enjoying the pulpy noir of the Vertigo Crime books, give this one a look this Wednesday. CATCH UP ON THE FLASH IN TIME FOR JOHNS'S NEW ONGOING FLASH SERIES THIS WEDNESDAY WITH FLASH SECRET FILES AND ORIGINS 2010 #1 Pumped for Geoff Johns's upcoming Flash ongoing series? Well, here's the perfect opportunity to get caught up on the Fastest Man Alive with this killer Flash one-shot written by Geoff Johns, and illustrated by the talented pens of Scott Kolins, and Francis Manapul. This one-shot leads directly into the new ongoing series, and folks, if you're a Johns fan who's pumped for the Flash we recommend checking it out. Plus, in addition to the different stories in this one-shot that set up for the new Flash ongoing series, you also get some very cool creator bios of many different Flash supporting characters and villains. Click here to read more about FLASH: SECRET FILES AND ORIGINS 2010 #1 IN THE AFTERMATH OF FALL OF THE HULKS, WORLD WAR HULKS BEGINS THIS WEDNESDAY IN WORLD WAR HULKS #1! So, at the conclusion of FALL OF THE HULKS, we saw the masterplan of the Intelligencia revealed.. well, sort of.. it looks like we've now got a whole slew of Gamma-irradiated Marvel Universe characters, and they're hoping to use them to kill the HULK. A-Bomb, Hulkpool, Cosmic Hulk, Red She-Hulk, Doc Samson.... good lord, so many Hulks, so little time. If you want some classic Beat'Em Up Marvel Magic with a cool, sleek yet kind of Silver Age twist to it, you need to be reading Marvel's Hulk stuff. Total fun, totally ridiculous, and totally bigger than life. The World War Hulks begins here in this issue, and kicks off what we can only hope is the lead up to the final reveal to just who the heck the Red Hulk and Red She-Hulk actually are. Click here for a preview of WORLD WAR HULKS #1 DEADPOOL CORPS BEGINS THIS WEDNESDAY INDEADPOOL CORPS #1, AND ALONG WITH IT COMES A VERY SPECIAL DEADPOOL & CABLE #25 ONE-SHOT! And, now, even more Deadpool madness hits the racks, as the Deadpool Corps begins after a month of Preludes, and it looks like the wackiness is going to be increasing tenfold. Featuring artwork by Rob Liefeld, the original creator of Deadpool, this one looks to be a must-read for any hardcore Deadpool fan out there. Click here for a preview of DEADPOOL CORPS #1 STAR WARS PURGE HIDDEN BLADE ONE-SHOT GIVES US MORE CLASSIC TRILOGY AWESOMENESS AS DARTH VADER HUNTS HIS PREY IN THE AFTERMATH OF EPISODE III before the events of EPISODE IV! I'm a sucker for good Star Wars stories that're set in the era of the classic Trilogy. Like many, I grew up as a Star Wars kid, and kinda fell out of the SW loop once they started doing the prequel movies. So, whenever Dark Horse does a comic that focuses on expanded universe stories featuring the original Trilogy characters and setting, I'm all over it. This week, in the Star Wars Purge Hidden Blade one-shot, which explores the events surrounding following after the events of EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH, but before the events of EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE, where Vader is dispatched by the Emperor to guard an Imperial facility from anti-Imperial natives. In the midst of this, Vader learns that a Jedi Master and his Padawan are in league with these natvies, and the hunt begins! This one is a must-read for any fans of classic Trilogy-era Vader. MORE DEADPOOL? YOU KNOW IT! DEADPOOL & CABLE #25 SHOWS DEADPOOL'S ROLE IN THE ASSISTING OF CABLE AND HOPE! And, as if that wasn't enough for you, we've got even MORE Deadpool this week with DEADPOOL & CABLE #25 (more deadpool, who'd thought?). Yes, apparently, Cable wasn't alone in taking Hope across the arctic wastes of Alaska, avoiding Predator X and the Purifiers, and this one-shot shows how Deadpool gave him the big assist in doing so. Click here for a preview of DEADPOOL & CABLE #25 CAPTAIN AMERICA & THE BLACK PANTHER: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS #1 EXPLORES THE FIRST MEETING OF CAPTAIN AMERICA and the BLACK PANTHER IN WORLD WAR 2! Man, it's a double dose of good flashback stories this week, first the Avengers Origin series, and now this cool-looking limited series exploring the first meeting of Captain America and Black Panther during the events of WWII. After looking at the killer artwork by one of our faves here, Denys Cowan, we think this one's gonna be a pretty solid read for anyone who's a big Cap or Black Panther fan. Plus, it's got Nick Fury and the Howling Commandos, and who doesn't like those guys? Click here for a preview of CAPTAIN AMERICA & BLACK PANTHER: FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS #1 NEW BOOM! SERIES (publishers of IRREDEEMABLE, and INCORRUPTIBLE) CODEBREAKERS DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY, AND LOOKS TO DELIVER ALL SORTS OF COOL ESPIONAGE, CODE-HACKING AWESOMENESS! A COOL CROSS BETWEEN QUEEN AND COUNTRY, THE DAVINCI CODE, AND NATIONAL TREASURE! The folks at BOOM have been doing a fantastic job of putting out some creative, and exciting new series. Of course, the big ones being IRREDEEMABLE and INCORRUPTIBLE, but they've also really impressed us with their take on the world of 28 DAYS LATER, and their Hellboy-Meets-Giant Monster Battle epic, THE ANCHOR. This Wednesday, BOOM's dishing out another new one that looks pretty cool in the form of a limited series called CODEBREAKERS. The way the preview reads, it kind of channels comics like THE LOSERS or QUEEN & COUNTRY meets blockbuster films like NATIONAL TREASURE and the DAVINCI CODE. Very cool, gritty, espionage stuff that'll definitely appeal to those of you like me who're fascinated by stories involving cryptography, and more. These are the guys who bust foreign spies on domestic soil, crack the code on drug and human trafficking, and work on shutting down mobsters. An elite Cryptanalysis Unit of the FBI who examine manually encrypted documents and records of illegal enterprises. Ciphers. Codes. Encryption. Passwords. The best of the best at breaking code, but what happens when one of their own goes missing? PETER BAGGE'S HATE ANNUAL #8 ARRIVES AT THIRD EYE! ONE OF MY FAVORITE SERIES (that rarely comes out) DELIVERS A WHOLE NEW HELPING OF CYNICAL, JADED FUN! Okay, so here's one of my long-running favorite comics of all-time, HATE. I grew up reading comics in the '90s, and in my opinion, that was when indie comix were really at their peak in terms of quality and fun. Now, don't get me wrong, I think it's great that comics that would've been considered indie back then are now as mainstream as can be. It means that people are more open to killer comics. But back then, there was a pretty thick line drawn between indie comics and mainstream comics, and there was a handful of indie comics that really personified that time period for me. Comics like HATE, Eightball, Optic Nerve, and the like were all the ones that really flew the flag of underground comix. And, they all had this really great, strong punk rock kind of feel to them. And, when you're a teenager, that's a powerful mix, ya know? Hate is Peter Bagge's masterpiece which focuses on the misadventures of lovable loser Buddy Bradley. Since the early days of HATE, we've watched Buddy go from an apathetic slacker in his early '20s, living in Seattle, broke, jaded, and miserable to a grown man now in his 30s, still kind of apathetic, still jaded, but maybe not AS miserable as back then. Either way, once every couple of years Peter Bagge treats us to a return to the world of Buddy Bradley with one of these big whoppin' HATE annuals. And, while it's bittersweet, 'cause I know it's the only HATE fix I'm going to get for the next two years, it's still always a very welcome sight when I see one solicited. Pick up HATE ANNUAL #8 this Wednesday, and try a sampling of some of the funniest, most awesome indie comix goodness out there. And, if you like what you read, we always keep the two trade paperbacks which collect Bagge's Hate run.. Buddy Does Seattle, and Buddy does Jersey. SPIDER-MAN: FEVER #1 - INDIE FAVORITE BRENDAN MCCARTHY DELIVERS A COOL, SLEEK NEW SPIDER-MAN SERIES THAT EVOKES THE PSYCHEDELIA OF CLASSIC STEVE DITKO AWESOMENSS! Brendan McCarthy is one of those guys who fall into the "Best Artist You've Never Heard Of" category. His work is incredible, but he's only done little bits and pieces here and there. A lot of work for 2000AD in the UK, along with a few Vertigo covers here and there, it's really a shame we don't get to see more of his incredible art. And, that is exactly why we're pumped to see this new SPIDER-MAN: FEVER mini-series that's kicking off this Wednesday. McCarthy is in true high form here, giving us a very cool psychedelic Steve Ditko-esque Spider-man story where the Wallcrawler finds himself abducted by a depraved tribe of spider-demons and taken off to a bizarre dimension, where they plan to eat him alive. Wait, hold up.. Spider-demons? Alternate dimensions? We told you guys this isn't your normal run-of-the-mill Spidey story. And, that's not all, this is where we get to see McCarthy's work really shine as he channels Steve Ditko-era Dr. Strange, and sends the Master of the Mystic Arts on a occult quest to rescue his friends. Click here to take a look at the preview of SPIDER-MAN FEVER #1,and see just how awesome this guy's art is! SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #5 BRINGS US CLOSER TO THE CONCLUSION OF GEOFF JOHNS AND GARY FRANK'S INCREDIBLE 21st CENTURY RE-TELLING OF THE MAN OF STEEL'S ORIGIN! ONE OF THE BEST SUPERMAN STORIES WE'VE EVER READ! Geoff Johns and Gary Frank have been delivering quite simply one of THE BEST Superman stories we've ever read. I mean, this is one of the comics we've found ourselves looking forward to more and more with each issue. And, I'm not even that big of a Superman fan to begin with! Seriously though, with SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN, Johns and Frank have streamlined the Man of Steel's origin, playing up the sense of wonder you'd get from Silver Age or Golden Age Superman, but at the same time doing it in such a modern, sleek way, that it doesn't feel dated or cheesy. I mean, the way this series reads, it feels like THIS could be the perfect Superman movie. It's very cool how Johns runs the parallel between Superman and Lex Luthor, following each of them as they grow into the roles that we've all come to know them in. The way the series is laid out is each issue focuses in on a pivotal point of the Man of Steel's life, while at the same time giving insight into what was going on with Lex Luthor at the same time. By providing this very cool duality, we're able to see how Luthor and Kent are the absolute opposites that could not exist without one or the other. The first issue shows us a young Clark Kent accidentally breaking a friend's arm in football, and then having his origins revealed to him by Ma and Pa Kent, then in the second, we fast forward to Kent as a teenager, seeing his first meeting with the Legion of Superheroes, and learning just what kind of legacy he's going to be leaving. The third issue so far was my favorite of the series, where we see Kent's first day in Metropolis. The way Johns wrote the meeting between he and Lois was incredible, and when you see that very first time he rips open his shirt to reveal the S before jetting off to save the day... you literally get chills. It's like watching a movie! And, this week, issue #5 looks to focusing on the origins of one of Superman's most classic foes, Metallo. Click here to read more about SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #5 Want to try the series? We currently have all the issues still available and in stock to get you caught up. Get CHEW #1 FOR FREE THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE COMICS! FIND OUT WHY THIS SERIES WAS THE BREAKOUT HIT OF 2009! Another great freebie we're going to be dishing out this Wednesday at Third Eye is the first issue of the breakout hit IMAGE series, CHEW. Chew is one of those series that we cannot get enough of, and continues to just get better, and better with every issue that comes out. It was by far Image's biggest hit of 2009, and with talks of a movie deal in the works, there is all kind of buzz surrounding the world of CHEW! What's the story on CHEW? Well, set in the near future, in a world where all poultry is illegal due to avian bird flu outbreaks, and a Prohibition-era environment has set in place for poultry products, Detective Tony Chu has his world upside down. See, Detective Chu is a cibopath, meaning he gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. So, if he eats a hamburger, he sees the cow getting his brains bashed out with a sledgehammer. Well, on a case once, Detective Chu is in a speak-easy that serves chicken, and to not blow his cover, he has the chicken soup... and then he sees images of women being murdered brutally. And, then he tracks down the killer, the killer offs himself, and he realizes he's gotta eat the guy to find out how they died. In steps the FDA, who are the equivalent of the ATF in this world, and so begins Detective's adventures eating the remains of murder victims to find out how they died. Get the first issue this week... FREE! WHAT'S THIS? ANOTHER FREE COMIC? THAT'S RIGHT, THIS WEDNESDAY, ALSO PICK UP THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE INCREDIBLE WOLVERINE: OLD MAN LOGAN SAGA BY MARK MILLAR & STEVE MCNIVEN! Another fantastic new series that ran last year was Mark Millar (writer of KICK-ASS, NEMESIS, CIVIL WAR) and Steve McNiven's (artist of CIVIL WAR, NEMESIS) OLD MAN LOGAN epic. Imagine Mad Max and the Unforgiven meets WOLVERINE. A post-apocalyptic landscape where nearly all the Marvel superheroes are dead, the Hulk and She-Hulk's inbred grandchildren run the West Coast like a crime family. It's 80 year old blind Hawkeye, and a Wolverine who hasn't popped his claws in nearly 50 years, travelling across this barren landscape in the spider-buggy.... and folks, it doesn't get better than this. Try the first issue FREE this Wednesday at Third Eye! DAVID LAPHAM'S SPARTA USA #2 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY AND FOLLOWS UP ON THE FIRST ISSUE OF THIS INTRIGUING NEW WILDSTORM TITLE! We're big David Lapham fans here at Third Eye, and we're pretty stoked on his new series from Wildstorm. Even though we were really sad to see Young Liars go, the first issue of SPARTA USA really kicked things off to a promising start. The concept of SPARTA USA is very surreal, basically, it's a U.S.A where the states are countries unto themselves, and Sparta, USA, is a state where people love football more than life itself. They worship it. They have kids for the sole purpose of them being football players. Underneath all of this though, it's the story of a town that's isolated from the rest of society, and where a bizarre dystopia exists. The thing that really made me dig the first issue was the incredible bewildering state it purposefully puts you in. There are some things that are very familiar in the small town that could be any place, but then you realize that time is measured in football seasons, and that this town with a population of under 10,000 has thirty minor league and twelve professional football teams. As part of the town's lore, the greatest player they'd ever seen, Godfrey McLaine, disappeared into the mountains surrounding the town and is thought to have been devoured by a Yeti. Yup. Yeti. See, no one leaves Sparta, and those who dare to try, end up dead. And, that's where we see Godfrey return from the mountains, and decide to begin a revolution. Lapham delivers a very cool, very interesting new series here, and we're really excited to see where the book goes next. MIKE MIGNOLA'S WITCHFINDER: IN THE SERVICE OF ANGELS TRADE PAPERBACK HITS THIS WEDNESDAY, COLLECTING MIGNOLA'S AWESOME "OCCULT JAMES BOND"-STYLE MINI-SERIES! A MUST FOR HELLBOY & BPRD FANS! Last summer, Mike Mignola gave us this killer limited series where he introduced the character of Sir Edward Grey, who kind of invokes all those great classic occult adventurers, like Carnacki The Occult Detective. The character originally appeared in Hellboy: Wake the Devil, and has been popping up periodically in BPRD here and there. This series was a testament to how well Mignola does a good job of making his universe of the weird and unexplained fresh, and exciting with every new series that arrives. The setting is Victorian England, and we see Sir Edward Grey, who kind of reminds you of an Occult James Bond, exploring some Rue Morgue-esque murders where several men have met utterly unexplainable deaths. Mignola does a terrific job of blending elements of detective yarns, as well as high adventure with horrific supernatural suspense. He paints a vivid picture of an ancient society rife with tons of Lovecraftian trappings. This one is a fantastic occult detective story, and we highly recommend giving it a shot if you're a fan of Mignola's other work, or just like a good, occult story to begin with. THE MARVEL ZOMBIES RETURN THIS WEDNESDAY IN MARVEL ZOMBIES 5 #1, AND THEY'RE BRINGING EVERYONE'S FAVORITE BEER-SWILLING ROBOT, MACHINE MAN, WITH THEM! OLD WEST OUTLAW ZOMBIE MADNESS! The Marvel Zombies just keep coming back from the dead, and this time, they're bringing the fan-favorite beer-swilling Machine Man along with them to dish out some heavy duty zombie retribution. This series looks to be more in tone with the events of Marvel Zombies 3 and Marvel Zombies 4, and gets back to the adventures of Machine Man as he's tearing through the zombieverse. And, in it, we're going to see him going head to head with the zombified versions of Two-Gun Kid, Phantom Rider, Kid Colt, and many more. Click here for a preview of MARVEL ZOMBIES 5 #1 STAFF PICKS Steve - X-MEN SECOND COMING #1 = This really delivered. It looks like they've finally realized the key to doing a good X-Men story: give people the team they want to see! The Alpha Team is the perfect X-Team for this day and age... a good mix of classic fan-favorites (Nightcrawler, Psylocke), new characters (X-23), and consistent stand-bys (Wolverine, Cyclops). The book read great, and I can't wait to see more! Trish - COWBOY NINJA VIKING #5 = This book has me feeling as schizophrenic as the title character. One minute I'm laughing, and the next I'm pulling my hair out at the cliffhanger at the end. Great combination of humor and story! Torma - BLACKEST NIGHT #8 = BRING ON BRIGHTEST DAY!!!!!! Matt - INCORRUPTIBLE #4= Mark Waid continues to build one of the coolest new superhero universes around. A great issue from start to finish, can't wait for the next one!