THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 5/5/10

BRIGHTEST DAY #1 *FREE WHITE LANTERN RING WITH PURCHASE!* ARRIVES, KICKING THE SUMMER OFF RIGHT COURTESY OF GEOFF JOHNS AND CO.! IF YOU LOVED BLACKEST NIGHT, MAKE SURE YOU'RE READING BRIGHTEST DAY! Issue #0 was just a taste. This Wednesday, the Brightest Day begins in grandiose fashion with BRIGHTEST DAY #1, and alongside it? The final Lantern ring to round out your power ring sets.. the White Lantern ring! Seriously though, I think it's pretty easy to say that this is one of the most highly anticipated books of the week. After reading BRIGHTEST DAY #0, I was completely sold on this event, and hooked to find out more, and more about what was to come. But, lets face it, this is the next logical progression in the storytelling that Geoff Johns blew us all away with in the 8 issue limited series BLACKEST NIGHT (still available in limited quantities here at Third Eye). There's no reason why we wouldn't be stoked to see where things are headed. And, after having read BRIGHTEST DAY #0, I gotta say, it looks like things are headed in some very exciting directions. This is the perfect time for new and old fans alike to enjoy the DCUniverse, as BRIGHTEST DAY serves as a fresh, and exciting ground zero jumping on point, but with enough links to the events of BLACKEST NIGHT to continue the storyline threads developed there. Not to mention that this is essentially, DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH. In a nutshell.. BRIGHTEST DAY is the resurrection of some key DCU characters, some major, some minor, in the aftermath of BLACKEST NIGHT. Basically, it's a ground-level rebuilding of the DCU, and is helping make characters that have either been neglected or inaccessible more fun to read. Of course, there's a very sinister plotline running through BRIGHTEST DAY, and here comes the real hook: Sometimes dead is better... okay, I know, Pet Semetary jokes aside, that's kind of the running theme in BRIGHTEST DAY. What if some of these characters were not meant to be resurrected? And, why were these select characters chosen by the White Ring's light to get a second chance? But, most importantly, what are the major ramifications of these character's returning in the grand scheme of the DC Universe. And, a look at that BRIGHTEST DAY #1 cover gives you a very haunting glimpse at what we're referring to. Why BRIGHTEST DAY is truly 100% Third Eye Must-Read Material? Well, first off.. it's GEOFF JOHNS. This guy writes some of the best damn superhero comics on the stands, and we've already seen that when it comes to DC Comics, he's the man. Now, picture this... Johns has been given a wide-open playground to basically rebuild the DC Universe. This is ground zero, and anyone who is a fan of rock-solid storytelling, and lest we not forget, the stellar art-team onboard, should be reading this series. Of course, there are a buncha tie-ins, and while we personally have been extremely pleased with the tie-in books, the only book you absolutely need to read to follow BRIGHTEST DAY is the core BRIGHTEST DAY title. But don't get me wrong, so far... the tie-ins have been freakin' great, especially GREEN LANTERN #53 and GREEN LANTERN CORPS #47. Now, secondly, it's a chance for us as fans to experience the truly unique experience of seeing the DC Universe as it's being rebuilt and restructured. In other words, if you've never followed a lot of DC, or you're an old fan who fell out of the loop, or maybe, you got hooked via BLACKEST NIGHT, then BRIGHTEST DAY serves as the perfect area to come aboard and find out how cool Geoff Johns's spin on the DC Universe is. In just one issue (referring to issue #0), he took a mix of characters that were familiar to us and then a little more unfamiliar, and gave them more life than they've seen in years. It's going to be pretty killer seeing this story evolve. Verdict on BRIGHTEST DAY So Far? I'm loving it, folks. I thought issue #0 was fantastic, and so far the books carrying the BRIGHTEST DAY banner have all been outstanding (Flash #1, Justice League #44, Green Lantern #53, and Green Lantern Corps #47). If you haven't given it a try yet, jump on this week with issue #0 (still in stock here at Third Eye), and BRIGHTEST DAY #1. And, finally.. BRIGHTEST DAY #1 comes with the White Lantern Power Ring! How could you not be stoked about that? I know everyone's itching to complete their sets, and this is the final piece that everybody needs... and hey, you get to read a killer comic in the process! :) Click here for the official THIRD EYE BRIGHTEST DAY CHECKLIST Click here to read more about BRIGHTEST DAY #1 IZOMBIE #1, FRESH NEW VERTIGO SERIES, DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY AT ONLY $1.00, AND IT'S FREAKIN' AWESOME! A LIVING DEAD GIRL DETECTIVE THAT HAS TO EAT BRAINS TO SOLVE CASES! FRESH AS HELL, THIS ONE DEFINITELY GETS THE THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL STAMP! Dude, for the last couple of years, Vertigo has been on a roll. They've been dishing out some of the freshest, and most innovative new series we're reading, and so far, very few have disappointed us here at Third Eye. This Wednesday, there's a new one coming out, and I was actually lucky enough to get a pre-read on this one, and I gotta tell you: it's BADASS. First off, I have always loved Mike Allred's artwork. And, while his stuff on Madman has always been some of my favorite stuff since I was a snot-nosed little punk, it's rare that we've gotten to see him really branch out from that area and do something as equally fresh and exciting as his work on MADMAN. Well, now he's getting his chance to show us what he's got all over again with this killer new Vertigo series, IZOMBIE. What's it about? I, ZOMBIE is a quirky series set in a world filled with paranormal creatures like werewolves, mummies and zombies. The story focuses on a young zombie girl named Gwen who uses her brain-munching tendencies to help others while at the same time putting a little cash in her pocket. See, Gwen learned quick that unless she eats a human brain once a month, then she begins to lose her own memories and personality and turns into shambling, growling ghoul like something out of Night of the Living Dead. But, ya know, she still doesn't want to run around munching on innocent peeps, so she takes a job as a gravedigger, and once a month, sneaks a quick bite on the freshest body in the cemetery. But, see, here's the catch, while the human brain helps keep Gwen's memories and personality intact, it also slowly "digests", and fills her head with the memories and personality of the former owner. So, she ends up finding herself compelled to finish any unfinished business that the dead person left behind. If they were murdered, she's gonna want to solve that murder. If they never told their pops they loved him, she wants to track down the grieving parents and make amends. The world of I, Zombie is filled with all sorts of other monsters, and creatures of the night, but given the same kind of unique spin that Gwen's received. Werewolves are people who find themselves overcome by the appetites and lusts of a wild animal. So, when the moon is full, they totally lose it. There's mummies, there's vampires, there's all sorts of craziness. And, folks, it's done in a way that works so well, I think you'll really dig it. It almost seems like someone is taking the FABLES formula of characters living in hiding amongst the real world, and applying it to monsters, and it really pops well. The writing in the first issue was very sharp, clever dialogue, and strong characterization. The plot points are very good at hooking you, and definitely carry a strong sense of fun to them. Allred's art is PERFECT for this as it captures both the creepiness and tension of the series, but also manages to play up some of the more light-hearted aspects as well. Plus, the first issue is only a buck, so it definitely can't hurt to try it, right? Click here to check out a preview of IZOMBIE #1 BATMAN AND ROBIN #12 *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE PROLOGUE CHAPTER 3* - THE FINAL INSTALLMENT OF THE PROLOGUE TO THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE! THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE BEGINS HERE! The Return of Bruce Wayne is probably one of the most highly anticipated story arcs of 2010, and the lead-up to it has been incredible. For the last couple of months, Grant Morrison has been paving the road for the RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE in his incredible BATMAN AND ROBIN series. Now, nevermind the fact that I feel BATMAN AND ROBIN is one of the best damn comics on the stands, and probably one of the most incredible takes on the world of BATMAN in a long time, but beyond all that, the RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE Prologue that began in BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 has really kicked things into high gear for the Caped Crusader. The addition of Andy Clarke as the artist for this story arc has been an excellent choice as well (probably the best artist on the book since Quitely's first arc, and that's saying something considering Cameron Stewart and Phillip Tan are both pretty damn good). I think what I've really dug the most about this arc has been the cool, Masterpiece Theater kind of take they've given the storyline. There's a real sense of detective work in how Dick Grayson and Alfred are trying to solve the mystery of Bruce Wayne being lost in time, and it's almost as if you're playing detective right alongside them, as Morrison delivers subtle clues throughout the book. Of course, there's the whole subplot of Damian being under the control of his mother, Talia, and being forced to kill Grayson, but we all know that the real story here is all the little tidbits dropped about Bruce Wayne. Things that will end up being crucial storyline elements, I'm sure, when the actual RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE mini-series begins next week. If you're looking to jump on board in time for the big RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE event, we've still got plenty of BATMAN AND ROBIN #11 and BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 in stock to get you caught up on the Prologue issues to the story arc. Issue #10 is a perfect jumping on point. Also, if you're curious about starting up on this incredible series from the very beginning, we've got ALL of the back issues (1-11) currently well-stocked, or you can just snag the BATMAN AND ROBIN hardcover which collects issues #1-6. Either way, we highly recommend checking out this crazy good series. The book just gets better, and better, and is really taking the world of Batman and his characters into new and exciting directions. The dynamic of Dick Grayson (Nightwing) as Batman, and Bruce Wayne's long-lost son, Damian (raised by the League of Assassins) as Robin has been one of the most interesting team dynamics in comics I think I've ever seen. There was a really cool part in the recent arc, where Grayson is talking about how he thinks he may have figured a way to bring Bruce Wayne back, and then Damian almost shows sadness, asking "Would we still be Batman and Robin?" It's kind of cool to see how he's adopted Grayson as a father figure in Bruce Wayne's absence. And, I think that's because Grayson seems more human, and not as shut-off as Bruce does, oh, and he's not lost in time, that helps, haha. The other thing that I really dig about Batman and Robin is it's truly a 21st century approach for Batman and Batman stories. While there were some fantastic stories in the '80s, and '90s, it felt like they'd taken the grim and gritty world to an extreme that was hard to get away from. While the character of Batman must always be the Dark Detective, it's cool to see this new approach and direction to his world. It's almost like Morrison has taken a stack of Silver Age '60s Batman comics and then smashed them all together with a healthy dose of sleek, post-modern comics storytelling to make something truly unique, fun, and compelling. Okay, it's obvious, Batman and Robin rules, and you gotta read it. I rave about it every time a new issue comes out. I know! For those of you already reading it, I'm a broken record, and you're like Steve, you're preaching to the choir, but man, this book is good stuff. Click here to check out a preview of BATMAN AND ROBIN #12 *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE PROLOGUE PT 3* ASTONISHING SPIDERMAN & WOLVERINE #1DEBUTS A CUTTING EDGE, EXCITING NEW LIMITED SERIES FEATURING TWO MARVEL CLASSICS BY "SCALPED" & "WOLVERINE: WEAPON X" WRITER JASON AARON and ADAM KUBERT - A THIRD EYE MUST BUY! Okay, this one's a big deal for a number of reasons, but we'll start with the creative team that's on board. Jason Aaron, writer of the critically acclaimed Vertigo series SCALPED, as well as the incredibly solid WOLVERINE: WEAPON X, and ADAM KUBERT, a comics art legend who's delivered incredible runs on everything from the Uncanny X-Men to Ultimate X-Men to Action Comics and Wolverine. This is a blockbuster creative team, folks, and it's definitely a creative team that's deserving of the "new" ASTONISHING banner that Marvel is delivering with this limited series and the soon-to-be-relaunched ASTONISHING X-MEN. Now, wait a second, I thought the whole Astonishing thing was just an X-Title thing, I know you're thinking. Well, it started out that way. See, Astonishing X-Men, at the time it came out, was the ONLY X-Book worth reading. But now, the bar has been raised, and the X-Books are actually kicking ass, and Astonishing is kind of lacking in identity, which is a shame 'cause it's still rocking hard. Marvel is trying something new here, basically think of books carrying the ASTONISHING tag as the equivalent to what DC has done with ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, or ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN. While it seems like the Astonishing books do fall into regular continuity, they provide rock solid, self-contained stories that deliver a kick-ass creative team doing kick-ass comics. And, to launch this banner, they've got ASTONISHING SPIDERMAN & WOLVERINE and ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS. This week, we're getting the Spidey/Wolvie book, and after having read the advance copy, I can tell you guys, it's pretty damn good. So, what's this all about then, huh? Well, the story starts off with a somewhat ridiculous premise... but it works, thanks to Aaron's knack for taking the quirky and making it compelling. We start things with Spidey and Wolvie living amongst early man and dinosaurs in the late cretaceous age. See, they both ended up in this timeline somehow during an incident set in the regular, current Marvel U. And, in this world, we see Logan has adopted the cavemen as his own tribe, teaching them things, whereas Spidey has kind of self-imposed his own exile, and is now seen as a "Spider-God" by the natives. The story sounds kooky, but it actually works very well, and Kubert's art really fits it nicely. We even get to see Spidey getting back to his old school roots a bit, which is nice. In fact, this is probably some of the best characterization I've seen of Spider-man in a while. I won't go any further into detail, but, the plot develops in an interesting way, and I wonder if this story might lay some clues on how they intend to bring back a certain fan-favorite way down the road. All in all though, this one reads like a REALLY good Spider-man story, and reminds you of the Spider-man you knew and loved way back when. Remember how Marvel would do those killer 4-issue Wolverine/Spider-man team-ups, or Spider-man/Incredible Hulk, or whatever? Yeah, it's like a VERY well-written, and super pretty version of one of those. In other words, it tickles the nostalgia bone, AND provides a good story at the same time. I, for one, am looking forward to reading more of this one! Click here for a preview of ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN AND WOLVERINE #1 SUPERMAN: WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #1FOLLOWS-UP THE FREE FIRST ISSUE THAT TOOK US ALL BY SURPRISE ON FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! SUPERMAN vs. GENERAL ZOD.. FINALLY! WOW! I really was taken by surprise with the WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #0 that we got here on FREE COMIC BOOK DAY this past Saturday. Honestly, I thought that DC had really set the bar pretty high last year with BLACKEST NIGHT #0, and while I don't think WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #0 beat that one out, it was still a FANTASTIC way to kick off this series and get people exposed to what looks to be a really cool storyline. Now, before we start, don't expect this one to be the large, year-long, universe-encompassing event that BLACKEST NIGHT was. Instead, this one feels more like a nice tight, short event that is going to set up for some incredibly cool stuff. At it's core, this is the final showdown between SUPERMAN and his infamous, longtime nemesis GENERAL ZOD. James Robinson and Sterling Gates really put forth a solid effort in introducing new readers to what's been going on in Superman's corner of the DCU. What grabbed me though, was Eddy Barrows's gritty Superman who shows that this is not going to be a clean fight between him and Zod. All in all, I was really impressed by the freebie, after expecting it to be more of the lame Daxamite and Kryptonian overkill. Anyways, enough rambling.. you're probably wondering (if you missed the WAR OF SUPERMEN freebie, which we still have in stock if ya wanna check it out) just what the hell this storyline's all about. Well, basically, it's Zod vs. Supermen, but Zod's heading to Earth with an army of hundreds of Superman-level superpowered beings and he plans on scorching it to the ground. And, of course, there's only Superman, and his supporting characters to stand in the way. All in all, sounds like a great way to kick things off, and I'm pretty excited to see what follows up on that #0 issue from FCBD. Click here for a preview of WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #1 "WALKING DEAD", "INVINCIBLE" & "HAUNT" WRITER ROBERT KIRKMAN DELIVERS A KILLER NEW ONE-SHOT THIS WEDNESDAY WITH PILOT SEASON: STEALTH! WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SUPERHEROES GET OLD AND BEGIN TO FALL APART? FIND OUT HERE! Oh man, here's one I've been pretty pumped about for some time. Ever since I got to the last page of that killer PILOT SEASON: DEMONIC one-shot a few months ago, I've been waiting for the next one of ROBERT KIRKMAN'S one-shots, and I think STEALTH is going to end up being one of the coolest ones yet. The main character of the book, is a young man named Todd Carey whose life is falling apart around him: he's recovering from a bitter divorce, his daughter is flunking out of college, and his father has been diagnosed with Alzehimer's disease. And, then, in the midst of all these problems, a famous masked vigilante known as STEALTH comes forward... and reveals that he's Todd's ailing father. See, his dad has to move in with him so Todd can take care of him, and he learns pretty quick that his father was Stealth. And, despite it all, his father is STILL trying to go out and fight crime, but he's doing it to disastrous results due to his Alzheimer's disease. And as you can imagine, this is a real burden for Todd, who is not sure how to handle what could be a terrible (unintentional) threat to society. The preview I read reads very well, and the artwork fits the story perfectly. They're able to make teh character look badass when he's in the Stealth suit, but it's also credible to believe that there's an old, senile man in the suit. Very cool character-driven pacing, and plus... who doesn't want to see a crazy old guy flying around and unintentionally causing disasters while his sun exasperatedly tries to save the day? BRIAN WOOD AND BECKY CLOONAN CONTINUE TO IMPRESS US MONTH AFTER MONTH WITH DEMO! MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT DEMO #4THIS WEDNESDAY! Man, the more Demo I get, the more I want. I'm kinda bummed to think that this round of DEMOs is just a six-issue stint, and I really hope Wood and Cloonan return to do more sometime in the future. Not reading DEMO? Well, let me give you the lowdown on WHY this comic kicks so much ass... the concept: average, everyday people in their late teens up into their early 30s who have something extraordinary happen to them, or develop inside them. Basically, a real world approach to superpowers, but, the book doesn't focus on that aspect of things at all, instead it takes a very cool, very introspective look at how normal people deal with unusual life situations. In other words, if you woke up tomorrow and could shoot death rays from your eyes... you probably wouldn't go out and save, or conquer the world. You'd probably walk around figuring out how not to look at something and turn it into a smoking cinder of bones and ash. Anyways, each issue of DEMO stands on it's own as a one-shot story. 32 pages. That's it. That's all you get. This means you can pretty much jump in or out with whichever issues you want, but once you read one: you'll wanna read 'em all. The only thing that ties the issues together is the theme of exploring normal people put into extraordinary situations. Past examples include the girl who can't stop dreaming about someone who's falling, becoming obsessed, and learning that these are visions, and then... well, I can't say anymore.. Or the boy who can't eat, who goes to disturbing lengths to get closer to the girl he's in love with.. And, this week, we get to see the tale of a young man named Colin who's been murdered by the local youth, or has he? DEMO #4: WATERBREATHER takes the revenge fantasy to new and disturbing heights as Colin grows up with a huge secret and crushing guilt, as well as a feeling that he doesn't belong on the surface of the Earth. If you're looking to check out DEMO, we still have all the previous issues in stock, so give 'em a peek! Click here to read more about DEMO v.2 #4 ZENESCOPE (PUBLISHERS OF "THE WAKING", "RETURN TO WONDERLAND", AND "NEVERLAND") PUTS THEIR UNIQUE TWIST ON THE STORY OF DANTE'S INFERNO THIS WEDNESDAY IN GRIMM FAIRY TALES: INFERNO #1 Zenescope's "Wonderland" and "Neverland" series are big guilty pleasures of our's here at Third Eye, and it's pretty exciting to see them heading into some new territory this Wednesday with the upcoming GFT Presents INFERNO limited series which gives us that horrifyingly twisted yet tongue-in-cheek fun Zenescope take on DANTES INFERNO. The Zenescope crew always deliver the freshest art, along with some fun, darkly humorous stories, and with Inferno, it looks like we'll be watching the story of a girl named Grace must go down into her own Dante's Inferno as she battles her demons. A must-read for all of you who dig the "Wonderland" books, "Neverland", and "The Waking." INCORRUPTIBLE VOLUME 1 TRADE PAPERBACK ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY COLLECTING THE FANTASTIC COMPANION SERIES TO MARK WAID'S IRREDEEMABLE! WE'VE SEEN THE GOOD GUYS GO BAD, BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE BAD GUY GO GOOD? You've been hearing me rave on and on and on for months about both IRREDEEMABLE and INCORRUPTIBLE, and this Wednesday, you can find out just why we're so big on this series when you check out INCORRUPTIBLE VOLUME 1. This trade paperback collects the first four issues of the companion series to Waid's "Superman gone Evil" epic, IRREDEEMABLE, and folks, trust me when I tell you that this is some seriously killer, high voltage post-modern superhero storytelling here. Waid takes the same care and approach that he does with IRREDEEMABLE, of taking the good guy, and deconstructing him, showing the reasons why he's gone wrong, and just how wrong he's gone, and applies that in reverse to the world of INCORRUPTIBLE. See, the story of INCORRUPTIBLE is that of supervillain Max Danger who when faced with the Plutonian's descent into fiery madness, decides that, in his words, somebody has to "step up." And, so Max Danger becomes Max Daring, and we see him try to do the "right" thing in every "wrong" way you can possibly imagine. And, that is what makes the story so compelling.. just like we've watched the Plutonian completely go unhinged, but in a tragic way, we watch as someone with a very simplistic view of the world (very similar to the Plutonian) tries to make sense of it.. but in his own, damaged way. I mean, the simple changing of his name from Danger to Daring, as if that changes his nature... is a good example of that. There's also the relationship between Max Daring and his sidekick, Jailbait, who he cuts his personal relationship off once he decides to walk the road of the righteous, but keeps her on as his sidekick, because he knows she'd do more harm than good on her own. All in all, INCORRUPTIBLE is just as good as IRREDEEMABLE, and it's really hard to say which one I like more. They both read very nice, and the shared universe that exists between the two books is forming nicely. It's truly an organic, and natural growth of a new, and original superhero universe, unlike the forced growth that a lot of smaller publishers do right off the bat. So, give INCORRUPTIBLE a shot this Wednesday and find out why we're so jazzed about it! UNCANNY X-MEN #524 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 6* - AFTER THE HEARTBREAKING END OF LAST WEEK'S X-FORCE #26, THE SECOND COMING CONTINUES.. IS RETRIBUTION ON THE WAY? Dude, SECOND COMING has been like, the best friggin' X-MEN storyline in many, many years. I haven't been this excited about X-MEN comics since I was like 14 or 15. Marvel has really managed to capture that sense of awe, excitement, and well, the most badass characters we all grew up with so well with this crossover, and I really can't wait to see what comes next. And, trust me, folks, after last week's X-FORCE #26 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 5*... this is all really bittersweet for me, because one of my favorite X-Men characters totally bit it. I won't say who, 'cause ya know, no spoilers, right? But, seriously, man, I was sad to see them get taken out. However, this whole friggin' storyline has been so good, and the fact that it's been so well-written that it made me care enough about the characters and events in the first place, well, crap, I'm sold, I'm hooked, I think you've done it Marvel.. you've finally made the X-MEN cool again (without Joss Whedon's help this time). Anyways, the SECOND COMING rages on this Wednesday in the pages of UNCANNY X-MEN #524, with SECOND COMING CHAPTER 6. I just got done reading the advance of this one, and dude, holy crap, whattatearjerker. Again, I'm trying to keep the spoilers to a minimum, but, man, this was a well-written issue, and a very nice middle-point for the SECOND COMING. For those of you who aren't yet familiar with SECOND COMING, it's a crossover event following the arrival of a young mutant girl named Hope. See, in the post-House of M Marvel Universe, she was the first and last mutant born since M-Day, and is believed to be the great hope for the survival of the mutant race. Of course, all those classic X-Men baddies like Bolliver Trask, Cameron Hodge, and so forth are out for her blood... And, now that she's here in the present, the X-Men have to keep her safe, to complete her mission. All in all, the series has been fantastic, and folks, again, we highly recommend it. Wanna jump onto the SECOND COMING? We've currently got plenty of all the chapters in stock here at Third Eye to get you caught up. Click here for the official THIRD EYE X-MEN SECOND COMING Checklist Click here for a preview of UNCANNY X-MEN #524 *X-MEN SECOND COMING PT 6* THE KILLER: MODUS VIVENDI - IF THERE WAS EVER A COMIC THAT CAPTURED THE FEEL OF THE MOVIE "LEON THE PROFESSIONAL", THE KILLER IS IT! THIRD EYE BRINGS YOU SOME INTERNATIONAL COMIC NOIR GOODNESS! One of comics best kept secrets is the French comic series, THE KILLER, which follows the day to day life of an unnamed assassin. Archaia has been bringing these over to the U.S for the last couple of years, and we're pretty pumped to see the newest one kicking off this week. The subtle, soft art combined with the talented storytelling of this series make for one hell of an engrossing read. A pure noir treat that grabs you by the collar, and pulls you in head first. In the very first arc of THE KILLER (Which we have available in graphic novel here at Third Eye), the writer introduces us to the Killer as he comes to the end of one part of his life. We learn how he rose to power from a college student, and then we get carried through several assignments he's on. The real trick about the Killer that makes it such an engrossing series is how the Killer is not a one-dimensional character. We see how he has hopes of getting out of the business to start a new life. Of course, if it was that easy, then there'd be no story to tell. The coloring, the panel layout, the art, the whole thing really makes for a fantastic read, and captures the sobering solitude and risk of what a REAL contract killer would feel perfectly. And, trust us, this guy is as cold as they come, but even so, the story is so well written, you can almost feel an empathy for the character and his goal: retirement by choice, not by death. This newest series, MODUS VIVENDI, serves as a nice entry point for new readers. We'd recommend giving this one a try, and t hen if you dig it, checking out the earlier graphic novels. The story kicks off with the Killer as he reappears on the scene, with no reasoning for why... boredom, fatigue, bad planning? An old associate recommends him for a quick-and-dirty freelance job. Kill a banker, and an international oil broker, simple as that. But, when he finds out his final target is a nun... things get tough. If you're into the darker, crime noir-esque stuff, we recommend giving THE KILLER: MODUS VIVENDI a look this Wednesday. X-MEN: SECOND COMING - REVELATIONS: HELLBOUND #1 - MAGIK RETURNS TO LIMBO, AND THE SOULSWORD'S IN PERIL AS BASTION IS ON THE HUNT! Speaking of X-MEN SECOND COMING, we get a nice double whammy of SECOND COMING awesomeness this week as the first issue of X-MEN REVELATIONS: HELLBOUND hits the stands. Now, lets face it, I think a lot of us grew up with Magik as one of our favorites, and whenever she gets some of the spotlight, it's always a must-read on that fact alone. But, this little 3-part limited series, which shows us Magik, gravely injured, and instinctively fleeing to the sanctuary of Limbo.. only to fall into the hands of one of her longtime adversaries, has got us pretty intrigued. All those old Magik and Limbo storylines kicked ass, and to see a return to that world set against the backdrop of Second Coming is awesome. From what I've read in the advance, it's pretty much a small sub-team of the X-Men sent into Limbo to rescue her, but they've gotta cut a path through hordes of blood-thirsty demons. As for how it read? Very good, not just the run-of-the-mill mid-event filler stuff, ya know. I think this one's gonna be a cool little three-parter. The fact that one of the main writers helming SECOND COMING, Chris Yost, is taking care of the writing chores is definitely a big plus. Click here for a preview of X-MEN: SECOND COMING REVELATIONS: HELLBOUND #1 WALKING DEAD HARDCOVER VOLUME 5 FINALLY HITS THE SHELVES THIS WEDNESDAY! AND TRUST US, FOLKS, IT IS WELL WORTH THE WAIT! It's always a cause for celebration and rejoice whenever a slab of WALKING DEAD arrives, whether it's in trade paperback, or if it's in hardcover.. there's so many people who eagerly await one format or the other, or sometimes both formats, that we just gotta share the exciting news with 'em! And, what more can be said about WALKING DEAD than what we've said a million times before... this is one of the BEST comic books on the shelves. Month after month, it remains a consistently favorite read here at Third Eye, and never, ever lets us down. I mean, it's not just a good zombie story, or a good survival horror story, or whatever, it's a GOOD story. The characters, the plot, the pacing, it's all so well put together, that it just pulls you in and does not let go. Seriously, I've been accused of being a crack dealer for turning people onto WALKING DEAD, that's how good it is. The story? It's simple... what happens when the Zombie movie ends. And, that's where the beauty is... the characters, the solid writing, the punch in the gut plot twists, these are just a few of the things that really make WALKING DEAD so damn fun every month. If you haven't read it yet... get the first hardcover, or the first softcover, or WHATEVER, and give this one a go. We keep plenty of all the volumes, in all formats, available here at Third Eye.. at all times. :) And, for those of you who're already in the know, we'll see you Wednesday for your WALKING DEAD 5 fix. AVENGERS THE ORIGIN #2 CONTINUES JOE CASEY AND PHIL NOTO'S FRESH, AND FUN 21st CENTURY RETELLING OF THE AVENGERS ORIGINS! If you haven't checked out the first of this 5-issue limited series, then you are seriously missing out on some really cool stuff. While they're not exactly re-inventing the wheel here with AVENGERS: THE ORIGIN, this limited series serves as a very cool, fresh, streamlined look at the early days of the Avengers. The real standout here though is Phil Noto's incredible artwork, and when you combine that with Casey's knack for respecting the history of the characters but also infusing a jolt of life and energy into their origins, it makes for a pretty fun Marvel read. Click here for a preview of AVENGERS: THE ORIGIN #2 ULTIMATE COMICS NEW ULTIMATES #2FOLLOWS UP THE FIRST ISSUE OF JEPH LOEB & FRANK CHO'S KILLER NEW ULTIMATES TITLE! The first issue of NEW ULTIMATES was a pleasant surprise, and between this and ULTIMATE X, I'm pretty impressed that Loeb may finally be on his way back to the higher caliber stories he'd told in the past. I think a big part of this is due to the fact that the Ultimate Universe gives him a wide open playground to do what he does best, and that's take a killer artist, and just go crazy with bigger-than-life over-the-top smashmouth superhero action. And, after the first issue of NEW ULTIMATES, I gotta say, he's on the right track. The artwork on this book is INCREDIBLE. I mean, it's FRANK CHO, so that's saying something right there, but man, he is really on point here. I just finished the Advance of issue #2, and it's pretty awesome. Frank Cho draws everything he does so damn good. You've got Ka-zar and Shanna the She-Devil flying around on dragons, and fighting Asgardian monsters. And, when we say monsters, we mean TONS AND TONS AND TONS of monsters. Not to mention, there's tons of lovely ladies, and we know Cho does a great job in that department as well. I don't want to drop too many spoilers, but, all I can say is that if you want an over-the-top high-action Marvel book in the vein of Ultimatum, then give NEW ULTIMATES a look. If you missed #1, we still have limited quantities in stock to get you caught up! Click here for a preview of ULTIMATE COMICS NEW ULTIMATES #2 STAFF PICKS Steve - Green Hornet #3 = This one may be a little surprising, 'cause I've been kind of on the fence about this series. The first couple issues were good, but this third issue was the payoff. It might've been my favorite read last week. The Kato moment is too cool, and folks, if you're not reading this series, now you have a reason to start 'cause of how badass an issue #3 was! Trish - WALKING DEAD #71 = Are you surprised? This one automatically makes pick of the week whenever it comes out. And, it was another great issue! Torma - THOR #609 *SIEGE* = Thor just becomes better, and better as a series, and the SIEGE tie-ins have been great. If you aren't reading this series, I recommend picking up with THOR #607 and catching up from there since that's where the current arc begins. Great art, and great story here! Matt - ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2 #1 = Leinil Yu's art is INCREDIBLE, and even though it's only one issue in, I think I like this Ultimate Avengers run way better than the one that just ended.