THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 5/19/10

*THIRD EYE MUST BUY* by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & JOHN ROMITA JR KICKS OFF THIS WEDNESDAY, USHERING IN MARVEL'S "HEROIC AGE", AND WE'RE CELEBRATING IT BY HOSTING AN OFFICIAL AVENGERS DAY! THE HEROIC AGE IS HERE! A PERFECT JUMPING ON POINT FOR NEW AND OLD READERS ALIKE! One of the biggest, and most anticipated series relaunches is set to happen this Wednesday, and we could not be more stoked about it, folks. In the aftermath of SIEGE, Marvel has officially made the shift into a new direction of stories, and themes for the Marvel Universe. And, the debut issue of AVENGERS this Wednesday is the perfect place to jump onboard with the HEROIC AGE. And, folks, we got out our special advance copy last week to read, and review, and I have to tell you: this series is going to rock so freakin' hard it's not even funny. What's The Deal With AVENGERS #1 and WHY You Must Read It? First of all, this is the Avengers book that I think we as fans have been clamoring for since the moment CIVIL WAR ended. While there's no doubt that the past decade of Marvel stories have been some of the best around, it's no secret that we've all wanted to see the heavy-weights, the classic AVENGERS reunite. See, ever since the beginning of the 2000s, we've seen the Avengers splintered and fragmented into various teams and incarnations. We've seen them at each other's throats. We've seen them accusing each other of being Skrulls. And, we've seen them as fugitives under Norman Osborn's reign. And, while all of these stories were fantastic, and did a great job of shaking things up, I think nearing the end of Dark Reign, we as Marvel fans were all ready for one thing: to hear the words Avengers Assemble, and see Cap, Thor, Iron Man, Hawk-Eye, and the rest of the gang forming together. And, now, with the newly relaunched Avengers title, we're getting exactly what we wanted. Now, what's the role of the new AVENGERS title? This is THE go-to title for the Marvel Universe, folks. In other words, if you're looking for a flagship book to follow in the advent of Marvel's HEROIC AGE, then this is it. This is the book that focuses on Marvel's big guns, the top players of the Marvel Universe, and this is the book where you'll be seeing those world-threatening storylines unfold. AVENGERS #1 is also special in the regard that it serves as a fantastic jumping on point for anyone who has been curious about getting into the Marvel Universe. The book is tight, it's self-contained, but at the same time manages to contain all of the big, craziness of the Marvel U. The best part is whether you've been keeping up on all the current events of the Marvel Universe, or if you're just getting into these stories, Avengers does a great job of catching you up to speed, and throwing you into the story without making you feel lost or confused as to what's going on. And, now, in regards to just how the book is.. IT'S FANTASTIC. Brian Michael Bendis and John Romita JR deliver pure, unadulterated Marvel magic in every single page, and the first issue of this read very nicely. Romita's art is PERFECT for the kind of story Bendis is telling here, and I haven't had this many "HOLY $@%@" moments in a comic in a very long time. I mean, it's big, it's bold, it channels that kind of Marvel energy that made you love comics as a kid, and when you get to the last page, the surprise reveal will KILL you. I mean, it's freakin' awesome. The book does an outstanding job of introducing readers to what's going on, and right from the get go, you get to see the team put together, and see the reasons on why it consists of who it does. You also see a little bit of the groundwork that comes together in regards to the other Avengers teams (Secret Avengers, New Avengers), and it's very cool to be caught up to speed in that way. But, at it's core the first issue of the new Avengers run was good because it was a fun, bigger-than-life, smashmouth kind of read. It's action-packed, it's got some very cool surprises from classic Marvel characters, and it ends on a fantastic cliffhanger. There's also some interesting nods to newer characters that you may be familiar with in the book as well, which helps spice things up a bit. All in all, I was really impressed with the first issue, and I'm really on the edge of my seat after the big cliffhanger at the end. Bendis's plotting, and dialogue is on-point throughout the entire issue, and he really writes the kind of story you wanna see John Romita JR draw. And, speaking of that... Romita has never looked better. It's no secret that I'm a huge Romita JR fan, and I love the energy that he brings to the page, and with the first issue of Avengers, we get to see him draw all the kinds of stuff you like to Romita JR draw. In other words, big, bad superpowered people smacking the hell out of each other. Final Verdict - AVENGERS #1 is a must-read, whether you're a Marvel fan, a DC fan, or a non-superhero fan who's been looking for a great opportunity to try some pure, raw unfiltered pulp hero action... this is a great book, and we can't recommend it enough. Pick it up this Wednesday at Third Eye, and find out just what the heck we're raving about! Click here for a preview of AVENGERS #1 AVENGERS DAY THIS WEDNESDAY 5/19/10 - FREE JOHN ROMITA JR PRINTS, EXCLUSIVE COVERS, AND 20% OFF *ALL* AVENGERS-RELTAED GRAPHIC NOVELS (this includes stuff like CIVIL WAR, SECRET INVASION, as well as any IRON MAN, THOR, CAP, ect) Man, we got so wrapped up in talking about how much we dug AVENGERS #1, that we almost forgot to tell you about our special AVENGERS DAY event this Wednesday! Yup, in celebration of the launch of AVENGERS #1, Third Eye has been chosen as one of the premiere hosts of AVENGERS DAY. What does this mean? It means we've got all kinds of cool swag to give out, and we're going to be having a killer Avengers-themed sale! So, check this out: *Get here early to get an exclusive AVENGERS DAY PARTY-ONLY cover to AVENGERS #1(supplies are limited) *The first 75 attendees purchasing AVENGERS #1 will receive a FREE JOHN ROMITA JR limited edition print! *20% OFF ALL Avengers and Avengers-related graphic novels (this means Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Secret Invasion, Civil War, hell, ANYTHING with ANY of the Avengers in it.:) ect ect) AVENGERS CAKE! :) So, come on by this Wednesday, score your copy of AVENGERS #1, some free swag, and take advantage of our killer Avengers Day sale. And, save room for cake! :) BRIGHTEST DAY #2 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* - IT'S OFFICIAL, BRIGHTEST DAY RULES HARD, AND WE CANNOT WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S NEXT! AQUAMAN HAS NEVER BEEN COOLER, SERIOUSLY. Okay, after reading last week's BRIGHTEST DAY #1, I'm sold. This is going to be one hell of a killer story. I mean, I'll admit, I was skeptical when they first announced who some of the characters were that were going to be getting major focus in BRIGHTEST DAY. Aquaman has never really stood out as a must-read kinda guy, except for maybe a couple of great runs here and there. However, after the first two issues of BRIGHTEST DAY, I've gotta say: they've made the King of the Seas cooler than he's ever been. Thanks, Geoff Johns. Seriously though, they've incorporated a new dynamic to the Aquaman character who seems to still be in touch with his Black Lantern roots. I mean, pictures speak louder than words, and seeing Aquaman resurrect a gigantic, dead squid from the sea was incredible. Anyways, it's not just Aquaman though that's getting the coolness factor upped by BRIGHTEST DAY. The story's focus on Deadman has been intriguing, Hawkman and Hawkgirl's story continues to evolve, and the ending of BRIGHTEST DAY #1 with a classic DCU villain resurfacing... pretty damn cool. Of course, amidst all of this, we can't overlook the fact that the central story of BRIGHTEST DAY that continues to keep us hooked is the saga of Hal Jordan, Sinestro, and Star Sapphire as they try to solve the Excalibur-like problem of the White Lantern that's embedded itself in a crater here on Earth. It's the mystery of the White Lantern, and just who is considered to be a ring-bearing White Lantern (other than the mysterious situation Deadman's in) that really has me hooked. All in all, BRIGHTEST DAY is continuing to kick ass, and is definitely proving to be a worthy follow-up to BLACKEST NIGHT. The level of writing from GEOFF JOHNS, and the killer artwork by IVAN REIS and co. is top notch, and in all honesty, I was gonna go through withdrawal without something to follow up the awesomeness of BLACKEST NIGHT. What is BRIGHTEST DAY? BRIGHTEST DAY is the follow-up story to BLACKEST NIGHT, but it's also a fantastic jumping on point for those of you who might be new to the DC Universe. See, at the end of BLACKEST NIGHT #8, several key DC characters who'd been resurrected as BLACK LANTERNS ended up being restored to their old selves, and given a second chance at life. In doing so, the question that's being asked now though in BRIGHTEST DAY is what if some of these characters were supposed to stay dead? You know, that age old Pet Semetary kind of thing... sometimes dead is betterrr.. :) The thing that's cool though about BRIGHTEST DAY, other than the fact that it's a killer follow-up to the epic BLACKEST NIGHT, is that it really does serve as a nice ground-zero jumping on point for the DCUniverse. Geoff Johns coined the term "DCU Rebirth" as to how he would describe BRIGHTEST DAY, and he couldn't be more on point with it. We're basically seeing many integral elements of the DCU that didn't work before being rebuilt now so that they work better. And, if anyone was qualified to do this, it's Geoff Johns. The man knows how to write, and we don't think we've seen anyone with a better handle on how the DCU and it's characters work than Mr. Johns. If you missed BRIGHTEST DAY #0, or BRIGHTEST DAY #1 *Free White Ring With Purchase!*, we've still got plenty of both in stock to get you caught up. So, hop aboard this Wednesday and find out just what the heck we're all raving about! Click here to read more about BRIGHTEST DAY #2 STEPHEN KING'S AMERICAN VAMPIRE #3ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY, AND CONTINUES ONE OF THE BEST TAKES ON VAMPIRES WE'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME! Dude, if you're not reading AMERICAN VAMPIRE, you have gotta check this one out. One of the most compelling, and interesting takes on Vampires we've seen in a long time here at Third Eye is going down in this book, and honestly, we feel this one is going to turn into the "Walking Dead" of Vampires. Co-writer Scott Snyder has already announced that he's got big plans for where this one's headed, and that he intends for it to be a very long-running series, which means we're going to see plenty of room for storyline development, character growth, and more. And, folks, that's awesome, because after two issues of this series, I'm hooked, it's become one of my favorites, and after last month's issue #2... I'm fiending to read issue #3 this week. So, why are we so hooked on this new Vertigo series? Well, okay, I'll admit, the first thing to intrigue me about the book was the fact that this is officially STEPHEN KING's FIRST real, original comic work. It's not just his name attached to the series, folks, he's actually writing this book alongside Scott Snyder. And, that was the hook that drew me in, plus the actual story concept did sound cool. And, then, I read issue #1, and was so impressed with the story, the art, and the overall presentation, that I was pulled in by that alone. But, then, I got to issue #2, and dude... what happens in the first half of the book, in regards to Skinner and Pearl... so damn cool, so intriguing, that I was 100% sold. This is a good book. The reason it's good? It's taking the often overused angle of vampire fiction, and applying a new direction, a new twist, and a new feel to it. The concept is basically about how the disease that creates a vampire has different effects on individuals from different regions of the world. And, as we learn in the story, Skinner Sweet, a bastard of an Old West outlaw is the FIRST American Vampire, hence the title. And, the storytelling of the comic is fantastic, as we see two tales being told in one book. The first half of the book focusing on the "present" which is the roaring 1920s, and the second half focusing on the Old West, and Skinner's origin (as well as the development of some of the more dastardly vampires). The way these two tales are told, and connect to one another do a great job of moving the story along, and sucking you into the events. So far, we've learned that not all vampires are affected by sunlight the same way, nor are they affected by old vampire afflictions like being buried underwater. In fact, we've learned many things so far, but... ..the real stand-out moment of the series so far was definitely the first half of last month's issue #2 where Skinner has turned Pearl, and left her with a list of the men responsible for draining her blood, and telling her to figure out the rest. That was fantastic. Anyways, I'm rambling, I tend to do that when I talk about a series I'm really digging, so sorry about that! If you missed out on AMERICAN VAMPIRE #1, and #2, don't sweat it, 'cause we got plenty of both in stock here at Third Eye. So you can snag issues 1-3 this Wednesday to get good and caught up! Click here to read more about AMERICAN VAMPIRE #3 Click here to read an interview with AMERICAN VAMPIRE co-writer, SCOTT SNYDER that we did. INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #26 *RESILIENT CHAPTER 2* THIRD EYE MUST BUY* - THE HEROIC AGE CONTINUES IN THIS BOLD, NEW CHAPTER OF MATT FRACTION & SALVADOR LARROCCA'S INCREDIBLE IRON MAN RUN! Okay, now, it's no secret that I have been a die-hard supporter of Matt Fraction and Salvador Larroca's incredible 25 issue (and counting!) run on INVINCIBLE IRON MAN. I mean, these guys made me go from a sorta-Iron Man fan to a full-on "Invincible Iron Man is my favorite monthly Marvel book!" kinda fan. That's how good their runs been. And, I mean, I went into it being completely unaware of what had recently been going on with Iron Man, and as a testament to how good these guys have been on the book, all I needed was INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1, and I was sold. Seriously though, this is good comics, folks. And, with last month's INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25, Fraction and Larocca provided readers with the PERFECT jumping on point to the series, while at the same time kicking off an INCREDIBLE new story arc called RESILIENT. Hell, they even put ol' shellhead in some new armor, and I gotta be honest.. I dig the new duds. I'm always weary when they change a character's armor or costume, because to be honest, sometimes it seems gimmicky, but I really do like not just the look of the new Iron Man armor, but also how it affects Tony Stark and how he operates it. So, you're probably asking, Okay, so what's up with this new story arc, and what do I need to know to jump aboard? Okay, well, first off, what you need to know is that over the last 6 months to a year, in the World's Most Wanted saga, Iron Man has been on the run from Norman Osborn, and then after lobotomizing himself to prevent Osborn from tinkering with his brain, he was comatose. These events took part in INVINCIBLE IRON MAN: WORLDS MOST WANTED (available in trade paperback as INVINCIBLE IRON MAN: WORLD'S MOST WANTED BOOK 1, and INVINCIBLE IRON MAN: WORLD'S MOST WANTED BOOK 2) and STARK DISASSEMBLED (Invincible Iron Man #20-#24, now in stock here at Third Eye). Anyways, long story short, Tony Stark was brought out of his coma, and had his brain restored with an older "back-up" copy of his brain. And now, here we are in resilient. Chunks of Stark's memory are missing, including much of what happened in regards to CIVIL WAR. And, here we have Justin Hammer's daughter selling her own version of the Iron Man armor known as Detroit Steel to the U.S Military, and of course, we know she's not on the up and up here. Tony's stopped dealing in weaponry altogether, and begins to rebuild his company with a new philosophy. There's also a very killer interaction between Thor, and Stark that leads to the two settling their differences. And, so Resilient begins with a bang, as Iron Man debuts a new suit of armor, and also reveals that he once again is reliant upon his technology to keep him alive. Folks, this is one of the best damn monthly superhero books on the stands, and we can't recommend it enough. Jump on with the new story arc that began in INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #25 (and it really is a great jumping on point, which gives you a heads up on everything that's led up to this point), and find out why we rave about this book nearly every month. Click here for a preview of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #26 *RESILIENT PT 2* THE HEROIC AGE MAKES A BIG SPLASH THIS WEDNESDAY WITH A HANDFUL OF KILLER NEW TITLES, CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE GREAT NEW SERIES CARRYING THE HEROIC AGE BANNER THAT LAUNCH THIS WEDNESDAY! The AGENTS OF ATLAS return in ATLAS #1 - A pulpy, quirky retro sci-fi superhero book guaranteed to impress! With the launch of the HEROIC AGE, we're seeing a lot of new titles getting their shot at grabbing our attention and bringing us into their world, and one of the ones we're pretty pumped about is the relaunch of AGENTS OF ATLAS in ATLAS #1. The first issue of this new series serves as a fantastic jumping on point for new readers who aren't yet familiar with the world of the AGENTS OF ATLAS. And, honestly, if you're not familiar with who the Agents of Atlas are, then I really need to give you the rundown on these guys, 'cause without proper introduction, they look like a bunch of goofs. ATLAS #1 is the new ongoing series for the team that's been known as the Agents of Atlas. This series will appeal to those of you who dig stuff like ATOMIC ROBO, Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters, Project Superpowers, and The Twelve. It's got a great retro feel to it, but of course, it's set in the present day Marvel Universe. Who are the Agents of Atlas? It's a team of superheroes from long-forgotten stories published in the 1950s by Marvel's predecessor company, Atlas Comics. The team originally debuted way back in What If?, but were brought back in 2006 in a limited series by Jeff Parker and Leonard Kirk. That limited series was so freakin' good, and got us so into the characters that we were convinced what sounded like a kind of weird concept could actually work. The new series, ATLAS, is set in the present day, and consists of a quirky cast of characters. Namora, Gorilla-Man, Marvel Boy, and others. All of the Atlas series have done a fantastic job of weaving these quirky Golden Age characters into modern day continuity, and the Atlas books always provide a fun, pulpy, retro-fueled sci fi superhero yarn. The newest series, ATLAS, looks to fit the Agents firmly into the events of Marvel's HEROIC AGE, and promises to take the team to the weirdest and most fantastic heights they've seen yet as they return to solve the mystery behind The 3-D Man. Click here for a preview of ATLAS #1 AGE OF HEROES #1 DEBUTS A NEW ANTHOLOGY SERIES FEATURING KURT BUSIEK (ASTRO CITY), RICK REMENDER (FEAR AGENT), and MORE HIGHLIGHTING DR. VOODOO, CAPTAIN BRITAIN, and MORE! Marvel brings back the superhero anthology with the new AGE OF HEROES this Wednesday, and it sounds pretty rad. One of the biggest reasons we're excited is that it marks the return of KURT BUSIEK to Marvel Comics, and while Kurt's been up and down (we love his Astro City work, and his Avengers and Iron Man were top notch, but his Trinity kinda stunk..), we feel that he'll really be in his element with his work on the new AGE OF HEROES anthology. Plus, it gives folks a chance to see some of the lesser-used Marvel characters get their spotlight with stories featuring Dr. Voodoo, Captain Britain, and more. Click here for a preview of AGE OF HEROES #1 ENTER THE HEROIC AGE #1 ONE-SHOT PROVIDES A SAMPLING FIVE NEW ONGOING HEROIC AGE-BRANDED SERIES! For those of you looking to get a feel for all the new HEROIC AGE titles springing up, this one-shot serves as a great way to see what the five new HEROIC AGE series are all about. Click here for a preview of ENTER THE HEROIC AGE #1 THE LEGION OF SUPERHEROES RETURN COURTESY OF PAUL LEVITZ IN A NEW ONGOING SERIES, LEGION OF SUPERHEROES #1 HITS THIS WEDNESDAY! Dude, the new LEGION series looks SICK! And, this is coming from someone who didn't really grow up as a Legion fan. In fact, I never really got into the Legion of Superheroes until recently with Geoff Johns's killer Superman and the Legion of Superheroes story arc, and Brad Meltzer's Lightning Saga story arc. It took those two tales to kinda show me just what kind of potential the Legion has for good stories, and after those, I sought out a lot of the older stuff, and found out just what the heck everyone was raving about. And, now, the Legion returns this Wednesday in a brand new ongoing series featuring the characters he helped to define and make awesome many years ago. Now, whether you're an old-time Legion fan, or if you're brand new to the characters, and are intrigued by things like the currently awesome REBELS series, as well as their appearances in other storylines, this new LEGION series serves as a great spot to jump on with the characters. I just finished reading some preview pages, as well as an interview with Levitz about the characters, and I'm pretty pumped. Basically, it looks like Legion is really going to take on that broad, sweeping sci-fi feel while combining the dramatic relationships that make the Legion who they are. The first issue is a real whopper of madness, as it involves: the destruction of the homeworld of one of the characters; the Legionnaires getting forced to accept among them a member that htey hate, and who they think hates them and hates much of what they stand for; the kidnapping of a loved one; revelations of a relationship that's gone sour; and many interesting characters that are planted throughout who will grow into being important parts of the Legion mythology. So, essentially, as you can tell, it looks like Levitz has a perfect fusion of the big and the crazy sci-fi stuff with the more, personal, character-driven stuff to make this one a good read. And, of course, the artwork on this one looks fantastic. Newcomer Yildiray Cinar continues the DC tradition of breaking in bold, and talented new artists on big books, and we're pretty pumped to see what this guy can do. The pages we've seen so far look incredible. Another thing that's pretty cool about the new Legion series is how it ties back to a lot of the threads that Geoff Johns has set up in his arcs related to the Legion, including what was going on in the 31st Century for the Green Lantern Corps. We get to see what happens when you have the LAST of the Green Lantern Corps working alongside the Legion, and it should be pretty interesting to see where that whole subplot goes. All in all, the new Legion sounds pretty awesome, and we cannot wait to see this one start on Wednesday. Click here to read an interview with writer Paul Levitz talking about the new Legion of Superheroes series! BRIAN WOOD'S (DEMO, DMZ) DV8: GODS AND MONSTERS CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY WITH DV8: GODS AND MONSTERS #2 *THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL* I gotta say, folks, I really enjoyed the first issue of Brian Wood's new DV8 series. I mean, I always have high expectations for anything being written by Brian Wood, because he's really proven himself time after time as a true talent, but I wasn't sure what to expect out of him reviving a long-forgotten mid-'90s Gen13 spin-off. I mean, the Gen13 books in the last fifteen years have developed such a negative reputation through their various incarnations that it was kind of a "Huh?" moment when he announced he would be reviving what was essentially "evil Gen13." But, Wood's enthusiasm for the project, along with the concept he'd described were enough to get me excited, and I'm glad I gave it a chance, because it's one of the most interesting takes on a superhero team book that I've seen in quite some time. Basically, what Wood has done with the new DV8 series is he's set it up so the team has been frozen in stasis for the last fifteen years, and now they've been dropped out of stasis into the prehistoric age. The subtle little touches to the characters, like the emphasis on how their '90s style of dress has not changed helps to subtly drive home the point that these characters have literally been pulled out of deep freeze, and unleashed on the modern comics world. Now, the first half of issue #1, while I thought it was good, it was build-up, and it wasn't until the last three or four pages that I was seriously hooked. Those last few pages are what sets everything up, and shows you how cool of an idea this limited series is. Basically, we learn that the team DV8, falling into the prehistoric age, where several different tribes are feuding with one another, are seen as Gods by the tribes, and each team member is adopted by a different tribe as their deity of choice. And, of course, with the actual team of DV8 being composed of dysfunctional metahumans, this means you've got them acting in differing degrees of responsibility (or irresponsibility, more likely) about what it means to be a God amongst men. And, of course, they're all at each other's throats. All in all, this one reads really well with some fantastic artwork, and I highly recommend checking it out if you haven't. The first issue is a nice set-up, but it's those last few pages that really punch you in the gut, and get you hooked. If you missed issue #1, we still have plenty in stock to get you caught up, so give it a shot this Wednesday at Third Eye! Click here to read more about DV8: GODS AND MONSTERS #2 BRIGHTEST DAY SHINES IT'S LIGHT ONJUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #45 THIS WEDNESDAY AS SUPERGIRL REJOINS THE JLA AND GOES HEAD TO HEAD WITH POWER GIRL! We've been loving the current direction of the JUSTICE LEAGUE title and where it's been heading. James Robinson and Mark Bagely are doing a terrific job of keeping us hooked month after month, and with BRIGHTEST DAY shining it's light on the JLA, the book has gotten even better. This issue continues the JLA/JSA crossover that began in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #44, and shows us Supergirl returning to rejoin the Justice League as something has possessed her and Power Girl to fight it out to the death. Click here for a preview of JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #45 HAUNT #7 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*- A BRAND NEW STORY ARC BEGINS IN ONE OF OUR FAVORITE NEW ONGOING SERIES THIS WEDNESDAY! COURTESY OF WRITER ROBERT KIRKMAN (WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE) and TODD MCFARLANE (LEGENDARY SPAWN CREATOR!) Visceral. Gratuitous. Awesome. It's been a while since we've gotten a new issue of HAUNT, and I'm really excited for this one. Issue #6 was a nice one-shot middle-point story, but I think we've all been waiting to get back to the story of the Kilgore brothers and their strange predicament. This Wednesday, the second explosive story arc of Haunt begins in issue #7, as Daniel Kilgore is now firmly entrenched in his brother's life of espionage and intrigue, but is he ready to handle this life? The story of HAUNT has been one of our biggest favorites as far as new series go, and after a slow start in issue #1, it turned into one of the most addicting, rapid-fire awesome reads we're following here at Third Eye. But, could you expect any less from the man behind WALKING DEAD and INVINCIBLE, Robert Kirkman? I mean, this guy can write, and he's known for taking a standard concept, and turning it on it's head. The way that I often describe HAUNT to people is it's if Spawn was still really, really good. But, seriously, Kirkman manages to tell a compelling, and fun story that invokes the inner teenager in all of us. In other words, it's violent as hell, fast-paced, and has a ton of "Holy $%@! that's cool!" moments. You know that feeling you got when you were reading comics ten or fifteen years ago for the first time? Haunt captures it perfectly in every issue. And, still manages to keep everything wrapped up in a very satisfying story with killer plotting and dialogue. And, don't even get us started on the artwork on this one... it's one of the best fusions of art and story on the stands. The team of McFarlane, Capullo and Ottley manage to present the perfect visuals for Kirkman's story, and play a big part in why this series is so freakin' cool. What's the story on Haunt, and How Can I Get Caught Up On This Series? That's probably what you're asking yourself. Well, here's the deal, Haunt is about Daniel Kilgore, and his brother Kurt Kilgore who is killed after botching a mission (for noble intents) overseas. See, Kurt was a black ops covert missions kinda guy, and when he refuses to bring back an evil scientist who's been experimenting on women and children, and instead kills that scientist, well, he gets taken out. The people who take Kurt out are looking to clean up their loose ends, and seek out his brother, but Kurt, now a ghost, "haunts" his brother, and possesses him, causing a symbiote-like shell of ectoplasm to encase Daniel and forming the character we know as Haunt. As the series carries on, we learn some interesting stuff about Daniel, Kurt, and the world they exist in, as well as the newfound abilities they share together as Haunt. It's also pretty cool to see the interplay between the two as Kurt tries to instruct Daniel on things like, well, killing. Just like with series WALKING DEAD and INVINCIBLE, Robert Kirkman manages to reinvent and innovate, as he takes what could be a tired, old concept (government assassin has a change of heart, gets killed for it, and now gets mixed up in a supernatural adventure) and infuses a very killer, and very unique spin on it. All in all, Haunt is a fantastic series, and we HIGHLY recommend checking it out. And, what's the easiest way to get caught up? Well, we've got issues #1-6 all well-stocked here at Third Eye, or you can snag the first trade paperback with issues #1-5 for only $9.99, and hop on with issue #6, and voila, you're caught up. Either way, you'll be glad you checked out Haunt, 'cause this series is GREAT. SCALPED v.6 THE GNAWING TRADE PAPERBACK HITS THIS WEDNESDAY! PLUS, TRY SCALPED #1 FOR ONLY $1.00 THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE! I've said this before, but a publisher like Vertigo, who's known for high quality sequential art, always seems to have one series that's kind of the flagship for the line. You know, I mean, at any given time (and especially right now), there are several great series that come out on the Vertigo imprint, but there's always that one, the one that everyone speaks about in reverent tones, and people can't get enough of... and right now, it's SCALPED. I mean, first you had Sandman, then there was Preacher, then there was Transmetropolitan, then there was Y The Last Man, then there was 100 Bullets, and now, it falls on SCALPED. This series is fantastic... imagine THE WIRE set on a Native American reservation. Imagine some of the best damn character-driven storytelling being done in the business. Imagine the grittiest, nastiest, most hard-hitting crime comic you'll read. And, you're only halfway to imaging what the heck SCALPED is all about. Scalped is by far one of my consistent favorites, and if you haven't tried it, you really need to give it a shot. The series lulls you in, thinking it's going to focus strictly on the plight of Dashiell Badhorse. I don't want to give away the twist at the end of the first issue that sets up Dashiell's story, but, it's a good one. The thing that's interesting though is as the story progresses you realize you're not just following Dashiell's story, but you're watching as characters that may have seemed as minor or background characters grow into their roles, and become just as important as Dashiell. This is where the comparison to the television show THE WIRE comes in, because it's very similar how in both SCALPED and THE WIRE, every character has their own story arcs that are happening as the bigger stories unfold, and you get just as wrapped up in those stories as you do the main story. While SCALPED is a gritty crime/noir kinda story, it's so good it transcends genre, and we'd put it up there in the must-read category with PREACHER and Y THE LAST MAN in terms of how good this one reads. Just like with PREACHER and Y, it's hard to really put a finger on why the book is so good, because there's so many factors at work. It just is. And, just like PREACHER and Y, the characterization is so rich, and the world is so realized, that it's easy to get wrapped up in the storyline completely. The fact that one of the characters who comes off as one of the most despicable in the beginning slowly evolves into one of the most sympathetic by the fourth or fifth book, and one of the characters who in the beginning seems to be the "hero" becomes more and more despicable as the series continues is a testament to how good this thing is written. This Wednesday as part of the new THIRD EYE DOLLAR MENU, we're going to be offering SCALPED #1 for only a buck. So give it a try, and if you dig it, you can snag the first trade paperback SCALPED v.1 INDIAN COUNTRY (collecting issues 1-6) for only $9.99. Trust us, folks, SCALPED is too good not to read. Give it a shot. And, for those of you already in the know, then we know you'll be eagerly awaiting the release of SCALPED v.6 this Wednesday! Click here to read more about SCALPED v.6 THE GNAWING DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES #1 KICKS OFF THE MODERN DAY TELLING OF THE HISTORY OF THE DC UNIVERSE IN THIS TEN-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES FEATURING ALL-STAR TALENT LIKE ANDY KUBERT, JOE KUBERT, AND JG JONES! Here's another new DC series I'm pretty excited to see. With DC doing so many bold, and exciting new things this year, it's the perfect time to see a killer modern day incarnation of the History of the DC Universe. And, the art team on board for this is a HUGE plus... Andy Kubert, Joe Kubert, and JG Jones? Holy cow.. that's one hell of a team there. And, apparently, Perez is supposed to come into the mix at some point soon, as well as J.H Williams III, Brian Bolland, and Walt Simonson. This is like a Who's Who roster of dream artists on any book. But, what is DCU Legacies all about? Well, simply put, it's a 10 issue limited series which explores the history of the DCU as it stands in this modern day and age, but through compelling, and well-done storytelling. Legacies is a series that breaks down, over its chapters, the five generations of the DCU. Very concise generations, each with a beginning and an end, and what it does is allow you to see the various incarnations of the DC characters evolve, change, and grow as the generations pass on. In other words, if you've ever been confused of how we got from the Alan Scott Green Lantern to the Hal Jordan Green Lantern, and everything in between, this series answers those kinds of questions. The opening story takes place during the Golden Age of comics with an appearance by the original DC masked crime-fighter, the Crimson Avenger. And then it goes from the mystery men of the Crimson Avenger, the Atom, and the Sandman who are introduced in the first issue, to the second issue where you see the first time characaters have actually changed costumes. You see the advent of the superhero from men in suits and jackets and cloaks to something along the lines of spandex. So, it really shows you the evolution of the superhero in the DCU. Of course, the first arc deals heavily with the mysterymen days of the DCU, but as the series carries on, it takes us further into stuff like the Silver Age and even Modern Age. A real, natural, flowing evolution of the DCU and it's characters over the ages. Final Verdict? This one sounds too damn cool, and with the rotating cast of artists onboard, it's going to be awesome. Click here to read more about DC UNIVERSE LEGACIES #1 ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #2ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY FOLLOWING UP THE FIRST ISSUE OF MARK MILLAR & LEINIL YU'S KILLER NEW ULTIMATES SERIES! After the first issue of the new ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2, I think this might be my favorite take on the ULTIMATE universe since Millar and Hitch's original run of ULTIMATES and ULTIMATES 2 way back in the day. It might just be the perfect pairing of Millar and Yu, as Yu captures the energy and madness of Millar's writing perfectly, or it might be the new direction that they're taking with the book, but either way, I'm loving it. From what we saw in the first issue of ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2 #1, Nick Fury no longer has complete control over his original team of Ultimates (Cap, Iron Man, ect), and that team has kinda gone off on their own. Now, that doesn't mean they're Anti-Fury, but, it does mean that Fury doesn't have a team of super-powered footsoldiers to handle the dirty work he often needs done. And, so Fury sets out to put together a new team, and he starts by recruiting the Ultimate version of Frank Castle, the Punisher, and folks, it's a badass recruitment too. And, now, with a few other additions, including the Ultimate War Machine, the Avengers have their first mission: track and kill the Ghost Rider. But, they need one more person capable of handling this job, and he's not really being cooperative... so, how do you convince the newest HULK to join the fight? You toss War Machine at him, and see who's left standing. This new series has some of the best looking art I've seen, and Millar definitely has something good cooking here. The first issue literally showed you a man's skull being cracked open with the stock of a shotgun... how awesome is that? If you want more of that trademark, Mark Millar awesomeness, then ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 is right up your alley. Click here for a preview of ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 2 #2 VERTIGO CRIME: EXECUTOR GRAPHIC NOVEL ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY - ANOTHER SLAB OF GRITTY, CRIME NOIR AWESOMENESS! Vertigo does it again with another slice of miserably bleak crime fiction. Part of the VERTIGO CRIME imprint of pulpy little graphic novels that deliver a giant throat punch, the Executor comes to us from crime novelist JON EVANS. It's the story of former hockey star Joe Ullen, who's recently been named the executor of his high school sweetheart's will, and has to return to his hometown of Elora, NY where he uncovers a sniister mystery surrounding his ex-sweetheart's death. DC is pretty cool about providing us with advance copies of these Vertigo Crime novels, and I gotta say, this is one of the better ones. In fact, these little crime books get better with each one. My favorites remaind AREA 10 and THE CHILL, but this one is fantastic, and sits comfortably besides those. Both the art and the story perform very well keeping the pages turning, and Evans's knack for dialogue is smartly handled in how it prevents any major (and there are some major) plot twists from being revealed. A real pulp fiction treat, we recommend checking out the Executor this week if you've dug the other Vertigo Crime novels, or if you're just a fan of crime noir stuff. Click here to read more about THE EXECUTOR! PAUL DINI (co-creator and writer of BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES) KICKS OFF THE NEW ZATANNA ONGOING SERIES THIS WEDNESDAY WITH ZATANNA #1! I'm excited about this one for a few different reasons, but lets start with the number one reason: Paul Dini. This is the man who's responsible in a big way for BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, and ever since, has really made a name for himself writing some damn fine comics. His work on DETECTIVE COMICS remains as some of the best, and most underrated work on the book we've seen, and his current work on stuff like GOTHAM CITY SIRENS and BATMAN STREETS OF GOTHAM has really kept him fresh in our minds as a talented writer. But, most importantly, Zatanna is the character Dini was meant to write. He's got such an enthusiasm for Zatanna, and when you look back at her appearances in many of his DETECTIVE COMICS stories, she really stood out as a cool character. And, she should, because Zatanna has that unexplainable cool factor that many characters wish they had. I mean, she's a magician, and she kicks ass, what more could you want? Dini lending his writing chops to her new ongoing series is pretty awesome, and we couldn't be more pumped. Now, another reason we're stoked, is because the art on this series, judging from the preview pages we've seen, is FANTASTIC. And, while writing is a huge part of what makes us like a series here at Third Eye, it's the art that can really make or break a book, especially a character like Zatanna, where you need to have all the cool magic visuals. This one should be a blast, and we're pumped to check it out this Wednesday. Click here for some unfinished preview pages of ZATANNA #1 JOE THE BARBARIAN #5 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* CONTINUES GRANT MORRISON'S TRIPPED OUT, SURREAL TAKE ON A BOY FIGHTING ALONGSIDE HIS ACTION FIGURES! Joe the Barbarian has really been a big favorite here at Third Eye, as Grant Morrison weaves this fascinating, and compelling urban fantasy, he's pulling us in deeper and deeper with each issue. What's JOE THE BARBARIAN? Well, Joe, a young man who has diabetes, falls into a coma, and wakes up in a world populated by his action figures. Set against the backdrop of the Iraq War, but using themes, toys, and settings reminiscent of the '80s, Joe the Barbarian shows our hero fighting alongside his pet rat (who in this world is reminiscent of Splinter from TMNT), as they travel through this strange new world. If you took STUFF OF LEGEND and crossed it with LORD OF THE RINGS, you'd get JOE THE BARBARIAN. Really, our description doesn't do the book proper justice, as there's so much going on that it's hard to really sum up in a couple of paragraphs. What we can say though is if you try it, pick up issue #1 (which is only $1.00), and issue #2 at the same time, because the first issue is a very slow set-up issue and really doesn't do the book justice. You need to read through issue #2 to really give it a fair shake. We weren't hooked 100% until we got through issue #2, and then we fell in love with the book. If you're a fan of STUFF OF LEGEND, or FABLES, you should give this one a shot. It's really well-done storytelling, with some fantastic art, and I gotta admit: I'm a sucker for all the nostalgic references to stuff like NES, Transformers, GI Joe, and more, but this book carries just as much substance as it does style, and we highly recommend it. If you're thinking of jumping aboard, issues #1-4 are all well-stocked here at Third Eye to get you caught up. Click here to read more about JOE THE BARBARIAN #5 X-MEN LEGACY #236 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 8* and X-FACTOR #205 *X-MEN SECOND COMING REVELATIONS TIE-IN* CONTINUE THE SECOND COMING! The BEST X-Men storyline in like ten years continues this Wednesday in the pages of X-MEN LEGACY #236, and dude, I don't know how much more they can turn things up, because the last couple of chapters have really put me on the edge of my seat. I mean, how can you top killing Nightcrawler? Well, as we saw last week, they're still finding ways to top themselves with SECOND COMING. Are you reading X-MEN SECOND COMING? If you're not, and you're an X-Men fan, even a retired X-Fan... you need to check this one out, because it has been pure quality since the first Chapter. Basically, everything that was set up in the pages of MESSIAH COMPLEX is coming to fruition now, and it's tearing the X-Men apart as they debate whether it's worth protecting the recently returned Hope (who's been running through time with Cable for the last few years) or not. While some of the X-Men are convinced that she is the only hope left for the mutant race, other X-Men are not sure she is worth the casualties they're taking as Bastion and his Human League (consisting of old-time baddies like Bolliver Trask) hunt them and Hope down. If you're curious about hopping onboard with X-MEN SECOND COMING, we recommend picking up the X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER ONE one-shot in stock now here at Third Eye, and jumping in, 'cause this storyline is fantastic, man! This week in X-MEN LEGACY #236, the eighth chapter of SECOND COMING arrives as we witness Bastion's masterplan coming to fruition as an impenetrable dome makes the Bay Area a prison. Of course, this is where 98% of the world's mutants live... so you can imagine this really sucks for them. Meanwhile in the pages of X-FACTOR #205, Bastion has sent the Mutant Response Division and the newly resurrected Bolivar Trask after X-Factor with one mission: kill them all! While this isn't as major a tie-in as Legacy #236, this and X-Factor #204 are both pretty kick-ass, and serve as a good entry point to one of the most underrated Marvel books on the stands. Seriously, the writing and art in X-Factor has been constantly top notch all the way through, and is some of the most unique superhero storytelling being done these days. Click here for the official THIRD EYE X-MEN SECOND COMING CHECKLIST Click here for a preview of X-MEN LEGACY #236 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 8* Click here for a preview of X-FACTOR #205 *X-MEN SECOND COMING TIE-IN* STAFF PICKS Steve - BATMAN: RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1 = No surprises here that this was my pick. I'm completely hooked on everything going on right now in Morrison's Batman run, and this issue really set things off right. If you haven't read it yet, check it out ASAP! Trish - BIRDS OF PREY #1 *BRIGHTEST DAY* = I got into Birds of Prey after Simone's run had ended, and it's been a while but I was able to jump into this first issue no problems at all. Great artwork and Gail Simone is on point with the dialogue and story. Recommended! Torma - SIEGE #4 = I thought that this was a great wrap-up of the event, and now I'm on pins and needles waiting for AVENGERS this Wednesday. SO GOOD! Matt - ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS #1 = Probably the best Astonshing I've read since Whedon's run, Kaare Andrews and Warren Ellis go together like peanut butter and jelly, and this first issue really has me pumped for the rest of the series.