THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 8/4/10

THIRD EYE MUST BUY: SHADOWLAND #2 - IT'S HERE! MARVEL'S BIGGEST HIT OF THE SUMMER CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY! DAREDEVIL HAS GONE TO THE DARK SIDE, TURNED HELL'S KITCHEN INTO A GIANT PRISON/TEMPLE, AND KILLED BULLSEYE... and that was just issue #1! The breakout hit of the Summer, by far, has been Marvel's SHADOWLAND event. This series got very little hype or promotion before it's release, and we think that was a smart move by Marvel. Why? 'Cause it made the impact of the first issue even bigger. I think the first issue of SHADOWLAND was one of the best first issues of a Marvel event I've read since CIVIL WAR first kicked off. Just the way it was paced, the way everything was structured, the tension that was built between Daredevil and his former allies, and the big payoff at the end with Bullseye getting impaled on the sai much like he had done to Elektra many years ago.... these are all things that came together to make a fantastic read. And, now, a month later, we're getting the second issue of this red hot series, and folks, I read the advance of this one this morning, and it's freakin' great. There's a VERY big surprise appearance that especially made me geek out. Not to mention, writer Andy Diggle continues to develop the plot and characters like he had been doing in the first issue, showing us a Matt Murdock who falls more and more over the edge every day. All in all, the second issue of SHADOWLAND is definitely on par with the first, and I think you guys are gonna be pretty happy with this one. For those of you who haven't yet read SHADOWLAND, here's what it is: SHADOWLAND is a limited series where, essentially, the Streets of New York have become a battleground due to Daredevil completely going over the edge. Daredevil has always been one of those characters who's gotten raw deal after raw deal, so it only makes sense that one day he'd finally lose it, and lose it he has. Basically, after having taken over THE HAND (the deadly league of ninja assassins that've existed in the Marvel Universe for ages), Daredevil has decided he's going to mold the gang of Ninja Assassins into his own forces of justice. He turns Hell's Kitchen into a giant prison under his domain, kicks out all the law enforcement, and uses his ninjas to keep the peace. And it works, but it works too well. The Avengers quickly notice this, and kinda lean back... trying to trust Murdock's instincts on this one, and hoping his intentions are noble... and well, you know what they say about the Road to Hell. It's paved with good intentions. Anyways, the first issue culminated in Daredevil breaking both of Bullseye's arms, and running him through with a Sai... infront of EVERYBODY. And this, this puts DD at odds with the rest of the New York-based Marvel Heroes. So now the question is where do characters like Spider-man, Iron Fist, Moon Knight, Luke Cage, Elektra, and so on stand in regards to Daredevil's militant new stance on justice? And, that folks, is Shadowland in a nutshell. The series is great, with some tight, and compelling writing by Andy Diggle (writer of THE LOSERS) and the best work we've ever seen by artist Billy Tan (NEW AVENGERS). I haven't been this excited about an event in a while, and the fact that this one kinda crept up out of nowhere, makes it even better. We've still got limited copies of SHADOWLAND #1 in stock for you guys to hop aboard with, as well as DAREDEVIL #508, which is one of the tie-ins. Click here for a preview of SHADOWLAND #2 Click here for the official THIRD EYE SHADOWLAND Checklist ALSO ARRIVING THIS WEEK, SHADOWLAND: BULLSEYE ONE-SHOT - BULLSEYE'S SECRETS REVEALED and MORE SHADOWLAND DEVELOPMENTS in this one-shot WRITTEN BY JOHN LAYMAN, CREATOR OF CHEW! A double-dose of SHADOWLAND awesomeness this week, as we get this killer one-shot tie-in that reveals the secrets of Bullseye. Now, that he's dead, the truth is coming out, and after years, and years of haunting the Man without Fear, and most recently, serving on the DARK AVENGERS, we get to learn this formidable and homicidal maniac's secrets and motivations. I also read the advance of this one this morning when I checked out SHADOWLAND, and I gotta say, it's a great tie-in. A nice solid one-shot written by John Layman (the co-creator of the IMAGE COMICS hit, CHEW), that really brings an interesting angle to the often enigmatic, but always insane BULLSEYE. Plus, there's some neat little tidbits I don't want to spoil that are dropped within in regards to the events of SHADOWLAND. Click here for a preview of SHADOWLAND: BULLSEYE #1 one-shot Click here for the official THIRD EYE Shadowland Checklist CROSSED FAMILY VALUES #3 CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY, DELIVERING THE PERFECT BLEND OF PURE SHOCK AND AWE WITH EXCELLENT STORYTELLING One of our big store favorites here is AVATAR's CROSSED series. And, the latest round of depravity, CROSSED: FAMILY VALUES has been living up to our expectations big-time. And by expectations, we mean having all of our senses assaulted with each new issue that comes out. Seriously though, don't just write CROSSED off as cheap shocks and gross-outs, 'cause it's far far from that. Avatar's CROSSED comics carry some of the finest talent working in comics today in both the writing and art departments. The original CROSSED series which is available here at Third Eye in trade paperback, was created by GARTH ENNIS (THE BOYS, PREACHER) and had the fantastic pencils of JACEN BURROWS making each horrifying issue that much more horrifying. The newest installment, which is actually a separate stand-alone story, self-contained, and set apart from Ennis's first series, is being written by the vastly underrated David Lapham. Lapham made a name for himself back in the '90s with what I still consider to be one of the best crime comics ever done: STRAY BULLETS. It's a damn shame they don't have any trades in print for that series, 'cause it was doing stuff with crime comics that no one at the time was doing, and still holds up as great reading. Now, if you're not familiar with CROSSED, here's the deal... it's sorta like a zombie story, but there's no zombies. And, I know, the first thing that jumps to mind: it's like the CRAZIES, right? Well, yes, no, and not quite. See, in the world of CROSSED, there's a disease, spread by bites, body fluids, and so forth, that basically when it infects someone it reduces them down to their most base primal and evil desires. In other words, it literally turns them into a sadist who's only mission from that point forward is to cause as much pain and hurt as possible. Now, this is where things get interesting, and start to differ from the realm of zombies like you and I know. These individuals, see, they've still got their capability to plan, plot, and put together strategies. In other words, they know if they set a house someone's hiding in on fire, then the people inside'll come running out.. for them to kill, or do worse to. And, that is what makes CROSSED so interesting, the sentience of the Infected. Combine this with the strong development of the actual survivors, each one being given a unique personality, and a sense of character that helps pull you in deeper, not to mention the VERY disturbing subplot about the father figure in FAMILY VALUES, and CROSSED delivers probably one of the best horror comics on the stands. The current series, FAMILY VALUES, serves as a perfect spot to jump on, and we currently have issues #1 and #2 in stock to get you caught up on this one. For those of you who want to go all the way back to the beginning, and folks, we recommend it just cause of how awesome the first series was too, you can pick up the CROSSED trade paperback here at Third Eye which collects issues #0-9. CROSSED comes with the THIRD EYE Seal of Approval, and we feel that if you're into stuff like WALKING DEAD, THE BOYS, PREACHER, ect, then you'll love this one. BRIGHTEST DAY #7 - WHO WIELDS THE WHITE LANTERN? THE SECRET IS REVEALED HERE AS DC'S MUST-READ SERIES OF THE SUMMER CONTINUES! Geoff John's big follow-up to BLACKEST NIGHT, and the official DCU REBIRTH Geoff Johns and crew continue to keep us on the edge of our seats with BRIGHTEST DAY, and this week, we finally get to see who wields the White Lantern. Is it really Deadman, and what happens when he tries to charge the White Ring? BRIGHTEST DAY has been doing a fantastic job of keeping things interesting, and we really attribute that to the strong creative team working on the series. The fact that GEOFF JOHNS (writer of BLACKEST NIGHT, and a zillion other great titles) is helming this one makes it a must-read alone, but, throw in the great art team of Ivan Reis, and Patrick Gleason, and you've got yourself one hell of a good comic. If you're not familiar with BRIGHTEST DAY, we recommend clicking here to read the Wikipedia entry on it. In a nutshell though, BRIGHTEST DAY is essentially DCU: REBIRTH. Just like Geoff Johns rebuilt the worlds of GREEN LANTERN and the FLASH from the ground up, he's doing the same thing with the DCU as a whole in the aftermath of the incredible BLACKEST NIGHT event last year. It focuses in on a cast of characters that were all once dead, and ended up resurrected as the result of BLACKEST NIGHT's outcome. And folks, trust us, characters like AQUAMAN, HAWKMAN, and FIRESTORM have not been this cool in a long time. You can find the checklists to BRIGHTEST DAY on the left sidebar, which'll give you the rundown on any books that're tying into the main storyline going on in the BRIGHTEST DAY series. In our opinions, we can't recommend checking BRIGHTEST DAY out enough. It's a great read, with a great creative team, and it's also a perfect spot for those of you who've been thinking of getting into the DC Universe, or haven't really followed any DC books in a while, to jump aboard. THIRD EYE MUST BUY: AVENGERS PRIME #2- THE REUNITING OF THOR, IRON MAN, AND CAPTAIN AMERICA CONTINUES IN THIS MUST-READ LIMITED SERIES THAT SETS UP THE CURRENT AVENGERS BOOKS! Dude! I am stoked to see this one showing up this week. The first issue of this delivered a killer blend of new school-style storytelling with the same kind of energy and wonder of the old school Walt Simonson Thor stuff. Seeing Marvel's Holy Trinity getting zapped into the surrounding Realms of Asgard, and being pitted against frost giants, goblins, and all sorts of other baddies that would look right at home in a Peter Jackson movie, is just plain awesome. AVENGERS PRIME is a five issue limited series by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS (the guy who's penning AVENGERS and NEW AVENGERS, and who also wrote SIEGE) that is the gap in between the end of SIEGE and the current AVENGERS books right now (AVENGERS, NEW AVENGERS, SECRET AVENGERS). In other words, it explains what happened in the midst of a destroyed Asgard, and shows us how three of the Marvel Universe's biggest guns came back onto good terms with one another. See, Cap, Iron Man, and Thor, haven't really been on the best of terms for the last five years, since that whole CIVIL WAR thing went down. And, in the current Heroic Age books like AVENGERS, NEW AVENGERS, and SECRET AVENGERS, it shows them all working side by side. Well, AVENGERS PRIME is the book that shows us how their friendship was renewed, and how we got to the point where the Marvel Universe has three AVENGERS teams. The first issue of this one read fantastic, with Bendis delivering some of his best work in shaping these characters and how their friendships with one another have come and gone throughout the years. And, the art... holy crap, guys, it's ALAN DAVIS, and it's ALAN DAVIS with Mark Farmer inking him, so the artwork looks great. Alan Davis is one of those guys, much like Art Adams, who's been around for years, and his stuff still looks crisp, modern, and cutting edge. The plot of the limited series kicks us off with Tony Stark and Steve Rogers arguing over all of the things gone past amongst the rubble of Asgard. There's no dancing around the problems and differences these two have, we just get right into the heated argument. It's Thor who has no patience for the bickering, and with the destruction of his city and the death of many of his people, these things don't matter... and then, things get crazy, and the Avengers are dumped into some very otherworldly realm. It's pretty damn cool to see Steve Rogers fighting off hordes of trolls in a land that seems much more up Thor's alley. All in all, we're pumped for the second issue of this one this week, 'cause if it's half as good as the first one, then we're in for a treat. Click here for a preview of AVENGERS PRIME #2 *HEROIC AGE* TALES FROM WONDERLAND: RED ROSE ONE-SHOT TAKES US BACK INTO ZENESCOPE'S TWISTED TAKE OF ALICE IN WONDERLAND! We're suckers for ZENESCOPE'S twisted takes on classic fairy tales, and the best of the bunch on those is their WONDERLAND series. The WONDERLAND trilogy, consisting of RETURN TO WONDERLAND, BEYOND WONDERLAND and ESCAPE FROM WONDERLAND may be over (the first two installments are both available in graphic novel format, with the third and final, ESCAPE, coming soon to graphic novel), but Zenescope is delivering some killer one-shots this Summer that explore many of the denizens of Wonderland in greater detail. This week, it looks like the story of Rose Red is being tod in the TALES FROM WONDERLAND: RED ROSE one-shot. A countess obsessed with discovering the secret to eternal life is drawn into a world of utter madness and pure terror. And, while she may have found immortality, the price she'll pay is one she might not be willing to pay. Also, in the back of this issue, we get to see Chapter Two of the story of Charles Dodgson's rise to power, and his eventual fall. If you missed Part 1, don't worry, it was in the TALES FROM WONDERLAND WHITE KNIGHT one-shot, which we still have limited copies of in stock, so you can still snag one. These Wonderland one-shots are a great spot to jump on and check out how you like the Zenescope Wonderland stuff before diving into the actual Wonderland trilogy. Give it a shot, we think you'll dig it. It's got all the bases covered: violence, great art, and fun, tongue-in-cheek dark humor mixed with some very twisted takes on classic fairy-tale stories. ATTN FABLES FANS: DON'T MISS THE CINDERELLA FROM FABLETOWN WITH LOVE TRADE PAPERBACK THIS WEDNESDAY! It's always rad to see a new visit to the FABLES universe hit trade paperback. Why? Cause the series reads so damn good in trade, and it's spin-off series are no exception. This 6-issue limited series spotlights Fabletown's top secret agent as she must stop the illegal trafficking of supernatural artifacts, and she's gotta foil this dark plot before Fabletown ends up getting exposed to the Mundy world. This one fits nicely along side the other FABLES books, and I'd say I dug it more than the 3-issue LITERALS mini-series, and maybe even a bit more than many of the JACK OF FABLES arcs, even tho those can be pretty rad too. NEAL ADAM'S BATMAN: THE ODYSSEY #2 HITS THIS WEDNESDAY BRINGING THE NEXT KILLER INSTALLMENT OF THE LEGENDARY ARTIST'S BATMAN STORY! This mini-series is a big deal for one reason, and one reason only: it's Neal friggin' Adams, writing AND drawing. This is THE guy who redefined Batman in the '70s (alongside Dennis O'Neil) and took him off the path of Adam Westdom, and onto the path to the Dark Knight we all know today. The first issue gave you that great sense of going back in time to a classic Batman story with Adam's artwork. Now, while it is weird to see Batman carrying a gun, it's interesting to see how Bruce relays one of his earlier adventures, carrying a gun to boost his confidence. No, he's not out to bust a cap like Jason Todd did when he was wearing the mantle of the Bat. The book delivers a very cool, hard-edged out of continuity take on Batman, but it's really the art that shines on this one. I mean, it's Neal Adams, and getting to see him draw anything, especially Batman, is a big deal. If you missed issue #1, don't worry, we've still got copies in stock to get you caught up. THIRD EYE MUST BUY: S.H.I.E.L.D #3 - JONATHAN HICKMAN DELIVERS THE SECRET HISTORY OF SHIELD IN THIS COMPELLING LIMITED SERIES! LEONARDO DaVinci? AGENT OF SHIELD! ISSAC NEWTON? AGENT OF SHIELD! IMHOTEP? AGENT OF SHIELD! This one's a MUST-READ, folks, check out issues #1 and #2 if you're not reading this one.. serious DaVinci vs. Galactus awesomeness within! Guys, if you're not reading SHIELD by JONATHAN HICKMAN, you are missing out. This is one of the freshest, and most innovative things that I've seen Marvel do in a long time, and between Hickman's fantastic writing and Dustin Weaver's incredible artwork, it is most certainly must-buy material. So, what is SHIELD? "Everythin begins with an idea." That's what Hickman writes in the first panel of SHIELD #2, which repeats a line delivered in the first issue. It's pretty much the one line motto of this series. Basically, the story of this SHIELD series is that the super-spy agency SHIELD, that we know from the Marvel Universe has much more clandestine origins than we could have ever imagined. Basically, the concept is if entities like Galactus, the Celestials, the Brood, and others have been around for thousands and thousands of years, then who was around to prevent them from laying waste to the world way back when? And, that's where the Brotherhood of the SHIELD comes in... a group of the world's most powerful thinkers and creators. Basically, Hickman is taking REAL historical characters, like Issac Newton, Galileo, DaVinci, and more, and weaving them into the fabric of the Marvel Universe. The first issue shows us some of the most awe-inspiring pages I've seen in comics in a long time. Huge fights against the Brood in the deserts of ancient Egypt, with En Sabah Nur in the background, fighting alongside Imhotep. Leonardo DaVinci strapping himself into a winged flying device and hurtling to face Galactus and his herald. Nostradamus literally tearing holes in the fabric of reality. Basically, we're seeing how DaVinci, Galileo, and others were the prototypical superheroes and supervillains of the past. And, how this all affects the current present of the Marvel Universe is what we're most excited to learn. This week, issue #3 clues us in on the secrets of Sir Issac Newton, and shows us how Galileo defeated Galactus long before the Fantastic Four ever did. And, man, Dustin Weaver's art looks GOOD on this book. Just look at the preview, I dare you to not get stoked about this guy's art. He's fantastic. SHIELD is most def a must-read title, and if you missed issues #1 or #2, don't worry, 'cause we have limited quantities of both still in stock to get you caught up to where the series is with this week's issue #3. Click here for a preview of SHIELD #3 VERTIGO CRIME: FOGTOWN Graphic Novel DELIVERS A FANTASTIC SLICE OF GRITTY CRIME NOIR! The VERTIGO CRIME books have been pretty consistent in delivering visceral noir awesomeness with each new installment. Even when one is just so-so, it's still pretty damn good. And, this week, the next in the VERTIGO CRIME line is the surprise twist-laden FOGTOWN. Now, this one is going to be tough for me to do a write-up on because so much of the impact of the book is in it's surprises, and plot twists.. and trust me, there's some good ones within, but what I can tell you is that it's one of the stronger entries into the VERTIGO CRIME line-up so far. The story centers around Frank Grissell, a private detective who's a cold-hearted bastard. The plot of the book is prostitutes begin showing up dead in San Francisco's streets circa 1953, and Grissell has no plans to get involved, but get involved he does, when a woman shows up at his office looking for her missing daughter. It's Grissell's assistant and lover, Valentine, who takes on the case, because Grissell himself would prefer to stay away from missing child cases, for reasons, well.. you'll see. The thing that's neat about this one that kinda defies traditional noir detective storytelling is that Frank has almost as many secrets surrounding him as the case that he's trying to solve. The characters that wevae in and out are a seedy blast of '50s style crime noir, and help immerse you in the story even more. If you've dug the previous VERTIGO CRIME stuff, we'd recommend giving this one a go, as it's pretty damn good. DC ELSEWORLDS RETURN WITH SUPERMAN: LAST FAMILY OF KRYPTON #1 THIS WEDNESDAY! We're a sucker for a good Elseworld's tale here at Third Eye, and while we love the current direction of the DCU, the one thing that we do miss is having Elseworlds. See, when I was growing up reading comics, there was no multiverse, it was either an Elseworld, or it was somehow explained to be part of the same continuity as everything else. So, you didn't have an Earth-3, Earth-Prime, ect ect. And, while I've grown to dig the whole Multiverse thing with it's return in Infinite Crisis and 52, I still miss the days of Elseworlds. I remember you'd see at least three or four of these a year, maybe more, and while not all of 'em were good, it was still cool to see DC doing their own WHAT IF? style series. And, for those of you asking What's an Elseworld? then that's what it is pretty much, the DC version of a WHAT IF? An imaginary story, basically. Ever wonder what it'd be like if Batman was around during the Whitechapel murders, and went head to head with Jack the Ripper? Well, there's an Elseworld for that. Ever wonder what would happen if Superman's shuttle landed in communist Russia, and he was raised by Stalin? There's an Elseworld for that. Anyways, this Wednesday, SUPERMAN: LAST FAMILY OF KRYPTON #1 marks the official return of Elseworld-style storytelling. The hook on this one? Well, when baby Kal-el is rocketed to the distant planet Earth from his doomed homeworld, in this story, he's not alone. How does a world handle the emergence of The Last Family of Krypton as Jor-El, Lara, and Kal-El make Earth their adopted home. SUPERGOD #4 - WARREN ELLIS'S EPIC LOOK AT A SUPERHUMAN ARMS RACE CONTINUES IN THIS WEDNESDAY'S SUPERGOD #4! FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF CROSSED! It's been a bit of a wait since issue #3, but folks, you and I both know that this one is gonna be worth the wait, for sure. From the incredibly talented WARREN ELLIS (TRANSMETROPOLITAN, IGNITION CITY, ect ect), and the publishers of series like CROSSED, comes SUPERGOD, and for those of you who're not reading this great book, then here's the lowdown: Supergod is the story of what an actual superhuman arms race might be like. Playing off of how humans often envision their deity of choice to be the absolute, in the world of SUPERGOD, each nation has built their own superhuman defense in the image of their god. But what happens when these nations can't control these "Supergods?" That's when things get crazy. Imagine a 8 foot tall Krishna-looking superhuman setting flame to the land around him, imagine one of our own U.S Pilots being resurrected from the dead and having his body grafted with technology, to become our Supergod. This book is pure sci-fi superhero awesomeness, and is probably one of the coolest takes on the superhero genre we've seen in quite some time. If you missed the first three issues, we've got copies of each in stock to get you caught up. Trust us, folks, this series rocks. THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: BALTIMORE PLAGUE SHIPS #1 from HELLBOY & BPRD creator MIKE MIGNOLA delivers the AWESOME in a BIG WAY THIS WEDNESDAY! Here's one that looks freakin' AWESOME. Mike Mignola, the maestro behind such awesome series as HELLBOY, WITCHFINDER and BPRD, is branching out with this killer new series: BALTIMORE: THE PLAGUE SHIPS. The artwork looks incredible, and the story sounds fantastic. What's the scoop? Well, months after a devastating plague ends World War I, Europe is suddenly flooded with deadly vampires. WTF, right? Well, Lord Henry Baltimore, a soldier determined to wipe out the monsters, is on the hunt for the creature responsible for this chaos and his own personal tragedy. What he uncovers though, is a terror as horrific and frightening as any he's seen on the battlefield. Pure pulp horror-noir awesomeness, and we cannot wait to get our hands on it and read it this week. THOR: RAGE OF THOR ONE-SHOT - A YOUNG, BITTER, AND RESENTFUL THOR FRESH OFF THE TRIALS HIS FATHER HAS PUT HIM THROUGH LETS LOOSE PURE GOD OF THUNDER BRUTALITY IN THIS ONE-SHOT! If there's one thing we love here at Third Eye, it's a good THOR one-shot. There's just something about the God of Thunder that lends himself to solid, self-contained stories that work in many different settings. This one-shot which kind of follows the same theme set up in the AGES OF THUNDER one-shots (available now in the THOR: AGES OF THUNDER trade paperback) where we watched as Thor was put through many trials and attempted humblings by his father, Odin, picks up with a bitter, and resentful Thor who has left Asgard and decided to go live among men. But, like always, Thor can't get any peace, as the bloody tides of Asgard wash up on the shores of Earth, and threaten to destroy everything Thor has learned to love about Earth. I checked out the advance of this one, and it's a great, self-contained THOR story. Definitely a nice one-shot to try to see if you dig before jumping into those killer Matt Fraction AGES OF THUNDER one-shots. Plus, the artwork is SICK in this one. Click here for a preview of THOR: RAGE OF THOR one-shot THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: NANCY IN HELL #1 - "BLACK SUMMER" & "NO HERO" artist JUAN JOSE RYP GIVES US WICKED FUN CHAINSAW-WIELDING CHEERLEADERS IN HELL IN THIS NEW IMAGE COMICS LIMITED SERIES! Juan Jose Ryp is one of comic's best kept secrets, folks. You may have noticed his art recently popping up in the most recent couple of issues of VENGEANCE OF MOON KNIGHT. But before he did that, he totally blew us away on the two WARREN ELLIS books: BLACK SUMMER and NO HERO. His hyper-detailed style is a perfect fit for ultra-violent storytelling, and you can definitely tell he's channeling some serious Geoff Darrow awesomeness with his artwork. Anyways, Mr. Ryp is kicking off a killer new IMAGE limited series, which we think is gonna be a pretty big hit. And, not just 'cause of the dude's killer artwork, but because the concept sounds pretty damn rad. On the surface, the book looks like just plain ol' blood, guts, and fun, and to a degree, that's what it is. It's a cheerleader armed with a chainsaw carving her way through the undead and a horde of demons, but as you get drawn deeper into the story and the questions that the idea of Hell raises, the real meat of the book shows up. But, don't worry, there's still plenty of awesome looking monsters and chainsaws. So, yeah, Nancy, totally dead, wakes up in a creepy landscape where she finds decomposing lost souls, demons lurking in the shdaows, outcasts, chainsaws, booze, and certain doom. So, can Nancy escape Hell? Hey, as long as it's bloody, and looks as awesome as the preview pages we've already seen, then we hope she hangs around there for a while! THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: THE MARVEL UNIVERSE vs. the PUNISHER #1 - An alternate reality where the Marvel Universe has turned into hordes of bloodthirsty cannibals, and Frank Castle's the only one left to put 'em down. Think I AM LEGEND meets MARVEL COMICS. I gotta admit, when I first heard about this one, I was a little confused. I mean, hadn't Garth Ennis already done his Punisher Kills the Marvel U thing, and said all there is to say on the subject? But, then I read a little bit more into this one, and I gotta say: it's pretty rad. Just got done checking out the advance, and it's a blast. A much different twist, and a very cool "What If?"-kinda story. So, what the heck is it about? Well, a terrible plague has swept the Earth turning everyone - human, hero, villain, god and monster - into sadistic cannibal predators. As Spider-man, the Hulk, the Thing, and other infected start a feeding frenzy, the world falls in a wave of insatiable violence. Now, five years later, one man hunts the wasteland that was New York City. One man who stands against the hordes of monsters who hunt the night. Yup, it's Punisher, the Last Man on Earth, and he's gonna be taking down every stinkin' cannibal he can find. Click here for a preview of MARVEL UNIVERSE vs. THE PUNISHER #1 MAGNUS THE ROBOT FIGHTER RETURNS AS PART OF DARK HORSE'S VALIANT REVIVAL IN THIS WEDNESDAY' MAGNUS THE ROBOT FIGHTER #1 by JIM SHOOTER! Joining the ranks with the recently launched DOCTOR SOLAR, MAN OF THE ATOM, comes the next in Dark Horse and Jim Shooter's revival of the classic VALIANT characters: MAGNUS the ROBOT FIGHTER! Out of the Valiant characters, Magnus was always one of my major favorites, and I'm stoked to see what looks like an awesome come-back for the character. So, what's the scoop on this one? Well, it's set upon the continent-spanning city of North Am, a miracle of ingenuity and ambition, a technological paradise where "milespires" pierce the clouds and robots perform virtually all labor, freeing humankind to pursue leisure and bliss. But, behind the scenes, human mobsters use robot muscle, thug-bots, to terrorize the citizenry of North Am. Human trafficking, illegal psychoactive substances, violent crime and corrosive corruption are suddenly epidemic in the glittering utopia, with only the mighty Robot Fighter to stand against them. But nevermind all that, at it's core, why is Magnus cool? 'Cause it's a dude running around beating the hell out of giant robots? What's not to love? Check it out this Wednesday, as this first issue provides a perfect jumping on point for anyone who's ever been curious about these classic Valiant characters. MURDERLAND #1 - A MODERN DAY SCI-FI CRIME NOIR SET IN BALTIMORE CITY! Haven't seen any previews on this one, and honestly, I don't know a whole lot about the plot, but heck, what I have seen looks pretty cool, and any series that's set here in Maryland deserves a highlight here at Third Eye. Murderland tells the a story of doomed romance, bloodshed, and the outer limits of human potential, as they all unfold on the streets of Baltimore, Maryland. A reformed killer bent on bringing peace to his hometown, and his lover who has an unusual sci-fi-esque ability, kick off this first story set in the Murderland universe. This one sounds pretty cool, anxious to give it a read and see what it's all about. DEADPOOL #1,000 ONE-SHOT DELIVERS A KILLER ONE-SHOT PACKED WITH ALL-STAR CREATORS LIKE CROSSED writer DAVID LAPHAM, indie favorite PETER BAGGE, Vengeance of Moon Knight artist JEROME OPENA, and many many more! Ya know, there's a lotta Deadpool out there, so when something cool comes out sporting the Merc with a Mouth, I feel like we should make sure you guys get a heads up on it. Just cause I know, the character has been popping up everywhere lately, but there's still some really good reads featuring him, and this one-shot due out on Wednesday is one of those. Deadpool 1,000 is very much like last year's DEADPOOL #900, giving us a big thick 104-page special that brings an all-star cast of creators with it. And, that's why I'm stoked. I mean, Peter Bagge, he's the guy who totally made me love indie comics in the '90s with his series HATE, and he's a funny dude, so his Deadpool will rock. And, David Lapham, the twisted mind behind CROSSED: FAMILY VALUES? I cannot wait to see what he's got in store for ol' Wade Wilson. Toss in the sublime art of Jerome Opena, who made his name on the Vengeance of Moon Knight first story arc and the first story arc of the Dark Reign PUNISHER series, along with guys like Rick Remender, and you got yourself a great roster of talent. Plus, it's got mimes from outer space. How can you not wanna read it? Click here for a preview of DEADPOOL 1,0000 STAFF PICKS Steve - SECRET AVENGERS #3- This is one of my favorite new books. Brubaker is channeling some serious Steranko Pop Art sci-fi spy stuff here, and the team line-up in this one is one of the best I've seen. Highly highly recommended! Trish - AMERICAN VAMPIRE #5= AAAAAAAAAH This series gets better, and better. The characters are so well put together which is why I think I love it so much. You start thinking one way about a character, and then before you know it, your opinion has changed completely on them. Torma -BATMAN RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #4= Batman, Jonah Hex, time-travel awesomeness, what is not to love? This is one of the best Batman storylines I've read in a long long time. Matt - WONDER WOMAN #601 = J. Michael Straczynski has got me reading Wonder Woman and his first official chapter of the run is awesome. It's got a very cool revenge-story driven feel, and almost makes you think of like a KILL BILL meets Wonder Woman kinda story. Very cool stuff.