THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 8/11/10

THIRD EYE MUST BUY: GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS #1 KICKS OFF A BRAND NEW ONGOING GREEN LANTERN SERIES THIS WEDNESDAY BY AN ALL-STAR CREATIVE TEAM! WHAT HAS BROUGHT GUY GARDNER (former Red Lantern) and ATROCITUS TOGETHER? Dude, I cannot wait to read this on Wednesday. I mean, nevermind the fact that the Green Lantern stuff has been some of the most consistent and well-done comic book awesomeness on the stands. Nevermind the sheer awesomeness of BLACKEST NIGHT, and it's follow-up BRIGHTEST DAY. I mean, beyond all of this, this title just plain looks good. Great writer on board with Peter Tomasi (he's the guy who made GL Corps kick a whole lotta ass, and is currently working with Geoff Johns on BRIGHTEST DAY). Great artist in the form of newcomer Fernando Pasarin. And, overall, a great line-up of characters, and concepts. So, what is this whole GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD WARRIORS thing? Well, it's a brand new ongoing Green Lantern series that will be joining Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps. And, I know, you're probably saying one of two things: HELL YES, MORE GL, or Man, another GL book? Well, folks, trust me: go with the HELL YES, MORE GL, because this book looks SMOKING good. I haven't gotten a chance to read through an entire advance of issue #1, but I have gotten to read an expanded preview, and I was really pleased with how well done it is. First off, the book manages to be new-reader friendly but also pays reference to various past storylines regarding BLACKEST NIGHT and GREEN LANTERN. However, if you have been itching for a Green Lantern book to follow, then EMERALD WARRIORS serves as a very nice spot to jump aboard. The actual drive of Emerald Warriors is pretty cool, because what it's basically allowing Tomasi and crew to do is focus on the coolest members of the Green Lantern Corps, and tell tighter, more personalized stories that explore the Green Lantern Mythos, and show us what we all love to see: Green Lanterns kicking ass. So, that means we get to see plenty of Guy Gardner, Kilowog, and maybe a couple of other fan-favorites. The first arc really looks to be digging deep into the background of Guy Gardner as a Red Lantern, and the clandestine mission that he and Atrocitus have discussed once or twice in the pages of Green Lantern. Like I said, I got to read a few pages of this one, and it really, really reads nice. I'm pretty pumped to see where the book is going to be heading, and honestly, with how good all the Green Lantern stuff has been, getting another monthly dose of GL awesomeness is definitely a good thing. Click here for a preview of GREEN LANTERN: EMERALD WARRIORS #1 *BRIGHTEST DAY* THIRD EYE MUST BUY: X-MEN #2 - THE CURSE OF THE MUTANTS CONTINUES IN THE BEST DAMN X-MEN TITLE WE'VE SEEN IN AGES! MISSED ISSUE #1? WE'VE STILL GOT COPIES IN STOCK TO CATCH YOU UP! When I first caught wind of a proposed X-Men vs. Vampires storyline last year, I was kinda like... well, OK, I was totally like WTF? But, then as the launch of this carefully planned arc neared, I started to get more, and more excited. Little tidbits being dropped in various interviews, very subtle references to various sects of Marvel vampires in different books, and then, the release of the really awesome DEATH OF DRACULA one-shot... all of these things got me sold on the concept, and folks... no B.S: this storyline is gonna be AWESOME. The first issue was freakin' rad, and after reading the advance of #2... I'm convinced, they've got another hit on their hands with the X-Men. Coming hot on the heels of the well-received SECOND COMING storyline, CURSE OF THE MUTANTS kicked off in the pages of X-MEN #1 last month. See, it's not enough that the X-Men have lost many among their ranks, like CABLE and NIGHTCRAWLER during SECOND COMING, nor is it enough that they barely escaped Bastion and his crew of crazies during that whole mess. No, not enough at all, see, now, at their weakest, that's when they make the most appetizing meal for an army of unified bloodsuckers worldwide. Okay, let me back up and give you guys the whole scoop: So, in the DEATH OF DRACULA one-shot (available now here at Third Eye), we watched as the entire hiearchy of the Marvel vampire world was explored, and at the same time, were treated to a very Godfather-like scenario where at the meeting of clans, Dracula's son drives a stake in his heart. But, you know, this doesn't take ol' Drac out, he's the Lord of Vampires, ya know? So, then several other traitors start stabbing the hell out of the legendary Prince of Darkness ala Julius Caesar, and then, his son, beheads him. Okay, so what's next after that? Well, a unification of the vampire sects that span the Marvel Universe. The Atlantean vampires, the science-based vampires, ect ect. And, under this banner, they're being led to one stop first: the X-Men. See, the X-Men are on the mend, and hey, with mutant-powered vampires in their numbers... they're gonna be unstoppable when they confront the rest of humanity, ya know? So, anyways, as we saw in X-Men #1, the vampires show up en masse, and it all begins with one of them using himself as a suicide bomber (revealing his flesh to the sun and combusting amidst a crowd), somehow in the chaos, Jubilee is infected, and the X-Men become aware of just what the heck is going on. Wolverine also beheads some vampire ladies. It's pretty awesome. And, that leads us to this week's issue, which I don't want to drop spoilers on, 'cause it was awesome, but as you can tell from the cover, a certain legendary Vampire Hunter has made his presence known. And, things continue to get interesting, as we see some nods to their past involvement with the vampires (wayyyyy back in the '80s). Now, why do I dig it so much? Well, other than all the reasons above, it's just a plain good read. The artwork by Medina is slick and sick, and really helps make the book carry that pop that an X-Book should have. Gischler's writing is sharp, and captures the X-Men at their finest. We're given the same kind of Alpha Team treatment that we got with SECOND COMING, where the focus is put on the X-Men that we want to see, and that we care about, instead of third-stringers. But, most importantly, this series just reminds me of all the things I loved about reading X-Men growing up, and I can't quite put my finger on why, but that's a good enough reason for me. If you missed issue #1, we've still got copies in stock to get you caught up. Below is a link to the CURSE OF THE MUTANTS checklist as well. Click here for a preview of X-MEN #2 *CURSE OF THE MUTANTS PT 2* Click here for the X-MEN: CURSE OF THE MUTANTS Checklist THIRD EYE MUST BUY: SUPERMAN #702 *GROUNDED CHAPTER TWO* - J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI'S INCREDIBLE SUPERMAN ARC CONTINUES! THE BEST SUPERMAN STORY SINCE GRANT MORRISON'S ALL-STAR SUPERMAN! Without a doubt, J. Michael Straczynski's current run on Superman has potential to go down as one of those classic, character-defining runs. I mean, I've only read the prologue in 700, and issue #701, and I'm already putting it on caliber with some of my favorites like ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN, MAN OF STEEL, and WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW? Seriously though, this is what happens when you get an incredibly talented writer onto a book that he's always wanted to write. Pure comics magic. What's GROUNDED about? Well, in the wake of WAR OF THE SUPERMEN, Superman has realized how valuable he is to the world, and how he needs to refocus his efforts on saving PEOPLE instead of the UNIVERSE. In other words, he's decided to walk across the country, like Cain from Kung-Fu, and get back in touch with his humanity by helping people the old-fashioned way. And, you know what? It's awesome. The first issue brought back the awe, wonder and inspiration that a character like Superman should have. I've always said that what makes for a good Superman story is watching this character with immense power struggling to relate to people on a very personal, and very human level. Anyways, the first issue showed us Superman making his way to Philly, and helping solve some minor problems here and there. The high moment of the book was him talking down a suicide jumper. It was really cool to watch how Straczynski wrote the situation, as Superman refused to use his powers to go up and just snag the girl who was threatening to jump. Instead he tells her he understands that sometimes pain can make life impossible to live, and that if she genuinely believes she'll never live another happy day, then he'll let her jump. And, then he just hovers there, talking to her, for hours and hours, as shown by the day bleeding into night through the panels. It ends with a really cool moment where one of the rescue workers, or police officers asks "But, you wouldn't have let her jump would you?" and he just silently keeps on walking. Awesome, awesome read. Anyways, this week, we're going to see the second issue taking Supes to Ohio, where he learns that there's a number of residents secretly from other worlds, and a mystery begins to unravel that may have grave consequences for Earth. If you missed the first chapter of this one, don't worry, 'cause we have both the prologue issue (SUPERMAN #700) and the first chapter (SUPERMAN #701) in stock to get you caught up. I can't recommend this one enough, folks, give it a shot! Click here for a preview of SUPERMAN #702 *GROUNDED PT 2* THIRD EYE MUST BUY: THANOS IMPERATIVE #3- THIS SERIES KICKS ASS. A CTHUHLU'D OUT MARVEL UNIVERSE DUBBED THE CANCERVERSE. GALACTUS'S SKULL ON A TRAIN MADE OF BONES AND DEMONS. AND EVIL, DEMONIC AVENGERS? YOU GOTTA READ THIS ONE! If you're not reading the THANOS IMPERATIVE, then you need to remedy that right now, my friends. This series has turned out to be one of the best damn things we're reading here at Third Eye, and has turned into a real sleeper hit here. I mean, the big hook of it is an alternate universe that's been dubbed the Cancerverse, and is crawling with both Many-Angled Ones (aka Cthulhu Baddies!) and crazy evil devil-worshipping Avengers. Plus, it's no secret that for the past few years, Abnett and Lanning have been making the cosmic characters of the Marvel Universe some of the most exciting and compelling to follow. It all began with ANNIHILATION, and it's only continued from there, culminating in this killer event, the THANOS IMPERATIVE. Okay, so what is the THANOS IMPERATIVE? Well, basically, Thanos has been resurrected to be the new Avatar of Death, but there's a higher calling, see Thanos is the only one who can slay the undying creatures that dwell within the very Cthulhian Cancerverse. In other words, the fate of the galaxy, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and more, all rests upon the shoulders of a death-obsessed Mad Titan. This huge story is taking place only in the pages of one book, the Thanos Imperative, and folks, you need to be reading it. I mean, when you see the Cancer Hulk rampaging about with goat horns, and the Cancer Valkyrie opening her shark-like set of chompers, you'll be in awe. Now, when you see the giant Galactus head strapped to a train made of bones and demons, ripping a hole through space and time.. well, you'll be a firm devotee to the Abnett and Lanning cosmic stuff. This book smokes, and all I can say is issue #3 is a HUGE one with some serious revelations and ramifications. If you missed out on the previous issues, we currently have THANOS IMPERATIVE IGNITION, as well as THANOS IMPERATIVE #1 and #2 in stock to get you caught up. Click here for a preview of THE THANOS IMPERATIVE #3 THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: DUNGEONS & DRAGONS #0 KICKS OFF THE DUNGEONS & DRAGONS ONGOING COMIC SERIES FROM IDW PUBLISHING! AND IT'S ONLY $1.00! Man, I don't care whether you're a long-time devotee of 3.0, 3.5, 2.0, or a hardcore follower of AD&D 4.0... no matter what, if you've got any familiarity with the classic game, then that cover image definitely has to send a killer blast of nostalgia your way. This week, the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS #0 issue serves as a great spot to hop onto IDW's brand new D&D series. And, hey, the first issue is only a buck! The art looks pretty rad, and it looks like this should be a promising line for anyone who's a fan of the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS worlds and realms. Click here for a preview of DUNGEONS & DRAGONS #0 SHADOWLAND DOUBLE-DOSE THIS WEEK:DAREDEVIL #509 and SHADOWLAND: BLOOD ON THE STREETS #1 - CHECK 'EM OUT AS MARVEL'S HOTTEST SUMMER EVENT CONTINUES! Shadowland keeps us interested this week, with the next issue of DAREDEVIL tying into the event in a big way, judging from how issue #508 ended with Elektra's return. What's cool about the Daredevil stuff is it's written by SHADOWLAND writer ANDY DIGGLE, and serves as nice in between spots for the actual SHADOWLAND mini-series. So, essentially, DAREDEVIL #509 picks up right after SHADOWLAND #2, showing us how ol' DD has gotten a bit crazier, and how his Shadowland stronghold in Hell's Kitchen continues to grow. And, now, the heroes of New York are stepping forward to try to get the Man Without Fear back to his senses... but we don't think that's gonna happen. Gotta tell you, folks, so far, everything SHADOWLAND has been awesome, and this week's DAREDEVIL looks to be no exception. Click here for a preview of DAREDEVIL #509 *SHADOWLAND TIE-IN* Click here for the official THIRD EYE SHADOWLAND Checklist, as well as a quick rundown of what SHADOWLAND is all about. But that's not all, also dropping this week is theSHADOWLAND: BLOOD ON THE STREETS #1 Also hitting this week, we've got the first issue of the 4-part SHADOWLAND: BLOOD ON THE STREETS limited series. This one springs straight out of the pages of SHADOWLAND, bringing us a foursome of cult favorite heroes who get a chance to shine in the spotlight of Daredevil's crazy rampage. Silver Sable (remember her?), The Paladin (who I've always thought was pretty rad), Misty Knight, and the Shroud. Apparently, a rogue faction of ol' DD's ninjas are targeting the mafia, and with the Man Without Fear dangerously on the edge of sanity, there's a murder mystery brewing that this unlikely foursome must solve. This mini-series should bring a blood-drenched tour down the mean streets of SHADOWLAND, showing us how much Hell's Kitchen has changed under Daredevil's reign. Click here for a preview of SHADOWLAND: BLOOD ON THE STREETS #1 THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: BPRD: HELL ON EARTH #1 KICKS OFF A BRAND NEW DIRCTION, AND BRAND NEW STORY ARC FOR EVERYONE'S FAVORITE OCCULT PROBLEM-SOLVING TASK FORCE! FROM THE SAME GUY WHO BROUGHT YOU LAST WEEK'S BALTIMORE: THE PLAGUE SHIPS, MIKE MIGNOLA! Man, I'll admit, I'm a Mignola fanboy. I love pretty much everything the man does, and his BPRD stuff is no exception. Anyways, most of you already know the drill about the team that's often accompanied Hellboy in his missions, but did you know that for the last few years, Mignola's been telling some seriously kick-ass stories featuring on the team without Hellboy? Yeah, and they've been REALLY good. And kicking off this week, is a great opportunity to jump onto the BPRD books, as HELL ON EARTH kicks off a brand new story arc for the BPRD, that has them working under strict surveillance of the United Nations. Oh, and something's brewing in regards to you know, a whole Hell On Earth scenario. THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: STEVE ROGERS SUPER SOLDIER #2 - Ed Brubaker and Dave Eaglesham ARE KICKING SERIOUS ASS ON THIS NEW MINI-SERIES EXPLORING STEVE ROGERS NEW ROLE AS THE "NEW NICK FURY"! WE STILL HAVE LIMITED COPIES OF #1 IN STOCK TO GET YOU CAUGHT UP If you overlooked this new STEVE ROGERS: SUPER SOLDIERS mini-series, then you need to give it a shot this week. We've still got limited copies of #1 in stock to get you caught up, so don't miss out, 'cause this book kicks ass. Brubaker is delivering some serious James Bond, and we're talking new school neck-breaking cold-blooded Daniel Craig-style James Bond, awesomeness with this book. So, what's it all about then? Well, ever since Rogers returned with Cap Reborn, we haven't really seen a good solo spotlight on the former Captain America. But, with Steve Rogers Super Soldier, we finally get to see just what his place is in the Marvel Universe now that he no longer wears the mantle of Captain America. We also learn about what his role as the Nick Fury replacement of Marvel U consists of. Brubaker manages to do a terrific job of mixing genres, giving us a really fun part-superhero, part-spy, and very James Bond-esque kinda story. This second issue looks pretty kick-ass, and after giving the advance copy a read, I'm pretty stoked to see what's coming after this one. It leaves off on a VERY good cliffhanger. And, the creative team is top notch, Ed Brubaker and Dave Eaglesham are both great names to have on a book, and you couldn't ask for a better fit for a book that brings us a proper Cap return. Click here for a preview of STEVE ROGERS SUPER SOLDIER #2 THE UNWRITTEN v.2 INSIDE MAN TRADE PAPERBACK HITS THIS WEDNESDAY! MORE KILLER HARRY POTTER MEETS CELEBRITY SCANDAL AND LITERARY CONSPIRACY AWESOMENESS! FANS OF FABLES, READ THIS BOOK, SERIOUSLY! One of our favorite Vertigo series for the last year and a half now has been Mike Carey (writer of the excellent LUCIFER series from Vertigo) and Peter Gross's THE UNWRITTEN. And, you know, since books like this often read so well in trade paperback, we just gotta throw the spotlight on volume 2's arrival this Wednesday. Not reading the UNWRITTEN? Okay, well, here's the skinny: The Unwritten is many different things, first, it begins as the simple tale of a young man named Tom Taylor, who as a child was the basis of his father's line of hit children's novels (ya know, that's where the Harry Potter connection comes into play). As an adult, he's been regulated to convention appearances, and really has no other way of making a living other than cashing in on his likeness and signing copies of books he's got nothing to really do with. But, see, the story gets interesting when Tom is outed at one of the Tommy Cons. It's revealed that he's NOT the son of the author of Tommy Taylor, and not the inspiration for the character, like many had thought... but, then, in the midst of all this madness, and you know, being called a fraud... it's revealed that Tom Taylor may not be real at all, but he might actually BE the fictional character his father was writing about. And, that is where things get reaaaaally interesting, as the story evolves into a literary conspiracy that stretches across generations, from Tom's father to Rudyard Kipling and Oscar Wilde. The Unwritten is a fantastic, and sometimes dense read that doesn't feel dense. In other words, it's a satisfying, fast-paced and entertaining story, but at the same time, there's so much meat on this one that you could go back and dig deep into the "fiction within a fiction" elements like Tom's blog posts, the re-writing of Kipling stories, and more. If you haven't read the UNWRITTEN, then do yourselves a favor, and pick up volume 1 this week. It's only $10 for the first 6 issues, so you're getting a good deal on it too. Trust us, it'll be the best $10 you've spent in a while. For those of you who've already read the UNWRITTEN, well, you're already on board for the second trade, so I better say no more 'cause if I spoil anything, you're gonna be breaking out the pitchforks for me! MARK MILLAR (writer of NEMESIS & OLD MAN LOGAN) teams up with PREACHER & PUNISHERMAX artist STEVE DILLON to deliver ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 3 #1 THIS WEDNESDAY! ULTIMATE DAREDEVIL? ULTIMATE BLADE? AWESOME! Mark Millar has been knocking it out of the park fast and furious with his latest and greatest in the way of ULTIMATE COMICS. First he shows us how Cap's son grew up to be the Red Skull, then he showed us a killer incarnation of GHOST RIDER where he's a seven foot tall demon riding a motorcycle and turning guy's to salt with a stare, and now, he's going to be giving us his hyper-violent, and hyper-awesome take on the Ultimate versions of Blade and Daredevil. I love the Mark Millar ULTIMATE books, 'cause they're super-fast, super-action packed reads that kinda encompass all those conversations you've had with friends about "Wouldn't it be cool if..." And, Millar brings his own enthusiasm to these, and it definitely shows. Plus, they're violent as hell, and always feature some fantastic artists. Anyways, this go around, we've got Steve Dillon, of PREACHER and more recently, PUNISHERMAX fame, joining Millar to show us Blade the Vampire Hunter in the Ultimate Universe. And, hey, who's the new guy leaping around in a devil costume? As the Avengers are taken deeper into being a black ops unit, there's no telling who's gonna be thirsting for blood in this one. Click here for a preview of ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS 3 #1 THIRD EYE MUST BUY: LOVE THE IMAGE SERIES CHEW? THEN YOU MUST HAVE THIS BOOK: THE CHEW OMNIVORE EDITION HARDCOVER SHIPS THIS WEDNESAY COLLECTING THE FIRST 10 ISSUES OF CHEW IN A GORGEOUS, OVERSIZED HARDCOVER LOADED WITH EXTRAS! There are some series, like WALKING DEAD, and INVINCIBLE, that have devoted fan-bases, and CHEW is most definitely one of those series. The story of everyone's favorite cannibalistic detective, and the world where poultry is under prohibition gets it's own prestigious format collection with the new CHEW OMNIVORE EDITION Hardcover. This gorgeous, oversized hardcover collects the first two story arcs of CHEW, TASTER'S CHOICE and INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR, along with tons of extras, into one big slab of oversized awesomeness. And, for those of you who haven't read CHEW, well, you gotta check it out. We've also got the softcovers which you can check the first one out for only $9.99. What's CHEW? Picture this: all poultry is under prohibition due to Avian Bird Flu. The FDA is the equivalent of the ATF, the US Department of Agriculture employs ninja assassins, and then there's Tony Chu. See, Tony is cibopathic. He gets psychic impressions from whatever he eats. He eats a burger, he sees the cow getting killed. And, well, he's working for the FDA now... eating the remains of murder victims... and solving crimes. Folks, this series is awesome, and we guarantee will be the next big Image series to follow WALKING DEAD in getting it's own TV show. There's already rumblings of it. Try it, we guarantee you'll love it! STAFF PICKS Steve - SHADOWLAND #2- How long has it been since GHOST RIDER was this cool? Shadowland continues to kick ass. A must-read. Trish - NANCY IN HELL #1= You can't go wrong with a cheerleader in Hell swinging around a chainsaw, and knocking back hard liquor. Plus, Juan Jose Ryps art is SOOOOOO good. Torma -AVENGERS PRIME #2= TOTAL MAYHEM! This one is filled with action, and does a great job of showing how Marvel's Big 3 patched up their differences to put together the new Avengers teams. Matt - CROSSED: FAMILY VALUES #3 = Holy God... this series manages to shock and offend me again and again, and that's hard to do. Issue #3 I think was the furthest CROSSED has gone over the line.