THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 8/18/10

THIRD EYE MUST BUY: SECRET AVENGERS #4 - 3 Reasons Why This Is One of Our Biggest Marvel Must-Reads! Grab Issues #1-3 and Get Caught Up! Okay, so four issues in, and each month, I rave more, and more about why Secret Avengers is one of my favorites in the new Heroic Age line-up of Marvel titles. And, while I know that nearly everybody is already reading this one, I feel that it's my duty to tell you guys one more time why I love this series so much, and why you need to jump on if you haven't already: 1. The Team It's got one of the coolest team line-ups we've seen in a superhero book in a long time. I mean, sure, it's great to see a book that features the biggest of the big guns, and sure, it's cool to get that nostalgia rush from familiar settings and characters, but Secret Avengers manages to put together a team that has at least one of everybody's fan-favorite "cult following"-type characters. In other words, if you're a big time Nova fan, he's here, and he's kicking ass. If you're like me, and you really dig Moon Knight, well, bam, you got him. And, then there's more traditional Avengers material, like The Beast (yes, from the X-Men) acting as the team's science guy, Steve Rogers in his new Nick Fury-esque role leading the team, and long-time Iron Man ally, War Machine, handling the heavy artillery. Add into the mix diverse characters like Valkyrie (imagine a really pissed off, and slightly more bloodthirsty female version of Thor), The Black Widow (for all the down and dirty espionage awesomeness), and the Irredeemable Ant-Man, 'cause, well, every team needs an obnoxious loudmouth, and heck, you've got yourself one hell of an interesting team. It's this dynamic line-up that makes reading Secret Avengers such a blast, and keeps us coming back for more. 2. High Concepts Grounded In Reality Make An Interesting Mix - Writer Ed Brubaker (ya know, the guy who's done killer reads like CRIMINAL, INCOGNITO, CAPTAIN AMERICA) makes Secret Avengers unique by taking that old school team book appeal of having mission-driven storylines, and then completely hosing it down in his own brand of psychotronic storytelling, which makes for one hell of a great read. See, with Secret Avengers, it's totally not out of the ordinary to see the team stalking around on the planet of Mars, and while this could be corny in any other book, Brubaker and Deodato manage to make it work too freakin' well. Deodato brings a very H.R Giger/Ridley Scott's ALIEN feel to the outer space aspect, as Mars is littered with weird caves, tunnels, and hieroglyphics all throughout. Add in that the layers of espionage and intrigue that Brubaker is building the plot with, and then mix with a dose of old school Steranko Nick Fury Agent of Shield craziness, and it makes for some very compelling reads. 3. The Creative Team - You're getting two guys at the top of their game, and it shows. Deodato is fresh off his work on Dark Avengers, and his artwork makes the book work exactly right for what it is: a covert ops team of Avengers who've been assembled to clean up the messes of Norman Osborn, and many others, so the public knows they never even existed. The mood, the atmosphere, and the attention to detail that Deodato brings is fantastic. Ed Brubaker is writing the superhero book he was born to write here, and it's probably his best superhero stuff since his early work on Captain America with the Winter Soldier saga. His characterization of each team member is unique, his introduction of the villainous characters is perfect, and the plot behind the first arc has been top notch all the way. Good creative team = Good Book. Now, does this sound like something you're itching to read? Well, we've still got limited quantities of issues 1, 2 and 3 in stock to get you caught up to this week's issue #4. Do not miss out on this series, folks, it's one of the best books on the stands, and the early issues are already starting to become hard to come by, so grab 'em while we've got copies in stock! For those of you who've already been on board with Secret Avengers, well, you saw the madness that happened at the end of issue #3, so we know you guys are stoked about what's coming next. And, if this week's cover to #4 is indicative.. holy crap. Plus, the puppet master behind this whole thing? We might just get to meet him in this issue. Click here for a preview of SECRET AVENGERS #4 THIRD EYE MUST BUY: BRIGHTEST DAY #8 - Geoff Johns's DCU Rebrith Continues This Wednesday - Who Is The One and Only White Lantern? Okay, so, first off, you're probably wondering why I'm using the cover to Brightest Day #7... well, it's cause Brightest Day #8 is supposedly a big issue, and DC is keeping the cover image, and all spoilers under tight lock and key. I gotta say, I'm pretty pumped to see what the hell is gonna be going down.. 'cause after issue #7, we learned some pretty interesting things about Deadman and why he's been especially chosen by the White Ring to solve the mysteries of the White Lantern. Now, going into issue #8, it looks like we're going to learn WHO the White Lantern ends up being, for real, and with many of the possible candidates, I'll admit, I'm intrigued. All in all, Brightest Day has continued to be one of the best things I've been reading this summer. It delivers each and every issue, and while it's bi-weekly schedule gives it kind of a weird rhythm of story development one issue, action the next, it has been really really good. What is BRIGHTEST DAY? Well, essentially, Geoff Johns, the writer of last year's mega-awesome BLACKEST NIGHT (now available in hardcover here at Third Eye), has defined Brightest Day, his follow-up to Blackest Night, as DCU: REBIRTH. In other words, this series provides an excellent entry point for those of you who have been meaning to try the DC Universe, but it also serves as a great refresher of things for those of you who've already been following DC. Basically, Johns and crew are rebuilding the DCU from the ground up, and are giving some specific focus to forgotten characters like Aquaman, Firestorm, Deadman, ect. The series so far has really done a great job of defining these characters, shaping the current direction of the DCU, and providing a damn good story in the process. For those of you who're thinking about jumping into the series, we've got all the issues in stock, #0-#7, so you can get caught up pretty easily still. While BLACKEST NIGHT is not mandatory to understand what's going on in BRIGHTEST DAY, we do recommend checking out at least the core Blackest Night story. Why? Well, other than the fact that it totally kicked ass, it's a good primer for a lot of what's going on now with the White Lantern stuff. Be sure to check out our checklists for the series and it's tie ins at: BRIGHTEST DAY Checklist Pt 1 & BRIGHTEST DAY Checklist Pt 2 THIRD EYE MUST BUY: THE BOYS: HIGHLAND LADDIE #1 - HUGHIE GETS HIS OWN SOLO LIMITED SERIES by GARTH ENNIS! A CRUCIAL SPIN OFF OF ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SERIES! I'm pretty stoked to read this one when it hits on Wednesday. This mini-series spinning off of one of our favorites, The Boys, hits this week, written by THE BOYS writer Garth Ennis, and focusing on Hughie's character. Basically, his origins, his background, and his motivations. So, what's the scoop? Well, you know how in the BOYS we were kinda getting the backgrounds on all the different characters and their pasts? Well, this is Hughie's story, but it's a little too big to be told in the pages of the series, not to mention he's not popping up in the monthly series as much currently. Also, in Highland Laddie, we're going to see the origin of another Boys character, but Ennis is leaving that one as a surprise. And, as we've seen from his work on stuff like THE BOYS, CROSSED, and PREACHER, Garth Ennis does surprises well. Now, obviously, there's going to be comparisons drawn to Highland Laddie and last year's Boys mini-series, Herogasm, but Ennis said that Highland Laddie is way more closer to the tone and mood of THE BOYS than Herogasm was. In other words, Herogasm was more played for laughs, which was cool, whereas Highland Laddie is a much more serious (yet I'm sure, still dementedly funny) tale. Also, for those of you who're not yet reading THE BOYS, by Garth Ennis, well, now is the perfect time for me to give you the scoop on what's become one of our favorite series here at Third Eye. Also, this Highland Laddie limited series serves as a nice spot to jump on and try the book as well. So, WHAT is THE BOYS all About ? Okay, let me say this first: It's my favorite thing Garth Ennis has written since PREACHER. And, that's a bold statement, considering all the really cool stuff that Ennis has done in between PREACHER and now. Stuff like PUNISHER MAX, CROSSED, HITMAN, his war stuff in BATTLEFIELDS, and more, have all been great reads, but it's THE BOYS that I always find myself comparing to PREACHER. Why? 'Cause it maintains that same style of heartfelt storytelling, shocking plot twists, and of course, the sometimes depraved humor of Preacher. But, at it's core, it's a long, epic story exploring the kind of themes that Ennis explores best. The plot of the BOYS is basically about a world where superheroes are the next step in National Defense. They're the equivalent of a private security company like Blackwater, which contracts out to the U.S to provide security for extraordinary situations. The actual superheroes in question, are all, for the most part, horrible, horrible people. They're negligent, often causing people to die in the middle of their encounters. They're corrupt, abusing their power to satisfy their depravities. And, they know that there's very little that can be done to stop them from doing what they want. In come THE BOYS, The Boys are a group of individuals who, as we learn, have all had their lives somehow screwed up because of the superheroes (or as they're called by the Boys, The Capes), or by the corporation that employs them. The Boys work for the CIA to make sure that the superheroes stay on their leash, and don't get too out of control for the U.S Government. They do this by doing everything from blackmailing and spying on the Capes to pumping themselves with a steroid-like compound and beating the hell out of them. The Boys, led by Butcher, are an interesting bunch, and it's the strong characterization that Ennis brings to them that really makes the book interesting. Hughie, is the character that we kinda see the story through. He's a guy, who, in the first issue, has his fiancee completely destroyed as a superhero throws a bad guy without looking, and it literally rips her body from her arms, pulverizing her into a wall. He's left holding onto her arms, and from there, he joins the Boys. And, then it gets crazier, and crazier. This series is fantastic, and it's about six trade paperbacks deep. We can't recommend it enough. Pick up Volume 1 this week if you're not already reading the Boys, we guarantee you'll love it. For those of you who're already reading THE BOYS, we know you'll be checking out Highland Laddie, cause lets face it: a double dose of Ennis's depraved exploration of super-humans is never a bad thing. THIRD EYE MUST BUY: BATMAN BEYOND #3 - The Batman Beyond Revival is Kicking Ass! We Couldn't Be More Stoked to See Terry McGinnis's Return! "Hush Beyond" Continues! Dude, the return of BATMAN BEYOND has been one of the most exciting things of the summer for me. This animated series still remains as one of the best exploration of the Bat-mythos, in my opinion, and it's great to see DC returning to this world and exploring it again. The writing and art on this one recapture everything that made Batman Beyond great, and manage to take the world of Terry McGinnis further into new directions as well. But, know what the most kick ass part about this is? It's giving us a "Beyond" take on one of the most infamous Bat-villains in the last twenty years: HUSH. It's still not clear if this is the same Hush as the one we all know, but so far in the first couple issues, we've seen a killer on the loose that's been dubbed Hush by the media. I think it's pretty safe to say this is a new incarnation of Hush, and is not the original, considering this one's pretty athletic and is fighting Mcinnis as if he was young. We're watching as Batman's surviving Rogues gallery is getting thinned out in interesting and strange ways. There's even a new Catwoman who pops up, and she actually comes off as a pretty interesting character. All in all, the Batman Beyond revival is kicking major ass, and if you loved the show, or just love good Elseworlds-style Batman stuff... we highly highly recommend checking it out. We've still got issues #1 and #2 in stock to get you caught up on the series! THIRD EYE MUST BUY: THE IDES OF BLOOD #1 - Caeser Conquers Transylvania, Vampire Roman Gladiators, and a Serial Killer Mystery that makes you think of SE7EN.. This one is AWESOME looking. "True Blood" meets "Spartacus" This series looks freakin' kick-ass. I read the concept, checked out the preview pages, and maybe I'm just a sucker for alternate history stuff, but, this one looks really rad. Ides of Blood is a new six-issue limited series from Wildstorm that follows an alternate history where Caesar conquered Transylvania and subjugated its inhabitants - who also just so happen to be bloodsucking undead - as a slave class in the ever-expanding Roman Republic. As the political landscape begins to change at a rapid pace, things alter just as quickly on a personal level for vampire slave-turned Roman-soldier Valens, who suddenly finds himself tasked with hunting down a vampiric serial killer draining the life out of Rome's rich upper class. The series, from the preview pages, looks awesome, and it's loaded with blood, sex, and all the other things you'd want out of the Roman Empire and Vampires put together. The series takes place around 44 BC, at the height of Caesar's power, and the exact year of the would-be emperor's assassination. The addition of vampires definitely makes things interesting, and completely alters the path of things going. This one looks like a crazy awesome mash-up of many different genres, and I can't wait to get a chance to read the whole shebang this week. Click here to read more about IDES OF BLOOD #1 THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: MARVEL UNIVERSE vs. THE PUNISHER #2 - "I AM LEGEND" with THE PUNISHER... YOU MUST READ THIS AWESOME "WHAT IF?"-Style Limited Series.... THE THING wears a necklace made of human hands, for God's sake! HOW AWESOME IS THAT? And we still have copies of issue #1 still available! Dude, the first issue of this four-issue WHAT IF?-style mini-series freakin' blew me away. I was seriously impressed. I mean, the concept sounded rad, but I had no clue how much fun this was going to end up being. So, what's the deal on this one? Well, it's pretty much what it sounds like... it's I AM LEGEND with the Punisher as the Last Man on Earth, and the Marvel Universe as his playground. Basically, five years ago, a plague swept through the Earth, turning everyone, human, hero, villain, god and monster, into sadistic cannibal predators. As Spider-man, The Hulk, the Thing (who rocks a necklace made of human hands!!) and many others start a feeding frenzy, the world falls in a wave of insatiable violence. And, now, five years later, the Punisher, the Last Gun on Earth, spends his days hunting these crazy, whacked out predator Marvel characters. This one rocks, and is simply put, straight up, bloody awesomeness. Click here for a preview of MARVEL UNIVERSE vs THE PUNISHER #2 If you missed issue #1, no worries, 'cause we've still got some copies left in stock to get you caught up! ATTN: SCOTT PILGRIM FANS - CHECK OUT SEEDLESS This Week from Corey Lewis - AWESOME little graphic novel that kicks out a Scott Pilgrim-esque tale that's like MEGA MAN meets the CALIFORNIA RAISINS. IT'S AWESOME. Dude, this one looks SO FREAKIN' COOL. Corey Lewis, the creator of the cult hit Sharknife, returns with this brand new graphic novel series, SEEDLESS. Lewis comes from the same school of comic storytelling as creators like Bryan Lee O'Malley (Scott Pilgrim) and Brandon Graham (King City). He manages to blend a ton of different comic styles effortlessly into one hyper-active, pop culture fueled mess of awesome. So, what is Seedless all about? Seedless is about three little alien grape warriors from another planet who come to Earth battling with a crazy grape named Crazy. Crazy is looking for 'seeds' on planet Earth, and the only way for the grapes to stop Crazy is to use their 'gel powers' and the advanced robots they pilot called 'Robotstomps.' In the midst of all these crazy grapes, you've got Harmony. Harmony is kinda the human character that's there for readers to relate to, and well, she also happens to be a quick-witted, and very kind girl. She's the daughter of an inventor, and ends up falling in league with these crazy mech-suited grapes. The trio of grape warriors? Funky, Pulse, and Dash. The classic teenage hero archetypes, ya know? Funky's the progressive and optimistic one, Pulse is the powerful hothead, and Dash is the silent ninja. So, I know what you're thinking, this sounds totally bizarre, right? Well, that's cause it is, but trust me, Lewis delivers a tight, well-told story that delivers the same kind of video game-fueled, character-driven awesomeness of stuff like Scott Pilgrim, and more recently, Super Pro KO. Check it out this week! SIXTH GUN #3 - AWESOME STEAMPUNKY WEIRD WEST STORYTELLING HITS THIS WEEK! MISS ISSUE #1 AND #2? WE'VE GOT 'EM IN STOCK TO GET YOU CAUGHT UP! The new Oni Press series, SIXTH GUN, is freakin' awesome. This steampunk occult Weird West delivers a killer read. Mixing up elements of series like HELLBOY, The Dark Tower, and the HBO series, DEADWOOD, The Sixth Gun is a great read that tells the tale of the Pinkerton Detective Agency being hired by the mysterious Mrs. Hume to recover various artifacts of power; a lantern, a tarot deck, a gun. But it's the Sixth Gun that seems to be the most dangerous, rumored to be so vile that it's not only indestructible but that Hell itself wouldn't take the item back. And, it's that artifact that not only the Pinkertons, but an independent agent called Drake Sinclair is also trying to find. The problem is, once someone's touched the gun, they're bound to it for life, and that's when things start getting sticky. The series has a lotta atmosphere, with art that's kinda reminiscent of P. Craig Russel, bringing a very Mike Mignola Hellboy feel to the whole thing. It's loaded with lots of really rad occult artifacts, and steampunky Old West goodness. Cursed weapons, demons from Hell, and more make this one heck of a read. If you missed issues #1 and #2, we've still got copies in stock to get you caught up. SHADOWLAND THIS WEEK: A DOUBLE-DOSE WITH SHADOWLAND DAUGHTERS OF THE SHADOW #1 & SHADOWLAND POWER MAN #1 From the depths of SHADOWLANDS, a legacy born in blood stands revealed. Spinning out of the uber rad SHADOWLAND event, we're going to see just what is up with the all-female hit squad that's working for Daredevil? Who is Colleen Wing and what's her secret connection to the Hand? And, what is the mysterious birthright that compels her to fufill Matt Murdock's bloody crusade to purge new York of corruption by any means necessary? Click here for a preview of SHADOWLAND DAUGHTERS OF THE SHADOW #1 Straight out of the streets of Shadowland: the all-new, all-different Power Man! Who is he? Why is he one of the few heroes to oppose Daredevil's rule over Hell's Kitchen? And, what's his mysteriou connection to Iron Fists's dojo, and the notorious Bullseye? It's up to Luke Cage and Iron Fist to solve this mystery, and find out just what the new Power Man's deal is. Click here for a preview of SHADOWLAND POWER MAN #1 TRUE BLOOD #2 - THE UNTOLD TALE OF SOOKIE, AND THE REST OF THE TRUE BLOOD GANG CONTINUES THIS WEEK by TV Series Creator ALAN BALL and Show writers ELIZABETH FINCH & KATE BARROW! Miss Issue #1? We've got copies in stock to get you caught up! True Blood is one of the most kick-ass shows on TV right now. There's no denying it. It's that kind of HBO series that really just stands tall as a great watch, and we're totally hooked. And, luckily, the comic book series is just as kick-ass. Written by Alan Ball, the creator of the TV series, and show writers Elizabeth Finch & Kate Barnow, this series is OFFICIALLY in True Blood continuity and explores untold stories of the world of True Blood. Awesome, awesome stuff. If you missed the first issue, we've still got a very limited amount of #1s in stock to get you caught up. AVENGERS & INFINITY GAUNTLET #1 - ATOMIC ROBO creator BRIAN CLEVINGER RE-TELLS THE CLASSIC MARVEL STORY WITH HIS OWN UNIQUE FRESH STYLE! Gotta tell ya, folks, I've been recently discovering how awesome some of these re-tellings of classic Marvel tales can be. Not only do they make great All Ages books, but they're also just plain cool self-contained storylines where anyone can pick 'em up and enjoy without having to know a ton of back story. And, sometimes, they actually bring a very fresh, funky kinda feel to the original source material, like in the case of this week's upcoming AVENGERS & THE INFINITY GAUNTLET. Brian Clevinger, who's pretty well known in the indie comics circles for his killer Tesla-fueled WW2 Robot badass, ATOMIC ROBO, is handling the writing duty on this limited series that brings us a brand new telling of Thanos's acquiring of the Infinity Gems, and his quest to destroy the galaxy. Joined by the highly underrated Brian Churilla (Artist on THE ANCHOR), this book looks like so much fun, I can't wait to sit down and read the full issue. Just bigger than life, over-the-top Marvel madness the way you like it, with a modern edge. Click here for a preview of AVENGERS & THE INFINITY GAUNTLET #1 THE LAST PHANTOM #1 - Dynamite Entertainment brings The Ghost Who Walks back into the spotlight! Dynamite Entertainment delivers a brand new series, and continues their revival of classic pulp characters (ala Green Hornet, Lone Ranger, ect) with the brand new LAST PHANTOM series. Like they've done with many other characters, the Phantom has been redesigned with the utmost care by Alex Ross, so it maintains the classic style but also has a sharp, modern look. The story? I'm not sure, they haven't really shown us much, but the preview pages look pretty damn slick. Click here for a preview of THE LAST PHANTOM #1 UNCANNY X-MEN #527 *THE FIVE LIGHTS CHAPTER 2* - THE FOLLOW UP TO SECOND COMING CONTINUES, AS WE GET CLOSER TO "GENERATION HOPE" The X-Books are better than they've been in ages, and between the awesomeness of CURSE OF THE MUTANTS, and what's going on over here in UNCANNY, we're hooked hardcore. In the wake of SECOND COMING, we saw that the first chapter of THE FIVE LIGHTS (in UNCANNY X-MEN #526) brought the emergence of five new mutants. The first new mutants since M-Day. And of course, the X-Men are interested. Meanwhile, Hope is in search of who her parents actually are, as well as some very cool explorations of how her power works. It looks like this plot is going to be leading us into the upcoming Generation Hope storyline, which pretty much signals more mutants emerging now that Hope is here to carry out the role she was born to. Click here for a preview of UNCANNY X-MEN#527 *THE FIVE LIGHTS PT 2* STAFF PICKS Steve - GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS #1- We all know that I'm a big sucker for all the GL stuff happening right now, but the first issue of this new ongoing series was better than I had even thought it was gonna be. Really solid characterization, amazing artwork, and some serious fan-favorite moments. Can't wait for more. Trish - WALKING DEAD #76 = Not quite the jaw-dropper that we got with #75, but still really really good. Torma -THANOS IMPERATIVE #3= THIS SERIES IS THE BEST THING EVER. Cthulhu Marvel Universe aka the Cancerverse gets it's own origins revealed here... PLUS, MORE GIANT ENGINES OF DESTRUCTION. Matt - X-MEN #2 *CURSE OF THE MUTANTS* = Never thought I'd be so hooked on the X-Men again, but this new series is total fun. Vampires vs X-Men? Too good.