Monday, December 13, 2010

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 12/15/10



UNCANNY X-FORCE #3 - The BEST X-Book we're reading brings it's third installment this Wednesday, as THE APOCALYPSE SOLUTION continues.
uncannyxforce3

I am so hooked on the new X-Force book. Rick Remender and Jerome Opena are one of my favorite creative teams, and the first two issues of this series have really blown me away so far. There's just something that's undeniably cool about the entire title. It kind of takes me back to the excitement I got as a kid from reading Uncanny X-Men and X-Men, where the stories were bigger than life, and the lore that was built around the characters and their villains seemed so interesting.

So, why is Uncanny X-Force so freakin' rad? Well, the number one reason is you've got two of the best up and coming creators in the biz on the book. Rick Remender knocks it out of the park on this one, and with him pairing back up with Fear Agent comrade Jerome Opena, the writing and the art just mesh perfectly. Remender brings out the best in each member of this new incarnation of the team, and even manages to make a character like DEADPOOL (that's been used to death recently) fresh and interesting. As for the art, Opena is a guy I've been singing the praises of for quite some time, since he blew me away with the first arc of Remender's PUNISHER run a couple of years ago. His style is very unique, and stands out well amongst many of today's artists. I don't know if it's the stylized approach to his art, or his dynamic storytelling methods, but he really does make this book come to life.

And, then there's the pure fanboy bliss of the book that has us loving it as well.. I mean, the team roster is kick-ass.. it's a who's who of characters that are just plain cool. Psylocke, Arc-Angel (who is being written the best we've seen him in a long time), Fantomex (originally from Morrison's NEW X-MEN run, and a vastly underrated character), Deadpool (who's being written the best we've seen in quite some time), and Wolverine (yeah, we know he's on a lot of teams.. but, you get used to it. :) ). The team fits the premise of the book perfectly, and you're probably asking, "Well, what is the premise?"

Basically, Arc-Angel has sensed a great disturbance in the Force, so to speak. He's gotten information that Apocalypse is alive, and reincarnated in the body of a child, and being raised by crazed En Sabah Nur Death Cultists to bring about the end of existence as we know it. Now, knowing that what he WANTS to do would never be approved or sanctioned by the X-Men as a whole, Arc-Angel assembles a hit squad with one mission: to kill this kid that happens to be Apocalypse!

Of course, this brings in all the things we love about the book, like the kick-ass new incarnations of The Four Horsemen, and some very grand moments for the interesting mix of characters that make up the current X-Force roster.

Folks, I gotta tell you, if you've been away from the X-Men for a bit, or you're skeptical of the book due to the X-Force tag, please give the first issue of this a shot. You will NOT be disappointed. This is the kind of book that the X-Men have needed since Whedon's ASTONISHING X-MEN run ended. Sharp characterization, incredible artwork, and the best utilizations of these characters we've seen in years. Psylocke is handled perfectly, Arc-Angel is really developed into an interesting leadership role, and hell, like we said, Deadpool is even funny again.

If you missed issues #1 and #2, we've got copies still available to get you caught up to this week's #3. This is a damn good book, and if you're even remotely interested in the X-Men, you gotta be reading this one.

Click here for a preview of UNCANNY X-FORCE 3 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*

GREEN LANTERN #60 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* - THE TRUTH BEHIND THE INDIGO TRIBE IS REVEALED, THE RIFT BETWEEN THE NEW GUARDIANS WIDENS, AND THE INDIGO ENTITY, PROSELYTE TAKES CENTER STAGE! STILL ONE OF OUR FAVORITES, GREEN LANTERN CONTINUES TO KICK ASS
greenlantern60

Geoff Johns continues to make GREEN LANTERN a top-of-the-stack must-read every month, and this is the issue we've been waiting for: #60. There's been a lot of interesting stuff going down in the pages of GL since issue #53 when BRIGHTEST DAY began, and the development of the "New Guardians" (Atrocitus, Larfleeze, Sinestro, St Walker, Carol Ferris, Hal Jordan, and the mysterious Indigo Tribesleader) has been one of the best things we've seen happening in the pages of a DC title. Just because BLACKEST NIGHT ended, doesn't mean that this book fell off one bit, in fact, we feel that it's gotten even stronger, now that Johns is solely focused on what's happening with Hal and the gang in this title.

In recent issues, we've seen more revelations coming to light surrounding the Indigo Tribe, Black Hand's fate, and the hosts of the remaining entities being chosen. Now, in this week's issue #60, everything comes to a head, and we're pumped to see where this one is going.

If you've been looking for a great spot to jump on with Green Lantern, we'd recommend picking up issue #53, as that is where all the current arcs began, and is the perfect jumping on spot with the series. We've got all the issues following #53 in stock as well up to this week's current, so catching up is easy.


DOC MACABRE #1 DELIVERS OLD SCHOOL PULP HORROR AWESOMENESS FROM STEVE NILES & BERNIE WRIGHTSON
docmacabre1
When it comes to horror comics, Steve Niles is the man right now, and has been for a few years. Niles has a knack for taking those classic horror concepts that've been a mainstay of horror comics for years, and putting a new spin on 'em that really makes 'em fun to read.

This Wednesday, Niles teams up again with the legendary Bernie Wrightson (a horror comics maestro himself) to bring us the new IDW limited series, DOC MACABRE. Doc Macabre is the story of a one-man Ghostbustin' badass who happens to have a robot sidekick by the name of Lloyd. From what we've seen of the series so far, the art is gorgeous, 'cause c'mon, it's Wrightson, but, it also reads really well, and kinda delivers that old school late night horror movie host kinda humor and wit from Doc Macabre. Of course, there's all sorts of creepy crawlies, and hey, how could you not with a Niles and Wrightson pairing?

If you're a fan of horror comics, give this one a shot, we think you'll really dig it.

BLACK PANTHER: MAN WITHOUT FEAR #513 - IN THE AFTERMATH OF SHADOWLAND, T'CHALLA HAS TAKEN DAREDEVIL'S ROLE AS THE GUARDIAN OF HELL'S KITCHEN! THIS NEW SERIES, FEATURING THE GRITTY ART OF FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, LOOKS FANTASTIC
blackpanther513
I gotta tell you, folks, I was a little bummed by the ending of SHADOWLAND. I loved the series up to that point, but thought the ending was a little anti-climatic. However, there are some VERY awesome things that've come out of the conclusion to SHADOWLAND. The big two that jump to mind are the new HEROES FOR HIRE series by Abnett and Lanning, and then, this week, the BLACK PANTHER: MAN WITHOUT FEAR run that begins in BLACK PANTHER MAN WITHOUT FEAR #513.

Yup, T'Challa is taking over the Daredevil title now that ol' Matt Murdock is out of the picture, and folks, I'm pumped. The creative team on this one is sharp, and I feel that this is going to be one of those books that really delivers something special, so make sure you take a look at it this Wednesday.

The scoop? Well, basically, with no kingdom, no vibranium, and no high-tech gear... the Black Panther has deicded to build a new identity, and a new life for himself in Hell's Kitchen. He's decided to take over as the city's guardian, and with just two sets of bloody knuckles, T'Challa is going to be dealing out some serious justice on the streets of Hell's Kitchen. Of course, now that Daredevil is gone, the villains are crawling out of the woodwork in Hell's Kitchen, and it looks like we're going to see a very brutal, and unrelenting world presenting itself to the new Man Without Fear.

The creative team on this one is fantastic, with a comics newcomer, but longtime mystery and crime novelist, David Liss, handling the writing, and the very talented pulp art maestro Francesco Francavilla handling the art chores.

Don't let the high numbering on this one scare you off, this is a fresh start, and issue #513 is the perfect jumping on point as it's the first chapter of the new run.

Click here for a preview of BLACK PANTHER MAN WITHOUT FEAR #513 and see for yourself why we're pumped for this one!

A BATMAN, INCORPORATED DOUBLE-SHOT THIS WEDNESDAY WITH BATMAN AND ROBIN #18 & BATMAN #705
batmanandrobin18
And, now, we've got your regularly scheduled Bat-fix, with two BATMAN INCORPORATED tie-ins this Wednesday.

First off, we've got the second issue of Paul Cornell's killer run on BATMAN AND ROBIN, with BATMAN AND ROBIN #18. We've been really becoming big fans of Cornell with the awesomeness he's delivered on ACTION COMICS featuring Lex Luthor, and his quirky and fun take on KNIGHT AND SQUIRE has had us hooked as well. So, it's really kick-ass to see him bringing a very fresh approach to BATMAN AND ROBIN. He keeps the zaniness that Morrison brought to the book, and brings a very unique edge to things. The current arc, focusing on Grayson and Damian investigating a cult known as The Absence, is the perfect mix of new school Batman awesomeness and old school Adam West Batman craziness. Missed #17? That's where this arc began, and we still have copies in stock to catch you up to this week's #18.
batman705
And, then next up on the agenda this week is BATMAN #705, which showcases Dick Grayson handling the streets of Gotham City solo as Batman, and continues his delve into the depths of Gotham City's Chinatown district. This arc kicked off in #704, and if you missed it, we've got copies available to catch you up.

MOUSE GUARD: THE BLACK AXE #1 *THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL* - David Petersen's MOUSE GUARD saga continues this Wednesday in THE BLACK AXE!
Haven't read Mouse Guard? Get caught up with the first two trade paperbacks!
mouseguardblackaxe1
The Eisner-Award winning Mouse Guard returns this Wednesday with the third installment of the saga, THE BLACK AXE. This story, set in 1115, is actually a prequel to MOUSE GUARD: FALL 1152, and shows us the promise the wise oldfur Celanawe made to Lieam the day his paw first touched the Black Axe: to tell the young warrior about who first wielded the deadly weapon.

Best of all, it's Petersen handling the artwork, so you know this one's gonna look REALLY nice. :)

For those of you unfamiliar with the world of Mouse Guard, you really should check it out. If you're into books like STUFF OF LEGEND and FABLES, we feel that you'd really dig this series. The Mouse Guard series follows the adventures of a group of, well, mice and rats. Their purpose in life? To protect their kingdom, and the citizens within. And, in the first trade paperback (FALL 1152), their mission is to find a recently disappeared grain farmer, which of course, brings them into encounters with all sorts of crazy stuff like snakes, and crabs, and other giant (to the mice) animals that they've gotta fend off.

There's a real sense of an epic plot that runs through each story, as the world is further fleshed out, and we're shown more of the mysterious army of mice that make up the Mouse Guard.

And of course, the artwork is freakin' incredible. This one is a great all ages book that'll appeal to anyone, whether they're a young or older reader.

If you've never tried the series, pick up MOUSE GUARD: FALL 1152 this Wednesday and give it a whirl.

WOLVERINE #4 - Jason Aaron's WOLVERINE GOES TO HELL saga continues this Wednesday as demonically possessed WOLVERINE goes head to head with COLOSSUS
wolverine4
We've been loving the heck outta Jason Aaron's run on Wolverine, which began in WOLVERINE #1, and has continued since with the Wolverine Goes to Hell storyline. Aaron brings back the feel and tone of the original Wolverine ongoing series, where it's Wolverine, firmly grounded in the Marvel Universe, but fighting his own unique pack of villains.

The current storyline, where Wolverine's soul has been taken to Hell, and his body has been possessed by a demon and turned into a killing machine, has been kick-ass, and just witnessing Wolverine having to slice and dice through all of the bad guys he's put in the dirt over the years has been kick-ass. Throw in Mystique, a couple of Ghost Riders, Sabretooth (!), and the Devil himself wielding a freakin' huge sword... and you've got yourself one hell of an awesome Wolverine book.

Plus, it's demon Wolvie vs. Colossus this month, and how freakin' rad is that?

Missed 1-3? We've got copies of each available to get you caught up to this week's #4.

Click here for a preview of WOLVERINE #4 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*

GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS #5 *BRIGHTEST DAY* - GUY GARDNER IS SEEING RED, AS HIS PACT WITH ATROCITUS IS REVEALED!
glemeraldwarriors5
We have to admit, the one thing that really draws us to EMERALD WARRIORS every month, other than the fact that it's a damn fine comic in and of itself, is Guy Gardner. We've been Guy Gardner fans since way back, heck, since he first got knocked out in one punch by the Dark Knight. He's always been such a jerk, and the evolution of the character through BLACKEST NIGHT and BRIGHTEST DAY have made him one of the most compelling of the Green Lanterns. And, lets face it, it's pretty awesome that we can all forget about his days as "Warrior", where he turned his arms into guns or whatever the hell crazy '90s stuff they had going on with him.

This Wednesday, Tomasi and Pasarin deliver another kick-ass issue of Emerald Warriors, as we see the truth behind the mysterious pact Guy made with Atrocitus and Ganthet revealed to his team-mates Kilowog and Arisia. And, it's going to cause a major rift between the Lanterns, which will leave Sodom Yat as the wild card.

Red Lanterns are our favorite of the various Corps, and the amount of focus we've seen the Red Lantern Corps given in EMERALD WARRIORS has kept us coming back month after month.

Wanna jump on? We've got issues of #1-4 in stock to catch you up.

IRON SIEGE #1 (of 3) DELIVERS A KILLER WORLD WAR II STORY WITH A HORRIFIC TWIST.... NAZI ZOMBIES! IT'S DAWN OF THE DEAD meets ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13IRONSIEGE1
Coming this Wednesday, in that Golden Age size and format we love so much here at Third Eye, is a brand new limited series that looks to be the comic book successor to horror flicks like SHOCK WAVES and DEAD SNOW. Yup, we're talking Nazi Zombies here, folks, so get ready for some craziness. A gritty WW 2 based comic that shows us an outfit of U.S. Soldiers capturing a group of Nazis led by a high-ranking SS officer. But, when they come across a deserted town with a dangerous secret, they must forge an uneasy alliance to survive the unspeakable that awaits them.

Of course, we all know what this is going to lead to, right? Nazi Zombies getting blown to bits! And, that means this one's gonna rock.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #650 *BIG TIME CHAPTER 3* - Brand New Day is over, Spidey's got a new costume, and the Hobgoblin's back.. folks, Spidey is better than it's been in AGES.
ams650
Amazing Spider-man is better than it's been in years, and with BRAND NEW DAY over, and hopefully, forgotten, the book is really back on track.

The current arc, BIG TIME, brings us the best creative team we've seen on the title in a while, with Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos doing something with Spidey that we haven't seen in a while: a comic that actually READS and FEELS like a Spider-man comic. The humor is there, the artwork is the perfect fit, and the tone and subject matter is great. Plus, he's brought back all of Spidey's classic rogues gallery as a reunited Sinister Six, re-introduced the Hobgoblin, and now, is putting Spidey into a brand new costume.

If you want to jump onboard with BIG TIME, you'd want to start with #648, follow up from #649, and you'll be caught up with this week's #650. And, in this week's #650, we learn what the deal is with Spidey's new suit, and what it can do, and we also learn just what the heck is going on with Phil Urich being revealed as the new Hobgoblin.

If you've been away from Spidey for a bit, or are looking for a good spot to jump on board with the character, start with AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #648 *BIG TIME CHAPTER 1*, and find out why this series has gotten great again.

Click here for a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #650 *BIG TIME CHAPTER 3*

SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN HARDCOVER ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY COLLECTING GEOFF JOHNS & GARY FRANK'S INCREDIBLE, ICONIC RE-TELLING OF SUPERMAN'S ORIGIN FROM HIS CHILDHOOD DAYS AND UP! A MUST-READ, ONE OF THE BEST SUPERMAN GRAPHIC NOVELS YOU'LL SEE.
supermansecretoriginhc
We know that SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE is getting all of the limelight these days, and admittedly, EARTH ONE is a fantastic read. But, folks, we gotta tell you, we like Johns and Frank's take on the character and his origins in SECRET ORIGIN even more. This series really captures what SUPERMAN is about, who he is, and is the perfect stand-alone graphic novel for anyone, whether they're a long-time Supes fan, or they've never read any stories involving the character in their life.

Johns uses the same formula he used in his GREEN LANTERN SECRET ORIGIN story, and chronicles the life and times of the Man of Steel beginning with Clark in Smallville, following him to Metropolis, and then his first days in the suit. Along the way, we're also introduced to much of his supporting cast, and see the development of them. Luthor's own origin is told in a way that runs parallel to Superman/Kent, and some interesting tidbits, include them showing the comparison of Clark's good family upbringing with the Kents, and Lex's dysfunctional family upbringing.

Gary Frank brings the book to life in a big way, and it's no secret that he's modeled the look of his take on Superman off the iconic Christopher Reeves.

The over-all theme of the story is one of hope in an overly cynical world. When Superman first debuts in the suit, he's met with fear and skepticism, and the government goes on the defensive. Metropolis, pre-Superman, is dirty and corrupt. Luthor is deemed the most important man in America, and the only news outlet not influenced by Luthor, is the Daily Planet. Of course, the arrival of Superman brings change to all of this, and it's a fascinating story that captures the timelessness of the character.

It might be a re-telling of many things we already know, but it's the best re-telling of Superman's origin and background in the DCU that we've ever read.

Snag the hardcover this Wednesday, and find out why we're so impressed with this one.

PROOF: ENDANGERED #1 - This Image series rocks, from the creators of COWBOY NINJA VIKING, the story of a SASQUATCH that works for the FBI investigating cryptozoological creatures and crimes.
proofendangeredspecies1

Proof is fantastic, and Proof: Endangered is the brand new ongoing series featuring everyone's favorite Sasquatch FBI agent, and, it's the perfect opportunity to jump onto the character.

The story of Proof, focuses on John "Proof" Prufrock, a sasquatch, who works for a secret division of the FBIA that investigates cryptids (cryptozoological creatures, like Chupacabras, the New Jersey Devil, the Bowie Goat-Man, ect). The book's got a great sense of humor to it, and with Riley Rossimo (of COWBOY NINJA VIKING) fame handling the art chores, it looks fantastic. Flesh-eating fairies, a sheriff named Elvis, jackalopes, golems, and more pop up in the world of Proof, which just adds to it's awesomeness.

Check it out this Wednesday!

CHAOS WAR #4 - THE BIGGEST MARVEL UNIVERSE-ENCOMPASSING COSMIC BRAWL SINCE THE INFINITY GAUNTLET CONTINUES. PLUS, HELL COMES TO HAWAII. YES. HAWAII.
chaoswar4
Chaos War has been a true send-up to the bigger-than-life superhero slobberknockers of yesteryear like the INFINITY GAUNTLET, and SECRET WARS, and we gotta admit: it's been a hell of a lot of fun.

This week, the CHAOS KING (you know that crazy Japanese death god that's intent on destroying all creation) is marshalling his forces for his final assault, with nearly every major (and minor) Marvel superhero as his target. It's up to Hercules, Thor, and the God Squad, to embark on one last mad scheme to save existence itself, but what sacrifices will have to be made to do so ?

Wanna get caught up on CHAOS WAR? Click here to check out the official checklist, as we've got all of the one-shots and tie-ins in stock and available now.

Click here for a preview of CHAOS WAR #4

WARREN ELLIS & AMANDA CONNER'S KICK-ASS CYBERPUNK YAKUZA STORY TWO-STEP FINALLY GETS COLLECTED IN TRADE
twosteptpb

Dude, I have been waiting for this one to come out in trade FOREVER. Totally underrated, and due to not getting a proper trade collection, practically unseen, this one is a true Warren Ellis hidden gem. Not only is it a quick, and fast awesome read, but it's also featuring one of our favorite artists: Miss Amanda Conner!

Two Step is a perfect example of the short, hyper-kinetic limited series Ellis was doing a few years back, that he kind of was putting out there like some sort of comic book equivalent to punk rock 45 singles. Quick blasts of energy that were so damn fun you had to read 'em again.

Two-Step is one of our favorites, and tells a great cyberpunk tale set in Near-Future London, where you've got a Tony Ling, a Zen gangter, and Rosi Blades, a bored camgirl. They've never met, but this unlikely pair ends up embarking on the chase of a lifetime through the crowded streets of a screwed-up future version of London.

If you're a fan of stuff like FREAKANGELS, TRANSMETROPOLITAN, and the ilk, then you need to read this!

THE OCCULTIST #1 ONE-SHOT DEBUTS FROM TIM SEELEY'S (HACK/SLASH writer and creator) SHOWCASING HIS UNIQUE TALENT FOR MIXING HORROR AND HUMOR
occultist1
We've been big fans of Tim Seeley's send-up to B-grade horror flicks, HACK/SLASH, for a long time here at Third Eye, and we're stoked to see him venturing out and doing some new stuff for Dark Horse, with the new series, THE OCCULTIST.

From what we've seen on the one-shot, it could lead to a new series, but it sounds pretty kick-ass. Basically, a mysterious book of powerful spells (we're thinking an incarnation of the Necronomicon) binds itself to a down-on-his-luck fellow by the name of Rob. And, really, what does being left by his girlfriend, or mountains of debt matter when mystics and demons are overrunning the town in search of the book, and him? Rob's gotta learn how to use the book's arcane magics to keep himself alive, while his own personal life slips more and more out of control.

STAR WARS LEGACY WAR #1 - Darth Krayt Reborn! The STAR WARS LEGACY SERIES CONTINUES WITH THIS NEW LIMITED SERIES
starwarslegacywar1
Of all the recent STAR WARS comics that've come out in the last few years, STAR WARS LEGACY still remains our favorite SW comic of the '00s. The saga exploring the world of STAR WARS 125 years after RETURN OF THE JEDI, and focusing on Luke's great-grandson, Cade Skywalker, was a constant favorite for us right until it's conclusion with issue #50. And, now, this Wednesday, we get to re-visit the compelling world of a risen Empire and Sith Legion that Legacy delivers with STAR WARS LEGACY: WAR.

Focusing on Legacy baddie, Darth Krayt, we see that he's returned from the dead (so to speak), stronger, more evil, and more determined than ever to crush the galaxy under his heel. With everyone from the Jedi, the Empire, and even some of his own Sith followers arrayed against him, how can he stand a chance?

And, that's where Cade Skywalker comes in.

Click here to read an interview with the creative team of SW Legacy about the new SW LEGACY WAR limited series.


THIRD EYE STAFF PICKS

Steve - T.H.U.N.D.E.R AGENTS #2 - The second issue of Nick Spencer's killer new DC series picked up from the solid intro of #1, and launched into a damn fine second issue. A must for fans of series like THE AUTHORITY and PLANETARY.

Trish - CROSSED FAMILY VALUES #6 - It's like a car wreck. I just can't stop looking.. and then looking again. But David Lapham is really crossing the line again and again in the newest incarnation of CROSSED.

TORMA - NEW AVENGERS #7 - One word: SQUIRREL GIRL! That's all I've got to say.



No comments: