THIS WEEKS HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 2/16/11

GARTH ENNIS'S JENNIFER BLOOD #1DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY A Must-Read For Fans of THE BOYS, PUNISHER MAX, CROSSED and PREACHER. We know how many of you guys are HUGE HUGE HUGE fans of GARTH ENNIS. And, folks, I couldn't be prouder of that fact, because ever since I was a snot-nosed teenager in a Misfits shirt, I've loved Ennis's work. PREACHER was the comic that cemented itself into my consciousness as that elusive thing that we can only call: my favorite comic of all-time. Who is Garth Ennis? He's the man behind series like the above mentioned PREACHER, as well as current favorites like THE BOYS, and past hits like CROSSED and PUNISHER MAX. He's one hell of a comics writer, and when it comes to delivering strong characterization, and a little bit of the ol' ultra-violence: he's the best there is at what he does. But I digress. Jennifer Blood is a brand new series from the very talented Mr. Ennis and the folks who publish THE BOYS, which focuses on a woman that calls herself, well, Jennifer Blood. She's a suburban wife and mom by day, and a ruthless vigilante by night. Imagine a little bit of the House Wives of Orange County or whatever mixed with Dirty Harry or the Punisher. Every day she makes breakfast, drops the kids off at school, cleans the house, puts the kids to bed, kisses her husband goodnight, and then heads out on the streets to dish out her lethal brand of justice. If you were a fan of Garth's now-classic run of PUNISHER MAX, or if you're enjoying his current work on THE BOYS, then there's no doubt that you need to check out JENNIFER BLOOD. It's a gritty, well-written, crime-drama with a bit of that classic taking-the-law-in-their-own hands vigilantism that many of you, and myself, can't get enough of. And with THE BOYS winding down, and coming to it's conclusion with issue #60, you know you're going to need something to scratch your Ennis fix. :) Click here for a preview of JENNIFER BLOOD #1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #654.1 - THE PERFECT JUMPING ON POINT TO THE BEST RUN ON SPIDEY IN AGES! FEATURING THE DEBUT OF THE NEW VENOM Dude. I am so stoked about this newest .1 issue. As many of you know, we've been singing the praises of how good the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN title has been since the BIG TIME direction of the series began in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #648 (in stock now). The combination of killer artists like Ramos and Caselli with the razor-sharp, dead-on Spidey writing of Dan Slott has made this one into major must-read material from the get-go. And, folks, we know: it's been a while since Spidey's been a must-read, but we're telling you.. it's the best it's been in years. And, with this week's 654.1, it's the perfect opportunity for you to hop aboard the title, and find out what all the fuss is about. As many of you know, the .1 Initiative that Marvel's been taking is a fantastic way of making it easy for those of you who're new to a series to pick it up, and hop aboard, while at the same time, keeping the momentum of the current story arcs going for current readers. It really is a cool thing, and so far, judging by the overwhelmingly positive reactions we've heard from you guys, it's really being well-received by everyone. Now, starting this Wednesday, with AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #654.1, you're being handed probably the perfect spot to jump onto the best damn Spidey run in ages. And... to top it all off, it's packed with a kick-ass story that introduces the all-new VENOM... aka.. FLASH THOMPSON! Like I said, folks, I can't tell you how much we're enjoying Spidey now, and this issue here is the perfect spot to jump on board. Plus, with that stellar looking new VENOM series on the horizon... this is a perfect lead-in to that. Click here for a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #654.1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* Want to get the back issues on BIG TIME? We've got all the issues, #648-#653 of BIG TIME, all in stock and available to catch you up. BRIGHTEST DAY #20 - THE AQUAWAR CONTINUES, AS THE COUNTDOWN TO BRIGHTEST DAY'S CONCLUSION BEGINS! ONE OF THE BEST DC BOOKS ON THE STANDS.. GETS EVEN BETTER! Brightest Day just continues to impress the heck out of us here at Third Eye with how well everything has been coming together. Normally, when you have long maxi-series like this, things tend to get either too convoluted near the end, or lack direction, but every issue of BRIGHTEST DAY that counts down to it's conclusion sharpens the focus of the story even more, delivering one of the most satisfying reads we're following. After issue #19, and the shocking ending with Black Manta lopping off Aquaman's hand, we're moving forward to the continuation of the AQUWAR. Aquaman, Mera, Aqualad, and a very, very surprising guest-star face off against the terrorist forces of Black Manta and Siren to keep the vast waters of the world from sinking the United States. Not reading BRIGHTEST DAY? If I had to recommend just ONE DC Comic to read right now, in terms of getting into the DCU, I'd recommend Brightest Day. BLACKEST NIGHT writer GEOFF JOHNS has really crafted the perfect example of a DCU REBIRTH story here. A ground-up redefining of what many of these forgotten DC characters are all about, and what their purpose is in the DC Universe going forward. If you're curious about jumping on, you better believe that Third Eye's got you covered. Whether you want to hop on with the hardcover that collects the first 7 issues, or if you'd rather have the issues for your own collection in single-format, we've got the entire run, 1-20 available and in stock now. Either way.. READ BRIGHTEST DAY, folks. We guarantee you will not be disappointed. MORNING GLORIES VOL.1 FOR A BETTER FUTURE *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY! FIND OUT WHY "INFINITE VACATION" WRITER NICK SPENCER'S MORNING GLORIES IS THE BEST DAMN NEW COMIC SERIES WE'VE SEEN SINCE THE DEBUT OF CHEW. Imagine a much darker twist on BRIAN K. VAUGHN'S RUNAWAYS mixed with a little bit of the TV show LOST And! It's only $9.99 Folks. You have to read MORNING GLORIES. There's no debate on this one. This series is a must-read. It's some of the finest comic book goodness on the stands, and I cannot stress enough how in love with it we all are here at Third Eye. Nick Spencer, the writer of the series, is probably one of the most talented newcomers I've seen in a long time, and MORNING GLORIES is definitely one of his most shining creations. If you've been a fan of many of the innovative new series that Image has been knocking out of the park like CHEW, THE WALKING DEAD, Nick Spencer's own INFINITE VACATION, 27, and others, then MORNING GLORIES is a must-read. In fact, if you're just a fan of strong, well-written, compelling comics, then this book is for you. We really haven't seen a series this exciting in a long time, and we're stoked that so many of you that've waited for the trade will get to find out how badass this book's been. What is MORNING GLORIES? It's a slick, horror-drama with a very dark sense of humor that focuses on a mysterious prep school known only as the Morning Glory Academy. See, Morning Glory Academy is one of the most prestigious prep schools in the country, but something very sinister, and very deadly lurks behind its walls. When six gifted but troubled new students arrive, they find out firsthand just what it takes to graduate... and survive at the Morning Glory Academy. Why We Like It? Spencer's writing is definitely the star of the show here. The artwork is also top notch, but it's Spencer's sharp dialogue, the complex personalities of his characters, and the way that he builds the relationships between them that really makes this one interesting. Of course, who doesn't love a good mystery? And, this one definitely brings the creepy horror vibe in a way that we can only compare to a title like LOCKE & KEY. It's horror, but it's not the traditional gore-in-your-face kinda horror. All in all, Morning Glories is a compelling read, and it keeps you coming back for more, and more with each installment. And, for just $10, you can hop on board, and find out what all the fuss is about. This trade collects the first six issues of the series, and for only $10, it's a steal. GREEN LANTERN #62 and GREEN LANTERN CORPS #57 DELIVER A DOUBLE DOSE OF LANTERN AWESOMENESS THIS WEDNESDAY The Road to WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS It's always a welcome sight when we get a new issue of one of our consistent favorites, GREEN LANTERN, here at Third Eye. I'm telling you, folks, Geoff Johns has been working magic on this title for YEARS, and we're still stoked about each and every issue that comes out. That's how good the series is, and that's how damn good Johns is at keeping our excitement brewing. And, this Wednesday, we're getting treated not just with the newest issue of GREEN LANTERN, but also another favorite of our's the GREEN LANTERN CORPS. In the pages of GREEN LANTERN this week, we're going to see the conclusion to the NEW GUARDIANS storyline that's been rocking the book since the ending of BLACKEST NIGHT. Hal and Sinestro must make a great sacrifice in an attempt to protect the entities, but the future of Hal Jordan and the Corps fall into doubt when they're betrayed by one of their own. The War of the Green Lanterns is set into full-swing by the events that go down in this issue. Meanwhile in the pages of GREEN LANTERN CORPS #57, the Lantern Corps is caught in the middle of an all out war between the rest of the Sinestro Corps, and the Thunderers of Qward. How will the finale of this storyline affect the morale of The Green Lantern Corps? These issues are two key pieces of the Road to WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS, and both set the stage for what is probably the most exciting GREEN LANTERN arc since the Sinestro Corps War and Blackest Night. Check 'em out this Wednesday. Wanna catch up on the back issues of either series? You know we've got issues going back to where the New Guardians arc began in GREEN LANTERN #53, as well as the Qwardian arc that began in GREEN LANTERN CORPS #48. Check 'em out this Wednesday! ORSON SCOTT CARD WRITES HIS OFFICIAL PREQUEL TO THE ENDERS GAME SERIES WITH THIS WEDNESDAY'S THE FORMIC WARS #1 - ALL NEW CONTENT, ALL NEW STORY. THE OFFICIAL ENDERS GAME PREQUEL Plus, exclusive covers and free prints available with purchase! There's been a long line of adaptations of many of Orson Scott Card's ENDERS saga, but none have been as anticipated by Enders Game fans as this one: the official never-before-seen prequel to Ender's Game. Not an adaptation, but an all-new story that will never been re-told in any other medium, FORMIC WARS shows everything that leads to Ender's Game. If you're a huge fan of the Enders saga, do not miss out on this one. Working alongside the very talented Giancarlo Caracuzzo, Card will be delivering his biggest space opera epic yet, and from all the previews pages we've seen, we're totally stoked. As an added bonus, to celebrate the launch of THE FORMIC WARS, we'll have a very limited number of Formic Wars prints that we'll be handing out free with purchase of the book. These prints are exclusive to a handful of stores within the country, along with exclusive variant covers as well that will be for sale. Click here to check out a trailer of THE FORMIC WARS #1 JONATHAN HICKMAN'S S.H.I.E.L.D CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY WITHSHIELD #6 - DaVinci vs. Newton! THE WRITER WHO KILLED THE HUMAN TORCH CONTINUES TO IMPRESS WITH THIS GROUND-BREAKING SERIES One of our favorite series of 2010 and 2011 has been Jonathan Hickman's INCREDIBLE genre-mashing SHIELD series which adds a new level of depth and intrigue to the top secret espionage organization we've all known from reading Marvel Comics. But, this take on SHIELD is quite different, and tying back to the mainstream continuity of the Marvel 616 universe, shows us how the original defenders of Earth were actually famous historical figures. In other words, individuals like Leonardo DaVinci, Nostradamus, Galileo, Imhotep, and more were the individuals who fended off the threats of Galactus, the Celestials, the Brood, and much more in an era where there were no super-heroes. The mad science style of superhero writing that Jonathan Hickman has perfected into an artform is in full effect with SHIELD, and we're continued to be blown away with each and every issue of this series. Dustin Weaver's artwork is also very complimentary, and really helps add a widescreen, larger-than-life feel to the story. This Wednesday, Hickman wraps up volume 1 of SHIELD as it comes down to DaVinci going head to head with Newton. And, in the midst of it, we're going to learn just what side the Night Machine resides on. Wanna get into this one, folks? We've got issues 1-5 of this fantastic series in stock and available now to catch you up. Click here for a preview of S.H.I.E.L.D #6 VERTIGO CRIME: NOCHE ROJA - ANOTHER EXCELLENT VERTIGO CRIME GRAPHIC NOVEL DELIVERS A SOUTHERN FRIED CRIME NOIR ASS-KICKER OF A STORY We've been really big fans of most of the Vertigo Crime original graphic novels that've been coming out over the course of the last couple years. Each one of these little slabs of awesome deliver some of the most pulse-pounding, heart-racing, grittier than gritty crime drama you can find on the stands of Third Eye. And, this Wednesday, with the release of Noche Roja, it looks like we're going to get another dose of Vertigo Crime goodness. This is a straight-up crime noir/mystery with a strong, strong horror twist. The story of Noche Roja takes us on a mind-bending crime thriller that leaves you breathless. A private detective is hired to search for an unstoppable serial killer in the wastelands of the U.S/Mexico borders. Money, corruption, and sex, all tie-in together as the investigator runs across lawless and frightening figures. In the hot desert, just south of the border, a string mutilated female bodies have been uncovered. Each of the disfigured corpses share an identical scar, and so far, the law has been unable to find any leads that will take them to the killer. And that's where washed up private eye, Jack Cohen, comes in. In classic noir tradition, this self-destructive P.I is brought into the case by a gorgeous client who demands his help, sending him into the seedy crime underworld. Jack quickly learns that there's a deadly connection shared between him and the serial killer, who's been protected by ambitious politicians and mobsters. A damn good read, we loved the advance copy of this we read, and highly recommend it to those of you who enjoy series like CRIMINAL, past Vertigo Crime books, and SIN CITY. WOLVERINE #6 - IT BEGINS HERE! THE RIFT BETWEEN CYCLOPS AND WOLVERINE IS SET TO EXPLODE... IS THIS WHAT LEADS UP TO THE MUCH-RUMORED SPLIT IN THE X-MEN TEAMS? Chapter 1 of WOLVERINE vs. the X-Men BEGINS now! Jason Aaron has been carving out quite the niche for himself as the ongoing writer of WOLVERINE, and folks, I gotta tell you: his stuff is damn good. I think this is probably the best Wolverine's been as a title since way back in the day (excluding OLD MAN LOGAN, of course). Aaron manages to carefully walk that fine line between giving us edgy, progressive, new school storytelling mixed with the feel of the original long-running Wolverine series from the '80s and '90s. Basically, these are stories set in the continuity of the Marvel Universe that focus on Wolverine acting on his own, dealing with his own things, and moving ahead. After the current Wolverine Goes to Hell arc, it looks like Aaron is sending Wolvie on a whole new kind of rampage.. ..against the X-Men! And, we're stoked. From what we've seen so far on this one, it looks to be every bit as good as Wolverine Goes to Hell, and the taste we were given of Acuna's art on the series from last week's Wolverine #5.1, we're really looking forward to this one. Plus, there's all kinds of rumors we're hearing from the Marvel camps about a big storyline in the X-Books either this summer, or fall, where the X-Men split into two teams.. one led by Wolverine, and one led by Cyclops. And, we're just wondering if maybe, this little story where Cyclops is completely fed up with Logan, and isn't holding back anymore, is the catalyst for that split. Oh, and it looks like Cyclops has enlisted the aid of Namor and Magneto to help him out against everyone's favorite Canadian Killing Machine. Wanna jump on? Snag last week's WOLVERINE #5.1 to get caught up, and hop on with this Wednesday's WOLVERINE #6. Click here for a preview of WOLVERINE #6 *WOLVERINE VS. THE X-MEN PT 1* TRUE BLOOD VOL.1 ALL TOGETHER NOW HARDCOVER HITS THIS WEDNESDAY COLLECTING THE FIRST 6-ISSUE TRUE BLOOD SERIES Here's one that we know a lot of you are going to be pretty stoked to see this Wednesday: the first TRUE BLOOD hardcover collection which collects the entire 6-issue series from this past summer. For those of you who haven't read the True Blood comics yet, and are big fans of the show, then you need to check this one out. The writing on these is fantastic, and the book is co-written by Alan Ball, the creator behind the HBO TV series. These are all new stories featuring the various characters of True Blood, and their world, so it's the perfect thing to get you your True Blood fix until the next season starts. VENOM DEADPOOL ONE-SHOT HITS THIS WEDNESDAY... WHAT IF THE VENOM SYMBIOTE POSSESSED DEADPOOL? You know, this one is worth it for the cover alone. Skottie Young does some gorgeous art, and his unique style really lends itself to Venom. But, Deadpool Venom? Even freakin' better. This is just a cool one-shot story by UNCANNY X-FORCE writer RICK REMENDER where it shows you just what would happen if the Venom symbiote possessed the Merc With A Mouth. Pretty fun stuff, especially if you're looking for some laughs. BACK IN STOCK: NICK SPENCER'S INFINITE VACATION #1 from IMAGE COMICS - IMAGINE "THE OFFICE", "BLADE RUNNER", and "FIGHT CLUB" MASHED INTO ONE KICK-ASS COMIC.. THAT'S INFINITE VACATION Folks, Nick Spencer's INFINITE VACATION blew us all away, and just like his other series MORNING GLORIES, Spencer delivered another over-the-top awesome read. Now, back in stock this Wednesday, we've got more of INFINITE VACATION #1 for those of you who may have missed that first issue. If you're a fan of series like CHEW, or MORNING GLORIES, we really feel you'll dig Infinite Vacation. The series is a unique kind of blend of FIGHT CLUB and BLADE RUNNER, with a little Office humor thrown in. It's about an alternate reality "app" that allows the user to venture into another reality, and live the life they wish to live. And the main character, after having lived a thousand lives in Infinite Vacation, finds that he always ends up in the same place: miserable and bored. Until he runs across a version of himself who got it right, and then.. well.. we don't want to ruin the surprise. You can read a review we did of INFINITE VACATION by clicking here. Make sure you snag your copy of INFINITE VACATION #1 this Wednesday. THE SILVER SURFER RETURNS THIS WEDNESDAY IN SILVER SURFER #1 It's been a while since the Silver Surfer has had his own book, but we're pretty stoked to see this classic character getting the bigger-than-life cosmic treatment from Marvel that they've been giving to so many of their cosmic characters. And, folks, we got to check out an advance on this one, and it looks sharp. It's not just your standard Silver Surfer floating around in space being all angst-ridden and contemplating existence. No, this is bigger-than-life cosmic action-packed awesomeness which brings us the Silver Surfer straight from the pages of Hickman's kick-ass FF run. See, the High Evolutionary has a plan for the Surfer, but his grand design may cost the Surfer everything and change the cosmic balance forever. Can the herald of Galactus survive the judgment of himself? This character re-defining epic begins here, and it looks freakin' great. Click here for a preview of SILVER SURFER #1 X-MEN: THE CURSE OF THE MUTANTS HARDCOVER HITS THIS WEDNESDAY COLLECTING 1-6 OF THE RED-HOT NEW X-MEN ONGOING SERIES.. PLUS: DRACULA LIVES! We've been big fans of the recently launched new X-Men ongoing series. This book, more so than many, manages to capture all of the things we loved about the X-Men back in the day, and combine them with a sleek, modern approach. This Wednesday, the hardcover collecting 1-6 of the new X-MEN ongoing, as well as some extra material like the CURSE OF THE MUTANTS spotlight, hits the shop. This was one hell of a story, as it showed the Son of Dracula mobilizing all the various clans of Marvel vampires in a full-on assault on humanity. How do the X-Men fit? Well, the vampires believe if they can turn enough of the X-Men into vampires, then they can use them and their mutant powers to overtake the rest of humanity. And, trust us, they do get their fangs into some X-Men. Right from the start, Jubilee is turned into one of the undead, and well, lets just say they get to others as well. Make sure to check it out this Wednesday if you've been itching for a good X-Men read. UNCANNY X-FORCE #5 - A BRAND NEW ARC BEGINS, AS ONE OF OUR FAVORITE X-BOOKS CONTINUES! THE RISE OF THE DEATHLOKS! A FUTURE ARMY OF DEATHLOK VIRUS-INFECTED TROOPS CONSISTING OF EVERYONE FROM CAPTAIN AMERICA TO VENOM TO THE THING. This Will Rule! One of the best damn X-Books we've read in quite a long time, we're totally stoked to see the new arc of UNCANNY X-FORCE kicking off with a major bang. A little background: UNCANNY X-FORCE is probably one of the most quality Marvel books on the stands right now, featuring a team originally put together to execute a reborn Apocalypse, and consisting of Wolverine, Fantomex, Psylocke, Arch-Angel, and Deadpool. Now, moving forward from the previous arc, we're jumping into a kick-ass new story where there are innumerable and varying potential futures awaiting mankind, with only one constant between them. The Rise of the Deathloks! Seeded in our present, they grow, a time virus spreading across all possibilities, infiltrating the fate of mankind. One thing stands in their way: a man who shouldn't exist. They come in waves, an army of time displaced Deathlok troopers made from Earth's greatest warriors; CAPTAIN AMERICA, SPIDER-MAN, ELEKTRA, CYCLOPS, VENOM, THE THING... all soldiers in the army of Deathlok. All operating under one directive: Fantomex must die. Folks, this is going to kick-ass, and if you've missed out on any of the earlier issues of UNCANNY X-FORCE, we've got all 4 of 'em in stock to catch you up. Highly recommended. Jump on fresh with #5, or check out 1-4, either way, find out why this is one of our favorite books right now. Click here for a preview of UNCANNY X-FORCE #5 THE TEAM BEHIND HAWKEYE & MOCKINGBIRD BRINGS YOU A BRAND NEW HAWK-EYE LIMITED SERIES FOLLOWING HOT ON THE HEELS OF WIDOWMAKER INHAWKEYE: BLINDSPOT #1 I'm gonna say it, I love it whenever a new Hawkeye title comes out. He's always been my favorite Avenger, and after him being dead, or missing, or whatever, for a while.. it's cool to see him back. And this Wednesday, following hot on the heels of the WIDOWMAKER mini-series, the creative team of McCann and Diaz (HAWKEYE & MOCKINGBIRD) kick off a brand new era for the Avenging Archer. Not only does this series serve as a killer primer for those of you curious about Hawkeye, but not too familiar with his origins, or place in the Marvel U, but it also picks up where he's been left blindsided after the events of WIDOWMAKER, with a new vision of the world around him, and in order to move forward with his new life, he needs to first re-examine how it all began. Click here for a preview of HAWKEYE: BLINDSPOT #1 THIRD EYE STAFF PICKS Steve - FLASH #9 - The PRELUDE TO FLASHPOINT was freakin' rad, and sets up perfectly for all the kick-ass stuff that's coming down the pike for FLASHPOINT. Best issue of the run so far. Trish - WALKING DEAD #81 - You're not surprised are you? Awesome, as always. TORMA - ULTIMATE SPIDER-MAN #153 - This is the most excited I've been about the Ultimate universe since it's launch. AWESOME read, cannot wait for more.