THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE COMICS FOR WEDNESDAY 6/1/2011

FLASHPOINT: FLASHPOINT #2 HITS THIS WEDNESDAY, ALONG WITH FOUR OF THE FLASHPOINT TIE-INS THAT COME WITH INSIGNIA BADGES! PLUS, FREE FLASH RINGS WITH FLASHPOINT #2 This is it, Third Eye Faithful! The highly anticipated follow up issue to FLASHPOINT #1, and with the way that Geoff Johns ended FLASHPOINT #1... we know that there's going to be a whole slew of you guys eagerly beating down our door on Wednesday to snag your copy of this week's #2. And, in all honesty, Third Eye Faithful, I am just as stoked as you are. I truly did not see the ending of #1 coming, and cannot wait to see what else Johns and DC have in store for us. For those of you wondering what the big deal was about the ending to FLASHPOINT #1, we'll spoiler it, but we're going to block out the text with a different color font, so just highlight it with your mouse to find out what was the final shot that got us all worked up. SPOILERS BEGIN> So, FLASHPOINT is basically all about an event that turns the DCU into a new reality, and changes EVERYTHING. One of the biggest changes, and true holy CRAP moments was when Barry Allen (the only DCU character who knows something is up) discovers that BATMAN is NOT Bruce Wayne, but is instead his father THOMAS WAYNE. In the world of FLASHPOINT, Bruce and his mother were murdered, and his father survived to go on to become BATMAN. How crazy is that? >END SPOILERS. Okay, whew, so how about that, huh? :) Anyways, moving right on, you might be wondering just what FLASHPOINT is all about, well, we're going to tell you. FLASHPOINT is a HUGE DCU story that spans the entire DCU, and promises to bring major changes to the status quo of DC COMICS as we know it. Basically, an event that occured in the past due to the interference, of possibly the Reverse Flash (at least that's what we're thinking), has completely changed the course of history in the DCU. So, now, we're left with a world where Superman's shuttle never crashes on Earth, Abin Sur never dies and hands off his ring to Hal Jordan, and bad guys are good guys, good guys are bad guys, and much more. In other words, the entire landscape of the DCU has changed in a major way. And, Barry Allen, the FLASH, is not only no longer the World's Fastest Man, but also the only individual who knows that this world is NOT right. And, he must figure out what turned everything on it's head. Folks, I gotta tell you, GEOFF JOHNS, writer of recent DC hits like BLACKEST NIGHT, BRIGHTEST DAY, and the WAR OF THE GREEN LANTERNS, once again is delivering in a big way on FLASHPOINT, and I have not been this amped up about a DC storyline since finishing the very first issue of IDENTITY CRISIS #1 (which still remains as my favorite DCU event storyline). Another high point of FLASHPOINT is that it's a very easy to jump into storyline for anyone, whether you're new to the DCU or a long-time fan, GEOFF JOHNS does a perfect job of making this an accessible jump into the DC UNIVERSE, and provides enough cool nods of the hat to impress old fans, while not making things confusing for newer fans. In other words: this book is totally awesome. :) And, this week, the second issue arrives, and we could not be more pumped. FLASHPOINT RINGS: As a way of celebrating FLASHPOINT, we're going to be giving away FREE FLASHPOINT rings with issue #2 of FLASHPOINT this week while supplies last. Make sure you snag your copy of FLASHPOINT #2 this week to grab your free ring! Haven't snagged FLASHPOINT #1 yet? We've got plenty of copies in stock to get you caught up in time for this week's #2! Click here for the official THIRD EYE FLASHPOINT CHECKLIST And, don't forget, the first round of FLASHPOINT insignia badges ships this week, so read on below to find out what the scoop is on those! FLASHPOINT BADGES: GET YOUR FREE FLASHPOINT INSIGNIA BADGE WITH THESE FLASHPOINT TIE-INS THIS WEDNESDAY..FLASHPOINT BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #1, FLASHPOINT ABIN SUR THE GREEN LANTERN #1, FLASHPOINT WORLD OF FLASHPOINT #1, and FLASHPOINT SECRET SEVEN #1 In addition to the second issue of FLASHPOINT hitting this Wednesday, we've got the first round of FLASHPOINT tie-in mini-series hitting this week as well, and each one of these comes with a very cool FLASHPOINT Insignia badge that's tied to the book. You can get your own Insignia Badges totally FREE when you purchase the book they're connected with (i.e FLASHPOINT BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #1 comes with the FLASHPOINT BATMAN badge, ecT). Not only is this super-cool promotion going down with these, but, folks, the books themselves are VERY good. DC has put some top notch creative talents on these books, including names as big as GEORGE PEREZ (the legendary TEEN TITANS and CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS artist), JEFF LEMIRE (SWEET TOOTH, SUPERBOY), and more. So, if you'll indulge us for a moment, we're going to take a second to talk about each of the four tie-ins that are arriving this Wednesday. The first one, and obviously one of the ones I think many of you are excited for the most, is FLASHPOINT: BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #1. After the startling revelation of the FLASHPOINT world's BATMAN and his identity, I think many of us, myself included, are very eager to learn the full story on this BATMAN, his motivations, his origins, and what his place in the DC UNIVERSE is. Now, I was lucky enough to read some advances on these four limited series, and I have to tell you: all of them are great, and the BATMAN, is definitely a HUGE stand-out. The creative team of 100 BULLETS (a modern classic VERTIGO series that brought modern day hardboiled crime noir to the masses) BRIAN AZZARELLO (also the writer behind the graphic novel JOKER), and EDUARDO RISSO, deliver one of the coolest takes on BATMAN I have seen in a very long time, especially considering the identity of FLASHPOINT's BATMAN. Azzarello brings the same kind of dark, and gritty storytelling he brought to the JOKER graphic novel to Flashpoint's BATMAN and his world, and it makes for an AMAZING read. Risso's art has never looked better, and folks, we gotta tell you: this isn't just a good FLASHPOINT tie-in, this is a DAMN good BATMAN comic, in general. Highly recommended, make sure you snag yourself a copy, and get one of the free limited edition FLASHPOINT BATMAN badges with it. Click here for a preview of FLASHPOINT: BATMAN KNIGHT OF VENGEANCE #1 of 3 Next Next up this week is FLASHPOINT ABIN SUR THE GREEN LANTERN #1, which is another FLASHPOINT tie-in that I am totally stoked on. Just like the BATMAN, I was blown away with how good the first issue of this one was, and how much fun it was reading a GREEN LANTERN story that cast it's focus on one of the most legendary, but vastly unexplored GREEN LANTERNS. I mean, in the regular DC UNIVERSE, he was pretty much responsible for the origin of HAL JORDAN, and now, in the FLASHPOINT world, we see a world where Abin Sur never died, never passed his ring to Hal, and continued on as the guardian of our sector of space. Just like the BATMAN, the quality of art and storytelling on this one is top tier, folks, and the fact that we're not going to just see Abin Sur's story explored, but probably see the entire FLASHPOINT spin on the whole GREEN LANTERN CORPS itself, we cannot wait to read this one. I mean, where does Guy Gardner fit? What about Sinestro? The other Corps like Atrocitus and his Red Lanterns? We CANNOT wait to read this one. Click here for a preview of FLASHPOINT ABIN SUR THE GREEN LANTERN #1 of 3 Here's another one that we're really stoked about, and while the cover may look a little unfamiliar to many of you, trust us: this one is going to be AWESOME, and for many reasons. Reason One? GEORGE PEREZ is doing the art. When Perez pencils, we read, and this iconic DC COMICS artist who brought classics like CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, TEEN TITANS THE JUDAS CONTRACT, and many more to life, is always a welcome sight on a book. Reason Two? Peter Milligan is writing this one, and while he may not be as big of a name as Perez, Milligan is a cult favorite of our's who gave comics readers the coolest thing ever back in the early-to-mid '90s with the VERTIGO SHADE THE CHANGING MAN series. And, judging by what we've seen on SECRET SEVEN, Shade plays a major part in this title. Reason Three? The concept is too cool to not get into. This is essentially the FLASHPOINT universe's twist on SECRET SIX, but with a very cool mystical slant. It looks like there's a strong presence of DCU's mystical canon of characters, which is very cool, in my opinion. And, how these characters fit into the realm of the DCU, is also very intriguing, especially with seeing how they've already handled SHAZAM (instead of being one kid that turns into SHAZAM, it's many kids that say the words and turn into SHAZAM and a giant Battle-Cat version of Tawny the Tiger). From what I've read of SECRET SEVEN, this is another one that looks VERY kick-ass, and I definitely recommend snagging a copy this week. Click here for a preview of FLASHPOINT SECRET SEVEN #1 of 3 This one is looking AWESOME as well, and actually could be one of the most popular of the FLASHPOINT tie-ins as it explains much of what has happened to the entire DCU in the past few years of FLASHPOINT. How did AQUAMAN and WONDER WOMAN turn into crazed dictators determined on conquering the world? This is the series that will be exploring questions like that. The other big question that WORLD OF FLASHPOINT promises to answer is just HOW did everything change in a FLASH? What brought us to this world? Great art, great story, this one looks fantastic, and rounds out the line of FLASHPOINT tie-ins hitting this week. All stellar entries, and all come with insignia badges, so make sure you snag your's! Click here for a preview of FLASHPOINT WORLD OF FLASHPOINT #1 FEAR ITSELF #3 HITS THIS WEDNESDAY, DELIVERING THE BIGGEST ISSUE IN THE STORYLINE THUS FAR! DON'T MISS OUT ON MARVEL'S BIGGEST STORYLINE SINCE CIVIL WAR! The BIGGEST storyline Marvel's done since CIVIL WAR continues this Wednesday, and issue #3 promises to be the biggest chapter in the series thus far, as rumors of major character deaths surround this one! We've been loving what Marvel's flagship event has been bringing the table this summer, and even all of the tie-in issues to the series have been delivering some stellar reads so far. What is FEAR ITSELF? The Red Skull's daughter, Sin, has now assumed her father's role as the Red Skull after the events of CAPTAIN AMERICA REBORN, and when digging through her father's secret files, she discovers something he unearthed during WORLD WAR II. Evidence that there was an Asgardian deity that was higher up in the food chain than Odin himself. Now, this Asgardian GOD OF FEAR, has been awakened, and is extending his reach across the entire Marvel Universe, sending out hammers across the the MARVEL UNIVERSE, and selecting various Marvel characters to be his avatars. So far, we've seen characters like JUGGERNAUT, THE HULK, TITANIA, and the GREY GARGOYLE chosen as heralds of this God of Fear, and pure havoc has been brought across the Marvel U as a result. This is the kind of big storyline that will change the Marvel U's landscape for the next few years, and sets up for some potentially VERY awesome storyline ideas, with Captain America and Thor at it's heart, we're loving how this one has been coming together. Matt Fraction and Stuart Immonen are doing a phenomenal job of making every issue of this series feel bigger than life, while at the same time, crafting a very compelling, and interesting story that explores the entire Marvel Universe. Missed the earlier issues? We've got copies of issue 1 and issue 2 in stock to catch you up to this week's #3, which promises to be one of the high points of the series (as I'm sure you've heard some of the rumors surrounding this one, we can only guess where this will end). Click here to check out the official THIRD EYE FEAR ITSELF CHECKLIST Click here for a preview of FEAR ITSELF #3 FRANK CHO RETURNS THIS WEDNESDAY WITH 50 GIRLS 50 #1 FROM IMAGE COMICS- TOTALLY RAD SCI-FI EPIC AWESOMENESS FROM ONE OF THE BEST CREATORS IN THE BIZ! Image is debuting another exciting new series this Wednesday with from the legendary comics artist FRANK CHO, the man responsible for LIBERTY MEADOWS, and some amazing runs on titles like NEW ULTIMATES, MIGHTY AVENGERS, and more. As a big FRANK CHO fan, I'm stoked to see him on a brand new title. Plus, the concept of 50 GIRLS 50 sounds really freakin' cool, I mean, who doesn't love crazy, over-the-top space odyssey storytelling? The story is about the space vessel ESSSavannah, and it's crew as they try to make their way back to planet Earth, while fending off blood-thirsty aliens, dangerous exotic worlds, and more. Imagine Frank Cho doing ALIENS, and that kinda sums up the feel of this one. It's going to rock. CRIMINAL: THE LAST OF THE INNOCENT #1 - THE BEST CRIME COMIC YOU WILL EVER READ! THINK L.A NOIRE DELIVERS COMPELLING CRIME DRAMA? READ CRIMINAL! AMAZING STUFF! From the CREATORS of INCOGNITO! One of my own personal favorite series for the last few years has been the amazing modern day crime noir series CRIMINAL, which hasn't disappointed us once. I've also been a huge fan of the creators, ED BRUBAKER and SEAN PHILLIPS, and their work on INCOGNITO. So, when I saw that CRIMINAL would be returning to the shelves, I totally got stoked. Why? 'Cause hot damn, it's some of the best comics storytelling around. And, the best part about CRIMINAL for those of you who haven't yet read it? You can jump in fresh with each series, as each story is a stand-alone read. In fact, part of the beauty of CRIMINAL is how the world works that Brubaker has laid out. It's essentially a shared world, similar to SIN CITY, where each story stands on it's own, but you will see characters show up as either background or supporting cast, or major players, depending on the story. So, you might not really pay any mind to the faceless crime boss in the first volume, and write him off as a genre stand-by, but, then three volumes later, you'll see a whole story about his background, and how he got his start in the '70s. It's that kind of storytelling that makes CRIMINAL such a satisfying read. Brubaker has the perfect style and voice for this kind of book, doing an amazing job of taking the classic genre of crime noir, and bringing it to life in the modern day real world. And lets not forget the contribution of SEAN PHILLIPS on art, with his cinematic, and shadowy art style that practically makes the grit and grime in CRIMINAL jump off the page at you. On a side-note, one of my favorite aspects of CRIMINAL is something that's exclusive to just the single issues of the series, which is the added back-matter content. In the back of each issue, Brubaker has various writers, actors, and other creative types come in and write essays on their favorite crime films, books, and more. So, it's not out of the ordinary to see someone like comedian PATTON OSWALT (a huge comic fan himself) doing a write-up on his favorite '60s gangster flicks. Anyways, starting off fresh this Wednesday, CRIMINAL: LAST OF THE INNOCENT, is looking to be the best damn installment in the world of CRIMINAL yet. The story centers around Riley Richards, a man who has it all.. the hottest girl in school, and a ticket to the big time, but he's still not happy. No, Riley is drawn to a life of gambling, drugs, and shady characters that exist in the city, and do nothing to erase the memories of his life in the small town of Brookview. And, Riley, the question is why... is Riley all of the sudden plotting a murder? Hardboiled as all get out, you will not find a better crime story in ANY medium right now. If you're a fan of films like THE DEPARTED, RESERVOIR DOGS, or TV Shows like THE WIRE and the SOPRANOS, then CRIMINAL is a must read. Jump onboard with CRIMINAL LAST OF THE INNOCENT #1 and find out why this has been one of my personal favorite series since the very first installment: COWARD. UNCANNY X-FORCE #11 *DARK ANGEL SAGA CHAPTER ONE* - AFTER THE PROLOGUE of DARK ANGEL SAGA in UNCANNY X-FORCE #10, THE MAYHEM BEGINS! JOURNEY BACK TO THE AGE OF APOCALYPSE in ONE OF MARVEL'S TOP 5 MONTHLY TITLES THIS WEDNESDAY You guys hear me rant and rave about this title almost every month, but I gotta tell you this book STILL manages to impress me in new ways with each and every issue. If you're not reading UNCANNY X-FORCE yet, you're missing out on one of the high points in comic storytelling today when it comes to the mainstream books. For those of you who have yet to read the series, here's a quick description of the tone of the book: X-Force is a team of X-MEN who are authorized in use of lethal force. The UNCANNY X-Force is said team, but acting in even more shadowy ways than Cyclops had intended for them. Composed of ARCH-ANGEL, PSYLOCKE, WOLVERINE, FANTOMEX, and DEADPOOL, X-Force always finds themselves as the ones who must make the difficult situations to protect the world as a whole. And, yes, this usually involves killing SOMEBODY. Now, starting this Wednesday after the initial prologue in the pages of UNCANNY X-FORCE #10, the DARK ANGEL SAGA kicks off it's official first chapter. Arch-Angel has slowly been succumbing to the DEATH side of his persona from his days serving as a Horsemen of Apocalypse, and the Uncanny X-Force must venture into the AGE OF APOCALYPSE (an alternate reality from about 15 years ago where Professor X never formed the X-Men, and APOCALYPSE ruled the world) to find the cure for their friend. Enter the AGE OF APOCALYPSE, a realm we've seen little of since the original storyline ended many years ago, and we see that the AGE OF APOCALYPSE version of ARCH-ANGEL has picked up where his predecessor left off, amassing an army of En Sabah Nur's greatest servants. Yes, Apocalypse is dead here, and Archangel has taken his role. But before X-Force can handle any of this, they must face MAGNETO and his AMAZING X-MEN. Yes, the AGE OF APOCALYPSE had it's own mutant freedom fighting team, and Magneto was it's leader. If you've been wanting to jump on board with UNCANNY X-FORCE, we recommend snagging last month's UNCANNY X-FORCE #10, and catching up to this week's #11, as this is possibly the biggest storyline of the series. Remender is bringing an amazing tone to this book, and it truly is some of the best X-MEN storytelling we've seen in many years. Click here for a preview of UNCANNY X-FORCE #11 *DARK ANGEL SAGA PT 1* STATIC SHOCK RETURNS THIS WEDNESDAY IN THE STATIC SHOCK SPECIAL ONE-SHOT WHICH PAYS HOMAGE TO DWAYNE MCDUFFIE AND THE WORLD OF MILESTONE! Earlier this year, Dwayne McDuffie, passed away, and the comic industry lost one of it's most shining talents. McDuffie was responsible for some major projects and happenings in the last few decades, whether it was the launch of DC's now classic MILESTONE COMICS imprint, or the sheer awesomeness that was JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED, and then later, many of the DC Animated films. Not to mention he had great runs on series like JLA. So, it's pretty awesome that DC is paying tribute to McDuffie this Wednesday with the STATIC SHOCK SPECIAL one-shot, where one of his most popular characters gets the spotlight. And, of course, there's also the fact that we're big fans of the STATIC SHOCK character here at Third Eye, as I know many of you are as well, and we're always pumped to see anything new with the character. Check it out this Wednesday! SHINKU #1 ARRIVES FROM IMAGE COMICS THIS WEDNESDAY, DELIVERING HORROR & MARTIAL ARTS AWESOMENESS! With the fantastic track record IMAGE has had for the last couple years of putting out stellar new series, we're always willing to pay close attention to something new coming out of their studios, and when we first read up on SHINKU, we got pretty stoked. I'm a HUGE fan of all things Kung-Fu movie. Whether it's fine art samurai epics like Akira Kurosawa, or grindhouse awesomeness that is Shaw Brothers, I can't get enough, so with Shinku joining Daomu in the ranks at Image as a good kung-fu comic, I couldn't be more stoked. This new series from Image Comics, introduces us to Shinku, the last living descendant of a once-powerful samurai clan, who now wages a one-woman war against a powerful vampire clan that has lurked within the shadows for centuries. An epic mix of horror, and martial arts set in modern Japan, but with a heavy influence of feudal Japan, this one looks AWESOME. The preview for this one looks rad, and the art looks sharp! Click here for a preview of SHINKU #1 HELLBOY THE FURY #1 KICKS OFF SOME SHEER HELLBOY AWESOMENESS THIS WEDNESDAY I'm sure it's obvious that we're huge HELLBOY fans here at Third Eye, so whenever we see a new installment of our favorite harbinger of the Apocalypse, we've gotta shout it out. Starting this Wednesday, HELLBOY: THE FURY, Hellboy finally confronts the QUEEN OF BLOOD, who's been hounding him since the DARKNESS CALLS storyline, and after a one-on-one, brutal throwdown, a new chapter begins for Hellboy. Pure pulp horror awesomeness, Mignola always delivers the goods with HELLBOY, and we're stoked to see a new direction in this modern legend's stories. MOON KNIGHT #2 HITS THIS WEDNESDAY - BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS and ALEX MALEEV are delivering the BEST Moon Knight series yet! Okay, this one's a home-run for many reasons, but let me start by saying: I'm a HUGE Moon Knight fan, and a HUGE fan of Bendis and Maleev as a creative team. So, it's no surprise that this is like one of my favorite new books. I could gush all day long about how awesome a run DAREDEVIL had when Maleev and Bendis were on it, or about how great SCARLET is, but instead, lets talk about WHAT the new MOON KNIGHT series is all about. Basically, this new ongoing series shows us a MOON KNIGHT who's cleaned up his act. He's a little crazy but he's coping, he's trying to be a real hero, he's proud of his time with the Avengers, and he's no longer cutting off people's faces and sacrificing them to an Egyptian death god. Sounds like he's totally on his way back to sanity, right? WRONG. The big twist at the end of issue #1 revealed that Moon Knight is still Marvel's lunatic Caped Crusader, as we saw that he's fabricated several different personalities in his head for each of the Avengers, and now believes he's working WITH the AVENGERS to take down crime on the West Coast. Of course, the AVENGERS aren't even there, and have no knowledge of this... it's just Moon Knight, running around, talking to Spider-man and Captain America, and fighting as if he's doing so along some of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.... and it is AWESOME. Bendis brings a fresh spin to the character, with his trademark for snappy dialogue, and gritty storytelling at the forefront, while Maleev's art is PERFECT for Moon Knight, bringing that gritty realism to the book that it deserves. If you missed issue #1, grab a copy this week, and hop on board what's looking to be our favorite take on the Moon Knight character yet. Click here for a preview of MOON KNIGHT #2 REED GUNTHER #1 BRINGS ALL-AGES AWESOMENESS TO IMAGE COMICS! A MUST FOR FANS OF SUPER DINOSAUR, ATOMIC ROBO, & THE INTREPIDS Another addition to the IMAGE library, this brand new ALL AGES series looks to bring a load of fun to Image, with the kind of over-the-top quirky storytelling that has made books like SUPER DINOSAUR, THE INTREPIDS, and more into crossover hits that both kids and adults can enjoy. Reed Gunther is a grizzly bear riding cowboy who bumbles his way through the Wild West, and finds himself fighting ridiculous creatures that look like they came straight out of an Earthworm Jim video game, like hey, a giant cow-hungry snake that's on the cover of the first issue here. The preview for this one looks like a blast, and we're always stoked to see more good all ages books hitting the stands. Click here for a preview of REED GUNTHER #1 ANTI-VENOM RETURNS THIS WEDNESDAY IN AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #663, AS THE ROAD TO SPIDER-ISLAND CONTINUES! Dude, if you're not reading the current run of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN courtesy of DAN SLOTT, then you are seriously missing out on one of the best Spidey runs in like, ten years. I know, I know, it's hard to believe the title has gotten as good as it is after a few bleak years during the whole ONE MORE DAY/BRAND NEW DAY thing, but, folks, it's official: Spidey is really freakin' good. Slott came onto the book as the regular writer for the series with issue #648, and the BIG TIME story-line began, and ever since, the title has slowly climbed it's way up to being one of my favorite monthly Marvel books. With a great team of artists lending their skills to the book, Slott manages to tell compelling and modern stories that capture the essence of what Spidey is all about, while at the same time moving the character and his world forward. And, every issue that comes out between now and #666, is all part of the build-up to the highly anticipated, SPIDER-ISLAND story arc. We are totally pumped about SPIDER-ISLAND, and these lead-up issues have done a great job of keeping us excited. Of course, the big draw this week is one thing and one thing only: ANTI-VENOM returns! Yes, Eddie Brock, now ANTI-VENOM, returns in this issue, and lets face it: it's going to rock. This is a perfect jumping on point to get prepped for Spider-Island, so snag issue #663, and find out why Spidey is one of our faves right now. Click here for a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #663 BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER SEASON 8 VOLUME 8 BRINGS JOSS WHEDON'S SEASON 8 SERIES TO A CLOSE We're sad to see it go, 'cause man, did Whedon and Dark Horse do a great job of following up the awesomeness that is BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, but we have to admit, it's good to see them go out on a high note. Season 8 was Whedon's official follow-up to his BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER television series, and served as a great way of closing out a lot of the running plotlines. This volume, #8, is the final in the series, and wraps up all of SEASON 8. But don't worry, we hear rumors that Whedon's already working on SEASON 9 as we speak. :) X-MEN #12 *FROM FIRST TO LAST CHAPTER 2* - The ORIGINAL First Class of X-MEN MUST FACE THE PRESENT DAY'S TEAM AS FROM FIRST TO LAST CONTINUES One of the most exciting new X-MEN storylines we've seen kick off in a while, FROM FIRST TO LAST hits it's second chapter this week, as we learn the mystery behind some of the most exciting new villains introduced to the X-MEN comics, THE EVOLUTIONARIES. In the X-MEN GIANT-SIZE #1 that came out a few weeks ago, we saw the original X-MEN, and it's modern incarnation united in a conflict that spans millions of years in the timestream. In other words, we're seeing Cyclops from back in the early days of the X-MEN face to face with the Cyclops of the here and now. Chris Yost, the guy responsible for recent X-MEN stories that rocked like SECOND COMING, and more, puts a new spin on a group of characters many of you who read X-Men back in the '90s have got to remember: The Neo. And, they actually don't suck this time around! Plus, a new set of villains are introduced in the form of the Evolutionaries, a group of Celestial-like beings that traverse the timestream and universe selecting the dominant of each species and weeding out the rest. The high point of the story so far is seeing how Yost explores the dynamic between the X-MEN of yesteryear, and the X-MEN of today. Playing around with how much Cyclops, Beast, and the rest have changed in the years since their inception. It's a fantastic read, and going forward with this week's X-MEN #12, we're seeing the second chapter, as Yost shows us the Evolutionaries true goal: to wipe out every Human on the planet. Missed chapter 1? We've got plenty of X-MEN GIANT SIZE #1 in stock to catch you up. Click here for a preview of X-MEN #12 *FROM FIRST TO LAST CHAPTER 2* JONATHAN HICKMAN (writer of FF, PAX ROMANA, and more) RETURNS WITHS.H.I.E.L.D #1 this WEDNESDAY, as he continues to explore the secret history of super-heroes in the Marvel Universe, featuring historic greats like DA VINCI, GALILEO, and more! We are humongous fans of Jonathan Hickman, and his recent work on series like FANTASTIC FOUR / FF, SECRET WARRIORS, and creator-owned fare like PAX ROMANA and RED MASS FOR MARS. So, we don't need to tell you that we're totally pumped to see SHIELD returning to the racks of Third Eye once again. For those of you who aren't yet familiar with SHIELD, let us sum it up for you: basically, we've learned through Hickman's series, that the original defenders of the MARVEL UNIVERSE in the older days, before the Marvel heroes even existed, were actually historic figures. That's right, when Galactus, or the Celestials, or the Brood, or whatever, came to prey on Earth, it was the likes of Leonardo Da Vinci, Galileo, Imhotep, and more who stood tall against them. And, now going forward in volume 2 of SHIELD, we're seeing a heavy focus being put onto Michelangelo, who is being forced to play peace-keeper between the warring factions of Issac Newton and Leonardo Da Vinci, as they risk tearing the Brotherhood of the SHIELD apart. The series of SHIELD began last year, in the now collected SHIELD: ARCHITECTS OF FOREVER hardcover, by Hickman and Weaver. Weaver's art of course drew TONS of attention, as he rendered epic battle scenes showing ancient Egypt, with Apocalypse and Moon Knight's deity of choice in the background as foot-soldiers during a huge bloodbath against the Brood. It literally redefined the entire history of the Marvel Universe, and really set the stage for many compelling stories to be told. When you see Da Vinci uttering the words.. this is not how the world ends.. it'll send chills down your spine. Hickman brings the promise of layer upon layer of character and meaning in the first arc of SHIELD, and I swear, I've gone back and re-read the collection two or three times, and found something new to enjoy each time through. And now, this week, the second installment begins, and folks, if you're not yet reading SHIELD, snag the hardcover, and catch up to this week's #1 of the second volume, 'cause it is totally worth it. I can totally see SHIELD standing out as one of those modern classic runs, very much in tune with stuff like the Simonson run on THOR, or Alan Moore's CAPTAIN BRITAIN. The kind of storytelling that really stands the test of time. Click here for a preview of SHIELD Vol.2 #1 FEAR ITSELF: THE DEEP #1 SHOWS US THE EFFECTS OF FEAR ITSELF ON DOCTOR STRANGE and SUB-MARINER THIS WEDNESDAY featuring SIXTH GUN writer CULLEN BUNN! Who doesn't love DOCTOR STRANGE? Whenever we see the Sorcerer Supreme get some face time, we feel like it deserves a shout out, and this kick-ass looking new FEAR ITSELF limited series that ties into the event looks to be VERY promising. Featuring the writing talents of CULLEN BUNN, a promising rising star of a creator who's been wowing us with Oni Press's SIXTH GUN, FEAR ITSELF THE DEEP explores a story where Namor has been targeted for death by one of the hammer-wielding Worthy, and the only person who can come to his aide in this mess is DOCTOR STRANGE. Now, the Sorcerer Supreme must recruit a team strong enough to face one of The Worthy... the question though is which one of The Worthy is it, and how will they take him out? A must for Strange fans, check this one out this Wednesday Click here for a preview of FEAR ITSELF THE DEEP #1 GI JOE VOL.2 #2 HITS THIS WEDNESDAY CONTINUING THE COBRA CIVIL WAR WITH CHAPTER 4.. WHO WILL BE THE NEW COBRA COMMANDER? The COBRA CIVIL WAR has been one of the most exciting new GI JOE storylines that we've seen in a long time, and we're stoked at how IDW is keeping an awesome schedule, with a new chapter hitting almost every week as this one ramps up. What's the scoop? Cobra Commander is DEAD, and now the Cobra organization is practically tearing itself apart as it determines who will assume his role. Of course, the Joes have a stake in this as well, and are finding themselves caught in the midst of the entire mess. Missed the earlier chapters? We've got GI JOE VOL 2 #1 (COBRA CIVIL WAR PT 1), GI JOE SNAKE-EYES #1 (COBRA CIVIL WAR PT 2) and GI JOE COBRA #1 (COBRA CIVIL WAR PT 3) in stock now to catch you up. STAFF PICKS STEVE: CROSSED 3D - WOW. And you thought it was stomach-turning in regular format.. seriously though, probably the best written CROSSED story since the original by Ennis. Awesome read! TRISH: HACK/SLASH #4 - So hooked on this series, ever since it came back to Image last year, the quality has been at it's highest! TORMA: SUPER DINOSAUR #2 - Robert Kirkman is my hero. Seriously. This one sits very nicely alongside other favorites like INVINCIBLE and ASTOUNDING WOLFMAN. I love it! TONY (PRINCE FREDERICK): VENOM #3 - Kick-ass, all the way through, Remender's run on VENOM keeps getting better and better.