THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE!

 THIRD EYE COSTUME CONTEST

Thanks for participating in the contest, everyone! We got a lot of great entries, and we can't wait to see who wins it. But, read on, to find out how this works:

We will be posting all the photos from the costume contest this weekend up on the Third Eye Blog by tomorrow evening, and then the voting will begin for the winner. To see the photos, just check back athttp://thirdeyecomicsblog.blogspot.com tomorrow (Tuesday) between 7-9PM, and we'll have everyone's pictures up. Voting will be done through a poll we'll have added to the blog. The poll will be open from May 6th (Tuesday) to May 9th (Sunday). So, go check out all the great pictures of those who entered, and then place your vote. Once Sunday hits, whoever has gotten the most votes, will be the winner, and we'll post their picture in next Monday's email. Here's the important part, since we could not get the contact info for all of our entrants (due to how crazy things were at the store on Saturday), the winner will have to shoot us an email when they see their picture posted up on here and the site, so we can make sure they get their bag of swag!

LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN: 1910 #1 DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY! ALAN MOORE HAS RETURNED!

Before I start.. if you haven't already read League, and are only familiar with the horrible film adaption of it with Sean Connery... FORGET THAT MOVIE. The comics are extremely well done, and the movie did not do it anywhere near the justice it deserves.

By far, one of the biggest books of this year is League of Extraordinary Gentlemen III: 1910. I mean, come on, folks, it's ALAN MOORE and he's returning to comic book writing! This is an enormous deal. Not to mention, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is one of our personal favorite creations of his, coming in second only to Watchmen. Yup, I'll say it, I love Killing Joke, I love V, but the only thing that tops the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen books for me is Watchmen. It's THAT good. The entire series has been a fantastic read, and while there's been previous installments to the series, 1910 #1 serves as the perfect spot for those of you who're new to the series to hop aboard. You do not need to have read the previous installments, BUT, you're going to want to after you check out this newest one, because they are all so damn good.

What's up with 1910? Well, it will be three 80-page issues spanning the entire 20th century and early 21st century. The first one takes place in 1910, of course, and brings in everything from Jack The Ripper to Alisteir Crowley and his O.T.O. Unfamiliar with the concept of League in general? Basically, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen can be looked at as the world's first team of super-powered and fantastic adventurers. The first Avengers. The first Justice League. You get the drill. The League is composed entirely of characters from already pre-existing literary works, ranging from 18th century characters like Mina Harker from DRACULA to H.G Wells's Invisible Man to more modern characters like James Bond and Emma Peel from the Avengers (the TV Show). While some characters are public domain and can be used freely (i.e Mr. Hyde), others are given different names to avoid any legal issues, but you'll know exactly who is who as soon as you read it. Moore applies the same kind of twist he uses in Watchmen with super-heroes to these characters, weaving pre-existing fiction with his own stories, and making some of the most compelling reading you'll come across. On top of all that, the artwork is some of the most fitting, and uniquely beautiful we've seen.

Trust us, this one is the definite Third Eye Must Buy of the week, and you are gonna absolutely fall in love with it. It's got compelling story, great art, and it's a new Alan Moore title! One thing to also keep in mind is that this is the first League that is being published under Top Shelf, instead of DC Comics. This means that due to the economics of a small press publisher there's not going to be a whole lot of copies of this printed up initially. Fear not though, Third Eye knows what's up, and we will have PLENTY in stock, even though the book is sure to be sold out at the distributor level super quick if it has not already. If you'd like us to put one aside for you, please let us know.

Here's a link to a preview , and please keep in mind that this is an 80-page issue, so the first 9 pages are just the very beginning. This book is going to be amazing!

DEADPOOL #10 "BULLSEYE PT 1" BEGINS DEADPOOL vs. BULLSEYE (otherwise known as the DARK AVENGERS Hawkeye)

Norman Osborn is done playing around with Deadpool, and is ready to whip out the big guns, and he's bringing out everyone's favorite Dark Avenger, BULLSEYE/HAWKEYE. Lets be honest, one of the coolest characters to come out of Ellis's Thunderbolts run and into the mainline DARK AVENGERS title has been Dark Hawkeye aka the homicidal killer Bullseye. Now, you take this fan-favorite bad guy and match him up against the Merc With A Mouth, and you know.. you're gonna get some awesomeness. This one is gonna be a must-read for both Deadpool and Dark Avengers fans alike, and the story arc begins right here in DEADPOOL #10, so make sure you don't miss it when it hits this Wednesday! The new ongoing Deadpool series has been a huge hit, and as fans, we've loved it all the way. The writing is very much in key with how 'Pool should be written with that zany, fourth-wall breaking twisted humor, and the artwork has been a perfect fit.

Now, we get to see Bullseye carving Deadpool up with who knows what? Stoked! Click here to check out a preview of DEADPOOL #10 BULLSEYE PT 1!

THE SLEEPER OF THE YEAR, VIKING, DEBUTS THIS WEEK WITH VIKING #1!THE MOST VIOLENT CRIMINAL UNDERWORLD IN HISTORY!

Image is debuting their biggest book since the Walking Dead this Wednesday with Viking #1. We've already read the preview copy, and we can tell you guys that we are completely stoked on how good this first issue was, and how strong we feel this series is going to be. The creative team is one that I am not very familiar with, but the storytelling and artwork are both amazing. The concept? Two brothers in the 9th century, rising up through the Viking criminal underworld. It's kind of a Goodfellas meets Vikings tale, with all the brutality, grime and grit, that you could want. And, while the story reads very well, and flows excellently (the dialouge is especially good), the artwork really has me impressed as well. His style is very fresh, very unique, and it fits perfectly with the story they're telling.

Another cool thing is the format. It's in beautiful, oversized format with the trim-size of a Golden Age comic. All this, and it's printed on nice cardstock paper. I know what you're thinking, how much can a fancy book like this cost? Good story, Good art, Good Production values? Well, guess what, true believers.. it's only $2.99. And trust us, you're really getting your money's worth. It's two brothers, both horrible, violent people, clawing their way through the most violent criminal underground in the history of the world.

Click here for a preview (it's a comic book resources link, so it MAY not re-direct properly... sorry!) ofVIKING #1!

FLASH: REBIRTH #2 RACES INTO THIRD EYE THIS WEEK, GIVING US THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NEXT INSTALLMENT OF THIS AMAZING LIMITED SERIES BY GREEN LANTERN WRITER GEOFF JOHNS

Man, the first issue of Flash Rebirth BLEW US THE HECK AWAY! Growing up in the late '80s and '90s, I was always a Wally West kind of guy, so my attachment to Barry as the Flash wasn't as strong as some, BUT, after one issue, I'm sold on how he has the potential to become one of the coolest DC characters this summer. I mean, this is from the same creative team who gave us GREEN LANTERN: REBIRTH, and the SINESTRO CORPS WAR. Geoff Johns, the man can do no wrong, he's an amazingly talented comic book writer, and Ethan Van Sciver's got a Neal Adams gone new school hyper-craziness that makes him one of the best modern superhero illustrators out there today. And, did they deliver or what on their first ish of Flash Rebirth? It was a solid read, and left us hanging at the end, wanting more.

Well, now, the time has come for the next installment of Flash Rebirth to hit the racks. This week, Third Eye will be getting Flash: Rebirth #2, and we couldn't be more stoked. There's some dark secrets going on with the recently returned Barry Allen, and we wanna know what they are! Not to mention, the return of Savitar in issue #1! Who you guys probably remember as a big thorn in the side of many speedsters throughout the '90s. Anyhow, click here to check out a quick preview of FLASH: REBIRTH #2 (and be warned, it's a COMIC BOOK RESOURCES preview, so the link may not work!)

ROBERT KIRKMAN (WALKING DEAD writer) continues the carnage withDESTROYER #2 THIS WEEK!

Robert Kirkman, the man behind one of the consistently best monthly comics we read, Walking Dead, delivered big time on DESTROYER #1. An old school World War II-era superhero, now in his 70s, who when he finds out he's dying decides to start brutally murdering every supervillain he's ever encountered so his family can be safe.... makes for a fun read. This series is what Kirkman is calling his most violent work yet, and if you read Walking Dead, then you know that's a pretty bold statement. But, from the first page, where a bad guy gets his face literally punched out from behind, and then on the second or third page where he disembowels a guy with the butt of a rifle. It's bloody, ultra-violent, and packed with that trademark Robert "Walking Dead" Kirkman goodness you've come to know and love. You want bloody? You want over the top? You want Kirkman and old school Invincible artist Cory Walker? READ DESTROYER!

The first issue ended with him ripping his own brother's heart out. How can you not love this comic? Click here to read a preview of DESTROYER #2! It's a comic book resources link, so it MAY not work.

TERROR, INC APOCALYPSE SOON #1FROM YOUNG LIARS WRITER DAVID LAPHAM, DELIVERS BLOOD, GUTS, AND MAYHEM!

There was a little known series that came out a couple years ago called Terror, Inc from Stray Bullets, and Young Liars creator David Lapham. This series was a hidden violent little gem that really turned out to be a great read. The basic concept is you've got this old school feudal Barbarian kind of guy who conquers kingdoms, breaks hearts, and does otherwise dastardly barbarian-esque things. Well, the dude gets a little curse put on him where he's rendered immortal and rotting. His body may die, but he lives, and he's constantly having to attach the limbs, and body parts of dead or dying things to his own person to keep himself in one piece. Okay, here's where it gets neat.. he can do all sorts of neat tricks, like, if he gets killed, and his blood trickles down into the sewage, and a frog happens to absorb a little bit of it.. bam, he's a frog, hopping along til he finds some roadkill, then you've got a dead dog walking around with a frog attached to it's skull, and then he makes his way back to where he needs to be.. and bam, he's found himself a nice human host again.

Okay, it sounds whacked out, I know, but this book is good old fashioned bloody fun.. an ongoing theme, I'm sure, after you read our praise for Destroyer, but c'mon, you know you love it! AND ontop of all that you get Mr. David Lapham's witty dialogue, and gritty storytelling that he's been working wonders with in the pages of books like Young Liars. Click here to check out a preview of TERROR,INC: APOCALYPSE SOON #1 (it's a comic book resources link, so it may not redirect properly).

THE NEW MUTANTS RETURN IN NEW MUTANTS #1 THIS WEEK!

It's the reunion of the New Mutants we all know and love. Cannonball, Magik, Sunspot, Dani Moonstar and the gang have all been reunited to go up against the classic X-Villain LEGION (you know, the guy who caused a little something called the AGE OF APOCALYPSE about 15 years ago). I think a lot of us that grew up reading Marvel in the late '80s into the mid '90s have a soft spot for the New Mutants, and this new title featuring the original line-up looks like it should be a solid read. Plus, I mean, it's LEGION, where the heck has this guy been for the last decade and a half? Oh, sure he's popped up here and there, but, it looks like the villain responsible for one of the most epic X-Events of all-time is finally going to get the proper comeback storyline he deserves. And the artwork we saw on the preview pages of this one look AMAZING. Plus, who doesn't love Magik? This one's a brand new ongoing series featuring some of the biggest fan-favorite mutants of yesteryear, and this first issue looks like the series is going to really start out right. Great art, and what looks to be a solid story make this one definitely worth checking out. Click here to check out a preview of NEW MUTANTS #1!

CABLE #14 MESSIAH WAR CHAPTER 4 CONTINUES THE BIGGEST X-MEN STORYLINE IN YEARS!

The Messiah War has been AMAZING. Following up the red hot Messiah Complex from a couple years ago, this storyline which has been bouncing back and forth between the pages of X-FORCE and CABLE has brought back a lot of characters we remember fondly (and some, not so fondly) from the '90s, and given them a new breath of life. As Bishop who's thrown in league with the sinister Stryfe hunts down Cable, and the child he's protecting, things continue to heat up. If you missed out on the first two chapters of Messiah War, fear not, Third Eye faithful, because we now have plenty of both back in stock here at Third Eye for you to catch up with.

High quality storytelling, amazing artwork in both the books, and all your favorite characters (yes, including DEADPOOL) all do well to make this into one hell of a great read. It's good to be excited about X-Books again, and we're really anxious to see how the events of this series are going to play out in the long-term of things. And, I'll have to say, the first chapter of Messiah War is one of the best X-titles I've read in a long time. The entire thing just plain felt EPIC. And chapter two, and three have carried the momentum of the story along very nicely.

Click here to check out a preview of CABLE #14 *MESSIAH WAR PT 4*

BATTLE FOR THE COWL: THE NETWORK . WHAT DO BATMAN'S ALLIES DO WHEN HE'S MIA? FIND OUT IN THE NETWORK ONE-SHOT THIS WEEK!

Battle for the Cowl has been rocking and rolling, and this week's BATTLE FOR THE COWL: THE NETWORK one-shot gives us a peek at just what Batman's lesser known allies are up to in his absence. A motley gathering of characters like Batgirl, Ragman, Huntress, Misfit, Manhunter, and more find themselves trying to hold up as one of Gotham's last lines of defense in the onslaught of madness ensuing in the Caped Crusader's absence. I mean, while all the big guns are battling for the cowl, someone's gotta keep the crooks in line, right? Click here for a preview of BATTLE FOR THE COWL: THE NETWORK #1!

WAR OF KINGS #3 CONTINUES MARVEL'S HIGH ADVENTURE SPACE EPIC!

The War of Kings rages on this week in the pages of WAR OF KINGS #3, and we can't wait to see where things go next. Emperor Vulcan is coming forth with all guns blazing, and Gladiator's role becomes increasingly important. Abnett and Lanning have really taken a strong approach to storytelling with the WAR OF KINGS stuff, and have applied the same kind of epic, sci-fi adventure they demonstrated in ANNIHILATION and ANNIHILATION conquest to this newest event. Breathing fresh life into characters we haven't seen in years, and building up new heavyweight characters just like they did in the previous series, this one has been a solid, and fun read. Big Battlestar Galactica fan? Want to see that kind of space opera storytelling applied to the Marvel Universe? WAR OF KINGS is for you. And, don't worry, if you've missed the first two issues, we've got plenty of both still in stock for you to catch up with as well as any of the tie-ins!

Click here to check out a preview of WAR OF KINGS #3!

STRAIGHT FROM DARK REIGN, THE HOOD SHOWS UP IN THIS WEEK'SMARVEL ZOMBIES 4 #2!!

Man, did the Marvel Zombies books take a complete 180 for the better or what with the new creative team on Marvel Zombies 3? We thought Marvel Zombies 3 was one of the best installments to the Zombieverse yet, and now, with Marvel Zombies 4, from the same writer, Fred Van Lente, we're getting even more over the top, balls to the wall Marvel Zombie awesomeness. And, in this issue, we get one of the best new Marvel villains we've seen in a very long time being thrown into the mix: THE HOOD. He's after the zombie virus to wipe out all of the Marvel heroes, but he's gotta go through the recently reunited Midnight Sons first. And, how does Dormammu fit into all this? Fred Van Lente has done a fantastic job of integrating the Marvel Zombieverse into the Marvel 616-verse without it feeling forced or corny, and Kev Walker's pencils have really made the books pop. If you got burned on Marvel Zombies 2 (we weren't too impressed with that one), then do yourselves a favor and give Marvel Zombies 3, or Marvel Zombies 4 a shot. It's gotten WAY good, and is one of the most fun Marvel titles hitting the stands.

Click here for a preview of MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 #2 (link may not direct properly because it's a comic book resources preview)

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #13 CONTINUES THE BEST IRON MAN RUN WE'VE READ. EVER. YES, INCLUDING DEMON IN A BOTTLE!

Invincible Iron Man started off very strong from the first issue. We'd highly recommend picking up the Invincible Iron Man v.1 FIVE NIGHTMARES trade paperback to all of you, because it's one heck of a story. Matt Fraction and Salvador Larocca have really gone a long way in making Iron Man a solid monthly read. I mean, I was never a huge Iron Man fan, and while I loved the movie, it was still hard for me to find a strong Iron Man series I could get behind. But, the talented Matt Fraction, who's also been responsible for breathing fresh life into Iron Fist with Ed Brubaker, and knocking it out of the park with recent Uncanny X-Men arcs, has really made Iron Man into the crazy, tech-heavy sci-fi espionage adventure book you just gotta read. He balances out new villains, with old classics, and the current storyline, with Pepper Potts in the Iron Woman armor, and Tony on the run, has been AWESOME!

And, now Norman Osborn's going after Stark hard, and has given Madame Masque (who's been hanging around with our old pal, the Hood) free reign to do as she pleases. Get prepared to see every whacked out Iron Man baddie you can think of gunning for Tony.. from Whiplash to Whirlwind, it's gonna be awesome. If you haven't gotten onboard Invincible Iron Man yet, then next time you're in pick up a copy of #11, which is where the current story arc really kicks into high gear, and it provides a pretty solid jumping on point for new readers. Click here for a preview of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #13 DARK REIGN

ASTRO CITY: DARK AGE BOOK 3BEGINS THIS WEEK!

Back in the late '90s, there was one really bright shining star of comics greatness, and that was Astro City. Standing alongside some other solid reads of the time, like Mage, Leave it to Chance, Preacher, and Starman, Astro City was the ultimate superheroes taken apart, and put back together again kind of book. Kurt Busiek took every era of comic book storytelling, from the golden age, to the silver age, and took us through a trip that took classic comic story arcs and gave them a unique spin and a twist. Things like the Captain America not being Captain America thing were given the Astro City touch in stories with the Silver Agent. Batman was re-invented as a priest who only fought crime a night, because he was a vampire.. and he wore the cross on his chest that burned his skin, as penance for his own crimes, known only as the Confessor. With the DARK AGE series of ASTRO CITY, Busiek has been taking us from the late '70s into the early '80s. The time period where comics began to shift to more maturely told stories, grittier heroes, and a darker time all around. We can't wait to see the new twist on things, as we're sure references to stories that were huge and monumental in the '80s will find their way into this newest arc as it's set in the early '80s.

If you want some quality superhero storytelling that takes a unique look at past events, and adds a fresh twist to them, give the Astro City stuff a shot. There's a handful of trade paperbacks collecting all the classic stuff, and while different in tone, it is something that would definitely appeal to fans of WATCHMEN, and other deconstructions of the superhero archetypes.

Click here to take a peek at ASTRO CITY: DARK AGE BOOK 3 #1!

MAGIC: THE GATHERING ALARA REBORN AVAILABLE @ THIRD EYE!

It's that time again. A new set of Magic is out, and we have plenty of boosters, fat packs, and starter packs available here for you at Third Eye. Come on by, and get your fix!

AMANDA CONNOR'S POWER GIRLONGOING SERIES DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY!

For those of you who remember that Justice Society Classified Power Girl arc, get ready to be stoked. Amanda Connor is returning to the character she was born to draw with Power Girl this week. The new ongoing series has Power Girl coming straight out the pages of the Justice Society of America series, and is being written by the Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Grey, the team behind one of our cult favorites here, Jonah Hex. But lets face it, the reason we're pumped for this is Amanda Connor's artwork is AWESOME, and her style fits Power Girl perfectly. We're not expecting anything groundbreaking or edgy, but we do know we're gonna get a solid, fun superhero read in the same tone as another recent DC favorite of our's, Secret Six. Click here to check out a preview of POWER GIRL #1! (link may not direct properly, as it's a comic book resources preview)

BLACKEST NIGHT #0 AVAILABLE FREE AT THIRD EYE THIS WEEK!

The most exciting event of this summer is definitely BLACKEST NIGHT, spinning out of the pages of GEOFF JOHNS'S Green Lantern run. This is going to be epic, folks, and the Free Comic Book Day edition of BLACKEST NIGHT #0 is still readily available here at Third Eye for you to check out. It's FREE! Make sure you get your's, and prepare for one of the most exciting comic book events in a very long time!