THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE COMICS FOR WEDNESDAY 1/13/10

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #617 *THE GAUNTLET* - RHINO RETURNS CHAPTER 1! JOE KELLY RE-INVENTS THE RHINO IN A VICIOUS NEW WAY!

Ever since the debut of a deadly, re-energized Electro a couple of months back in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #612, we have been hooked month after month on the title. For a very long time, Amazing Spider-man, as a title, suffered. It didn't have a consistent story, or creative team, and the creative teams that did rotate on and off, were so up and down in their consistency. There were glimmers of hope in storylines like NEW WAYS TO DIE, and AMERICAN SON, but the book felt directionless. And, while we feel the book really hit it's stride and return to quality with AMAZING SPIDERMAN #612 *GAUNTLET PT 1* (still in stock here at Third Eye), it was AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #600 where it looked like things were turning in the right direction.

Now, almost 18 issues later, and we can say that Amazing Spider-man is a must-read title once again. The Gauntlet storyline has been GREAT, and the idea of having "mini-arcs" that help develop and shape some of Spidey's most wicked rogues is great. The thing that's cool about this whole Gauntlet deal is that it's taking the time to build up each of the characters, and prepare them for what the Gauntlet is ultimately leading to: the Return of the Sinister Six.

What is the Gauntlet? The Gauntlet is an over-arching storyline running through Amazing Spider-man this year that began in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #512. So far, it's been two and three issue story arcs reintroducing classic Spidey rogues, who were all members of the Sinister Six. Basically, it's Spider-man being forced to run the Gauntlet of these villains, being worn down one by one by these guys, in preparation for when the new Sinister Six (which we've seen referenced a few times so far in the Gauntlet) returns. So far, it has been a great trip through one of the things that makes Spidey so great: his classic Rogues Gallery.

What's up with this week's Amazing Spider-man #617 "The Rhino is Coming"? The next mini-arc features the return of the classic Spidey villain, the Rhino, and with Joe Kelly (the man who defined Deadpool in the late '90s, and has given us a few killer Spidey arcs already) heading it up, it looks to be a great new twist on the character. From the looks of it, the Rhino is being given a much more animalistic, feral approach. There's also the fact that Marvel is making a big fuss about this story arc, a much bigger fuss than they did about the previous two arcs (Sandman, and Electro), which both rocked. This is pure speculation on my part as to where the story is going, but I think that we're going to see the Rhino play a major role in doing some damage to the wallcrawler. Man, I am such a geek for Spidey. :) Probably one of my favorite Marvel characters, which is why I'm so stoked to see the stories getting better in the book.

Want To Catch Up On The Gauntlet? Here's a quick rundown of the books you'd need to get caught up on the Gauntlet. We currently have all of these in stock here at Third Eye, so jumping on is pretty easy.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #612 *THE GAUNTLET PT 1* - ELECTRO


AMAZING SPIDDER-MAN #613 *THE GAUNTLET PT 2* - ELECTRO


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #614 *THE GAUNTLET PT 3* - ELECTRO


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #615 *THE GAUNTLET PT 4* - THE SANDMAN


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #616 *THE GAUNTLET PT 5* - THE SANDMAN


AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #617 *THE GAUNTLET PT 6* - RHINO *NEW THIS WEEK*

Clickhere for a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #617 *THE RHINO IS COMING PT 1*

ALAN MOORE RETURNS TO COMIC WRITING WITH NEW HORROR SERIES, NEONOMICON, THIS WEDNESDAY!



Alan Moore returns to comic storytelling with a brand new horror series pairing him up with CROSSED artist JACEN BURROWS. It's been a while since Moore has done any comic work outside of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and even longer since he's done straight-to-the-throat horror stuff. Neonomicon looks like we'll be seeing Alan Moore channelling his inner HP Lovecraft, and telling some tales of madness, despair, and Elder Gods.

From what we've read of this, it sounds like we'll be seeing some of the darkest, most disturbing work Moore has done in ages. And if anyone is capable of applying an interesting re-invention of the Lovecraft mythos, it's Moore.

This Wednesday, a very special #0 issue "Hornbook" features a short prelude to Neonomicon, and other material to get us primed for Moore's exciting new book, and hey, it's only $1.99!
BLACKEST NIGHT: BACK FROM THE DEAD ONE-SHOTS CONTINUE THIS WEEK WITHCATWOMAN #83, AND POWER OF SHAZAM #48. PLUS, SECRET SIX #17 PICKS UP FROM LAST WEEK'S SUICIDE SQUAD #67



The idea of DC's "Back from the Dead" one-shots is pretty damn cool. I read both the Weird Western Tales, and the Suicide Squad last week, and they were both pretty awesome. I REALLY dug the Weird Western Tales, and the Suicide Squad, of course, was cool, but then again, I'm a big Secret Six fan. In case you missed it last week, "Back from the Dead" is a line of one-shots DC is doing in January to continue the story of Blackest Night. They've hand-picked fan-favorite series that were killed off in their prime, and brought them back for one final issue. Each issue serves as a special one-shot which furthers the story of BLACKEST NIGHT in the DCU.

This week, the "Back from the Dead" theme continues with POWER OF SHAZAM #48, and CATWOMAN #83, as well as the continuation of the SUICIDE SQUAD #67 from last week in SECRET SIX #17. Lets take a quick look at each, as all three look pretty cool.

First off, POWER OF SHAZAM #48is sure to be cool because it's bringing the Blackest Night spotlight onto the Black Adam family. We've all gotten hooked on Black Adam in the pages of stuff like 52 (ripping bad guys in half!), and the more recent Black Adam and Isis storyline in Justice Society. In this one-shot, we see Osiris re-animated as Black Lantern, and wreaking havoc on the Billy and Mary Marvel, who're both now powerless. The Power of Shazam series was a cult favorite in the '90s, with it's well done retro storytelling by Jerry Ordway, so it's cool to see it back.

Next up is theCATWOMAN #83 one-shot, where we see Selina Kyle dealing with the blackoutt in Gotham City, and, hey, the resurrection of the original Black Mask as Black Lantern. You know, the guy she killed a while ago? Black Mask has always been a cool villain, and it's going to be pretty damn cool seeing him as a crazy heart-eating Black Lantern. We know this series had a legion of loyal die-hard fans, so I'm sure many of you are excited to see one final issue of Ms. Kyle.

Finally, the Suicide Squad #67 from last week continues into the pages of the regular Secret Six series with SECRET SIX #17. Now, if you're remotely into DC Comics at all, you gotta be reading Secret Six. This series isn't just good, it's DAMN good. Gail Simone has managed to carve out her own little niche of the DCU, and tell some pretty cool stories there featuring a mixed batch of heavy-hitter supervillains, and the more obscure lightweights. The Suicide Squad's pulled Deadshot back into the mix, and, there's some Black Lanterns out there causing havoc.

Also, this week we will have the next batch of Blackest Night checklists available completely free!

BATMAN: WIDENING GYRE #4 CONTINUES FILM-MAKER KEVIN SMITH'S EPIC BATMAN LIMITED SERIES!



Kevin Smith's got a pretty good track record of dishing out some great comic yarns... when they come out on time. And, I think that's what's kept us all hooked here on the Widening Gyre. While there was a bit of a delay between issue 3, and 4, he has managed to keep a good schedule of getting the book out on time. Which is awesome, because Widening Gyre rocks.

What is BATMAN WIDENING GYRE About? Since the series is in by four issues so far, I figured I should give you a quick rundown on just what it's all about... It's basically, a self-contained story where Bruce Wayne is still Batman, Dick Grayson is still Nightwing, and Robin is still Tim Drake. It features a new character, a vigilante in a goat mask, who keeps swooping in and throwing an assist to Batman. And, basically the concept is what is it like for The Dark Knight to have an actual partner, and not just a sidekick. Of course, Smith sprinkles a liberal dose of classic Batman rogues, and supporting cast to make this a fun read for any long-time Bat-fan.

The combination of Smith's sharp storytelling, and Flanagan's trippy artwork make for a great read, and we think that this limited series is going to stand the test of time as one of those classic Bat-stories you read and hear about all the time.

If you're a Batman fan, we definitely recommend giving this one a shot. The first issue alone has a very cool Etrigan (the Demon) / Poison Ivy moment.

Click here to read more about BATMAN WIDENING GYRE #4

DAYTRIPPER #2 FOLLOWS UP ON THE FIRST ISSUE OF THE TRIPPY NEW VERTIGO SERIES! MISSED #1? WE'VE GOT IT IN STOCK FOR YOU TO CATCH UP WITH!


Vertigo has been knocking it out of the park lately with a lot of great new series, and the new book DAYTRIPPER from the talented duo of Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba is no exception. It's a very dreamy, yet subtle book that appears to be carving out it's own unique niche in the line of Vertigo books. It takes a very personal look at a human being who is trying to make his way in life as a writer that's trying to get out of his father's shadow. Of course, he's become quickly disillusioned with his day job (writing obituaries), and the fact that his own life is ticking away day by day. In other words, he's not getting any younger, and he's yet to make a mark on the world like his father. The main character is very easy to identify with, and I think that's part of what really helped drew us in to the first issue. The artwork is also kind of low-key like the script, and sets a very dream-like tone that lures you into a false sense of safety... which gets abruptly shattered at the ending, which I don't want to ruin for you because it's a good surprise that sets up the entire series.

Anyways, the second issue of DAYTRIPPER arrives this week, and we're pretty excited about it. Great artwork, great story, in the first issue, so we're eager to see where things go this week in #2.

Click here to see a long preview of DAYTRIPPER #1

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #22 *STARK DISASSEMBLED PT 3* CONTINUES THE BIGGEST STORY ARC YET IN MATT FRACTION'S INCREDIBLE IRON MAN RUN!



STARK DISASSEMBLED has really been turning out to be one of the best arcs yet in Matt Fraction's incredible INVINCIBLE IRON MAN run. And, folks, I know I've been preaching it for a while, but, INVINCIBLE IRON MAN is one of the best monthly books Marvel has been putting out for the last couple of years. It truly is a shining example of what a strong, consistent creative team can do for a book. And, you're talking to a guy who's never been a diehard Iron Man fan. But, Matt Fraction and Salvador Larocca manage to capture the essence of what makes Iron Man COOL. They capture that Robert Downy Jr-esque approach where you can feel the character's smugness, an cockiness, but not to the point where it's overbearing or arrogant. And, they also manage to capture the bigger than life wonder and awe of the technology without letting the book become bogged down and focused on JUST the technology. Not to mention it's got classic Iron Man baddies galore, from Madame Masque to MODOK. All in all, if you're reading Stark Disassembled, and dig it, we highly recommend going back and snagging INVINCIBLE IRON MAN v.1 THE FIVE NIGHTMARES and INVINCIBLE IRON MAN v.2 WORLDS MOST WANTED, both available in trade paperback here at Third Eye.

Now, lets not forget about what's happening in what's turning out to be the best story arc yet of Fraction and Larocca's run, and that's STARK DISASSEMBLED. The story starts with Tony Stark comatose, after having lobotomized himself to prevent Norman Osborn from getting into his head. There's this great sequence where you see a pre-recorded holomessage from Tony explaining there is a way to "reboot" him and bring him back, but the question he asks is after everything they've been through... the Civil War, the Initiative, ect..ect... Do they want to bring him back? There's a really cool part where Tony kind of sidetracks himself, and gets into how the closest thing to a higher power he's believed in was Thor and Captain America, and how everything getting all screwed up destroyed him.

The story so far has bounced back and forth between Tony Stark, comatose, existing in a dream-like state and being taught something by the familiar names of a Howard and a Maria. In the real world, you've got Pepper Potts dealing with the love/hate relationship she has with her boss, and she prepares to give up her repulsortech to aid in bringing Tony back to life.

Of course, there needs to be some bloodshed, and that's where Madame Masque, and Ghost come in, see Masque has sent Ghost to execute the comatose Stark.

All in all, the STARK DISASSEMBLED arc has been one of the best reads we've seen, and just proves why this book is such a strong read month in and month out. You can hop on with issue #20, which is still in stock, and we also have issue #21 in stock as well.

Click here for a preview of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #22 *STARK DISASSEMBLED PT 3*

ALIENS VS. PREDATORS: THREE WORLDS WAR #1 - THE BLOODIEST, MOST BRUTAL AVP CONFLICT YET HAS ARRIVED!


One of our big guilty pleasures here at Third Eye are the Aliens and Predator comics that Dark Horse has brought back. I think a lot of it goes back to the huge popularity of the original ALIENS comics back when I was a kid. I remember stumbling across some of the most grisly, gory comics featuring all sorts of whacked out premises in these books. This was back when there were still mom-and-pop video stores, and you'd often see spinner racks full of horror movie magazines, and comics like these. Hitting up the comic shop, and then the video store was a weekly ritual for me as a kid, and I think getting that double dose of ALIENS on the racks was what got me hooked.

Dark Horse resurrected the franchises last year in two super-fun limited series that were very true to the original spirit of the comics and films. And, now, they're bringing back the fan-favorite idea of ALIENS VS PREDATOR. Now, don't let the recent AVP films change your opinion on these, because the comics have always been full of blood, guts, and you know, space dust. But, seriously, we're pumped to see the return of AVP, and you know, it might be a guilty pleasure, but we think that there's enough of you guys out there who grew up on these books to warrant giving it a shout out in this week's newsletter.

Click here for a preview of ALIENS VS PREDATOR: THREE WORLDS WAR #1

WARREN ELLIS'S NO HERO TRADE PAPERBACK OUT THIS WEDNESDAY.. "WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO BE SUPERHUMAN?"


It's always a reason for rejoice when another of Ellis's Avatar series hits trade, and this week, we're seeing the arrival of last year's high-octane, superpowers-as-drug-addiction epic collected into trade paperback. No Hero is an EXCELLENT read, and features the artwork of JUAN JOSE RYP, which is very Geoff Darrow-influenced, and looks fantastic. If you dug Ellis's BLACK SUMMER, then you'll definitely be into NO HERO.

What's NO HERO about? No Hero is a story by the master of the widescreen comic (among other things), Warren Ellis. From his amazing take on the AUTHORITY to the Mad Science Fiction he's known for in stories like IGNITION CITY and TRANSMETROPOLITAN. NO HERO is set in a world where superhumans have existed since the 1960s, and came about as a reaction to the violent police reactions towards the counter-culture movements of the '60s. While the intentions of the original group, the Levellers, is noble, their mastermind and leader is a cross between Lex Luthor and Timothy Leary, and you quickly learn that the pills that give these characters their powers are his very own drug-like way of keeping them under control. You get a quick glimpse of the world of superhumans under his control through the 60s, 70s, and then in the '80s, you start seeing former superheroes who've now been ravaged by the drug, and resemble far-gone drug addicts. Fast forward to the year 2011, and we see a young man who's taken the notice of Masterson (the above mentioned Luthor/Leary hybrid), and seeks to induct him into his team after the ranks have thinned considerably. From there, we see just how the series asks "How Bad Do You Want To Be A Superhero?"

This was one of our favorite limited series of 2009, and we highly recommend giving it a look to anyone who's into Transmetropolitan, Irredeemable, The Boys, Doktor Sleepless, or the Authority. It takes a very unique way at the world of superheroes, and from a very fresh perspective.

JASON AARON'S (writer of SCALPED)PUNISHERMAX #3 CONTINUES THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED WRITER'S UNRELENTING APPROACH TO THE WORLD OF THE PUNISHER!



Jason Aaron and Steve Dillon have done an incredible thing with their new run on PUNISHER MAX. This is the best the series has been since Garth Ennis's character-defining run, and we'd even go as far to say it's just as brutal as Ennis's epic run. We know only good things will be coming from what Aaron has said will be a very long run on PUNISHER.

The first story arc in the run is focusing on the introduction of the KINGPIN to the world of PUNISHER MAX. For those of you unaware of what the world of PUNISHER MAX is, it's a self-contained story where the Punisher exists, and only fights real crime, ranging from the Mafia and Russian Slavers to corrupt military officials and ENRON-like white collar criminals. There are no superpowered characters, and everything is played very straight-forward, very brutal, and very graphic. And, in doing so, we get to see certain Marvel characters that fit into this world introduced in a whole new way. The story of Wilson Fisk is one of a Mafia enforcer who's hatched a plot to take out the Punisher, so it seems. His boss passes it off as his own idea (just like Fisk wants him to), and basically it's the positioning of Wilson Fisk as a mythical Boss of Bosses figure... a Godfather. This way the Punisher is gunning strictly for Fisk, and none of the other Mafia bosses, and it allows for the Mafia to weed him out and gun him down. However, Fisk has his own agenda, using this as a way to eliminate the Mafia bosses, and position himself as a true power player in the world of organized crime.

Folks, this series is a chilling read. The first two issues alone have definitely proven that Aaron is keeping things true to the dark, unrelenting spirit of Ennis's original work. Steve Dillon's pencils look the best they have since PREACHER, and fit very well with Aaron's writing. You can tell that Aaron is a fan of Ennis's work, but you can also tell he is doing his own thing with it too.

The characterization of the KINGPIN is especially brutal, and without saying too much, Aaron sets him up as an instant classic villain.

We still have the first couple issues of this series in stock, so for those of you who have yet to jump on, definitely check it out. For those of you who've already hopped aboard, then we know after last month's grisly issue, you're going to be stoked to read this one.

Click here for a preview of PUNISHERMAX #3

THE SURPRISE HIT DARK X-MEN SERIES CONTINUES THIS WEEK WITH DARK X-MEN #3



One of the big surprises for us this winter has been the DARK X-MEN limited series which picks up some of the plot points that were originally set up in the DARK X-MEN / UTOPIA saga, and carries them forward. The reason why I say it was a big surprise is because it's turned out to be very good. In fact, this series could almost stand on it's own without the whole Dark X-Men banner, as kind of a Marvel version of the SECRET SIX. It really is a cool, quirky read.

Why we like it so much? The story is a very fun, darkly humored look at some of the second-stringers of the X-Men world. The inclusion of characters like Nate Grey (X-Man from AGE OF APOCALYPSE), and Mystique give us some cult fan-favorites, and the team dynamic of the Dark X-Men that's explored through characters like Dark Beast is great. The Dark X-Men consists of the mutants that Osborn rounded up that ended up sticking around. No heavyweights like Namor, or Emma Frost, in fact, the biggest character on the team is probably Mystique, who fills the reluctant leadership role very well. The story is focused on Osborn's X-Men, and how half of them don't even know why the hell they're here, and how the other half is trying to figure out how to squeeze their own agendas into things.

This is a series that's definitely much better than you would have expected it to be, and we highly recommend any X-Men fan gives the first issue a shot if you haven't already. We think you'll really dig it. And, don't worry, we still have plenty of issue #1, and issue #2 for you to get caught up with.

Click herefor a preview of DARK X-MEN #3

MARVELS PROJECT #5 - THE FIRST MISSION OF CAPTAIN AMERICA REVEALED!



The sleeper favorite from Marvel this year has definitely been Ed Brubaker's THE MARVELS PROJECT. This series which explores the official origins of superpowers in the Marvel Universe has provided some of the most well-written, well-paced, and gorgeously illustrated Marvel storytelling in a long time. Don't be scared off by thinking this is a hokey, or dated Golden Age re-tread. This series has teeth, folks, and manages to explore what Marvel was like before the days of Spider-man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men.

The story began with Marvels Project #1, where we see a dying Kid Colt talking of futures where men shoot lasers from their eyes, and green giants roam the earth. He passes off his legendary six-guns to a young reporter named the Angel, who becomes a vigilante in his own right. The story is mostly seen through the Angel's perspective, and in the first issue we see how the invention of superhumans is mostly due in part to an arms race between Allied Forces and Nazi Germany. One of the stand-out scenes is a Nazi boat netting Atlanteans, and then the Submariner dishing out his vengeance on them. The shot of Submariner riding the waves, and snapping the Nazi's necks with the water is pretty intense.

In the last issue, we get a better look at the origins of Steve Rogers. We get to see what his motivation was for volunteering to test the supersoldier serum. Plus, another obscure Golden Age character is broken out of obscurity, and I gotta say, folks.. it's pretty awesome to see Brubaker mining Marvel's rich history and digging out these forgotten classics.

All in all, the MARVELS PROJECT is a well-paced, maturely written story on the origins of the Marvel Universe as a whole, and it manages to accomplish what it's doing very well. In this week's issue, it's Steve Rogers as Captain America, assigned his first task. We're stoked to see how it turns out.

Clickhere for a preview of MARVELS PROJECT #5

ULTIMATUM TRADE PAPERBACK AVAILABLE THIS WEDNESDAY! WANT TO KNOW HOW THINGS GOT TO WHERE THEY ARE IN ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS & ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN?



A lot of you guys, like us here at Third Eye, have been really digging the whole new approach to the ULTIMATE universe that was launched in books like ULTIMATE COMICS SPIDER-MAN #1, and ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS #1. However, a lot of you are also wondering just how we got to this point, and why half of the friggin' Marvel Universe is dead or missing. Well, wait no longer, because this Wednesday, the collected edition of ULTIMATUM arrives in softcover.

The best way to describe ULTIMATUM is a Marvel blockbuster story in the truest sense. It's not really hung up on going into great detail about certain things, but instead is just page after awesome page of crazy death, and disaster. The real shining stand-out about ULTIMATUM was the artwork from David Finch, who manages to capture the scale, and make you believe that Magneto really did drown NY in tidal waves.

What's the plot of ULTIMATUM? Well, in the wake of ULTIMATES 3, Magneto loses his cool, completely, and snags up Thor's hammer. Using Thor's hammer, and his own mutant powers, he decides he's going to flood the earth in a very biblical way, and pretty much wipe out humanity.

Of course, along the way, we get to see some crazy cool moments, and while I don't want to drop the spoilers..... LOTS of characters die in pretty intense ways. Heads being blasted off by optic blasts, people being eaten, ect ect.

So if you're looking to get caught up on what happened prior to the new Ultimate series you're following, Ultimatum is the perfect place to start.

STAFF PICKS

Trish - Walking Dead Volume 11 - Now I can go back and re-read it again without the torture of waiting for the next issue!

Torma - SIEGE #1 - TOTAL MAYHEM! If you've been waiting for something to happen in the Marvel Universe, this is definitely it. The first issue just teases what looks like a huge payoff for everything that's happened in the last two years.

Steve - SIEGE #1 - We try not to pick the same things, but I couldn't choose SIEGE. The art by Coipel is great, Bendis's brought his A game with the writing, and c'mon, there is nothing cooler than seeing Asgard being stormed by the combined forces of H.A.M.M.E.R and the Dark Avengers. If you haven't tried this yet, check it out!

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!

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE 3/4/09

WAR OF KINGS OFFICIALLY KICKS OFF THIS WEDNESDAY WITH WAR OF KINGS #1!  This Wednesday kicks off the highly anticipated Marvel cosmic event WAR OF KINGS. This huge event has been steadily building since the debut of the ANNIHILATION, ANNIHILATION CONQUEST, and the events of the Uncanny X-Men: Rise and Fall of the Shi'ar Empire storylines, not to mention the going ons with the Inhumans during Secret Invasion Inhumans.  Why should you read War of Kings? Well, first off, if you're a fan of epic science fiction in the vein of things like Battlestar Galactica, and the Warhammer 40K universe, then it's custom made for you. It's the Marvel universe meets Battlestar and Warhammer. Seriously.  But for real though, it's good stuff. It's Abnett and Lanning plotting, and as we've seen recently, they're doing some amazing things with books like Guardians of the Galaxy and Nova.  What's the scoop on the story of War of Kings? Well, as we know, Vulcan, the third Summers brother has been expanding the Shi'ar Empire rapidly across the galaxy, and now he's coming head to head with Black Bolt as he's rebuilding his own kingdom. In the middle of all this is every cosmic character you could think of from the Silver Surfer to Blastarr, King of the Negative Zone.  All in all, War of Kings looks to be a stand-out event this spring, and we highly advise you do not miss out on this one. Trust us, the cosmic books have been some of the most consistently good books coming out month-to-month! Click here to look at some preview pages of WAR OF KINGS #1! ULTIMATE WOLVERINE VS. HULK #3 ARRIVES AFTER A TWO YEAR WAIT! GET IT THIS WEEK! Okay, okay, we know, we know, you've all been waiting for this one almost three years now. It's been a long time coming, but Lost co-creator Damon Lindeloff finally delivers his third issue of Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk this Wednesday.  Have you been reading Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk? If you haven't, then what the heck is wrong with you? This is one of the most badass comics to come down the pipe in quite a while, and we're loving it here at Third Eye! Secret Invasion artist Lenil Francis Yu, and LOST co-creator Damon Lindeloff are delivering the goods big-time with this story of Wolverine being hired on by Nick Fury to assassinate the Hulk. And just where is the Hulk? He's holed up in the Tibetan mountainside, with a harem of women! Craziness, I know!  And, for those of you who read the first two issues of this a couple years back... well, you're in store for a treat, because the eagerly anticipated third issue follow-up hits the racks this week! Click here to read a preview of ULTIMATE WOLVERINE vs. HULK #3! DAREDEVIL #116: THE KINGPIN IS BACK! RETURN OF THE KING BEGINS THIS WEEK WITH CHAPTER 1 FROM INCOGNITO WRITER ED BRUBAKER & IRON FIST ARTIST SENSATION DAVID AJA!!! PERFECT JUMPING ON POINT! Sooooo stoked! Lady Bullseye was just a warm-up, Brubaker is delivering the goods big time with this awesome new Daredevil story arc. After almost four years of absence, the Kingpin is returning. This new arc guarantees to be the biggest Daredevil story you'll want to read in a very long-time, and has built off of the events of  Lady Bullseye. However, it's an outstanding jumping on point for those of you new to the Daredevil books.  And best of all, it re-teams the original Immortal Iron Fist creative team of Ed Brubaker and David Aja on this story arc. Now, you've all read Incognito, and you know how darn good Brubaker is at writing a gritty crime noir.. so just imagine what he's going to do with this one, folks! Click here to read more about DAREDEVIL #116 RETURN OF THE KING PART 1! BATMAN CACOPHONY #3 CONCLUDES DIRECTOR KEVIN SMITH'S FRESH, FUNNY AND BONE-CRUNCHINGLY AWESOME BATMAN MINISERIES! From the director of Mallrats, Clerks, and all those other great flicks that made the '90s such a good time for comic-fiends like us, we bring you Batman: Cacophony. This is a great three issue mini-series that captures everything we love about a good Batman comic. Batman's a dark, brooding badass, the Joker's a funny yet sadistic psychopath, and we even see the return of the severely underused Green Arrow villain Onomatopoeia. And guess what? He finished it.. on schedule! We kid, we kid.. but seriously, we told you that this one wouldn't be another Daredevil: Target or Spider-man/Black Cat.  As for how the series has been? It's been a great little read. We might not be extremely wild about the art, but it does grow on you a little more with every issue. However, the story and the dialouge more than makes up for it. Click here to read more about BATMAN: CACOPHONY #3! DARK REIGN FORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF 3/4/09! DEADPOOL #8 KICKS OFF EPIC CROSSOVER WITH THUNDERBOLTS IN "MAGNUM OPUS" CHAPTER1! Okay, Deadpool is definitely a big favorite here at Third Eye, and we can see why. You take the insanely popular cult favorite Merc with A Mouth, put him in a brand new ongoing series with excellent writing and some fantastic artwork, and POW, you got yourself a winner. And this week, you've got just one more reason to pick up on Deadpool. Magnum Opus kicks off the big 4 part DEADPOOL vs. THUNDERBOLTS story arc.  The new Thunderbolts run has been red hot, and everyone has been snatching it up right and left, and for good reason, it's a GREAT READ! Now, Wade Wilson comes head to head with Norman Osborn, and who else does he dispatch to deal with him other than the new Thunderbolts? Yup, that's right, ol' Pool is unleashing a full on assault on Osborn, and we can't wait to see the sparks fly between him and the Thunderbolts in this week's newest installment of Deadpool! Do yourselves a favor, and make sure you pick up on Deadpool #8, because this story arc promises to be a great read. Here's a quick look at the checklist for MAGNUM OPUS: Part 1 - Deadpool #8 Part 2 - Thunderbolts #130 Part 3 - Deadpool #9 Part 4 - Thunderbolts #131 Click here to check out a preview of Deadpool #8! SECRET WARRIORS #2CONTINUES RISING STAR WRITER JONATHAN HICKMAN AND BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS'S HOT NEW SERIES! A MUST READ! One of the most pleasant surprises of 2009 has been the new Secret Warriors series from Brian Michael Bendis and rising star Jonathan Hickman (do yourselves a favor and pick up Transhuman, or Nightly News, both are fantastic, this guy's on the same road that Fraction, and Brubaker took to the top). This is a definite must-read for those of you following the Dark Reign series. It explores the whole mysterious going-ons of Nick Fury, and his group of operatives that just happen to be the off-spring of major and minor Marvel characters, villain and hero alike.  We can't put our fingers on what it is we enjoy about the book so much, whether it's the well-written crafting of espionage, or the great characterization, but all we know is we're loving the hell out of Secret Warriors.  And, don't worry if you missed issue #1, we've still got plenty left in stock here at Third Eye.  Do yourselves a favor this week, and make sure to grab Secret Warriors #2, you won't be disappointed. We're excited to see just who the real enemies of the Secret Warriors are and where they've been hiding. Clickhere to read a preview of SECRET WARRIORS #2! NEW AVENGERS REUNION #1FEATURING HAWK-EYE IS A MUST FOR NEW AVENGERS FANS! Third Eye loves Hawkeye. Let it be known, that we are number one Hawkeye fans here at Third Eye. He's the Avenger of choice for Third Eye, and we are completely stoked on this new miniseries featuring the Mr. and Mrs. Smith of the Marvel Universe, Hawkeye and Mockingbird. Two bad to the bone weapon-wielding soldiers who just happen to be Avengers, and have come to embody the spirit of the team in more ways than one.  This new miniseries is a must for all of you who follow the New Avengers series, and we can promise, from the looks of it, we're going to get a breakneck action mini-series that fleshes out the corners of the New Avengers title that have been left untouched. Exploring the mystery behind Mockingbirds imprisonment at the hands of the Skrulls, and her adjustment back to life on Earth, we learn she's come back with a very deadly secret.  Don't miss this one, folks, not only is it bound to be a great addition to the solid line-up of good Dark Reign reads, but it's a must for any self-respecting New Avengers fan. Click here to read a preview of NEW AVENGERS: THE RE-UNION #1.  DARK REIGN: FANTASTIC FOUR #1 BY SECRET WARRIORS WRITER JONATHAN HICKMAN DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY! Okay, we admit it. Jonathan Hickman's turning into a store favorite here at Third Eye. His unique style of storytelling is one of the freshest approaches to comic book storytelling in a while. We kind of get the same feeling we got back when Brian Michael Bendis was making the shift from doing Torso, and Jinx to doing Ultimate Spider-man. A bright new talent with lots of promise getting his big break to show what he can deliver on Marvel's stuff.  And, while the only time we usually dig on Fantastic Four is the Mark Millar/Bryan Hitch, or Stan Lee and Jack Kirby stuff... we gotta admit.. we're pretty curious about this Hickman-penned Dark Reign: Fantastic Four limited series.  The forces of H.A.M.M.E.R are doing a little repo job on the Baxter building, and Reed Richards has some dirt in store for everyone that will change things in big ways... are you curious? We are. Clickhere to read a preview of DARK REIGN: FANTASTIC FOUR #1! BLACK PANTHER #2 CLAWS ONTO THE RACKS THIS WEDNESDAY! Due in stores this Wednesday, is the follow-up to the red hot first issue of the brand new BLACK PANTHER series! The first issue of Black Panther was a huge success here at Third Eye, and we're very curious to see what the second issue has in store this week.  The mystery behind the identity of the new Black Panther is further explored, and we learn just what kind of ties link Dr. Doom to her. Click herefor a preview of BLACK PANTHER #2! AGENTS OF ATLAS #2 CONTINUES THIS CULT FAVORITE NEW SERIES! Agents of Atlas was originally an often overlooked miniseries from a few years ago that debuted to critical acclaim, but not a whole lot in the way of sales. The fact was that anyone who read it, loved it. It was just that it didn't get a lot of exposure. Well, we're pretty happy to see that it's back, and yes, it's up to the same kind of high quality that the original mini-series had going on. This quirky, fun book featuring a talking Gorilla, a robot man, and more is the underdog of all the fan-favorite Dark Reign titles, but it's a definite must-read.  Espionage, the son of Mandarin, Marvel Boy, and all sorts of quirky Marvel history moments packed into one issue. Agents of Atlas is one of those great new series that if you're not already reading, then you should really pick up and give a shot. Click here to read a preview of AGENTS OF ATLAS #2! BACK TO BROOKLYN #4 FROM PREACHER AND THE BOYS WRITER GARTH ENNIS! ULTRA VIOLENT BLOODY MAFIA MADNESS CONTINUES! If you've read THE BOYS or PREACHER, then you know that GARTH ENNIS can tell a twisted tale. You know he can crank out an ultraviolent, yet well-written yarn in no time flat. And you know that he's always consistent with good pacing, great characterization, and tying up things with a nice, but not always happy ending.  Well, if you're an Ennis fan and you're not reading Back To Brooklyn, then you are missing out, folks! This series is great! The artwork has got it's own unique feel, and Ennis is giving us one of the best damn Mafia comics we've read in some time. In fact, if you've been itching for your mob fix since the Sopranos went off the air, and haven't had anything to itch the scratch since the Departed came out a couple years ago, then by all means, pick up Back to Brooklyn. We still have 1,2, and 3 all in stock here at Third Eye for you to catch up on! Click hereto read more about the Back to Brooklyn series! SOLOMON GRUNDY #1 BY ROGUES REVENGE ARTIST SCOTT KOLINS DEBUTS THIS WEEK WITH EVERYONE'S FAVORITE BEHEMOTH! Born on a Monday! Scott Kolins picks up on plot threads laid down by GREEN LANTERN writer GEOFF JOHNS in this new mini-series featuring everyone's favorite cursed monster. Kolins art is perfect for Grundy (you might remember his work on the recent FINAL CRISIS ROGUES REVENGE series), and lets just plain face it.. Solomon Grundy rules.  Click here to take a look at Solomon Grundy #1! SUPERMAN WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #1 KICKS OFF EXCITING NEW 12-ISSUE MAXISERIES! It's pretty clear that New Krypton (due in large part to the talent of James Robinson and Geoff Johns) breathed a fresh breath of life into the Superman titles.  However, there's only so long a big crossover like that can run through the monthly titles, and with still plenty left unresolved... there needs to be some resolution.  The new SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON maxiseries is set to bring us that resolution as it explores how Superman deals with not being a Man Without A Planet anymore. Get ready for Ursa, Zod, and all that good stuff, folks! Click here to read more about SUPERMAN: WORLD OF NEW KRYPTON #1!

So You Want Moore? Our Alan Moore Top 5 Reads With Watchmen hitting the theaters this weekend, and everyone in full frenzy for anything Moore.. we decided we'd give you guys the lowdown on some classics by this master storyteller.  5. FROM HELL. This extensive, and thorough re-telling of the notorious Jack the Ripper explores every corner of the Whitechapel district in a creepy, atmospheric graphic novel that will suck you in, chew you up, and spit you out, and you'll love every second of it. It basically explores the theory that the Jack the Ripper murders were part of a conspiracy to conceal the birth of an illegitimate royal baby. The story is not just strictly focused on Jack the Ripper, but also on the murders, their effect on the people of that time, and the impact of such horrible crimes in that time frame. A great read, full of conspiracies, and murder mysteries. A must-read. 4. BATMAN: THE KILLING JOKE. If you haven't already read the Killing Joke, close your browser window, drive to Third Eye, and sleep out front until we open, and GET THIS BOOK. It's a classic, and stands as one of the definitive Batman stories EVER. This is the book that actor Heath Ledger carried with him everywhere when preparing for his role as the Joker in the Dark Knight. It explores the origin of the Joker, and the method to his insanity. However, the most bone-chilling aspect of this read is the torture and abuse that The Joker puts Commissioner Gordon through to try and drive him insane. We can't recommend this one enough, and we'd rather let you read it for yourself to find out why it's such a classic. 3. V FOR VENDETTA. Another classic that's been adapted to film. We didn't completely hate the movie, but it definitely did not do the book justice. This one's a classic, and tells the story of an anarchist set out to destroy the totalitarian government while inspiring those he comes into contact with. The book is a good read, and actually is one of the quicker Moore books I've read, as once you get rolling with it, you have a hard time putting it down. It'll definitely get the blood boiling in your veins.  2. Promethea. This 32 issue series took elements of superhero comics, mixed them with metaphysical elements, threw in a little bit of magic and art influences (which Moore is all about), and gave us this psychadelic adventure series all about a metafictional character known as Promethea. The identity of Promethea is one that is obtained by the writers who flesh out her adventures, and then take on her identity. It sounds weird, but it's one hell of a good read. Deep, but enjoyable. Give it a look 1. League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. This three volume series, with the newest series starting this spring is our number one pick for Alan Moore awesomeness. DO NOT LET THE AWFUL MOVIE SCARE YOU AWAY. The book and the movie are two completely different animals. The concept behind League is that it groups together famous and not so famous literary character into the world's first adventure group! This means you get an interesting mix of interplay between characters like a deviant Invisible Man, Mina Harker after her run in with Dracula, a bestial monsterous Mr. Hyde, and more. We cannot recommend this one enough, and if you're looking for something to try after having read WATCHMEN, then this is a good place to start.