THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR *THURSDAY* 7/8/10

X-MEN DAY LAUNCH PARTY THIS THURSDAY 7/8/10 TO CELEBRATE THE RELEASE OF THE BRAND NEW X-MEN #1 *CURSE OF THE MUTANTS* THIRD EYE MUST BUY ONGOING SERIES! GREAT JUMPING ON POINT FOR NEW X-MEN READERS! This Thursday marks the release of something we haven't seen in nearly two decades, a brand new top tier ongoing X-MEN series. And, folks, judging from how well Marvel has the X-Men back on point with X-MEN SECOND COMING, this could not have come at a better time. It's pretty awesome to see Marvel's merry mutants back in the spotlight after a long absence, and this new ongoing X-MEN series provides the perfect jumping on point for those of you who've been getting curious about the X-MEN with all the buzz of SECOND COMING and all that. A brand new story begins here, and it delivers for new and old fans alike. So, in conjunction with MARVEL, we're going to be hosting the official X-MEN DAY Launch Party for the brand new series this Thursday. We'll be delivering all the killer stuff mentioned on the flyer above, but in addition, we're going to have some other stuff going on as well, here's the rundown: THIRD EYE X-MEN DAY PARTY Get a FREE limited edition print by series artist, PACO MEDINA, when you purchase X-MEN #1 (available while supplies last!) Get the exclusive X-MEN DAY PARTY variant cover to X-MEN #1 (supplies limited, get here early!) ALL X-MEN and X-Related Graphic Novels 25% OFF - INCLUDING ANY TPBs/HCs featuring X-MEN characters, like WOLVERINE solo stuff (can we say OLD MAN LOGAN? :) ), HOUSE OF M, and more! Trish's homebaked X-MEN Cupcakes... worth the trip alone! :) NOW LETS TALK ABOUT X-MEN #1, WHAT IT'S ABOUT, AND WHY YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK! Okay, so for the last year or so, Marvel has really been building their line of X-Titles back up, and it's all kind of come to a head with the INCREDIBLE epic crossover, SECOND COMING. Now, with SECOND COMING nearing it's conclusion, the X-MEN books have been pretty much primed for a fresh start, and a new direction to welcome many of you back to the fold, since it's no secret that a lot of people fell off of X-MEN over the last ten years due to inconsistent storylines, and a lack of cohesiveness to that end of the Marvel Universe. Good news though: the X-Men books are better than they've been right now than in almost a decade. The only stuff that comes close to what's been going on in the X-Books this summer was Whedon's incredible run on ASTONISHING, and Morrison's reinvention of the characters in NEW X-MEN. Otherwise, this is probably some of the best damn X-MEN stuff we've seen in a very long time. And, this week, X-MEN #1 is the book that's set to welcome a lot of lapsed X-Fans back into the ranks. It's a fresh start, and serves as a perfect jumping on point to the new direction of the X-Books, as well as a nice new chapter to follow up on the conclusion of SECOND COMING. But, most important: it's really freakin' good. Marvel was kind enough to send us an advance copy of this, and I sat down with it late Saturday night, zoned out to some Guided by Voices, and devoured this book. That's how much I enjoyed it. Why? 'Cause it's everything about the X-Men that you love and remember, much like SECOND COMING delivers that bigger-than-life epic sense of life or death that X-MEN books were known for at their height, this new X-MEN series provides the same kind of excitement, and tightly focused characterization that we loved about the X-Books when we were younger. Taking it's cue from SECOND COMING, this one seems to be focusing heavily on the characters that we CARE about. In other words, it's the big guns, and the fan-favorites. Wolverine, Jubilee, Cyclops, fan-favorite Pixie, Colossus, and more. And, this, is where I really think the secret recipe of a good X-Men book lies: the team roster. I mean, lets face it, how often do we see an X-Men line-up get watered down with has-beens, and never-weres.. characters that we could care less about, but for some reason, we've gotta deal with. And, ever since SECOND COMING began, Marvel has gotten away from that, and instead focused on giving everyone what they want: the iconic X-Men lineups. Overall, the book is a fantastic read, and writer Victor Gischler (mostly known for his work on crime novels) and artist Paco Medina (the rising star that kicked off the ongoing Deadpool series) deliver big-time. Now, lets get onto talking about the plot. What is the first story arc of this new X-MEN series about? Well, many of you know from last week when picking up the DEATH OF DRACULA one-shot, that the Marvel Universe is about to start dealing with a full-scale Vampire infestation. And, again, after reading both DEATH OF DRACULA and X-MEN SECOND COMING, we gotta say... the Marvel Vampires are pretty damn cool now. I've always had a soft spot for the old Gene Colan Tomb of Dracula stuff, but, I've never been a major fan of Marvel's more supernatural lot... but, that's all changed with the way that Marvel has re-invented this corner of their Marvel Universe. The Marvel vampires are BAD-ASS. Anyways, so we have a legion of undead, and their first target? The X-Men, and mutantkind. Why? Well, their motives are still mysterious, but we feel that part of it might be the extremely small numbers of the mutants, however, without giving any spoilers many of the vampires motivations are hinted at and somewhat revealed in last week's DEATH OF DRACULA one-shot (still in stock here at Third Eye!) Now, I don't want to ruin how the book starts, 'cause it's a GREAT beginning to the storyline, so I won't get into specifics. But, I will say this: if you thought SECOND COMING was going to bring major changes to characters, then wait'll you see CURSE OF THE MUTANTS. Mutants being infected with the vampire disease? It makes for a very dangerous combo. Final Verdict: This one is a definite THIRD EYE MUST BUY, folks, so c'mon in on Thursday, and pick it up at the X-MEN DAY Party! Plus, you'll get to have cupcakes with us. :) Click here for a preview of X-MEN #1 *CURSE OF THE MUTANTS PT 1* Click here for the official THIRD EYE X-MEN: CURSE OF THE MUTANTS Checklist Click here for the THIRD EYE X-MEN SECOND COMING CHECKLIST, we currently have all of the chapters in stock, so you can still jump on board of one of this summer's hottest storylines! BATMAN AND ROBIN #13 *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE TIE-IN* THIRD EYE MUST BUY ARRIVES CONTINUING THE SAGA OF THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE IN THE PRESENT! THE HIGHLY AWAITED NEW ARC BEGINS NOW! Is this the Return of Thomas Wayne, Bruce Wayne's thought to be dead father? After the rapid fire release of issues 10, 11 and 12, it felt like an eternity waiting for #13, but I guess it has only been a little over a month. This is a testament to how awesome Grant Morrison's BATMAN AND ROBIN series is. It's the best damn Batman series we've seen in a long time, and combined with what's spun out of it in the pages of RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE, this run is going to go down as a major classic for years to come. This week the next installment in Morrison's epic BATMAN AND ROBIN series kicks off, running parallel to the events occurring in RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE. After the huge reveal of the Gravedigger's identity as the Joker was shown in BATMAN AND ROBIN #12, we're being thrown headfirst into the story of Thomas Wayne and his connection to our currently lost-in-time Caped Crusader. From what we've read, it looks like Bruce Wayne's father, Thomas Wayne, the catalyst for the entire identity of Batman, has returned after having been thought to be dead for over 20 years, and he's got one hell of a tale to tell.. oh, and he's claiming the entire Wayne family fortune too, how about that? And, then there's also the hint that this issue heralds the return of the ultimate Batman villain, which combined with the cover to issue #13, the ending of issue #12, and the whole "ultimate Batman villain" tagline.. we can only assume the Joker is back in full force. And, it's been a long time since we've seen the Joker done as well as Grant Morrison's been doing him in his recent works. Are you not reading BATMAN AND ROBIN? Folks, I know I've been over this before, but if you're not yet reading BATMAN AND ROBIN, you have got to get on board with this one. It's probably the most exciting, and innovative take on the Caped Crusader that we've seen in nearly twenty years. What's the scoop? Well, in the aftermath of BATMAN: RIP, Bruce Wayne is missing in action, and someone has to make sure the presence of Batman remains... and that someone is Dick Grayson, who, along with Batman's recently discovered son, Damian, are the Batman and Robin the title of the series refers to. Morrison has managed to breathe fresh new life into Gotham City, introducing twisted, new homicidal villains that could be Rogues Gallery favorites for years to come, as well as bringing a whole new dynamic to the Batman and Robin concept. The Dick Grayson Batman brings his own attitude, which is admittedly a bit lighter than Bruce's, but also carrying his own burden dealing with the loss of his own father figure, Bruce Wayne. And, Damian, who we hated at first, has grown into one of the most interesting Robins yet, as we see him adopting Grayson as an almost surrogate father figure since he never really knew his real father, Bruce Wayne, to begin with. Top notch art, top notch story, this one has remained a consistent top of the stack favorite since it's launch with issue #1, and we could not recommend it enough. If you're interested in jumping in, issue #1 is a completely fresh start, and a great jumping on point, and we currently have ALL the back issues in stock (issues #1-#12) to get you caught up. Or ,if you'd prefer, you can pick up the killer deluxe hardcover collection of BATMAN AND ROBIN 1-6, which we also keep in stock as well. For those of you already on board, we know you'll be pumped to snag BATMAN AND ROBIN #13 this week. Click here to read more about BATMAN AND ROBIN #13 *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE TIE-IN* THE MARVEL SLEEPER EVENT OF THE SUMMER KICKS OFF THIS THURSDAY IN SHADOWLAND #1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*... DO NOT MISS THIS ONE, READ THE ADVANCE, AND TRUST US, FOLKS: DAREDEVIL, SPIDER-MAN, IRON FIST, LUKE CAGE, AND THE REST OF NYC'S MARVEL CHARACTERS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME! HOLY CRAP. I read the advance copy of issue #1 of this, and dude, if you're a Marvel fan, this is a must-read. It was really, really good. A lot of you are probably wondering where the hell this whole Shadowland thing has come from, and what it's all about, and trust me, I'm about to get into all of that, but before I go any further: make sure you don't miss this book this Wednesday. Even if you've never been a big Daredevil fan, or if it's been years since you've read Daredevil, you're going to want to read this book, 'cause it delivers big on several different angles. That's all I can say without dropping any major spoilers. Now, lets talk about WHAT Shadowland is: Shadowland is a five issue limited series which centers around Daredevil, and many other street-level Marvel characters like Moon Knight, Spider-man, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, the Punisher, and more. The story is spinning out of recent events in the Daredevil title where Matt Murdock has taken on a leadership role with THE HAND. Many of the Marvel characters that operate out of NYC are beginning to question Murdock's role as leader of the Hand, and the direction he's been heading since basically taking over the criminal organization in an attempt to control it and keep it from consuming Hell's Kitchen. A big focus of the story is Shadowland, a prison/temple constructed on the ruins of a Hell's Kitchen building destroyed (along with numerous lives) by Bullseye during Dark Reign (in the DARK REIGN DAREDEVIL THE LIST one-shot, now available in trade paperback THE LIST in stock at Third Eye). Now that the construction of this giant prison has been built, it's caused quite a bit of alarm for many Marvel heroes. The area of it has become a protectorate of the Hand as Murdock is trying to mold this international organization of assassins and criminals into a force for justice. And so far, he's been doing a good job; the streets of Hell's Kitchen have never been safer, and crime has all but disappeared. Now, at first, DD's allies, like Spidey, Iron Fist ,Wolverine, Luke Cage, Elektra, and Cap, as well as the more eccentric ones like Punisher and Moon Knight, are totally okay with this. They trust his decisions at first, and want to see this work. I mean, after everything Daredevil has been through, all the loved ones he's lost, the trial about his identity, if anyone has the intestinal fortitude to bend a criminal organization into something respectable, it's him. But, then Daredevil returns from Japan, and things have changed. The trip he's taken has shown him some truths about enemies that are in his midst, and now he's ready to cross the lines and boundaries that many of his allies feared he would. And, what springs from this, envelops the consciousness of the super hero community of New York City in short order, and the Man Without Fear will find himself with some unexpected enemies and allies, many of whom may switch sides before the event concludes with a climax that promises to change how the Marvel Universes, and Daredevil himself, for a very long time. My thoughts? I read the advance of issue #1, and I thought it was fantastic. This event has not received a lot of hype, and I think once issue #1 drops, it's going to roar up out of nowhere, and take us all by storm, because of some of what goes down in the first issue. I mean, I got the same feeling reading the first issue of SHADOWLAND that I got from reading the first issue of CIVIL WAR. And, it almost feels like this is a grittier, darker twist on the CIVIL WAR concept but set against the backdrop of NEW YORK CITY. I really can't talk too much about what happens in the first issue, because the surprises are great, what I can say is that it's very well-written, and Billy Tan's artwork has never looked better. And... someone bites the dust. That's all I'll say. Click here for a preview of SHADOWLAND #1 Click here for the official THIRD EYE SHADOWLAND Checklist BLACKEST NIGHT HARDCOVER ARRIVES THIS THURSDAY! RESERVE A COPY NOW TO PICK UP THIS WEEK, AND RECEIVE A FULL SET OF LANTERN RINGS (while supplies last!) ALSO ARRIVING THIS WEEK: BLACKEST NIGHT GREEN LANTERN HARDCOVER & BLACKEST NIGHT GREEN LANTERN CORP HARDCOVER! CHECK OUT OUR PACKAGE DEAL FOR ALL THREE BELOW, SAVE 15%! Without a doubt, THE comic event of 2009 was BLACKEST NIGHT. This was one of the best things we'd read in years, and Geoff Johns and DC Comics both delivered big time on it. I mean, it really blew us away. And, we know that many of you have been eagerly awaiting the graphic novels collecting the BLACKEST NIGHT saga. Well, you're gonna be stoked to know that this Thursday, you'll be getting the BIG 3 of the bunch with BLACKEST NIGHT GREEN LANTERN (collecting GREEN LANTERN #43-#52), BLACKEST NIGHT GREEN LANTERN CORPS (collecting GREEN LANTERN CORPS #39-#47), and the big kahuna... BLACKEST NIGHT HARDCOVER (collecting BLACKEST NIGHT #0-#8) We've got some specials we'll be running to celebrate the release of these this week, so check it out: RESERVE A COPY OF BLACKEST NIGHT HARDCOVER FOR PICK-UP THIS WEEK and GET A FULL SET OF LANTERN RINGS - Shoot us an e-mail, give us a call, or just pop in the shop, and put your name on the list for us to reserve you a copy of the BLACKEST NIGHT hardcover, and you'll receive a full set of Lantern rings (all 9 colors!), while supplies last, so get your reserves in asap! BLACKEST NIGHT HC PACKAGE DEAL - PURCHASE ALL THREE HARDCOVERS (GL, GL CORPS and BLACKEST NIGHT), AND RECEIVE 15% OFF EACH HARDCOVER! - We know that a lot of you are going to want to go ahead and just snag all three of these bad boys, considering they're the BIG trinity of the whole BLACKEST NIGHT event, and for this week only, when you purchase BLACKEST NIGHT: GREEN LANTERN, BLACKEST NIGHT GREEN LANTERN CORPS, and BLACKEST NIGHT all at once, you'll receive 15% off each hardcover. Now, you've heard us ranting, and raving about the BLACKEST NIGHT for over a year, so we won't go into our fanboy ravings, instead I'll give you those of you who haven't read BLACKEST NIGHT a quick rundown on what the event was about. What is BLACKEST NIGHT? Blackest Night is the culmination of the Lantern Corps that've been splitting off into their own color/emotional spectrum Corps. Yellow Lanterns were the first, followed by the Red, and the Orange, and so forth, and so forth. The storyline was first referenced at the end of the SINESTRO CORPS WAR (available in trade paperback here at Third Eye). The story focuses on Nekron, as the leader of the Black Lantern Corps, and Black Rings unleashing on the galaxy, resurrecting every dead DCU character you can think of. Essentially, you see everybody from Aquaman and the Anti-Monitor to Dick Grayson's parents, the Flying Graysons, resurrected as vengeful zombied out Lanterns who feed off of emotion, and rip the hearts out of their prey. The story has some extremely cool moments, including the debut of the "Deputy Lanterns", where DC characters are given rings, like Scarecrow receiving a Yellow ring, Luthor an Orange ring, Wonder Woman a Star Sapphire ring, and so on. This event basically set the stage for everything that's going on now in the DCU, and if you're looking for the one graphic novel you must read this summer... folks, BLACKEST NIGHT is it! These babies are going to go fast, so get your reserves in! THIRD EYE MUST BUY: SCARLET #1 - HARDCORE CRIME NOIR AWESOMENESS FROM BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & ALEX MALEEV (creative team on SPIDER-WOMAN, and the now-classic DAREDEVIL run) - THIS ONE'S A MUST READ! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR FANS OF INCOGNITO, CRIMINAL, SPIDER-WOMAN, ALIAS, and JINX DMZ meets CRIMINAL! When this one was first announced over Winter/early Spring, I really got stoked. Bendis and Maleev, in my opinion, did one of the best Daredevil runs ever, and had it completely drenched in gritty, crime noir-infused drama and intrigue. And, then when they returned with Spider-woman, which proved itself to be a very strong cult hit here, delivering that unique mix of crime noir, espionage and strong characterization, I was hooked again. Now, Bendis and Maleev are launching their first creator-owned series together under the ICON imprint, and man, I'm pumped. This is the series these two guys were born to make, and just by the subject matter and creators attached, I can already tell this one is going to kick ass. SCARLET is a new ongoing creator-owned series on the Marvel ICON imprint (Responsible for books like NEMESIS, KICK-ASS, ect). The book is a complete change of pace from most of what Bendis has been doing for the last few years, and honestly, while I love me some Marvel Madness Bendis, his best stuff has always been the crime-noir and grittier stuff. The book is a real world crime fiction story that's very much in line with something like CRIMINAL, INCOGNITO, 100 BULLETS, JINX, or SIN CITY. The story focuses on the lead character, a woman named Scarlet, who finds herself forced into a situation where she has to take it upon herself to fight against what she believes is a broken world that has ruined her. And that sparks a modern day American revolution. While the book is not a political book, it does mess around with the concepts of how every day normal citizens do things that are considered radical, and how those things are usually swept under the rug by the media. The sense I get from how the books been described is it sounds like a very cool cross between Brian Wood's fantastic DMZ series, Ed Brubaker's CRIMINAL, and Bendis's own ALIAS, JINX, and GOLDFISH books. A really hardboiled crime-action series that has a little bit of a political edge to it. I've seen some advance pages of the book, and I can say that it's VIOLENT, CLEVER, and pretty damn awesome. I'd highly recommend checking it out, especially if you're into stuff that's a little bit off the beaten path. Just judging from the track record that Bendis and Maleev have with this kind of genre, you know it's going to be fantastic. Click here to read an interview with BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS about SCARLET BATMAN: ODYSSEY #1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* HERALDS THE RETURN OF THE LEGENDARY BATMAN ARTIST, NEAL ADAMS, WITH THIS INCREDIBLE NEW 6-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES! IF YOU'RE A BATMAN FAN, THEN YOU GOTTA READ THIS ONE! A NEW BATMAN EPIC BY THE LEGENDARY ARTIST WHO INFLUENCED JIM LEE! This one's kind of a big deal. Ah, what the hell am I saying? This one IS a major BIG DEAL. It's Neal Adams returning to freakin' Batman, the character that he pretty much redefined way back in the day. Folks, without Neal Adams, it's very possible that Batman may have remained stuck in the very Adam West-esque style he had been in before Adams came on. It was Neal Adams who gave Batman the darker direction, the more solemn and noble Caped Crusader guise, and truly took Batman from Batman to the Dark Knight that we all know today. And, to see Adams returning to Batman.. well, this is a big deal. I honestly never expected to see it, but MAN, I am glad it's happening. Kicking off this Thursday, BATMAN ODYSSEY is a 6 issue limited series that basically serves as Neal Adams's 21st Century Batman story. Set outside of normal continuity (from what we can gather), this one focuses on The Dark Knight as he faces a series of seemingly unrelated challenges as villains and allies old and new push him to his limits like never before. After Batman discovers a dark and mysterious matrix being superimposed over his life, what sort of life-changing voyage must he embark on to escape from this powerful and insidious force? Considering Adams is the guy who redefined the Caped Crusader once before, created characters like Ras Ah Ghul, and more, and is just plain awesome, you know this one is going to be as epic as can be. Plus, Neal Adams art has just grown and grown, and he remains as one of the best artists working in the medium.. I mean, this is the guy who influenced Jim Lee. So, you know it's going to look just as good as it reads. AVENGERS: CHILDREN'S CRUSADE #1 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* - THE ORIGINAL CREATORS OF THE YOUNG AVENGERS RETURN WITH ALLEN HEINBERG AND JIMMY CHEUNG KICKING OFF THIS INCREDIBLE LOOKING NEW MAXISERIES! There is so much good stuff coming out this week! Holy cow! One of the best books of this past decade, in my opinion, was Marvel's original 12 issue YOUNG AVENGERS series. This one kicked off right after the now-classic AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED, and I remember when they first showed the promo pieces for it, I was completely expecting it to suck. And, then the book came out, and holy crap, was it good. Writing, art, everything was a homerun, and I was hooked. Unfortunately, the series ended at issue #12, mostly due in part to some delays. There were a few attempts at doing more stuff with the YOUNG AVENGERS, but nobody ever really got the characters like Heinberg and Cheung, and nothing ever really stood out as classic as their run. Now, beginning this Thursday, the original creative team of YOUNG AVENGERS returns, HEINBERG and CHEUNG, and dude, judging from the preview of this one, it's going to be just as good, if not better than the original YOUNG AVENGERS run. What's also pretty rad about this is that it ties in with current Marvel events as well, and serves as a fresh entry point for those of you who've never read YOUNG AVENGERS before in your life. This series does a great job of re-introducing the characters, and kicking off the next chapter in the YOUNG AVENGERS saga. Also, it looks like this'll be where we see the Scarlet Witch really making her return after kind of floating in and out of many series since House of M. So, what's the plot on this one? When Wiccan's reality-altering powers begin to rival those of the Scarlet Witch, he sets out on a quest to find her that's going to take him across the entire Marvel Universe, and puts him head to head with both the Avengers and the Young Avengers. But, is Wiccan's desire to solve the mystery of his parentage going to be his salvation or his undoing? That's what we're going to find out. To get the back story on the YOUNG AVENGERS, and who they are, click here. To check out a preview of AVENGERS CHILDRENS CRUSADE #1, clickhere. "INVINCIBLE IRON MAN" writer MATT FRACTION & "DAYTRIPPER" WRITER/ARTISTS GABRIEL BA & FABIO MOON DEBUT THEIR CREATOR-OWNED SERIES, CASANOVA THIS THURSDAY! Another kick-ass book hits this week in the form of CASANOVA from the incredibly talented MATT FRACTION (INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, FIVE FISTS OF SCIENCE) and GABRIEL BA & FABIO MOON (DAYTRIPPER, UMBRELLA ACADEMY). Casanova is an incredible piece of comic book goodness, delivering an intriguing, high concept kinda story that blends perfectly with some of the most surreal, and gorgeous artwork you're gonna see. I mean, look at the names attached to this one folks.. you've got Matt Fraction, who pretty much has reinvented Iron Man in INVINCIBLE IRON MAN, not to mention his fantastic work on books like IRON FIST and FIVE FISTS OF SCIENCE, then you've got Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon, the duo responsible for the hit Vertigo series DAYTRIPPER. I mean, this book can't be anything but good with names like that attached. What is Casanova? Casanova centers upon renowned thief Casanova Quinn, who gets blackmailed into being a pawn and double agent in a global game of super-espionage. The first issue kicks off by introducing us to Casanova Quinn, Cass is a freelance thief and espionage artist who has turned his back on the rest of the Quinn family. His father, Cornelius, runs the world-spanning spy organization E.M.P.I.R.E, and his sister, Zephyr, is a top agent. Cass is the black sheep of the family. From there, I can't say anymore, 'cause I don't want to ruin the read. The book is fantastic, and I highly recommend giving it a go if you like trippy, high-concept sci-fi/espionage stuff. Click here for a preview of CASANOVA #1 BRIGHTEST DAY CONTINUES THIS WEEK WITH BRIGHTEST DAY #5 and BRIGHTEST DAY: THE ATOM SPECIAL! The BRIGHTEST DAY keeps on rolling this Thursday with the release of BRIGHTEST DAY #5. I've been really enjoying the series so far, and I'm pumped to see where things go next. It looks like in this issue, we're going to see Deadman discovering the truth behind the formation of the White Lantern and what it means to the twelve returnees, as well as the rest of the DCU as a whole. Plus, we're beginning to see the price that Aquaman, Hawkman, Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl and Firestorm must all pay for their resurrections and why they may be doing more harm than good being back amongst the living. Not reading BRIGHTEST DAY? Brightest Day is a DC maxiseries that is essentially DCU Rebirth, and the follow up to last year's mega-hit BLACKEST NIGHT event. Geoff Johns is spearheading the series, and has officially dubbed it as the Rebirth of the DCU. If it's been a while since you've read any DC stuff, or if you're a huge fan who keeps up to date on everything, then BRIGHTEST DAY is the perfect spot for both. It's a great entry point for a new direction in the DCU. Click here to read the official BRIGHTEST DAY wikipedia entry to get the full rundown on BRIGHTEST DAY. Click here for the official THIRD EYE BRIGHTEST DAY CHECKLIST (Checklist PT 2 coming soon!) BRIGHTEST DAY THE ATOM #1 one-shot by JEFF LEMIRE (creator of the killer new Vertigo series, SWEET TOOTH!) DEBUTS THIS THURSDAY! One of the more interesting things to come out of BRIGHTEST DAY is the recent return to prominence of Ray Palmer. This is a character that has really been through some ups and downs since IDENTITY CRISIS went down, and has really turned into a compelling, and interesting character. Now, what's even more interesting than that is that the reigns of the new Atom series have been handed to the one and only JEFF LEMIRE, the man responsible for indie hits like ESSEX COUNTY, and the current Vertigo favorite, SWEET TOOTH. It looks like Lemire is going to really be playing up the whole unlikely superhero aspect of the Atom, and we really think that his style of writing is perfect for such a quirky character. Looking forward to checking this one out on Thursday! STEVE ROGERS SUPER SOLDIER #1 from ED BRUBAKER (writer of SECRET AVENGERS and CAPTAIN AMERICA) and DAVE EAGLESHAM KICKS OFF THIS KILLER MINI-SERIES EXPLORING STEVE ROGER'S ROLE IN A MARVEL UNIVERSE WHERE HE'S NO LONGER CAPTAIN AMERICA! The Heroic Age has delivered a lot of really rad stuff so far, but one of the characters that I think has benefited the most from the Heroic Age has been Steve Rogers, aka, Captain America. Of course, in the post-Siege, post-Dark Reign Marvel Universe, Steve Rogers is no longer seen as Captain America; Bucky is still rocking the suit and the mantle. No, Steve Rogers has essentially taken Nick Fury's position as the go-to guy for the security of the world as a whole. And, now, the talented SECRET AVENGERS scribe, ED BRUBAKER, is bringing us this killer four issue mini-series which expands upon and explores Steve Rogers's place in the Marvel Universe now that he is no longer Captain America. This one picks up right where Siege has left off, with the government telling Cap that there is a role for him in the Marvel Universe. This series follows Rogers as he investigates a mystery connected to the Super Soldier program that created his abilities. It's probably the first time in a LONG while that we've actually been able to see a story that has focused solely on the character of Captain America and Steve Rogers since he was originally killed off in Captain America #25. Really, it looks like we're going to see the definition of Steve Roger's post-Captain America role laid out in this mini-series, and with how cool he's been running around in books like SECRET AVENGERS and the like, we're pretty damn pumped for it. I read an interview with Brubaker about the series, and he also compared it to kind of a James Bond take on Steve Rogers, and the movie is given a very realistic, gritty, hardcore tone. A kind of high industrial, real world espionage flavor you know. All in all, I read the advance of this one already, and it's freakin' cool. Highly recommend checking it out! Click here for a preview of STEVE ROGERS SUPER SOLDIER #1 *HEROIC AGE* HELLBOY: THE STORM #1 LAUNCHES THE FINAL CHAPTER IN THE CURRENT LINE-UP OF KILLER HELLBOY TALES THAT BEGAN IN DARKNESS CALLS, AND CONTINUED IN WILD HUNT! It's always good times when we see a new Hellboy series kick off here at Third Eye. This week Mignola and Fegredo begin the final chapter of their killer saga that began with DARKNESS CALLS, and continued in THE WILD HUNT. HELLBOY: The Storm begins this week, and explores what happens when some historically important corpses wind up missing and how it connects to an ever-growing assembly of evil that Hellboy has been encountering. It's the kind of scenario that just adds fuel to the fire when ol' Hellboy is trying to you know, prevent the apocalypse here. Click here for a preview of HELLBOY: THE STORM #1 HIT-MONKEY #1 - WHO DOESN'T WANT MORE HIT-MONKEY? EVERYONE'S FAVORITE BANANA-EATING ASSASSIN RETURNS IN THIS 3-ISSUE LIMITED SERIES! Ladies and gentlemen, just when you thought you'd no longer have some Hit-Monkey in your life... Marvel is back to bring you a 3-issue limited series featuring everyone's favorite contract killer chimp in a little business suit. And, if you missed either the HIT-MONKEY one-shot with his origin, or the two-part appearance in Deadpool #21 and Deadpool #22, fear not, 'cause we still have limited quantities of those in stock to get you caught up. There's really not much we can say other than: who doesn't love a gun-toting monkey in a little business suit? Click here for a preview of HIT-MONKEY #1 AN UNEARTHED GEM: MARK MILLAR'S UNFUNNIES - THE SICKEST MILLAR BOOK YOU'LL EVER READ. WE GUARANTEE IT. NOW BACK IN STOCK! ON PAR WITH CROSSED FOR THE SHEER DEPRAVITY! Okay, we're all familiar with Mark Millar. He's the fantastic writer who delivers great reads like OLD MAN LOGAN, KICK-ASS, and currently, NEMESIS. Now, a few years back, Millar put out a book called THE UNFUNNIES, and it kind of went under the radar, 'cause it came out around the same time that WANTED did. THE UNFUNNIES, I think, is one of the sickest things I've ever read in my life. Maybe only paralleled by survival horror masterpiece CROSSED. What's THE UNFUNNIES about? Well, if you've ever seen MEET THE FEEBLES, that gives you a little bit of an idea. This one is a true blue horror/comedy that's wrapped up in the trappings of old school cartoon talking animal comics. But don't let the cover fool you, this one has more in common with movies like HAPPINESS and MAGNOLIA than it does Bugs Bunny. The less I say, the better, 'cause you need to read it for yourself, and enjoy the ride. It's totally whacked out, trust me! LEGENDARY X-MEN WRITER CHRIS CLAREMONT TEAMS WITH INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR ARTIST MILO MANARA FOR X-WOMEN #1 ONE-SHOT THIS WEEK! Sometimes Marvel kicks out random one-shots for books like X-Men, and they make no sense. But, sometimes, sometimes we get a kick-ass pairing of two incredible creators, which makes those one-shots totally worth it. This week's X-WOMEN is definitely the latter. Chris Claremont, the man who pretty much MADE the X-Men throughout the late '70s and most of the '80s, and even '90s, teams up with the international superstar artist Milo Manara to deliver this out-of-continuity one-shot which takes us on an adventure with the Women of the X-Men. Storm, Psylocke, Shadowcat, Marvel Girl, and Rogue. Click here for a preview of X-WOMEN #1 STAR WARS: OLD REPUBLIC #1 - A NEW ONGOING STAR WARS SERIES THAT FEATURES CRITICAL EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE BEFORE BIOWARES UPCOMING SW MMORPG! A brand new Star Wars series begins this week with STAR WARS: THE OLD REPUBLIC, and we're pretty pumped about it. This is supposed to be kind of a prequel to the upcoming LucasArts/Bioware MMORPG that's going to be hitting this year, which is pretty damn cool. What's the story? For decades, the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire have been at war. The Sith have gained control of the Outer Rim, but their efforts to penetrate the Core Worlds have so far been held off by the Republic and the Jedi Knights. Now, representatives from both sides attempt to negotiate a peace treaty, but deception by the Sith put the Jedi in an unfortunate position. The buzz on this one is pretty big, and a lot of people are saying it's gonna be pretty kick-ass. The fact that they've got one of the writers from the actual Bioware MMORPG penning the story is also a plus, which means there'll be a strong continuity between the two. Click here for a preview of STAR WARS THE OLD REPUBLIC #1 X-FORCE #28 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 13* - THE SECOND COMING NEARS IT'S END IN THIS WEEK'S X-FORCE... AND BIG STUFF HAPPENS! The biggest X-MEN event in a decade nears it's end this week in X-FORCE #28, and after having read the advance of this one... if you thought all the big shocks and reveals were done, then you were wrong, my friend. X-FORCE #28 delivers the penultimate chapter in SECOND COMING, and I'm going to keep my lips sealed on this one cause I don't want to even come close to dropping any spoilers. All I'm gonna say is this issue is HUGE. Click here for a preview of X-FORCE #28 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 13* Click here for the official THIRD EYE X-MEN SECOND COMING CHECKLIST STAFF PICKS Steve - SECRET AVENGERS #2 - This series is so freakin' good it's not even funny. Brubaker is chanelling some serious Steranko/Ditko-style energy with this one, and Deodato's art's never looked better. Highly recommended. Trish - WONDER WOMAN #600= Finally, a kick-ass WONDER WOMAN story is starting here. The new costume is going to take some getting used to, but Straczynski writing WW is awesome! Torma - DEATH OF DRACULA #1= AWESOME. They totally made the entire Vampire corner of the Marvel Universe interesting and fun in literally one comic. This one got me really excited for the CURSE OF THE MUTANTS. Matt - TURF #2 = This series is killer. The second issue isn't quite as dialogue-heavy as the first, and flows even better. I just love it. Aliens, gangsters, vampires. What's not to love you know?

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 5/5/10

BRIGHTEST DAY #1 *FREE WHITE LANTERN RING WITH PURCHASE!* ARRIVES, KICKING THE SUMMER OFF RIGHT COURTESY OF GEOFF JOHNS AND CO.! IF YOU LOVED BLACKEST NIGHT, MAKE SURE YOU'RE READING BRIGHTEST DAY! Issue #0 was just a taste. This Wednesday, the Brightest Day begins in grandiose fashion with BRIGHTEST DAY #1, and alongside it? The final Lantern ring to round out your power ring sets.. the White Lantern ring! Seriously though, I think it's pretty easy to say that this is one of the most highly anticipated books of the week. After reading BRIGHTEST DAY #0, I was completely sold on this event, and hooked to find out more, and more about what was to come. But, lets face it, this is the next logical progression in the storytelling that Geoff Johns blew us all away with in the 8 issue limited series BLACKEST NIGHT (still available in limited quantities here at Third Eye). There's no reason why we wouldn't be stoked to see where things are headed. And, after having read BRIGHTEST DAY #0, I gotta say, it looks like things are headed in some very exciting directions. This is the perfect time for new and old fans alike to enjoy the DCUniverse, as BRIGHTEST DAY serves as a fresh, and exciting ground zero jumping on point, but with enough links to the events of BLACKEST NIGHT to continue the storyline threads developed there. Not to mention that this is essentially, DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH. In a nutshell.. BRIGHTEST DAY is the resurrection of some key DCU characters, some major, some minor, in the aftermath of BLACKEST NIGHT. Basically, it's a ground-level rebuilding of the DCU, and is helping make characters that have either been neglected or inaccessible more fun to read. Of course, there's a very sinister plotline running through BRIGHTEST DAY, and here comes the real hook: Sometimes dead is better... okay, I know, Pet Semetary jokes aside, that's kind of the running theme in BRIGHTEST DAY. What if some of these characters were not meant to be resurrected? And, why were these select characters chosen by the White Ring's light to get a second chance? But, most importantly, what are the major ramifications of these character's returning in the grand scheme of the DC Universe. And, a look at that BRIGHTEST DAY #1 cover gives you a very haunting glimpse at what we're referring to. Why BRIGHTEST DAY is truly 100% Third Eye Must-Read Material? Well, first off.. it's GEOFF JOHNS. This guy writes some of the best damn superhero comics on the stands, and we've already seen that when it comes to DC Comics, he's the man. Now, picture this... Johns has been given a wide-open playground to basically rebuild the DC Universe. This is ground zero, and anyone who is a fan of rock-solid storytelling, and lest we not forget, the stellar art-team onboard, should be reading this series. Of course, there are a buncha tie-ins, and while we personally have been extremely pleased with the tie-in books, the only book you absolutely need to read to follow BRIGHTEST DAY is the core BRIGHTEST DAY title. But don't get me wrong, so far... the tie-ins have been freakin' great, especially GREEN LANTERN #53 and GREEN LANTERN CORPS #47. Now, secondly, it's a chance for us as fans to experience the truly unique experience of seeing the DC Universe as it's being rebuilt and restructured. In other words, if you've never followed a lot of DC, or you're an old fan who fell out of the loop, or maybe, you got hooked via BLACKEST NIGHT, then BRIGHTEST DAY serves as the perfect area to come aboard and find out how cool Geoff Johns's spin on the DC Universe is. In just one issue (referring to issue #0), he took a mix of characters that were familiar to us and then a little more unfamiliar, and gave them more life than they've seen in years. It's going to be pretty killer seeing this story evolve. Verdict on BRIGHTEST DAY So Far? I'm loving it, folks. I thought issue #0 was fantastic, and so far the books carrying the BRIGHTEST DAY banner have all been outstanding (Flash #1, Justice League #44, Green Lantern #53, and Green Lantern Corps #47). If you haven't given it a try yet, jump on this week with issue #0 (still in stock here at Third Eye), and BRIGHTEST DAY #1. And, finally.. BRIGHTEST DAY #1 comes with the White Lantern Power Ring! How could you not be stoked about that? I know everyone's itching to complete their sets, and this is the final piece that everybody needs... and hey, you get to read a killer comic in the process! :) Click here for the official THIRD EYE BRIGHTEST DAY CHECKLIST Click here to read more about BRIGHTEST DAY #1 IZOMBIE #1, FRESH NEW VERTIGO SERIES, DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY AT ONLY $1.00, AND IT'S FREAKIN' AWESOME! A LIVING DEAD GIRL DETECTIVE THAT HAS TO EAT BRAINS TO SOLVE CASES! FRESH AS HELL, THIS ONE DEFINITELY GETS THE THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL STAMP! Dude, for the last couple of years, Vertigo has been on a roll. They've been dishing out some of the freshest, and most innovative new series we're reading, and so far, very few have disappointed us here at Third Eye. This Wednesday, there's a new one coming out, and I was actually lucky enough to get a pre-read on this one, and I gotta tell you: it's BADASS. First off, I have always loved Mike Allred's artwork. And, while his stuff on Madman has always been some of my favorite stuff since I was a snot-nosed little punk, it's rare that we've gotten to see him really branch out from that area and do something as equally fresh and exciting as his work on MADMAN. Well, now he's getting his chance to show us what he's got all over again with this killer new Vertigo series, IZOMBIE. What's it about? I, ZOMBIE is a quirky series set in a world filled with paranormal creatures like werewolves, mummies and zombies. The story focuses on a young zombie girl named Gwen who uses her brain-munching tendencies to help others while at the same time putting a little cash in her pocket. See, Gwen learned quick that unless she eats a human brain once a month, then she begins to lose her own memories and personality and turns into shambling, growling ghoul like something out of Night of the Living Dead. But, ya know, she still doesn't want to run around munching on innocent peeps, so she takes a job as a gravedigger, and once a month, sneaks a quick bite on the freshest body in the cemetery. But, see, here's the catch, while the human brain helps keep Gwen's memories and personality intact, it also slowly "digests", and fills her head with the memories and personality of the former owner. So, she ends up finding herself compelled to finish any unfinished business that the dead person left behind. If they were murdered, she's gonna want to solve that murder. If they never told their pops they loved him, she wants to track down the grieving parents and make amends. The world of I, Zombie is filled with all sorts of other monsters, and creatures of the night, but given the same kind of unique spin that Gwen's received. Werewolves are people who find themselves overcome by the appetites and lusts of a wild animal. So, when the moon is full, they totally lose it. There's mummies, there's vampires, there's all sorts of craziness. And, folks, it's done in a way that works so well, I think you'll really dig it. It almost seems like someone is taking the FABLES formula of characters living in hiding amongst the real world, and applying it to monsters, and it really pops well. The writing in the first issue was very sharp, clever dialogue, and strong characterization. The plot points are very good at hooking you, and definitely carry a strong sense of fun to them. Allred's art is PERFECT for this as it captures both the creepiness and tension of the series, but also manages to play up some of the more light-hearted aspects as well. Plus, the first issue is only a buck, so it definitely can't hurt to try it, right? Click here to check out a preview of IZOMBIE #1 BATMAN AND ROBIN #12 *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE PROLOGUE CHAPTER 3* - THE FINAL INSTALLMENT OF THE PROLOGUE TO THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE! THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE BEGINS HERE! The Return of Bruce Wayne is probably one of the most highly anticipated story arcs of 2010, and the lead-up to it has been incredible. For the last couple of months, Grant Morrison has been paving the road for the RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE in his incredible BATMAN AND ROBIN series. Now, nevermind the fact that I feel BATMAN AND ROBIN is one of the best damn comics on the stands, and probably one of the most incredible takes on the world of BATMAN in a long time, but beyond all that, the RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE Prologue that began in BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 has really kicked things into high gear for the Caped Crusader. The addition of Andy Clarke as the artist for this story arc has been an excellent choice as well (probably the best artist on the book since Quitely's first arc, and that's saying something considering Cameron Stewart and Phillip Tan are both pretty damn good). I think what I've really dug the most about this arc has been the cool, Masterpiece Theater kind of take they've given the storyline. There's a real sense of detective work in how Dick Grayson and Alfred are trying to solve the mystery of Bruce Wayne being lost in time, and it's almost as if you're playing detective right alongside them, as Morrison delivers subtle clues throughout the book. Of course, there's the whole subplot of Damian being under the control of his mother, Talia, and being forced to kill Grayson, but we all know that the real story here is all the little tidbits dropped about Bruce Wayne. Things that will end up being crucial storyline elements, I'm sure, when the actual RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE mini-series begins next week. If you're looking to jump on board in time for the big RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE event, we've still got plenty of BATMAN AND ROBIN #11 and BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 in stock to get you caught up on the Prologue issues to the story arc. Issue #10 is a perfect jumping on point. Also, if you're curious about starting up on this incredible series from the very beginning, we've got ALL of the back issues (1-11) currently well-stocked, or you can just snag the BATMAN AND ROBIN hardcover which collects issues #1-6. Either way, we highly recommend checking out this crazy good series. The book just gets better, and better, and is really taking the world of Batman and his characters into new and exciting directions. The dynamic of Dick Grayson (Nightwing) as Batman, and Bruce Wayne's long-lost son, Damian (raised by the League of Assassins) as Robin has been one of the most interesting team dynamics in comics I think I've ever seen. There was a really cool part in the recent arc, where Grayson is talking about how he thinks he may have figured a way to bring Bruce Wayne back, and then Damian almost shows sadness, asking "Would we still be Batman and Robin?" It's kind of cool to see how he's adopted Grayson as a father figure in Bruce Wayne's absence. And, I think that's because Grayson seems more human, and not as shut-off as Bruce does, oh, and he's not lost in time, that helps, haha. The other thing that I really dig about Batman and Robin is it's truly a 21st century approach for Batman and Batman stories. While there were some fantastic stories in the '80s, and '90s, it felt like they'd taken the grim and gritty world to an extreme that was hard to get away from. While the character of Batman must always be the Dark Detective, it's cool to see this new approach and direction to his world. It's almost like Morrison has taken a stack of Silver Age '60s Batman comics and then smashed them all together with a healthy dose of sleek, post-modern comics storytelling to make something truly unique, fun, and compelling. Okay, it's obvious, Batman and Robin rules, and you gotta read it. I rave about it every time a new issue comes out. I know! For those of you already reading it, I'm a broken record, and you're like Steve, you're preaching to the choir, but man, this book is good stuff. Click here to check out a preview of BATMAN AND ROBIN #12 *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE PROLOGUE PT 3* ASTONISHING SPIDERMAN & WOLVERINE #1DEBUTS A CUTTING EDGE, EXCITING NEW LIMITED SERIES FEATURING TWO MARVEL CLASSICS BY "SCALPED" & "WOLVERINE: WEAPON X" WRITER JASON AARON and ADAM KUBERT - A THIRD EYE MUST BUY! Okay, this one's a big deal for a number of reasons, but we'll start with the creative team that's on board. Jason Aaron, writer of the critically acclaimed Vertigo series SCALPED, as well as the incredibly solid WOLVERINE: WEAPON X, and ADAM KUBERT, a comics art legend who's delivered incredible runs on everything from the Uncanny X-Men to Ultimate X-Men to Action Comics and Wolverine. This is a blockbuster creative team, folks, and it's definitely a creative team that's deserving of the "new" ASTONISHING banner that Marvel is delivering with this limited series and the soon-to-be-relaunched ASTONISHING X-MEN. Now, wait a second, I thought the whole Astonishing thing was just an X-Title thing, I know you're thinking. Well, it started out that way. See, Astonishing X-Men, at the time it came out, was the ONLY X-Book worth reading. But now, the bar has been raised, and the X-Books are actually kicking ass, and Astonishing is kind of lacking in identity, which is a shame 'cause it's still rocking hard. Marvel is trying something new here, basically think of books carrying the ASTONISHING tag as the equivalent to what DC has done with ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, or ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN. While it seems like the Astonishing books do fall into regular continuity, they provide rock solid, self-contained stories that deliver a kick-ass creative team doing kick-ass comics. And, to launch this banner, they've got ASTONISHING SPIDERMAN & WOLVERINE and ASTONISHING X-MEN: XENOGENESIS. This week, we're getting the Spidey/Wolvie book, and after having read the advance copy, I can tell you guys, it's pretty damn good. So, what's this all about then, huh? Well, the story starts off with a somewhat ridiculous premise... but it works, thanks to Aaron's knack for taking the quirky and making it compelling. We start things with Spidey and Wolvie living amongst early man and dinosaurs in the late cretaceous age. See, they both ended up in this timeline somehow during an incident set in the regular, current Marvel U. And, in this world, we see Logan has adopted the cavemen as his own tribe, teaching them things, whereas Spidey has kind of self-imposed his own exile, and is now seen as a "Spider-God" by the natives. The story sounds kooky, but it actually works very well, and Kubert's art really fits it nicely. We even get to see Spidey getting back to his old school roots a bit, which is nice. In fact, this is probably some of the best characterization I've seen of Spider-man in a while. I won't go any further into detail, but, the plot develops in an interesting way, and I wonder if this story might lay some clues on how they intend to bring back a certain fan-favorite way down the road. All in all though, this one reads like a REALLY good Spider-man story, and reminds you of the Spider-man you knew and loved way back when. Remember how Marvel would do those killer 4-issue Wolverine/Spider-man team-ups, or Spider-man/Incredible Hulk, or whatever? Yeah, it's like a VERY well-written, and super pretty version of one of those. In other words, it tickles the nostalgia bone, AND provides a good story at the same time. I, for one, am looking forward to reading more of this one! Click here for a preview of ASTONISHING SPIDER-MAN AND WOLVERINE #1 SUPERMAN: WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #1FOLLOWS-UP THE FREE FIRST ISSUE THAT TOOK US ALL BY SURPRISE ON FREE COMIC BOOK DAY! SUPERMAN vs. GENERAL ZOD.. FINALLY! WOW! I really was taken by surprise with the WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #0 that we got here on FREE COMIC BOOK DAY this past Saturday. Honestly, I thought that DC had really set the bar pretty high last year with BLACKEST NIGHT #0, and while I don't think WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #0 beat that one out, it was still a FANTASTIC way to kick off this series and get people exposed to what looks to be a really cool storyline. Now, before we start, don't expect this one to be the large, year-long, universe-encompassing event that BLACKEST NIGHT was. Instead, this one feels more like a nice tight, short event that is going to set up for some incredibly cool stuff. At it's core, this is the final showdown between SUPERMAN and his infamous, longtime nemesis GENERAL ZOD. James Robinson and Sterling Gates really put forth a solid effort in introducing new readers to what's been going on in Superman's corner of the DCU. What grabbed me though, was Eddy Barrows's gritty Superman who shows that this is not going to be a clean fight between him and Zod. All in all, I was really impressed by the freebie, after expecting it to be more of the lame Daxamite and Kryptonian overkill. Anyways, enough rambling.. you're probably wondering (if you missed the WAR OF SUPERMEN freebie, which we still have in stock if ya wanna check it out) just what the hell this storyline's all about. Well, basically, it's Zod vs. Supermen, but Zod's heading to Earth with an army of hundreds of Superman-level superpowered beings and he plans on scorching it to the ground. And, of course, there's only Superman, and his supporting characters to stand in the way. All in all, sounds like a great way to kick things off, and I'm pretty excited to see what follows up on that #0 issue from FCBD. Click here for a preview of WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #1 "WALKING DEAD", "INVINCIBLE" & "HAUNT" WRITER ROBERT KIRKMAN DELIVERS A KILLER NEW ONE-SHOT THIS WEDNESDAY WITH PILOT SEASON: STEALTH! WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SUPERHEROES GET OLD AND BEGIN TO FALL APART? FIND OUT HERE! Oh man, here's one I've been pretty pumped about for some time. Ever since I got to the last page of that killer PILOT SEASON: DEMONIC one-shot a few months ago, I've been waiting for the next one of ROBERT KIRKMAN'S one-shots, and I think STEALTH is going to end up being one of the coolest ones yet. The main character of the book, is a young man named Todd Carey whose life is falling apart around him: he's recovering from a bitter divorce, his daughter is flunking out of college, and his father has been diagnosed with Alzehimer's disease. And, then, in the midst of all these problems, a famous masked vigilante known as STEALTH comes forward... and reveals that he's Todd's ailing father. See, his dad has to move in with him so Todd can take care of him, and he learns pretty quick that his father was Stealth. And, despite it all, his father is STILL trying to go out and fight crime, but he's doing it to disastrous results due to his Alzheimer's disease. And as you can imagine, this is a real burden for Todd, who is not sure how to handle what could be a terrible (unintentional) threat to society. The preview I read reads very well, and the artwork fits the story perfectly. They're able to make teh character look badass when he's in the Stealth suit, but it's also credible to believe that there's an old, senile man in the suit. Very cool character-driven pacing, and plus... who doesn't want to see a crazy old guy flying around and unintentionally causing disasters while his sun exasperatedly tries to save the day? BRIAN WOOD AND BECKY CLOONAN CONTINUE TO IMPRESS US MONTH AFTER MONTH WITH DEMO! MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT DEMO #4THIS WEDNESDAY! Man, the more Demo I get, the more I want. I'm kinda bummed to think that this round of DEMOs is just a six-issue stint, and I really hope Wood and Cloonan return to do more sometime in the future. Not reading DEMO? Well, let me give you the lowdown on WHY this comic kicks so much ass... the concept: average, everyday people in their late teens up into their early 30s who have something extraordinary happen to them, or develop inside them. Basically, a real world approach to superpowers, but, the book doesn't focus on that aspect of things at all, instead it takes a very cool, very introspective look at how normal people deal with unusual life situations. In other words, if you woke up tomorrow and could shoot death rays from your eyes... you probably wouldn't go out and save, or conquer the world. You'd probably walk around figuring out how not to look at something and turn it into a smoking cinder of bones and ash. Anyways, each issue of DEMO stands on it's own as a one-shot story. 32 pages. That's it. That's all you get. This means you can pretty much jump in or out with whichever issues you want, but once you read one: you'll wanna read 'em all. The only thing that ties the issues together is the theme of exploring normal people put into extraordinary situations. Past examples include the girl who can't stop dreaming about someone who's falling, becoming obsessed, and learning that these are visions, and then... well, I can't say anymore.. Or the boy who can't eat, who goes to disturbing lengths to get closer to the girl he's in love with.. And, this week, we get to see the tale of a young man named Colin who's been murdered by the local youth, or has he? DEMO #4: WATERBREATHER takes the revenge fantasy to new and disturbing heights as Colin grows up with a huge secret and crushing guilt, as well as a feeling that he doesn't belong on the surface of the Earth. If you're looking to check out DEMO, we still have all the previous issues in stock, so give 'em a peek! Click here to read more about DEMO v.2 #4 ZENESCOPE (PUBLISHERS OF "THE WAKING", "RETURN TO WONDERLAND", AND "NEVERLAND") PUTS THEIR UNIQUE TWIST ON THE STORY OF DANTE'S INFERNO THIS WEDNESDAY IN GRIMM FAIRY TALES: INFERNO #1 Zenescope's "Wonderland" and "Neverland" series are big guilty pleasures of our's here at Third Eye, and it's pretty exciting to see them heading into some new territory this Wednesday with the upcoming GFT Presents INFERNO limited series which gives us that horrifyingly twisted yet tongue-in-cheek fun Zenescope take on DANTES INFERNO. The Zenescope crew always deliver the freshest art, along with some fun, darkly humorous stories, and with Inferno, it looks like we'll be watching the story of a girl named Grace must go down into her own Dante's Inferno as she battles her demons. A must-read for all of you who dig the "Wonderland" books, "Neverland", and "The Waking." INCORRUPTIBLE VOLUME 1 TRADE PAPERBACK ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY COLLECTING THE FANTASTIC COMPANION SERIES TO MARK WAID'S IRREDEEMABLE! WE'VE SEEN THE GOOD GUYS GO BAD, BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE BAD GUY GO GOOD? You've been hearing me rave on and on and on for months about both IRREDEEMABLE and INCORRUPTIBLE, and this Wednesday, you can find out just why we're so big on this series when you check out INCORRUPTIBLE VOLUME 1. This trade paperback collects the first four issues of the companion series to Waid's "Superman gone Evil" epic, IRREDEEMABLE, and folks, trust me when I tell you that this is some seriously killer, high voltage post-modern superhero storytelling here. Waid takes the same care and approach that he does with IRREDEEMABLE, of taking the good guy, and deconstructing him, showing the reasons why he's gone wrong, and just how wrong he's gone, and applies that in reverse to the world of INCORRUPTIBLE. See, the story of INCORRUPTIBLE is that of supervillain Max Danger who when faced with the Plutonian's descent into fiery madness, decides that, in his words, somebody has to "step up." And, so Max Danger becomes Max Daring, and we see him try to do the "right" thing in every "wrong" way you can possibly imagine. And, that is what makes the story so compelling.. just like we've watched the Plutonian completely go unhinged, but in a tragic way, we watch as someone with a very simplistic view of the world (very similar to the Plutonian) tries to make sense of it.. but in his own, damaged way. I mean, the simple changing of his name from Danger to Daring, as if that changes his nature... is a good example of that. There's also the relationship between Max Daring and his sidekick, Jailbait, who he cuts his personal relationship off once he decides to walk the road of the righteous, but keeps her on as his sidekick, because he knows she'd do more harm than good on her own. All in all, INCORRUPTIBLE is just as good as IRREDEEMABLE, and it's really hard to say which one I like more. They both read very nice, and the shared universe that exists between the two books is forming nicely. It's truly an organic, and natural growth of a new, and original superhero universe, unlike the forced growth that a lot of smaller publishers do right off the bat. So, give INCORRUPTIBLE a shot this Wednesday and find out why we're so jazzed about it! UNCANNY X-MEN #524 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 6* - AFTER THE HEARTBREAKING END OF LAST WEEK'S X-FORCE #26, THE SECOND COMING CONTINUES.. IS RETRIBUTION ON THE WAY? Dude, SECOND COMING has been like, the best friggin' X-MEN storyline in many, many years. I haven't been this excited about X-MEN comics since I was like 14 or 15. Marvel has really managed to capture that sense of awe, excitement, and well, the most badass characters we all grew up with so well with this crossover, and I really can't wait to see what comes next. And, trust me, folks, after last week's X-FORCE #26 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 5*... this is all really bittersweet for me, because one of my favorite X-Men characters totally bit it. I won't say who, 'cause ya know, no spoilers, right? But, seriously, man, I was sad to see them get taken out. However, this whole friggin' storyline has been so good, and the fact that it's been so well-written that it made me care enough about the characters and events in the first place, well, crap, I'm sold, I'm hooked, I think you've done it Marvel.. you've finally made the X-MEN cool again (without Joss Whedon's help this time). Anyways, the SECOND COMING rages on this Wednesday in the pages of UNCANNY X-MEN #524, with SECOND COMING CHAPTER 6. I just got done reading the advance of this one, and dude, holy crap, whattatearjerker. Again, I'm trying to keep the spoilers to a minimum, but, man, this was a well-written issue, and a very nice middle-point for the SECOND COMING. For those of you who aren't yet familiar with SECOND COMING, it's a crossover event following the arrival of a young mutant girl named Hope. See, in the post-House of M Marvel Universe, she was the first and last mutant born since M-Day, and is believed to be the great hope for the survival of the mutant race. Of course, all those classic X-Men baddies like Bolliver Trask, Cameron Hodge, and so forth are out for her blood... And, now that she's here in the present, the X-Men have to keep her safe, to complete her mission. All in all, the series has been fantastic, and folks, again, we highly recommend it. Wanna jump onto the SECOND COMING? We've currently got plenty of all the chapters in stock here at Third Eye to get you caught up. Click here for the official THIRD EYE X-MEN SECOND COMING Checklist Click here for a preview of UNCANNY X-MEN #524 *X-MEN SECOND COMING PT 6* THE KILLER: MODUS VIVENDI - IF THERE WAS EVER A COMIC THAT CAPTURED THE FEEL OF THE MOVIE "LEON THE PROFESSIONAL", THE KILLER IS IT! THIRD EYE BRINGS YOU SOME INTERNATIONAL COMIC NOIR GOODNESS! One of comics best kept secrets is the French comic series, THE KILLER, which follows the day to day life of an unnamed assassin. Archaia has been bringing these over to the U.S for the last couple of years, and we're pretty pumped to see the newest one kicking off this week. The subtle, soft art combined with the talented storytelling of this series make for one hell of an engrossing read. A pure noir treat that grabs you by the collar, and pulls you in head first. In the very first arc of THE KILLER (Which we have available in graphic novel here at Third Eye), the writer introduces us to the Killer as he comes to the end of one part of his life. We learn how he rose to power from a college student, and then we get carried through several assignments he's on. The real trick about the Killer that makes it such an engrossing series is how the Killer is not a one-dimensional character. We see how he has hopes of getting out of the business to start a new life. Of course, if it was that easy, then there'd be no story to tell. The coloring, the panel layout, the art, the whole thing really makes for a fantastic read, and captures the sobering solitude and risk of what a REAL contract killer would feel perfectly. And, trust us, this guy is as cold as they come, but even so, the story is so well written, you can almost feel an empathy for the character and his goal: retirement by choice, not by death. This newest series, MODUS VIVENDI, serves as a nice entry point for new readers. We'd recommend giving this one a try, and t hen if you dig it, checking out the earlier graphic novels. The story kicks off with the Killer as he reappears on the scene, with no reasoning for why... boredom, fatigue, bad planning? An old associate recommends him for a quick-and-dirty freelance job. Kill a banker, and an international oil broker, simple as that. But, when he finds out his final target is a nun... things get tough. If you're into the darker, crime noir-esque stuff, we recommend giving THE KILLER: MODUS VIVENDI a look this Wednesday. X-MEN: SECOND COMING - REVELATIONS: HELLBOUND #1 - MAGIK RETURNS TO LIMBO, AND THE SOULSWORD'S IN PERIL AS BASTION IS ON THE HUNT! Speaking of X-MEN SECOND COMING, we get a nice double whammy of SECOND COMING awesomeness this week as the first issue of X-MEN REVELATIONS: HELLBOUND hits the stands. Now, lets face it, I think a lot of us grew up with Magik as one of our favorites, and whenever she gets some of the spotlight, it's always a must-read on that fact alone. But, this little 3-part limited series, which shows us Magik, gravely injured, and instinctively fleeing to the sanctuary of Limbo.. only to fall into the hands of one of her longtime adversaries, has got us pretty intrigued. All those old Magik and Limbo storylines kicked ass, and to see a return to that world set against the backdrop of Second Coming is awesome. From what I've read in the advance, it's pretty much a small sub-team of the X-Men sent into Limbo to rescue her, but they've gotta cut a path through hordes of blood-thirsty demons. As for how it read? Very good, not just the run-of-the-mill mid-event filler stuff, ya know. I think this one's gonna be a cool little three-parter. The fact that one of the main writers helming SECOND COMING, Chris Yost, is taking care of the writing chores is definitely a big plus. Click here for a preview of X-MEN: SECOND COMING REVELATIONS: HELLBOUND #1 WALKING DEAD HARDCOVER VOLUME 5 FINALLY HITS THE SHELVES THIS WEDNESDAY! AND TRUST US, FOLKS, IT IS WELL WORTH THE WAIT! It's always a cause for celebration and rejoice whenever a slab of WALKING DEAD arrives, whether it's in trade paperback, or if it's in hardcover.. there's so many people who eagerly await one format or the other, or sometimes both formats, that we just gotta share the exciting news with 'em! And, what more can be said about WALKING DEAD than what we've said a million times before... this is one of the BEST comic books on the shelves. Month after month, it remains a consistently favorite read here at Third Eye, and never, ever lets us down. I mean, it's not just a good zombie story, or a good survival horror story, or whatever, it's a GOOD story. The characters, the plot, the pacing, it's all so well put together, that it just pulls you in and does not let go. Seriously, I've been accused of being a crack dealer for turning people onto WALKING DEAD, that's how good it is. The story? It's simple... what happens when the Zombie movie ends. And, that's where the beauty is... the characters, the solid writing, the punch in the gut plot twists, these are just a few of the things that really make WALKING DEAD so damn fun every month. If you haven't read it yet... get the first hardcover, or the first softcover, or WHATEVER, and give this one a go. We keep plenty of all the volumes, in all formats, available here at Third Eye.. at all times. :) And, for those of you who're already in the know, we'll see you Wednesday for your WALKING DEAD 5 fix. AVENGERS THE ORIGIN #2 CONTINUES JOE CASEY AND PHIL NOTO'S FRESH, AND FUN 21st CENTURY RETELLING OF THE AVENGERS ORIGINS! If you haven't checked out the first of this 5-issue limited series, then you are seriously missing out on some really cool stuff. While they're not exactly re-inventing the wheel here with AVENGERS: THE ORIGIN, this limited series serves as a very cool, fresh, streamlined look at the early days of the Avengers. The real standout here though is Phil Noto's incredible artwork, and when you combine that with Casey's knack for respecting the history of the characters but also infusing a jolt of life and energy into their origins, it makes for a pretty fun Marvel read. Click here for a preview of AVENGERS: THE ORIGIN #2 ULTIMATE COMICS NEW ULTIMATES #2FOLLOWS UP THE FIRST ISSUE OF JEPH LOEB & FRANK CHO'S KILLER NEW ULTIMATES TITLE! The first issue of NEW ULTIMATES was a pleasant surprise, and between this and ULTIMATE X, I'm pretty impressed that Loeb may finally be on his way back to the higher caliber stories he'd told in the past. I think a big part of this is due to the fact that the Ultimate Universe gives him a wide open playground to do what he does best, and that's take a killer artist, and just go crazy with bigger-than-life over-the-top smashmouth superhero action. And, after the first issue of NEW ULTIMATES, I gotta say, he's on the right track. The artwork on this book is INCREDIBLE. I mean, it's FRANK CHO, so that's saying something right there, but man, he is really on point here. I just finished the Advance of issue #2, and it's pretty awesome. Frank Cho draws everything he does so damn good. You've got Ka-zar and Shanna the She-Devil flying around on dragons, and fighting Asgardian monsters. And, when we say monsters, we mean TONS AND TONS AND TONS of monsters. Not to mention, there's tons of lovely ladies, and we know Cho does a great job in that department as well. I don't want to drop too many spoilers, but, all I can say is that if you want an over-the-top high-action Marvel book in the vein of Ultimatum, then give NEW ULTIMATES a look. If you missed #1, we still have limited quantities in stock to get you caught up! Click here for a preview of ULTIMATE COMICS NEW ULTIMATES #2 STAFF PICKS Steve - Green Hornet #3 = This one may be a little surprising, 'cause I've been kind of on the fence about this series. The first couple issues were good, but this third issue was the payoff. It might've been my favorite read last week. The Kato moment is too cool, and folks, if you're not reading this series, now you have a reason to start 'cause of how badass an issue #3 was! Trish - WALKING DEAD #71 = Are you surprised? This one automatically makes pick of the week whenever it comes out. And, it was another great issue! Torma - THOR #609 *SIEGE* = Thor just becomes better, and better as a series, and the SIEGE tie-ins have been great. If you aren't reading this series, I recommend picking up with THOR #607 and catching up from there since that's where the current arc begins. Great art, and great story here! Matt - ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2 #1 = Leinil Yu's art is INCREDIBLE, and even though it's only one issue in, I think I like this Ultimate Avengers run way better than the one that just ended.