THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 12/15/10

UNCANNY X-FORCE #3 - The BEST X-Book we're reading brings it's third installment this Wednesday, as THE APOCALYPSE SOLUTION continues.


I am so hooked on the new X-Force book. Rick Remender and Jerome Opena are one of my favorite creative teams, and the first two issues of this series have really blown me away so far. There's just something that's undeniably cool about the entire title. It kind of takes me back to the excitement I got as a kid from reading Uncanny X-Men and X-Men, where the stories were bigger than life, and the lore that was built around the characters and their villains seemed so interesting.

So, why is Uncanny X-Force so freakin' rad? Well, the number one reason is you've got two of the best up and coming creators in the biz on the book. Rick Remender knocks it out of the park on this one, and with him pairing back up with Fear Agent comrade Jerome Opena, the writing and the art just mesh perfectly. Remender brings out the best in each member of this new incarnation of the team, and even manages to make a character like DEADPOOL (that's been used to death recently) fresh and interesting. As for the art, Opena is a guy I've been singing the praises of for quite some time, since he blew me away with the first arc of Remender's PUNISHER run a couple of years ago. His style is very unique, and stands out well amongst many of today's artists. I don't know if it's the stylized approach to his art, or his dynamic storytelling methods, but he really does make this book come to life.

And, then there's the pure fanboy bliss of the book that has us loving it as well.. I mean, the team roster is kick-ass.. it's a who's who of characters that are just plain cool. Psylocke, Arc-Angel (who is being written the best we've seen him in a long time), Fantomex (originally from Morrison's NEW X-MEN run, and a vastly underrated character), Deadpool (who's being written the best we've seen in quite some time), and Wolverine (yeah, we know he's on a lot of teams.. but, you get used to it. :) ). The team fits the premise of the book perfectly, and you're probably asking, "Well, what is the premise?"

Basically, Arc-Angel has sensed a great disturbance in the Force, so to speak. He's gotten information that Apocalypse is alive, and reincarnated in the body of a child, and being raised by crazed En Sabah Nur Death Cultists to bring about the end of existence as we know it. Now, knowing that what he WANTS to do would never be approved or sanctioned by the X-Men as a whole, Arc-Angel assembles a hit squad with one mission: to kill this kid that happens to be Apocalypse!

Of course, this brings in all the things we love about the book, like the kick-ass new incarnations of The Four Horsemen, and some very grand moments for the interesting mix of characters that make up the current X-Force roster.

Folks, I gotta tell you, if you've been away from the X-Men for a bit, or you're skeptical of the book due to the X-Force tag, please give the first issue of this a shot. You will NOT be disappointed. This is the kind of book that the X-Men have needed since Whedon's ASTONISHING X-MEN run ended. Sharp characterization, incredible artwork, and the best utilizations of these characters we've seen in years. Psylocke is handled perfectly, Arc-Angel is really developed into an interesting leadership role, and hell, like we said, Deadpool is even funny again.

If you missed issues #1 and #2, we've got copies still available to get you caught up to this week's #3. This is a damn good book, and if you're even remotely interested in the X-Men, you gotta be reading this one.

Click here for a preview of UNCANNY X-FORCE 3 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*

GREEN LANTERN #60 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* - THE TRUTH BEHIND THE INDIGO TRIBE IS REVEALED, THE RIFT BETWEEN THE NEW GUARDIANS WIDENS, AND THE INDIGO ENTITY, PROSELYTE TAKES CENTER STAGE! STILL ONE OF OUR FAVORITES, GREEN LANTERN CONTINUES TO KICK ASS


Geoff Johns continues to make GREEN LANTERN a top-of-the-stack must-read every month, and this is the issue we've been waiting for: #60. There's been a lot of interesting stuff going down in the pages of GL since issue #53 when BRIGHTEST DAY began, and the development of the "New Guardians" (Atrocitus, Larfleeze, Sinestro, St Walker, Carol Ferris, Hal Jordan, and the mysterious Indigo Tribesleader) has been one of the best things we've seen happening in the pages of a DC title. Just because BLACKEST NIGHT ended, doesn't mean that this book fell off one bit, in fact, we feel that it's gotten even stronger, now that Johns is solely focused on what's happening with Hal and the gang in this title.

In recent issues, we've seen more revelations coming to light surrounding the Indigo Tribe, Black Hand's fate, and the hosts of the remaining entities being chosen. Now, in this week's issue #60, everything comes to a head, and we're pumped to see where this one is going.

If you've been looking for a great spot to jump on with Green Lantern, we'd recommend picking up issue #53, as that is where all the current arcs began, and is the perfect jumping on spot with the series. We've got all the issues following #53 in stock as well up to this week's current, so catching up is easy.


DOC MACABRE #1 DELIVERS OLD SCHOOL PULP HORROR AWESOMENESS FROM STEVE NILES & BERNIE WRIGHTSON

When it comes to horror comics, Steve Niles is the man right now, and has been for a few years. Niles has a knack for taking those classic horror concepts that've been a mainstay of horror comics for years, and putting a new spin on 'em that really makes 'em fun to read.

This Wednesday, Niles teams up again with the legendary Bernie Wrightson (a horror comics maestro himself) to bring us the new IDW limited series, DOC MACABRE. Doc Macabre is the story of a one-man Ghostbustin' badass who happens to have a robot sidekick by the name of Lloyd. From what we've seen of the series so far, the art is gorgeous, 'cause c'mon, it's Wrightson, but, it also reads really well, and kinda delivers that old school late night horror movie host kinda humor and wit from Doc Macabre. Of course, there's all sorts of creepy crawlies, and hey, how could you not with a Niles and Wrightson pairing?

If you're a fan of horror comics, give this one a shot, we think you'll really dig it.

BLACK PANTHER: MAN WITHOUT FEAR #513 - IN THE AFTERMATH OF SHADOWLAND, T'CHALLA HAS TAKEN DAREDEVIL'S ROLE AS THE GUARDIAN OF HELL'S KITCHEN! THIS NEW SERIES, FEATURING THE GRITTY ART OF FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA, LOOKS FANTASTIC

I gotta tell you, folks, I was a little bummed by the ending of SHADOWLAND. I loved the series up to that point, but thought the ending was a little anti-climatic. However, there are some VERY awesome things that've come out of the conclusion to SHADOWLAND. The big two that jump to mind are the new HEROES FOR HIRE series by Abnett and Lanning, and then, this week, the BLACK PANTHER: MAN WITHOUT FEAR run that begins in BLACK PANTHER MAN WITHOUT FEAR #513.

Yup, T'Challa is taking over the Daredevil title now that ol' Matt Murdock is out of the picture, and folks, I'm pumped. The creative team on this one is sharp, and I feel that this is going to be one of those books that really delivers something special, so make sure you take a look at it this Wednesday.

The scoop? Well, basically, with no kingdom, no vibranium, and no high-tech gear... the Black Panther has deicded to build a new identity, and a new life for himself in Hell's Kitchen. He's decided to take over as the city's guardian, and with just two sets of bloody knuckles, T'Challa is going to be dealing out some serious justice on the streets of Hell's Kitchen. Of course, now that Daredevil is gone, the villains are crawling out of the woodwork in Hell's Kitchen, and it looks like we're going to see a very brutal, and unrelenting world presenting itself to the new Man Without Fear.

The creative team on this one is fantastic, with a comics newcomer, but longtime mystery and crime novelist, David Liss, handling the writing, and the very talented pulp art maestro Francesco Francavilla handling the art chores.

Don't let the high numbering on this one scare you off, this is a fresh start, and issue #513 is the perfect jumping on point as it's the first chapter of the new run.

Click here for a preview of BLACK PANTHER MAN WITHOUT FEAR #513 and see for yourself why we're pumped for this one!

A BATMAN, INCORPORATED DOUBLE-SHOT THIS WEDNESDAY WITH BATMAN AND ROBIN #18 & BATMAN #705

And, now, we've got your regularly scheduled Bat-fix, with two BATMAN INCORPORATED tie-ins this Wednesday.

First off, we've got the second issue of Paul Cornell's killer run on BATMAN AND ROBIN, with BATMAN AND ROBIN #18. We've been really becoming big fans of Cornell with the awesomeness he's delivered on ACTION COMICS featuring Lex Luthor, and his quirky and fun take on KNIGHT AND SQUIRE has had us hooked as well. So, it's really kick-ass to see him bringing a very fresh approach to BATMAN AND ROBIN. He keeps the zaniness that Morrison brought to the book, and brings a very unique edge to things. The current arc, focusing on Grayson and Damian investigating a cult known as The Absence, is the perfect mix of new school Batman awesomeness and old school Adam West Batman craziness. Missed #17? That's where this arc began, and we still have copies in stock to catch you up to this week's #18.

And, then next up on the agenda this week is BATMAN #705, which showcases Dick Grayson handling the streets of Gotham City solo as Batman, and continues his delve into the depths of Gotham City's Chinatown district. This arc kicked off in #704, and if you missed it, we've got copies available to catch you up.

MOUSE GUARD: THE BLACK AXE #1 *THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL* - David Petersen's MOUSE GUARD saga continues this Wednesday in THE BLACK AXE!
Haven't read Mouse Guard? Get caught up with the first two trade paperbacks!

The Eisner-Award winning Mouse Guard returns this Wednesday with the third installment of the saga, THE BLACK AXE. This story, set in 1115, is actually a prequel to MOUSE GUARD: FALL 1152, and shows us the promise the wise oldfur Celanawe made to Lieam the day his paw first touched the Black Axe: to tell the young warrior about who first wielded the deadly weapon.

Best of all, it's Petersen handling the artwork, so you know this one's gonna look REALLY nice. :)

For those of you unfamiliar with the world of Mouse Guard, you really should check it out. If you're into books like STUFF OF LEGEND and FABLES, we feel that you'd really dig this series. The Mouse Guard series follows the adventures of a group of, well, mice and rats. Their purpose in life? To protect their kingdom, and the citizens within. And, in the first trade paperback (FALL 1152), their mission is to find a recently disappeared grain farmer, which of course, brings them into encounters with all sorts of crazy stuff like snakes, and crabs, and other giant (to the mice) animals that they've gotta fend off.

There's a real sense of an epic plot that runs through each story, as the world is further fleshed out, and we're shown more of the mysterious army of mice that make up the Mouse Guard.

And of course, the artwork is freakin' incredible. This one is a great all ages book that'll appeal to anyone, whether they're a young or older reader.

If you've never tried the series, pick up MOUSE GUARD: FALL 1152 this Wednesday and give it a whirl.

WOLVERINE #4 - Jason Aaron's WOLVERINE GOES TO HELL saga continues this Wednesday as demonically possessed WOLVERINE goes head to head with COLOSSUS

We've been loving the heck outta Jason Aaron's run on Wolverine, which began in WOLVERINE #1, and has continued since with the Wolverine Goes to Hell storyline. Aaron brings back the feel and tone of the original Wolverine ongoing series, where it's Wolverine, firmly grounded in the Marvel Universe, but fighting his own unique pack of villains.

The current storyline, where Wolverine's soul has been taken to Hell, and his body has been possessed by a demon and turned into a killing machine, has been kick-ass, and just witnessing Wolverine having to slice and dice through all of the bad guys he's put in the dirt over the years has been kick-ass. Throw in Mystique, a couple of Ghost Riders, Sabretooth (!), and the Devil himself wielding a freakin' huge sword... and you've got yourself one hell of an awesome Wolverine book.

Plus, it's demon Wolvie vs. Colossus this month, and how freakin' rad is that?

Missed 1-3? We've got copies of each available to get you caught up to this week's #4.

Click here for a preview of WOLVERINE #4 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY*

GREEN LANTERN EMERALD WARRIORS #5 *BRIGHTEST DAY* - GUY GARDNER IS SEEING RED, AS HIS PACT WITH ATROCITUS IS REVEALED!

We have to admit, the one thing that really draws us to EMERALD WARRIORS every month, other than the fact that it's a damn fine comic in and of itself, is Guy Gardner. We've been Guy Gardner fans since way back, heck, since he first got knocked out in one punch by the Dark Knight. He's always been such a jerk, and the evolution of the character through BLACKEST NIGHT and BRIGHTEST DAY have made him one of the most compelling of the Green Lanterns. And, lets face it, it's pretty awesome that we can all forget about his days as "Warrior", where he turned his arms into guns or whatever the hell crazy '90s stuff they had going on with him.

This Wednesday, Tomasi and Pasarin deliver another kick-ass issue of Emerald Warriors, as we see the truth behind the mysterious pact Guy made with Atrocitus and Ganthet revealed to his team-mates Kilowog and Arisia. And, it's going to cause a major rift between the Lanterns, which will leave Sodom Yat as the wild card.

Red Lanterns are our favorite of the various Corps, and the amount of focus we've seen the Red Lantern Corps given in EMERALD WARRIORS has kept us coming back month after month.

Wanna jump on? We've got issues of #1-4 in stock to catch you up.

IRON SIEGE #1 (of 3) DELIVERS A KILLER WORLD WAR II STORY WITH A HORRIFIC TWIST.... NAZI ZOMBIES! IT'S DAWN OF THE DEAD meets ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13
Coming this Wednesday, in that Golden Age size and format we love so much here at Third Eye, is a brand new limited series that looks to be the comic book successor to horror flicks like SHOCK WAVES and DEAD SNOW. Yup, we're talking Nazi Zombies here, folks, so get ready for some craziness. A gritty WW 2 based comic that shows us an outfit of U.S. Soldiers capturing a group of Nazis led by a high-ranking SS officer. But, when they come across a deserted town with a dangerous secret, they must forge an uneasy alliance to survive the unspeakable that awaits them.

Of course, we all know what this is going to lead to, right? Nazi Zombies getting blown to bits! And, that means this one's gonna rock.

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #650 *BIG TIME CHAPTER 3* - Brand New Day is over, Spidey's got a new costume, and the Hobgoblin's back.. folks, Spidey is better than it's been in AGES.

Amazing Spider-man is better than it's been in years, and with BRAND NEW DAY over, and hopefully, forgotten, the book is really back on track.

The current arc, BIG TIME, brings us the best creative team we've seen on the title in a while, with Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos doing something with Spidey that we haven't seen in a while: a comic that actually READS and FEELS like a Spider-man comic. The humor is there, the artwork is the perfect fit, and the tone and subject matter is great. Plus, he's brought back all of Spidey's classic rogues gallery as a reunited Sinister Six, re-introduced the Hobgoblin, and now, is putting Spidey into a brand new costume.

If you want to jump onboard with BIG TIME, you'd want to start with #648, follow up from #649, and you'll be caught up with this week's #650. And, in this week's #650, we learn what the deal is with Spidey's new suit, and what it can do, and we also learn just what the heck is going on with Phil Urich being revealed as the new Hobgoblin.

If you've been away from Spidey for a bit, or are looking for a good spot to jump on board with the character, start with AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #648 *BIG TIME CHAPTER 1*, and find out why this series has gotten great again.

Click here for a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #650 *BIG TIME CHAPTER 3*

SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN HARDCOVER ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY COLLECTING GEOFF JOHNS & GARY FRANK'S INCREDIBLE, ICONIC RE-TELLING OF SUPERMAN'S ORIGIN FROM HIS CHILDHOOD DAYS AND UP! A MUST-READ, ONE OF THE BEST SUPERMAN GRAPHIC NOVELS YOU'LL SEE.

We know that SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE is getting all of the limelight these days, and admittedly, EARTH ONE is a fantastic read. But, folks, we gotta tell you, we like Johns and Frank's take on the character and his origins in SECRET ORIGIN even more. This series really captures what SUPERMAN is about, who he is, and is the perfect stand-alone graphic novel for anyone, whether they're a long-time Supes fan, or they've never read any stories involving the character in their life.

Johns uses the same formula he used in his GREEN LANTERN SECRET ORIGIN story, and chronicles the life and times of the Man of Steel beginning with Clark in Smallville, following him to Metropolis, and then his first days in the suit. Along the way, we're also introduced to much of his supporting cast, and see the development of them. Luthor's own origin is told in a way that runs parallel to Superman/Kent, and some interesting tidbits, include them showing the comparison of Clark's good family upbringing with the Kents, and Lex's dysfunctional family upbringing.

Gary Frank brings the book to life in a big way, and it's no secret that he's modeled the look of his take on Superman off the iconic Christopher Reeves.

The over-all theme of the story is one of hope in an overly cynical world. When Superman first debuts in the suit, he's met with fear and skepticism, and the government goes on the defensive. Metropolis, pre-Superman, is dirty and corrupt. Luthor is deemed the most important man in America, and the only news outlet not influenced by Luthor, is the Daily Planet. Of course, the arrival of Superman brings change to all of this, and it's a fascinating story that captures the timelessness of the character.

It might be a re-telling of many things we already know, but it's the best re-telling of Superman's origin and background in the DCU that we've ever read.

Snag the hardcover this Wednesday, and find out why we're so impressed with this one.

PROOF: ENDANGERED #1 - This Image series rocks, from the creators of COWBOY NINJA VIKING, the story of a SASQUATCH that works for the FBI investigating cryptozoological creatures and crimes.


Proof is fantastic, and Proof: Endangered is the brand new ongoing series featuring everyone's favorite Sasquatch FBI agent, and, it's the perfect opportunity to jump onto the character.

The story of Proof, focuses on John "Proof" Prufrock, a sasquatch, who works for a secret division of the FBIA that investigates cryptids (cryptozoological creatures, like Chupacabras, the New Jersey Devil, the Bowie Goat-Man, ect). The book's got a great sense of humor to it, and with Riley Rossimo (of COWBOY NINJA VIKING) fame handling the art chores, it looks fantastic. Flesh-eating fairies, a sheriff named Elvis, jackalopes, golems, and more pop up in the world of Proof, which just adds to it's awesomeness.

Check it out this Wednesday!

CHAOS WAR #4 - THE BIGGEST MARVEL UNIVERSE-ENCOMPASSING COSMIC BRAWL SINCE THE INFINITY GAUNTLET CONTINUES. PLUS, HELL COMES TO HAWAII. YES. HAWAII.

Chaos War has been a true send-up to the bigger-than-life superhero slobberknockers of yesteryear like the INFINITY GAUNTLET, and SECRET WARS, and we gotta admit: it's been a hell of a lot of fun.

This week, the CHAOS KING (you know that crazy Japanese death god that's intent on destroying all creation) is marshalling his forces for his final assault, with nearly every major (and minor) Marvel superhero as his target. It's up to Hercules, Thor, and the God Squad, to embark on one last mad scheme to save existence itself, but what sacrifices will have to be made to do so ?

Wanna get caught up on CHAOS WAR? Click here to check out the official checklist, as we've got all of the one-shots and tie-ins in stock and available now.

Click here for a preview of CHAOS WAR #4

WARREN ELLIS & AMANDA CONNER'S KICK-ASS CYBERPUNK YAKUZA STORY TWO-STEP FINALLY GETS COLLECTED IN TRADE


Dude, I have been waiting for this one to come out in trade FOREVER. Totally underrated, and due to not getting a proper trade collection, practically unseen, this one is a true Warren Ellis hidden gem. Not only is it a quick, and fast awesome read, but it's also featuring one of our favorite artists: Miss Amanda Conner!

Two Step is a perfect example of the short, hyper-kinetic limited series Ellis was doing a few years back, that he kind of was putting out there like some sort of comic book equivalent to punk rock 45 singles. Quick blasts of energy that were so damn fun you had to read 'em again.

Two-Step is one of our favorites, and tells a great cyberpunk tale set in Near-Future London, where you've got a Tony Ling, a Zen gangter, and Rosi Blades, a bored camgirl. They've never met, but this unlikely pair ends up embarking on the chase of a lifetime through the crowded streets of a screwed-up future version of London.

If you're a fan of stuff like FREAKANGELS, TRANSMETROPOLITAN, and the ilk, then you need to read this!

THE OCCULTIST #1 ONE-SHOT DEBUTS FROM TIM SEELEY'S (HACK/SLASH writer and creator) SHOWCASING HIS UNIQUE TALENT FOR MIXING HORROR AND HUMOR

We've been big fans of Tim Seeley's send-up to B-grade horror flicks, HACK/SLASH, for a long time here at Third Eye, and we're stoked to see him venturing out and doing some new stuff for Dark Horse, with the new series, THE OCCULTIST.

From what we've seen on the one-shot, it could lead to a new series, but it sounds pretty kick-ass. Basically, a mysterious book of powerful spells (we're thinking an incarnation of the Necronomicon) binds itself to a down-on-his-luck fellow by the name of Rob. And, really, what does being left by his girlfriend, or mountains of debt matter when mystics and demons are overrunning the town in search of the book, and him? Rob's gotta learn how to use the book's arcane magics to keep himself alive, while his own personal life slips more and more out of control.

STAR WARS LEGACY WAR #1 - Darth Krayt Reborn! The STAR WARS LEGACY SERIES CONTINUES WITH THIS NEW LIMITED SERIES

Of all the recent STAR WARS comics that've come out in the last few years, STAR WARS LEGACY still remains our favorite SW comic of the '00s. The saga exploring the world of STAR WARS 125 years after RETURN OF THE JEDI, and focusing on Luke's great-grandson, Cade Skywalker, was a constant favorite for us right until it's conclusion with issue #50. And, now, this Wednesday, we get to re-visit the compelling world of a risen Empire and Sith Legion that Legacy delivers with STAR WARS LEGACY: WAR.

Focusing on Legacy baddie, Darth Krayt, we see that he's returned from the dead (so to speak), stronger, more evil, and more determined than ever to crush the galaxy under his heel. With everyone from the Jedi, the Empire, and even some of his own Sith followers arrayed against him, how can he stand a chance?

And, that's where Cade Skywalker comes in.

Click here to read an interview with the creative team of SW Legacy about the new SW LEGACY WAR limited series.


THIRD EYE STAFF PICKS

Steve - T.H.U.N.D.E.R AGENTS #2 - The second issue of Nick Spencer's killer new DC series picked up from the solid intro of #1, and launched into a damn fine second issue. A must for fans of series like THE AUTHORITY and PLANETARY.

Trish - CROSSED FAMILY VALUES #6 - It's like a car wreck. I just can't stop looking.. and then looking again. But David Lapham is really crossing the line again and again in the newest incarnation of CROSSED.

TORMA - NEW AVENGERS #7 - One word: SQUIRREL GIRL! That's all I've got to say.

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 11/25/09

BLACKEST NIGHT #5 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY, AND COMES WITH A FREE GREEN LANTERN RING (while supplies last!) ALSO ARRIVING IS JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #39WHICH COMES WITH A FREE RED RING! PLUS, GREEN LANTERN #48 *BLACKEST NIGHT*, AND TEEN TITANS #77 *BLACKEST NIGHT*

It's a big week for Blackest Night, folks, with two of the most anticipated titles attached to rings arriving this Wednesday. The first of which, of course, being BLACKEST NIGHT #5, and that comes with the free GREEN LANTERN ring. There's really not a whole lot more we can say about Blackest Night that hasn't been said. In fact, if you're not yet reading BLACKEST NIGHT, then we highly recommend checking out the Blackest Night wikipedia entry by clicking here to read about how awesome it's been. As for the new issue hitting this week.. all we can say is that Nekron, Lord of the Undead, is revealed, and his motives, and control over the Black Lanterns is explored.. and according to the solicits, this is supposed to be a huge turning point in the event!

For a quick Blackest Night in a nutshell description... basically, at the end of the SINESTRO CORPS WAR (a great storyline from BLACKEST NIGHT writer Geoff Johns which really kicked all of this off), it was realized that there are several different Lantern Corps, and each one represents a different color of the spectrum. Each color, of course, represents a different emotion. Red equals Rage, Indigo equals Compassion, ect. The big reveal though was that a prophecy was coming into realization, and that was the Blackest Night. The Black Lanterns. They represent DEATH, and basically, it's brought us to here where black rings have resurrected nearly every dead DC Universe character you can think of as a vengeful, undead Black Lantern. Everyone from the Martian Manhunter to Dick Grayson's parents, the Flying Graysons are back, and they're out for blood. The Black Lanterns also have a knack for eating people's hearts. :) If you're interested in catching up on BLACKEST NIGHT, we currently have EVERYTHING well-stocked here at Third Eye, and we would recommend starting with GREEN LANTERN #43 *BLACKEST NIGHT PROLOGUE* and then jumping into BLACKEST NIGHT #1. Of course, if you want the back story, you can always go back and check out the Sinestro Corps War, and other following volumes now available in trade paperback. Click here to see a checklist for BLACKEST NIGHT.

Now, lets talk about JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #39, this is going to be a big tie-in issue, and we're excited about it. First off, the new direction of JUSTICE LEAGUE, which began inJUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #38last month (still available here at Third Eye), kicked off with a bang! Great story from James Robinson (of Starman fame) and great art from Mark Bagley (Ultimate Spider-man, for like a billion years!). It's actually been a very long time since I really got excited about the core Justice League ongoing series, and between the first issue of the new direction and then Robinson's Cry for Justice, they're getting me pumped for the JLA again. The new line-up is different, yet fresh, and the big reveal at the end of #38 with Black Lantern Dr. Light (you know, one of the most vile DCU villains thanks to Identity Crisis), was a great way to start things off. And, that brings us to this week with Justice League #39. This is the official BLACKEST NIGHT tie-in issue, and it features a very angry Black Lantern Dr. Light. Lets be honest, after what Meltzer did with the character in Identity Crisis, he'd already climbed the villain ladder, big time. Now, that he's back as a Black Lantern, we can only imagine the villainy he has in store for the JLA. Ontop of all this, Justice League #39 comes with the Red Lantern Rage Corps ring.

But, wait, before we move ahead, we can't neglect to mention the other big Blackest Night books this week, just because they're not coming with rings. That would be plain unfair. First off, we've gotGREEN LANTERN #48, and with this series being penned by GEOFF JOHNS, the mastermind behind the Blackest Night, it's almost as essential reading as the core Blackest Night book. In fact, if you read each issue of Green Lantern in between the issue of Blackest Night that proceeds and follows it, it fills in several gaps with the event. Basically, if you're reading BLACKEST NIGHT, then you really should be reading GREEN LANTERN too, even if that's the only other tie-in you're following. In last month's GL #47, we saw the emergence of the BLACK LANTERN elders, and they had a really cool, creepy Hellraiser-esque kind of thing going on. We also saw some unusual alliances between the different corps form, and now, in this month's #48, it's time to see this ticking timebomb explode.

Also, arriving this week is TEEN TITANS #77, a big Blackest Night tie-in itself. Whyat's the big deal? Well, I'm not even the biggest old school Titans fan, but I can tell you right now that there's A WHOLE LOTTA DEAD TITANS out there. And, now, a legion of undead Teen Titans have returned as Black Lanterns to totally decimate (and probably eat the hearts) of Teen Titan, old and new alike.

So far, the tie-ins for Blackest Night have all been fiercely on point, and the latest example of that was the Superman/Batman last week. What could've been just a fill-in issue, was actually pretty damn good. I was surprised!

After the fallout of the Blackest Night Titans limited series, we're pretty excited to see what's in store in this issue of Teen Titans.

CHEW TRADE PAPERBACK (collecting issues 1-5) AVAILABLE WEDNESDAY FOR ONLY $9.99 *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* & CHEW #6 ALSO ARRIVES AS WELL! THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO JUMP ONTO ONE OF THE BEST NEW SERIES OF 2009! CANNIBAL COPS! POULTRY PROHIBITION!

One of the best new series we've seen this year has been John Layman and Rob Guillory's breakout hit CHEW from IMAGE COMICS. This is probably the first big series since WALKING DEAD to really take off by storm, and surprise tons of people. An unknown creative team, a bizarre concept, but due to the sheer quality of this book, it has become one of the biggest successes of the year. We know a lot of you still haven't yet checked out CHEW yet, and this Wednesday is the perfect opportunity to hop aboard what is one of the freshest, most original ongoing series we've seen here in a while at Third Eye.

What is Chew? Chew's story is set in a world where all poultry has been made illegal, similar to the Prohibition era for Alcohol. The reason why? Bird Flu. Serious, deadly, bird flu. So, in this world, there's speakeasies dedicated to serving turkey, chicken and so forth. In this world, resteraunts smuggle in real chicken instead of the substitute product that's been forced on society. And, in this world, exists the series main character, Tony Chu. Tony Chu is cibopathic. It's a rare condition where he receives psychic impressions from whatever he eats. He eats a hamburger, he sees the cow being killed. He eats an apple, he can see the pesticides being sprayed on it. In fact, the only thing that Tony can eat without any bother, are beets. He doesn't know why, but beets are the one thing he gets no reaction from. Well, the series kicks off with Tony dining with his partner (Tony's a homicide detective) at a speak-easy serving chicken. He has the soup. And, then, he sees a lot of girls being killed and put into that soup. Tony senses the killer in the kitchen, chases him out, and the killer ends up taking his own life. To get the names of the victims, Tony gnaws on the killer. And, if you haven't already seen where this is going... the series has kicked off, with Tony being recruited into the FDA (now as big a deal as the ATF is today), and being used for his unique talents. In other words, he's gotta eat the remains of murder victims.

Sound cool? You bet it is. And, this Wednesday, the first trade collecting issues 1-5 arrives here at Third Eye, and guess what.. it's only $10. So, if you're looking for something to kill time in between Walking Dead trades, or maybe just something a little quirkier than usual. Give Chew a shot. It's well-written, gorgeously illustrated and a great read.

And, lets not forget, Chew #6 *International Flavor pt 1* is also arriving this week. After the surprising last issue (which I don't want to drop spoilers on, with the trade and all hitting this week), it looks like we got some cool stuff to look forward to in the new arc of Chew that begins this week. All we know is we're going to see Tony Chu on the case, and he's trying his damndest to solve this case old school before his boss decides to make him eat some of the most disgusting stuff imaginable to figure out just what is going on.

Click here to read a preview of CHEW!

IMAGE UNITED #1 - THE ORIGINAL '90s DREAM TEAM RETURNS IN THIS VERY SPECIAL LIMITED SERIES WRITTEN BY ROBERT KIRKMAN (WALKING DEAD, INVINCIBLE, HAUNT) & ILLUSTRATED BY TODD MCFARLANE, ERIK LARSEN, ROB LIEFELD, MARC SILVESTRI & MORE!

For those of you who followed comics heavily in the '90s, like myself. Heck, that's when I grew up reading comics! You have to admit the sheer nostalgia of this event is overwhelming. And, with the coverage it's been getting in the mainstream press (USA TODAY, MTV, ect), you know that the Image guys have got some big plans for this thing. Honestly, there were a lot of good things, and a lot of bad things about Image Comics in the '90s. I, personally, feel that the way the comic has reinvented itself since then in the 21st century has been top notch. However, I can't deny that characters like Spawn, Wildcats, and yes, even the Savage Dragon, were big parts of my youth. And, with the modern day master, Robert Kirkman (you know, the guy responsible for things like WALKING DEAD and INVINCIBLE, as well as his latest hit HAUNT) writing this, I really feel it's going to be something special.

What is Image United? Image United is a long in the works reunion of the Image Comics founders. These were the guys that redefined what comics could be in the '90s, and were the first real pioneers (along with Dark Horse) of showing that there could be more than just two major comics publishers. It's been a very long time since a lot of these guys worked on their original characters, and heck, even a long time since they've done new work, so it's exciting to see them all coming back for this. This limited series is a, excuse me for being blunt, big ass story where all of the original Image founders are going to be illustrating their characters and their parts in the series. The story itself is being written by Robert Kirkman, and lets be honest, the Image guys could draw really good, but it's exciting now to see their characters backed by a guy who can actually write pretty dang well. This is one of the first times I can think of where a series has had a roster of superstars each contributing to the artwork, in such a unique way. Now, the actual plot of the series? Well, Image is being cryptic, but it's basically: the entire cast of the Image universe is combining forces to throw down with a gigantic threat that could wipe everything out. Now, normally, I'd say, this doesn't really sound like much of a plot to back things up... BUT... this is Robert Kirkman we're alking about, folks, and if one thing is for sure... the man can take a standard concept and turn it on it's head. And, with a series this big, you can bet he's going to be delivering the goods.

Click here to check out a preview of IMAGE UNITED #1
Click here to read an article written by Robert Kirkman on Image United, and just why this is such a big deal.

THE BOYS VOLUME 5 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY!

Since we opened our doors here at Third Eye, we've been preaching the awesomeness of THE BOYS by Preacher writer GARTH ENNIS. And, every time there's a new volume of this series available in trade, we feel it's cause for celebration. We know a lot of you guys read this already in the singles, but, there's just as many of you who patiently (and agonizingly) await the next trade paperback to hit. And, folks, we wait too, because our OCD kicks in, and we really need to get the next volume of this series up on our shelf at home to keep the rest company.

This week, THE BOYS v.5: HEROGASM arrives, and gives you your next long-awaited slab of depraved superhero madness. This installment features THE BOYS thrown into the midst of their equivalent of big superhero crossover events. And, basically, they find out that these epic, cosmic battles are really just an excuse for the capes to disappear elsewhere and party hard. But, in the midst of all their decadent fun, the capes have darker motives, and with THE BOYS staking them out.. you know all hell is breaking loose. The dark secrets of the great American tragedy that happened because of the Seven and the Vought-American are fully revealed here.

What is the Boys? Imagine this, a world where superheroes were the next step of national defense. Independent contractors working for a private company known as the Vought-American corporation. Think of them as supercharged private mercenaries for hire. And, they're all the archetypes you know so fondly... the Homelander is Superman.. A-Train's the Flash, ect, ect. And, they're all EXTREMELY corrupt. The absolute power of being a superhuman has turned them into the ultimate despicable beings. And, The Boys, they're the government's answer to this. A group of individuals who's lives have been shattered by the Capes and Vought. A group of individuals motivated by their sheer hatred of the Capes. And, they work for the CIA, policing the Capes, making sure they don't become too big for the U.S Government to control. The Boys is an INCREDIBLE series, and if you haven't yet tried it, we highly recommend picking up the first trade paperback this week.

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #20 STARK DISASSEMBLED PT 1 - HUGE NEW STORY ARC BEGINS HERE! A PERFECT JUMPING ON POINT, AND A LITTLE TASTE OF WHAT'S TO COME IN MARVEL'S "SIEGE" EVENT!



Matt Fraction's Invincible Iron Man has been, by far, one of the best and most consistent ongoing Marvel series around. I mean, first off, it's had the same creative team since issue #1 with Fraction and Larocca on board. This means that the storylines are tight, they're consistent, and the quality never dips, never falters. No fill-in artists, no filler issues, just one hell of a run. Secondly, this is the best take on Iron Man that I've seen in decades. The only thing I think that's come close recently was the Extremis storyline from a few years ago that Warren Ellis did... and I think that this is STILL better than that.

And, all of this Iron Man love is coming from a guy who had never really been a huge Iron Man fan before. See, I grew up reading comics in the '90s. Yeah, when Iron Man was like.. a kid that time-travelled to the future because he went evil, or some crap like that. It was awful. And, then they revamped it with Kurt Busiek and Patrick Zircher (or was it Sean Chen, I can't remember), and it was pretty awesome, but you know, it never was my must-read. When the Iron Man movie came out, Marvel launched Invincible Iron Man, and I gotta say, I wasn't expecting the series to be as good as it has been. I mean, I loved the movie, but I was still hesitant about Iron Man. He was hard for me to get into. Hard for me to follow. Well, all that vanished after finishing Matt Fraction's first Invincible Iron Man arc (the Five Nightmares, available in trade paperback now). He manages to take and capture everything that is cool about Tony Stark. He does what the movie did. He plays up the technology without the book being a technology lovefest. He plays up the suave cool of Tony Stark without making him into an unlikeable jerk. And, best of all, he has charged this book with so much action, you're left wondering when you're going to get your breath. The artwork from Larocca just helps to increase the awesomeness of the series, and it meshes perfectly with Fraction's story.

In fact, Invincible Iron Man is the best Iron Man stuff I've ever read, only surpassed by maybe the classic Micheline and Layton stories.

And, now, the perfect jumping on point is here with the newest issue, Invincible Iron Man #20. This is a great entry point to come aboard the series, as the last arc has ended, and things are really beginning to heat up. See, Iron Man plays a HUGE role in the upcoming Marvel event SIEGE (which is going to be incredible), and there's all kinds of crazy rumors going around about a seriously deadly fate awaiting Tony Stark. However, we don't think he's going to get killed off. In fact, we know that.. but, whatever is going to go down, we know it'll be something big, and it's going to happen in Invincible Iron Man #25. So, now is the perfect opportunity to come aboard. The road to STARK: DISASSEMBLED begins here!
Clickhere for a preview of INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #20 *STARK DISASSEMBLED PT 1*

INCOGNITO TRADE PAPERBACK *THIRD EYE MUST BUY* AVAILABLE THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE! ONE OF OUR FAVORITE SERIES LAST YEAR! APOCALYPTIC PULP NOIR COURTESY OF CRIMINAL CREATIVE TEAM ED BRUBAKER & SEAN PHILLIPS


One of the best freaking comics I read last year was the original series, INCOGNITO, from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. I'd already been a fan of this pair due to their incredible crime noir series CRIMINAL, and their work on hidden gems like SLEEPER. When I heard they were going to be applying their unique blend of noir storytelling to the world of superheroes, I flipped out. And, then, when the series began, it was everything I hoped it would be. This, my friends, is one of the best stand alone graphic novels you can buy this year. Whether you want a hardboiled crime noir story, or a mature slant on the world of supervillains, this is it.

What is Incognito? Incognito is set in a world where larger than life pulp heroes and villains existed. Heroes and villains dating back to the '30s, with names like Professor Zeppelin (who reminds you of Doc Savage), and Lazarus (think the Shadow), and then villains such as The Black Death. See, powers in this world, were all the result of a meteor that landed in the 1800s and turned an escaped convict ino the Black Death. In the years following World War II though, most of these villains, and heroes faded away, and were soon forgotten as urban legends and fiction.

Fast forward to the modern day, and we have former villain Zach Overkill, a henchman of the Black Death who now lives his life in Witness Protection. He's miserable. He's bored. He hates life as a normal person. He punches in every day, works his 9 to 5, and goes home. As time goes on, he falls into a spiral of self-destructive behavior, including drug use, and this cancels out the drugs that're keeping his powers suppressed. Before he knows it, he's out on the streets, and for the sheer thrill of it, he's in costume, but this time acting as a vigilante... because he's bored with life as a whole. It's soon revealed that this rat is a live, and the Black Death and his henchmen are on his trail, in a very violent, brutal fashion.

And, I'll stop there before I spoil the story. Incognito is a pulpy, noir story that takes a fascinating look at the world of adventurers, superheroes, and super villains. It's a must read, I think, for anyone who just plain enjoys good comics. Whether you like more indie-oriented stuff, or if you like the more superhero-centric stuff... Incognito delivers on both fronts.

CRIMINAL THE SINNERS #2 - SPEAKING OF INCOGNITO, BRUBAKER & PHILLIPS'S NEXT ISSUE OF CRIMINAL ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY, AND WE CAN'T WAIT!

As you can already tell from my write-up on Incognito, I am a huge fan of the creative team Brubaker & Phillips. These guys can do absolutely no wrong in my eyes. And, if you enjoyed Incognito, and haven't yet read CRIMINAL, I can't recommend it enough. This is THE best crime comic coming out now. In fact, I would put this right up there with classics like SIN CITY, STRAY BULLETS, and 100 BULLETS. In fact, I'd even go as far as to say that this series is BETTER than those. I know, I know, I love Sin City, and I love 100 Bullets, and I love Stray Bullets, but Criminal has proven to be the most consistent, and most enthralling crime comic I've ever read. It's pure modern day noir at it's finest, from the moody art of Sean Phillips, to the plotting and characterization of Ed Brubaker.

The current CRIMINAL (each story is a self-contained round of 3-6 issues, so the order in which you read the CRIMINAL arcs does not really matter) is the story of Tracy Lawless. A man who came to destroy a crime mob, and has ended up working as one of their best enforcers. Made men are turning up all over the city murdered, and since the crooks can't go to the cops, they need to bring in their own special brand of justice. Tracy Lawless has been made the sherrif of the underworld, and it's up to him to finish this out. The fascinating thing of this story is Tracy Lawless himself. He's the perfect example of noir storytelling, and represents the kind of character that CRIMINAL is known for. A flawed, tragic individual who's nobles intentions have led him into a life of despair, and self-loathing.

If you haven't yet picked up CRIMINAL, then grab CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #1 this Wednesday at Third Eye, and try it out. For those of you who've already read the first issue, then you're already getting stoked to see what happens next this week.

Clickherefor a preview of CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #2

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #613 *THE GAUNTLET PT 2* - THE GAUNTLET KICKED OFF WITH A BANG LAST WEEK, AND CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY! FIND OUT WHY THIS IS A SPIDEY BOOK YOU HAVE GOTTA READ!



Dude, the Gauntlet kicked off with a bang last week. I was very impressed. Before I go into detail, let me go over what THE GAUNTLET is to those of you who might not know. Basically, Marvel is bringing back all of Spidey's classic Rogue's Gallery, and they're amping them up, big time. A deadlier Rhino, a deadlier Sandman, a deadlier Electro. And then, they're going to be throwing each one of these guys against him, and really putting the webcrawler through some serious abuse until we get to the big unveiling of the brand new Sinister Six.

Now, last week in AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #612 *THE GAUNTLET PT 1*, we saw the return of Electro. A classic Spidey villain who never really got his due respect. In fact, the last time we saw Electro, if I remember right, was back during the beginning of New Avengers. Since then, Electro's gone through some ups and downs. He's had all of the money he's secured from years of being, well, a plain ol' bad dude, completely disappear in the economic meltdown of last year. And, now, Electro, who's older, and who's powers have become more erratic and harder to control, has found his calling. He's directing his rage at the fat cat bankers who got the federal bailout. And, in doing so, he's developed a bit of a following as kind of a anti-establishment, working man's folk hero.

Of course, in Spidey's eyes, Electro is still a bad guy, and I mean, hey, if he's out there running thousands of watts of electricity through someone's body until they're a charred husk... I guess he still is. Anyways, when Spidey gets involved, we really start to see just how deadly the new Electro is going to be.

And, that brings us to this week's issue, the second installment of THE GAUNTLET. In this issue, all we know is that Electro is turning to a highly unexpected ally to cure his condition and regain control of his powers. And, of course, we've got the little cliffhanger of last week's issue where Spidey was.... well, I can't spoil it for those of you who've yet to read the book.

Anyways, long story short.. Amazing Spider-man has quickly become a must-read again with only one chapter of the Gauntlet in. We're excited to see where this whole thing will be heading.

DEADPOOL CLASSIC VOLUME 3 HITS THIS WEEK, DELIVERING MORE OF WHAT WE CALL THE BEST DEADPOOL RUN... EVER!



Another slab of Deadpool awesomeness arrives this week in the pages of DEADPOOL CLASSIC volume 3. The Deadpool Classics have been some of the best reprints of old Marvel material that I've seen. Now, granted, Deadpool Classic v.1 really doesn't pick up until the end (which gives you the first issue of Joe Kelly's run), but Deadpool Classic volume 2... all gold, man. See, Deadpool Classic is reprinting the incredible character-defining Joe Kelly & Ed McGuiness Deadpool run. Now, not only are these back issues impossible to find (trust me, one of the things I had to sell when selling my collection to raise money to open the shop was this run, and it makes me sick to see it worth a small fortune now), but these are also the issues that really defined Deadpool as the hilarious, over-the-top madman that you all know and love today. This is where the character really got his voice, and this entire run still stands the test of time today (kudos to Joe Kelly for that, it just goes to show how well the man can write).

Anyways, this Wednesday the third volume of Deadpool Classic will be hitting, and in it you can expect another giant slab of Deadpool awesomeness!

SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN #3 BRINGS US THE THIRD ISSUE IN THIS INCREDIBLE 21ST CENTURY RE-TELLING OF SUPERMAN'S ORIGIN FROM BLACKEST NIGHT WRITER GEOFF JOHNS!

Gotta tell you guys, ten years ago if you told me that one of my most anticipated books each month would feature the Big S, I'd have said you were full of it. Honestly, outside of stories like Superman Red Son, ALL-STAR SUPERMAN, and the John Byrne revamp of the '80s... Superman just never did it for me. And, then, Geoff Johns did his killer Action Comics run, and got me hooked. And then he left, and I was left with a void. Nothing could match what Johns had done on the book, and I was finding myself looking for more good Superman books. Well, thankfully, Superman Secret Origin came along.

This is a book that ANY self-respecting comics fan should be reading. This is a book that captures the essence of Superman, and re-tells everything about the character with a modern 21st century spin. In other words, this book is outstanding. See, a lot of people say they can't get into Superman. He's too powerful, and he's too hard to relate to. And, I agree, when he's not written right, he's impossible to get into. But, Johns captures the thing that makes Superman work as a character. Superman's biggest weakness is that he IS the most powerful being on Earth, yet he will never know what it's like to fully be human, because of this. He knows that 100 years from now, he'll be alive, and most of his friends, and loved ones won't. And, he carries that burden. Just like being the last of his people.

Nowhere is this clearer than in Geoff Johns's SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN. And, the series does a great job of retelling the Man of Steel's story for a new generation. Modern twists are put on classic concepts. And, like you'd expect from a good Superman story, Johns pulls at your heart-strings big time at some points. Plus, Gary Frank's artwork is so good that you almost don't even notice it. What I'm saying is he tells the story so well that you almost forget you're reading a book, you're pulled in, and you can almost see Christopher Reeves there acting these stories out.

The third issue of SUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN arrives this Wednesday, and if you haven't yet hopped on, we still have issue #1 and issue #2 in stock.

Click here to read more aboutSUPERMAN SECRET ORIGIN #3

POWERS RETURNS THIS WEDNESDAY WITH POWERS #1! A PERFECT JUMPING ON POINT TO THIS FANTASTIC CREATOR OWNED SERIES BY BENDIS & OEMING! READ ON TO FIND OUT WHY WE'RE SO BIG ON THIS SERIES!



POWERS IS BACK! MONTHLY! Now, for those of you who've read POWERS, then you already are well aware of what a great series this was (and is). Honestly, the only thing that derailed it was writer and creator Brian Michael Bendis got so busy being the 21st Century Stan Lee and pretty much heading up the Marvel Universe that he had to put Powers on hold. Which is a shame, because POWERS is probably one of our favorites of his.

Powers is basically a police drama with superpowers, long story short. The world of Powers is a dark, and violent one. The thing that makes the series such a great read though is it serves as the perfect platform for Bendis to do what he does best: write strong characters with great dialogue.

The series follows two detectives, Christian Walker and Deanna Pilgrim, who operate in a department that specializes in homicides involving superpowers. In the world of POWERS, superpowers are common, but not mundane. The real dynamic is that Walker himself was formerly a superhero before lost his abilities and joined the police force. This adds a whole nother interesting level of story and development to things. In this world, superpowers are odd, some cases, they're even seen as a contagious disease that can be caught by interaction with the "infected."

The best way I could describe Powers is: crime fiction/police drama meets VH1 Behind the Music for Superheroes. The series is just plain good, and definitely warrants checking out.

Clickhere to read a preview of POWERS #1

ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS #4 - MARK MILLAR (OLD MAN LOGAN, WANTED, KICK-ASS) & CARLOS PACHECO CONTINUE TO GIVE US THE BEST ULTIMATES STORY IN A LONG TIME!

Mark Millar and Carlos Pacheco's revival of the Ultimates with ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS has been insanely good. I mean, you have to understand... ULTIMATES and ULTIMATES 2 remain some of my favorite Marvel comics of all time. And, in my opinion, Millar redefined who and what the Avengers were in the Marvel universe. So much so in fact that it's the Ultimates world where we see the movies taking influence from. And, I know, Ultimates 3 was... a little lacking, to say the least. But, it's all good now, because Millar's back, and with four issues in already on the new Ultimates run... we can safely say that he's kicking all kinds of ass.

What's Up With Ultimate Comics Avengers? Okay, for me to explain the whole concept of the Ultimate universe is going to be a bit long-winded, but just picture it as a more streamlined, self-contained Marvel Universe. You can click here to read the wikipedia entry on it. Now, Ultimate Avengers.. is the Ultimate Universe equivalent of the Avengers. But in this world, the Avengers are more of a government-funded black ops team than they are a superteam, and they answer as much to Nick Fury as they do Captain America. Hawkeye is a hardened, professional killer. Tony Stark is the drunken playboy to the extreme. The Hulk is an uncontrollable monstrosity that eats people. And, Captain America, is one hell of a hardass. Now, in this current incarnation of the Ultimates, the story is revolving around the reveal that Captain America had an illegitimate son before going off to war, and that son grew up to be the Red Skull. And, now the Red Skull is back, and he's out to make his father's life a living hell. Imagine if your son grew up to be one of the most genocidal terrorists this nation's ever seen, and well, that's the Red Skull. And, in this world, he's literally the Red Skull, as he carved his own face off with a kitchen knife.

Want to catch up on ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS? We currently have issues 1,2,3 all well stocked here at Third Eye, so if you're intrigued, feel free to jump aboard. It's still relatively early enough to get caught up, and trust us, we can't begin to do this series justice. It's non-stop, action-packed, high octane fun in the true Marvel vein.

Clickhere for a preview of ULTIMATE COMICS AVENGERS #4

THOR GIANT-SIZE FINALE CONCLUDES J.MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI'S INCREDIBLE RUN THIS WEDNESDAY AND SETS UP THINGS FOR "SIEGE" IN 2010



Thor is another one of those characters like Iron Man, that I think I had missed out on a lot of the great runs with. I mean, I grew up during Thunderstrike, you know? But, even before JMS did his take on Thor, I remember really first getting into the character with the late '90s relaunch that John Romita JR did the art for. In fact, that run was so freaking cool, I'd recommend it to anyone. I still think that John Romita JR is one of the BEST Thor artists around. You can snag the Romita stuff nowadays in the THOR VISIONARIES: JOHN ROMITA JR tpb.

Anyways, I'm getting sidetracked... JMS has really done an incredible job of capturing the wonder and magic of Thor, and bringing it down to earth, so it's grounded. There's this awesome sense of balance, where the reader doesn't feel disconnected from these characters (which is easy to do, because they're Gods), but at the same time, experiences a real true sense of wonder when they come across things like the first sight of new Asgard.

Anyways, JMS's modern classic of a run has come to it's end, and this week we see the huge finale in the pages of THOR GIANT SIZE FINALE. Much like the OLD MAN LOGAN GIANT-SIZE SPECIAL, this will conclude the run, and leave things fresh and open for the next creative team to pick up the reigns on.

There's lots of plot threads to be tied up here, and lots of questions to be answered. What does Dr. Doom have in store for the Asgardians? How will Loki's plans play out? And, who will be the King of Asgard? And, along with Invincible Iron Man 20, this book is supposed to lay some serious seeds for the events of the upcoming SIEGE event... could that shot of Asgard crashing on the promo posters be related?

We don't know, but we're stoked to find out this week!

UNCANNY X-MEN #517 *NATION X PT 2* THE RETURN OF MAGNETO CONTINUES IN THIS WEEK'S UNCANNY X-MEN!



Nation X got off to a strong start in the pages of UNCANNY X-MEN #516, with a surprising (yet probably a trap) attitude towards the X-MEN. Now, judging just from the first issue of Nation X (UXM 516), here's my prediction... Cyclops is gonna go fully bad guy in this story arc. For real. For the better part of this decade, Marvel has developed Cyclops in a very dark direction. He's taken the reigns of the X-Men, he's authorized the X-Force (a team of mutants that are authorized to KILL), and much more. His actions in UXM 516 totally look like we might see Cyclops becoming Magneto's next right hand man. But, we'll see, you know?

Anyways, in this week's issue, we get to see the X-Men dealing with the return of Magneto, and trying to figure out what his place in the grand scheme of things is. Not to mention, the aftermath of Utopia, and a herd of Predator Xs... we think it's gonna rock.

If you missed UNCANNY X-MEN 516, don't worry, we still have plenty in stock for you get caught up with.

Click here for a preview of UNCANNY X-MEN #517 *NATION X PT 2*

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 9/30/09

BLACKEST NIGHT DELIVERS THIS WEDNESDAY: GREEN LANTERN #46& BLACKEST NIGHT TITANS #2!1 TWO BIG BOOKS SPINNING OUT OF THIS CRAZY AWESOME EVENT!

Blackest Night continues to be one of the best damn things hitting the Third Eye racks. The storytelling all across the board continues to not only stay strong, and consistent, but even has been improving. Usually with big events, things kind of lose their way mid-way through. Not the case with Blackest Night. This one has been a solid hit, and all of the tie-in books have been A+ material.

This leads me to this week's Blackest Night Titans #2. The first issue of this REALLY impressed me. Let me start off by saying I have never been a big Titans fan. I really dug Geoff Johns's run on Teen Titans, and I've got a fond place in my heart for all the classic Marv Wolfman and George Perez stuff. But, outside of that, never been a big fan. Which is why it surprised me how into BLACKEST NIGHT TITANS I was. This was a great first issue, and as someone who hasn't been following the Titans for years upon years, I didn't feel lost at all. In fact, it was the perfect refresher and entry point into characters I hadn't paid close attention to in a very long time. Great artwork, great storytelling, I was impressed. And, hitting this week, we've got the second issue with BLACKEST NIGHT TITANS #2. If you missed the first one, fear not, Third Eye Faithful, we have plenty still in stock here at Third Eye for you to catch up with. Click here to check out a preview of BLACKEST NIGHT TITANS #2!

And, coming right alongside this week's Blackest Night Titans, is the next issue of the consistently fantastic GREEN LANTERN core title. If you're only following two books in this entire event, then this and BLACKEST NIGHT are the ones you need to be reading. In fact, Geoff Johns (who writes both), has been fleshing out minor plot points in the main series in the pages of the Green Lantern monthly. Last month, we got a nice little look at Sinestro and the Star Sapphire, and their encounter. And, for months, even before Blackest Night, we've seen Mongul slowly taking control of the Sinestro Corps. Sinestro's after Mongul, and Hal Jordan's after Sinestro.. could the two form an unlikely alliance? Well, from the sounds of things, it looks like all those Black Rings that're bringing the fallen Sinestro Corps members back from the grave are gonna put ALL three of these guys as marked men. How awesome does this sound, right? More of that solid, action-packed storytelling from Geoff Johns, paired up with some gorgeous art from Doug Mahnke. Click here to read more about GREEN LANTERN #46!


OCTOBER CREATOR SPOTLIGHT: GEOFF JOHNS, WRITER OF BLACKEST NIGHT, FLASH REBIRTH, AND MUCH MORE! PLUS, WIN A FREE COPY OF ABSOLUTE GREEN LANTERN REBIRTH



Geoff Johns has been the one man task force that's single-handedly brought the DCU back to center-stage. For the last few years, he's built a name for himself with critically acclaimed runs on everything from Green Lantern and JSA to Action Comics and The Flash.

The man has an incredible talent for taking characters that had once fallen out of favor with fans, or had never really been given the props they deserve, and making them into superstar titles. He's able to take Silver Age concepts and apply an amazing 21st Century approach to things that once may have not worked.

This month at Third Eye, we're going to be debuting our new and improved monthly Creator Spotlight. We plan on rotating this once a month, and spotlighting a different creator at the end of every month. Sometimes it'll be artists, sometimes writers, and sometimes specific teams of artists and writers that really mesh well together. We figured with how stoked everyone is about Blackest Night, we'd shine the light on Mr. Geoff Johns and some of his work you may not have already read.

Also, as an added bonus, we're going to be running a special promotion all through October, beginning this Wednesday (9/30, okay, we know it's not October, sue us), whenever you buy a trade paperback that's written by Geoff Johns, you will be given a raffle ticket for a chance to win a copy of the ABSOLUTE GREEN LANTERN REBIRTH (a $75 value) that's due out this April. We'll be having the raffle on October 31st, and the winner will be given a certificate to redeem for the ABSOLUTE GREEN LANTERN REBIRTH when it ships in April. And yes, you can get one ticket for EVERY Geoff Johns written trade paperback you purchase. So, if you get three or four trades written by the man himself, then you'll get three or four raffle tickets.

Why're we doing this? Cause Geoff Johns has written a lot of killer books, and we figure that a lot of you may have already read Rebirth, but still want the Absolute Edition, without having to buy the same story all over again. Well, here's your chance to get it... FREE!

Now, before we move on, we're going to give you guys a run down on some of our favorite Geoff Johns trades, including some lesser known ones you might not be familiar with:

The Flash: Blood Will Run - Collecting the beginning of Geoff Johns's amazing run on the Flash, Blood Will Run sets the tone perfectly for Johns's work on the Flash. I have to say that Johns's Flash stuff became my favorite Flash run of all-time, and if you're looking to find out what he was doing with Wally West before he took on Barry Allen, then Blood Will Run is where you want to begin.

Superman and the Legion of Superheroes - While Last Son was the first in Johns's awesome run on Action Comics (and a damn good start it was), Superman and the Legion of Superheroes remains our favorite Johns story in his Action run. Maybe it's because it made me appreciate how cool the Legion can be, but this was a solid story.

Infinite Crisis - The event that set the stage for the last few years of DCU history, this one is where Superboy Prime really came into his own as a pure jerk. Not to mention it brought back the multiverse in a pretty cool fashion. Johns shines on this one, big time, a sign of things to come.

Green Lantern: Sinestro Corps Wars - Three trades, all awesome. If you haven't read this, and you're loving Blackest Night, then you gotta check it out. This sets the stage PERFECTLY for everything that is going on right now in the DCU.

The Thing: Freakshow & The Vision: Yesterday and Tomorrow - Geoff Johns did Marvel Comics? Yup. For a very short stint he did, and they ruled. In Freakshow, Johns shows the Thing travelling across the country where he encounters Kree and Skrulls fighting over a baby Watcher. And, then in the Vision limited series, Johns adds more depth to the Vision's character in four issues than anyone has in ages.

Green Lantern: Rebirth - How could we not mention Rebirth? Johns brought Hal Jordan back in this modern classic, and it still stands as one of the best limited series of this decade. Great artwork, and great storytelling make this one an absolute must-read.

The Possessed - Geoff Johns does Horror Comics. This one is pretty cool, and has an Exorcist meets Comic Book kind of feel to it. It also shows Johns's skills when it comes to telling different stories, and is a very cool one-shot survival horror/religious horror story.

Teen Titans: A Kid's Game - This book made me like the Teen Titans. A new generation of Titans featuring Tim Drake, Impulse, Superboy, and more. The first trade starts things off with a bang, with the very memorbale incident of Deathstroke blowing Impulse's kneecaps off.

Booster Gold: 52 Pick-Up - Who would think that Booster Gold could not only carry an ongoing series, but a successful one at that? And without Blue Beetle!? Well, don't get us wrong, we love Booster, but we were skeptical. Johns manages to kick things off right as he takes Booster in and out of time, through pivotal points of DCU history. A great, fun read!

JSA: Darkness Falls - The first trade in Geoff Johns's career-defining run on the JSA. David Goyer started things off right, but it was Johns who turned this book into a big hit. Too many good story arcs to get into here, but he is single-handedly responsible for bringing characters like Black Adam, Hawkman, and Dr. Fate back to the center-stage of the DCU.

These are just a few of Johns's awesome stories, be sure to check our Creator Spotlight in the store this week to see all the cool stuff this guy has done!

BATMAN: WIDENING GYRE #2 FROM CLERKS & MALLRATS DIRECTOR KEVIN SMITH HITS THIS WEDNESDAY! CHECK OUT THIS AWESOME NEW BATMAN BOOK! WE LOVE IT!



The first issue of KEVIN SMITH'S Widening Gyre book knocked our socks off. We dug Cacophony, but there were a few minor complaints we had with it. Just little stuff. Widening Gyre? No complaints, none at all. He's hit his stride with this one, and looks to be delivering some stellar stuff with this series. This one is set outside of the current Bat-continuity, so Bruce is still Batman, and Dick is still Nightwing. And, that's one of the things we really liked about the book. The dynamic between Nightwing and Batman. Nightwing is not dark, nor brooding, and Bruce has evolved into his stone cold self. So, the interplay between the two, including Nightwing reminscing about days gone past, was very good. The first issue gave us murder victims with roots and vines protruding from all of their bodily orifices, in a very bloody fashion, which then leads us straight to an Arkham Asylum that's heavily entrenched in plant-life. And, just when you think we're seeing a killer Poison Ivy story unfold, Kevin Smith brings in Etrigan, the Demon... and makes him one hell of a vicious character.

All in all, this one got off to a great start, and we're pumped to see where it goes next. Plus, Walt Flanagan's pencils have improved a lot since last year's Cacophony, and his style has actually grown on us a lot. If you missed #1, don't worry, we've still got it in stock to check out, and catch up with.

Click here for a preview of BATMAN: WIDENING GYRE #2!

ULTIMATUM HARDCOVER AVAILABLE AT THIRD EYE WEDNESDAY, COLLECTING JEPH LOEB AND DAVID FINCH'S OVER-THE-TOP MARVEL MELTDOWN EPIC!



One of last year's biggest Marvel events was the destruction of the Ultimate Marvel Universe in the pages of ULTIMATUM. The plot? Plain and simple, Magneto goes mad, gets Thor's hammer, and proceeds to bring about the end of the world. Tons of characters die. TONS. I mean, if you want to see heads being squashed, or blown off by optic blasts, then you need to read ULTIMATUM.

What really made this series a great read was David Finch's stellar artwork. Finch always shines, but drawing widescale destruction, and nearly EVERY Ultimate Marvel character you can think of, really brought out the best in him.

This week, the hardcover collecting the entire run hits, and you can now witness everything from the Blob eating Wasp, to Hank Pym biting off the Blob's head... just trust us, folks, this one is CRAZY!

DIE HARD: YEAR ONE #1 - THE OFFICIAL PREQUEL STORY TO THE CLASSIC 1988 DIE HARD FILM! JOHN MCCLANE AS A ROOKIE COP? HOW CAN YOU NOT BE STOKED TO SEE WHAT THIS ONE'S ALL ABOUT!



There are some things that are just plain and simple true in American pop culture. You always shoot a zombie in the head. Sloth loves Chunk. And, don't feed Gremlins afer midnight. Another one of those beautiful truths is that DIE HARD ALWAYS rules. ALWAYS. Even, when it's not that great, it's still pretty damn good. So, you can understand how excited I was when I found out about this official prequel to the DIE HARD films, featuring a rookie John McClane, encountering his first catastrophe.

And, I know that a lot of you are big DIE HARD fans as well. While you get a good feel for the character in the first movie, this new ongoing series from Howard Chaykin features a much rawer, ready to bust some heads John McClane, who's fresh out of the Marines and straight into the NYPD.It's set in the '70s, a decade before the first film, and features McClane dealing with the ups and downs of being a young cop in '70s New York.

Click here to read an interview with Howard Chaykin about the new DIE HARD YEAR ONE series!


ED BRUBAKER'S SLEEPER SEASON TWO TPB DELIVERS THE SECOND HALF TO BRUBAKER'S CLASSIC SUPERHERO NOIR THRILLER! FANS OF INCOGNITO, CHECK THIS OUT!



Before Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips wowed us with CRIMINAL and INCOGNITO, they cut their teeth on a very underrated cult favorite known as SLEEPER. The first trade collecting the first 12 issues of Sleeper, "Season 1", came out earlier this year. The second trade, collecting the final 12 issues of Sleeper, "Season 2", arrives this Wednesday. And, we have to say, we're stoked. It's great to finally see this masterpiece in it's entirety available in collected format.

The story? Holden Carver aka the Conductor, is a man who has been placed undercover into a criminal empire of metahumans. What's Carver's power? After his body had been grafted with an alien artificat, he has an enhanced healing power.. and more importantly, the ability to store pain he receives and then transfer it onto others. Of course, in true noir fashion, he hates his abilities, and would love to be done with them.

The path that Carver takes to rise through the criminal empire, making the rank of lieutenant is a fascinating one, and will keep you page-turning all the way through. If you're a fan of either CRIMINAL, or INCOGNITO, then you must read SLEEPER. We currently have Sleeper Season One also in stock, as well as the prequel, POINT BLANK. However, if you've already read the first season, then we know you're going already anticipating this collection.


Marvel Brings It's Pulpy Roots Back With This Week'sSHANG-CHI: MASTER OF KUNG FU - DEADPOOL VERSUS SHANG-CHI! NEW FORMAT!



Way back in the day, Marvel used to publish some of it's more edgier, and mature titles under an imprint named "Curtis Magazines." The most well-known of these was the classic Savage Sword of Conan issues. The reasoning? Well, back in the '70s, the comics code was still in full effect, and if you wanted to publish stuff that wasn't code approved, you had to go the magazine route. This is kind of what brought about the popularity of magazines like Creepy, Vampirella, and Eerie. The result? Amazing, pulpy, gritty, and violent tales that were way ahead of their time. Characters like Dracula, and Conan, along with other characters that didn't fit the traditional Marvel mold all received the big, grand, black and white magazine treatment.

Now, Marvel has brought the format back this week with the return of one of their best cult favorite characters, Shang-Chi, Master of Kung Fu. It's been a while since we've seen the Master of Kung Fu, and with the way that characters like Iron Fist and Moon Knight have been developed and evolved with modern storytelling, we're eager to see the treatment he receives. This is a special one-shot issue featuring some of Marvel's rising star talents, like JONATHAN HICKMAN (Secret Warriors, Pax Romana), Jason Aaron, Charlie Huston (acclaimed crime novelist), and more. Oh, and it also features a nice little showdown between Shang-Chi and some guy named Deadpool that seems to be making a splash, wonder who he is? :)

So, for only $3.99, you get a big thick 48 page slab of violent, pulpy kung-fu action in the grand tradition of the Marvel Mags of yore. Personally, I am stoked for this. It's something fresh, and it looks like it has some real teeth to it.

Click here to read a preview of SHANG-CHI MASTER OF KUNG FU SUPER ISSUE!

DC ANIMATED FEATURE, SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES, AVAILABLE TOMORROW AT THIRD EYE! PLUS, PICK UP THE GRAPHIC NOVEL THAT INSPIRED THE FEATURE!



DC has been releasing some very high quality animated features these past few years. From the recent (and very awesome) GREEN LANTERN: FIRST FLIGHT to the Wonder Woman animated feature, they've been hitting them all out of the park. This week, one of my personal favorite stories gets the animated treatment, when SUPERMAN/BATMAN PUBLIC ENEMIES arrives.

Based off of the graphic novel by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness, this one is the perfect fit for the animated feature format, and we couldn't be more stoked to see McGuinesses's vibrant designs brought to life on the screen.

We'll have both the DVD of Superman/Batman Public Enemies, and the graphic novel that inspired the film, available tomorrow at Third Eye.

Click hereto watch the trailer for SUPERMAN/BATMAN PUBLIC ENEMIES!

PUNISHER ANNUAL #1 - A PRELUDE TO... FRANKENCASTLE? What is the deal with Punisher: Rest in Pieces?



This week, Punisher Annual, delivers the set-up for one of Marvel's quirkier stories this year. Personally, when I first heard mention of a "Frankenpunisher" storyline, I was kind of weirded out. I mean, I've said it once, and I'll say it again, Rick Remender's run on Punisher has been one of the best runs on the Punisher in a long time, outside of Ennis's MAX run. It's a completely different approach, but he has a very interesting way of fitting the character into the main line Marvel continuity that has had us coming back again, and again.

And, apparently, this one which synchs up with the DARK REIGN: THE LIST Punisher one-shot due out soon (with John Romita JR art too!), and the events that occur in that one-shot. From what I can gather, it involves The Punisher and Dark Wolverine putting a serious hurt on one another.

Either way, this Wednesday, the PUNISHER ANNUAL #1 is the set-up for the big events that are going to be happening with Punisher this year. All we know is it's been cryptically nicknamed Frankencastle by Marvel, and we're kind of intrigued to see just how exactly this is going to play out. It could either be REALLY awesome, or a dud. We have faith in Remender though to deliver.

Click here for an interview with Remender about his plans for the Punisher this year.


STAFF PICKS FOR LAST WEEK'S BOOKS!
Trish - SPIDER-WOMAN #1 - This was a great first issue. It reminded me of La Femme Nikita, the spy TV series. Very dark, and maturely themed, it's going to be cool to see Spiderwoman's place in the Marvel Universe develop.

Torma - INCREDIBLE HULK #602 - The artwork on this run starting with issue #601 (the perfect jumping on point) is amazing. Ariel Olivetti's incredible! This was a great issue, which gave us an old school battle royale between Skaar, the Son of Hulk and the Juggernaut. The Old Power vs. the Unstoppable.

Steve - SUPERMAN: SECRET ORIGIN #1 - I expected this to be good, but, dude, I was still blown away. I'm not a big Superman guy, but when he's done right, there's no denying that the big blue boyscout is one of this medium's most iconic characters. Geoff Johns sums it up in his re-telling of Superman's history, and the meeting between him and Lex Luthor... VERY well done!