THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR 7/15/09! BLACKEST NIGHT BEGINS!

BLACKEST WEDNESDAY THIS WEEK AS BLACKEST NIGHT #1 ARRIVES AT THIRD EYE COMICS! BUY BLACKEST NIGHT #1, GET A FREE BLACK LANTERN RING THIS WEDNESDAY!

It's the big one this week, folks. That's right, the biggest summer event this year is by far DC Comics's Blackest Night. You better believe this one is going to be awesome. I mean, just the prologue alone blew me the hell away! And, now, it's finally time for the official first issue of this amazing event. Geoff Johns has been laying the foundations for nearly three years, and the closer we got, the better things looked. Now, that we're finally here, it looks like we're going to get a summer event that follows through in everything it's promising. Johns has gone on record saying there will be NO delays in between issues, and that he and Peter Tomasi (Green Lantern Corps writer) will be overseeing the entire thing. Hell, most of the one-shots and tie-ins are written by Johns, if that tells you anything.

What's the deal with Blackest Night? It's the arrival of the Black Lanterns, which represent DEATH. And, it's going to be every dead DC Universe character you can think of being risen from their graves into horrifying, mangled versions of themselves as Black Lanterns. Now, does this sound awesome or what? We're talking every bag of bones you can think of, from Pa Kent to Earth-2 Superman.. It's going to be off the hook! Click here to read the wikipedia entry about BLACKEST NIGHT! Cool tidbit about BLACKEST NIGHT? The concept was originally created by Alan Moore in an old one-off story way back in the day, and Johns picked up on the idea at the end of his Sinestro Corps War arc to take things further.

And, in the words of the late, great Billy Mays.. but wait, there's more! Every copy of BLACKEST NIGHT #1 you purchase here at Third Eye will come with a FREE Black Lantern ring! This is one of the coolest promo items we've seen in a very long time for a comic, and the demand for the ring alone has got everyone whipped up into a frenzy. So, while we have plenty, make sure you reserve your copy of Blackest Night to ensure you get your free ring, or just get in here on Wednesday, and snag a copy of BLACKEST NIGHT to get your free ring!

So, the question is, Third Eye faithful, are you ready for the dead to rise this Wednesday? We are!

BLACKEST WEDNESDAY: BLACKEST NIGHT: TALES OF THE CORPS #1 & TITANS #15 *BLACKEST NIGHT* EXPAND ON THE MYSTERIOUS BLACK LANTERNS!

And, before we move onto all the other awesomeness hitting our racks this Wednesday, we can't forget about one of the key Blackest Night tie-ins, BLACKEST NIGHT: TALES OF THE CORPS #1. This special three issue limited series explores the mysteries and secrets behind the Lanterns of Blackest Night. So, whether you've been curious about the motives behind a certain Red Lantern, or the creations of Orange Lantern Blume, this one will be exploring everything. And, best of all, it's being written by the current Green Lantern and Green Lantern Corps writers, Geoff Johns and Peter Tomasi. So, you know that the story is going to be absolutely on point. The preview pages look great, and whenever Johns does his "Tales of the Corps"-style stories, they're always spot on. The big deal though is how all of these intriguing characters fit into Blackest Night, and what tidbits are dropped as to who Black Lanterns will be! Click here for a preview of BLACKEST NIGHT: TALES OF THE CORPS #1

The other Blackest Night tie-in this Wednesday is TITANS #15, which features the return of TEMPEST (you may remember him as Aqualad).. why is this a big deal? Well, one of the confirmed BLACK LANTERNS is none other than AQUAMAN! And, from the description of the solicits, the last page of this issue will leave us all buzzing like that hive of hornets you used to throw rocks at as a kid. Click here to read a preview of TITANS #15 *BLACKEST NIGHT* (note: this is a CBR preview, so the link may not redirect properly)

DARK AVENGERS #7 *DARK X-MEN* NORMAN OSBORN'S TEAM OF DARK X-MEN BUTT HEADS WITH HIS DARK AVENGERS THIS WEDNESDAY! ALL CHAPTERS OF THE DARK X-MEN SAGA CURRENTLY STILL IN STOCK!

The DARK X-MEN saga has been one of this summer's exciting Marvel storylines. The whole Dark Avengers thing as a whole has been a fantastic, and solid read, and the expansion into a team of mutants working for Osborn has had us coming back for more and more. And, with Dark Avengers, pretty much being the flagship book of both DARK REIGN, and yes, the Marvel Universe, of course, you know that's where the big stuff is going to be going down with the Dark X-Men arc. After learning the motivations of Osborn's team of mutants in last week's DARK X-MEN: BEGINNINGS, we're pretty intrigued to see where the story will be taking us next. And, it doesn't hurt that rising star Matt Fraction is helping Bendis out on this issue (as the DARK X-MEN arc is pretty much Fraction's baby, and trust us, folks, Fraction is another one of those guys who's right on the cusp of breaking out as one of the major talents in the industry right now, he's been wowing us for years on everything from Invincible Iron Man and Iron Fist to lesser known stuff like Five Fists of Science and Casanova), and we also get some more of those rock solid Mike Deodato pencils.

Anyway, things are getting pretty serious in the Dark Avengers camp, and the Sentry is really beginning to question Osborn's way of doing things. Plus, The Beast (no, not the Dark Beast), is losing all his hair, claws, and completely falling apart... I'm sorry, but something about that just screams cool.

Either way, Dark Avengers continues to be a top notch, top tier book, and we're stoked to see where the Dark X-Men saga will be taking us next. Click here for a preview of DARK AVENGERS #7! *DARK X-MEN*

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SANDMAN AUTHOR NEIL GAIMAN'S BATMAN: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE CAPED CRUSADER AND OTHER STORIES HARDCOVER COLLECTION AVAILABLE THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE!

All we have to do is say the man's name, and you know you're in for a quality work of fiction. However, when you tack Gaiman's name onto one of the most beloved and iconic comic book heroes of all time... the Dark Knight, then you know you're really in for a treat. This amazingly well put together hardcover collection features Gaiman's heart-wrenching Whatever Happened to The Caped Crusader story arc from last year, as well as a handful of classic previously never before collected Gaiman Batman stories. There's a couple of these we haven't even got a chance to read yet, so of course, we're pumped to check this out.

And, like last week's ALAN MOORE'S WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW? this is going to be all put together in a nice, affordably priced hardcover collection that it deserves. There's some things that deserve the hardcover treatment, and Gaiman and Moore working on iconic characters are definitely those things.

Click here to read more about BATMAN: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE CAPED CRUSADER?

INCOGNITO #5 - ED BRUBAKER & SEAN PHILLIPS CRIME NOIR MASTERPIECE CONTINUES TO KEEP US ON THE EDGE OF OUR SEATS! ONE OF THIRD EYE'S CONSISTENT TOP 5s!

Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips have been keeping us extremely enthralled with their magnificent apocalyptic superhero pulp noir story, INCOGNITO. We were already big fans of their work on CRIMINAL and SLEEPER (now finally available again in trade paperback), and INCOGNITO has been some of the best stuff we've read yet. This week, we get another slab of the pulpy goodness that is INCOGNITO, and we can't wait to see where things go next.

What's INCOGNITO all about? Picture this.. a supervillain rehabilitates and goes into Witness Protection, he's given a new life as a bored office drone, and becomes miserable in his new mundane existence... he yearns for the excitement of his old life. Spiraling into a mess of alcohol and drug abuse, he becomes more and more disenfranchised until he realizes that the drugs have cancelled out the medication he was on to subdue his powers. One more night out, he thinks, in the costume.. and from there.. things go horribly wrong.

Incognito is one of the darkest looks at the dynamics of superhumans in comics, and Brubaker does such a damn fine job telling the story. If you missed out on INCOGNITO early on, don't sweat it.. we still have plenty of the INCOGNITO must-have collecting issues #1&#2, as well as limited quantities of #3, and plenty of #4. So, now's your chance to catch up on what has been one of our favorite limited series this year.

Click here to read more about INCOGNITO.

DEADPOOL #12 *DEADPOOL VS. BULLSEYE CHAPTER 3* HITS THIS WEDNESDAY, ALONGSIDE WITH DEADPOOL SUICIDE KINGS #1, 2 AND 3 ALL BACK IN STOCK!

Marvel has been delivering dose after dose of Deadpool awesomeness, and we're still hungry for more! The current ongoing series of Deadpool has really been a solid read month after month, but with issue #10 (Chapter One of Deadpool vs. Bullseye), it really hit it's stride. We're very impressed with it, because hey, it's Bullseye, who's always awesome, and it's Deadpool.. you put those two psychopaths together, and you're bound to get some fun reading! The third installment hits this week, and the blood continues to spill, and ol' Wade Wilson and Bullseye don't want the fun to end! Click here for a preview of DEADPOOL #12 *DEADPOOL VS BULLSEYE CHAPTER 3*

Also, back in stock this week, we have the first three issues of the red hot DEADPOOL: SUICIDE KINGS limited series. This limited has Deadpool taking on everyone from the Punisher to Daredevil to Spider-man, and more. And, it's been a freaking blast! We're stoked to announce that Marvel has put the first three issues back into print, and we'll have them all on Wednesday. So, if you missed em the first time around, then you're in luck to catch up now. Plus, you'll be just in time for when Deadpool Suicide Kings #4 his next week! Click here to read all about DEADPOOL SUICIDE KINGS, and to see the wicked new covers on issues 1-3 (they're a homage to the OLD MAN LOGAN widespread covers)

CAPTAIN AMERICA #601 PICKING UP ON PLOT THREADS OF CAPTAIN AMERICA #600 & REBORN! WITH ART BY COMICS LEGEND GENE COLAN!

We know we weren't the only ones who thought that the new REBORN series from Brubaker and Hitch started off with a bang. It was a fantastic read, and there's some very interesting concepts being brought into the forefront of the story that we're really excited to see how they play out. And, now, before the next issue of REBORN hits at the end of this month, Marvel is giving us a killer read in the pages of CAPTAIN AMERICA #601. This is a special double-sized issue that gives us a look at a forgotten and untold story of Cap, Bucky and Nick Fury back in their WW2 days. And, if we know Brubaker, and how he likes to sprinkle in the tidbits and hints to big things.. we're expecting a very interesting read in relation to how this may fit into the bigger picture of the Marvel universe.

Ontop of all that, it's got art by comics legend, Gene Colan, yes, the man responsible for a big Third Eye classic favorite.. Tomb Of Dracula (under the Marvel Comics banner)! So, not only do we get some killer Brubaker story on one of the most solid books hitting the stands, but we're also in for a treat with some amazing artwork from a classic great like Gene Colan. Click here for a preview of CAPTAIN AMERICA #601!

PHILIP K. DICK'S DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP #1 DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY! THE STORY THAT INSPIRED BLADE RUNNER!

There are some stories, and more importantly, some films, that just resonate with us as fans. They're the kinds of stories that rest comfortably at the top of the DVD stack. You know, in those special fancy edition cases. The kind that we really hold near and dear to our hearts. Blade Runner is by far, one of those stories. Harrison Ford, Replicants, a dystopian future... it's all just too damn compelling not to love. And now, the classic book, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep is being put into a comic book series from the fine folks at BOOM! Entertainment.

The preview pages definitely make the new series look very innovative, and we're very excited to see how the story translates into comic book format. Plus, it's Philip K. Dick... I mean, the man is a huge influence on some of the best comic writers working today.. from Ellis to Morrison, you can find little hints of Dick's influence on modern serial fiction authors.

So, got a hankering for a good cyberpunk dystopian future saga? Or, just a huge Blade Runner fan? Give DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP a look this Wednesday. Just remember, this one's a BOOM! comic, and they go out of print quick, and while we've ordered decently on it.. if you want it really bad, please get in touch with us to reserve a copy, cause once they sell out it'll be a few weeks before the second print.

Click here for a preview of DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP #1!

WEDNESDAY COMICS #2 FOLLOWS UP THE RED HOT FIRST INSTALLMENT OF DC'S NEW 12-WEEK HIT SERIES!

Amazing! That's the only word we can think of to describe how we felt about DC's new WEDNESDAY COMICS series that debuted last week. While it took a little getting used to the format, after the first strip or two.. we were sold. This is an awesome idea. The stories read so well, and in the large, oversized format... it really is a work of art. The fact that DC's brought in tons of top notch talent, like NEIL GAIMAN, MIKE ALLRED, PAUL POPE, BRIAN AZZARELLO, AMANDA CONNER, LEE BERMEJO, JOE KUBERT, and more only sweetens the pot. It was so good that it even exceeded our expectations, and we were sold out by Monday morning of #1. But, don't worry, we will have more WEDNESDAY COMICS #1s back in stock tomorrow afternoon, so you can still hop aboard.

As for this week? Well, it's the second installment folks, Wednesday Comics #2.. and lets face it, a comic that's this good, this unconventional, it's got a very fitting name. Wednesday's our day of worship here at Third Eye, and we're flattered to see DC giving the most important day of the week the props it deserves!

DYNAMITE'S SHERLOCK HOLMES #3 & BUCK ROGERS #2 BRING HIGH MYSTERY AND HIGH ADVENTURE TO THIRD EYE THIS WEDNESDAY!

Dynamite really delivered a couple of hits with these two new series they've unleashed on us. The Sherlock Holmes from Leah Moore (Alan Moore's daughter) has been fantastic. A perfect, pulpy representation of the great detective in all of his glory. Solid artwork, solid story... and it's definitely been a hit with the rest of you guys as well. So it's cool to know we're not the only ones really digging the Sherlock Holmes series. And, the third issue continues with Holmes on the run, and Watson on the case to figure out just what the hell is going on! Click here to read more about SHERLOCK HOLMES #3!

And, then on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, the modern twist on the sci-fi hero, Buck Rogers, gets it's second issue this Wednesday as Dynamite continues their fresh, and inventive take on the classic Man Out Of Time. Click here for a preview of BUCK ROGERS #2!

BOOM ENTERTAINMENT UNVEILS POE #1 FEATURING THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF EDGAR ALLEN POE

And while we're on the subject of mysteries, detectives, and all that good stuff... lets give you a heads up on the new BOOM series POE kicking off this Wednesday. Not only did Edgar Allen Poe invent the mystery genre, but he also dabbled in a little detective work himself. This series follows the famous author as he seeks out the killer of his brother's friend. Supernatural mystery at it's finest. This one looks like a must for fans of stuff like Hellboy, and BPRD!

Click here for a preview of POE #1!

CREEPY COMICS RETURNS THIS WEDNESDAY! ONE OF STEVE'S FAVORITE HORROR COMICS GETS A SECOND LEASE ON LIFE!

When I was a kid growing up on way too many comic books, and way too much punk rock, I used to hassle my parents whenever we were out of town somewhere to stop at the little hole in the wall bookstores, and off-the-wall junk stores. Back in the day, Ocean City had some of the best when it came to hidden treasures. It was a true carnival-esque experience going there back then, and you could always be sure to find some sketchy little store that sold magic tricks, incense, and used books. It was at one of those places that I first discovered CREEPY. Now, I was a monster kid, you see, at the age of 11, obsessed with horror movies, I discovered the recently returned to print Famous Monsters of Filmland stuff.. and that's what really piqued my interest, cause there was a few of those in this stack of CREEPY and EERIE Warren Magazines. And man, was I glad I bought the whole stack (and for like $5!)... all those Frazetta covers, and off the wall stories of vampires, martians, and barbarians helped shape my childhood. So, it's no secret, that when Dark Horse decided they were going to bring CREEPY back.. I got completely and totally stoked.

This one is a MUST for all you horrorhounds out there! Dark Horse has assembled some top notch creators to flesh out the recently returned horror anthology. Everyone from Bernie Wrightson to Eric Powell to Steve Niles are going to be involved in this book. So you know they're going to be dishing out some solid, horrific comics. So, if you want a solid horror anthology, do yourselves a favor and snag up the first issue of CREEPY this Wednesday! Click here for a preview of CREEPY #1!

AFTER WATCHMEN: THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE GET TWO MORE FREE COMICS TO TRY! JIM LEE'S BATMAN #608 *HUSH CHAPTER 1* & FABLES: PETER & MAX PREVIEW

Who loves you? Third Eye does! That's why we're going to be putting two more samplings of awesome reading into your hands this Wednesday. The first of which is the very first chapter of Jim Lee's classic Batman: Hush storyline. This is a fantastic storyline, and basically, is a great excuse to see Jim Lee draw nearly every damn Batman character he can think of. But hey, it's really pretty, and really fun to read! Click here to read more about BATMAN #608!

And, for all you Fables fans (and those of you who haven't yet discovered the awesomeness that is Fables), we've got the new FABLES: PETER & MAX preview book to give you a taste of the very first Fables prose novel. And man, does it look awesome.

Best of all.. both are absolutely free this Wednesday at Third Eye! So, get in here and snag some free reads!

BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #2 FROM BATMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES CREATOR PAUL DINI FOLLOWS UP ON THE SLEEPER HIT FIRST ISSUE!

Paul Dini did a hell of a job on the first issue of Streets of Gotham. We were really impressed. I mean, it's hard to stand out amongst such stellar books like Batman and Robin and Detective Comics, but, he really delivered big time on this one. Streets of Gotham provides a very cool, very gritty street-level look at the Gotham City, and it's new Caped Crusader. I mean, hell, the stuff he did in issue #1 with the Firefly alone.. was so twisted awesome, we loved it.

Big fan of Gotham Central? Want a hard-hitting, gritty look at the street level rogues of Gotham, and the sometimes crooked Gotham City Police Department who has to police them? Streets of Gotham is just the book for you.

Click here to check out a preview of BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #2!

PUNISHER #7 *DEAD END PT 2* CONTINUES REMENDER'S KICK-ASS RUN ON THE NEW PUNISHER ONGOING SERIES... AND HEY, JIGSAW'S BACK!

One of the surprises of late last year when Dark Reign kicked off was the brand new Punisher series from up and coming writer Rick Remender. This was the freshest, most exciting take we'd seen on the Punisher since GARTH ENNIS'S PUNISHER MAX run, and we've been loving every issue. It's very hard to fit the Punisher into the mainline 616 Marvel Universe and make it work. Trust us, we've seen many failed attempts. Remender gets it though.. he has the perfect balance of gritty, violent realness, but with just enough absurd Marvel madness to really make the series pop.

This is the second installment of the current story arc, DEAD END, where we see THE HOOD assembling a band of dead, retired, and long-forgotten supervillains who all have a very serious motive for executing the Punisher. Plus, we get to see Remender's take on JIGSAW! How freaking cool is that? Want to jump aboard the current Punisher ongoing? Issue #6 (still in stock at Third Eye) kicked off this current arc, and provides the perfect jumping on point. But, hey, if you want to go back further, we do have limited quantities available on issues 1-5. So, now's your time to catch up on one of the best Marvel ongoing series out. Fans of fresh takes on superhero storytelling like Invincible, and Matt Fraction's run on Iron Man, should give this one a look. Click here for a preview of PUNISHER #7 *DEAD END PT 2*

LAST RESORT #1 - AMANDA CONNER, DARWYN COOKE, JIMMY PALMIOTTI DOING GRINDHOUSE EXPLOITATION MADNESS IN COMIC BOOK FORM! A MUST FOR FANS OF '70S HORROR FLICKS AND FANS OF SICK, TWISTED FUN!

Okay, this one sounds really cool. Sometimes little gems like this kind of slide by, and you don't catch 'em the first time around. Now, admittedly, I'm a huge fan of '70s exploitation flicks.. you know, horror flicks, survival flicks, disaster flicks... all that good stuff... I love it, can't get enough! And, when you mention that some of my favorite creators... the very talented Amanda Conner, Darwyn Cooke, and the Jonah Hex team of Palmiotti and Grey would be doing a comic send-up to these great genres. Well, I flipped out with excitement. And, the actual interior artist, Giancarlo Caracuzzo, looks like he's going to be one hell of a talented newcomer, as his work is AWESOME.

Last Resort looks to be about a group of people stranded on an island, and the lengths they'll go through to survive. This includes cannibalism, murder, blackmail, and who knows what else.. plus, it's a '70s style desert island.. you know there's going to be some crazy stuff lurking in those palm trees!

So, you want something totally violent, totally outrageous, and totally off the wall? Give THE LAST RESORT a try this Wednesday. Click here to read a full preview of LAST RESORT #1!

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR 6/17/09

CAPTAIN AMERICA #600 AVAILABLE NOW AT THIRD EYE COMICS

That's right, folks, the biggest book of June is now available here at Third Eye Comics. They arrived in here on Wednesday, and we're going through them quick. If you need us to hold you a copy, then please get in touch with us, and we'll set one aside. What's the deal with Cap #600? Well, if you missed our e-mail from last night, here's a short summary: it's the integral set-up book for this summer's red hot REBORN limited series from Marvel Comics. Marvel has gone on record as saying that REBORN will be their big book this summer, and with the creative team of ED BRUBAKER & BRYAN HITCH, we know they mean business. What's the book about? Well, without giving away too many spoilers, here's my impression: it sets up the HOW of the big event, and opens up a lot of interesting questions as to just what the WHAT will be. What is Cap #600's deal? It's not a gimmick book, but a very good, solid read, that anyone who's been following comics will surely enjoy. We highly recommend it, and I'm going out on a limb to say it's some of Brubaker's finest Cap writing. They even packed in a little reprint material, but it's GOOD reprint material, not the lame kind you usually get to pad out a giant-size special.

As for REBORN, make sure to get in touch with us about adding it to your list now, as the first issue ships on July 1st, and this book is sure to be some of the hottest comic book awesomeness to hit this summer. So, make sure you pick up your copy of Captain America #600 to get you ready for REBORN this summer. You are not going to want to miss this key issue that sets up the landscape of the Marvel Universe for the rest of 2009, and 2010. It's not big in a jaw-dropping, oh my god big surprise sense, but big in a laying the groundwork for very important things to come. Trust me, folks, it's a stellar read that touches all corners of the Marvel Universe, and you're going to want to have your own copy.

Click here to read more about CAPTAIN AMERICA #600. To read an interview about REBORN, click here.

INCOGNITO #4 - BRUBAKER'S APOCALYPTIC PULP NOIR MASTERPIECE ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY, ALONGSIDE THE SLEEPER SEASON 1 TRADE PAPERBACK

Not only do we have a big slab of Brubaker coming at you in the pages of CAPTAIN AMERICA #600, but we've got two more great works by this uber-talented writer hitting on Wednesday as well. First off, is the uber-popular superhero noir story INCOGNITO, that he's been doing alongside CRIMINAL artist Sean Phillips. Incognito is some of the BEST storytelling we've read in comics in a very long time, and it's kept us on the edges of our seat for the past few months. Incognito is the story of a supervillain who's been living in Witness Protection, and after quickly becoming bored with his mundane 9-5 existence, he finds his powers returning. He goes out, one last time, to give his powers a shot, for old time's sake.. and he inadvertently saves a woman's life, just to be able to feel the rush of violence again. A twisted, dark look at the world of superhumans, Incognito is one of our favorite reads here at Third Eye, and if you haven't already jumped aboard, be sure to snag the INCOGNITO must-have which collects issues #1 & #2 this Wednesday. You WON'T be disappointed! This is what Brubaker is calling the "Most Twisted Look At Supervillains You've Ever Read!"

For those of you who've already been following Incognito, then you already know you're in for one hell of an over-the-top thrillride dripping in moody atmosphere, and over-the-top film noir awesomeness, and you're just as anxious for this fourth issue as we are here at Third Eye.

Click here for a preview of INCOGNITO #4

SLEEPER Season 1 also arrives this week from the same creative team that's bringing you INCOGNITO, and CRIMINAL, Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips. Sleeper is an often overlooked, highly underrated series from a few years back that's been long out of print. Think of Sleeper as a prelude to INCOGNITO. Very similar themes, and concepts are explored here as the genres of crime noir and superhero serial fiction are blended seamlessly and crafted together into one hell of a good read. Holden Carver is on a mission to infiltrate a secret criminal organization with it's foundations built on superhumans. He's lost contact with his agency, and gets more and more wrapped up in the dark world of crime he's fallen into. Sleeper's a solid read, and any fan of CRIMINAL or INCOGNITO should give this one a read. Click here to read more about SLEEPER SEASON ONE.

BATMAN: STREETS OF GOTHAM #1 DEBUTS THIS WEEK, AND CONTINUES THE NEW DIRECTION OF THE BATMAN TITLES! PLUS, IT'S WRITTEN BY PAUL DINI, THE MAN BEHIND THE CLASSIC BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES FROM THE '90s!

Now, allow me a quick indulgence before we kick off into talking about this exciting new ongoing series in the Batman family of titles. Paul Dini, is one half of the creative braintrust responsible for what I feel is not just the BEST Batman cartoon series, but the BEST Superhero cartoon series, Batman: the Animated Series. He and Bruce Timm redefined what it animated series based off comic books were all about. Not to mention, they introduced several storyline elements and characters that would be incorporated into the regular DCU continuity. And, whenever Dini comes aboard a Batman title, you know you're in for some serious detective-oriented Batman storytelling.

With the new ongoing, Batman: Streets of Gotham ongoing series, Dini and rock solid artist Dustin Nguyen, are going to be delivering the street-level view of the new Batman, and his effects on Gotham as a whole. Fans of Gotham Central, will especially want to give this one a look, as it promises to deliver the perspective of the Gotham City PD, which is always very interesting, considering the rich amount of supporting cast it's built over the years. But, this isn't just a book about GCPD, but, the entire city of Gotham, and how it's interacting with Dick Grayson as the new Batman. Now, the city doesn't know who the new caped crusader is, but they know... that there is something different about the Dark Knight. In this series, Dini will explore a very gritty, street-level Gotham City, and we know he'll be throwing his own detective-oriented style of storytelling onto the new caped crusader. In other words, Bat-fans, this one's gonna be a must read, and it looks very good.

Click here to check out a preview of Batman: Streets of Gotham #1!

DESTROYER #3 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE, WITH ROBERT KIRKMAN (of WALKING DEAD fame) DELIVERING EVEN MORE BLOOD, GUTS, & BRUTALITY IN THE PAGES OF THIS AWESOME MAX SERIES!

There's some creative teams that are just the perfect synergy of art and story, and Robert Kirkman and Cory Walker are definitely one of those teams. They go together like Peanut Butter & Jelly, Beer & Cigarettes, and Motorhead & Speeding Tickets. Seriously though, they work very well together. And they've been dropping our jaws with every issue of Kirkman's ultraviolent superhero yarn, DESTROYER, which has brought an old Invaders character out of obscurity and into the gory spotlight. This series has been, by far, some of the goriest stuff Kirkman's ever wrote. The concept? It's an aging vigilante who's dying, and decides it's his mission to eliminate all of his old foes.. by any means necessary. This means we've seen hearts ripped out, heads punched through, and even disembowelments with the butt of a rifle. How cool is that? And this week, it's DESTROYER vs. his arch-enemy, THE SCAR. You know you're pumped! Curious about Destroyer? We still have a very limited amount of #1 left, so hop on before it's too late to get caught up!

Click here for a preview of DESTROYER #3!

DARK REIGN FORECAST: PUNISHER #6 *NEW STORY ARC!*, DARK REIGN: HAWKEYE #3! DARK REIGN MISTER NEGATIVE #1! DARK REIGN FANTASTIC FOUR #4! DARK REIGN YOUNG AVENGERS #2! + MIGHTY AVENGERS & MORE!

It's a big week for Dark Reign books, folks! They're really putting out some of the higher caliber Dark Reign books this week, and we're pretty pumepd to see the directions Marvel's taking with the different titles. The top of the list, of course, is the current Punisher ongoing series which has been out of this world amazing. Rick Remender has been proving month after month that you can still explore a fresh, and exciting take on a character like Punisher who's often been overexposed in the past. This is the best Punisher run we've read since Garth Ennis's fantastic Punisher MAX run, and we're completely stoked to say that this new story arc kicking off which is escalating the war between the Punisher and the Hood looks to be a good one. If you want to catch up on your Punisher, fear not, we currently have all issues, 1-5 still in stock (but they're going fast), so check it out this week at Third Eye!

Next up on the Dark Reign list this week is the third installment of DARK REIGN: HAWKEYE #3, which has been one of the big stand-out Dark Reign limited series. I mean, come on, it's BULLSEYE'S own limited series, and we get to see him running around dressed as Hawkeye and killing the hell out of people. How can you not love it? But, now, the heroic guise is starting to slip, and Bullseye's homicidal mental state is becoming more obvious... how's ol' image-conscious Norman Osborn gonna handle this?

Also, kicking off this Wednesday is the first issue of the DARK REIGN: Mister Negative series which kicks off this week in DARK REIGN: MISTER NEGATIVE #1. Now, we all know how much I hate a lot of what came out of Brand New Day. And, I'll admit, I really haven't been taken by this Mister Negative guy. HOWEVER, this series features the talented pens of Fred Van Lente, and a new artist who's pencils have really impressed me. Not to mention, it's pretty much the Hood vs. Mr. Negative's NY criminal underworld.

And, we've also got the fourth issue of Jonathan Hickman's surprisingly awesome DARK REIGN: FANTASTIC FOUR #4, the follow up issue in DARK REIGN YOUNG AVENGERS #2, and MIGHTY AVENGERS #26! It's a good week for Dark Reign stuff, folks! So, don't miss out!

THE BOYS: HEROGASM #2 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY WITH MORE OF GARTH ENNIS'S SUPERPOWERED DEBAUCHERY & HIS CLASSIC DC SERIES, HITMAN, GETS REPRINTED AT LAST WITH THE FIRST VOLUME AVAILABLE THIS WEEK!

It's no secret. We're huge Garth Ennis fanboys here at Third Eye. Preacher's my all-time favorite series, and Ennis was the first comic creator, when I was just a pup, that I really took note of and made an effort to read EVERYTHING he did. And so far, he's only let me down once (but hey, maybe Dan Dare's a UK thing that I just don't understand). Otherwise, Ennis is always ontop of his game in delivering a well-told story with well-developed characters... and sometimes... with lots of horribly, depraved stuff going on in between all that. And make no mistake, Herogasm, his spin-off of the ultra-popular BOYS series, is definitely depraved. It's Ennis giving us his take on all the giant comic book events, and what really goes on behind the scenes with the degenerate capes that infest the world of THE BOYS. And while the capes are off being complete, twisted superhuman beings.. the Boys are putting their plans into action. You know you want this one, folks! Click here for a preview of BOYS: HEROGASM #2 And if you haven't came aboard yet, fear not.. we've got plenty of HEROGASM #1 in stock!

And, before you think I'm done gushing over my love of all things Ennis, hold up.. wait a minute.. it's time to talk about HITMAN. This series which has been relatively unknown for the better part of this decade, is one of Ennis's best works. Basically, a couple years into Preacher, Ennis began another ongoing series, this time, set in the confines of the DCU, but off in it's own little dirty corner of Gotham City. The story? Tommy Monaghan is your basic run of the mill contract killer thug who fumbles his way into receiving x-ray vision and moderate telepathy. Instead of becoming some kind of zany supervillain, or superhero.. he continues his existence as a hitman. The powers come with severe limits, and he has to use them sparingly, but they do come in handy. What's he do with his new powers? Well, he becomes a hitman who specializes in killing superhumans and supernatural threats, which are normally shunned by average hitmen. Ennis's run on Hitman went for 60 issues, and still remains one of my big DC Comics favorites. Classic scenes like Monaghan puking on Batman's boots, getting drunk at a bar with Kyle Rayner, and experiencing the same awe when encountering Superman as anyone else does balance well with the heavy influence of CIA & Mafia characters that exist in the story. What else makes this series so great? Like most Ennis books, the well fleshed out supporting cast.. from Tommy's best friend & partner, Natt Walls, Sean Noonan, Tommy's bartending father figure, and Ringo Chen, the only Hitman who comes close to Tommy's skill, a cold-blooded John Woo (think Hardboiled, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, ect)-style kind of hitman, to goofy characters like Six-Pack (a drunk who thinks he's a superhero) and Hacken (a crazy mercenary who thinks chainsaws are the answer to everything). This series is great, and it's fantastic it's back in print. Be sure to check out HITMAN: A RAGE IN ARKHAM Volume 1 in trade paperback this Wednesday!

INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #14 KICKS OFF SECOND HALF OF "AMERICA'S MOST WANTED", AND PROVIDES A GREAT JUMPING ON POINT FOR NEW READERS! ENTER THE CRIMSON DYNAMO!

One series that has been steady picking up steam here at Third Eye since it's launch last year has been Matt Fraction's Invincible Iron Man ongoing series. The first arc, the Five Nightmares, is highly recommended reading, and is now available in trade paperback. The combination of Fraction's fantastic storytelling, and Larocca's killer pencils makes this one a solid hit every issue. And, with the current direction of the series (Pepper Potts: Iron Woman?), we've been impressed month in, and month out with Fraction's unique high octane storytelling, and well-paced tech-espionage hybrid of twists and turns keeping us hooked. Not to mention, Larocca has drove every issue home strong with solid pencils.

And, you're probably like, Steve, shut up, it's 14 issues deep, I haven't started reading it yet... I don't want to catch up... well, guess what? #14 provides an excellent jumping on point. In fact, Fraction has said in interviews he's written this issue as a good jumping on point, and with the re-introduction of classic villains like Crimson Dynamo, and the always alluring iron-masked lady, Madame Masque, you know this is the perfect spot to hop aboard. So, do yourselves a favor and find out why Invincible Iron Man is one of Third Eye's favorite monthly Marvel books this Wednesday!

Click here to check out a preview of Invincible Iron Man #14!

CABLE #15 *MESSIAH WAR CHAPTER 6* DELIVERS THE PENULTIMATE CHAPTER IN THE EPIC MESSIAH WAR SERIES! PLUS, ALL ISSUES BACK IN STOCK FOR THIS EPIC X-MEN CROSSOVER!

Messiah War has been one heck of a satisfying follow-up to the events of Messiah Complex. We were a little disappointed in where the X-Books went immediately after Messiah War. That whole Manifest Destiny thing turned out to be a load of crap, and we were wondering when the books would pick back up to the high level of quality they'd been with Messiah Complex. Well, Messiah War, has definitely raised the bar on the X-Universe, as we're following Cable, X-Force, and company as they go head to head with Stryfe. And we're stoked everyone's taken notice of just how good both Cable and X-Force have been. We've been singing the praises of these titles for over a year now, and they're really starting to get the recognition they deserve.

And, this week, here at Third Eye, the penultimate chapter of Messiah War arrives in the pages of CABLE #15! And, it's not just one, but two of Cable's enemies who're on the verge of annihilating X-Force, Hope, and him.

Click here to check out a preview of CABLE #15 *MESSIAH WAR CHAPTER 6!*

THOR: THE TRIAL OF THOR ONE-SHOT ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY! THOR ON TRIAL FOR MURDERING FELLOW ASGARDIANS? FROST GIANT CARNAGE GALORE? FIND OUT THIS WEDNESDAY!

It's no secret that the current THOR ongoing series has been out of this world good, and we're completely stoked on it. It's also no secret that the series of THOR one-shots that came out last year were some of the BEST Thor stories we've read in comics in a very long time. You can catch up on all of those here at Third Eye still in the single issues, or in the THOR: Ages of Thunder hardcover. I mean, we're talking THOR cutting off Frost Giant heads, and dragging them to Odin. We're talking Thor throwing his hammer THROUGH the brains of Asgardian beasts. It's bloody, and it's brutal, and it's awesome.

And, this Wednesday, Marvel delivers us another stand-alone epic THOR one-shot titled the TRIAL OF THOR. This one features the God of Thunder on trial for killing innocent Asgardians in his quest for domination of the Frost Giants. We can already tell from looking at the previews that this one is going to be a blood-soaked, Mighty Thor masterpiece, and it's got some stellar art from Conan artist, Cary Nord. Click here to take a look at THOR: TRIAL OF THOR!

SALEMS DAUGHTER #1 - ZENESCOPE'S NEWEST ONGOING SERIES KICKS OFF THIS WEEK WITH A BLOODY, VICIOUS TWIST ON THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS + TALES FROM WONDERLAND: THE CHESHIRE CAT ONE-SHOT DELIVERS MORE WONDERLAND GOODNESS!

Lets face it, folks, the fine ladies and gents at Zenescope Entertainment how to do two things well: horrific bloody twists on classic tales, and hot chicks. And, they usually manage to wrap the two together into one awesome package of solid artwork and solid storytelling. Their newest ongoing series, SALEM'S DAUGHTER, is probably their best new launch since the Wonderland and Grimm Fairy Tales books. #0 set everything up very well (which we still have plenty of in stock here at Third Eye), and #1 looks to continue the storyline of a young woman with unusual powers, and the hardened gunslinger who's there to watch her back, and this is all 200 years AFTER the Salem Witch Trials. This one's a must for anyone who wants a quick, fun, and bloody romp through 200 years of black magic and horrifying torture devices. Click here to check out a preview of SALEM'S DAUGHTER #0 to prepare yourselves for SALEMS DAUGHTER #1! We will also have the Al Rio variant available for Salem's Daughter, so make sure you reserve your's now!

Also, from Zenescope this week, their ultra-popular Wonderland series returns with the first in a series of one-shots leading up to this summer's ESCAPE FROM WONDERLAND series. TALES FROM WONDERLAND: CHESHIRE CAT. The ultra-twisted, ultra-violent Wonderland returns, and with these one-shots, the merciless creatures that have tormented Calie are getting some spotlight on their origins and backstory. Make sure you snag your's this week, and we know you guys love the clever little alternate covers Zenescope delivers, so don't worry, we will have the variants on this one this week as well! Click here to read more about TALES FROM WONDERLAND: CHESHIRE CAT

POWER GIRL #2 FOLLOWS UP THE FIRST ISSUE OF AMANDA CONNER'S BRAND NEW, TOTALLY RAD NEW POWER GIRL ONGOING SERIES!

We rave time and time again about how solid Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray's work on Jonah Hex has been, but we've got to admit.. the dynamic duo does it again, and this time, we can only say that the inclusion of AMANDA CONNER into the mix is what makes the book such a good read. The new Power Girl series is everything you want a Power Girl comic to be. It's fun, it doesn't take itself too seriously, and it's full of over-the-top action with a nice little sprinkling of humor in there as well. Not to mention, it's got the perfect artist in Amanda Conner (a lot of you might know her from the recent re-release of Garth Ennis's THE PRO). And, this is why we're stoked to see the second issue follow up.. what's Power Girl do when the Ultra-Humanite is holding Manhattan AND her hostage? Well, there's gonna be only one way to find out, and that's by snagging the new issue of POWER GIRL #2 this Wednesday at Third Eye!

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE

INCOGNITO #3 - APOCALYPTIC PULP NOIR- THE THIRD ISSUE IN OUR FAVORITE NEW SERIES OF 2009 HITS THE RACKS, FEATURING THE LOVELY AVA DESTRUCTION! & WE HAVE PLENTY OF 1 AND 2 STILL IN STOCK

That's right, folks! This Wednesday, our biggest favorite of the year so far gets it's third issue. It's felt like it's been forever since #2, but I think it's because we just haven't been able to wait for it. Incognito, if you hadn't already heard, is the amazing apocalyptic pulp noir series from the writer of CRIMINAL & CAPTAIN AMERICA, Ed Brubaker and his cohort & fellow hooligan Sean Phillips (the artist of SLEEPER, and CRIMINAL). Incognito is all about a supervillain who has been put in witness protection, and given a new life. Miserably bored with his existence as a normal part of society, he slowly spirals into the same self-destructive behavior patterns that got him to where he is in the first place. He becomes a womanizing, substance abusing kind of guy who ends up re-gaining his powers when his substance abuse cancels out the pills that are suppressing his powers. Now, with his powers regained, his life REALLY begins to spiral out of control. What's he do when his old boss comes out of prison, and finds out his old henchmen is alive and well in the real world?

What can we expect to come from Incognito #3? Enter Ava Destruction, a woman who remains forever young on the outside, but is really older than she appears. She's ruthless and beautiful. And, as one of the Black Death's Top Enforcers... she gets sent into the same Witness Protection program to pursue our.. hero? You know you wanna read more, so click here for a preview of INCOGNITO #3!

PUNISHER #4 - THE NEW ONGOING PUNISHER SERIES CONTINUES TO KICK ALL KINDS OF ASS

The freshest take on the Punisher since Garth Ennis's PUNISHER MAX series, Rick Remender and Jerome Opena's ongoing new Punisher series is pure rock-n-roll machine gun killer madness. How can you not love a series that starts out with the Punisher trying to blow out Norman Osborn's brains with a Skrull sniper rifle, and then get his behind handed to him by the Sentry. So, now, after the Hood's been brought in to dispatch Castle and his one-man war on crime... and trust us, one of the thing that makes this series so interesting is that in the eyes of the public, the Punisher truly is a monster, as he's trying to kill the beloved heroes of the Marvel Universe (i.e the villainous Dark Avengers, and more). And Osborn can't really do much to stop the Punisher, as killing him would just cause the public to question him. So, what does he do? He calls in help from the underworld.

Why are we even more stoked about Punisher #4? Well, okay, we're not exactly sure. I mean, I'm loving the series 100% already, but there's supposed to be a huge, and shocking reveal in this issue.. and we all know how much fun those can be! Click here for a preview of PUNISHER #4 DARK REIGN

MARVEL NOIR CONTINUES THIS WEEK WITH WOLVERINE NOIR #1

Man, was Daredevil Noir badass last week or what? I was really impressed with the strong start that one got off too. It's got me even more excited to see what kind of approach Marvel's going to be taking with the new WOLVERINE NOIR mini. If you ask me, DD and Wolvie both fit much more comfortably into the whole Noir theme than Spider-man and X-Men. I really did enjoy both the Spidey and X-Men Noirs, but I can already tell from the first issue of the Daredevil Noir I'm going to enjoy these even more.

What's the twist? Jim Logan. Private Investigator. New York City. Along with his brother Dog, he runs a detective agency called LOGAN & LOGAN. It's dames, blood, and bullets in the great tradition of those crime noirs of times past. Click here for a preview of WOLVERINE NOIR #1!

AMERICAN MCGEES GRIMM #1DEBUTS TWISTED FAIRY TALES THIS WEEK!

American McGee, game designer of the cult classic ALICE video game, is bringing his own twisted perspective to the pages of comics this week with the brand new GRIMM series. This new series is going to take the same twisted approach McGee did with Alice in Wonderland to the world of comic books, and he's covering every genre ranging from the superhero classics to western and romance comics. Best of all, it's the hellish nightmare transformations of his Grimm's fairy tales characters who're running rampant through these pages.

This one's a must for those of you who can appreciate dark humor, and a dark look at the world of fairy tales and the medium of comic books. I'm sure I'm not the only one who fondly remembers how awesome running around McGee's surreal landscapes with Alice wielding a butcher knife was. Clickhere for a preview of AMERICAN MCGEE'S GRIMM #1!

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #35 - PRELUDE TO BLACKEST NIGHT CONTINUES!

And, the road to this year's biggest comic book event continues. Blackest Night has been brewing for a few years now, and the destination is finally in sight. Both Green Lantern, and Green Lantern Corps have been stellar examples of kick-ass series, and we're extremely pumped to see where things are going to be going next in this week's GREEN LANTERN CORPS #35.

Red Lanterns causing riots. Sinestro on the loose. Mongul running the Sinestro Corps. Yeah, it's been awesome! Click here to read more about GREEN LANTERN CORPS #35