THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 6/23/10

THIRD EYE MUST BUY: AVENGERS #2! BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS & JOHN ROMITA JR. FOLLOW UP THE FIRST KILLER ISSUE OF THIS WITH ONE OF THE BEST DAMN CLIFFHANGERS I'VE SEEN IN A COMIC IN A LONG TIME! THIS ISSUE DELIVERS BIG! The first issue of the flagship AVENGERS book blew us away. It was a non-stop, action-packed smash-em up superhero comic in the truest sense. Channeling the energy of '80s-style Marvel, and fusing it with the sensibilities and craft of today's storytelling and artwork, it delivered one of the best first issues to an ongoing series that I've read in a long time. It was an easy, solid jumping on point for anyone who hasn't been keeping up with the current crop of Marvel books, but at the same time, it delivered a satisfying read for those of us who've been staying up to date on SIEGE and whatnot. Now, I just got done reading the advance copy of AVENGERS #2. Holy crap. I can already tell this one is going to be making a strong run for Pick of the Week, and I haven't even got to read anything else yet. The issue is from start to finish, jam-packed with not only some killer fights and action, but also some VERY cool looks into all the different alternate futures we've seen before. And, trust me, if you read #1, then you know that the appearance of The Maestro (the evil Hulk from the future where he kills half of the Marvel universe) is just the beginning. There is a surprise appearance at the end of this book that you guys are not going to see coming at all, and I cannot wait to hear everybody's response to it. What's the plot behind the current AVENGERS run? Well, this book, is essentially THE flagship book of the Heroic Age, meaning that this is where a lot of your big stuff that has ramifications on the entire Marvel universe will be happening. It's the Avengers team that has all the big guns, Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, not to mention Hawkeye, Spider-man, and Wolverine. The first story arc is a HUGE one, with a team of younger Avengers, coming back from the future with Kang and Immortus thrown into the mix. Apparently something SERIOUSLY bad is going on with the time-stream, and the Marvel Universe is in danger of several of the alternate futures we've all come to know in the past (Days of Future Past, Age of Apocalypse, Future Imperfect, ect.. to name a few) are dangerously close to coming true and erupting into the present day Marvel Universe. The first issue ended with a HUGE cliffhanger as we saw the appearance of the Maestro Hulk from Future Imperfect, the storyline where the Hulk grows older, and more powerful, and kills nearly the entire Marvel pantheon of superheroes. This week, tidbits are dropped.. and things get even MORE interesting. Folks, between Bendis's fantastic characterization, and breakneck action-fueled story pacing, this one does not disappoint. Add in John Romita JR's INCREDIBLE artwork that is just made for big and bad superhero fights, and you've got yourself a real winner here. What is the Heroic Age, and what's the deal with the AVENGERS? This summer, Marvel kinda did a "fresh start" approach to their universe. In the aftermath of the incredible SIEGE limited series (all four issues still in stock for those of you who may need to catch up), they've decided to move their entire universe in a whole new direction, and that brings us to the HEROIC AGE. The Heroic Age kind of takes its cues from the strong, self-contained and critically acclaimed series like INVINCIBLE IRON MAN by MATT FRACTION, CAPTAIN AMERICA by ED BRUBAKER, and THOR by J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI. Basically, it's taking the characters in a more swashbuckling, adventure-fueled direction, and moving away from the inner turmoil they've dealt with between one another for the last decade due to the events of CIVIL WAR. In that regard, the Heroic Age is a perfect jumping in spot for both new and old Marvel fans alike. Whether it's been years since you've read a Marvel book, or if you've been keeping up with the titles for a while, they've really set things up perfectly for you to jump onto some great titles without being totally lost. As for THE AVENGERS, it's the flagship book of the Heroic Age, and serves as the central point to most of the major things that're happening within the Marvel Universe. On top of all that, it's just a great read, and we can't recommend it enough. This is the heavy-weight team, with members like THOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA, and IRON MAN all playing major integral roles. Anyhow, folks, make sure you check out AVENGERS #2 this week, and if you passed on #1, I'm telling you, pick it up and give it a shot! This book rocks hard! THIRD EYE MUST BUY: BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #3 DELIVERS THE THIRD THRILLING INSTALLMENT IN THE BIGGEST BATMAN STORY IN DECADES! GRANT MORRISON CONTINUES TO IMPRESS! Grant Morrison has really been doing a great job with this RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE story. He's totally taking the awe and wonder of Silver Age Batman stories and making them work in the modern day, and we freakin' love it. I haven't been this into Batman in a long time. Ever since Morrison began his run, I've just been completely hooked on everything he's done with the character, and I feel that he's really taking the book in some bold, and exciting new directions. In the first two issues of RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE, we've seen some really rad things happening, as well as been handed the pieces to a very intricate puzzle that Morrison is putting together here. Now, after reading BATMAN #700 from week before last, I've gotta say.. I feel like I have a better handle on how the time-travel fits into all of this. In BATMAN #700, we were shown the scientist who it looks like made this possible, and we were handed even more clues as to just how BATMAN has found himself shot thousands of years into the past, and is now jumping through the timestream. Combine that with the consistent presence of a Joker-like character in the first two issues of the series, as well as the subtle clues referenced on the covers, and we can't help but wonder that the Clown Prince of Crime's return in BATMAN AND ROBIN #12 doesn't have A LOT more to do with the RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE than we're thinking. Anyways, this week, we're moving ahead to the third issue, and this is one of the ones I've been looking forward to the most. The Bat-pirate issue! I mean, no matter how deep we wanna get when talking about RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE (and it's easy to get deep considering what a rich, and enthralling story Morrison's weaved with the character over the last few years), at it's core.. it's just plain cool to see Batman as a pirate, or Batman as a caveman, and so on and so on. And, the Bat-Pirate thing looks to be the coolest one yet. In BATMAN: RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #3, we see the Dark Knight thrown onto the high seas in an era of thievery and piracy. From the looks of the preview pages, it looks like Bruce Wayne is regaining more of his memory, right as he's thrown at the feet of Blackbeard. I can't wait to see how this era of Gotham's history connects to things, as that has been a big part of the fun, watching as various characters from the Batman mythos have had their pasts weaved in and out of the storyline, showing an almost lineage of Gotham City. This has been an added bonus to an already good story, but still, I love stuff like that. All in all, RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE has been one of the most killer things we've read in a while. The impending doom feeling that surrounds the series, where Superman and company are basically following Wayne through time, because for some unknown reason, if he reaches the present.. everything will come spinning out of control, has made the series an even more killer read. When you add in the fantastic artists Morrison has chosen to work with on this one, you've got yourself one heck of a read. If you're a Batman or DCU fan at all, you gotta be reading RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE, no doubt about it, the book rocks. Click here for a preview of BATMAN: RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #3 THIRD EYE MUST BUY: SUPERMAN #700 - J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI'S (THOR, SUPREME POWER, RISING STARS) HIGHLY ANTICIPATED STORY ARC FOR THE MAN OF STEEL BEGINS HERE! DO NOT MISS THIS ISSUE! J. Michael Straczynski is gonna make Superman one of the Top 5 books here at Third Eye. I'm predicting the future here, but, everything I've read in interviews with JMS about his upcoming run on the book, coupled along with everything I've seen from the preview art has me convinced: Superman is going to be one of the biggest must-reads we're going to see this Summer. Flat out, I think we're going to see the Man of Steel rising to the top once again. And, folks, this is coming from a guy up until a few years ago with Morrison's ALL-STAR SUPERMAN and GEOFF JOHNS'S ACTION COMICS run, was never a big Superman fan. But, I am looking forward to Straczynski's Superman stuff with a lot of anticipation. Why? 'Cause Stracynzski gets it. He knows how to write a good book, and he's proven that time and time again with critically-acclaimed projects like his run on THOR (again, another series I'd never been huge on until JMS got me into it), his creator-owned work on RISING STARS (the comic that the HEROES tv show took strong influences from in terms of treating superheroes as real flesh and blood people), and his cutting-edge re-imagining of the Squadron Supreme in SUPREME POWER. The man just has a great track record, and we haven't seen him put out a stinker yet. But, more so than any of that, I'm pumped because from what JMS has said in interviews, this is the comic he's been waiting to write. He's wanted to write Superman for years, and years, and the fact that he's taking his cues from ALAN MOORE and his approach to the Man of Steel in stories like WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW? and FOR THE MAN WHO HAS EVERYTHING, well, hell, I'm sold. The concept behind STRACZYNSKI'S upcoming run? Well, to quote JMS he's going to be telling a story that brings the Man of Steel back to his roots and "will have the whole talking about him in a way that we haven't seen in a long time." From what I've been able to gather from the various interviews, and concepts JMS has been talking about, is that the first storyline Straczynski is doing is titled Grounded, and in the aftermath of WAR OF THE SUPERMEN, shows us a Superman that is having trouble continuing his battle for Truth, Justice, and the American Way.. so, he decides to get back in touch with humanity, and walk across the country.. and that is where the story is said to start. Now, knowing Stracyznski's writing style, we know that the guy does very well when handling sweeping, grandiose stories that involve the morality of the characters involved. And, folks, this is the perfect match for a character like Superman. I've always said that there is a good Superman story out there for everybody, and the thing that always makes for a good Superman story is how the writer plays up the desperate balance and conflict that Superman has with trying to balance his god-like abilities with the sensibilities of humanity as a whole. Anyways, beginning this week in SUPERMAN #700, a very special landmark issue that is jam-packed with awesomeness celebrating 700 issues of the Man of Steel, we get to see the start of J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI'S Superman story. Three big stories intertwine here in Superman #700, and culminate in the start of JMS's highly anticipated run on the series. Make sure to snag yourself a copy this Wednesday, highly recommended by us here at Third Eye! THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: STEPHEN KING'S AMERICAN VAMPIRE #4 CONTINUES TO DELIVER US ONE OF THE BEST DAMN NEW VERTIGO SERIES WE'RE READING! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, THIS BOOK DOES FOR VAMPIRES WHAT WALKING DEAD DID FOR ZOMBIES! AND YES, STEPHEN KING IS ACTUALLY WRITING IT! Dude, this book is fantastic. One of the best freakin' series we're reading right now, and it just continues to get cooler, and cooler with each subsequent issue. I was expecting a lot from the first issue, but I had no idea this series would quickly climb it's way into the same spot that books like THE BOYS, INVINCIBLE IRON MAN and WALKING DEAD have for more.. you know, the I GOTTA READ THIS FIRST! spot. But, American Vampire has most definitely done that. What's it about? Well, at it's core, AMERICAN VAMPIRE kind of gives you the sense that there's a big, sweeping story underneath the introductory plot. Basically, the general hook here is that people from different regions of the world all handle the infection of vampirism differently. And, one of the series's main characters, Skinner Sweet, an old West outlaw, was the FIRST AMERICAN Vampire. In other words, he was bitten, and turned, and when the European vamps who did it thought they had killed him using methods that would work on them, they were wrong. Because it took more than being buried underwater or burnt by the sun to kill an American Vampire. The story bounces between the present (1920s Hollywood Babylon awesomeness) and the past (the Old West), and in the present, we see one of the other main characters, Pearl, a young Hollywood wannabe starlet in search of her big break, who runs afoul of some powerful Hollywood bigwigs that happen to be vampires. And, they tear her to pieces, but it's Skinner who shows up, and basically explains to her what she is now, and who did this to her. It's actually pretty cool, and one of my favorite moments is the List he leaves her of the weaknesses that those vampires have, and the ones that her and Skinner do not. The writing on it is fantastic, and series co-writer and creator Scott Snyder does a fantastic job of creating strong characters set against the backdrop of 1920s Hollywood. Meanwhile, Stephen King handles the flashbacks to the Old West that reveal more and more of not just Skinner's origins, but also the vampires worldwide, and this is 100% legitimately written by King, so you can rest assured it's not just his name on the cover. Both writers do a terrific job of melding their two stories together, and making one of the BEST vampire comics you could wanna read right now. If you're a fan of TRUE BLOOD, or you dig the more hard-hitting vampire stuff like cult classic flick, NEAR DARK, then you should definitely be reading this book. Heck, if you just enjoy good comics with good characterization, and plotting, you oughta be reading this one. We've currently got the first three issues all well-stocked to get you caught up, so you can hop on and get caught up to issue #4. Click here to read a preview of AMERICAN VAMPIRE #4 THIRD EYE MUST BUY: GREEN ARROW #1 *BRIGHTEST DAY* - WITH DARKER DAYS AHEAD, THE GREEN ARROW DEBUTS A BRAND NEW ONGOING SERIES! AND IT'S PRETTY KILLER! Dude, the preview pages of the new GREEN ARROW series look freakin' sweet. I'm really impressed by this one. In the aftermath of CRY FOR JUSTICE and the RISE AND FALL OF THE GREEN ARROW, things are taking a new direction for Oliver Queen. A dark, gritty Green Arrow who has no qualms with putting an arrow or two into a bad guy seems to be that new diection, and we love it. In my opinion, stories like THE LONGBOW HUNTERS and the like were some of the best Green Arrow stories I'd ever read, and to see them returning to that style, is pretty awesome. The killer creative team has been tight-lipped about what's in store, and what's to come for the Emerald Archer, but just take a look at the preview pages, and those say more than enough. The artwork on this one looks INCREDIBLE, and I can't wait to get to read the whole thing this Wednesday. Definitely one of the more highly anticipated BRIGHTEST DAY books for me. Click here for a preview of GREEN ARROW #1 *BRIGHTEST DAY* THIRD EYE MUST BUY: BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM MADNESS GRAPHIC NOVEL ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY DELIVERING THE MOST TERRIFYING, TWISTED BATMAN STORY SINCE ARKHAM ASYLUM: A SERIOUS HOUSE ON SERIOUS EARTH. DO NOT MISS THIS ONE! SPEND 24 HOURS IN ARKHAM ASYLUM! Man, there's a lot of good stuff coming out this week! I've been pumped about this one since I first saw the solicits for it back in March. I mean, c'mon, who doesn't love a good journey into the mouth of madness story? But, seriously, this new graphic novel hitting this week looks to be the next big Batman story, with a killer concept, and some incredible artwork. It's hard to think that they could ever surpass the nightmarish visions of ARKHAM ASYLUM A SERIOUS HOUSE ON SERIOUS EARTH, but, looking at some preview pages of ARKHAM ASYLUM: MADNESS.. I think they might. DC's been cryptic about the full plot of the graphic novel, but what we do know is that it's Sam Kieth taking us into a 24 hour stay at ARKHAM ASYLUM, and from what we've seen and what we've been told, it's the most nightmarish depiction of Gotham City's beloved nuthouse that anyone has ever seen. Just looking at the depiction of the imprisoned Joker on the cover seems to clue us in on that fact. And, maybe, it's better that way, 'cause it means that we're going to be taken on one hell of a surprising, nightmarish journey into the depths of Arkham Asylum. Just judging from the pages I've seen, and what I've heard... this one is gonna rock hard. Highly recommended, and most definitely a THIRD EYE MUST BUY. AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #635 *GRIM HUNT CHAPTER TWO*- THE BEST SPIDEY STORYLINE IN AGES CONTINUES AS THE KRAVEN FAMILY SYSTEMATICALLY HUNTS DOWN ANY CHARACTER REMOTELY RESEMBLING A SPIDER! Last week's AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #634 was one of the best issues of Spider-man I've read in a long time, probably since the GAUNTLET first began. With the GRIM HUNT storyline kicking into full swing, I really think Marvel is on the right track with this storyline, and that we've got some really good stuff to look forward to with where the book is heading. There's been a lot of build up to this point, and now that it's finally kicked off, it looks like the payoff is definitely going to be worth it. See, we've seen the Kravinoffs showing up throughout the Gauntlet storyline, but they never played a central role. Just enough of a role for us to know that something big was brewing, something was on the horizon. And now, many issues later, we're seeing the payoff begin. The plot of this one is simple: the Kravinoff family basically wants to honor their father's legacy, and well, try to resurrect him from the dead. They're convinced that to do this they need to systematically hunt down and kill every freakin' Spider-related character they can get their hands on. And, it starts with them killing the (admittedly obscure) Mattie Franklin, you know the 616 Spider-girl from the late '90s. And, it was a grim, bloody, and creepy death that befell Mattie, that's for sure. We also saw in the first chapter of this one that Ezekiel has re-appeared, the character that first introduced the idea of a "Spider"-totem where many characters in the Marvel Universe draw their power from. So, GRIM HUNT automatically gets props from me for drawing on some ideas that Straczynski laid out in his incredible run on the character. Now, I read the advance of GRIM HUNT PT 2 which ships this week in the form of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #635, and all I can say is WOW. There's a pretty whacked out moment in this one, but I don't wanna ruin it, so I'll just leave it at that. Anyways, click here to check out a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #635 *GRIM HUNT PT 2* If you missed last week's AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #634, don't fret, 'cause we still have copies in stock for you to get caught up with! IDW TAKES US BACK TO JURASSIC PARK THIS WEDNESDAY IN JURASSIC PARK: REDEMPTION! THIS LOOKS TOO FREAKIN' COOL! There's one simple draw to this one, folks: We love Dinosaurs. Seriously though, the new IDW series that's taking us back to Jurassic Park is something I'm very much looking forward to. I was listening to a podcast that the writer, Bob Schreck, did about the book, and what he has planned sounds super freakin' cool, and when you combine that with some of the most incredible art on a book like this that I've seen, you've got yourself something cool. The plot is that 13 years after the original Jurassic Park movie, Tim and Lex Murphy have returned to oversee the re-opening of Jurassic Park, due to the overwhelming demand of the public. In this series, Jurassic Park is no secret; too many tourists have been eaten, a T-Rex ran through the streets of Manhattan, and there's been some unidentified flying lizards spotted above the islands of Costa Rica. We quickly see Tim Murphy being conned into cloning more dinosaurs, and his sister, Lex, begging the United Nations to continue keeping the islands off limits. The two siblings are at each other's throats on this one, and that's part of what makes the book cool. Plus, it's got LOTS of giant dinosaurs. :) All in all, an exciting franchise to see get the comic treatment, and it looks like we're gonna get some quality stories outta this one. LEGION OF SUPERHEROES #2 HITS WEDNESDAY! The new LEGION series is AWESOME! MISSED THE FIRST ONE? NO WORRIES, WE'VE STILL GOT ISSUE #1s in STOCK TO CATCH YOU UP! LEGION MAESTRO PAUL LEVITZ HAS A HIT ON HIS HANDS! Man, I am really happy about the new LEGION OF SUPERHEROES series. I've never ever been a huge LEGION fan up until the last few years, and this new ongoing LEGION series is the perfect book for someone like me who really started to grow fond of the Legion through storylines like Brad Meltzer's LIGHTNING SAGA and Geoff Johns's Action Comics arc, SUPERMAN AND THE LEGION OF SUPERHEROES. However, the book also is an enormous hit amongst longtime Legion fans as well, from what I'm hearing, and definitely is delivering the best Legion of Superheroes series in a long-time, just from seeing the first issue. I think a big part of this is the fact that Paul Levitz is back on the book as writer, and c'mon, this is the guy who defined the Legion for many people. He knows the characters better than anybody. If you combine that with the fact that this series picks up on plot-threads laid out by Geoff Johns in other storylines, and well, there ya, you got yourself a great read. The first issue of LEGION shows us that the Legion are allowed to stay on Earth, which has become very xenophobic if they accept the super-powered leader of the xenophobic movement into their ranks. This might sound familiar to those of you who read Johns's incredible SUPERMAN and the LEGION OF SUPERHEROES arc, 'cause it's pulling many plots and ideas from that. Meanwhile, we've got some crazy science stuff happening on Titan, the homeworld of Saturn Girl, and it results in the awakening of something on the long dead planet of Oa.. something that is headed straight for the very xenophobic nut that's been given a fresh Legion ring. The first issue was fantastic, and each page crackled with an energy and speed that really pulled you into the characters. Levitz does a great job of making the team accessible for new and old fans alike, and I really dug it. The first issue begins with a cosmic disaster of Crisis-like proportions, and from there, we can only imagine where things are going to be headed next. If you missed LEGION #1, don't sweat it, 'cause we've still got limited quantities of #1 on the shelves to get you caught up. One of the best new DC books to kick off this summer! Click here to read more about LEGION OF SUPERHEROES #2 THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL: SEA BEAR & GRIZZLY SHARK #1 ONE-SHOT FROM WALKING DEAD/INVINCIBLE writer ROBERT KIRKMAN and INVINCIBLE ARTIST RYAN OTTLEY- A RIDICULOUSLY FUN AND BIZARRE ONE-SHOT YARN! Nevermind the impressive pair of names attached to this one-shot, just the sheer concept and title of this alone deserve notice be taken on this one. I mean, it's a shark that roams the forest, devouring man, and a grizzly bear that plunges in and out of the seas to, uh, also eat people. Seriously though, this one is pure awesome fun, and we cannot wait to get a chance to sit down and read the whole thing. The concept? It's bear vs. shark, the age old question of who would win. Is it going to be the Grizzly Shark? Is it going to be the Sea Bear? Pick your side. Brimming with senseless violence and gore, and hey, it even teaches you some interesting facts about sharks and bears too.. like, you know they can smell blood for a hundred miles, and things like that. Or, how to survive a bear attack while fishing off the coast of a small Caribbean island. But, the real question is how the hell did these two get so mixed up? Well, that's where Robert Kirkman comes in, providing the very unique origin of both Sea-Bear, AND Grizzly Shark. So, what's not to love? A bear in the ocean. A shark that stalks the forests. And, killer artwork by Ryan Ottley of INVINCIBLE fame, and an origin story written by the one and only Robert Kirkman? This one most definitely gets the THIRD EYE CERTIFIED COOL stamp. Click here for some preview pages of SEA BEAR and GRIZZLY SHARK #1 JOKER'S ASYLUM CONTINUES THIS WEEK WITH KILLER CROC! We've been loving these twisted little one-shots DC's been doing this month where the Joker narrates a tale about some of Batman's craziest rogues. It started off with the Riddler, then continued with two excellent one shots focusing on Harley Quinn and The Mad Hatter, and now it's moving onto Killer Croc, and dude, the art on this one looks SIIIIIIIICK. For those of you keeping track, here's what's out already for the Joker's Asylum one-shots: JOKER'S ASYLUM THE RIDDLER JOKER'S ASYLUM MAD HATTER JOKER'S ASYLUM HARLEY QUINN We've currently got all three of the previous ones in stock to get you caught up to the Killer Croc one hitting this week. We've also got plenty of the trade paperback, JOKER'S ASYLUM, which collects all of last year's JOKER'S ASYLUM one-shots. FRINGE: TALES FROM THE FRINGE #1 KICKS OFF A NEW 6-ISSUE MINI-SERIES SET IN THE WORLD OF THE FRINGE TV SERIES! Okay, no doubt, we are big time fans of the TV series FRINGE here at Third Eye. It's like X-Files for the 21st Century, and we can't get enough. And, obviously, the folks at Wildstorm and DC Comics can't get enough either, as they're kicking off a new 6-issue limited series exploring the world of Fringe and it's characters. In this first issue, we're shown some very interesting things that are in fact a major part of the continuity of the Fringe television show. Click here to read more about FRINGE TALES FROM THE FRINGE #1 X-MEN SECOND COMING AWESOMENESS CONTINUES THIS WEEK WITH X-MEN LEGACY #237 *X-MEN SECOND COMING CHAPTER 12* Probably the best X-Men storyline we've read in over ten years, you guys have heard us gushing on and on about how much we're digging this storyline, and that hasn't changed, so we'll save you the long and short of it. Basically, if you haven't read X-Men in a long time, and you're looking for a good story to bring you in, you have gotta check out SECOND COMING. This series rocks. HARD. After the events of last week's SECOND COMING installment in NEW MUTANTS, we're brought up to the current state where X-FORCE is cutting their way through a dangerous future in an attempt to cut off Bastion's armies at the source. But, they need to hurry the hell up 'cause X-Men are dropping left and right! Wanna know more about X-MEN SECOND COMING? Click here for a brief synopsis of the crossover and a full checklist of all it's chapters. STAFF PICKS Steve - CROSSED FAMILY VALUES #2 - Man, this series really embodies what a horror comic should be. The writing on it's sharp, but they manage to shock and awe the sensibilities of the reader every time. It's a perfect balance of good writing, and cheap thrills. Trish - WALKING DEAD #73= The current arc Kirkman is doing right now is one of the best in the series since the Governor visited the prison. Torma - NEW AVENGERS #1 = Dr. Strange getting possessed. The Son of Satan. And, a kick-ass return of focus to the characters that Brian Michael Bendis writes super well. First issue of this rocked. Matt - AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #634 *GRIM HUNT PT 1* = This one didn't just feel like another issue of Spider-man, it felt big, and important, which is cool cause that's what Spidey needs right now. More killer story arcs that bring the suspense and excitement to the book.

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

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

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 3/10/10

BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE PROLOGUE!*- THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE BEGINS HERE!! *A GREAT JUMPING ON POINT!*



By far, one of the best DC books ever month has been Grant Morrison's incredible BATMAN AND ROBIN. In fact, Morrison's run on Batman has been a few years worth of awesomeness, beginning all the way back with his very first official story arc BATMAN AND SON, from there we were reintroduced to silver age characters with a new spin in THE BLACK GLOVE, and then shown how the Dark Knight could be taken apart piece by piece in the riveting BATMAN: RIP. But, it's on BATMAN AND ROBIN, where we feel Morrison has really hit his stride, delivering a fresh, quirky (but not too quirky) post-modern take on the concept of the Dynamic Duo.

Coming directly off of the red-hot "BLACKEST KNIGHT" story arc that took place in BATMAN AND ROBIN #7, #8, and #9, Morrison is now setting the stage for what could possibly be the biggest Batman storyline in many years, THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE. In this week's BATMAN AND ROBIN #10, Morrison is joined by rising star artist Andy Clarke (trust us, folks, we didn't recognize the name a few months ago, but after seeing his work on REBELS, we feel that this guy has the potential to be one of DC's next big breakout artist, he really is a hidden gem), and according to DC, tying this issue directly into THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE (due out this Spring). It looks like this issue kicks off with something we all knew was coming: Damian turning on Dick, and due to the manipulation of Mommy Dearest (ya know, that Talia chick), it looks like Damian has it in his head to take out Grayson. But, the real big deal with this issue is...

It's the OFFICIAL start of the HUGE Return of Bruce Wayne storyline. Well, the official prologue anyways. While we haven't yet gotten to read a copy of this, from what the solicits from DC say, it looks like this issue will serve the same purpose that Green Lantern #43 did for BLACKEST NIGHT, in serving as an official prologue to the series. For months, there's been talk about Morrison's plan for Batman's return, and the more we've seen, the cooler it looks, with the Dark Knight literally fighting his way through the time-stream, and showing up in various Bat-incarnations, like a Bat-Caveman, a Bat-Pirate, a Bat-Cowboy, and more. I know, it sounds ridiculous, but it looks SO FREAKING COOL! Remember how much fun you had back in the day reading all those elseworld storylines where ol' Bats would be rocking a battle-axe, or hunting Jack the Ripper? Well, Morrison is taking that raw imagination, and channeling it into modern day, mainline DCU continuity to make for one hell of an epic Batman storyline. Not to mention, there's so many questions as to what happens WHEN the Caped Crusader returns. Does he return to the cowl? Will Nightwing keep the mantle as well?

Either way, make sure you pick up Batman and Robin #10 this Wednesday, as this is a THIRD EYE MUST BUY for sure, and is setting up for what could quite possibly be one of the coolest Batman stories of all time. Heck, just take a look at this shot of the various covers for "RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE".

And, beyond all the press that Return of Bruce Wayne is getting, I have to say that personally, Batman and Robin continues to be one of my favorite books, month after month. Morrison manages to make each and every issue crackle with pure pop art comic madness, and it really does feel like something special is being built here. It's quality storytelling, and has had some of the best artists in the biz working on it. If you're curious about hopping onto Batman and Robin from the very beginning, we currently have all the issues, 1-9 (and with this Wednesday, issue #10), well-stocked here at Third Eye.

Click here to read a preview of BATMAN AND ROBIN #10 *RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE PROLOGUE!*

THE BOYS VOLUME 6: THE SELF-PRESERVATION SOCIETY TRADE PAPERBACK ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE! GET YOUR NEXT SLAB OF GARTH ENNIS AWESOMENESS THIS WEEK! WANT TO JUMP ONTO THE MONTHLIES? PICK UP #39 and #40 THIS WEEK AS WELL, and YOU'RE CAUGHT UP!



Now, here's one that we know you guys are going to be happy about. The sixth volume of Garth Ennis's completely insane, yet completely awesome take on a world where superheroes are horrible, horrible people arrives this week in trade paperback. The Boys is a series, much like WALKING DEAD, or SCALPED, where we know that many people eagerly await the next collected edition, so we're happy to tell you that we'll have it this Wednesday, folks!

If you're already reading THE BOYS, then no more needs to be said, but for those of you who have yet to try this series, allow us to give you the rundown on what is possibly one of the best damn comics on the stands of Third Eye!

The world of THE BOYS is one where caped superheroes are the tools of private defense contractors, and the result of superhuman experiments. The men and women who are sold to the public as heroes are actually the most wretched, power-hungry, and degenerate minds in the world, twisted by their own sense of godhood, and the corporation they work for. In other words, the superheroes are pretty awful people. The story begins with a superhero fight between good guy, and bad guy, and the good guy tosses the bad guy (at you know, superhuman speed and strength) without looking where he's throwing him, and of course, he rips a woman right from her arms. This is where the reader's eyes, Hughie, is first recruited into the BOYS.

See, the Boys, are a group of men and women, who've all had their lives damaged in some way, shape, or form by superheroes. So, they've found their calling working for the U.S Government to keep a tight leash on these privately-controlled superheroes. Led by a man known as Butcher, they blackmail, torture, and generally make the Capes' lives a living hell.

While I don't want get into too much of what happens, I will say that this is some of the most disturbing looks at superheroes that we've seen. The violence level is insane, but the actual story and writing has been compelling enough to keep us interested after 40 issues.

If you're curious about trying THE BOYS, we've got all the trade paperbacks in stock to catch up, and you can get started with THE BOYS v.1 TPB this week to find out just how awesome this series is.

For those of you following the trades, and wanting to hop onto the single issues, you're only two behind after you snag volume 6, so get caught up with issues #39 and #40, and get your Boys fix each and every month!

"THE RISE AND FALL OF THE GREEN ARROW" BEGINS THIS WEDNESDAY IN JUSTICE LEAGUE: RISE AND FALL SPECIAL, AND EXPLORES THE AFTERMATH OF "CRY FOR JUSTICE!"



A couple of weeks ago, I went over how much I really dig the Green Arrow as a character, and how it's been kind of a bummer to see him not getting the proper treatment he deserves in what have been kind of lackluster titles. We saw all of that change with the portrayal of the character in James Robinson's killer CRY FOR JUSTICE mini-series (which just ended last week). We saw the further development of the character in the pages of BLACK LANTERN GREEN ARROW #30, and now the big "RISE AND FALL OF THE GREEN ARROW" storyline kicks off this Wednesday in the pages of the JUSTICE LEAGUE: RISE AND FALL one-shot.

Also, for those of you who've read JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRY FOR JUSTICE, this one-shot not only serves as the beginning of RISE AND FALL OF THE GREEN ARROW story arc, but also serves as an epilogue for the recent CRY FOR JUSTICE storyline. Now, some of you are probably wondering just what the heck this whole RISE AND FALL OF THE GREEN ARROW storyline is all about? Well, we're here to give you the rundown.

What's the Scoop on RISE AND FALL OF THE GREEN ARROW? As we've seen in the pages of CRY FOR JUSTICE, Green Arrow and Red Arrow, were both severely impacted due to the events that took place. From the way that things are looking with the big RISE AND FALL OF THE GREEN ARROW storyline, it appears that we'll be seeing Oliver Queen going back to his Longbow Hunter-era roots, and watching as the Green Arrow title takes on a much darker tone. In my opinion, I feel that this is the best direction, because all the really good Green Arrow storylines have been draped in gritty awesomeness, it just fits the character. We also feel that this should be a real evolution for Arsenal into finally becoming the Red Arrow. While he may have adopted the identity now, it hasn't really felt like he's made the jump from Arsenal to Red Arrow yet, and after you know, losing an arm... it should be interesting to see how it plays out. Apparently, one of the tidbits dropped about Green Arrow's place in the scheme of things is that "the hunter will become the hunted", and we'll be seeing the Justice League coming after Ollie. For those of you who read the ending of Cry for Justice, then this makes perfect sense. The issue just came out, so I don't want to ruin that great page near the end, but...

Lets just say Ollie has done something the Justice League cannot condone.

All in all, this should be a breath of fresh air for the character, and we couldn't be more stoked to see where things go with it.

Click here to read more about JUSTICE LEAGUE: RISE AND FALL one-shot
Click here for the Third Eye RISE AND FALL Checklist

WANNA MAKE COMICS? CHECK OUTBREAKING INTO COMICS THE MARVEL WAY #1 THIS WEDNESDAY!



One thing that's pretty cool here about Third Eye is many of you guys that come in here are very creative people, and I know that more than few of you have often talked about getting into the field of creating comics. Marvel has put together a very cool two part anthology series that features the work of many up and coming new talents in the world of comics, some of which has never been seen anywhere else before. And, the other thing that's very cool about this is the fact that it also includes the all-new submission guidelines for submitting your art, or writing samples to Marvel Comics.

Not just a showcase of new talent, this two-part special goes over Marvel talent scout C.B Cebulski's methods for picking and choosing who lands a job at Marvel. It goes over the different tips for the best way to get your work seen, and just what landed the creators in this book a spot at the offices of good ol' Marvel Comics.

Finally, you get a step by step outline of the submission process, as well as a sample Marvel script to follow when submitting your work. In other words, if you're interested in getting work with Marvel Comics, Breaking into Comics the Marvel Way is must-read material.

Click here for a preview of BREAKING INTO COMICS THE MARVEL WAY #1

SUPERMAN: LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON #1 *BRAINIAC AND THE LEGION OF SUPERHEROES PT 2* - THE ROAD TO "WAR OF THE SUPERMEN" CONTINUES THIS WEDNESDAY!



The road to this summer's big DCU storyline, WAR OF THE SUPERMEN, continues this Wednesday in the pages of SUPERMAN: LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON #1. The next chapter in the BRAINIAC AND THE LEGION OF SUPERHEROES storyarc that began last week in ADVENTURE COMICS #8 (still available here at Third Eye Comics), Last Stand of New Krypton is the first of a three issue limited series that looks like we're going to be seeing the meltdown of NEW KRYPTON (and hopefully the return of Superman to his own books! :) ).

Brainiac is unleashing a full assault on New Krypton, determined to recapture the city of Kandor, but it looks like Zod is waiting for him, and it may just put the fate of Earth in jeopardy. And, that's where it brings us to the combined forces of Superman, Supergirl, Superboy, and the Legion of Superheroes to stop these two great classic Superman villains from destroying everything as we know it.

I think we can all agree that it's about time that we actually saw Superman showing up in the Superman books, so it's going to be very refreshing to see the direction that this storyline takes the Man of Steel, as things lead up to the big WAR OF THE SUPERMEN that launches with WAR OF THE SUPERMEN #0 on FREE COMIC BOOK DAY this year.

Click here to read more about SUPERMAN: LAST STAND OF NEW KRYPTON #1

Click here to check out the THIRD EYE CHECKLIST for the BRAINIAC AND THE LEGION OF SUPERHEROES / WAR OF SUPERMEN!

PUNISHERMAX #5 - "SCALPED" writer JASON AARON CONCLUDES HIS BRUTAL, UNRELENTING FIRST STORY ARC OF PUNISHER MAX! THIS IS THE BEST THE PUNISHER HAS BEEN SINCE THE GARTH ENNIS DAYS!



I can't tell you guys how much Garth Ennis's epic, character-defining run on PUNISHER MAX meant to me, in terms of comics that I hold near and dear to my heart. Honestly, Ennis took a character that could easily be seen as one dimensional, or outdated, and found him a place in the world of 21st century comics storytelling. For those of you unfamiliar with the concept of PUNISHER MAX, here it is in a nutshell:

What is PUNISHER MAX? The world of PUNISHER MAX is a self-contained universe that exists outside of the regular Marvel Universe. There are no real superpowers, and the only Marvel characters that actually show up or exist in this world are ones that could realistically exist. With that being said, these characters are shown in a whole new light, for example, Nick Fury is a man in his 60s, a hard-drinking, chain-smoking, whisky-swilling CIA warhorse that's been jaded by life. He's tough as nails, and while his view of the world is noble, the actions that he takes to protect that world aren't always. Of course, the star of PUNISHER MAX, is, well, THE PUNISHER. And, the Punisher in the world of Punisher MAX is much closer to a character like TAXI DRIVER'S Travis Bickle, a lone madman with a righteous mission who doesn't see the madness in his actions. He's realistically portrayed as a man in his 50s, a hulking ex-soldier who quickly and quietly appears to brutally execute those who he sees as criminal. The opening sequences of the very first PUNISHER MAX trade paperback, IN THE BEGINNING, are downright chilling, as we see the narration of the PUNISHER, walking through crowded city streets, "And now, every night, I make the world sane."

So, What's Up With the Current Incarnation of PUNISHER MAX? Written by the critically acclaimed author of (one of the best) Vertigo series, SCALPED, Jason Aaron, PUNISHERMAX is a return to the feel and roots that Garth Ennis developed for the character in his original 60 issue run. The first issue of this series serves as a perfect jumping on point to PUNISHER MAX, if you've never read the series before, and it kicks you off into a dark, seedy world of despair that's so visceral you can taste it. In this first story arc, Aaron has introduced the character of the KINGPIN to the world of PUNISHER MAX, and let me tell you, folks, the MAX Kingpin is one terrifying character. He truly makes you believe he is the ultimate crime bad guy, and some of the things he does, well, you'll just have to see for yourself. The series has kept the same level of grotesque violence, combined with compelling storytelling that made Ennis's run so memorable, and we really can't recommend it enough. If you haven't yet jumped on, we currently have all the issues in stock to catch you up. For those of you who're digging the Jason Aaron MAX run, we recommend checking out Ennis's PUNISHER MAX run in the trade paperbacks, starting with PUNISHER MAX: IN THE BEGINNING.

Click here for a preview of PUNISHERMAX #5

PRELUDE TO DEADPOOL CORPS #2CONTINUES THE MADNESS OF DEADPOOL CORPS THIS WEDNESDAY!



The road to DEADPOOL CORPS continues here as the DEADPOOL MADNESS comes full force again this Wednesday with PRELUDE TO DEADPOOL CORPS #2! That's right, folks, Lady Deadpool, Kidpool, Headpool, and the rest of the gang continue to deliver the zaniness that you've come to know and expect from the Merc With A Mouth.

Click here for a preview of PRELUDE TO DEADPOOL CORPS #2

BATGIRL #8 and RED ROBIN #10CROSSOVER THIS WEDNESDAY WITH BATGIRL #8 BEING THE FIRST CHAPTER, AND RED ROBIN #10 BEING THE SECOND CHAPTER!



This week, in the pages of RED ROBIN #10 and BATGIRL #8, we've got a very cool two-part crossover between Red Robin and Batgirl, and anyone who knows these characters and their pasts knows that this is bound to bring some really interesting storyline development.

Starting in BATGIRL #8, and then continuing in the pages of RED ROBIN #10, we see a recently returned Tim Drake unexpectedly finding Stephanie Brown in the Batcave, but they gotta work together as Ra's Al Ghul starts launching some attacks on everyone involved in the Bat-family, but where does Tim stand after his time with Ra's? It's Ra's al Ghul vs. Hush! Vicki Vale vs. Alfred, and more!

Click here to read more about BATGIRL #8 and RED ROBIN #10!

CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #5 - THE SINNERS CONCLUDES AS BRUBAKER FINISHES OUT ANOTHER KILLER STORY ARC IN THIS CONSISTENTLY TOP 5 THIRD EYE FAVORITE SERIES!



If you're not reading CRIMINAL, then you ABSOLUTELY need to be. This is probably my favorite series, or at least one of my top 5, and it's been that way for a long time. Ed Brubaker is truly in his element, and the kind of comic book chemistry that comes together between him, Sean Phillips, and the rest of the crew involved with CRIMINAL (as well as INCOGNITO, and SLEEPER) is pure magic. It's always been rare to find a comic book that so perfectly meshes the creators styles together so well that it just comes across as it's own feel, and style. I mean, it's truly unique stuff. And, if you're a fan of crime comics.. or even just plain grittier storytelling, then you gotta ritead CRIMINAL.

Why? Because this is the BEST crime comic on the stands. Hell, I'd say it's close to being one of the best crime comics of all-time. From the pure noir feel of the art and coloring, to Brubaker's well-crafted tales of despair and danger, CRIMINAL has it all. Ontop of all of this, you even get very cool extra material in the back of each issue, guest columnists are invited to write about their favorite aspects of crime storytelling. Sometimes you'll get someone talking about their favorite John Woo movies, sometimes you'll get someone talking about pulp novels, all in all, CRIMINAL delivers on every single page.

So, now that I've done my obligatory gushing over this great series, lets get into the meat and potatoes of the conclusion due out this week to CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS. Tracy Lawless is trapped, trapped between hardened criminals that want to torture and kill him, and a Military Investigator who wants to bring him back to the Army in chains. It all ends here, and is this the end of Tracy's story?

Find out this Wednesday in CRIMINAL THE SINNERS #5

Not yet read CRIMINAL? You can either jump on with the current series, CRIMINAL: THE SINNERS #1, as each story is self-contained, or you can go back and start at the beginning with CRIMINAL v.1 COWARD. We currently have all the issues for both the SINNERS, and all the trade paperbacks for the previous CRIMINAL stories in stock.

THE WAKING #1 DELIVERS A RIVETING NEW HORROR SERIES FROM THE FOLKS AT ZENESCOPE and THE WRITER OF THE "WONDERLAND" TRILOGY THAT BRINGS FORTH SOME CREEPY SUPERNATURAL CRIME NOIR HORROR! A GREAT MODERN SPIN ON THE CLASSIC FEEL OF OLD SCHOOL E.C HORROR COMICS!



Raven Gregory has really made a name for himself doing solid comics with horrifying premises, the most well-known of which is the uber popular "WONDERLAND" trilogy that spans RETURN TO WONDERLAND, BEYOND WONDERLAND and ESCAPE FROM WONDERLAND. Now, he's bringing us something brand new, and folks, it's pretty damn horrifying!

The Waking is a decidedly old-fashioned horror story with a very Gothic feel where the dead are returning from their graves to exact revenge on their killers. While Gregory could've taken the easy way out, and relied on gore alone, he actually delivers some very well-thought out, intricate storytelling that manifests itself in a narrative told from the perspectives of four jaded detectives.

The detectives in question are investigating two murders, where they've discovered the victims have come back from the dead to find those responsible for taking their lives. Now, they're torn between doing their jobs, or allowing the victims to deal out their own dish of justice. All while this is happening, a father with an extraordinary ability is forced to choose between avenging his daughter's death or losing her forever. The feel of this comic is very much in tone with classic EC Horror Comics, as we see the grisly fates of those who've done wrong.

The artwork on the series from Vic Drujiniu is very cool, and really delivers a creepy, sinister feel to the story. If you're looking for a modern day spin on the classic Gothic horror stories, and morality tales, then we really recommend checking this one out. A must for horror fans!

ANOTHER FREE COMIC THIS WEEK FROM YOUR PALS AT THIRD EYE! CHECK OUT SKOTTIE YOUNG'S INCREDIBLE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ BY SNAGGING A COPY OF WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ #1... FREE, THIS WEDNESDAY!



Just like we did with INVINCIBLE IRON MAN #1 last week, we're giving away the first issue of Skottie Young's incredible take on the surreal classic, the WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ, this Wednesday. This series did a fantastic job of retelling the story of Oz in the form of panels and pages, and honestly, what got us was the fresh, unique art style that Young brought to the book. I mean, it just looked so friggin' cool! This week you can score the first issue of this series to try out, and hey, if you dig it, you can pick up the WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ collected edition which has the whole eight issue series collected into one volume! Give it a peek this Wednesday, for FREE!

HELLBOY VOLUME 9: THE WILD HUNT TRADE PAPERBACK ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY AT THIRD EYE TO GIVE YOU YOUR NEXT SLAB OF MIKE MIGNOLA AWESOMENESS!



You know we've gotta make a fuss anytime another edition of Mignola's creepy, occult world gets delivered to us in trade. His work reads so well collected into volumes that it'd be criminal not to highlight it. This week, the next slab of Hellboy awesomeness arrives in the form of HELLBOY v.9 THE WILD HUNT.

When ancient giants begin to reawaken in the British Isle, Hellboy is brought in to join a band of fellow monster hunters called the Wild Hunt to help bring them down, but things go awry, and Hellboy's sights are set on something much more dangerous: the Queen of Blood, originally seen in Darkness Calls.

Check it out this Wednesday!

GREEK STREET v.1 BLOOD CALLS FOR BLOOD TRADE PAPERBACK DELIVERS TWISTED MODERN DAY REIMAGININGS OF BRUTAL AND VISCERAL TRAGEDIES OF ANCIENT GREECE! AND IT'S ONLY $9.99!



The Vertigo series GREEK STREET has been a real underrated gem here at Third Eye. Writer Peter Milligan takes classic Greek tragedies, and casts them on the mean streets of modern-day London, where the tales are the same, but the players have been replaced by vengeful gangsters, seductive strippers, and disturbed clairvoyants. Greek Street delivers some pretty horrific moments, and has really been making a niche for itself as a solid Vertigo series. You can snag the first trade this week here at Third Eye, for that sweet and low price of only $9.99, cause Vertigo knows how to hook it up!

THIRD EYE NOW AN OFFICIAL VENDOR OF KID ROBOT PRODUCTS! CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE RAD VINYL TOYS NOW IN STOCK AT THIRD EYE!

Third Eye is proud to announce that we're now officially a vendor of KID ROBOT products. We've added a section of killer KID ROBOT designer vinyl toys, due to feedback from you guys, and due in part from our desire to offer some of the coolest swag you can't find anywhere else!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the KID ROBOT brand, they produce limited run figures, and toys that are designed by artists from all walks of life, ranging from skateboard artists to graffiti artists and beyond, you get some truly unique stuff with Kid Robot's stuff. But, with cool stuff like this, pictures speak louder than words, so here's a look at just a few of the items that we've got in stock now!