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

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

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

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

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


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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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



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

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

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


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



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

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

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


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



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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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


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

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

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

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE FOR WEDNESDAY 6/3/09

BATMAN & ROBIN #1 FROM ALL-STAR SUPERMAN CREATIVE TEAM GRANT MORRISON AND FRANK QUITELY DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY!

Battle for the Cowl rocked our worlds, and now it's time to enter an exciting, new period for the Batman titles. The outcome of Battle for the Cowl may not have been the biggest swerve, or surprise, but we were happy with it because it MADE SENSE. It was the choice that the fans wanted, and instead of cheaping out and trying to drop some jaws, and going with someone that didn't really make sense.. DC gave the fans what they wanted. Anyhow, onto the big shebang here... the flagship book of the Bat-books is going to be this series here. Why? Well, it's the same creative team who gave us such great reads like ALL-STAR SUPERMAN and WE 3, which are both modern classics. I mean, their ALL-STAR SUPERMAN story stands currently as one of THE best SUPERMAN stories of all-time. It's the story that you had to non-Superman fans, and say "READ THIS", and their minds get completely and totally blown. And now, they're doing an ongoing, in continuity Batman title that's going to flip our lids on a monthly basis!

What's the deal on the title itself? Well, in this interview with Grant Morrison, he describes it as the Batman title that kind of feeds the other Bat-books. While Batman and Robin itself is a nice, solid self-contained ongoing series, the events that happen within will have impacts felt in the other Bat-family titles. The whole goal with Batman and Robin is a completely fresh take on the character and idea of Batman. With Bruce Wayne no longer under the cowl, Morrison has a clean slate to explore what it's like to have a fresh pair of eyes behind the cowl. He describes his Batman as being a little more light-hearted, and spontaneous than Bruce, and a very violent, cut-to-the-throat Robin. For those of you who've been following the events of the Batman titles, you know that with Nightwing and Damien beneath the cowl, we can expect a very cool twist on the characters. For those of you who are convinced that no one can be the Batman except for Bruce Wayne... don't worry, this is not a permanent change. This is a period in the life of the Batman character where new things are explored, and new storyline potential is being set up. Bruce Wayne WILL return, so give the book a shot, because it sounds like we're going to get some exciting set up for things to come for the Dark Knight. From the sounds of what Morrison says, his final run on the Batman character will be when Bruce Wayne returns down the road.

Why are we stoked? Well, other than the fact that it's one of the most dynamic and talented creative teams working in comics today, it's also a brand new fresh approach to the Batman mythos. Not to mention, it's good to see a high-quality book debuting that's still set in continuity and makes an impact on the workings of the DCU. While we love our stand-alone stories, sometimes it's nice to get the top shelf talent and storytelling on books that play into the serial nature of comic book storytelling. And, then there's also the fact that we are huge fans of Quitely's art, and from the sounds of it, he is going to be stepping up his game even more on this series. Not to mention, when you put him and Morrison together, it's pure comics magic.

This one is most definitely a THIRD EYE MUST BUY, folks, so don't miss it! Click here to read the interview with Morrison on the book, and click here to read more about BATMAN AND ROBIN #1!

DARK AVENGERS #5 - PUBLIC BACKLASH AGAINST NORMAN OSBORN'S PAST AS THE GREEN GOBLIN REARS IT'S UGLY HEAD IN THIS WEEK'S DARK AVENGERS #5 & THE CABAL RETURNS!

The biggest new ongoing series of 2009 has been Brian Michael Bendis and Mike Deodato Jr's DARK AVENGERS. Right out the gate, the combination of top notch writing and exquisite artwork has made this book a top tier read, and it continues to pick up as steam as the flagship book to follow in the nasty events of Marvel's DARK REIGN. For those of you who may not already be reading DARK AVENGERS, don't worry, Third Eye still has issues 1-4 in stock for you to catch up on this great series.

In the aftermath of the events of the Dark Avengers and their clash with Morgana LeFay, things start to get very interesting as the public is reminded of Norman Osborn (aka the IRON PATRIOT) and his past deeds as the sinister GREEN GOBLIN. And, the backlash against Osborn begins amongst the average man on the street in the Marvel U. Not to mention, some of the Dark Aengers are looking to be getting frisky with one another, and we know just how badly those interoffice relationships can turn out. And, the one thing that we're most excited about? Osborn's Cabal makes an appearance, and after the AMAZING DARK REIGN: CABAL one-shot (still in stock at Third Eye), we cannot wait to see just what the likes of Loki, Doom, Namor, The Hood, and Emma Frost have to say.

Curious about what the scoop on Dark Avengers is? Picture this, Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, has maneuvered himself into a position of political prestige. He has disbanded SHIELD, and reformed it as HAMMER. And, he's replaced the World's Mightiest Heroes with his own team that could only be titled the World's Mightiest Villains. Bullseye has taken on the guise of Hawkeye, Moonstone has taken on the guise of Ms. Marvel, Wolverine's son Daken is wearing his dad's old green and brown costume, Venom is posing as Spider-man, and a handful of morally grey characters like Ares and Marvel Boy are tossed into the mix. The public thinks they're the best thing since sliced bread, but, it's really a gang of the most dysfunctional, and depraved Marvel villains you're going to find. Click here to read a preview of DARK AVENGERS #5!

ULTIMATUM #4 ARRIVES AFTER A VERY, VERY LONG WAIT, AND AGAIN, LOTS OF PEOPLE DIE!

We hate late comics, but, I'm sorry.. David Finch's amazing pencils make me forget about the long delays between issues every time. ULTIMATUM has turned into quite an awesome little limited series, as it cleans house on the ULTIMATE UNIVERSE and gets everything set up for the reboot of the Ultimate Universe that we're all so stoked to see this summer (Mark Millar is going to be returning to possibly write a title for the line, and also head up the creative direction of the Ultimate Universe as a whole.. and trust us, this is a very very good thing. The first two stories of the ULTIMATES still remain some of my favorite Marvel comics of this decade). We have seen tons, and tons of Ultimate Marvel heroes get slaughtered in some very entertaining ways. Left and right, people have been getting killed off, and it's been proven by now that Jeph Loeb is not pulling any punches on who dies, and how they bite it. Magneto's wreaking havoc, and it's going to be the unlikely pairing of Spider-man and the Hulk who attempt to stand in the Master of Magnetism's way.

The best part of ULTIMATUM by far though has been David Finch's amazing artwork. While we need a solid story to keep us enthralled, every now and again, an artist that's just so good, will keep us coming back again and again no matter what. Click here to give ULTIMATUM #4 a look!

AMERICAN SON CHAPTER 2 - AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #596 OUT THIS WEDNESDAY! IT'S SPIDEY VS. BULLSEYE & VENOM OF DARK AVENGERS

The first issue of the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN AMERICAN SON story arc started things off pretty solidly. There's still a little bit of the stink from Brand New Day on the book, but it feels like they're at least trying to bring AMAZING SPIDER-MAN back into the mainline continuity as an important title to watch. The artwork by Jiminez is top notch, and Joe Kelly's dialogue and plotting is very much on point. While we're still not completely sold on Harry Osborn being alive and well, we do think that the doors have been opened up to one heck of a Spider-man vs. Green Goblin storyline with the new perspective that Dark Reign has put on everything. And, we're hoping that this arc (which leads directly into AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #600) is the foundation being laid for the return of Mary Jane, and a complete "yeah, lets forget about that whole Mephisto thing" kind of deal.

All in all, the first issue was a fun read, and had a great old school Spider-man meets Modern Marvel Universe kind of feel to it. Not to mention, the dynamic between Norman Osborn and Peter Parker is completely fresh and exciting now due to the Osborn's role in the Dark Reign and DARK AVENGERS.

Coming in this week, is the second installment of AMERICAN SON, what's really exciting is that we're gonna get to see a big throwdown between the Webcrawler and DARK AVENGERS Bullseye and Venom, as Spidey tries to make his way into the Dark Avengers Tower. Plus, more developments on Harry Osborn's new position with Norman and the Dark Avengers. Click here to check out a preview of AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #596

THE BOYS #31 BEGINS NEW STORY ARC! THE CAPES HAVE HAD ENOUGH, AND ARE GOING AFTER THE BOYS! PLUS, 5 REASONS TO READ THE BOYS IF YOU'RE NOT ALREADY!

One of the most consistently entertaining and compelling monthly series we follow here at Third Eye has been Garth Ennis's THE BOYS. And, with the G-Men story arc now concluded, things are heating up as the Capes have decided to go after the Boys once and for all, no matter the consequences. For the last thirty issues, the depraved and degenerate superheroes have had their hands tied, and have been unable to really make a go for the Boys, but it looks like the straw that broke the camel's back has hit, and now they're going full force after Butcher and the gang. Click here for a preview of THE BOYS #31!

Are you reading The Boys yet? We've got five reasons why you need to be reading the Boys, and with the first 22 issues all collected into trade paperbacks (volumes 1,2, and 3), and volume 4 coming out soon, it's easier to catch up than ever. So, check it out, Third Eye's five reasons why you must be reading the Boys!

It's the best thing Ennis has done since Preacher, in our opinion. We love Garth Ennis, and most of the work he does, but we think that he works especially well when he's given a long run of issues to tell his story. Preacher, Punisher MAX, Hitman, Hellblazer, these were all series where Ennis had 20+ issues to carefully craft a story. The Boys has a planned 60 issues, and you can tell that there's a seriously awesome story building here.

Despicable bad guys, and likable, believable main characters. Ennis has a gift for making you despise the characters that fit the "villain" role. While the Boy is all about the shades of gray, he has made the power-hungry capes into some of the most despicable, depraved characters we've seen. On the other hand, he makes the title characters, The Boys (Butcher ,Hughie and the gang) into some of the most fleshed-out, likable characters you'll come to read.

It tops itself EVERY issue. You want cliffhangers? You have that masochistic desire to be left on the edge of your seat until next month? The Boys hits hard every issue, topping itself more and more.

It's some of the most entertaining dark comedy you'll find. Ennis has a knack for taking outrageously disturbing situations and characters and mixing them in with the story without it feeling forced, and you will find yourself cracking up time and time again with every bizarre and more bizarre turn the stories take.

It's being made into a film soon, so read the comic before the movie totally screws everything up for you. :)

DARK REIGN FORECAST FOR WEDNESDAY 6/3/09: MIGHTY AVENGERS #25 , DARK AVENGERS #5, BLACK PANTHER #5 , AGENTS OF ATLAS #6!

It's a great week for Dark Reign, as the flagship book, DARK AVENGERS #5 reveals some interesting new things about the Dark Avenger, including a return of THE CABAL, and the growing public backlash against Norman Osborn. Then, in the pages of MIGHTY AVENGERS #25 , Hank Pym decides it'd be a great time to rob the Baxter Building, which leads us to a big old fashioned superhero slugfest between the Mighty Avengers and the Fantastic Four! Black Panther #5 shows us just how badass the new female Black Panther can be as Morlun (remember him from JMS's Spider-man run?) the Devourer of Totem is terrorizing Wakanda. And, we can't forget that NEW AVENGERS: THE REUNION #4 and AGENTS OF ATLAS #6 are also arriving in store this Wednesday!

DEADPOOL SUICIDE KINGS #3 & DEADPOOL VOLUME 1: SECRET INVASION TRADE PAPERBACK OUT THIS WEDNESDAY!

It's a double dose of Deadpool this week as the third installment of the Marvel-universe spanning Deadpool limited series, Suicide Kings, hits the racks this Wednesday. This time around, he's got his hands full with both everyone's favorite Friendly Neighborhood Spider-man, and The Punisher. And, as if that wasn't enough, we've also got the first volume of the Deadpool ongoing series collected in trade paperback and hitting the racks this Wednesday. Deadpool: Secret Invasion v.1 TPB collects the first five issues of Deadpool's current ongoing series. So for those of you who've been waiting for the trade to get caught up on everyone's favorite Merc With A Mouth, now's your chance!

WAR OF KINGS #4 HITS THE SHELVES THIS WEDNESDAY, AND DELIVERS MORE HIGH-OCTANE SPACE OPERA MADNESS! MARVEL COMICS + WARHAMMER 40K-MEETS-BATTLESTAR AWESOMENESS!

So, you want a good, solid self-contained superhero event where the writers have complete and total creative freedom to do what they please? Trust us, folks, the War of Kings has been SOLID. It features some of the quirkier corners of the Marvel universe, with a focus on Marvel's cosmic characters, and alien races like the Kree, Inhumans and Shi'ar, but it's this focus that allows the talented creative team the freedom to completely blow us away with surprise after surprise. This criminally overlooked event has been some of the most action-packed funnybook reading we've seen in a while, and we'd highly recommend giving it a shot and hopping onboard. Emperor Vulcan and King Blackbolt are nearing the epic throwdown that will decide the destinies of their kingdoms, and the entire cosmos, once and for all.

And, if you haven't yet jumped aboard WAR OF KINGS, we've currently got all the issues in stock here at Third Eye. Yup, the prologue, and then issues 1,2 and 3. So, click here to take a gander at the WAR OF KINGS #4 preview!

CHEW #1 DEBUTS THIS WEDNESDAY, A CANNIBAL HOMICIDE DETECTIVE AND HIS UNIQUE SET OF PROBLEMS IN THIS NEW IMAGE SERIES!

Tony Chu's a cop with a weird little secret. He gets psychic impressions off of whatever he eats. So, how else does he make his career as a detective so successful? Well, nibbling on a corpse here and there seems to be the answer. Now, here's where things get real tricky.. the government's found out Tony's secret, and they have a special purpose in mind for him.

Set in a near future, where due to Avian Flu, the government's instituted Poultry Prohibition, Chew is a new series from Image Comics that looks to be a neat and twisted gem to look out for. Image has been impressing us with some of their recent new launches like Olympus, and Viking, and it looks like Chew is going to be another solid addition to their roster of fresh, and exciting new series.

Plus, it's about a cop who has to eat dead people to serve murders! How cool is that? Click here for a short preview of Chew, and interview with series creator, John Layman.

NEW MUTANTS #2 ARRIVES THIS WEDNESDAY WITH PLENTY OF NEW MUTANTS #1 BACK IN STOCK!

The return of the New Mutants was a huge hit, and this week we've got the second issue of this brand new ongoing series featuring everyone's favorite '80s mutant super-team back in action. This new ongoing series reunites the original New Mutants line-up, and Legion, the villain who caused the AGE OF APOCALYPSE has returned. All in all, we were surprisingly impressed with the first issue of New Mutants here at Third Eye, and we are totally stoked to see what's in store with the second issue. The real strong point of the book that surprised us a great deal was the artwork. We didn't expect to see that caliber of art on this title, not sure why, but we really weren't expecting such a great presentation. The storytelling is solid, and the art is beautiful, which makes the read very enjoyable for fans of the original New Mutants. And, if you missed the first one, don't worry, we just got a whole stack of New Mutants #1 back in stock here at Third Eye for you to hop aboard with.

What's in store this week? Legion's motives become revealed, and the last time this villain showed up, he caused the Age of Apocalypse... what kind of fighting chance are the New Mutants going to have against this guy? Click here to check out a preview of NEW MUTANTS #2!

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS @ THIRD EYE COMICS

NEW AVENGERS 48 *DARK REIGN TIE-IN* DEBUTS BRAND NEW TEAM ROSTER AND DIRECTION FOR THIS TOP TIER BOOK!

New Avengers has been a premiere top tier title for Marvel since it's original debut, and has continued to be one of the most exciting and consistent team books put out by Marvel Comics. This week in the pages of New Avengers 48, you can expect the shadow of Dark Reign to fall hard on the debut of an all-new roster and line-up for the New Avengers! This is the first time that the Avengers roster has been shaken up like this, and you can expect to see some exciting new faces on the team. The perfect jumping on point for any of you who haven't already been reading New Avengers, do yourselves a favor, and hop aboard and find out why this is one of Marvel's big guns! I just got done scanning through the preview pages and I'm pretty stoked on what it looks like the new line up is going to be. Iron Fist is back, and is that Bucky Captain America joining the team? This ish is a must-buy for all you Marvel-heads, for sure! Click here for a preview of NEW AVENGERS 48 *DARK REIGN!*

THE SECOND INSTALLMENT OF ULTIMATUM HITS THE SHOP THIS WEEK WITH ULTIMATUM 2!

The Ultimate universe is in complete and total peril, no, seriously, we mean it! Well, we're not sure where this one is going to end up, but I have to admit... the first issue? AWESOME. Magneto in his throne, with Thor's hammer by his side? Tidal waves destroying New York city? David Finch doing a full 32 pages of interior artwork? These are some of the reasons why we're excited about Ultimatum, and from what Marvel's been slyly letting slip.. big things are going to transpire in this miniseries that completely change the entire concept of the Ultimate-verse. You can read more about Ultimatum 2 here .

BATMAN 683 - PART TWO OF THE SPECIAL FINAL CRISIS/RIP AFTERMATH STORY ARC!

So, we all want to know just what the hell happened that bridges the events of RIP with the events of Final Crisis? Don't worry! This "Last Rites" two part story arc of Batman 682 and Batman 683 are here to help bridge the events, and explain just what the heck went down. The overall story of RIP turned out to be pretty damn exciting, even though the grand finale was a little anti-climatic, but Morrison has us hooked. Batman 682 thoroughly explored the history of the Joker, and touched on the idea of a Gotham City without a Batman, not to mention the link between Final Crisis and RIP. 683 looks to conclude that, and put a nice finish on Morrison's epic run. Click here to read more about Batman 683!

DAREDEVIL 114 - LADY BULLSEYE CHAPTER 4! BRUBAKER'S MODERN DAY DAREDEVIL CLASSIC HAS GOT US HOOKED, AND THE NEXT INSTALLMENT IS DUE OUT THIS WEEK!

Ed Brubaker is one of our favorite writers working today. He's turned Captain America into a consistent monthly must-read, he completely fleshed out the Gotham City police department with Gotham Central (along with Greg Rucka), he (and Matt Fraction) turned Iron Fist into a relevant, and exciting character, he gives us fantastic crime noir every other month with Criminal, and now, with his Lady Bullseye story arc... he's made Daredevil into the heavyweight title it should be. In this issue, you're guaranteed more Ninjas than you can shake a katana sword at. Click here for a preview of Daredevil 114!

DARK REIGN FORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF WEDNESDAY 12/24!

Every week, we'll try to keep you guys filled in on what the big happenings are in the realm of Dark Reign. This week, the big one is going to be New Avengers 48 , with the new team roster, and the impact of Dark Reign on the New Avengers! DEFINITELY pick this one up. It's also a great jumping on point for new readers, and kicks off a brand new direction for the title.

Ms. Marvel 34 has Carol Danvers fighting her one-woman war against the CIA, and the only one to have her back in these strange and dangerous times? The Amazing Spider-Man!

And then, Secret Invasion Requiem , will be reprinting the Wasp's first appearance in Tales to Astonish 44, and the infamous Yellowjack slugging Wasp story from Avengers 213. There'll be 8 new pages of story in this one, that kind of give you a follow-up from SI 8.

IT'S A HULK-TASTIC CHRISTMAS EVE WITH HULK 9 AND SKAAR SON OF HULK 4

A double-dose of gamma-irradiated goodness can keep your fireplace warm this Christmas with the newest issue of Skaar: Son Of Hulk 4, and the new monster mash Hulk 9, and we'll even have plenty of special SANTA HULK covers. So, you want to see giant crazies beating the hell outta each other? Come get your double Hulk fix this week! Hulk 9 features a full ish of Art Adams godly artwork, and Skaar 4 gives you another dose of that gamma irradiated Conan-in-Space! There's enough axe-slaying it that you'll wanna break out your old Morbid Angel tapes to provide the soundtrack!

SPAWN 187 HITS THE SHELVES THIS WEDNESDAY! TODD MCFARLANE CONTINUES TO BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO HIS RED-HOT SERIES!

Maybe it's nostalgia, but we're loving the return of Todd McFarlane on Spawn. With Portacio on pencils, and McFarlane doing the writing and the inking, this series has slowly returned to being the fresh and exciting book it used to be. This week, issue 187 of Spawn, will be arriving, and this is the third installment of Todd McFarlane's run on Spawn.

THOR 12 MARKS 12 ISSUES FOR THIS AWESOME SERIES!

Thor has been one of the most consistent Marvel books to be hitting the stands, and JMS's run with Coipel on this series has been picking up more and more readers with every issue. Blending Asgardian lore, and legend with a modern day setting of the midwest... this interesting take on Thor and his fellow Asgardians has proven to be very interesting. In issue 12, we see Loki's manipulations begin to strongly surface, and Balder the Brave being seated as a new prince of Asgard as a result. Click here for a preview of Thor 12!

UMBRELLA ACADEMY DALLAS 2 @ THIRD EYE THIS WEDNESDAY!

The second installment of the red hot Dark Horse series from My Chemical Romance front man Gerard Way (yeah, yeah, we're not exactly mega-fans of the band either, but c'mon, the guy can write a good comic!) hits the racks, and we know you're pumped. This quirky, surreal take on the world of super-heroes is a must for fans of works such as Grant Morrison's Doom Patrol.