Sat: Justin Jordan at 3rd Eye Annapolis

Fantom Comics named City Paper's Best Comic Book Store (UPDATED)

It's its annual Best of D.C. edition, the Washington City Paper named Fantom Comics the city's best comics book store. Big Planet Comics and Third Eye Comics were runners up. 

The issue also had a nice-size photo of Fantom Comics manager Jake Shapiro stocking the shelves.

Perennial WCP staff favorite Exotic Planterium and Card & Comic Collectorama in Alexandria also got a shout-out.

June 28: Paul Pope at Third Eye Comics

Paul Pope (Battling Boy, THB, Batman Year 100) will be signing a new revamped reprint of his book Escapo (Z2) at Third Eye Comics in Annapolis, Md., on June 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

From the Z2 press release: “What’s the scoop on ESCAPO? Like a feverish mash-up of Fellini films, Heavy Metal magazine, and classic Jack Kirby comics, ESCAPO tells the tale of a circus escape artist extraordinaire, who can escape from any situation — even from DEATH himself!”

Meet Transmetropolitan, Punisher & The Boys artist Darick Robertson this Saturday

Meet DARICK ROBERTSON, the legendary artist of TRANSMETROPOLITAN, THE BOYS, HAPPY!, PUNISHER: BORN, and now BALLISTIC! First 25 in line receive a very special FREE Gift. Limit of 6 Items Signed Per Trip Through the Line. You can go through the line as many times as you like though!    11AM-1PM   First 25 In Line Receive a Limited Edition Free Full-Size Fine Art Print Limited run of 25 printed! at THIRD EYE ANNAPOLIS Hello Third Eye Faithful! I have to personally say -- this may be one of the signings I've been most excited for.. EVER. Why, you're asking? 'Cause Darick Robertson pretty much defined the LOOK of comics for me growing up in the '90s and early '00s.  Many of my favorite series were illustrated by Robertson, including his ground-breaking work on TRANSMETROPOLITAN with WARREN ELLIS, his incredible run of THE BOYS with GARTH ENNIS, and his grave portrayal of Frank Castle in PUNISHER: BORN.  Now, he's got a brand new series called BALLISTIC, from the totally rad upstart publisher BLACK MASK STUDIOS, and we're so pumped to be able to have him as one of our guests here at Third Eye. Darick's flying in all the way from Los Angeles for this special event, and we've told him: no one does it like Third Eye fans do it. We'd be honored to have you guys all come out in force, and join us for what is going to be a legendary Third Eye signing!  Read on for more information on Darick's works, why we're so pumped to have him out, and for information on the series he's celebrating the recent release of, BALLISTIC. A Modern Comics Master. If you love East Of West, Saga, Revival, and Walking Dead.. then you need to read these books!   It's kind of odd to say this, because it's become pretty much the norm to have a ton of exciting and diverse genres being well-represented in the world of comics, but 15 years ago... this was not so much the case.  There were only a handful of creators who were really doing truly innovative things outside of Marvel and DC, and Darick Robertson was one of the trailblazers.  We're going to talk about his legendary works, as well as a couple of ones you may not be aware of, and tell you why you gotta make sure you make this rare East Coast appearance by a modern legend. First off, let's start with THE BOYS:   The BOYS is one of the best takes on superheroes gone bad that we've ever seen, and with it being written by one of our favorites, GARTH ENNIS, we had to take this chance to turn you guys onto such an awesome series. Set in a real-world setting of what superheroes could end up like, the Boys showcases a class of capes and tights fellows who hire themselves out as private defense courtesy of the Vought Corporation, and are extremely terrible individuals.  While some are more awful than others, and some aren't really that bad, the general jist is that the lifestyle of being a god or goddess among normal people has twisted these individuals into careless, and sometimes depraved individuals.  Enter The Boys, a secret CIA squad, composed of individuals who've had their lives destroyed in the crossfire of superhero battles. They have a personal stake in their work, and their work is to keep a leash on the capes and tights so they don't become too big for the CIA to control. Of course, the members of the Boys are revealed to have flaws themselves, and as we witness their bloody crusade against the Capes, we're shown a fascinating look at how a world with superheroes could really turn out. Not for the faint of heart, the Boys is by far the most graphic, and violent thing that Garth Ennis has written since his work on PREACHER, but just like PREACHER, there's a very strong story and compelling cast of characters underneath the shock, that make this book a must-read. We'll have plenty of copies of the series in stock this Saturday for you to snag and get signed by series artist, DARICK ROBERTSON.   Darick Robertson's most recent hit was the IMAGE mini-series HAPPY! with all-star writer GRANT MORRISON (BATMAN INCORPORATED, THE INVISIBLES, WE3).  In HAPPY!, Robertson delivers some of his sharpest work since the Boys, as he and Morrison tell the tale of NICK SAX -- a corrupt, intoxicated ex-cop turned hit-man, adrift in a stinking twilight world of casual murder, soulless sex, eczema and betrayal.  With a hit gone wrong, a bullet in his side, the cops and the mob on his tail, and a monstrous child killer in a Santa suit on the loose, Nick and his world will be changed forever... how? By a tiny blue horse called Happy.  Again, this one packs in the ultra-violence, and delivers a sharply humorous, yet strangely sweet take on the world of organized crime and invisible friends that happen to be magic horses. We've got plenty of the single issues as well as the trade paperback in stock for you to check out this weekend's signing!   One of the best PUNISHER runs we've ever read was Garth Ennis's PUNISHER MAX series, which spanned over 10 trades, as well as a couple of incredible spin-offs. However, our favorite part of PUNISHER MAX, may be it's stand-alone prequel story, BORN, which takes us back into the earliest years of Frank Castle.  Before his family was murdered. Before his life was destroyed. In the jungles of Viet Nam, we see that Castle had a demon in him that saw justice and brutal bloodshed as one in the same.  With mounting casualties and a rising anti-war sentiment, America's time in Vietnam is coming to a close. Yet in the isolated Valley Forge Firebase on the Cambodian border, Captain Frank Castle is one of the few soldiers still committed to the fight against the enemy.  With dwindling reserves, Castle must stand against an impending Viet Cong attack that threatens to wipe out the entire American platoon.  To survive the battle, what grim decision must he make that will forever alter the course of his life?  From the writer of THE BOYS and PREACHER, Garth Ennis, and our guest, DARICK ROBERTSON, we're shown the horrors that made the Punisher who he is. If you're even just a little bit of a Punisher fan, pick up a copy of this guy on Saturday, and have Darick sign it for ya!   One of the most influential, and legendary comics of the modern age, TRANSMETROPOLITAN is one of my all-time top five, and Darick's work on this series really defined what a good sci-fi comic looked like in the '90s and '00s.  Written by WARREN ELLIS (Planetary, Authority, etc.), and illustrated by Robertson, Transmet takes a Hunter S. Thompson analogue, rips him straight out of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and drops him straight into the 23rd century. Transmet combines black humor, life-threatening situations, and moral ambiguity to look into the gonzo mind of an outlaw journalist and hte world he seeks to destroy.  After years of self-imposed exile from a civilization rife with degradation and indecency, cynical journalist Spider Jerusalem is forced to return to a job he hates and a city he loathes.  Working as an investigative reporter for the newspaper the Word, Spider attacks the injustices of his surreal 23rd Century surroundings.  Spider ventures into the dangerous Angels 8 district, home of the Transients -- humans who have decided to become Martians through cosmetic surgery. But Spider's interview with the Transients' leader gets him a scoop he didn't bargain for, and sets him on a path to the next Presidential Election. Folks: this series was incredible, available in trade paperback, and 9 volumes deep, TRANSMET is one of the all-time greats, and we really cannot recommend it enough. If you're a fan of just plain great comics; pick up a copy of volume 1 at our signing this Saturday.  Click here to RSVP on FACEBOOK. Make sure to check out Darick Robertson's new series, BALLISTIC, this Saturday at the signing! And, of course, the reason we've got Darick coming in the first place, is to celebrate his most recent project: BALLISTIC from the impressive new publisher BLACK MASK STUDIOS.  This madcap sci-fi buddy adventure about a wanna-be bank robber and his best friend, Gun, a drug-addicted, foul-mouthed, living gun, marks Darick Robertson's return to the hard sci-fi worldbuilding of his classic TRANSMETROPOLITAN, with a little of the Boys' ultra-violence mixed in. We loved the first issue of this series, as writer ADAM EGYPT MORTIMER crafts a really compelling debut story, and Darick delivers his best work yet, bringing the world of BALLISTIC to life. Loaded with bizarre ideas and psychedelic imagery, this is a lush, layered futuristic world that immerses you in the story right from the get-go.  Mortimer and Robertson tell a story where talking guns seem the norm, and buildings are made of techno-organic material. If you've ever read the Rudy Rucker WARE Tetralogy, the way that tech is viewed here, is very reminiscent. We cannot wait for issue #2, and we highly recommend snagging yourself a copy of #1 to get signed by Robertson. Click here to RSVP to the event on FACEBOOK. Be One of the First 25 In Line & Get a FREE Limited Edition Print Exclusive to this Event! We've got Darick coming all the way from California for this event, and with this being his only East Coast appearance in support of the book -- we really wanted to do something special for you guys.  We'll have a special fine art print ( which may or may not be the picture above ) available as a free giveaway for the first 25 of you who line up for the signing! Click here to RSVP on FACEBOOK.

Third Eye Comics | 2027A WEST ST | Annapolis | MD | 21401

May 5: Free Comic Book Day in the DC-area

From Big Planet Comics:

Free Comic Book Day Approacheth!

Next Saturday, May 5, is the annual Free Comic Book Day! As always, all of our stores are participating, so stop by and get some free comics! It's also a great time to bring your friends or children in too! We have been receiving our free comic books over the last few weeks, and there are a LOT this year. Avengers, DC New 52, Simpsons, Mega Man, a HARDCOVER from Archaia, Serenity, Star Wars, Yo Gabba Gabba, Adventure Time, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Spider-Man, and more! You can see the full list of free comics at freecomicbookday.com

We are also having signings at two of our stores in conjunction with Free Comic Book Day. Jeremy Whitley and Jorge Aguirre, who both write great all ages comics (Princeless and Giants Beware!) will be at our Vienna store from 11-1 and our College Park store from 3-5. They will be signing copies of their comics, and happy to talk to young fans and readers too! More information is below.

We might also have a few special guests (like the Ghostbusters!)

- the Big Planet Comics kids

UPCOMING May 5 - Free Comic Book Day & Jeremy Whitley & Jorge Aguirre Signing

Free Comic Book Day is just a few weeks away! Bring your friends, we have a lot of great comics to give away this year! To see the complete list, go to freecomicbookday.com!

In addition, we are proud to present 2 great comic book writers, who have just published some great all-ages fantasy adventure comics! Jeremy Whitley writes Princeless, and Jorge Aguirre writes Giants Beware! They will be appearing at our Vienna and College Park stores.

11 am-1 pm
Big Planet Comics of Vienna
426 Maple Ave. East
Vienna, VA 22180
703-242-9412
vienna@bigplanetcomics.com

3 pm-5 pm
Big Planet Comics of College Park
7315 Baltimore Ave.
College Park, MD 20740
301-699-0498
bigplanetcollegepark@yahoo.com

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From Beyond Comics:

This year’s Free Comic Book Day will be Saturday, May 5th.


We will be giving away tons of comic books and other freebies. Meet comic book artists including Dean Haspiel, Mark Whealty, Carla Speed McNeil, Rafer Roberts, Terry Flippo, Megan Steckler and Nathan Richardson.

Also meet an abundance of costumed heroes! Fun for kids of all ages!

Gaithersburg Artists:  Dean Haspiel, Carla Speed McNeil, Casey Jones and Nathan Richardson from 11am to 4pm.

Frederick Artists:  Mark Wheatley, Rafer Roberts, Megan Steckler, and Terry Flippo.

Gaithersburg Store

18794 B North Frederick Rd
Gaithersburg, MD
(301) 216-0007
Hours: M,Tu 11-8; W-Sat 10-9; Sun 12-6

Frederick Store
5632 Route 85
Frederick, MD
(301) 668-8202

Hours: M,Tu 10-8; W-Sat 10-9; Sun 12-6
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From Game On! Comics

Saturday, May 5th from 11am to 6pm

Come out to Game On! Comics for Free Comic Book Day! Once per year, comic shops around the country give out comics for free.

We will have a great selection of comic books for you and your friends, for FREE. LOTS of children's comics!

Over 40 titles! One Free Thor Heroclix! Widest variety of comics available in our area!

Super-Hero appearances throughout the day!! Starting around 12 noon till 3ish

Batgirl
Sabretooth
A G.I. Joe
Flash
Phoenix

Artist Appearance: 11am to 6pm

Tim Dzon!
Tim has worked on many comics over the years including these:
Avengers West Coast
Avengers Spotlight
What If..
Marvel Comics Presents
Fantastic Four Unplugged
Spiderman Unlimited
Hawkeye Mini-Series
Northstar Mini-Series
WarMachine
Ironman

Tim will be here to sign autographs and even draw commisioned pieces just for you, for an extra cost.

Louis the Magician

11:30am to 12:30pm
Louis the Magician will be performing close up magic in the lobby for the kids!
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BAMN Comics - free downloadable comic from local creators Jay Payne, Troy Jeffrey Allen and David Dean on May 5th at http://www.bamncan.com/

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From Third Eye Comics in Annapolis:
THIS SATURDAY IS ALSO FREE COMIC BOOK DAY 2012 and THIRD EYE'S 4th ANNIVERSARY!


Yes, it's our favorite day of the year, in fact, this is why we chose it as the day of our big grand opening celebration. FREE COMIC BOOK DAY. Every year, we work hard to bring you guys the best Free Comic Book Day on the East Coast, and this year, we've pulled out all the stops. A huge sale, loads of special guest creators, Stormtroopers!, and so much more!

Click here to get the full rundown of what we have shaking at BOTH Third Eye locations this Saturday for FCBD 2012!

Peter Panzerfaust Signing with Kurtis J. Wiebe and Tyler Jenkins

Kurtis J. Wiebe and Tyler Jenkins sign at Third Eye Comics on Saturday, March 17, 2012 from 11:00am to 1:00pm.

RSVP on Facebook!

Press Release:

Kurtis J. Wiebe (writer of GREEN WAKE and the INTREPIDS) and TYLER JENKINS (Snow Angel) will be joining us on 3/17 for a very special in-store Third Eye signing and launch event of their brand new IMAGE series PETER PANZERFAUST.

This kick-ass new IMAGE title tells the tale of Peter, a young, mysterious boy from America who, alongside the Lost Boys of Paris, goes up against the Nazi forces of a very familiar-looking hook-handed Nazi commander.

Third Eye Comics

45 Old Solomon Island Road, Annapolis, MD 21401

Third Eye Comics in Annapolis, MD has Upcoming In-Store Appearances

Charles Soule, writer of "27" from Image Comics, will appear at Third Eye Comics in Annapolis, MD on January 7, 2012 from 11am-2pm.



On February 18, 2012 from 11am-2pm, Justin Jordan, writer, and Tradd Moore, artist, will be at Third Eye to promote their "Strange Talent of Luther Strode" title, also from Image Comics.

Third Eye Comics of Annapolis featured

Third Eye Comics of Annapolis is featured on Graphic Novel Reporter - "Bestseller Lists September 9, 2009: Annapolis, MD," September 10 2009, listing their top-selling comics.