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Eternals (2021)
Eternals, Vol. 1: Only Death is Eternal
Never die…never win. What’s the point of an eternal battle? For millions of years, one hundred Eternals have roamed the Earth, secret protectors of humanity. Without them, mankind would be smears between the teeth of the demon-like Deviants. Their war has waged for all time, echoing in our myths and nightmares. But today, the Eternals face something new: change! Can they — or anyone on Earth — survive their discovery? An Eternal has been murdered by one of their own, and this may not be the last such killing. But Sersi’s number one suspect is — Thena?! Plus, titans clash in a city driven mad, as Ikaris battles Thanos! From the thought-provoking minds of Kieron Gillen (YOUNG AVENGERS, UNCANNY X-MEN) and Esad Ribić (THOR: GOD OF THUNDER, SECRET WARS) comes a new vision of the classic Marvel mythology!
COLLECTING: Eternals (2021) 1-6
COLLECTING: Eternals (2021) 1-6
152 pages, Unknown Binding
First published January 6, 2021
134 people are currently reading
358 people want to read
About the author
Kieron Gillen
1,462 books1,900 followersKieron Gillen is a comic book writer and former media journalist.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
November 14, 2021
Ready for some dull sci-fi and generic superhero shenanigans? Heeeeere’s Eternals, Volume 1: Marvel Needed a Book Because They Has a Movie Out About These Characters and Not Because They Had an Inspired Story to Tell!
Someone’s killed an Eternal! Whodunit? Better question: who cares?? They’re ETERNAL. They don’t stay dead for long - they get resurrected all the time! Also, the planet’s about to blow up - wow, you never see those stakes in a Marvel comic! The world’s about to end? You mean like in EVERY Marvel book?? And Thanos is the big bad here because he’s never the big bad in anything. Oh wait…
Yeah, it’s just wave after wave of brilliance in this book. I think, like most people who’ve read an Eternals book (and that ain’t many!), I’ve just read the Neil Gaiman/John Romita Jr book from the mid-‘00s and that’s it. I don’t know much about these characters but, after reading this rubbish, I’m not eager for more, and I can see why there aren’t a lot of Eternals books out there - they are not an interesting bunch!
Ikaris is our main character and he’s the poor man’s Superman - he’s not even Marvel’s most prominent Superman knockoff (that would be The Sentry) - while the other characters are just… whatever. Zuras, Sprite, Phastos, Druig, Sersi, Thena, Kingo, Gilgamesh - they’re just silly names plastered onto unmemorable nobodies.
Which is part of what makes this book so boring to read, as there are numerous flashbacks explaining the dreary relationships between these characters. This guy doesn’t like that guy because of some drivel that happened centuries ago, etc. Those scenes might be interesting to read if you cared about the characters or what they were doing was compelling but you don’t and they’re not - it’s simply bland superheroes punching monsters.
The feeble murder mystery is a convoluted, dreary plot that never once entertains. The Earth or The Machine, I don’t know what the difference is in this stupid story, is the narrator for some reason, the villain’s motivations are unclear, and Thanos is involved for name recognition only apparently.
Esad Ribic’s art is pretty good even if every character seems to have the same wide-eyed expression of surprise. Kieron Gillen also incorporates Jonathan Hickman-esque data pages which seem to be a tedious feature of many Marvel books now, so that’s horrible.
It’s not a particularly accessible book for anyone unfamiliar with the Eternals (ie. everyone), nor is it likely to make anyone want to read more about them - “Wow, I was so bored, let me get everything I can find featuring this lot!” Gillen/Ribic’s Eternals did absolutely nothing for me - I don’t recommend it to anybody and I can only hope the movie is nothing like this book.
Someone’s killed an Eternal! Whodunit? Better question: who cares?? They’re ETERNAL. They don’t stay dead for long - they get resurrected all the time! Also, the planet’s about to blow up - wow, you never see those stakes in a Marvel comic! The world’s about to end? You mean like in EVERY Marvel book?? And Thanos is the big bad here because he’s never the big bad in anything. Oh wait…
Yeah, it’s just wave after wave of brilliance in this book. I think, like most people who’ve read an Eternals book (and that ain’t many!), I’ve just read the Neil Gaiman/John Romita Jr book from the mid-‘00s and that’s it. I don’t know much about these characters but, after reading this rubbish, I’m not eager for more, and I can see why there aren’t a lot of Eternals books out there - they are not an interesting bunch!
Ikaris is our main character and he’s the poor man’s Superman - he’s not even Marvel’s most prominent Superman knockoff (that would be The Sentry) - while the other characters are just… whatever. Zuras, Sprite, Phastos, Druig, Sersi, Thena, Kingo, Gilgamesh - they’re just silly names plastered onto unmemorable nobodies.
Which is part of what makes this book so boring to read, as there are numerous flashbacks explaining the dreary relationships between these characters. This guy doesn’t like that guy because of some drivel that happened centuries ago, etc. Those scenes might be interesting to read if you cared about the characters or what they were doing was compelling but you don’t and they’re not - it’s simply bland superheroes punching monsters.
The feeble murder mystery is a convoluted, dreary plot that never once entertains. The Earth or The Machine, I don’t know what the difference is in this stupid story, is the narrator for some reason, the villain’s motivations are unclear, and Thanos is involved for name recognition only apparently.
Esad Ribic’s art is pretty good even if every character seems to have the same wide-eyed expression of surprise. Kieron Gillen also incorporates Jonathan Hickman-esque data pages which seem to be a tedious feature of many Marvel books now, so that’s horrible.
It’s not a particularly accessible book for anyone unfamiliar with the Eternals (ie. everyone), nor is it likely to make anyone want to read more about them - “Wow, I was so bored, let me get everything I can find featuring this lot!” Gillen/Ribic’s Eternals did absolutely nothing for me - I don’t recommend it to anybody and I can only hope the movie is nothing like this book.
October 7, 2021
Gorgeous art but I wish editorial had managed to get Gillen to just dial it down with the glib narration (by the sentient Earth? OK) and the Hickman-esque infographics.
At least they have an eternal sense of humour about themselves?
so I will be reading the next volume when I can.
At least they have an eternal sense of humour about themselves?
so I will be reading the next volume when I can.
November 14, 2021
will never get over gilgameshs nickname being gilgy 😭
August 7, 2022
★★★★½
Eternals. They can't die, and sometimes, can't live either.
Gillen directs the story of Eternals in a very magnificent way to the sentimental and tense zone. With whispers of the Mad Titan shadowing all over it, we are facing a well-written and well-managed story.
The action is as good as it could be in a movie (!) and the graphics are just fine. Fights are all over, grief is lingering as they witness the death of people of their own, whispers turn into howls and change is awaiting in every corner.
This is Eternals, battling Thanos, the Mad Titan, harshly and battling themselves, bitterly.
Eternals. They can't die, and sometimes, can't live either.
Gillen directs the story of Eternals in a very magnificent way to the sentimental and tense zone. With whispers of the Mad Titan shadowing all over it, we are facing a well-written and well-managed story.
The action is as good as it could be in a movie (!) and the graphics are just fine. Fights are all over, grief is lingering as they witness the death of people of their own, whispers turn into howls and change is awaiting in every corner.
This is Eternals, battling Thanos, the Mad Titan, harshly and battling themselves, bitterly.
September 24, 2023
1.5ish stars.
I actually think the Eternals could be very interesting in the right hands. Kieron Gillen's are not those hands. Too many characters and no reason to learn anything about them; extremely boring and unnecessary story; Gillen’s narration is silly and self-satisfied in a way that doesn't fit the tone of the book.
Aspects of the art are striking, but how is anyone okay with the way Ribić draws characters?? Has anyone seen their faces?? Uncanny valley level of disturbing, truly awful.
I actually think the Eternals could be very interesting in the right hands. Kieron Gillen's are not those hands. Too many characters and no reason to learn anything about them; extremely boring and unnecessary story; Gillen’s narration is silly and self-satisfied in a way that doesn't fit the tone of the book.
Aspects of the art are striking, but how is anyone okay with the way Ribić draws characters?? Has anyone seen their faces?? Uncanny valley level of disturbing, truly awful.
October 24, 2022
4.5: After loving the first issue of AXE: Judgement Day, I thought I would check out Kieron Gillen's run on Eternals to see how it ties in to AXE. And guess what? I loved this one too.
It starts out like a murder mystery. When Ikaris is revived (Didn't know what else to call it) he is told by Zuras to take Sprite out of the Exlusion. The exclusion is this jail house for eternals who make a very bad mistake. Shortly after Sprite is freed, Zuras is found dead.
Some of the eternals come together to try and find who did this. But that when more and more problems arise. The eternals split up to try to find the eternal that committed all these crimes.
I loved all of the characters. I figured that with all of these characters there would be certain ones that would just be there and have nothing to do. But no, Kieron was able to make you care about each one of these characters and there motivations. Although, Sprite was by far my favorite.
Most of the time I liked the narration (AKA the Machine, the basically runs Eternals hq or whatever), but there were other times where it was way too wordy. Oh and also, there are those stupid Hickman like info graphs. Can't we find some other way to explain info? Please?
Overall, I thought this was a lot of fun. I will be reading the next volume, especially after what happened at the end.
I recommend!
It starts out like a murder mystery. When Ikaris is revived (Didn't know what else to call it) he is told by Zuras to take Sprite out of the Exlusion. The exclusion is this jail house for eternals who make a very bad mistake. Shortly after Sprite is freed, Zuras is found dead.
Some of the eternals come together to try and find who did this. But that when more and more problems arise. The eternals split up to try to find the eternal that committed all these crimes.
I loved all of the characters. I figured that with all of these characters there would be certain ones that would just be there and have nothing to do. But no, Kieron was able to make you care about each one of these characters and there motivations. Although, Sprite was by far my favorite.
Most of the time I liked the narration (AKA the Machine, the basically runs Eternals hq or whatever), but there were other times where it was way too wordy. Oh and also, there are those stupid Hickman like info graphs. Can't we find some other way to explain info? Please?
Overall, I thought this was a lot of fun. I will be reading the next volume, especially after what happened at the end.
I recommend!
didnt-finish
November 11, 2021DNF at 53%. This is pretentious as fuck, it's boring, it uses full page info-graphics that are annoying (thanks for nothing, Hickman), and the way Esad Ribić sometimes draws wide open eyes freaks me out.
It's not even the same across the board! I hate it!
It's not even the same across the board! I hate it!
September 18, 2021
This is the only Eternals stuff I’ve read, so some of it is a bit hard to get my head around. But it was good. And very Gillen at times.
July 18, 2022
Extremely heavy, sometimes a bit boring, yet exciting sometimes. This is a mix of things, loving the art for the fights and feel/atmosphere, but also sometimes people look bug-eyed. It's a weird mix of a book cause some of it I dislike, some of it I love.
Anything with Thanos vs Eternals is the highlight as well as Robbie who they protect. It's a sad ending that actually sticks and makes me excited to read the other half soon.
Anything with Thanos vs Eternals is the highlight as well as Robbie who they protect. It's a sad ending that actually sticks and makes me excited to read the other half soon.
August 19, 2022
There’s a panel in one of Kieron Gillen’s Eternals stories where an Eternal punches a Star Brand - two “planetary defence systems” having a fight, one irony being that both are grafts into the main Marvel Universe, ideas that were never originally meant to be mixing it up with the Avengers or Iron Man. The Eternals have been part of Marvel continuity for decades now, but they’ve still never really fit. Gillen’s version of them leans into that - now there’s explicitly no point to them, and yet here they still are, and them coming to terms with that is what drives the story.
But was there ever a point to them? Readers could be forgiven for doubting it. The Eternals as created are a race of beings vaguely looking after Earth until the Celestials return to judge it, which in Jack Kirby’s initial stories is imminent. But Kirby’s creation got absorbed into main Marvel continuity and the Celestials became part of its cosmic furniture. Judgement has come and gone a few times, the original plots have fizzled out, and recent Avengers stories made it official: the Eternals are without a remit. But the lack of reader (and creator) interest in the Celestials makes it feel like they never had one.
Gillen’s solution to all this is to make the Eternals a kind of cosmic janitor class - a bunch of immortal beings whose immortality is concerned with the tedious mechanics of keeping the “great machine” (Earth) running smoothly as their space bosses would want it. Life as one of Gillen’s Eternals is pretty grim - fight, watch humans, execute Deviants when they go rogue, die, resurrect, repeat. It’s a setup where the reader’s suspicions that these guys are pointless is broadly confirmed but where the fact that *they* sincerely believe in their importance also comes fully over.
Taking characters who’ve never really worked and making that the point: very smart. But you still need to tell a story about them. Luckily, Gillen does. The Eternals need to solve what’s less a murder than a case of industrial sabotage - somebody is breaking the Great Machine. A traitor among us plot works well for the Eternals because they’re such cyphers it really could be anyone, and Gillen does a good job of introductions, suspicion-casting and clue-laying given the almost blank canvas he’s working with. The search also lays bare the great secret of the Eternals, which adds a neatly tragic urgency to these characters’ quest for purpose.
The weapon of the saboteur (and the book’s less hidden antagonist) is Thanos, a character who I have less interest in even than the Eternals but who very obviously does “work” in the wider fan and commercial sense. Here’s where artist Esad Ribic comes into his own - he does solid Eternals, and some great empty, lonesome Eternal locations, but more than anything he draws a mean Thanos. And I specifically mean MEAN - even a very good writer ends up with Thanos spouting the usual bombast but he’s never looked this psychopathically hulking and dangerous.
Thanos has more of a role to play in Eternals’ second arc but his brutal cameos here are vital to break up what’s otherwise a wordy, cerebral story. Not for everyone, but when has that not been true of an Eternals book?
But was there ever a point to them? Readers could be forgiven for doubting it. The Eternals as created are a race of beings vaguely looking after Earth until the Celestials return to judge it, which in Jack Kirby’s initial stories is imminent. But Kirby’s creation got absorbed into main Marvel continuity and the Celestials became part of its cosmic furniture. Judgement has come and gone a few times, the original plots have fizzled out, and recent Avengers stories made it official: the Eternals are without a remit. But the lack of reader (and creator) interest in the Celestials makes it feel like they never had one.
Gillen’s solution to all this is to make the Eternals a kind of cosmic janitor class - a bunch of immortal beings whose immortality is concerned with the tedious mechanics of keeping the “great machine” (Earth) running smoothly as their space bosses would want it. Life as one of Gillen’s Eternals is pretty grim - fight, watch humans, execute Deviants when they go rogue, die, resurrect, repeat. It’s a setup where the reader’s suspicions that these guys are pointless is broadly confirmed but where the fact that *they* sincerely believe in their importance also comes fully over.
Taking characters who’ve never really worked and making that the point: very smart. But you still need to tell a story about them. Luckily, Gillen does. The Eternals need to solve what’s less a murder than a case of industrial sabotage - somebody is breaking the Great Machine. A traitor among us plot works well for the Eternals because they’re such cyphers it really could be anyone, and Gillen does a good job of introductions, suspicion-casting and clue-laying given the almost blank canvas he’s working with. The search also lays bare the great secret of the Eternals, which adds a neatly tragic urgency to these characters’ quest for purpose.
The weapon of the saboteur (and the book’s less hidden antagonist) is Thanos, a character who I have less interest in even than the Eternals but who very obviously does “work” in the wider fan and commercial sense. Here’s where artist Esad Ribic comes into his own - he does solid Eternals, and some great empty, lonesome Eternal locations, but more than anything he draws a mean Thanos. And I specifically mean MEAN - even a very good writer ends up with Thanos spouting the usual bombast but he’s never looked this psychopathically hulking and dangerous.
Thanos has more of a role to play in Eternals’ second arc but his brutal cameos here are vital to break up what’s otherwise a wordy, cerebral story. Not for everyone, but when has that not been true of an Eternals book?
December 20, 2022
I adored Hickman's House of X/Powers of X reboot for the X-Men, so I was naturally inclined to enjoy Kieron Gillen's reboot of the Eternals, with its similar odd, omniscient narrator and frequent use of infographics. Even better, Gillen's work here has a coherent plot!
Only Death Is Eternal slowly introduces the characters, starting with Ikaris and Sprite, who (after being reborn, ala Krakoan X-Men) discover that the Eternal Prime has been murdered. Cue the murder investigation that requires us readers to meet all the other important Eternals. It's kind of the perfect setup for world-building, and Gillen pulls it off with aplomb. I knew next to nothing about the Eternals going into this read and now feel extremely well-versed in their universe, not to mention excited for what's to come.
It helps, of course, that the main villain in this volume is , a character who always raises the stakes and needs no introduction. It also helps that Esad Ribic did the art, which is sublime...barring the few scenes where characters have gaping mouths, putty faces, and eyes that seem to be popping out of their skulls. Weird choice, dude.
Only Death Is Eternal slowly introduces the characters, starting with Ikaris and Sprite, who (after being reborn, ala Krakoan X-Men) discover that the Eternal Prime has been murdered. Cue the murder investigation that requires us readers to meet all the other important Eternals. It's kind of the perfect setup for world-building, and Gillen pulls it off with aplomb. I knew next to nothing about the Eternals going into this read and now feel extremely well-versed in their universe, not to mention excited for what's to come.
It helps, of course, that the main villain in this volume is , a character who always raises the stakes and needs no introduction. It also helps that Esad Ribic did the art, which is sublime...barring the few scenes where characters have gaping mouths, putty faces, and eyes that seem to be popping out of their skulls. Weird choice, dude.
September 29, 2021
3.8/5
Great issue, pretty great twist. It was also very satisfying to see Thanos getting ganged up on by the Eternals, making him feel powerless, something the Avengers or any other group has never done.
Unrelated, but it's funny how the most powerful group in Marvel is the least known of them all. Not only did The Eternals remain secluded from humanity, but Marvel kept them secluded from fans too.
Great issue, pretty great twist. It was also very satisfying to see Thanos getting ganged up on by the Eternals, making him feel powerless, something the Avengers or any other group has never done.
Unrelated, but it's funny how the most powerful group in Marvel is the least known of them all. Not only did The Eternals remain secluded from humanity, but Marvel kept them secluded from fans too.
August 27, 2021
I love a Kieron Gillen book, that's no secret. And I love a Kieron Gillen book where he takes everything you know and turns it on its head. But I know next to nothing about the Eternals, so I had no idea how this would turn out for me. Turns out, pretty good actually.
Eternals begins with a mystery, and evolves into a whodunnit/adventure/superhero throwdown that reintroduces all of the usual Eternals that most people know and love, but in a way that sets them up almost as new characters to get to know again, so people like me don't feel like they're missing out. Gillen's concepts unfold steadily over the course of the six issues, and without ever feeling like he's throwing things at us out of the blue. The unreliable narrator is also a great touch, and gives perspective on the Eternals that their own internal monologues would never afford us.
The artwork's fabulous as well, since it's Esad Ribic - he draws all six issues in their entirety, and I have no complaints other than I wish he could draw a little faster so we could see this quality more often.
Eternals is a 'nice to meet you' and a 'nice to see you again' all at once. In Kieron Gillen's deft hands, I don't think there's a single property that could flounder, but he's clearly in his element with the wacky world of the Eternals. Long may they reign.
Eternals begins with a mystery, and evolves into a whodunnit/adventure/superhero throwdown that reintroduces all of the usual Eternals that most people know and love, but in a way that sets them up almost as new characters to get to know again, so people like me don't feel like they're missing out. Gillen's concepts unfold steadily over the course of the six issues, and without ever feeling like he's throwing things at us out of the blue. The unreliable narrator is also a great touch, and gives perspective on the Eternals that their own internal monologues would never afford us.
The artwork's fabulous as well, since it's Esad Ribic - he draws all six issues in their entirety, and I have no complaints other than I wish he could draw a little faster so we could see this quality more often.
Eternals is a 'nice to meet you' and a 'nice to see you again' all at once. In Kieron Gillen's deft hands, I don't think there's a single property that could flounder, but he's clearly in his element with the wacky world of the Eternals. Long may they reign.
July 29, 2021
This was quite a fun one!
It starts off with Ikaris and Sprite reuniting and then they find that Zuras (the prime eternal) is dead and thus they begin investigating whose behind it and what they find and who they find is shocking and its Thanos. A battle ensues and similarly we have them reuniting with Sersi, Thena and Phastos and we see things in Polaria and what not and battles everywhere, suspects growing and Thanos still on the lose and finally Ikaris mission as to protect someone. But when all is revealed and whose behind the Thanos resurrection and the dark secrets of their own resurrection, its a big moment and will change Eternals forever but there are more secrets in the dark.
This was a good volume and while lengthy and gets boring in some parts, its still good and does a decent job at establishing these characters and giving them some personality and motives and I liked the story with Ikaris and showing like how life is different for them and what could be the entire life of a human is but a blink in the eyes of Eternals. Good stuff and I liked the art for the most part and it suits well for the future of the series if the artist continues. Great stuff.
It starts off with Ikaris and Sprite reuniting and then they find that Zuras (the prime eternal) is dead and thus they begin investigating whose behind it and what they find and who they find is shocking and its Thanos. A battle ensues and similarly we have them reuniting with Sersi, Thena and Phastos and we see things in Polaria and what not and battles everywhere, suspects growing and Thanos still on the lose and finally Ikaris mission as to protect someone. But when all is revealed and whose behind the Thanos resurrection and the dark secrets of their own resurrection, its a big moment and will change Eternals forever but there are more secrets in the dark.
This was a good volume and while lengthy and gets boring in some parts, its still good and does a decent job at establishing these characters and giving them some personality and motives and I liked the story with Ikaris and showing like how life is different for them and what could be the entire life of a human is but a blink in the eyes of Eternals. Good stuff and I liked the art for the most part and it suits well for the future of the series if the artist continues. Great stuff.
November 1, 2021
4.5🌟 I've become a fan of Gillen's writing over the years and put a hold on this at the library months before I even realized it was linked to Marvels big Holiday movie of the year. Great overall plotting with some fairly interesting characters. I'd definitely be into reading some more Eternals titles.
October 21, 2021
Read as single issues.
I like the Eternals and I usually like Gillen's writing. And I really dislike this book.
The Eternals have been retconned so far away from what they were under Kirby (also reconning retcons, like Mentor's story again), they are nearly unrecognizable.
The Eternals have been reduced from god-like beings to mechanistic archetypes with barely any sense of grandeur or the cosmic left. And apparently, efforts are undertaken to make the comics come closer to the coming movie once again (Sprite's sex change).
Also, I could really do without Thanos for a decade or two by now.
In addition to that I may be the only person alive who doesn't like Ribic's artwork, especially his repeated use of single panels (like Ikaris' staring like this:
)
I so wanted to like this book, but I really don't.
I like the Eternals and I usually like Gillen's writing. And I really dislike this book.
The Eternals have been retconned so far away from what they were under Kirby (also reconning retcons, like Mentor's story again), they are nearly unrecognizable.
The Eternals have been reduced from god-like beings to mechanistic archetypes with barely any sense of grandeur or the cosmic left. And apparently, efforts are undertaken to make the comics come closer to the coming movie once again (Sprite's sex change).
Also, I could really do without Thanos for a decade or two by now.
In addition to that I may be the only person alive who doesn't like Ribic's artwork, especially his repeated use of single panels (like Ikaris' staring like this:
)I so wanted to like this book, but I really don't.
February 10, 2022
Shelve these right next to the inhumans...Earth's super secret and super powerful team that no one knows or cares about. While I appreciate the work Gillen put into this, it is just too crowded at this point in the marvel universe and MCU. The story itself is long and self absorbed for my taste. bottom line I don't care the celestials have underlings that hide on earth for whatever reason... it just does not fit into modern marvel that well.
Also I usually like the art from Esad Ribic, he has a grittiness that I like. But what in the hell is up with his facial expressions.....
Also I usually like the art from Esad Ribic, he has a grittiness that I like. But what in the hell is up with his facial expressions.....
September 2, 2021
The art is great, but the annotation and the story are a bit all over the place.
January 20, 2022
When the Eternals movie came out, I knew there would be an Eternals comic again before too long. The sales for the Neil Gaiman version increased (and I did read that while waiting for the movie) but I knew they'd want a series to run for a while. This Volume is the start of that.
Kieron Gillen is a fantastic writer, but the confusion over Eternals lore is palpable here. While I am not convinced that we can ever fully figure out the whole lore around these beings (maybe because we are not Eternals ourselves LOL) created by Jack Kirby, it is clear their intent to guard and save humanity.
This Volume features Thanos' return to the Marvel Universe, having been dead for a little while, and the secret of the Eternals's resurrection is revealed.
Overall, it wasn't bad... but not a beginner book for someone new to Marvel.
Recommend with reservations.
Kieron Gillen is a fantastic writer, but the confusion over Eternals lore is palpable here. While I am not convinced that we can ever fully figure out the whole lore around these beings (maybe because we are not Eternals ourselves LOL) created by Jack Kirby, it is clear their intent to guard and save humanity.
This Volume features Thanos' return to the Marvel Universe, having been dead for a little while, and the secret of the Eternals's resurrection is revealed.
Overall, it wasn't bad... but not a beginner book for someone new to Marvel.
Recommend with reservations.
January 8, 2021
Zatím super překvapení, uvidíme jak to bude pokračovat - 5* 8.1.2021
June 15, 2023
Creo que nunca había leído un cómic exclusivo de Los Eternos pero este se me antojó como una forma de volver a ver a ponerme al día y como previo a varias historias que involucrarán a más personajes Marvel.
Es un buen comienzo, con misterios y un asesino suelto, traición y una revelación acerca de la inmortalidad de Los Eternos.
Me encanta el dibujo de Esad Ribic, con excepción de sus caras... son monstruosas.
Ya veremos si se pone aún mejor en los números por venir.
Ojalá que sí, porque Marvel lleva años (al igual que en el cine) donde la mayoría de las cosas que hace son basura.
Es un buen comienzo, con misterios y un asesino suelto, traición y una revelación acerca de la inmortalidad de Los Eternos.
Me encanta el dibujo de Esad Ribic, con excepción de sus caras... son monstruosas.
Ya veremos si se pone aún mejor en los números por venir.
Ojalá que sí, porque Marvel lleva años (al igual que en el cine) donde la mayoría de las cosas que hace son basura.
January 6, 2023
I don't think Kieron Gillen is a writer made for me. You'd think that an opportunity to properly introduce and build the lore around the Eternals wouldn't be missed out on this time around and then you've got this...
A murder mystery featuring Thanos where not a single Eternal is worth emotionally investing yourself into. This had a lot of talk that simply didn't matter at all.
The artwork is at times quite impressive but then you get these odd character designs and facial expressions that remind you how boring the story turned out to be.
Truly unfortunate.
A murder mystery featuring Thanos where not a single Eternal is worth emotionally investing yourself into. This had a lot of talk that simply didn't matter at all.
The artwork is at times quite impressive but then you get these odd character designs and facial expressions that remind you how boring the story turned out to be.
Truly unfortunate.
June 4, 2025
I think this one requires a bit too much Eternals knowledge to be a really effective story.
July 4, 2022
I found this iteration of these characters a lot less compelling than the Eternals movie. However, I did enjoy learning more about Thanos' backstory.
October 1, 2021
Solely created by the King himself, Jack Kirby, in 1976, the Eternals are one of the more obscure superhero teams in Marvel Comics as their whole deal is that they are defenders of the Earth, which leads to the inevitability of war against their destructive counterparts, the Deviants. Although these characters have popped up over the years through numerous series, most notably in Neil Gaiman and John Romita, Jr’s miniseries in the 2000s, the Eternals will never be popular as some of the publisher’s biggest characters, despite contributing to the cosmic side of the Marvel universe. With the upcoming film adaptation, which will hopefully get those characters some mainstream appeal, it’s about time to read the current run by Kieron Gillen and Esad Ribíc.
As part of The Great Machine – a massive living supercomputer that, for all intents and purposes, is the Earth itself – the Eternals cannot die. However, when Prime Eternal Zuras is found dead and cannot be resurrected, the Eternals begin to suspect that he was murdered by one of their own. Meanwhile, fellow Eternals Ikaris and Sprite must defend the thirteen-year-old human Toby Robson for reasons that are unknown to them, other than seeing a premonition of the boy’s grave.
No little very little about the mythos of these characters, despite reading the Gaiman-penned series many years ago, I was going into this volume blind. Gillen and Ribíc have dabbled with Kirby creations, most notably Thor and the Nine Realms, and with the initial six issues of their Eternals run, they not only embrace the bombastic grandeur of Kirby’s creation, but also put their own spin on the world-building, which is dense, for better or worse. In simplest terms, the story is a whodunnit mystery and some of the Eternals are at odds with each other, especially that there are multiple factions within the race.
Taking cue from Jonathan Hickman, there are a number of pages that feature no art and just text, describing the world of the Eternals, as if we’re looking at a PowerPoint presentation. Gillen has a grasp in exploring the mechanics of fantasy worlds, as previously seen in his creator-owned The Wicked + The Divine, but there is a point where he should go back and tell us a story. What pretty much saves the book on a narrative level, are the individual sequences between the Eternals themselves as they are beings both shaped and trapped by their core natures. Perhaps the most touching sequence is a scene between the youthful-looking Sprite and the actually young Toby, in which they give their own perspective on death.
One thing that cannot be denied and that is Esad Ribíc is an exceptional artist, as like I said before, he can respect the grandeur of Kirby’s creations whilst putting his own spin. Since the Eternals can go from looking godlike to even angelic figures, Ribíc establishes this with pages where they can dominate the panels, even when they are battling forces that bigger than them, such as Thanos, who serves as a recurring antagonist. However, there are numerous pages that showcase these cosmic landscapes, showing the characters as these small figures, representing that their never-ending purpose is bigger than them.
Towards the end, revelations are revealed and the changes in the lives of the Eternals continue to blossom. Whilst I'm interested to see what the long game is, the density of this volume didn’t help make this a wholly satisfying read. As long as the Great Machine continues to narrate the book, giving more of a lively personality than any of the other characters, Eternals could still have a future.
As part of The Great Machine – a massive living supercomputer that, for all intents and purposes, is the Earth itself – the Eternals cannot die. However, when Prime Eternal Zuras is found dead and cannot be resurrected, the Eternals begin to suspect that he was murdered by one of their own. Meanwhile, fellow Eternals Ikaris and Sprite must defend the thirteen-year-old human Toby Robson for reasons that are unknown to them, other than seeing a premonition of the boy’s grave.
No little very little about the mythos of these characters, despite reading the Gaiman-penned series many years ago, I was going into this volume blind. Gillen and Ribíc have dabbled with Kirby creations, most notably Thor and the Nine Realms, and with the initial six issues of their Eternals run, they not only embrace the bombastic grandeur of Kirby’s creation, but also put their own spin on the world-building, which is dense, for better or worse. In simplest terms, the story is a whodunnit mystery and some of the Eternals are at odds with each other, especially that there are multiple factions within the race.
Taking cue from Jonathan Hickman, there are a number of pages that feature no art and just text, describing the world of the Eternals, as if we’re looking at a PowerPoint presentation. Gillen has a grasp in exploring the mechanics of fantasy worlds, as previously seen in his creator-owned The Wicked + The Divine, but there is a point where he should go back and tell us a story. What pretty much saves the book on a narrative level, are the individual sequences between the Eternals themselves as they are beings both shaped and trapped by their core natures. Perhaps the most touching sequence is a scene between the youthful-looking Sprite and the actually young Toby, in which they give their own perspective on death.
One thing that cannot be denied and that is Esad Ribíc is an exceptional artist, as like I said before, he can respect the grandeur of Kirby’s creations whilst putting his own spin. Since the Eternals can go from looking godlike to even angelic figures, Ribíc establishes this with pages where they can dominate the panels, even when they are battling forces that bigger than them, such as Thanos, who serves as a recurring antagonist. However, there are numerous pages that showcase these cosmic landscapes, showing the characters as these small figures, representing that their never-ending purpose is bigger than them.
Towards the end, revelations are revealed and the changes in the lives of the Eternals continue to blossom. Whilst I'm interested to see what the long game is, the density of this volume didn’t help make this a wholly satisfying read. As long as the Great Machine continues to narrate the book, giving more of a lively personality than any of the other characters, Eternals could still have a future.
December 31, 2021
Com o surgimento do filme de Os Eternos no cinemas do Marvel Studios, a Marvel Comics resolveu investir também nos quadrinhos da raça de seres superiores, criados pelos celestiais, com a missão de defender os humanos e a Terra. Para essa missão, a Marveel Comics incumbiu dois pesos-pesados da indústria: Kieron Gillen e Esaad Ribic. O resultado é muito bom. Gillen usa recursos de paratextos para contar uma nova história dos Eternos, que tem a ver com a Máquina do Mundo, que está com defeito. O problema é que essa máquina é a própria Terra. E é ela quem narra essa história em quadrinhos, de uma maneira que podemos ver seu gradual perecimento, conforme os defeitos vão sendo acentuados. É também uma história de investigação de assassinato, uma vez que sem os poderes da máquina do mundo os Eternos não conseguem ressuscitar para continuar vivendo suas vidas imortais. Zuras, o líder dos Eternos é assassinado por Thanos, mas alguém dentro dá muos Eternos está trabalhando ao lado do titã louco. Um segredo há muito guardado pelos Eternos está prestes a ser revelado e tem a ver com seu ciclo de ressurreição. A arte de Ribic combina perfeitamente com o clima da história, parece ter sido feita sob medida para o enredo, muito mais que qualquer outra HQ que o artista já trabalhou. Eternos é uma ótima nova série em quadrinhos para se acompanhar. Que venham mais histórias!
November 12, 2021
La trama è essenzialmente un giallo, alla ricerca del traditore.
Noto moltissime similitudini col film, magari è stata un'idea per allineare gli Eterni del fumetto con quelli del film.
Ho trovato la storia abbastanza lenta e noiosa, seppur scritta bene.
Il colpo di scena c'è, anche se è piuttosto telefonato.
Ribic è sempre un bel vedere, anche se mi aspettavo di più. L'ho preferito sul Thor di Aaron e su "Loki: Fratelli di Sangue".
Tutto sommato è un buon inizio per una maxiserie che manca ancora di altri 6 numeri.
Valutato come inizio, mi sento di dare 4/5.
Vedremo come sarà il seguito.
Ps.
Non mi è piaciuta l'edizione extra size della Panini perchè le pagine sono in carta "ruvida" e opaca e ritengo che i disegni (che poi sono più dipinti) di Ribic non si meritino questo trattamento.
Paradossalmente la versione 17x26 è in carta lucida...
Noto moltissime similitudini col film, magari è stata un'idea per allineare gli Eterni del fumetto con quelli del film.
Ho trovato la storia abbastanza lenta e noiosa, seppur scritta bene.
Il colpo di scena c'è, anche se è piuttosto telefonato.
Ribic è sempre un bel vedere, anche se mi aspettavo di più. L'ho preferito sul Thor di Aaron e su "Loki: Fratelli di Sangue".
Tutto sommato è un buon inizio per una maxiserie che manca ancora di altri 6 numeri.
Valutato come inizio, mi sento di dare 4/5.
Vedremo come sarà il seguito.
Ps.
Non mi è piaciuta l'edizione extra size della Panini perchè le pagine sono in carta "ruvida" e opaca e ritengo che i disegni (che poi sono più dipinti) di Ribic non si meritino questo trattamento.
Paradossalmente la versione 17x26 è in carta lucida...
Read
August 9, 2021When the Eternals film was announced an an early entry in the MCU's Phase Four, I was doubtful. The Guardians, say, or Ant-Man, might have been obscure, but did have some really fun comics on which to draw. Whereas there had never been a really successful Eternals comic. Their beginning wasn't promising: all Jack Kirby solo comics were iffy anyway, and his von Daniken riff would probably never have been a great idea, even had it not then been crowbarred into the Marvel Universe, where the gods were already present in person, so the idea of an ancient race being mistaken for them made even less sense. Gaiman and Romita probably came closest, but it was very much the second-best Gaiman Marvel comic to come out of the Miracleman deal, and the other one was 1602 so that's a fairly low bar. Plus, the characters were last seen being killed off for cheap impact in the first and worst volume of Jason Aaron's Avengers – though I suppose that at least means a new series gets a nice blank slate, rather than having to pick up on any ongoing plot threads.
So why did I buy this, despite all that? Because it's Kieron Gillen's return to Marvel superheroes, obviously. Bringing with him some relevant WicDiv experience of writing immortals trapped in a cycle of death and rebirth, supposedly serving a vital function in the world, yet always with a shadow at their shoulder. The tagline here being the Sisyphean "Never die. Never win." - an echo made explicit elsewhere. This is the curse of all superheroes, to some extent – their great foes will never finally be vanquished, the streets will never be safe, at least not outside the occasional flash-forward. But with oddball C-listers like the Eternals, that can actually become a theme, instead of just something which has to be nodded to at most, but more often brushed under the carpet. On art, Esad Ribic, whose Thor work made clear that he is the visual poet of gods wandering the empty halls of massive, broken cities, a key skill here; colours from Matt Wilson make it all look painted. So it's gorgeous, and on top of that it manages to sustain the epic note while also often being very funny, especially the narration. The story, it soon becomes apparent, is being told by the Great Machine, AKA the Earth. Who, though a player in the story, is also pretty much an omniscient narrator. Or ought to be, except that the Great Machine is broken. Which is pretty much the plot of the opening arc.
This is good, in that what initially looked like it was going to be the plot – the murder mystery of someone who'll be back soon anyway – had a certain issue with stakes. Alas, there is a bigger issue with timing; there have been plenty of periods when a Marvel comic about a society who look like humans but are not; who consider humans a lesser species, for whom they bear a debatable amount of responsibility; and to whom death is no big deal, would have stood out. Now, though, it can't help feeling pretty close to Dawn Of X, and while there are obviously differences, it feels at times like the Eternals have moved from being superfluous doubles of Marvel Earth's gods, to a variation on the theme of its mutants. Plus, the big bad (and this was revealed early enough in proceedings that I don't think it counts as a spoiler) is Thanos. Who, yes, does have a definite link to the Eternals, but as fun as the MCU version was, I still find his 616 counterpart over-used and under-interesting. There is an article of faith which states that there are no bad characters in comics, only bad treatments of them. But this is an absolute creative dream team and, applied to this whole race of ancient third wheels, the most I can offer is that this is undoubtedly the best Eternals comic I have ever read. And that when they have at least one definite advantage over the film, namely that they weren't lumbered with Kit Harrington.
So why did I buy this, despite all that? Because it's Kieron Gillen's return to Marvel superheroes, obviously. Bringing with him some relevant WicDiv experience of writing immortals trapped in a cycle of death and rebirth, supposedly serving a vital function in the world, yet always with a shadow at their shoulder. The tagline here being the Sisyphean "Never die. Never win." - an echo made explicit elsewhere. This is the curse of all superheroes, to some extent – their great foes will never finally be vanquished, the streets will never be safe, at least not outside the occasional flash-forward. But with oddball C-listers like the Eternals, that can actually become a theme, instead of just something which has to be nodded to at most, but more often brushed under the carpet. On art, Esad Ribic, whose Thor work made clear that he is the visual poet of gods wandering the empty halls of massive, broken cities, a key skill here; colours from Matt Wilson make it all look painted. So it's gorgeous, and on top of that it manages to sustain the epic note while also often being very funny, especially the narration. The story, it soon becomes apparent, is being told by the Great Machine, AKA the Earth. Who, though a player in the story, is also pretty much an omniscient narrator. Or ought to be, except that the Great Machine is broken. Which is pretty much the plot of the opening arc.
This is good, in that what initially looked like it was going to be the plot – the murder mystery of someone who'll be back soon anyway – had a certain issue with stakes. Alas, there is a bigger issue with timing; there have been plenty of periods when a Marvel comic about a society who look like humans but are not; who consider humans a lesser species, for whom they bear a debatable amount of responsibility; and to whom death is no big deal, would have stood out. Now, though, it can't help feeling pretty close to Dawn Of X, and while there are obviously differences, it feels at times like the Eternals have moved from being superfluous doubles of Marvel Earth's gods, to a variation on the theme of its mutants. Plus, the big bad (and this was revealed early enough in proceedings that I don't think it counts as a spoiler) is Thanos. Who, yes, does have a definite link to the Eternals, but as fun as the MCU version was, I still find his 616 counterpart over-used and under-interesting. There is an article of faith which states that there are no bad characters in comics, only bad treatments of them. But this is an absolute creative dream team and, applied to this whole race of ancient third wheels, the most I can offer is that this is undoubtedly the best Eternals comic I have ever read. And that when they have at least one definite advantage over the film, namely that they weren't lumbered with Kit Harrington.
October 29, 2021
Questa non è una mia retromarcia, così come non è un effetto del film che non ho ancora visto.
Ho abbandonato la Marvel con la morte dell'universo 616 e non leggerò mai le storie successive.
Questa è una eccezione perché ero curioso, l'invenzione de Gli Eterni da parte di Jack Kirby mi ha sempre affascinato, così come la descrizione del loro mondo, in origine una terra parallela al 616.
Gillen è stato bravo a integrare un poco tutti quegli elementi, spesso disomogenei, che nella Marvel erano confluiti su questi personaggi nei vari decenni. In questi primi 6 numeri della serie li ritrovo praticamente tutti, contemporaneamente viene imbastita una storyline interessante sul concetto di "cambiamento" rispetto alla formattazione con cui un personaggio è stato creato. L'autore, se ben ricordo, aveva affrontato lo stesso tema su Thor.
Disegni decenti di Ribic. Ecco, questo disegnatore che incontrai a una convention a Milano oramai quasi 20 anni fa è decisamente bravo, ma a me il suo stile non piace granché, e la colorazione delle sue tavole, che ho praticamente sempre visto fare con questa tecnologia, non aiuta.
Quindi 3 stelle, e non è detto che un domani acquisti e legga anche il secondo volume.
Ho abbandonato la Marvel con la morte dell'universo 616 e non leggerò mai le storie successive.
Questa è una eccezione perché ero curioso, l'invenzione de Gli Eterni da parte di Jack Kirby mi ha sempre affascinato, così come la descrizione del loro mondo, in origine una terra parallela al 616.
Gillen è stato bravo a integrare un poco tutti quegli elementi, spesso disomogenei, che nella Marvel erano confluiti su questi personaggi nei vari decenni. In questi primi 6 numeri della serie li ritrovo praticamente tutti, contemporaneamente viene imbastita una storyline interessante sul concetto di "cambiamento" rispetto alla formattazione con cui un personaggio è stato creato. L'autore, se ben ricordo, aveva affrontato lo stesso tema su Thor.
Disegni decenti di Ribic. Ecco, questo disegnatore che incontrai a una convention a Milano oramai quasi 20 anni fa è decisamente bravo, ma a me il suo stile non piace granché, e la colorazione delle sue tavole, che ho praticamente sempre visto fare con questa tecnologia, non aiuta.
Quindi 3 stelle, e non è detto che un domani acquisti e legga anche il secondo volume.
December 22, 2022
The eternals awake to a betrayer-murderer, Thanos in their midsts, and the more they pull on the thread, the more the usual suspects don’t make much sense. It’s a pretty quiet arc as it goes, but I liked the ending and the pacing just fine. It’s not a normal superhero story, but that’s one of the things that I felt made it work.
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