Eternals #1 // Review
It is a time reawakening for the Eternals… and death in Eternals #1, by writer Kieron Gillen, artist Esad Ribic, colorist Matthew Wilson, and letterer Clayton Cowles. Gillen and company really nail the tone of the Eternals in this first issue, putting out a story that will feel familiar to (the few) longtime fans of the Eternals and yet also explain enough to new readers so they won't be confused.
Ikaris awakes and is given his orders by the Eternal Prime, Zuras, to reawaken Sprite, the trickster Eternal. Ikaris and Sprite, now female, brawl for a bit before Sprite escapes in the Machine's teleportation network. Ikaris follows her, and they end up in New York. Iron Man shows up to talk to the two before the Machine calls them away to take care of one of the Deviants, the Eternals' ancient enemies, under the city. They defeat it and go back to Olympia, where Phaistos informs them that Zuras has been killed. Drug blames Sprite, but Ikaris vouches for her, and the two go to the Eternal city of Titanos to investigate where the murderer went. However, they encounter a foe there who is beyond both of them.
It's been a while since the Eternals had their own book, and even when they did, they weren't exactly the most well known Marvel property. Created by Jack Kirby, few creators really ever knew what to do with them beyond the King. The last time they were in a book worthy of their pedigree was when Neil Gaiman and John Romita Jr teamed up for a mini-series that was meant to redefine the property. While it was great, what came after Gaiman and Romita wasn't to readers' liking, and they disappeared. With the Eternal starring in a new movie, they've decided to give them another chance, and honestly, this book is the perfect reintroduction to them.
Gillen truly captures everything great about the Eternals in one issue. The few people who actually love the Eternals will be somewhat familiar but also just different enough not to feel like a rehash. For fans who don't know much about the group, this issue serves as a wonderful primer, setting up the characters and their world and embroiling them in a new mystery. Gillen's script is nothing short of brilliant. He blends fantastic sci-fi concepts with the Eternals' tried and true mythology and redefines the characters for a new age. He's standing on the shoulders of giants, but he's not wearing the same suit- as good as Gaiman's mini-series was, it was still heavily Kirby. Gillen's Eternals take the best stuff from the past and look at it through a more modern sci-fi prism. It works wonderfully, down to the surprise villain at the end of the book, which works because of what he is and will serve show casuals picking up the book before the movie (just because it rarely happens doesn't mean it never happens) someone they recognize.
Esad Ribic's art has a majestic and realistic look to it and is perfect for this book. He captures the grandeur of the Eternals and their cities, melding sci-fi with classics. The Deviant Ikaris and Sprite defeat is a massive beast and looks terrific, and the broken city of Titanos is a beautiful ruin. His figure work is impressive as well, and it will be great to see what he does next on the book.
Eternals #1 is a perfect reintroduction for a property that hasn't exactly been a household name over the years. Gillen does an outstanding job of melding the familiar and the new while also giving new readers an in for the whole thing. He takes a complicated concept and streamlines it without sacrificing any of the things that make it special. Ribic's pencils are lovely and fit the book, bringing it all to life. Eternals #1 is the perfect first issue, giving familiar readers what they need and not leaving out new ones.
