Customer Reviews

The Eternals Omnibus

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Yes, Marvel is only releasing this now to tie in with the new mini-series by Neil Gaiman and John Romita Jr. Yes, Marvel's shoddy treatment of Jack Kirby - especially around the time of this series - has been well documented. Yes, Marvel dictated editorial changes including Marvel Universe guest stars and Kirby was forced to capitulate, albeit in his own unique way.

Still, having all 19 issues (plus the annual) between two covers is an awesome thing. Kirby was always a creator ahead of his time; his initial plan for the Fourth World saga at DC was to eventually have the series collected into bound volumes, something that didn't happen during his lifetime but which has come to pass since his death.

Some fans consider The Eternals to be Kirby Lite, a watering down of his creative powers after the commercial disappointment of the New Gods. But in some ways, I prefer The Eternals - the art is even more cosmic, and the storyline stretching to the dawn of time induces as much awe.

For those bellyaching about this book, I don't see the cause for complaints. It's beautiful, with vibrant colors, all the original covers, a wonderful introduction by Kirby collaborator Mike Royer, and Jack's original text pages reprinted at the end. While I agree the binding makes it difficult (but not impossible) to read dialogue or narration near the spine, that is a minor complaint. (It also cost the book one star in my rating, but only because I couldn't take away half a star, instead.)

It may have taken decades, but Kirby's belief in the after-market worth of comic books - i.e., the bound collection, sold in bookstores - has come to pass. This collection and others like it are his vindication from short-sighted editors and fans of the 1970s who turned up their noses at Kirby's work. Even though editorial mandates forced changes the artist was not happy with, the talent and sheer Kirby moxxy shine through on each and every page.

Read the new Gaiman series - it is a wonderful homage to the King's talent. Then go back and see how it came to pass originally. This is cosmic stuff, and it jumps right off the page, just like it did when originally published.

If you are a casual Kirby fan, I recommend this book. If you are a hardcore fan, you already have it.

I'd like to reiterate the earlier comment that the cheap, glued binding on this hardcover does a real disservice to Kirby's artwork. Most issues of The Eternals feature fantastic 2-page splashes towards the beginning of each story, but with this lame binding, it's impossible to open the book wide enough to see the entire picture. You lose the bit right at the spine. Sometimes this includes dialogue balloons, too.

All too typical of Marvel's "grab the cash" philosophy, unfortunately. If this were a $30 paperback, such a binding would be excuseable, but not for an expensive "deluxe" hardcover like this. If you really love Jack Kirby's artwork, you're probably better off scouring Ebay for copies of the original comic books.

Back at Marvel in the 70s, Jack Kirby created THE ETERNALS. The series continued Kirby's sole obsession with themes of Gods, mythology, big technology and monsters wrapped into a sci-fi warp.

For whatever its flaws, THE ETERNALS was perhaps King Kirby's last great series work which I enjoyed. Familiar readers will pick up character similarities from previous successes the New Gods and Forever People but reinvented in a different form. In fact, elements of the Eternals had popped up in earlier Fantastic Four plotlines nearly a decade earlier, with Jack's curiousity about the big out there.

Jack got the blend of Greek mythology meets sci-fi just right in this series. Always best when he could create his own worlds, this is arguably Kirby's best mid seventies work and last near-great creative achievement. Other subsequent works like Captain Victory would feel derivative.

I'm happy that the Eternals is getting a hardcover treatment, but it is expensive and if it isn't well bound...well buyer beware!

Jack Kirby's greatest stories deal with the battle between good and evil he is always looking at shades of grey - no one is purely good or pure evil. "The Eternals" continues this examination. At first the sides seem cut and dry: the Eternals are good, the Deviants are evil. But then, as the series progresses, we see that the Deviants are "ugly" to us simply because that is how they evolved. They were driven underground by the Celestials because the Deviants resented being judged by them. Can you not sympathize? - these Celestial aliens give you life, leave you on your own for years of evolution, then return and proclaim that they will watch you and decide whether or not they will wipe you out of existence. The Deviants rebellious response, especially in a country built on revolution, seems reasonable.

The relationship in that series between Kro and Thena is absolutely fascinating - star crossed lovers like Romeo and Juliet, but on a larger scale. At first, we see Kro as a mad general of the Deviants, but through his relationship with Thena we see him as a complex character with a desire to effect change in his people.

Before the Marvel editors ruined the book by insisting that
A) Jack bring it into the Marvel Universe
B) that it have a star (Ikaris)
The series was evolving on many different levels with different storylines that examined the major and minor themes of the book in different ways. This gave the comic a complexity that turned off many readers who could not follow the storyline, but I found it an and epic amazing story that took the comic book form to new heights that very few, if any, have achieved since. It is akin to the Greeks examination of the families involved with the fall of Troy, stories that they told and retold in not only the Iliad and Odyssey but in their tragic plays.

Thena and Kro's story, with the emergence of the outcasts (who display the qualities the Deviants find ugly), show to members of very different societies and cultures, struggling to understand the other. Struggling to find where there is common ground between the two cultures. Their love appears forbidden, but ironically it is the Deviants that are more accepting of Thena then the reverse. Through Thena we see the human side of the Deviants.

The Deviant outcast Karkas is a large, hideous monster, but with a sensitive, noble, giving soul. The Deviant outcast named The Reject, who though beautiful by human standards, has an ugly disposition, is full of anger and hatred as a response to his mistreatment at the hands of the Deviants. Though Karkas has suffered the same treatment, his hideous body holds a greater nobility of character, and though he can have outbursts of violence he exhibits more self-control and intelligence then the beautiful Reject.

The story also followed the the Eternal Ajak, the human Prof. Damian and the Celestial Arishem, cut off from the rest of the world in the Inca pyramids at the seat of the Celestial Judgement - Prof Damian knowing he will spend the rest of his life there since he is not immortal, but he wants to study the Celestials, not to make money, not to earn fame, but for the love of study he is willing to die trapped in the pyramid. It is through him and Ajak that we come to understand the Celestials, and the history of the relationship between the Celestials and the races of the earth.

We also follow his daughter, Margot, a human who knows more about what is going on than the average person, who is befriended by the Eternals Ikaris and Sersey - Margot becomes the bridge between the reader and the immortals. This storyline examining the link between Earth myths and the real beings behind those myths. Kirby also examines the gods fascination with mortals (as in the Greek), through the character Sersey and her friendship with Margot. It is the study of the human need to have a relationship with the divine.

The story also follows the mysterious Celestials themselves as they roam the earth, as well as the actions of the Eternals, the Deviants, and the humans as they struggle to cope with these nearly omnipotent beings. How different countries react to the Celestials - nuclear strikes, espionage, etc. There are even Eternals who wish to kill the Celestials.

The story is ruined (at the insistence of Marvel editors) by a three page "slugfest" with a nuclear powered Hulk robot. What could be more boring, amongst all these cosmic storylines that have at their heart an examination of the human condition, than three issues of slugfest. All the other storylines get dropped. Kirby is then forced to center his story on Ikaris, and the series lost the incredible momentum it had, neither gaining teenage readers unable to understand such a complex story, or keeping the readers who could.

But for the most part, "The Eternals" is a fascinating read, with astounding expressionistic art, with abstract renderings, and amazing double page spreads in every issue. The story delves into the nature of ugliness, the human relation to the divine, the unpredictablity of love, the justifiable rage we humans can feel for the gods. The Eternals exists on a level where a human is faced with an untenable situation - do you rebel against your creator because your creator is ready to kill you, or do you allow yourself to be judged and accept the judgement of your creator? As humans we are constantly coming up against situations beyond our control - do you rage at your creator because you have cancer?

I have read complaints that this story is disjointed - but far from it, the story exists at multiple levels, like many of Phillip K. Dick's novels, there are several interwoven storylines, that make perfect sense. In it's original month-to-month presentation some readers may have found it hard to keep up with, but when you can read it all at once, it makes perfect sense.

It is ironic that people will bash Jack Kirby's dialogue - in an art form that is not known for it's dialogue, that is hard to stomach. Kirby's dialogue is heightened, which fits the concepts and themes he's exploring, as well as the characters. His humor is underplayed. He doesn't use bad puns, banal one liners, or absurd battle patter. There is little male posturing in his dialogue. At the time this was written, no one was writing better dialogue in comics, that's certain.

Kirby's solo work is a treat, it exists in a place of expanded conciousness in both the art and the writing. The expressive power in his pencils is unmatched, and his move to more abstract renderings takes his art out of the realm of the superhero, as he creates a new form altogether. It's a pity he was so ahead of his time, that his publishers didn't know how to market his work, his editors didn't appreciate it, and he was never allowed to complete it.

THE ETERNALS OMNIBUS collects issues #1-19 and Annual #1 of Jack Kirby's 1977 Marvel series - one of his last great hurrahs. For the most part, it really worked, as The King's series brought together religion, mythology, and ancient astronauts in a stunning narrative. Unfortunately, editorial pressures from Marvel had been building from the get-go, conflicting with Kirby's vision for the series. Not that it was wholly Marvel's fault, of course, but while Kirby's story contained some flaws, I can't believe that he planned for the series to head in the direction it did. In the end, it was a shadow of what it had been, and what a shame that was.

The first issue starts with a bang, as it is revealed that Earth has been visited three times in the past by giant godlike beings called the Celestials, whose job it is to advance certain life forms on various planets and determine their worthiness to survive. The fourth host has now arrived, and humans learn that two other branches of humanity have occupied Earth alongside them this whole time: the noble Eternals and diabolical Deviants, who have been incorporated into our various religions and myths. As humanity uncertainly reacquaints itself with these distant relatives, all wait for the Celestials to gather information and render judgement.

The story provides a fascinating explanation for mythological concepts, as the Eternals were obviously the basis for Zeus, Mercury, Athena, Circe, Gilgamesh, Vulcan, and others. It also features 2000 foot-tall space gods with names of possible Hebrew origin, Deviants who likely served as the basis for any number of supernatural creatures (including the devil), and overt references to their involvement in Biblical events. The King was on a roll, but it became difficult to keep that momentum going, and ultimately, things fell apart. The biggest problem, in my opinion, was one that Kirby caused: the fact that the Celestials will render their judgement of the Earth in fifty years. FIFTY? I'm not sure how long he figured he could keep this series going, but that's a bit ambitious. How he was planning on developing the series in the interim I can't fathom. Also, there are points were he was obviously pressured to anchor the series in the Marvel Universe, and they really didn't make sense. A plot involving SHIELD agents, a goofy cameo of sorts by the Thing, and a cosmically-powered robot Hulk (yep, you read that correctly) were clumsy attempts at using established Marvel characters to generate attention. What's worse - the absolutely pointless pseudo-Hulk story was spread over THREE issues (14 - 16). That was the point at which the series jumped the shark - all the energy had been sucked from the series, and after three more unremarkable issues, it was all over.

I feel that The Eternals was a great achievement for Kirby, but also a big disappointment; however, the good certainly outweighs the bad. While it's nice to have it under one cover, I can't say that the price is wholly worth it. Still, as the series will soon be reprinted in TWO trade paperbacks for twenty-five dollars each, the oversized omnibus is certainly the better deal*. The whole package is beautiful, with superb reproduction, and while the binding does obscure some of the page edges, it's really not that bad.

[*For those who may be tempted to pay inflated prices for this book... don't do it. While it may be out of print, it can still be found for retail as of my writing this review.]

Wow, I discovered Kirby for the first time a couple of years ago,
but one can feel his Impact in all media, he practically defined
the qualities of a Hero in modern america.

The Eternals is a great story, other people rate as outdated, but
unfortunately I am not aware of that many titles that can change your
perception of the Worl.

If you want to get more Kirby, buy the New Gods series, Kirby Book
Collector; other interesting titles would be The Ultimates, Supreme
Power.

While the last third seems to lose some focus, the bulk of the book is exciting, cosmic fun from comic great Jack Kirby. The art is fantastic, I enjoyed the scope of the series.

This book is not worth the time or effort to read it.

And I do mean effort.

Marvel decided to be cheapskates this time out and had the binding glued. Which means you have to pry it open and hold it with both hands to see all the art and/or Wordballons when you start getting to the middle of this book.

So I say, save your money. Pass this one by and show Marvel that you expect better for 75 bucks then this.

After many years with Marvel, Kirby eventually grew dissatisfied with having to play second fiddle to Stan Lee. This led Lee to change many story captions to "A Stan Lee/Jack Kirby'' production to try and give Kirby equal footing but it wasn't enough. Hence Kirby being given full rein to write, plot and draw various titles such as The Eternals and later, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Thing is, he should've stuck to what he could do best - namely, plot and draw. His written dialogue on the other hand, sucks. It's simplistic - even juvenile in many places - and wholly inappropriate for a serious action comic. OK, I'm comparing him to the likes of Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Len Wein, Chris Claremont and so on, the heavweights in Marvel. And other than help Lee with the plotting for other titles, he had little experience in actual writing. But read his script and I guarantee you'll find yourself wincing at how poor it is. So you have to wonder - why did both The Eternals and 2001 fold after only a few issues? (2001 morphed into Machine Man, which was equally badly scripted and also folded). To me, the reason is obvious - Kirby simply couldn't write. Which is too bad - he was such a magnificent artist and the storyline about space gods (based on von Daniken's Chariots of the Gods? and Zecharia Sitchin's Earth Chronicles) holds so much promise.