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Eternals (2008) (Collected Editions) #1-2
Eternals: To Defy the Apocalypse
The gods walk the Earth! In ancient times, the cosmic giants called the Celestials came to Earth and created a race of powerful immortal beings: the Eternals! For a time, primitive man worshiped them as gods, but eventually they disappeared. Now, the Eternals have returned - and so have the Celestials! A massive golden figure towers over San Francisco, standing in silent judgment...but does he portend the end of the world? As the Eternals discover the nature of the threat heading toward Earth, Ikaris makes a huge move, and schisms in the Eternal community explode! Pacts are broken, lines are drawn and Eternal blood will flow - but can the fractured family pull together in time to save the planet from the Horde? Guest-starring the X-Men!
COLLECTING: ETERNALS (2008) 1-9, ETERNALS ANNUAL (2008) 1
COLLECTING: ETERNALS (2008) 1-9, ETERNALS ANNUAL (2008) 1
256 pages, Paperback
Published February 2, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 8, 2022
Picking up where Neil Gaiman left off, the Knauf brothers pilot the Eternals through their next adventure as the two disparate groups attempt to recruit the rest of their missing brothers and sisters before The Horde arrives to devour the Earth whole.
You know, I actually think I enjoyed this run more than the Gaiman one. It's still got some pacing problems, in that it wraps up really quickly, but at least that ending is telegraphed from the first issue rather than coming out of left field. There's a general impetus to the proceedings this time around, so even though it seems like the Eternals are taking their time in places, the threat of The Horde is definitely always on the horizon.
The first six issues set the scene, with beautiful pages painted by Daniel Acuna (whose cosmic beings and Kirby krackle are second to none), checking in with each of the Eternals from the previous run and moving the game pieces across the board. The conflict between Druig and Ikaris doesn't really get the resolution it needs as The Horde plot takes precidence in the later issues, but there are a few emotional punches that I wasn't expecting along the way.
The final three issues guest star the X-Men, which was a nice surprise, and while the art shifts to Eric Nguyen, the action is more Earthbound so it makes sense to have a bit more of a grounded artist. The X-Men are mostly there to beat people up so they're not big players in the plot, but the ultimate resolution to everything feels complete even if it's a bit fast as I mentioned.
The real downfall of the volume is the annual, by Fred Van Lente, which is one of those issues that has about enough story for 10 pages and stretches it to 30 with overly long and complicated fight scenes for no real reason other than to fill the time. The 'villains' of the piece are a nice throwback, but I could really have done without the issue entirely, and that's without mentioning Pascal Alixe and his ability to make Sersi fall out of her costume in almost every panel she's in.
A satisfying, if a little compacted, ending to the Eternals adventures for now. Just don't ask me about the annual.
You know, I actually think I enjoyed this run more than the Gaiman one. It's still got some pacing problems, in that it wraps up really quickly, but at least that ending is telegraphed from the first issue rather than coming out of left field. There's a general impetus to the proceedings this time around, so even though it seems like the Eternals are taking their time in places, the threat of The Horde is definitely always on the horizon.
The first six issues set the scene, with beautiful pages painted by Daniel Acuna (whose cosmic beings and Kirby krackle are second to none), checking in with each of the Eternals from the previous run and moving the game pieces across the board. The conflict between Druig and Ikaris doesn't really get the resolution it needs as The Horde plot takes precidence in the later issues, but there are a few emotional punches that I wasn't expecting along the way.
The final three issues guest star the X-Men, which was a nice surprise, and while the art shifts to Eric Nguyen, the action is more Earthbound so it makes sense to have a bit more of a grounded artist. The X-Men are mostly there to beat people up so they're not big players in the plot, but the ultimate resolution to everything feels complete even if it's a bit fast as I mentioned.
The real downfall of the volume is the annual, by Fred Van Lente, which is one of those issues that has about enough story for 10 pages and stretches it to 30 with overly long and complicated fight scenes for no real reason other than to fill the time. The 'villains' of the piece are a nice throwback, but I could really have done without the issue entirely, and that's without mentioning Pascal Alixe and his ability to make Sersi fall out of her costume in almost every panel she's in.
A satisfying, if a little compacted, ending to the Eternals adventures for now. Just don't ask me about the annual.
September 9, 2021
Long before Idris cancelled it, Marvel's most Kirby-esque heroes were defying it.
This is a solid if unspectacular continuation of Neil Gaiman's stellar relaunch of the characters as the no-longer-amnesiac Eternals continue to seek their place in the world, disagree amongst themselves and race to awaken yet more of their "sleeping" kin.
I have a feeling there was editorial direction to integrate the Eternals into the broader Marvel 616 continuity, hence cameos from Iron Man and a team up with the Utopia island based X-Men, but ultimately these weirdos work best off to the margins doing their own timeless thing. The Annual included here that has most of the key Eternals facing off against some half-forgotten Young Gods worked pretty well for me for this very reason.
Can't wait to see these sartorially spectacular immortals on the big screen soon!
This is a solid if unspectacular continuation of Neil Gaiman's stellar relaunch of the characters as the no-longer-amnesiac Eternals continue to seek their place in the world, disagree amongst themselves and race to awaken yet more of their "sleeping" kin.
I have a feeling there was editorial direction to integrate the Eternals into the broader Marvel 616 continuity, hence cameos from Iron Man and a team up with the Utopia island based X-Men, but ultimately these weirdos work best off to the margins doing their own timeless thing. The Annual included here that has most of the key Eternals facing off against some half-forgotten Young Gods worked pretty well for me for this very reason.
Can't wait to see these sartorially spectacular immortals on the big screen soon!
August 7, 2022
ETERNALS AT THE SPOTLIGHT.
Witnessing some of the Avenger and X-Men fellows joining us, the adventure of Eternals is at its peak on this run. It's all -or mostly- about the Eternals now. By shifting the general focus, Knauf excels at navigating the storyline to its good and does a great job accomplishing the Eternals that can live in our minds rent-free for a while.
Witnessing some of the Avenger and X-Men fellows joining us, the adventure of Eternals is at its peak on this run. It's all -or mostly- about the Eternals now. By shifting the general focus, Knauf excels at navigating the storyline to its good and does a great job accomplishing the Eternals that can live in our minds rent-free for a while.
September 6, 2021
I wanted to give this a go before the movie comes out. I have lost most all of my interest in anything related to the Avengers film body, but something about the idea behind Eternals (completely unrelated to the Avengers, I know) has caught my eye. Perhaps the art direction, or the cast. I'm not sure.
This book makes me wonder if it was intrigue built out of bad judgement. It was, simply, not good reading.
Reading some of the other reviews on here I can see that the story had to be cut short because the publisher was going to discontinue the series. So the two stars are for the ideas that were being thought of but that never got to be developed because the serialized comic book model of story-telling is, apparently, antithetical to story-telling if it isn't also making money money money. If what is shown here were to reflect the full intentions of the story it would only be one star.
I'll still go see the movie. And I'll give Jack Kirby's original series a read through - since I already have it on hold at the library.
This book makes me wonder if it was intrigue built out of bad judgement. It was, simply, not good reading.
Reading some of the other reviews on here I can see that the story had to be cut short because the publisher was going to discontinue the series. So the two stars are for the ideas that were being thought of but that never got to be developed because the serialized comic book model of story-telling is, apparently, antithetical to story-telling if it isn't also making money money money. If what is shown here were to reflect the full intentions of the story it would only be one star.
I'll still go see the movie. And I'll give Jack Kirby's original series a read through - since I already have it on hold at the library.
June 8, 2021
"This spins off from Gaiman's "reboot". I'm currently reading the Kirby/Gaiman/Knauf/Aaron/Gillen arcs in prep for the movie. (This is the first time I've ever done that for a Marvel film).
But this is a bit of Ancient Aliens. I really remember digging Daniel Acuna's art on this run, although a little underwhelmed with the story (after being blown away by the Knauf's Carnivale and "Haunted" arc of Iron Man). The story doesn't move along much more from Gaiman's set-up, other than other Eternals being activated, and a little more mystery regarding the Golden Celestial--lastly the Horde is an interesting threat, but due to cancellation they basically appear and are defeated in a singular issue, which makes their threat feel very neglible.
But this is a bit of Ancient Aliens. I really remember digging Daniel Acuna's art on this run, although a little underwhelmed with the story (after being blown away by the Knauf's Carnivale and "Haunted" arc of Iron Man). The story doesn't move along much more from Gaiman's set-up, other than other Eternals being activated, and a little more mystery regarding the Golden Celestial--lastly the Horde is an interesting threat, but due to cancellation they basically appear and are defeated in a singular issue, which makes their threat feel very neglible.
April 3, 2021
This lost a lot of momentum after issue/chapter 6, mostly because of losing artist Daniel Acuna and the edict that the book was being cancelled so the story was rushed for the last bit. At least they were allowed to finish. The first 6 had a great Kirby style of storytelling, very much a classic Marvel feel.
November 2, 2021
This nine issue run (a six issue Eternals story arc, plus an additional three issue follow-on guest starring the X-Men and a one-off Eternals annual), this is a wacky, disjointed collection even by the standards of the Eternals. The problem, as usual is here's so many of them that few really have strongly developed characters or motivations. And that, this being the Eternals, the story gets into all sorts of distracting cosmic weirdness. The six issues follow directly on from Neil Gaiman's earlier 2008 run with Eternals still being awoken and a Celestial standing guard over San Francisco. There's plenty of immortal infighting and plotting, and flying/teleporting all over the place as the Eternals battle to stop the Horde harvesting the Earth's energy. We learn yet more about the Celestials and their purpose and it all starts to get a bit unwieldy. But it's a decent enough story that never gets boring.
The three issues detailing the 'Eternals/X-Men: Manifest Destiny' story isn't as good but the X-Men's presence does freshen up all the Eternals' squabbling and there's plenty of action. The 2008 annual contains a story about the Eternals fighting the EVEN GOOFIER (yes, really) Young Gods and a full reprint of Eternals #7 from January 1977 that serves as a reminder that while the Eternals have always been a wacky concept, the Celestials' design (and Jack Kirby's rendering of them) still looks incredible over forty years later.
The three issues detailing the 'Eternals/X-Men: Manifest Destiny' story isn't as good but the X-Men's presence does freshen up all the Eternals' squabbling and there's plenty of action. The 2008 annual contains a story about the Eternals fighting the EVEN GOOFIER (yes, really) Young Gods and a full reprint of Eternals #7 from January 1977 that serves as a reminder that while the Eternals have always been a wacky concept, the Celestials' design (and Jack Kirby's rendering of them) still looks incredible over forty years later.
May 20, 2021
I think the end to the story of the dreaming celestial. I don't read Marvel much. I actually followed Jack Kirby with this series. The Eternals were created by Jack Kirby, and made their first appearance in The Eternals #1 (July 1976). In 1970, Jack Kirby left Marvel Comics to work at DC Comics, where he began the saga of the New Gods, an epic story involving mythological and science fiction concepts, and planned to have a definite ending.
However, the saga was left incomplete after the cancellation of the titles. Kirby then began working on The Eternals when he returned to Marvel. The Eternals' saga was thematically similar to the New Gods' I also read and still continue to read the New Gods.
However, the saga was left incomplete after the cancellation of the titles. Kirby then began working on The Eternals when he returned to Marvel. The Eternals' saga was thematically similar to the New Gods' I also read and still continue to read the New Gods.
January 7, 2025
This collection written by the Knauf Brothers and Van Lent (the annual) is a direct follow up to Nei Gaiman's series a year earlier. It is an exciting story about the end of the Earth and in- fighting of the Eternals.
The story doesn't answer any questions from the previous series, but at least it finishes Gaiman's story.
Like the second series bringing in The West Voast Avengers and Thor, this one brings in the X-Men. Just a momentary fight with Druig's mind -controlled Eternals, with Ikaris leading the X-Men.
The puzzle is the "son" of Thena. How he became an Eternal in the end was unexplained. If he was her son? Ot why he deceleration powers, were not even discussed or explained.
I hope there will be something in the next series by Gillen.
The story doesn't answer any questions from the previous series, but at least it finishes Gaiman's story.
Like the second series bringing in The West Voast Avengers and Thor, this one brings in the X-Men. Just a momentary fight with Druig's mind -controlled Eternals, with Ikaris leading the X-Men.
The puzzle is the "son" of Thena. How he became an Eternal in the end was unexplained. If he was her son? Ot why he deceleration powers, were not even discussed or explained.
I hope there will be something in the next series by Gillen.
July 18, 2022
3.5 stars
This continues the story from where Gaiman left, but goes with it in its own direction. Somehow, I liked it a bit more than the previous run, and I think it's because it has a more structured approach to the story, and a more satisfying conclusion. Despite a few cameos from Marvel 616 characters, this focuses largely on Eternals' business. Tony Stark/Iron Man appears in a few pages to supply dialogue, but there is that one issue where X-Men join in for a fight (it was cool in my book).
What I found most interesting in is that the book leaves behind the Deviants, and focuses on an inner-Eternals strife (a civil war, of sorts), as well as a larger threat which involves the Dreaming Celestial and other powerful entities.
Art is ok, without being necessarily a highlight for me.
This continues the story from where Gaiman left, but goes with it in its own direction. Somehow, I liked it a bit more than the previous run, and I think it's because it has a more structured approach to the story, and a more satisfying conclusion. Despite a few cameos from Marvel 616 characters, this focuses largely on Eternals' business. Tony Stark/Iron Man appears in a few pages to supply dialogue, but there is that one issue where X-Men join in for a fight (it was cool in my book).
What I found most interesting in is that the book leaves behind the Deviants, and focuses on an inner-Eternals strife (a civil war, of sorts), as well as a larger threat which involves the Dreaming Celestial and other powerful entities.
Art is ok, without being necessarily a highlight for me.
January 4, 2023
I liked this Eternals story more than the last one I read. The plot is intriguing, the characters get some development, which I think is enough in terms of comic books, and the problem got solved.
The only drawback is the annual in the last pages, I hated it, and I would not recommend it to someone who liked the story, the annual decreases the quality and thinking you just got with these characters.
The only drawback is the annual in the last pages, I hated it, and I would not recommend it to someone who liked the story, the annual decreases the quality and thinking you just got with these characters.
February 11, 2025
Now, I know that not a lot of people enjoy the Eternals. Their background is confusing and meshes awkwardly with the greater Marvel Universe.
However, I LOVE them and this book (which contains the whole run of this series) was really well done. High stakes, typical Eternals temperament, and beautiful art.
Overall - 5/5
However, I LOVE them and this book (which contains the whole run of this series) was really well done. High stakes, typical Eternals temperament, and beautiful art.
Overall - 5/5
August 17, 2021
Collects the entire Knauf run of issues, including To Slay a God (#1-6) and Manifest Destiny (#7-9). Entertaining but I just can’t manage to fit these Eternals with the rest of the Marvel universe. Seems like they shoulda been involved more, not just popping up like this…
November 19, 2021
read this to prep for the film, which we can talk about, because I think my opinion will surprise you, but this was a good read, and actually contains some stuff that came up in the film. I am a fan of the two Eternals runs that I have read. Good Stuff.
April 4, 2022
Kirbys king
Interesting take on Kirbys original but still does not beat his take,first cup of coffee tastes better it’s a scientific meme check it out, in fact check all Kirbys work out if you haven’t nuff said.
Interesting take on Kirbys original but still does not beat his take,first cup of coffee tastes better it’s a scientific meme check it out, in fact check all Kirbys work out if you haven’t nuff said.
May 1, 2021
Good stuff if you are into the Marvel's Eternals sueprheroes.
September 29, 2021
cant believe i’m gonna see princess sersi and queen thena on the big screen in a couple weeks
October 15, 2021
Pretty good, women are very sexualized
October 25, 2021
Read so I'd have context for the 2021 Eternals movie. Parts of it are enjoyable, but nothing blew me away. It's more or less another superhero story, just with bigger, more cosmic villains.
July 16, 2022
Henry read this book and added it to my goodreads. He gives it a 4/5
July 13, 2023
Read this in anticipation for the eternals movie. Both were let downs.
August 13, 2021
I only picked this up because I don't remember ever seeing this released at the time. In fact, when my wife just finished Neil Gaiman's Eternals run and she asked me if there was any more, I laughed because of course there wasn't... oh wait, there's this?
If you're going from Gaiman's to this, the sequel will read like a not-great but not-unsuccessful imitation. The story isn't as interesting and the X-Men show up in a non-thrilling fashion. But, there's still something weird about it all and it might give you a sense of closure after Gaiman's story. Or, you can just skip this entirely.
If you're going from Gaiman's to this, the sequel will read like a not-great but not-unsuccessful imitation. The story isn't as interesting and the X-Men show up in a non-thrilling fashion. But, there's still something weird about it all and it might give you a sense of closure after Gaiman's story. Or, you can just skip this entirely.
December 4, 2022
This was a decent followup to Gaiman's miniseries, but was clearly cut short. The final arc pretty obviously compressed a number of ideas the writers wanted to get on the page, though I think they did a fairly good job wrapping up. The annual was just filler tacked on at the end, and that's what it reads like. I would be curious to see what the Knaufs' original plans would have been had the book been allowed to continue.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews