An important celebratory comic was released on Wednesday, April 1, and it recognized the 50th anniversary of Marvel’s Eternals!
WHAT HAPPENED?
It certainly wasn’t an April Fool’s joke, but on the first day of this month, the House of Ideas released a special comic focusing on one of Jack Kirby’s creations, the Eternals!
Here’s the description of that issue from marvel.com:
>>CELEBRATE FIFTY YEARS OF JACK KIRBY’S COSMIC VISION! THE ETERNALS return in an oversized anniversary special honoring the legendary creations of the King of Comics. Discover untold stories of Earth’s immortal protectors, explore their hidden history and witness the debut of a BRAND-NEW ETERNAL – one whose secrets could shake the foundations of the MARVEL UNIVERSE! Featuring CAPTAIN AMERICA, IKARIS, THE REJECT and introducing THE LOST ETERNAL! This milestone issue is a must-have for Kirby fans and Marvel collectors alike!<<
The book contained three stories that focused on “When Gods Walk the Earth!” They included: “Back From the Edge” written by Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan and art by Phil Noto and Dale Eaglesham; “The Lost Eternal” written by Patrick Stump with art by Domenic Carbone; and “Of Masks and Monsters” written by Ralph Macchio and featuring art from Michael Cho and Lee Loughridge.
My personal favorite of the three was that first one, when Icarus interacted with Steve Rogers/Captain America, which reflected back on when Cap actually met Icarus during World War II. Icarus had been captured by the Nazis, and they were draining his energy for their use. It also explored some of the fame that heroes receive, and it was actually nice to see Cap spend some time talking with someone he could relate to.
That doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the other stories, but that first one hit me more because of the similarities and differences between the two champions. Cap certainly has respect and standing among the Marvel heroes, and that makes him free to be able to sometimes talk with other powered entities instead of punching and kicking everyone all the time! And he does it well!
THE ‘KIRBY CRACKLE’
Jack Kirby is one of the biggest and best of the comics creators that have ever brought art and story to the printer page. Honestly, much of his storytelling is so well represented through his art that I truly believed the things on the page really were the things there were said to be.
I remember once when Reed Richards in the Fantastic Four built a device that was able to transport people between dimensions. I looked at it, and man, it really worked for me! Yeah, I can see that machine do just what Jack Kirby said it could do!
I also enjoyed his ability to draw different characters, and make them literally jump off the page! I remember a sequence when Doctor Doom fell out of an airplane and disappeared before he hit the ground, but it looked so realistic that I wondered if he actually survived such a fall. Of course he did, but I absolutely was surprised when Doom showed up in a future issue! Nicely done!
The Eternals have lasted 50 years largely because of the “Kirby Crackle” (a description some fans have given to his ability to display powerful energy on the comics page) when it comes to his ability to develop not only an excellent character or two, but also how he could “world build,” constructing a new “world” or situation from the ground up. Many people consider superheroes to be godlike, so why not actually develop a new mythology that will touch on that perspective?
Now, the Eternals did have their chance at the big screen, but it didn’t seem to be powerful enough for fans to grab hold of. It did feature one of my favorite Marvel heroes in it—the Black Knight—but it somehow needed more energy and more of the aforementioned “Kirby Crackle” that I just didn’t feel on the screen. That doesn’t mean they don’t deserve another chance!
I HOPE YOU BOUGHT THIS ISSUE
One of the important things about an anniversary celebration is that it helps companies like Marvel test the waters, to see if there is significant interest in a hero or a team—enough to bring even more creators to bear on more stories!
It’s tough, though, for a group to maintain the interest that it often has when it first appears. Kirby was strutting his stuff with The Eternals, and it was his chance to show just how much he could accomplish in the House of Ideas after his big successes with the FF, Spider-Man (whose costume he designed), and many, many other heroes and characters that he brought to life.
I hope the sales for this book was strong enough for more Eternals to grace our local comics shop shelves. It’s not too late—you can always buy the digital version or check with your nearby store to see if they have any copies left.
I’m going to keep track of future appearances of the Eternals, and I hope you will, too! I wouldn’t mind seeing Disney+ make more adventures featuring these characters in a show or two.
About Author
