Eternals by Jack Kirby: The Complete Collection (Eternals (1976-1978))

From 1976 to 1978, Jack Kirby created one of his most epic storylines for Marvel that only lasted for 19 issues and an Annual in 1977, as collected in Eternals by Jack Kirby: The Complete Collection (Eternals (1976-1978)). Initially set outside the mainline Marvel universe, though not made clear in its first few issues and then retconned to be set in the 616 timeline in the Thor comics, the story is an epic tale dealing with the evolution of humanity. Over the course of the series it's revealed that god-like beings known as Celestials experimented on early humans leading to two factions often at war with one another, the human looking but highly evolved Eternals and the monstrous and violent Deviants. In the modern day, the return of the Celestials leads to the two factions to reveal themselves to the humans of Earth as the judgment of Earth is decided. No stranger to highly epic and large scale storytelling like his work on New Gods for DC Comics, Jack Kirby certainly shows incredible range when delving into the history and mythology of the Eternals and Deviants. His writing is so incredibly detailed and meticulous, add to that his iconic artwork, and you get such an unforgettable story. The art style Kirby does alongside John Verpoorten and Mike Royer's ink and Glynis Wein's colors are incredible and really pop out towards the reader. Of course, it is not without its flaws, especially from a comic series that came out throughout the mid to late 70s. Kirby's storytelling, world building, and character developments are all very strong, but a lot of his dialogue can come off as a bit stiff, overly exposited, and often silly. Certain story choices can also feel like coming out of nowhere, such as not immediaetly revealing that it's set in another universe though still having S.H.I.E.L.D., the Eternals and Deviants being revealed through anthropology, and Ikaris fighting a robot version of the Hulk powered by cosmic radiation. As vibrant and wonderful as the artwork is, its biggest flaw often has to be the often over expressive faces that some characters give at the most random times and how stiff some characters look when flying. Eternals by Jack Kirby: The Complete Collection (Eternals (1976-1978)) is a great collection that showcases Jack Kirby's greatest strengths, though some of his smaller weaknesses as well. Over all: 100%

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8. Eternals by Jack Kirby: The Complete Collection (Eternals (1976-1978))

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