Eternals #18 (1977)
by Jack Kirby
We are very close to the end of the series, so let’s take advantage of any occasion to make Ikaris suffer.
We begin with an amazing two-page spread where Druig, one of the few evil Eternals, watches a recording from one of the early visits of the Celestials.
This is a big deal, because the recording shows a Celestial being killed by a weapon.
The fact that this happened “centuries” ago is underselling it: future stories will set those events 20,000 years into the past.
20,000 years are not that long for the Eternals. In fact, Druig’s underling Sigmar was present.
Druig burns him alive (which shouldn’t kill him, but ouch) and learns that there was an attempt to recreate the Celestial weapon that killed one of them… and Ikaris is the key to finding it.
Hey remember how the series started with the Eternals pledging to educate humans on the Celestials? Ikaris is taking this a bit too literally!
This is one of the unnamed Celestials. I’m afraid Kirby is not doing a very good job at selling the scale here, because it doesn’t look 2,000 feet tall (609 meters).
It is weird to see the Eternals cooperate so openly with the government.
Wait, are you learning JUST NOW that the Celestials have a gigantic base in the Andes? Didn’t you already know this when the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents were taken?
If not, why are they telling the Eternals stuff that they BOTH already know?
And then Sersi just throws a party.
Zuras, you’re supposed to be the adult in the room! No wonder the Eternals are so unfocused if this is how you lead them.
Ikaris enjoying the power of flight for its own sake is probably the first solid characterization he’s expressed so far. This is what we’re working with.
And then he’s kidnapped by Druig.
Druig is one of the Polar Eternals, like Ikaris. It’s a pity we see them so rarely, their city looks very unique when compared to Olympia.
Druig spots an approaching Celestial: Ziran The Tester.
And I can believe THIS guy is more than 2,000 feet tall.
There’s still the problem of convincing Ikaris to give away the location of the weapon.
Druig then decides to torture him some more with the tentacle monster from the cover.
Wait, why is Ikaris exclaiming “by the gods”? Wasn’t HE considered a god from humans? If he’s swearing by the Celestials, it should’ve been “by the space gods”.
Unfortunately for Druig, his lackey has pity on Ikaris.
But it’s too late, because the torture created a tattoo on Ikaris’s head that leads to the location of the Celestial-slaying weapon.
SOMEHOW.
And that’s it! The next issue will conclude the story AND the series.
Splash pages: 1 out of 17 (6%)
Splash + double splash pages: 3 out of 17 (18%)
Most Kirby panel
Most WTF panel
Historical significance: 8/10
We will later see that the ancient Celestial was not truly killed.
We will eventually learn its name is Tiamut, but it’s better known as the Dreaming Celestial or sometimes the Renegade Celestial.
He’s A VERY BIG DEAL in the expanded lore of the Eternals and will also eventually deal with the X-Men.
Silver Age-ness: 4/10
Even if it’s in-character, Sersi’s behavior is a bit silly.
Does it stand the test of time? 6/10
A return to form after 4 excruciatingly dull issues. Druig is a surprisingly effective villain and the additional Celestial lore is interesting, but not very much happens in the story. It’s a good idea that seriously lacks in execution.
And as usual, Ikaris never fails to disappoint whenever he’s the main character.
Does this fit the Marvel Universe? 5/10
I doubt the government would give the Eternals the assignment to research the Celestials for them, at least not without some established heroes with them.
Celestials named: 10
Adding both Ziran and the Dreaming Celestial, although they will both receive a name later.
Celestials without a name: 3
Adding the one being filmed by Ikaris. We never learn who that was.