Eternals #19 (1978)
by Jack Kirby
Time to end the Eternals series. I wonder if Kirby knew this was going to be the last issue, considering he still kept working for Marvel for about a year afterwards.
And he’s STILL getting Ikaris’s name wrong on the cover!!!
It’s not like with Makkari, who was called Makarri in the comics and whose spelling was changed later… he’s Ikaris in the story.
Last time, Ikaris was imprisoned by his cousin Druig.
Druig then pilots his jet sled (???) to explore the Celestial Pyramid.
So, uhm, Ikaris, do you want to try doing anything in your last issue?
As a fellow Eternal, Druig really should have seen this coming.
Ikaris then convinces Druig’s minion to help him, taking him to the Pyramid.
That’s were the Celestials hid the weapon that they once used to kill one of their own.
In fact, one of the Celestial is headed there; presumably to check on Druig.
That would be Ziran, who was already approaching the place last issue.
The Celestials really should do a better job at securing their own weapons.
Druig’s specialty is typically depicted to be his telepathic and illusion powers, but the emphasis originally was on his control over fire.
This is a surprisingly close fight, considering Ikaris has been consistently said to be far more powerful.
It’s SO close, in fact, that the only way to stop Druig is to kill him.
It doesn’t take much to convince Ikaris.
The weapon disintegrates Druig. But since he’s an Eternal, he will eventually be brought back to life.
The pyramid isn’t looking so good either.
Yeah maybe don’t go around tampering with the weapons wielded by mountain-sized supergods?
This is where the Celestial shows up to fix everything.
And the series ends with the confirmation that the thoughts of Celestials remain inscrutable, even to the godlike Eternals.
I don’t think it’s that hard to understand them.
Splash pages: 0 out of 17 (0%)
No double splash pages
Most Kirby panel
Most WTF panel
Don’t ALL fights between Eternals work this way, since they’re immortal?
Historical significance: 2/10
The pyramid does show up again in the second volume. Those things are built to last!
Silver Age-ness: 0/10
Not really.
Does it stand the test of time? 4/10
Despite being one of the only two issues without a splash page, not a whole lot happens.
I suppose Kirby does sell the grandeur of the weapon, but it’s too little too late. And it’s hard to buy Ikaris hesitating in using lethal force when A) Druig has been nothing but pure evil B) we didn’t even know lethal force was an option against an Eternal.
I do appreciate not knowing the Celestial’s thoughts about this, but considering he showed up to prevent the energies of the weapons from destroying the planet… doesn’t that already tell you everything we need to know about its intentions?
Does this fit the Marvel Universe? 10/10
Everything happens in a very remote location, so it’s believable nobody notices.
And that’s it for the first Eternals series! It definitely ended on a whimper.
Up next are the Eternal Awards, followed by a (hopefully) brief recap of they were later integrated into the Marvel Universe, and a couple of analysis comparing and contrasting the series with the Fourth World.