In preparation for their big screen MCU debut (sometime in the near future. Hey, they are “eternal”, they can wait), Marvel is launching a brand new series based on Jack Kirby’s even “newer gods”, The Eternals, in November.
The creative team of Kieron Gillen and Esad Ribic know a thing or two about gods and cosmic beings, having both worked on multiple Thor titles, not to mention Gillen’s creator-owned Image series, The Wicked + The Divine. and Ribic’s stint on Marvel Knights: Silver Surfer and Secret Wars (2015).
Gillen claims that “…if I was ever to do a book again at Marvel, it would have to be something I’ve never done before. This is exactly that. This is me teaming up with literally my favourite artist of the epic, taking one of those lightning-storm Kirby visions and re-making it to be as new as the day it was forged.”
Since Kirby’s initial run of nineteen issues that started in 1976 on his return to Marvel from DC Comics, The Eternals haven’t had many issues dedicated solely to them (other than numerous guest appearances in Thor and The Avengers). The other three series (besides Kirby’s) only account for 28 issues (not including annuals and specials), so it makes sense that Marvel would want to expand on The Eternals story, especially for new readers and fans anticipating a big screen blockbuster (tentatively scheduled for February 2021).
If you are looking to acquaint yourself with Ikaris, Makkari, Kro, Thena, Sersi, and the rest of the Eternals crew, Marvel does have an Eternals omnibus scheduled for release in December and you can’t go wrong by tracking down Neil Gaiman’s take on the characters in his seven issue series from 2006 (also readily available in trade paperback).
Look for Gillen and Ribic’s Eternals #1 in November at finer comic shops everywhere.
