Comic Review – “Eternal #2”

Ikaeden is up to his R-rated antics once again.

General Information

Title: Eternal #2

Author: Chuck Austen

Illustrator(s): Kev Walker

Original Publication Date: July 2, 2003

Cover Price: $2.99US, $4.75 Can

Premise

The slaves of the gods grow weary of servitude.

High Point

The high point of the content is the third highest of the comic.
How
sad is that? Still, the Daredevil DVD ad (with a large picture of
Jennifer Garner in leather and the caption “Buy the DVD and
STARE
ALL YOU WANT!
“) and the three page art preview for
Supreme
Power #2
are both more entertaining than the surprising
removal
of the presumed villain of this first story arc.

Low Point

Jeska’s reasons for using the Apple. If your people were
captured,
mutated, and given just enough intelligence to become enslaved
as
laborers and sex toys, would you really think your existence had
been
significantly improved?

The Scores

This is starting to push into more original territory,
primarily through the removal of the seemingly obvious villain.
The
other aspects are still far too predictable, particularly the ending.
I give it 3 out of 6.

The artwork doesn’t seem to be improving. I
understand that
it might take a few issues for an artist to really become
comfortable,
especially with a completely new set of characters, but some of
this
stuff is just downright ugly. I give it 3 out of 6.

The story has finally set the stage for what will come
over
the next few months. Now we get to see glimpses of what will
happen
to these characters in the future. I give it 4 out of 6.



The characterization is one-dimensional and/or
implausible.
We really learn nothing we didn’t know in the last issue, which is
bad
for a series that’s just starting out. I give it 2 out of 6.

The emotional response this produced was primarily
happiness
at seeing a shift from sex to storytelling. There’s still sex here,
but it doesn’t seem like it’s the whole point of this issue, unlike
last month. I give it 3 out of 6.

The flow is smooth when not in combat. Part of my
problems
with the combat might simply be because I don’t really
understand how
those weapons are supposed to work. I give it 4 out of 6.

Overall, it’s a pretty lackluster issue. I’ll probably ride
out the first story arc, but they’d need some impressive
solicitations
text to keep me around after that. I give it 3 out of 6.

In total, Eternal #2 receives 22 out of 42.