Eternal Warrior #6 – Review

by Greg Pak (Writer), Robert Gill, Victor Olazaba (Artists), Guy Major (Colorist)

The Story: It’s tough to refuse a request from a little girl, especially when said request is to kill a being who enslave people.

The Review: Opening an arc with a great hook is something that must be hard. To provide just enough intrigue, action and a direction that can sustain itself for a few issues is certainly something that must require a lot of thoughts and work. Still, what must be even harder is to continue in the same vein, with the same qualities and a consistency that makes the ongoing tale as interesting as it was in its beginning.

To say that this issue is as good as the previous one would be an unfortunate lie on my part. While there are indeed a lot of qualities to be found here, it seems that Greg Pak has the unfortunate task of trying to continue the world-building while at the same time bring a better focus on just who Gilad and Caroline are. While not as good as the opening, does this issue provide enough to make sure readers might want to continue with this arc?

One of the qualities that might ensure it is how Pak writes both Gilad and Caroline as well as their dynamics. The mix between brutality and kindness is fun to read in Gilad’s action and reaction, but it is even more so when it can also be seen in Caroline’s own. The bond between them and how they perceive and educate each other makes for a particularly effective duo, making them interesting but also utterly likable in the process. How Caroline reacts to the slave-trade, how Gilad tries to explain his plan and how everything goes makes for some great character moments, making this story as much about them as it is about the world of 4001 AD in the Valiant universe.

Eternal Warrior #5 – Review

by Greg Pak (Writer), Robert Gill (Artist), Guy Major (Colorist)

The Story: It seems that pissing off an immortal is still a bad idea even in 4001 AD.

The Review: I love surprises. Some people might prefer to have a more stable experiences with book, with a series that can constantly promise a certain modicum of stability in its execution and quality. While a book that can deliver with each issue is certainly nice, one that can suddenly improve and show new and exciting ideas is always something I am looking for.

This issue of Eternal Warrior certainly fits the description. While I am an overall fan of Greg Pak and the Valiant universe as a whole, it seems that this issue is a huge improvement in the series, providing one of those coveted ”jumping-on points” as well as continuing the themes of the series as established by Greg Pak himself.

Set in 4001, this issue shows a future that is rather inspired, with a continuation of what could potentially happen if the representation of the Earth would disappear, as Gilad has destroyed it in the previous arc. The first thing that Pak does right is in setting down the voice of Gilad in this future, representing him once more as an immortal, yet not someone who necessarily grew all that wise or feeble, representing the warrior part of the character quite well. The confident and rather analytic, yet not completely devoid of compassion warrior is one that is rather entertaining to follow, as his relation with the villagers and his granddaughter makes for a rather stark contrats with his demeanour and his abilities.