The Eternals HC

[beaglegod]

I just noticed the HC edition of what I believe is the complete run of Kirbys "The Eternals",it collects issues 1-19 and annual #1, at $53 do you think its a worthy purchase?

Pass it or buy it?

[Cei-U!]

It's still possible to pick up a complete run of the originals for $20-30 but if the HC format, with its greater durability and slicker production values, is worth it to you then go for it. Me, I just wanna read the stories for as little outlay as possible.

Cei-U!
I summon the frugal fanboy!

[shaxper]

I grabbed the first five issues for $1 a piece just last month. I couldn't possibly justify paying more than two times that for a HC (and I'd heard the cover price was going to be $90).

Incidentally, is the run consistantly good throughout? Are all 19 issues worth reading? Most of Kirby's 70s titles seemed to fizzle out past the first few issues (Kamandi aside). Does Eternals follow this rule?

[beaglegod]

I'd heard the cover price was going to be $90).

The going rate at amazon is $47,and yes Id be interested to hear from someone if the entire run is a good read.

[Cei-U!]

Id be interested to hear from someone if the entire run is a good read.

I think so. I like it better than the Fourth World stuff. There's a wonderful thread elsewhere on this board where berk does an amazing piece of in-depth interpretation of the series. Check it out... after you read the comics, that is.

Cei-U!
I summon the thumbs up!

[scratchie]

The list price is, I believe, $75. I pre-ordered mine from Discount Comic Book Service for $37.50. Since most of the sets I saw on Ebay were going for around $40 for 20 comics, I figured I could justify that expense.

[Agentum]

I think nobody will need to pay $75 as usual with this books.
if i can get it for $40 i buy it, this is a real gamble by DC to put out something like this and i like them to take the chance with more older comics.

[scratchie]

this is a real gamble by DC to put out something like this I agree, publishing their competitor's intellectual property is quite risky! :D

Seriously, though, the only reason Marvel is doing this is because they're putting out a new Eternals mini-series this year, but Kirby is Kirby and I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

[benday-dot]

I think so. I like it better than the Fourth World stuff.

This is a matter of opinion of course... but if I was to choose - Fourth World or Eternals - I would have to select Fourth World as the superior series. Artwise, I think with the Eternals Kirby might never have been better. To me the splash pages alone justify the price of a Kirby book. Some disliked Kirby's dialogue on Fourth World, but I personally had no problem with it. On Eternal's however I must admit to it getting to me at times. Usually when Kirby does "cheese" he somehow manages to make it delightful, and enoble it. But there were places in Eternals where for the first it looked to me that maybe the King was shooting blanks. Or maybe it was just the whole conceit of JK trying to meet successfully the historical/classical tradition of the Olympian pantheon with his parallel comic book generated race. Unlike when Stan and Jack did it with the Norse mythology, here it didn't quite work for me. More than this, his grand notion of reinventing the origins of humanity itself I felt was instance of a case where the reach exceeds the grasp. Don't get me wrong though' overall I enjoyed reading Eternals. Like I said, the King's art shines. And I do plan to see what Neil Gaiman does with Kirby's world.

[Agentum]

I agree, publishing their competitor's intellectual property is quite risky! :D

Seriously, though, the only reason Marvel is doing this is because they're putting out a new Eternals mini-series this year, but Kirby is Kirby and I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
hahahahaha, i don't know where i got DC from, but that would have been risky:D

[beaglegod]

I pre-ordered mine from Discount Comic Book Service for $37.50.\

Ive searched everywhere in that site and cannot find The Eternals anywhere,their website kinda sucks when it comes to looking for something. Can anybody perhaps direct me to where its located at DCBS?

[scratchie]

Ive searched everywhere in that site and cannot find The Eternals anywhere,their website kinda sucks when it comes to looking for something. Can anybody perhaps direct me to where its located at DCBS?It doesn't appear to be on their site anymore. I placed my order a month or two ago, so the discount may have only been for early pre-orders.

EDIT: I found my order confirmation and it's from April 1.

EDIT 2: Amazon has it listed now for $47.25, which qualifies for free shipping. That's less than $4.00 more than it cost at DCBS with the shipping (which was $5.95).

[beaglegod]

EDIT 2: Amazon has it listed now for $47.25, which qualifies for free shipping. That's less than $4.00 more than it cost at DCBS with the shipping (which was $5.95).

Thanx scratchie, your a swell guy.:cool:

[MilkManX]

I have this on order from my LCS. I think its $75.00 through Diamond(geezzz) but I won a $50.00 Gift card for a coloring contest for Lions,Tigers,and Bears so it will only cost me $25.00 plus tax.

I cant wait for it. I love my Kirby in deluxe slick Hardcover.

[Babylon23]

The going rate at amazon is $47,and yes Id be interested to hear from someone if the entire run is a good read.

I think the series peters out a little towards the end. Marvel tried to shoehorn the comic into the Marvel U, which was bound to fail. However, it's still a great read, and worth the time for any Kirby fan.

I'm more of a Fourth World fan though.

Even though I have the issues, I'll still be picking this up. The reproduction value should be high, and give a greater reflection of Kirby's amazing artwork.

[T GUy]

benday-dot: Artwise, I think with the Eternals Kirby might never have been better.

Babylon 23: I think the series peters out a little towards the end. Marvel tried to shoehorn the comic into the Marvel U, which was bound to fail.

Too right. There's a dramatic drop in art quality noticable virtually from the moment you open a copy of No. 14. The 'cosmic-powered Hulk' is what I refer to as Kirby imitating Kirby, like the issue of Richard Dragon, Kung-Fu Fighter.

However, it's still a great read, and worth the time for any Kirby fan.

Yup. Certainly the first 12 issues (I may not appreciate No. 13 as much as I should. I may have tore-read it).

I'm more of a Fourth World fan though.

Except, perhaps, for the appearance of the cosmic-powered Hulk in the Forever People. Oops! It was Deadman.

[MilkManX]

Anyone pick up their Eternals HC yet? I am gonna grab mine after work today.

[Scott Shaw!]

To my tastes, Jack's "Fourth World" books are the better read, not only for their scope but also for their sense of humor. Nearly every issue of his SUPERMAN'S PAL, JIMMY OLSEN features some sort of hilarious dialog or concept (and I'm not just talking about the San Diego Five-String Mob), and MISTER MIRACLE takes that even further, with hilarious characters like Vermin Vundabarr, Granny Goodness and Funky Flashman. And how about THE NEW GODS' "Deep Six"? Kirby was a genius at concocting nutty names for his "Fourth World" villains.

On the other hand, the first four issues of THE ETERNALS feature inking by John Verpoorten. I love Mike Royer's inking -- heck, I love Mike! -- but I kinda wish that Big John had inked this entire series. His stuff has a slightly rough edge to it, but is still quite loyal to Jack's pencils. On the basis of his work in these four issues, I regard John Verpoorten as one of my all-time favorite Kirby inkers, along with Chic Stone (cartoony), George Tuska (raw), Joe Sinnott (pretty), Mike Royer (juicy), Dick Ayers (clay-like) and Wallace Wood (shiny). I guess I'd categorize Big John's inking as (powerful).

Check 'em out and lemme know what you think.

Aloha,

Scott!

P.S.: For years, I've been under the misunderstanding that the Hulk robot in THE ETERNALS was one of those that Thunderbolt Ross used for Hulk-catching practice back in the 1960s. I was wrong! -- SS!

[MilkManX]

I picked mine up Friday from the LCS. Had a $50.00 GC so it was only $25 for me out of pocket. Its awesome. All the issues on nice paper and good color reproduction. I was missing the Annual and last 2 issues in my run so I am re-reading it all. I wish DC would do this with more Kirby stuff. All Kirby should be in hardcover!

[MicroZone]

It's still possible to pick up a complete run of the originals for $20-30 but if the HC format, with its greater durability

it's really not much more durable than a tradepaperback givn Marvel's cheap binding method for hardcovers lately. the book is glue-bound, not sewn like a real hardcover. So it's more like a book of the month club edition than the $100 high end collectible it's meant to be.

[scratchie]

I got this in the mail (DHL, actually) yesterday. Overall, I'm pretty pleased with the quality of the production. The colors look good. I don't know enough about binding to say if it's glued or sewn, although for $75 I'd think they could sew it.

My only complaint so far (which is binding-related) is that the binding doesn't really open up far enough for the double-page splashes that seem to comprise page 2 and 3 of each issue.

In terms of the content, the artwork is spectacular. Everything you'd want from 70s Kirby, with splashes galore. Haven't gotten far enough into the storyline to really judge that yet but it's moving along at a good pace.