Eternal Warrior #5

by kanchilr1 on January 22, 2014

Writer Greg Pak Artist Robert Gill

 

Introduction

 

Even though a war has been brewing in the world of the Eternal Warrior the book has really been feeling like it is treading water at this point. The past few installments of the series have inched Gilad forward at a snails pace toward the next arc of the series. Fortunately, Greg Pak has seized the day and is now entering the future-verse with Eternal Warrior issue #5. With a clear sense of direction and a larger amount of plot to juggle with, Pak may prove unstoppable. The writer has an uncanny knack for characterization that has made every single issue of the series entertaining on at least one level. This arc also see’s the solid Robert Gill joining the comic book to deliver pencilling duties. Regardless of how readers have been feeling about the Eternal Warrior lately, Gilad definitely deserves a second look in his adventures into the future.

 

Writing

 

This tale asks a really important question to it’s readers; what happens when the Eternal Warrior becomes the Eternal Emperor? The answer lies in the mystifying sense of writing that Greg Pak adds to this issue. He plays up the dynamic between Gilad and his granddaughter so elegantly, and also explores ways in which the two characters are similar and different at the same time. This tale is accessible to somebody who has never read one issue of this series, and is interesting in digging deeper into Valiant as a whole. It also sheds some new light on Eternal Warrior, and his ongoing storyline. The idea of death for that who is immortal, is one so intriguing that it justifies the exploration of a new world. If this title has seemed stale initially or never quite grabbed you before, this is Pak at his finest. The writer is riffing on a tale as old as 1969 going back to the original True Grit film. A sense of scope from the penciller also helps the writing feel truly unique from the very first page of this story.

 

Art

 

Robert Gill delivers the kind of art that readers would hope for in Eternal Warrior. The best thing about the pencilling in this issue; is how fast and seamless that the artwork can tell a story. Readers can look at one image and begin to piece together the rest of the story in their head with ease. While this work is definitely a strong first showing for Gill on the series, the book was originally solicited as being drawn by Diego Bernard. Bernard is an exceptional penciller who is sorely missed on this issue, but the fill in artist more than rises to the occasion here. A couple of really nice spreads are in this issue, including many cityscapes that really show off some of the unique talent that the artist brings to the tale. Hopefully Valiant can schedule artists a little tighter in the coming future.

 

Conclusion


Even with the absence of Diego Bernard, Greg Pak and Robert Gill are onto something truly special the new arc of Eternal Warrior. This issue contains some of the strongest writing in the incredible career of Greg Pak.

Our Score:

8/10

A Look Inside