Jump into the demon mosh pit!
Creative Staff:
Story: Robert Venditti
Art: Raul Allen & Patricia Martín
What They Say:
Gilad Anni-Padda, the Eternal Warrior, has sacrificed everything to shape a better world…but his work is only beginning. Turning his back on everything and everyone he loved, he must leave the safety of the world he knew behind…and begin a trek across a savage and unexplored realm to return to Earth…if the true cost of his immortality doesn’t destroy him first.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Right from the get go I can see a vast improvement over the first issue. The Eternal Warrior is still in some strange underworld where his family resides, even the son he lost a long time ago. The main crux of the drama in this book is how the warrior feels the need to leave this place even though he is perfectly content to live with his family. Unlike the first issue, we actually get that he is making a choice to leave the grove and enter the woods. This builds up the sense of loss the warrior feels every time he leaves, and how both relieving and frustrating it must be to continually end up back there. The story is tight and focused on the characters, rather than a vague mystery for the sake of not spoiling the plot too early. I can see where this story is going now for now and I’m on board for the ride.
This issue opens with the Eternal Warrior burying his family in a flashback, and the first issue really should have led with this part. As the warrior lies to his dying wife about their children miraculously recovering, we understand what drives the warrior while he is in the underworld. His motivations and goals are all laid bare, if only this had occurred in the first issue. We also get a better understand of his mysterious other child, who was stolen away from the warrior when he was a kid. This has created a rift between the two, one that the warrior hopes to resolve soon.
The art has improved over the last issue. I saw less instances of strange potato faces and wonky anatomy. There is still a distinct lack of details on the humans compared to everything else, which unfortunately makes them indistinct and unmemorable. Those little details here and there other than age and skin color can make all the difference when you’re trying to set up these characters that your readers want to get invested in. The backgrounds have been given tune up. In some panels, you can see trees full of arrows from the warrior’s son practicing day and night. Little touches like that are greatly appreciated and also gives a sense of time to this bizarre place. He has been practicing for a long time, we don’t know why he is doing it but it shows that the warrior and his family have been here for longer than we originally assumed.
The only criticism I can point to in this issue is an overreliance on expositional dialogue. This is not the worst offender I’ve seen, especially in the medium of comics, but it’s there and will turn some readers off. It truly is an art form to weave exposition seamlessly into a story, and some writers really struggle with this aspect of storytelling. I was not offended by the exposition, but I hope it improves in later issues.
This issue introduces the reader to the actual story of Wrath of the Eternal Warrior. We see why the Eternal Warrior is struggling through the underworld. He is caught between the love for his family and his duties as a hero, a classic hero story. We even get a glimpse of the main antagonist, and he looks menacing. Pick up this book if you’re a fan of the Eternal Warrior. For non-fans, this issue may just surprise you and make you want to pick up the next one.
In Summary:
The Eternal Warrior continues his descent into the underworld, but he must decide if he wants to leave his family behind and return to the world of the living. This book is an improvement over the last issue with an engaging story and decent art. The story will leave you wanting more as the warrior’s struggles are made clear to the reader. Pick this up if you’re a fan or if the last issue left you wanting more.
Grade: C+
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: Valiant Comics
Release Date: December 16, 2015
MSRP: $3.99
