Eternal Warrior #1 Discussion

[betterthanezra]

So had a chance to read this tonight and I thought the book is very solid. Lots of interesting stuff going on. Not going to spoil before you guys get a chance to read it.

I Liked Hairsine but thought at times the art was very sketchy. Not bad but lacked the polished look I think we are used to in the VEI line so far. introduction the Gilad's kids was an interesting one and will raise he most questions about this issue. The book really felt very fast on my one read through.

Not the best of the first issues by far but very solid.

-Brian

[bribri]

Very solid issue. I love the fact that there was a lot of inner monologue, first with Xaran in the past and then with Gilad in the present.

Lots of interesting stuff and more questions, as you state. I didn't mind the sketchy feel of the artwork. I think it was appropriate for the time period and the battle.

One question about the Nergal...doesn't this curse affect resemble Shadowman? Wonder if there might be some connection, not directly with the Shadowman created by Sandria but perhaps indirectly...? Admittedly, I might be reaching.

I also wonder where the present sequence fits into the timeline of the other books. Does this take place prior to Gilad's encounters with A&A and then X-O? Or is it after?

[Phoenix8008]

Very solid issue. I love the fact that there was a lot of inner monologue, first with Xaran in the past and then with Gilad in the present.

Lots of interesting stuff and more questions, as you state. I didn't mind the sketchy feel of the artwork. I think it was appropriate for the time period and the battle.

One question about the Nergal...doesn't this curse affect resemble Shadowman? Wonder if there might be some connection, not directly with the Shadowman created by Sandria but perhaps indirectly...? Admittedly, I might be reaching.

I also wonder where the present sequence fits into the timeline of the other books. Does this take place prior to Gilad's encounters with A&A and then X-O? Or is it after?

I'm not 100% positive, but I thought I heard before that this first arc is supposed to be before the A&A #5 appearance.

[hunter_peterson]

I liked this issue quite a bit. It really picked up tone-wise for me when it entered the present. A little bit of a slow start, but that's likely because flashbacks will be a big part of the series. Not necessarily a bad thing, as Brubaker's Captain America (among many other things) shows.

I'm very interested to see more of the Houses. It seems the Earth is more of an organisation than a magical force now. Bit interesting. The House of the Wild appears to be fauna-based, so maybe there'll be a plant counterpart? And the Nergal dudes could be from a Death house, perhaps. This new structure seems like it could be fantastic for introducing and sorting characters in the new Valiant U, which is great for me!

Overall, I think next issue will be much better, but this was still very good!

And yeah, this is before A&A 5. Been said in a few interviews. Pretty bold, I think, but might let them synch it with Unity more easily for next arc while disrupting it less than if they'd started it in the present straight-off.

[bribri]

Very solid issue. I love the fact that there was a lot of inner monologue, first with Xaran in the past and then with Gilad in the present.

Lots of interesting stuff and more questions, as you state. I didn't mind the sketchy feel of the artwork. I think it was appropriate for the time period and the battle.

One question about the Nergal...doesn't this curse affect resemble Shadowman? Wonder if there might be some connection, not directly with the Shadowman created by Sandria but perhaps indirectly...? Admittedly, I might be reaching.

I also wonder where the present sequence fits into the timeline of the other books. Does this take place prior to Gilad's encounters with A&A and then X-O? Or is it after?

I'm not 100% positive, but I thought I heard before that this first arc is supposed to be before the A&A #5 appearance.

That would seem to make more sense. He steps away, comes back (in this arc), and then starts dealing with the likes of Aram, Archer and Aric... (A&A&A?!)

[Keith]

Very solid issue. I love the fact that there was a lot of inner monologue, first with Xaran in the past and then with Gilad in the present.

Lots of interesting stuff and more questions, as you state. I didn't mind the sketchy feel of the artwork. I think it was appropriate for the time period and the battle.

One question about the Nergal...doesn't this curse affect resemble Shadowman? Wonder if there might be some connection, not directly with the Shadowman created by Sandria but perhaps indirectly...? Admittedly, I might be reaching.

I also wonder where the present sequence fits into the timeline of the other books. Does this take place prior to Gilad's encounters with A&A and then X-O? Or is it after?

I'm not 100% positive, but I thought I heard before that this first arc is supposed to be before the A&A #5 appearance.

That would seem to make more sense. He steps away, comes back (in this arc), and then starts dealing with the likes of Aram, Archer and Aric... (A&A&A?!)

Yep... even helps explain how Buck McHenry could be kidnapped. Gilad was off the clock, and not on top of protecting the Geomancer.

[hunter_peterson]

Very solid issue. I love the fact that there was a lot of inner monologue, first with Xaran in the past and then with Gilad in the present.

Lots of interesting stuff and more questions, as you state. I didn't mind the sketchy feel of the artwork. I think it was appropriate for the time period and the battle.

One question about the Nergal...doesn't this curse affect resemble Shadowman? Wonder if there might be some connection, not directly with the Shadowman created by Sandria but perhaps indirectly...? Admittedly, I might be reaching.

I also wonder where the present sequence fits into the timeline of the other books. Does this take place prior to Gilad's encounters with A&A and then X-O? Or is it after?

I'm not 100% positive, but I thought I heard before that this first arc is supposed to be before the A&A #5 appearance.

That would seem to make more sense. He steps away, comes back (in this arc), and then starts dealing with the likes of Aram, Archer and Aric... (A&A&A?!)

Yep... even helps explain how Buck McHenry could be kidnapped. Gilad was off the clock, and not on top of protecting the Geomancer.

Apparently we'll be seeing him in this arc, so it's actually possible we'll see his abduction in it too. There's really no telling how long before The Wrath of the Eternal Warrior this is set... just that it's not too long ago.

[Stringer]

I loved the first issue, Gilad's daughter was very brutal.

This is my first Eternal Warrior book so I'm very curious to see the rather tricky nature of their relationship explored.

[swtor1091]

Solid 8 out of 10 good issue.... I wasn't sure what I was going to get so I was pleased... Valiant still knows how to make a good #1

[Paradigm38]

I give it top marks. Really excvellent, gritty artwork had the right feel, and the whole ending with daughter still alive just far cool. Gilad's inner workings at their best.

[betterthanezra]

The reveal of still being alive and confronting Gilad was obviously the big payoff of the issue and a complete shock to him as well.

I'm excited to see where it's going from here...

-Brian

[bygranddesign]

Great first issue 8.5/10

I thought the story was very good with some intriguing plot points that were unexpected. Xaran is brutal!!! What a great introduction to what looks like a fascinating character. It's only one issue but I'm hoping she will stay as one of the central character of this series.

I also thought it was a very interesting twist that Gilad turns his back on the earth and as a consequence he is no longer immortal and starts feeling all the aches and pains of growing older. Was that the case with the original? I thought that was a very good twist.

The inner monologue of Xaran and than Gilad were more high points. Very well done by Pak!

I thought the art was great in spots but a little rushed in others which is kind of surprising but not worried about it as Hairsine is top notch and clayton Crain will also be contributing with the next issue which should elevate the quality even more.

My one main criticism is that it does feel way too short ...if any issue felt like it needed to be oversized it was this one ... As it is - I felt like I went to a really good restaurant and left only eating the appetizer and one bite of the Entree. Very GOOD and delicious .. but definitely left me wanting more.

[hawkeyeps]

I thought it was great, gritty and brutal as the Eternal Warrior should be.

I wish this was the debut of Gilad instead of A&A #5, I give 9/10 and Crain's pages from #2 look mind blowing so I'm very stoked for this title!

[KXXX]

So *SQUEE* I read the preview

I feel like I only got a half of a comic today. Still, it was quire enjoyable in the end.

What's up with the dog?

[pixierosa]

Really enjoyed this book. So nice to see the depth of character and how he admits to his own shortcomings. The one thing I wondered was how his daughter lived all those years without him being aware of it. I would be shocked if she changed her carnage-happy ways. Someone like that would leave a trail, or you'd think he would have at least heard of some battle or excessive carnage that would make he wonder...

The preview for #2 also looks amazing. I wonder when Gilad decided to give up being the protector? Obviously not for quite some time after the nergal battle. Perhaps his stepping aside is when his daughter was called upon for duty. Still wonder what she was up to all those years. She may be the most primally frightening character I've seen in the VEI universe.

Regarding the dog, we were debating what caused that reaction. Was it the hunk of meat that he fed it (somehow tainted) or did his daughter and her clan have some sort of control over animals? That might have been why she went all Hannibal elephant-girl on the nergal.

Good book. Enjoyed the writing and the story-telling. Gritty art that fit the topic. Sometimes I wished the faces were a little more defined/cleaner lined, but overall very good, especially the animals. Those hyenas (the schmoes of the animal world) were effectively scary.

[ShadowTuga]

I *SQUEE* loved this, story, new characters, new concepts (Houses), the dialogues, art, colors- everything was perfect in my eyes.
I can't wait for #2.
(standing)

[tchalla8]

Yeah, I totally dug it...while I wasn't crazy about Hairsine's work on X-O, it totally captured me in EW. Love the idea of creating a greater mythology behind Gilad and his lineage. Xaran is a piece of work.

[jmatt]

Not enough meat to pass judgment yet.

The opening battle was an pretext to introduce Gilad's insane daughter and Star Trek red-shirt son, Mitu ... but the battle itself is inconsequential to the book.

The second half was a little bit of reflection from Gilad and the reveal that he'd walked away from being the Fist and Steel for a bit and was showing signs of age. Didn't understand the dog bite.

Other than that, there really isn't much to comment on yet, as a story. I'm ambivalent about Hairsine's work.

6.5/10

And I've decided to pass on reading the Unity tease section. I've read all the others so far and felt kinda cheated when I read the actual issue. So I think I'll just read the comic as a whole and not spoil the book for it's first reading.

[BugsySig]

Definitely a fast read, and I didn't read the previews (though I scanned them). That being said I really liked it. I think Hairsine's art was great and fits the book perfectly. The issue had a lot of set up, as a first issue should, and left us with a cliff hanger. Only bad thing is I have to wait another month for the next issue.

[jmatt]

Here's my dilemma with the book:

If you were a first time reader and not a Valiant fanatic, does that story leave you with enough oomph to make you spend four books on the next issue? I don't really know the answer to that question since I already have a lot of love for the character and will buy it regardless.

And then we have Shadowman #1 which ended with "I'm Shadowman!" and left readers feeling a little bewildered.

So here's an comic that doesn't really explain much about the character's origin juxtaposed against another that wanted to rush his identity into place. And neither left me feeling like I had read a #1 issue that laid out for me why and how they got there.

I have no idea what the answer is, but I do know that if it was priced at $2.99 rather than $3.99 I'd be more inclined to stick around as a non-Valiant fanatic first time buyer. Just saying.

[Ramses818]

as a Rabid Valiant fan man ( yes I am too old to be the fan boy!) this issue thrilled me. The art was different enough to stand out. The had the whole "Houses" bit to hold on to. The aging of Eternal Warrior offers some very interesting ideas...Like a man who can bleed and not die, who grows older, knows alot..does that sound like someone? When you combine some of the bombshells in A&A from this week...WOW! I mean really just...wow.

[hunter_peterson]

I think the dog was being controlled by the warriors of the House of the Wild, who were shown approaching on the final page. They would seem to be animal-connected just as the House of the Earth is connected to Earth/life in general. I don't think it's Xaran doing that. I'm excited to see how the Houses all work!

[nonplayer]

Im still wondering if the scratches in his face will be from his daughter? Great read I find all the issues with previews for other books in them a short read. Had to kill his own dog great that must feel nice. Good read I will give it 3 more issues before I decide if it makes it on my permanent pull box list. 6/10

[Savant]

Here's my dilemma with the book:

If you were a first time reader and not a Valiant fanatic, does that story leave you with enough oomph to make you spend four books on the next issue? I don't really know the answer to that question since I already have a lot of love for the character and will buy it regardless.

I thought this first issue was just OK. I'm going to give the entire first arc a chance, but if I was a first-time reader of Valiant I'm pretty sure I wouldn't buy further issues of this title based on this first release.

[tchalla8]

Here's the one thing that worries me. Hairsine's art, while really solid on this issue, can have a tendency to look rushed and out of control (see X-O #9). I'm really worried about what's going to happen when he gets himself up against a deadline to finish this arc. Right now I feel like he's barely got things under control, and I think we've all seen that artists' work can tend to degrade when they're rushed.

But as this issue goes I really, really like it.