Comic Review – “Eternal #4”

Chuck Austen’s attempt to revive Jack Kirby’s brainchild
continues to flounder.

General Information

Title: Eternal #4

Author: Chuck Austen

Illustrator: Kev Walker

Original Publication Date: September 3, 2003

Cover Price: $2.99 US, $4.75 Can

Premise

Ikaeden deals with the evolved deviants while Kurassus deals
with
Jeska.

High Point

“– and they’re REEEALLY upset with you.”

Low Point

That’s de-evolved? That’s becoming a deviant again? It seems
to me
more like becoming modest, and assigning greater meaning to
intercourse than physical pleasure. If Kurassus hadn’t explained
things, I wouldn’t have know what went on.

The Scores

There’s no sex here, so that’s pretty original for the
title.
(There is still talk of sex, of course, so it’s not as original as it
could be.) I have to give Austen credit for his resolution to last
month’s cliff hanger. It’s not what I expected. Given this title’s
past history, I give this issue 5 out of 6.

The artwork is still sexist (and not just in the topless
women ways that the scripts call for, but in the harsh male faces
and
soft female faces.) It’s still often off-model. Individual panels
look alright, but not great. I give it 3 out of 6.

The story is starting to show elements of planning
and
plotting beyond the next nude scene. The gratuitous sex of the
earlier issues is gone, and the gratuitous violence is just barely
gratuitous. I give it 4 out of 6.



The characterization is fairly bland. The only new
information is that Kurassus is capable of attacking
psychologically
as well as physically. I give it 4 out of 6.

The emotional response this produced was mainly
curiosity.
It seems Austen had plans to develop this title into more than it
was
in the early issues. The drop in readership might have been
reduced
had some of these elements been introduced sooner.
Unfortunately,
it’s too little too late. I give it 3 out of 6.

The flow is just as crippled in battle scenes as it has
been
in the past. I’m not at all satisfied with how the panels of combat
mesh together. I give it 3 out of 6.

Overall, it’s the best issue of the series thus far,
having
achieved the status of “mediocre.” I give it 3 out of 6.

In total, The Eternal #4 receives 25 out of 42.

Additional Notes and Comments

The series has been cancelled. Issue 6 will be the last. I can’t
say
that I’m sorry to see it go.