Eternity
Heroes work on a grand scale of struggle and sacrifice in Matt Kindt and Trevor Hairsine’s interdimensional epic Eternity.
Reprinting the four issues of the comic book series, the Eternity graphic novel packs a lot into its 112 pages. Picking up on some characters and elements from Kindt’s work on Valiant’s Divinity comic book series, Eternity successfully stands alone while introducing a plethora of new and bizarre inhabitants of another dimension.
The book begins with rapid-fire cuts from one strange scene to the next—a bit confusing, but intriguing—and patience is rewarded as the motivations of all concerned become clear.
Comparisons to Jack Kirby’s New Gods or the cosmic sagas of Jim Starlin are inevitable, simply because of the raw ambition of the story’s scope. But Kindt is never derivative, as evidenced by the primary human characters, who don’t fit the typical superpowered status quo—they’re ex-Russian cosmonauts-turned-superbeings, one of whom is black. The tale’s conflicts focus on predestination versus free will and family loyalties versus a hero’s responsibility to the world. Eternity takes the grand themes of the best science fiction and compresses them into a briskly paced, kinetic adventure.
Hairsine is an equal contributor, with landscapes and character designs that can seem out of a bad dream or a vision of heaven, reminiscent of Steve Ditko’s trippy work on Marvel’s “Strange Tales.” The book is rendered in expert color by David Baron. Thankfully, the stunning covers from the original issues are included in this collection, making for a comic art embarrassment of riches. Eternity is yet another high-quality Valiant graphic novel, further expanding its rich universe of entertainment.
Reviewed by
Peter Dabbene
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. No fee was paid by the publisher for this review. Foreword Reviews only recommends books that we love. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
