Welcome back everybody to another week in Ye Olde School Cafe’! This week, I’ll be focusing on the next few issues of Jack Kirby’s Eternals! In the previous parts, we’ve seen the revelation of two species that have been living on Earth longer than humans. The Eternals – a proud race with various superhuman abilities that either live on a mountaintop or have used disguises to blend in with humans. The Deviants – a crude warrior race that lives under the ocean depths in a city where their capacity for hatred of the Eternals is only matched by their scientific prowess. We also have learned that a race of beings from outer space is responsible for both of those race’s creation, but also the impending doom for Earth!
As the Eternals are taking part in becoming one with the Uni-Mind, Great Tode is trying to get out of Lemuria before it totally blows up. He and his buddy general Kro head to a ship to escape. As they make their way to the ship, Tode tells Kro of his last weapon that he’ll try to use on the Celestials. He shows Kro that he has a ship that a few lackeys will pilot into space. Once there, they’ll activate the ship’s ultimate device, which is basically that the entire ship is a bomb that will explode upon impact with the Celestials’ vessel. Tode sends the dudes on their kamikaze mission, and then he and Kro get ready to evacuate the city. Meanwhile, the only Eternal left that hasn’t joined the Uni-Mind is Sprite. He sees the Deviants launch their doomsday device and tries to think of a way to help. The only thing he can think of is to beg for the help of the Forgotten One.
The United States has also sent a shuttle to intercept the Celestials’ mighty vessel. Little do they know, that soon they’ll have more company than they bargained for. As three different ships are closing in on the Celestials, one of the inhabitants uses its mental powers to discern what the ships are trying to accomplish. Faster than anyone can even blink, the Celestial transports the Deviants aboard the American shuttle. Immediately the Deviants attack the astronauts, but before they can harm them, the Americans are transported to the Eternals’ ship that was also en-route to intercept the Deviants. The Forgotten One then finds himself aboard the Deviant ship that is about to explode. The ship explodes, but then the unconscious Eternal is brought to the Celestials’ ship for reasons unknown. The Americans then safely land back on Earth, but the Deviants crash to their death in the ocean.
In the next issue, we witness two college students who are experimenting with a robot that they’ve built. It’s a robot of the Incredible Hulk, and they are both about to get a visit from one of their professors. The professor busts into the room and tells them to stop it now or they’ll both be expelled. The two students then crate up the monster for dis-assembly the next day. Little do they know, that while their creation is in a crate, the Eternals’ Uni-Mind is giving off fantastic cosmic power that reaches not only some cars and even a ship, but also the Hulk robot as well!
As the Eternals are returning from their trip into the Uni-Mind, the robot Hulk starts to go on a rampage. Back in Olympia, Ikaris tells Margo that he’ll take her back to New York, and Sersi tells the Professor from the college the same. As they are on their way back to the city, they see some people in a frenzy over something. As they stop to figure out what’s going on, Makarri gets smashed, then tossed a mile away by the robot Hulk. Sersi goes after him to see if he is alright, while Ikaris stays to deal with the monster. Ikaris goes right after him, raining down blows from every angle. When the smoke clears, he finds that all his bravado was for nothing. The Hulk then grabs him by the throat and the fight is on!
Ikaris has figured out by now that his strength is no match for the cosmic powered Hulk robot. He tries to use his disintegrating eye beams, but the Hulk just jumps out of the way. Sersi then tries some of her mutation powers on him by turning him to stone, but that doesn’t work either. Makarri has now jumped back into the ship with Margo and the professor. He uses the ship to try and distract the Hulk, and then to even try and ram him head on. The Hulk swats the ship away and it smashes through the city like a pinball. Back down in the city, Ikaris is trying to shake off one of the robots hammering punches, when he gets harassed by some reporters. As Ikaris flies up to meet the Hulk robot, he sees Sersi confusing him with more of her trickery. Ikaris then tells her to stop when it starts to become ineffective. The two have a quick squabble, then the news media starts to flood the television with images of the brawl.
As Ikaris and Sersi head back towards the Hulk robot, the military are moving in on the robot. As they open fire, the robot throws a chunk of a building right at one of the choppers, destroying it completely. The professor and Margo are on the ground, but almost get killed by an explosion and some shrapnel. As the Hulk robot continues to smash through the city, the Eternals are starting to lose confidence in their chances of stopping him. Just as all seems to be lost, the great Zuras himself descends to lend a hand in defeating this monstrosity. As Zuras moves in on the creature, Ikaris warns him to be wary of the beast. Zuras tells Ikaris to calm down, and remember who this beast is now dealing with. As the robot moves towards Zuras, it also tosses some debris at him, but Zuras’s force field blocks it from getting through. He then absorbs the cosmic energy from the beastly machine, but it jumps away before he can finish it off.
As the Hulk robot jumps through the city, smashing everything he lands near, eventually a hole opens up and the robot vanishes. The police are worried that he’ll ignite the city’s gas lines and blow them all to kingdom come. After telling the media that humans and Eternals must work together to stop all the impending doom, Zuras then tells Ikaris and Makarri to find and finish off the Hulk. As the two search the city, out of nowhere, Ikaris’s leg is grabbed by some unseen creature from under the city. Makarri rushes to his aid, but he gets subdued as well. Back on the surface, firefighters relentlessly try to snuff out the fires that rage through the city. Zuras arrives to lend a hand, and then with one blast, extinguishes the flames.
As Sersi comes flying into the picture, Zuras tells her that before they can go back to the matter of the Celestials, they need to find Makarri and Ikaris. The two find the site where they were dragged below, and Zuras tells Sersi that she should be afraid of what may be below. He tells her of an evil that was interred here way before she was even born. As Sersi begs Zuras to tell her what it is, he does tell her he’ll explain later, but now must descend into the pit to confront this evil. Zuras goes to the spot where the dweller should be, but finds an empty tomb. Zuras makes mention of Dromedan, the brain snatcher! He remembers that eons ago, the Deviants bred this beast to kill Eternals, but they entombed him for their own safety because they could not control him.
As Zuras makes his way through the underground cavern, he comes upon Ikaris and Makarri fighting to the death. Makarri lands a mighty punch that falls Ikaris, and then he pounces for a killing strike. Just as he is about to deliver it, Zuras stops him and tries to break the two of the mental hold on them. As both of them come back to their senses, Zuras tells them to get away for they are not strong enough to mentally battle Dromedan. Just as they are fleeing, Zuras is besieged by wind, then flames. He recalls the last time he fought Dromedan that he used wind and fire to torment him, then he reminds him of being turned to stone as well! Zuras is ready for these mental assaults, though, and calls for Dromedan to come forth and do battle! Dromedan does appear, and then tells Zuras that his days are over and to kneel before Dromedan!
That’s all for this installment, but stay tuned for next week’s exciting series conclusion! We’ll witness the battle with Dromedan, Sersi gone wild, and also the Celestials’ final judgment!
Billy Dunleavy
billy@comicattack.net