Eternal Warrior #6
Written by: Greg Pak
Art by: Robert Gill and Victor Olazaba
Published by: Valiant Entertainment
Reviewed by: Ryan ‘Irish Rican’ McLelland
The latest issues of Eternal Warrior shows us not the present but the future of the Valiant Universe. It’s the year 4001 and Gilad the Eternal Warrior has just survived a nuclear explosion. It’s not a common occurrence where he and his people were living. It was a village without technology, a people living off the land, enjoying life at its most primitive. Then the explosion happens and Gilad’s people are dying. Armed with a sword and his granddaughter Caroline, Gilad goes forth into the land to find out who sent a nuclear robot to his village while doing what he does best…killing.
Gilad and Caroline arrive at Big Town looking for answers and find that slaves are being brought into Big Town by a man named The Boss. Big, tall robots stand guard and are ready to attack anyone who disobeys The Boss. Caroline sees that the slaves are being pushed into something they don’t want to do and as a child she has a finely tuned moral compass. She tells Gilad to attack a guard, get his sword back, and set everyone free.
Gilad knows this is easier said than done especially with the looming robots. But as the kids are separated from their parents ready for a life of slave labor Gilad realizes he cannot sit back and wait. He attacks the guards. He attacks the robots. He attacks The Boss. He attacks anyone who stands in his way. Gilad has been training for war for centuries and is used to make mincemeat out of any competitor.
Problem is with the old boss dead everyone is looking to Gilad as being the new boss. Gilad just wants his answers and meets a man who has been building the robots. It turns out that excavations are occurring and from those excavations this man man is building robots for a king. This king is the man behind the robots, the slaves, and the attacks. Gilad realizes now that if he wants not only answers but these robots to go away he’s going to have to go to the source. He’s going to have to go after the king.
The year 4001 is not the one I expected from Valiant Entertainment. I’m used to the old Valiant comics full of robots who attacked Magnus Robot Fighter and Rai. Perhaps this is where the series is leading but I wasn’t expecting a peaceful farm like culture in the future. That’s what these Valiant comics do best – reinvent and impress. The future of Eternal Warrior is not what I expected yet it continues to wow me. It tells a great story and just not the one that I thought I wanted.
Greg Pak has been completely on point since starting with issue 1 and this Eternal Emperor storyline continues to deeply strike a chord with me. As this sets up the world that will soon include the newly-announced comic Rai I’m completely invested in what is happening in every single panel. Eternal Warrior is the shining star of the Valiant universe and this story is so deeply captivating on every level. Jump on now to see where the future of the Valiant universe is today because great things are surely on the horizon.
Rating: 9/10
