Eternal Warrior #8 discussion

[jmatt]

It may seem like they're only planning one arc ahead because if they make changes based on reader feedback that's what it would look like.

I agree, perhaps it's a moving goalpost and they have to rearrange the playbook ad hoc.

[Aomalle27]

Yuck. This was a five second read, the action wasn't even climatic. What a waste of a buildup from previous issues. Another reason to ditch the four issue arc and go longer. I know it's done for the sake of trades, but you can publish two trades. You don't need an entire Arc in 1 tpb. Just look at Harbinger Wars Hoping Rai is much better, cause VEI is batting like .190 right now, what with the sloppy A&A crossover, the bad Q&W ; and the line relaunch announced ( weird, it's not clear what their plans are, but only XO seems to safe from reboot/renumbering). Think they need a line wide focus, something to bond the universe (akin to vh1 Unity, but I don't want that concept rehashed, want something fresh, but achieving the same end result)

[kjjohanson]

Yuck. This was a five second read, the action wasn't even climatic. What a waste of a buildup from previous issues. Another reason to ditch the four issue arc and go longer. I know it's done for the sake of trades, but you can publish two trades. You don't need an entire Arc in 1 tpb. Just look at Harbinger Wars Hoping Rai is much better, cause VEI is batting like .190 right now, what with the sloppy A&A crossover, the bad Q&W ; and the line relaunch announced ( weird, it's not clear what their plans are, but only XO seems to safe from reboot/renumbering). Think they need a line wide focus, something to bond the universe (akin to vh1 Unity, but I don't want that concept rehashed, want something fresh, but achieving the same end result)

It's not clear what, if anything, is being renumbered. As for rebooting, that all depends on what you mean by rebooting. Several series are tying up ongoing arcs and starting a new chapter. I don't see how anyone can have a problem with that. I want these characters to change, and for the events in their lives to lead them in new directions. That's what makes them interesting.

[Donovan]

You could make a lethal drinking game if you took a shot every time Namir says Gilad's name. Near the end, one guy whose name I couldn't be bothered to learn because we never see his face calls Gilad by his name twice in three panels. It's incredibly awkward.

It hurts to say this, but this book is terrible. If you replaced Gilad with Turok and slapped a Dynamite logo on the front, we would be making fun of this book until the end of time. The art is rushed and confusing. The dialogue is atrocious (Is Pak ghost writing this?) The hiatus can't come fast enough for me.

This makes me pine for the days when EW was just a mindless rage machine.

[Phoenix8008]

Yuck. This was a five second read, the action wasn't even climatic. What a waste of a buildup from previous issues. Another reason to ditch the four issue arc and go longer. I know it's done for the sake of trades, but you can publish two trades. You don't need an entire Arc in 1 tpb. Just look at Harbinger Wars Hoping Rai is much better, cause VEI is batting like .190 right now, what with the sloppy A&A crossover, the bad Q&W ; and the line relaunch announced ( weird, it's not clear what their plans are, but only XO seems to safe from reboot/renumbering). Think they need a line wide focus, something to bond the universe (akin to vh1 Unity, but I don't want that concept rehashed, want something fresh, but achieving the same end result)

It's not clear what, if anything, is being renumbered. As for rebooting, that all depends on what you mean by rebooting. Several series are tying up ongoing arcs and starting a new chapter. I don't see how anyone can have a problem with that. I want these characters to change, and for the events in their lives to lead them in new directions. That's what makes them interesting.

...it was good to hear them reiterate that nothing was cancelled. Some characters may take a bit of a backseat but will be brought to the forefront again. They are dedicated to limiting the line to 9 books. They also said they are not going to be a miniseries company, so there will be ongoings and not just events.

This tells me that they probably aren't even going to renumber anything, let alone doing some kind of 'line relaunch'. Some things will go on hiatus and then return later. The sky isn't falling.

[Sven the Returned]

This book feels like an art house movie with a lot of violence. I find it strangely intriguing.

[lorddunlow]

Really behind in my reading, but I finally got around to this one. I like EW a lot, but I agree with a lot of the criticism here. I really think VEI is being tight-lipped because they don't want to spoil the awesome that is coming.

My only fear about VEI is that editorial seems to be suppressing some of the creativity of the creators they've lined up. I may be wrong, but that's the gut feeling I have.

[bygranddesign]

I think in the case of EW - editorial dropped the ball and allowed Pak too much room to do what he wants without any regard to what was already established in the wrath of ew arc in A&A

If you read the FCBD handbook synopsis of EW there is so much conflicting plot points its a jumbled mess.

[abaddon]

This book feels like an art house movie with a lot of violence. I find it strangely intriguing.

This is how I felt after reading it!

[Sven the Returned]

It would be so awesome if Cayton Crain would draw the entire thing... I would take a shorter series just to see that.

[leonmallett]

Hmm. An okay end to an okay arc for me.

I had very high hopes for Eternal Warrior, it was one of the VEI books I looked forward to most sight-unseen. It hasn't been terrible, but i think it could have been better. The continuity stuff has not bothered me as it has others, but the story beats, they are what have been my main gripes. The silly plot point about the wrongly orientated guns in #7; the lack of explicit ties between Nergal and the Death Cult; the lack of expansion of the Houses mythos; and more.

To be honest, the core story of Gilad and Caroline could have been done in a much sorter time-frame; look at those done in one stories from the 70's and 80's. 8-10 pages, 19-22 pages, those kinds of things. The added stuff did not do much for the character of Gilad as the Eternal Warrior, or the wider VEI universe mythos IMHO. Which leaves me wondering what the point was? My entertainment was marred by the art (it just did not click for me, sorry), and the fact that there was not really a great deal of story or useful world-building. That latter point may be incorrect for all I know; maybe Gilad will be shown again in 4001, or Rai will shine a light on this version of 4001. The point is, that at this time, again I ask why?

Stories for their own sake, outside of inter-weaving ongoing continuity rather than retrospectively tying in are fine; Legends of the Dark Knight existed on that premise for a long time. The difference is that *if* EW is effectively VEI's own kind-of-version of LotDK with Gilad (even if unintended), this did not feel as compelling as much of LotDK that I read, and if there are things it will surely need to be sustainable, then being a truly compelling read is surely high up there. I know mileage will vary, but for me, Eternal warrior so far has just not fit that bill.

[leonmallett]

That depends. Speculation here, but they may have a couple routes mapped out and be trying to see what direction is going to stick with fans. I think that with Rai and then Armor Hunters, they're going to get a bump in numbers this summer. It might settle down a bit after that, but hopefully will settle at a higher level. If that happens, then they might be good for that next wave of expansion.

I'm not even sure my observation is all that different from what publishers do most of the time. Perhaps none of them plot beyond the next arc.

But it just seems to me that with the Valiant legacy of impeccable continuity (Shooters date stamps) and the fact that they are trying to give readers a cohesive universe, that the road map would be more well defined. EW has been a mess, in this regard.

Back when I was running crews building subway stations in NY, we would have to follow a Critical Path Method; a master plan of dates, manpower, materials and substantial completion points that would have to be met so the next phase would kick off on schedule. It was literally a huge project map hanging on the wall to remind us every day that a clock was ticking and everything had to be where and when it was supposed to be to ensure success.

I can see where something like this concerning dates, issues, characters and plot points would be useful to people planning a comic book universe. I'm sure they have something like this but perhaps it needs to be more formalized.

Or maybe since its just comics, and they don't really know what the "endpoint" will look like, something like this isn't feasible. Sorry for rambling.

I think the lack of long-term planning across the line (versus by individual writers) can also be seen from Shadowman's publication.

[leonmallett]

You could make a lethal drinking game if you took a shot every time Namir says Gilad's name. Near the end, one guy whose name I couldn't be bothered to learn because we never see his face calls Gilad by his name twice in three panels. It's incredibly awkward.

It hurts to say this, but this book is terrible. If you replaced Gilad with Turok and slapped a Dynamite logo on the front, we would be making fun of this book until the end of time. The art is rushed and confusing. The dialogue is atrocious (Is Pak ghost writing this?) The hiatus can't come fast enough for me.
....

I think you make a very good point re: the double standard regarding VEI's output (although i don't agree that the book is terrible, nonetheless I really do your point stands up well, and applies to VEI's marketing choices as well as some of their output).

[Heath]

So I guess I'm alone (or in a minority) in loving the second arc? I hated the first arc and was very close to stopping reading it when #5 changed my mind. Yeah, there were a LOT of loose ends still left at the end, but I feel like, had the book continued, the story would have come back around to those.

I guess I'm just a sucker for a post-apocalyptic tale...

[Sven the Returned]

I liked it to. I only know about Valiant comics for about a year. I only signed because it's a comics board.

[lorddunlow]

So I guess I'm alone (or in a minority) in loving the second arc? I hated the first arc and was very close to stopping reading it when #5 changed my mind. Yeah, there were a LOT of loose ends still left at the end, but I feel like, had the book continued, the story would have come back around to those.

I guess I'm just a sucker for a post-apocalyptic tale...

I've liked the entire run for this book. I don't get all the hate this book receives.

[leonmallett]

So I guess I'm alone (or in a minority) in loving the second arc? I hated the first arc and was very close to stopping reading it when #5 changed my mind. Yeah, there were a LOT of loose ends still left at the end, but I feel like, had the book continued, the story would have come back around to those.

I guess I'm just a sucker for a post-apocalyptic tale...

I've liked the entire run for this book. I don't get all the hate this book receives.

Personally I don't hate it, but I do think it could have had a better execution. Honestly, I think those 8 issues have revealed some missed opportunities, which may be purely down to the writing, or perhaps more likely, down to whatever planning VEI are/are not doing and communicating internally.

[bygranddesign]

All in all I really hope they give Eternal Warrior another chance. I think the series can do very well with a new coat of paint and maybe some tighter direction. I am very sad to see it on hiatus and really hope they re-examine it for a return.

Don't worry they haven't forgotten about EW

Every week or so on social media they have been leaking art featuring Eternal Earrior from Cary Nord like this:



They certainly have something big lined up ..

I figure its either EW #0 or a EW Yearbook

[jmatt]

All in all I really hope they give Eternal Warrior another chance. I think the series can do very well with a new coat of paint and maybe some tighter direction. I am very sad to see it on hiatus and really hope they re-examine it for a return.

Don't worry they haven't forgotten about EW

Every week or so on social media they have been leaking art featuring Eternal Earrior from Cary Nord like this:



They certainly have something big lined up ..

I figure its either EW #0 or a EW Yearbook

Sweet!

[FormerReader]

All in all I really hope they give Eternal Warrior another chance. I think the series can do very well with a new coat of paint and maybe some tighter direction. I am very sad to see it on hiatus and really hope they re-examine it for a return.

I agree this can turn from being an average title to being one of the best titles they put out. There are so many great stories for Valiant to tell. I can't wait to see what they have planned.

[leonmallett]

...All in all I really hope they give Eternal Warrior another chance. I think the series can do very well with a new coat of paint and maybe some tighter direction. I am very sad to see it on hiatus and really hope they re-examine it for a return.

I agree with that.

[Captain Craig]

I'm ready for EW #9, maybe this is the title resuming when RAI goes on it's hiatus?

[lorddunlow]

I'm ready for EW #9, maybe this is the title resuming when RAI goes on it's hiatus?

That's what I'm thinking/hoping.

[kjjohanson]

I'm ready for EW #9, maybe this is the title resuming when RAI goes on it's hiatus?

That's what I'm thinking/hoping.

The EW series could potentially be set exclusively in 4001, and toggle back and forth with Rai for one of the nine slots, telling their own individual stories but leading up to a crossover between the two. So we won't have Rai, but we'll consistently have a 4001 story told.

[Phoenix8008]

I'm ready for EW #9, maybe this is the title resuming when RAI goes on it's hiatus?

That's what I'm thinking/hoping.

The EW series could potentially be set exclusively in 4001, and toggle back and forth with Rai for one of the nine slots, telling their own individual stories but leading up to a crossover between the two. So we won't have Rai, but we'll consistently have a 4001 story told.

That would be a great way to do it. Hope VEI is a step ahead and making that happen!