With a lot of the original Avengers out of the picture (Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow), it’s time to introduce a whole new group of heroes. In addition to Shang-Chi, other heroes soon to make their first appearance in the MCU are theEternals. Their name might be unfamiliar to a lot of fans, especially if they haven’t read much about Marvel’s more space-oriented heroes.
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TheEternalsare lesser-known than most other superhero teams in the Marvel universe (such as the Avengers or the Fantastic Four), so their introduction in the MCU is the first time many people will meet the team. However, for those who wish to get to know the Eternals better before they watch the film, there are plenty of great comic books about these superheroes worth reading.
8Thor: The Eternals Saga
Thor is one of the most popular Marvel heroes, unlike the somewhat obscure Eternals. Thus, this comic is an ideal way to learn more about the Eternals through a character that audiences already know and love. In this story, the God of Thunder ends up in the middle of a war between the Eternals and their long-time enemies, the Deviants.
The conflict has been going on for hundreds of years, and Thor has to do his best to deal with the Deviants. The story is fast-paced and it allows the readers to learn further details about the Eternals via an outsider’s eyes (Thor), which comes in handy for those unfamiliar with the team.
7The Eternals Miniseries
The Eternals were created by Jack Kirby, but he’s not the only one who ever wrote them. Peter B. Gillis and Walt Simonson were the first people who wrote an Eternals comic book without Jack Kirby, in 1985.
The team faces a severe shock in this story, as they just lost their leader Zuras. What makes this miniseries memorable is that it first introduced Ghaur, who would later become an important enemy of the Eternals.
6Silver Surfer Makes An Appearance
Silver Surfer is an important figure in the Fantastic Four comics, but this iconic superhero family isn’t the only team he ever interacted with. InSilver Surfer Annual #1, the titular character encounters several of the Eternals.
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Their paths cross when the Eternals decide to influence the fight between Silver Surfer and the Super-Skrull. Considering the Skrulls are already present in the MCU, it’s possible a similar scenario could also happen in the films later in the future.
5The Eternals Become The New Breed
It’s not unusual for both heroes and villains alike to have multiple names in the comics. At one point, the Eternals were called the New Breed, during theHeroes Rebornevent in comic books.
The Avengers and the Fantastic Four were in another dimension, and so it was up to the Eternals to fight in a war between the Deviants and Apocalypse. The Eternals did well in the war, and it was largely due to them that San Francisco wasn’t destroyed.
4A Part Of The Avengers
The original Avengers are mostly gone, but there’s no reason new heroes couldn’t join the team. In the comics, some of the Eternals joined the Avengers for a while; namely, Sersi and Black Knight. This happened inAvengers #352-354in a story calledFear the Reaper.
Bringing Sersi and Black Knight into the team would be a good way to further connect the Avengers and the Eternals in the MCU. However, even if the cinematic universe brings them closer in a different way, at least the fans can readFear the Reaperand learn how it all went down in the comics.
3Neil Gaiman’s The Eternals
Neil Gaiman is one of today’s most celebrated novelists as well as graphic novel creators. In addition tohis iconic series1602, he also wrote a miniseries about the Eternals. This book is ideal for those who haven’t come into contact with the Eternals before and want to learn more about their origins in a modern read.
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This miniseries reboots their story to a certain degree. In the comics, the Eternals lose their memory and live like humans for awhile, but eventually, they begin to remember who they are and learn what’s going on. In addition to the compelling story, the artwork by John Romita Jr. also makes this comic book worth reading.
2The Eternals Original Series
Every comic book character or team has to start somewhere. For the Eternals, it all started with their creator, Jack Kirby. In this series, the reader learns all the necessary information about the Eternals, including who they are, what they can do, and their animosity with the Deviants..
If anybody wants to start at the beginning and isn’t afraid of older comics, Kirby’s series is the ideal reading for all people looking forward to watching the film. It’s possible to find Kirby’s series collected in two volumes.
1Their Updated Story
For those intimidated by decades of older Eternals comics, the easiest step is to start by reading their updated 2021 series. In this modern story, the Eternals discover a surprising secret: they were designed by the Celestials, and have to come to terms with the news.
The series contains familiar characters, but puts them in brand new situations. That makes it a perfect read for both those people who know the Eternals, as well as for those who are just starting out with their comics.
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