If you’re waxing poetic, you could say that everything old is new again. If you’re mildly neurotic, you might say that history isn’t done with us just yet. If you’re a bit of a pessimist, you may very well say that there’s no such thing as a new idea.
With today’s publication of National Comics: Eternity #1, you would definitely exclaim that all these above statements – and more – are absolute truths. But you wouldn’t be entirely right.
National Comics: Eternity #1
Written by: Jeff Lemire
Illustrated by: Cully Hamner
Published by: DC Comics
It might only be the first issue, but National Comics, as a title, has quite a storied history. The comic book anthology series was first published in 1940 by a company called Quality Comics and had works by industry legends Will Eisner and Jack Cole appear within its pages.
In the mid 1950’s, Quality Comics fell on tough times and ceased operations, selling off many of its properties like Freedom Fighters, Kid Eternity, Blackhawk, GI Combat and Plastic Man among many others to DC Comics.
Well, you can’t keep a good anthology series down for long!
National Comics: Eternity #1 returns today, in forty spectacular pages, starring one of the original Quality Comics characters, Kid Eternity!
Under DC Comics, Kid Eternity has been around for a number of decades in various forms, with various origins, written and illustrated by various people. Here, now, it’s Jeff Lemire, acclaimed writer of Sweet Tooth and Justice League Dark, who’s ready to have some fun with the character. Fan favourite Cully Hamner, artist of Detective Comics and Red (which you might have seen at the movie theatre not so long ago), joins him in the entertainment.
In National Comics: Eternity #1, Kid Eternity, AKA Christopher Freeman, is a clumsy, introverted, police coroner who partners up with the recently deceased in order to solve their murders! Yep. It’s got a bit of an exciting, old school Vertigo Comics feel to it, doesn’t it? Still, the stories and characters in this series are firmly entrenched in the New-52 DC Universe. In fact, National Comics aims to highlight re-imaginings of seldom-used comic book characters, bringing them to the front of the stage for new and old fans. Think of this as a sports-related, rookie player draft. Some of the characters may well end up being the next big comic book superstar! Upcoming issues showcase the characters: Rose and Thorn (from the original Flash Comics), Madame X (once, and still known as, Madame Xanadu) and Looker (from the old Batman and the Outsiders and the Outsiders series).
So make the run today and pick up National Comics: Eternity#1.
History isn’t done with us yet. And everything old is new…and new again!
While you’re at you’re local shop, Jeff Lemire’s long-in-the-making graphic novel, The Underwater Welder, published by Top Shelf, is out today as well. Pick it up too. It’s brilliant!
Every Wednesday, JP makes the after-work run to his local downtown comic book shop. Comics arrive on Wednesdays you see and JP, fearful that the latest issue will sell out, rushes out to purchase his copy. This regular, weekly column will highlight a particularly interesting release, written in short order, of course, because JP has to get his – before someone else does!
One Reply to “Historic Comics Live Forever In National Comics: Eternity #1 On The Wednesday Run – July 25, 2012”