Eternal Warrior: Days of Steel #3

by Peter Milligan, Cary Cord

Issue #3 picks up directly from the end of the last issue with Gilad readying his ax to kill Falk, as he tries to correct his mistake for picking the wrong brother as the savior of the Franks. As Gilad is starting to deliver the killing blow, a crow flies overhead which Gilad sees as a sign that the Geomancer is indeed the chosen savior of his people. Gilad then takes Falk into the woods to train him for battle and eventually revealing to the rest of the people that Falk is the person they should be following to deliver them from the Magyars. As it turns out, Falk is not ready for battle and leaves during a battle causing the death of nearly all those involved in the fight. Falk returns to his previous profession as a minstrel, writing a song about his time with Gilad and inspiring others to take up arms against his people’s oppressors. As Gilad encounters the song throughout various parts of the land, he is satisfied to have chosen the right person for the job and reflects on his mission.

While this issue provides plenty of action, it is rather anticlimactic. As the miniseries started, I expected this to become another tale of big, bad Gilad, but as this issued showed, this story is more about a progression of his character and a way to show us what he has been through throughout the ages, and the difficulties he has often had with being the protector of the Geomancer. This brings up some very interesting ideas about religion and having faith in the unseen which isn’t easy, though it is great seeing an immortal such as Gilad deal with the same struggles as the rest of us. As it turns out, the story isn’t at all about Falk or his people’s struggles, but about Gilad’s own inner struggles to fulfill his mission.

Cary Nord’s art is top notch, delivering the same quality of art throughout this series run. Whoever chose Nord to pencil this book deserves a pat on the back because this is exactly the type of story where Nord shines. There is a great deal of detail in each and every panel making his visual storytelling just as, if not more important then the writing itself. There are a few panels which may not look as finished as the rest, but these are minor and few and far between. Rounding art the art team is Brian Reber who continues his excellent color work in this book. The shades used in this book making the story appear almost dreamlike and contributing to the idea that this story is a flashback in Gilad’s past.

Peter Milligan does a nice job ending a story which is much more about Gilad’s inner struggle than about the events which occur in it. This may turn some readers off expecting an action packed world changing story, but for fans of the character, it is a great look at where Gilad has been, and how the events he has been involved in have shaped his views and attitude.

Originally from ValiantCentral.com