Eternals #1 (July 1976)

The Marvel Universe is full of wonders. Mystical beings, gods, superhumans, the works. Thus, 

In 1970, Jack Kirby had departed from DC Comics, where he had been working on the New Gods saga. He had been planning for the New Gods to be a high-concept science fiction epic with a definitive ending. Sadly, the New Gods books were all cancelled. Kirby continued playing with those ideas when he returned to Marvel. He also drew inspiration from Arthur C. Clarke's 1953 book Childhood's End and Erich von Daniken's 1968 book Chariots of the Gods. Childhood's End contributed the idea of "Overlords" controlling Earth's fate, and Chariots of the Gods helped popularize the idea of "ancient astronauts" influencing ancient civilizations. 

Like the New Gods, the Eternals' saga was cancelled before the story could be completed. Roy Thomas and Mark Gruenwald would tie up the loose ends in Thor's comic, also bringing the Eternals into the Marvel Universe proper. The group would continue to appear in various comics over the years (Sersi became an Avenger in the 90s for a while), and most recently, got their own book again. So, let's take a look at how it all started with Eternals #1! 

The cover is a Jack Kirby and Frank Giacoia piece. It's really good. The statue does look a bit derpy, though. Maybe it's the angle. 

"The Day of the Gods"
Writer: Jack Kirby
Penciler: Jack Kirby
Inker: John Verpoorten
Colorist: Glynis Wein
Letterer: Gaspar Saladino
Editors: Jack Kirby, Marv Wolfman
Editor-in-Chief: Marv Wolfman

The story beings with a group of people making...one incredible discovery.

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The group had been exploring the Andes Mountains, hoping to find some interesting ruins. And boy, did they. They discovered that these ruins seem to depict some from of alien technology. The party's cameraman, an Ike Harris, claims these ruins prove that humanity is sharing the world with another species. The other two members of this party, a Doctor Damian and his daughter Margo, think he's a bit...bananas.

In the Pacific Ocean near South America, a plane flies by, its pilot confused and lost. The plane encounters a wall of energy. The pilot tries to eject, but the wall of energy consumes pilot and plane alike. The source was a disrupter device deployed in the style of a submarine's periscope. And who is behind this deadly device?

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Meet Warlord Kro. And his awesome shades. I like his shades. I want those shades. His mission? To find a beacon before a mysterious group known as the "Eternals" do and make sure it's never activated. Back at the temple, Margo admits to her father that she finds this "Ike Harris" fellow rather creepy.

He explores these ruins like he's been there before. Dr. Damian and Margo have had enough of this, and demand to know who their guide really is. He...actually agrees to explain. You see, "Ike Harris" is a bit of world play on his part. His real name is simply Ikaris. He is not strictly "human" per se, but his kind is sort of a relative of humans. 

Millions of years ago, a spacecraft came to Earth, attracted by the growing life on the world. The beings on these ships discovered ape-like creatures that would eventually become man. The inhabitants of the craft captured one of these beings and experimented on it. That being would become the common ancestor of three branching evolutionary paths.

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The genetically unstable Deviants would go underground and create weapons to wage endless wars. The Eternals would isolate themselves, devoting themselves to mental enlightenment and developing powers that were unto gods. Man would continue on its way, its genetic cousins seen as myths. These ruins indicate that the creators of the Eternals and Deviants had come to basically check on the results of their genetic meddling during the time of the Incas. According to Ikaris, the Incans are not the only ancient people to have encountered the Eternals. 

One of the ruins is an ancient monitor, which shows a ship is on the way. Kro is on his way to the ruins as well. He and his Deviant forces arrive at the ruins, but hear a noise. The cosmic beacon has been activated. They are seemingly too late. But Kro is a determined Deviant. He and his forces attack the beacon, but Ikaris is able to fight them off.

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REKT. One of the Deviants is able to disable Ikaris with a shroud. Despite the Deviants' efforts, a large ship appears in the sky over the ruins.

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The gods are here.