Mister Miracle #1 Review
By John Saavedra
Tom King and Mitch Gerads’ Mister Miracle #1 is nothing short of astonishing. Evoking the work of creator Jack Kirby, the first issue of this fantastic new run is full of nostalgia, emotion, humor, and just a bit of reinvention. King, who just a year back wrote a character-defining take on Marvel’s The Vision, brings a lot of the same sensibilities to Mister Miracle, who hasn’t enjoyed many appearances in the last few years.
King is a master of taking a lesser known character and turning him or her into the emotional core of a story. Just take a look at what he’s been doing with the very silly Kite Man, a villain as dumb as he sounds, over on Batman. He has so much fun with the deeper bench, but still manages to shine the spotlight with reverence. You can tell that King grew up reading Kirby’s Fourth World stories and that Mister Miracle is a character he’s wanted to write for a long time.
I won’t ruin any single part of the story because it’s really meant to be experienced with great care. There’s so much going on in each panel and to be read between the lines. The story begins in a surprising place, a much darker take than we’ve ever seen on the character, but it really works. And with most of King’s work, there’s a subtle poetry to his words and the characters’ actions. King’s been on an amazing run of books for the past few years, and Mister Miracle looks to be yet another hit, perhaps his best in terms of writing.
Gerads, who’s already collaborated with King on Sheriff of Babylon and a couple of EXCELLENT issues of Batman, is in top form in this issue. Like Greg Capullo on Batman, Gerads might be the Mister Miracle artist of a generation. Gerads opening panels are shocking and the book really benefits from the myriad ways he delivers scenes with his pencils, from a morbid moment in a hospital to the buzz of a TV talk show. It’s remarkable how Gerads can drive emotion from panel to panel and flip the tone, which is incredibly important to the plot.
What’s most impressive of all on the art side is the way Gerads pays homage to Kirby in both his figures and the way he structures his panels. The transition between the legendary artist and a legend in the making is almost seamless. Several New Gods appear in the first issue and Gerads is incredibly faithful to Kirby’s designs. This is a must-have book for Kirby fans.
Mister Miracle #1 is a glorious return for a character I didn’t know I missed. King and Gerads first issue paves a lot of new road for Kirby’s New God escape artist. It feels like no other creative team could have brought this new take to life, with as much love, care, and detail as King and Gerads. Go pick up this book immediately! You will not regret it.
Mister Miracle #1
Writer: Tom King
Artist: Mitch Gerads
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Cover: Nick Derington
Variant Cover: Mitch Gerads
Publisher: DC Comics
