Tom KingMister Miracle

I must say, I have never been a big fan of the New Gods, Darkseid, Apokolips, and all that nonsense. I've never cared much for Mister Miracle either. Though, I enjoyed his representation in the JLU television series, I've never thought much of him. This story changed that.I just purchased it as a trade paperback and was very impressed with the series. It rivals Tom King's earlier work, though I must admit I still prefer The Omega Men. This book was delightful and a joy to read. The art is fantastic of course, but I think the writing was also really incredible.This book makes Mister Miracle so captivating, and his relationship with Big Barda so compelling. I love the clash between their lives on earth and the wars of Apokolips. I love the odd situations King places these characters in. So many parts of this story are worth mentioning, that I could not go into detail about all the wonderful elements of this book without spoiling the entire plot.I was fascinated by the author's use of the character to comment on the value of a life and the importance of fatherhood/parenthood. It's really interesting to consider all the deeper meanings that this story holds that I was unable to detect. There is literally so much to this story, that you can only scratch the surface. You really have to read it for yourself to see what you take away from it.I must say that I was moved by it, and that it is definitely up there as one of my favorite comic book stories of all time. I have also found a new appreciation for Mister Miracle and the rest of the New Gods. I cannot see why anyone would not appreciate this book, and I urge you to be skeptical of any naysayers.

I consider myself a moderate DC reader with several blindspots, and the New Gods was always an area I never studied up on enough--a bit too cosmic and fantastical for me (I know, I know these are all fantastical but still). So I was a bit nervous going into this with only the vaguest recollections of Scott Free, Big Barda, Orion, etc. But those concerns were pretty quickly dispelled when I read this run, which is a wholly relatable, emotional story as other reviews here have detailed. Coupled with Gerads always-excellent artwork, this really packs an unforgettable punch, and I think might be the best work by this creative duo yet.I've seen some negative backlash against Mister Miracle (from a minority, but vocal nonetheless), much of it aimed at Tom King who has taken flack lately for his creative choices at DC and for his repetitive/distinctive style. To the extent that negative reactions are aimed at King and his writing in Mister Miracle (and I have admittedly done that from time to time for his Batman run), I have to respectfully disagree with those reactions. Here, his concise use of dialogue, repetition, theme, panel structure, are at their best, on par if not better than "Sheriff of Babylon" and "The Omega Men." No moment is wasted, and nearly every issue carries with it a careful balance of moments that are heartbreaking and heartwarming; epic and mundane; tragic and hilarious, in a way so few writers can handle.But to the extent that the negativity is geared toward not "getting" the point of the story, or focusing on it being "overhyped," I can't really speak to other readers' expectations or experiences for certain. I can only guess that the readers who really loved the book, like I did, connected to the themes like impending fatherhood, deaths of loved ones, inescapable self-loathing and inability to overcome trauma that are peppered with so many true to life moments (waiting at the hospital for the birth of a child was pretty spot on for me). While I don't think personal experiences like these are a prerequisite for appreciating MM, I do get the sense from my own reaction and from others I know who've enjoyed this, that seeing those universal moments reflected in the story just added to the appreciation of the book.On the surface, MM is a sci-fi tale of war and family with Shakespearean undertones, and it works on that level. But beyond that, I think it's also a touching story about struggling to find purpose and happiness, as well as permitting oneself to redefine those terms for one's own life, sometimes with great sacrifice. Well worth the purchase, and I look forward to reading and rereading it for years to come.

When I bought this book, all I knew was that it was getting a lot of good buzz. I was familiar with Mister Miracle from his time in the Justice League and I'd liked him, so I decided to give it a try. I was not prepared for what I got.At the beginning of the story we find Mister Miracle - master escape artist, super hero, and son of an alien god - after he's tried to commit suicide. Despite the epic scope of his past, Mister Miracle - or Scott - is living in a condo in LA with his wife Barda. We don't get a chance to fully understand what he's been up to or what caused him to try to end his life before Scott and Barda get a call from New Genesis, the world where Scott was born. War has broken out between New Genesis and Apokolips and Scott and Barda must help in the fight. For the next few years, Scott and Barda split their time between fighting in the war and trying to juggle the demands of their life on earth. As the tragedies of the war increase, the stakes for Scott and Barda also get higher as Barda gets pregnant and they prepare to become parents.I think the most masterful thing that Tom King does as a writer in this book is to tell an epic story of an interplanetary war but to root it in the real world struggle of a husband and wife trying to make their marriage work and to be good parents. It's an extremely personal and touching story that's more about depression and finding meaning in life than it is about the sci-fi action or high action battles.The artwork is amazing. Almost every page is broken into 9 panels (3x3) and yet Mitch Gerads' art never feels limited or hemmed in by this. Instead the panels create a structure that emphasizes the domesticity and the mundane, creating a natural visual system for pauses and repetition whether Scott and Barda are just watching TV on the couch or they're fighting in the pits of Apokolips. In general Gerads does a wonderful job, bringing his expert draftsmanship skills to bear but roughing the characters up as he does so, so everyone looks a little threadbare and tired from the war or maybe just from life.