It’s the second week of new comics for 2018 and it’s been a really strong start. A house full of flu ridden kids kept me from going over what I read last week, but after numerous doses of Tamiflu, we’re ready to kick off this new weekly feature.
This week, while extremely light for me, is a good chance to highlight something that’s been nothing short of incredible. I’m talking about the latest effort from Tom King and Mitch Gerads; Mister Miracle.
Mister Miracle #6 cover by Mitch Gerads
The two have worked together in the past on Batman and The Sheriff of Babylon. Even with a short history together, the compatibility in their collaboration is undeniable. Gerads has a way of taking King’s humanistic approach to comics and making you feel like part of this world they’ve created together with such ease. Tom King is an amazing writer and I don’t think anyone can dispute that. He has a knack for taking lesser known characters and throwing them into mainstream comics (i.e. The Vision from Marvel Comics). I’d love to see what these two could do with an ongoing title but for now we’ll have to settle for brief stints with Batman and a handful of shorter series.
I’m just gonna say now that this is going to have some SPOILERS AHEAD because it’s a brief review of Mister Miracle #6.
NO REALLY.
THERE’S SPOILERS BELOW.
TURN BACK NOW IF YOU HAVEN’T READ IT YET.
DON’T @ ME FOR RUINING IT. THIS IS YOUR FAULT.
So, when we last left Scott Free and Big Barda, our hearts were completely shattered into a million pieces and we were probably all left sitting in a corner somewhere contemplating our entire lives. The previous issue was basically going to be Scott’s last day on Earth before he was to be tried and executed for his crimes, but at the end of the issue we see Scott and Barda throw caution to the wind and decide to take on Scott’s executor head on in hopes of saving him which just shows the reader another example of the undying loyalty the couple has for one another.
Issue 6 picks up with Barda and Mister Miracle engaging numerous guards and traps on their way to Orion while discussing ways to redecorate and organize their condo. The entirety of the issue is spent watching them duck and dodge foes all while discussing whether or not it’s acceptable for guests to sleep on an air mattress in their home. Like I mentioned before, King really has a way of taking fantastic characters and bringing them down to a place that the reader can relate to them. I’ve never in my life dealt with acid gas but I can without a doubt remember numerous times where I’ve talked about where we should move the couch in our living room. We see the couple explain their need for space and possessions all while inching towards a common couple disagreement. The book is all leading up to the explosive announcement that Barda is so hung up on new bedrooms and feng shui because she is pregnant with Scott’s baby and the mood instantly changes from tense to happiness. This moment is short lived as we are finally faced with Darkseid towering over a deceased Orion. We’re halfway through the story with this issue and while it’s been a wild ride from the start, I can only assume that it’s just the beginning.
The way Gerads moves the story with his panel work just shows that he’s one of the best artists in comics today. The book is a fast moving race through what seems to be an obstacle course of death, and while there is a lot of transition, it’s easy to follow. I can’t give Gerads enough praise for his artwork in this series and it’s honestly a refreshing take on the hero genre. He follows a 9 grid panel layout that is reminiscent of the iconic Watchmen but takes liberty with panel meshing and different transitions. The art compliments King so well that it’s no surprise that even with only 5 issues in 2017, that it made a ton of top 5 lists for the end of the year. A truly beautiful effort from these two and I cannot wait to see where they take it.
Like I mentioned before, this is an extremely light week for me but we’ll be back next week for another installment of The Pull!
Next Week: Batman #39 and Kill or Be Killed #15
