It has been a long, long time since I've talked much about Mister Miracle by Jack Kirby, but when I came across a black and white collection back in late 90's, one of that series one of New Gods, the comics hit my psyche like a runaway freight train.
I'll talk more about Kirby's Mister Miracle and New Gods soon (I'll be doing my own salute to King Kirby before his 100th), but today I want to suggest you guys get onboard with the new Mister Miracle series by Tom King and Mitch Gerads, which hit shelves on Wednesday.
I admit, I've not read the duo's other work to date, though I've been meaning to pick up their Vision series for at least a year. But...
As comics keep relaunching with new #1's, I'd suggest that both publishers and creators take note: this is how one starts a series.
I believe this title is scheduled as a 12-issue maxi-series, and that's actually a format I deeply believe in and as an excellent pathway for non-staple players of either of the Big 2. Tell as good a story as you can and then get out. If there's another story to tell, give it a new volume number and sub-title.
I will admit, I don't know what new-to-Mister Miracle readers will need to know going in. It takes place in the DCU, it certainly doesn't hurt to have previously read Fourth World titles. But it's distinctly Mister Miracle, even without Kirby's particular dialogical flourishes.
But what's astounding is that this is some great use of comics as a medium. In the same evening I read the first installment of the new Shadow series by Si Spurrier, Dan Watters and Daniel HDR, which plays with time and space on the page, that has it's own win for technical achievement as a good portion of the comic is from the POV of someone in the hospital, Mister Miracle is a master class in managing time, space and character with the framing, page design, dialog management, etc...
There's a great interview at Comic Vine that's curiously insightful for a comics promotional interview (not once did they say the word "toybox"). And you can tell that King and Gerads are swinging for the fences, not just from what they say, but what they did. In one issue.
I *like* good, solid standard comics. Today I also read Action Comics 985, and it's a really well executed issue of a Superman title in the new format (expect all stories to be at least two-issues as it ships twice monthly these days). It was what I hope for when I pick up an issue of Superman or Action - and those titles have both been great since Rebirth. And while Jurgens' plotting, character and dialog are all spot on, and I'll never complain about Guillem March on pencils, I think if you pick up Mister Miracle, too, you'll have had a good trip to the funnybook store, and seen something that you can tell is worth getting onboard with before it's cool. Be that comics hipster.
And, really, everything's better with Big Barda.
(edit: h/t to Progressive Ruin E-I-C Mike Sterling for his post and a reminder to grab this comic this week).
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