By Kelly Gaines

For fans of the current run of Mister Miracle, The depth of the relationship between Scott Free and Big Barda has been both refreshing and melancholy. After issue #5 broke our hearts with the sweet normalcy of Scott and Barda’s life on earth amidst their otherworldly battles, Mister Miracle #6 manages to give readers a similar feeling of innocent monotony walled in by extraordinary circumstance. Issue six picks up with Scott and Barda as they navigate the impending doom brought on by Scott’s death sentence.

At a glance, there doesn’t seem to be a lot to follow. This chapter chronicles the couple as they effortlessly fight their way through numerous death traps, taking out guards and creatures without skipping a beat. Beneath the surface, however, a complicated emotional tug of war is being played between Scott and Barda as they remember their pasts and try to plan a future. We witness Scott’s struggle to cope with past trauma, while Barda confidently recalls, claims, and moves past their tortured history.

Writer Tom King has done a superlative job of weaving a complex and emotional story for Scott Free and continues the intersecting emotions by layering Barda and Scott’s daring escapade with an ordinary conversation. The two discuss kitchen clutter while climbing walls, dodging lasers, and fighting for their lives; all of which leads up to the issue’s big reveal: Barda is pregnant. Unfortunately for Scott, the happy news is undercut by Darkseid’s control, and a crushing reveal about the fate of Orion.

If you’ve been following Mister Miracle since #1, you’re already familiar with the sheer quality of this series. The story is riveting, heartbreaking, and still violent enough to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Artist Mitch Gerads manages to convey the world inside Scott’s head through the style and coloration of the panels- a feat that takes Tom King’s writing to even greater heights. If you know someone on the fence about starting Mister Miracle, or if you yourself have not actually read the title, I would absolutely encourage you to pick it up. This is a title that seems to get better with each issue, and an absolute must-read for any DC fan.

Score: 5/5

Mister Miracle #6
DC Comics