By Kelly Gaines

I’ve been raving about this Mister Miracle run since the first issue like an obsessive lunatic. Why? Because it’s really exciting to see a masterpiece in the making. I wasn’t alive yet when the twelve issues of Watchmen were first released, and I was only two when Kingdom Come got its start- so I doubt I would have been able to grasp the material. Or, you know, read. What I have been here for is the disappointing rise and fall of The New 52, the mediocre introduction of Doomsday Clock, and the complete clusterfuck of character swapping that Marvel’s been trying to sort through. Comic book movies hit their stride as I was coming of age, but their literary counterparts have been a bit of a mess. So when I started Mister Miracle I was both blown away and suspicious- like going on a really good date with someone who drives a tinted van with no plates. The right now is awesome- but I have concerns. Rest assured that all of my concerns have been satisfied. Mister Miracle has managed to be a 5 out of 5 in my book for every single issue. Every. Damn. Issue. That’s a big deal. Seeing a title with such poetic emphasis on the marriage between the visuals and written text is rare. I haven’t read anything like it since Watchmen, and I’ve never been alive to actually watch one of these legendary stories develop. We’ve made it to 8 out of 12, and I’m still floored by the sheer magnificence. It’s the type of series that makes you hate yourself and everything you’ve ever drawn and written- because why the fuck can’t I do that? Artistic existentialism aside, Mister Miracle #8 has continued a pattern of excellence, and let’s be honest - DC needs all the success it can get.

In #7, Scott and Barda welcomed a son into the world. The infant is the child of both Apokolips and New Genesis, and like his parents' namesake, a new god. #8 picks up with the balancing act of new parenthood, but to an extreme most people never have to suffer through. Barda and Scott take turns leading their troops and raising their baby. It’s a heartbreaking case of ships passing in the night, as both try to remain involved with their new son and lead an army. In a moment of dry humor, we see Scott explaining to another parent at a park that he and his wife work in the same place, thus they have opposite shifts to make sure one of them is always with the baby. No doubt the woman is likely imagining them as store clerks or baristas, but the reality of their “work” leaves much more at stake.

Their efforts at co-parenting bring up another sore subject for me. This is SUCH a solid relationship. That’s not to say that they don’t fight and go through moments of paralyzing darkness, but there’s a strong foundation of mutual support, compassion, and teamwork that is downright enviable. It feels honest. It feels real. It feels like a romance that readers could learn from. Why does that make it a sore subject? Because I still see daily posts idolizing the Harley Quinn/ Joker relationship. To say it’s played out is an understatement. It’s a complete disgrace. The Suicide Squad movie failed in so many aspects, but one of the worst was the fetishization of an abusive relationship. I can’t count how many idiotic memes and statuses I’ve seen about being the “Harley to His Joker”. You don’t want to be that. Nothing ever should have been made to make someone want to be that. That’s disgusting. Be more like Barda and Scott. I wish this relationship could be played up with the same amount of publicity and put something positive out there. It sucks when negative components of the comic book world become mainstream. Get stories like this one out there and people will have real morals to look to in superheroes again. Or at least, don’t make the really gross unhealthy characters look like fun. Rant over.

Back to Mister Miracle, this issue is another stunning example of the seamless blending of visuals and text. There’s a subtlety to it. Images in the background, logos on shirts, slogans on mugs, and dozens of other small details help blend the contrasting scenes in a way that feels almost like dreaming. How do we switch back and forth between looking after a baby and bloody battle scenes? Most creative teams couldn’t pull it off so successfully. The small details connect everything- the dialogue, the thoughts, the flashbacks, and the present- and make it possible to have a somewhat lucid story without the reader getting lost. I’ve seen books that try to do this and end up feeling clunky and poorly transitioned. Mister Miracle has done it wonderfully through the whole run, and #8 is another perfect example. I’m looking forward to buying the trade when it’s released. I imagine it will only make the dreamlike complexity of the story stand out more to have all the issues connected with one cover. I’ve already pre-ordered it on Amazon, and plan to pre-order it as my local shop as well. As I said, I’m a raving, obsessive, lunatic about this title.

In anticipation of issue #9, I’ve noticed a few minor details that feel as though they’ll grow into something bigger. I know I just spent an entire paragraph praising Barda and Scott’s relationship, but I did notice something weird toward the end of the issue. We watch Scott in both settings- fighting on the field and taking care of the baby at home. Oddly, we cannot say the same for Barda. She is only ever on the other end of the phone. Whether with the baby or fighting, we don’t see Barda’s face at any point. I assumed that was because as readers, we’re only meant to see Scott’s life completely. But toward the end of the issue, while their friend/ nanny films the baby trying to walk to Scott on a facetime call, he mentions that he can’t see Barda on the other end. Barda assures them that she still can see them, and the issue is dropped. Maybe this is coincidental and I’m just paranoid, but there’s something odd about not seeing Barda at all during their “ships in the night” phase. As a reader, there’s no real confirmation that she is where she says she is. It’s a fair assumption. I assume someone would mention it to Scott if his wife wasn’t showing up for battle, but I’m always waiting for a devastating twist, so I’m keeping my eyes peeled. Once again, I encourage any and all comic fans to read this run of Mister Miracle. Give me the unappreciated free time of college and a new Adderall prescription and I could probably write a Master's thesis on the merits of this book. Secretly, I really hope someone out there is. 

Score: 5/5

Mister Miracle #8
DC Comics