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Mister Miracle: The Great Escape
Falling in love was never part of the escape plan.
Scott Free is a student at the Goodness Academy, on the planet Apokolips, ruled by Lord Darkseid. Sounds pretty cool, right? Wrong. Scott Free wants nothing more than to leave Apokolips for planet Earth; the only problem is that no one has ever left Apokolips of their own free will...or alive.
Scott Free has a plan, a foolproof plan, a plan that his found family depends on for their own freedom. But that plan never involved falling in love with the head of the Female Furies, Big Barda-the one person tasked with ensuring he never escapes.
From the Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author of The Parker Inheritance, Varian Johnson, and afrofuturist artist Daniel Isles (DirtyRobot) comes the story of an escape plan that will take a miracle to pull off. Lucky for Scott, everyone calls him MISTER MIRACLE! Okay, fine, no one calls him that...yet.
Scott Free is a student at the Goodness Academy, on the planet Apokolips, ruled by Lord Darkseid. Sounds pretty cool, right? Wrong. Scott Free wants nothing more than to leave Apokolips for planet Earth; the only problem is that no one has ever left Apokolips of their own free will...or alive.
Scott Free has a plan, a foolproof plan, a plan that his found family depends on for their own freedom. But that plan never involved falling in love with the head of the Female Furies, Big Barda-the one person tasked with ensuring he never escapes.
From the Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author of The Parker Inheritance, Varian Johnson, and afrofuturist artist Daniel Isles (DirtyRobot) comes the story of an escape plan that will take a miracle to pull off. Lucky for Scott, everyone calls him MISTER MIRACLE! Okay, fine, no one calls him that...yet.
208 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
January 25, 2022
This was OK. It's a YA version of Mister Miracle's and Big Barda's time growing up in Granny Goodness's orphanage. It sticks to the core beats of the original story, just streamlined a bit. Scott Free is now black, I assume to make the book more diverse. Scott is constantly trying to escape until he eventually does. There are quite a few f-bombs for a DC comic, which always seems strange. I suppose to appeal to teenagers.
The art is strange, kind of muppety with completely flat coloring. Kalibak and Himon seem to have fake noises for some reason. There's also this weird thing with a disk off to the side with a line to it to indicate motion.
The art is strange, kind of muppety with completely flat coloring. Kalibak and Himon seem to have fake noises for some reason. There's also this weird thing with a disk off to the side with a line to it to indicate motion.
March 2, 2022
A reimagined version of Scott Free is trying to escape from Goodness Academy, a hellish boarding school for teenagers on Apokolips, the home planet of Darkseid and his pantheon of evil gods. In an attempt to make Jack Kirby's endlessly boring Fourth World mythology more timely, many characters are now BIPOC and racism is introduced to Apokolips, with one character putting on whiteface in order to get ahead in the hierarchy. But as a theme it never really seems to go anywhere, and Darkseid never shows up so we don't see how this works with his traditional gray/mauve pallor.
The escape artist aspects of Scott Free don't really get much of a spotlight. He tries to escape, but not a lot and not in particularly clever ways, with an old Walkman cassette player/recorder playing way too big a part of most of the plans. His mentor, Himon, seems to do most of the planning, and we never get to see Scott learning much or perfecting his craft.
The art bummed me out with its muted and morose color palette, which, sure, is fitting, but just depresses me the longer I look at it. And why not have Scott's costume pop as a contrast to the gloom to show he's different? Fully triangular noses on some of the character bugged me, especially Kalibak's nose with its color mismatched against the rest of his face -- way too distracting. And it took me a long time to figure out that the floating red ovals all over the pages were not clothing decorations or insects or drones but rather meant to convey action. It might have been less confusing if a lot of the characters weren't wearing the same ovoids on their collars.
Mostly, I hate Jack Kirby's Fourth World a lot, and you need to do something really special to make me forget that. This listless story with off-putting art falls far short of the tipping point.
The escape artist aspects of Scott Free don't really get much of a spotlight. He tries to escape, but not a lot and not in particularly clever ways, with an old Walkman cassette player/recorder playing way too big a part of most of the plans. His mentor, Himon, seems to do most of the planning, and we never get to see Scott learning much or perfecting his craft.
The art bummed me out with its muted and morose color palette, which, sure, is fitting, but just depresses me the longer I look at it. And why not have Scott's costume pop as a contrast to the gloom to show he's different? Fully triangular noses on some of the character bugged me, especially Kalibak's nose with its color mismatched against the rest of his face -- way too distracting. And it took me a long time to figure out that the floating red ovals all over the pages were not clothing decorations or insects or drones but rather meant to convey action. It might have been less confusing if a lot of the characters weren't wearing the same ovoids on their collars.
Mostly, I hate Jack Kirby's Fourth World a lot, and you need to do something really special to make me forget that. This listless story with off-putting art falls far short of the tipping point.
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June 7, 2022
Oof. You know a book is bad when pointlessly race-swapping the cast of characters is the least of its problems. The art is incompetently done, the color palette is this drab washed-out greyness that seems to be DC's go-to when it comes to YA, the writing ranges from piss-poor to tediously stereotypical, the YA angle is so cliched they even decided to set it in a high school...
And really, that whole high school angle is symptomatic of a larger problem: the author clearly knew JACK SQUAT about the setting or the characters. It's supposed to take place on Apokolips, a planet that is is DC's version of Hell, a post-apocalyptic nightmare dystopia where brutality is the law, the Devil rules as your god-king, and anything that isn't either rubble or on fire is only so because it's already ash...so why does it look so clean and tidy and comfortable here? Why is there a fancy schmancy boarding school? Why is there a wealthy white upper class that's spared all of Darkseid's depraved cruelty? Why is all the true brutality only heard about in a few offhand offpanel moments? And most importantly, on this alien hellscape where everyone is trying to kill everyone else in the service of their omnipotent immortal demon-tyrant and hope is a lie and the population is made up of scads of different weird-looking alien races...why are 21st-century American racial politics in play? Who on Apokolips has time for that nonsense? When you're not being torn apart by parademons or scavenging through the ruins looking for a scrap of your own child's face to chew on, you're being forced to build monuments to the might of your hell-regent on pain of (at best) torture. But in this book, Apokoplips is nicer and safer than the West Side of Manhattan, and so all the whinging of the characters just rings hollow.
It feels like DC either handed this to a guy who said "Yeah, yeah, sci-fi dystopia, half-century of rich established backstories and characters, blah blah. Who cares? I have instantly-dated ACTIVISM to push!" or (more likely) the publishers said "Hmmm, what's hip with the kids these days and will indemnify us against all legitimate criticism?" It's pathetic, it's insulting, it's unpleasant, and worst of all? It's DULL.
And really, that whole high school angle is symptomatic of a larger problem: the author clearly knew JACK SQUAT about the setting or the characters. It's supposed to take place on Apokolips, a planet that is is DC's version of Hell, a post-apocalyptic nightmare dystopia where brutality is the law, the Devil rules as your god-king, and anything that isn't either rubble or on fire is only so because it's already ash...so why does it look so clean and tidy and comfortable here? Why is there a fancy schmancy boarding school? Why is there a wealthy white upper class that's spared all of Darkseid's depraved cruelty? Why is all the true brutality only heard about in a few offhand offpanel moments? And most importantly, on this alien hellscape where everyone is trying to kill everyone else in the service of their omnipotent immortal demon-tyrant and hope is a lie and the population is made up of scads of different weird-looking alien races...why are 21st-century American racial politics in play? Who on Apokolips has time for that nonsense? When you're not being torn apart by parademons or scavenging through the ruins looking for a scrap of your own child's face to chew on, you're being forced to build monuments to the might of your hell-regent on pain of (at best) torture. But in this book, Apokoplips is nicer and safer than the West Side of Manhattan, and so all the whinging of the characters just rings hollow.
It feels like DC either handed this to a guy who said "Yeah, yeah, sci-fi dystopia, half-century of rich established backstories and characters, blah blah. Who cares? I have instantly-dated ACTIVISM to push!" or (more likely) the publishers said "Hmmm, what's hip with the kids these days and will indemnify us against all legitimate criticism?" It's pathetic, it's insulting, it's unpleasant, and worst of all? It's DULL.
January 28, 2022
The Review
This was such a powerful and fantastic read for both DC fans and YA fans alike. The exploration of one of DC Comics most hostile and chilling settings and the hierarchy that resides on the planet was such a refreshing change of pace, and focusing on a love story that is rarely shown in the grand scheme of things in the multiverse was amazing to watch unfold, especially in a YA setting. Apokolips proved to be the perfect fictional world to explore class systems and racism as a whole, showing that while those such as Prince Kalibak and Darkseid themselves look down upon everyone, even those that serve them have others to look down upon, and highlights the damage and hatred that kind of mindset can bring about in others.
The characters were the true heart of the narrative. Scott is the perfect YA hero here, giving readers a personal perspective of life in Granny Goodness’s orphanage, an iconic DC location in comics, and showing how he and Barda met and fell in love in a fresh and socially relevant way was amazing to read. The diversity and action balanced well with one another, and the deep-cut DC Comics characters and locations will have DC fans thrilled.
The Verdict
A memorable, fresh, and entertaining YA and DC Comics graphic novel, author Varian Johnson and Daniel Isles’s “Mister Miracle: The Great Escape” is a must-read graphic novel and the perfect start to DC Comics’ 2022 schedule. The action, the muted tones in the art to highlight the despair that comes from a life on Apokolips, and fantastic character growth made this a brilliant read.
This was such a powerful and fantastic read for both DC fans and YA fans alike. The exploration of one of DC Comics most hostile and chilling settings and the hierarchy that resides on the planet was such a refreshing change of pace, and focusing on a love story that is rarely shown in the grand scheme of things in the multiverse was amazing to watch unfold, especially in a YA setting. Apokolips proved to be the perfect fictional world to explore class systems and racism as a whole, showing that while those such as Prince Kalibak and Darkseid themselves look down upon everyone, even those that serve them have others to look down upon, and highlights the damage and hatred that kind of mindset can bring about in others.
The characters were the true heart of the narrative. Scott is the perfect YA hero here, giving readers a personal perspective of life in Granny Goodness’s orphanage, an iconic DC location in comics, and showing how he and Barda met and fell in love in a fresh and socially relevant way was amazing to read. The diversity and action balanced well with one another, and the deep-cut DC Comics characters and locations will have DC fans thrilled.
The Verdict
A memorable, fresh, and entertaining YA and DC Comics graphic novel, author Varian Johnson and Daniel Isles’s “Mister Miracle: The Great Escape” is a must-read graphic novel and the perfect start to DC Comics’ 2022 schedule. The action, the muted tones in the art to highlight the despair that comes from a life on Apokolips, and fantastic character growth made this a brilliant read.
January 25, 2022
Boring and muddled reboot of this character, who probably never came across my path before (or if he did he was boring and forgettable then, too). It's about a teen lad in the boot camp on Apokolips, but a teen with a poor level of dick jokes, and an untold destiny, concerning Darkseid. Oh, and of course he is immediately going to have the hots for the chunky bully his warden-cum-prisoner has just appointed. There's something about fleeing to Earth because he can get medicine for a dying girl, there's something about our superheroes and how he aspires to be one, and there's something about weird buzzy little orange blobs floating all around the place which are pig annoying. The artwork is below par, any teen reading this would know the romance to be bodged from the start, and the character is a lifeless one, all meaning this was a book that was really hard to like, and not easy to want to finish.
March 12, 2022
While criticisms of the worldbuilding are valid, I was just here for the vibes, man.
Well, this was FUN! Slick-mouth Scott is in a hellish, sci-fi military school, and he's about to break out! The art style was simple but complimented the story well. I thought the dialogue was fun/ny and learning about the setting and Scott's past kept my interest.
Scott doesn't know when to shut up, but I like him a lot. Let's just say the boy's mouth is cut long and wide. I also thought Barda was going to be a filler bully character, but she gets some depth.
Even though Himon's departure felt a bit rushed, , I had a really good reading experience with this, and I would love to read more with these characters.
Well, this was FUN! Slick-mouth Scott is in a hellish, sci-fi military school, and he's about to break out! The art style was simple but complimented the story well. I thought the dialogue was fun/ny and learning about the setting and Scott's past kept my interest.
Scott doesn't know when to shut up, but I like him a lot. Let's just say the boy's mouth is cut long and wide. I also thought Barda was going to be a filler bully character, but she gets some depth.
Even though Himon's departure felt a bit rushed, , I had a really good reading experience with this, and I would love to read more with these characters.
December 17, 2021
4 1/2 stars
RTC for blog.
Thank you to DC for my review copy.
RTC for blog.
Thank you to DC for my review copy.
November 3, 2022
I vaguely knew Mister Miracle was an existing character, but I definitely thought that this was going to be more along the lines of books like Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero, which introduce new heroes and only have passing references to show they're in the DC universe. I really wasn't connecting with this and the characters felt super flimsy - everybody's backstory gets thrown at you super quick and you're just supposed to love them immediately. I also found the hierarchy confusing, especially because it played a big part in explaining (or not explaining) why characters were in the social classes they were. It really felt like it was supposed to be this big universe, but it was the size of shoebox.
January 28, 2022
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Scott has only ever dreamed of escape and finding out more about his parents. While I enjoyed the snippets of Apokolips we saw, I enjoyed Scott's character journey the most. He's driven by escape, but also by trying to figure out if he's a hero. If he's a protector, a friend, a partner. In this system of intense classicism - which I wish we had just gotten to see a bit more - Scott navigates his past while also planning for his future.
The pressure which lies across his shoulders is heavy. The burden not only of his own dreams, but the promises he has made. He has a good heart, but one that looks to what is possible. At the same time, Scott must learn that not everything lies alone on his shoulders. With his past fears and trauma, Scott must learn that he doesn't have to handle it alone. Mister Miracle: The Great Escape stresses the importance of choice, especially when we think we have none.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
Scott has only ever dreamed of escape and finding out more about his parents. While I enjoyed the snippets of Apokolips we saw, I enjoyed Scott's character journey the most. He's driven by escape, but also by trying to figure out if he's a hero. If he's a protector, a friend, a partner. In this system of intense classicism - which I wish we had just gotten to see a bit more - Scott navigates his past while also planning for his future.
The pressure which lies across his shoulders is heavy. The burden not only of his own dreams, but the promises he has made. He has a good heart, but one that looks to what is possible. At the same time, Scott must learn that not everything lies alone on his shoulders. With his past fears and trauma, Scott must learn that he doesn't have to handle it alone. Mister Miracle: The Great Escape stresses the importance of choice, especially when we think we have none.
full review: https://utopia-state-of-mind.com/revi...
February 23, 2025
(This is a combined review.)
Both of these are entries in the DC universe which I know little about. That made Mister Miracle especially difficult to understand since it takes place on a different planet with an odd structure to a school of sorts that likely has background given in other comic installments. I enjoyed Nubia much more, mainly because its setting is here on earth and also has another character come in and give some backstory explanation.
Both of these are entries in the DC universe which I know little about. That made Mister Miracle especially difficult to understand since it takes place on a different planet with an odd structure to a school of sorts that likely has background given in other comic installments. I enjoyed Nubia much more, mainly because its setting is here on earth and also has another character come in and give some backstory explanation.
Read
January 26, 2022Graded By: Mandy C.
Cover Story: Pieces O’ Flair
BFF Charm: Natalie Imbruglia
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Pre-Origin Story
Arty Art: Plop and (No) Fizz
Bonus Factor: Height Difference
Anti-Bonus Factor: Awful Grownups
Relationship Status: Wishing You the Best
Read the full book report here.
Cover Story: Pieces O’ Flair
BFF Charm: Natalie Imbruglia
Swoonworthy Scale: 5
Talky Talk: Pre-Origin Story
Arty Art: Plop and (No) Fizz
Bonus Factor: Height Difference
Anti-Bonus Factor: Awful Grownups
Relationship Status: Wishing You the Best
Read the full book report here.
January 26, 2022
An interesting origin story, but it felt strangely devoid of superhero business for a book about a guy who eventually becomes a superhero. I did really enjoy the unexpected love story, though!
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult
Check out my full review at Forever Young Adult
January 26, 2022
really really good ya adaption of mister miracle. loved scott and all his complexities. I also really enjoyed the art style of this book but I only wished the color palette was not so muddy.
February 10, 2022
Best Mr Miracle story I've read
February 18, 2022
The set up of a need for immediate escape, the high stakes danger, a prophesy, and a cast of characters with varying level of trustworthiness creates the narrative environment for the sort of caper Varian Johnson has proven he can write. As a standalone it's a quick page-turner. It's just a pity to know how things will turn out, especially given how interesting and nuanced Johnson has made the early friendship between Scott and Barda.
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2022/comm...
February 5, 2022
This was cute, A good, heartwarming, read it in one go, graphic novel that did well translating aspects of Apokolips to it’s intended audience. The story was straightforward, but effective, if not stunningly memorable, but I’d definitely reccomend for young teens. As a matter of personal preference, many of the art choices didn’t particularly serve me anything, especially the choice to use such a muted color schemes, but such gripes are easy to overlook.
arc review*
arc review*
May 9, 2022
Award-winning author Johnson puts some unique spins on this origin story in a fresh and funny graphic novel set on the hostile planet Apokolips.
Teen Scott Free is a Black orphan with no knowledge of his parents and no esteem for Apokolips or the rigidly classist Goodness Academy, where most students end up in military service or, worse, the X-Pit. Scott may be at the bottom of the Academy's social ladder, but he's got a knack for getting into trouble and making miraculous escapes: he's the only person who's ever survived the X-Pit. That inspires Himon, a genius Black inventor who serves as the school janitor, to take him in. When Himon’s granddaughter (Beka) becomes dangerously ill, Himon confides in Scott that Earth may have the only cure. Can Scott pull of his greatest miracle yet, and smuggle a dying girl to a whole different planet?!
Themes of bullying, class inequity, forbidden love, racism, coping with trauma, and what it means to be a true friend are woven into the action, elevating this series kick-off above the crowd. I enjoyed the story, but felt that it was mostly trying to set up subsequent books. Some of the plot points felt a little rushed to me (i.e. Scott's "forbidden love"), but Scott is relatable and easy to root for. Fans of superhero fiction will look forward to learning where this reboot leads.
Teen Scott Free is a Black orphan with no knowledge of his parents and no esteem for Apokolips or the rigidly classist Goodness Academy, where most students end up in military service or, worse, the X-Pit. Scott may be at the bottom of the Academy's social ladder, but he's got a knack for getting into trouble and making miraculous escapes: he's the only person who's ever survived the X-Pit. That inspires Himon, a genius Black inventor who serves as the school janitor, to take him in. When Himon’s granddaughter (Beka) becomes dangerously ill, Himon confides in Scott that Earth may have the only cure. Can Scott pull of his greatest miracle yet, and smuggle a dying girl to a whole different planet?!
Themes of bullying, class inequity, forbidden love, racism, coping with trauma, and what it means to be a true friend are woven into the action, elevating this series kick-off above the crowd. I enjoyed the story, but felt that it was mostly trying to set up subsequent books. Some of the plot points felt a little rushed to me (i.e. Scott's "forbidden love"), but Scott is relatable and easy to root for. Fans of superhero fiction will look forward to learning where this reboot leads.
February 13, 2022
A retelling of Scott Free's escape from Apokalips, played off more like a romance between him and Big Barda as they try to find a way around Granny Goodness' control. There's a mystery about who Scott really is and what happened to his parents, as well as an ongoing theme of how he lies to everyone and makes grand promises he doesn't know how to keep. My favourite parts are the 'escape' scenes of watching Scott move through deathtraps, there's some great panelling in how he moves. There's a lot of great action scenes and big sound effects too, the art's great.
June 12, 2022
I write a weekly column on my blog called Family Comic Friday. I originally was going to review this for that post. But after I completed this book, I decided it wasn't appropriate for that.
In the very beginning of this book, there is a trigger warning about how details in this book involved talk of suicide and experiences of PTSD. Not to mention there's a whole academy of youngsters being trained to become soldiers by beating everyone else's brains in. But no. Neither of those reasons is why I decided not to review this for my weekly family review. It's because of the swears. They're all here. Even the BIG one of all-time- the F-Bomb!
Amazon rates this 2022 young adult graphic novel for those in grades 8-12. I'm completely fine with that. But my local library has this book put with the kids graphic novel section. I'm not one to ban books. But I do think it's my duty to let the library know that they've got this book placed in the wrong age group lest some irate parent start a protest demanding Mister Miracle: The Great Escape become the latest victim of a good ol' fashioned book burning.
That last sentence is about as ironic a statement I can make as the planet on which this book takes place, Apokolips, would like nothing more than to eliminate any and all things considered seditious to the reign of the New God, Darkseid. So if a parent did in deed decide that this young adult graphic novel was destined for the furnace, they'd very much be enacting the despotic actions of the scum of Apokolips! Plus, with changes done to the characters, I am sure there will be some comic book fans out there wanting to cry foul!
When I checked this book out, I actually knew very little about its publication. Even though I check the previews of new comics and graphic novels weekly, I somehow overlooked this book. I am a huge fan of Jack Kirby and I'm doing everything in my power to collect any and everything Fourth World. So when I stumbled across this book at my LCS, I was very excited.
The main change from this book and the original vision of Jack Kirby is the skin color of Scott Free and several other characters are reversed. At first, I thought that this might be yet another attempt by DC to be what detractors call 'woke.' But then I remembered from reading a Jack Kirby biography recently that Kirby wanted Mister Miracle originally to be black but the editors vetoed that idea. So in reality writer Varian Johnson (The Great Greene Heist) is fulfilling Kirby's original plan for the Fourth World.
See when Jack Kirby came over in 1971 to DC Comics, The King planned to make Apokolips this post-apocalyptic world that was an allegory on class warfare and face. Darkseid and his elete minions were supposed to all be white. While the dregs of Apokolips, the war dogs of Darkseid's army, were all to be people of color. The heavenly people of New Genesis, including Scott Free's real father, Highfather were going to be black (or of color) just like Scott and Big Barda. However, this vision of Kirby's Fourth World was just decades ahead of its time. I'm glad to see it coming to fruition finally, even if it did take 50 years to happen and only occurs in a Young Adult novel that probably isn't canon.
While I enjoyed the changes, I wasn't a big fan of some of the artwork. Artist Daniel Isles (Joyama) draws some characters as if they had a Muppet nose. Instead of a tip and pair of nostrils, some characters noses are completely outlined with a nose-like circle. This makes them look like Bert and Ernie with their foam ball proboscises.
I also didn't like how Scott Free was drawn in his downtime clothes, which looks like a hoodie and sweatpants. Though I wonder if these are some of Himon's Earth clothes and he's given them to Scott so that if he ever escapes to Earth, he'll fit it. If that's the case, I am okay with it. But what the heck is up with those tiny red balls that float around Scott all the time?
I loved Isles design of Big Barda. She's tall. She's rough. And she looks like I would imagine Kirby would have drawn her if the legend was allowed to use a woman of color as a model instead of Jewish chanteuse Lanie Kazan. And the twist with Granny Goodness- that was a brilliant character design that I didn't see coming.
I did feel that the 3rd act of this book was rushed. It's a trap a lot of comic book and graphic novel writers get into. The first two acts really dive into the hierarchy of the orphanage run by Granny Goodness. The climatic last act is supposed to occur over the span of 8 days and yet maybe only 10-15% of the book's 208 pages is devoted to that time period. Wasn't bad. Just seemed rushed.
If Varian Johnson and Daniel Isles decided to do a sequel, I would be so on board. I'm interested to see how the character of Shilo Norman would be approached- if introduced. As a compromise to bypassing his dynamic social relevant vision for Scott Free, Jack Kirby created the character of Shilo, a young black pre-teen who one day would become Mister Miracle's replacement. We've already seen Shilo don the suit of the World's Greatest Escape Artist. I'm just interested to see if the creators of this book would make Shilo white to really explore the race-switching nature of this book or if they might make Shilo be of another marginalized race like Asian or Middle Eastern.
There's a lot left to be explored with this most authentic version of Jack Kirby's epic creations. And I'm willing to camp out to be first in line to acquire it should DC decide to green light a sequel.
In the very beginning of this book, there is a trigger warning about how details in this book involved talk of suicide and experiences of PTSD. Not to mention there's a whole academy of youngsters being trained to become soldiers by beating everyone else's brains in. But no. Neither of those reasons is why I decided not to review this for my weekly family review. It's because of the swears. They're all here. Even the BIG one of all-time- the F-Bomb!
Amazon rates this 2022 young adult graphic novel for those in grades 8-12. I'm completely fine with that. But my local library has this book put with the kids graphic novel section. I'm not one to ban books. But I do think it's my duty to let the library know that they've got this book placed in the wrong age group lest some irate parent start a protest demanding Mister Miracle: The Great Escape become the latest victim of a good ol' fashioned book burning.
That last sentence is about as ironic a statement I can make as the planet on which this book takes place, Apokolips, would like nothing more than to eliminate any and all things considered seditious to the reign of the New God, Darkseid. So if a parent did in deed decide that this young adult graphic novel was destined for the furnace, they'd very much be enacting the despotic actions of the scum of Apokolips! Plus, with changes done to the characters, I am sure there will be some comic book fans out there wanting to cry foul!
When I checked this book out, I actually knew very little about its publication. Even though I check the previews of new comics and graphic novels weekly, I somehow overlooked this book. I am a huge fan of Jack Kirby and I'm doing everything in my power to collect any and everything Fourth World. So when I stumbled across this book at my LCS, I was very excited.
The main change from this book and the original vision of Jack Kirby is the skin color of Scott Free and several other characters are reversed. At first, I thought that this might be yet another attempt by DC to be what detractors call 'woke.' But then I remembered from reading a Jack Kirby biography recently that Kirby wanted Mister Miracle originally to be black but the editors vetoed that idea. So in reality writer Varian Johnson (The Great Greene Heist) is fulfilling Kirby's original plan for the Fourth World.
See when Jack Kirby came over in 1971 to DC Comics, The King planned to make Apokolips this post-apocalyptic world that was an allegory on class warfare and face. Darkseid and his elete minions were supposed to all be white. While the dregs of Apokolips, the war dogs of Darkseid's army, were all to be people of color. The heavenly people of New Genesis, including Scott Free's real father, Highfather were going to be black (or of color) just like Scott and Big Barda. However, this vision of Kirby's Fourth World was just decades ahead of its time. I'm glad to see it coming to fruition finally, even if it did take 50 years to happen and only occurs in a Young Adult novel that probably isn't canon.
While I enjoyed the changes, I wasn't a big fan of some of the artwork. Artist Daniel Isles (Joyama) draws some characters as if they had a Muppet nose. Instead of a tip and pair of nostrils, some characters noses are completely outlined with a nose-like circle. This makes them look like Bert and Ernie with their foam ball proboscises.
I also didn't like how Scott Free was drawn in his downtime clothes, which looks like a hoodie and sweatpants. Though I wonder if these are some of Himon's Earth clothes and he's given them to Scott so that if he ever escapes to Earth, he'll fit it. If that's the case, I am okay with it. But what the heck is up with those tiny red balls that float around Scott all the time?
I loved Isles design of Big Barda. She's tall. She's rough. And she looks like I would imagine Kirby would have drawn her if the legend was allowed to use a woman of color as a model instead of Jewish chanteuse Lanie Kazan. And the twist with Granny Goodness- that was a brilliant character design that I didn't see coming.
I did feel that the 3rd act of this book was rushed. It's a trap a lot of comic book and graphic novel writers get into. The first two acts really dive into the hierarchy of the orphanage run by Granny Goodness. The climatic last act is supposed to occur over the span of 8 days and yet maybe only 10-15% of the book's 208 pages is devoted to that time period. Wasn't bad. Just seemed rushed.
If Varian Johnson and Daniel Isles decided to do a sequel, I would be so on board. I'm interested to see how the character of Shilo Norman would be approached- if introduced. As a compromise to bypassing his dynamic social relevant vision for Scott Free, Jack Kirby created the character of Shilo, a young black pre-teen who one day would become Mister Miracle's replacement. We've already seen Shilo don the suit of the World's Greatest Escape Artist. I'm just interested to see if the creators of this book would make Shilo white to really explore the race-switching nature of this book or if they might make Shilo be of another marginalized race like Asian or Middle Eastern.
There's a lot left to be explored with this most authentic version of Jack Kirby's epic creations. And I'm willing to camp out to be first in line to acquire it should DC decide to green light a sequel.
Read
October 31, 2022DC Comics has been hitting it out of the park with its latest comics, many of which involve teaming up stellar YA and kidlit authors (L.L. McKinney, Sarah Kuhn, and others) with incredible artists. Mister Miracle: The Great Escape by writer Varian Johnson (of the middle grade graphic novel Twins) and illustrator Daniel Isles is another graphic novel to add to your superhero comic collection if you’ve been enjoying comics like Shadow of the Batgirl and Nubia: Real One.
I went in with absolutely zero knowledge of Mister Miracle and while it took me a bit to get situated in the story, I enjoyed the journey I went on. If you know a lot about Mister Miracle, you might enjoy the references or possibly dislike the changes — but I can’t speak to that. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, setting, and the character of Scott Free. The story follows Scott Free as he struggles to escape the nightmarish Goodness Academy, while grappling with trauma from his past surviving the school and its terrors. The stakes are high — it’s escape or live a very, very short life as a soldier — and the school is merciless. Along the way, Scott learns a little more about friendship and love, and maybe gains a clue as to who he is.
I think you can tell from the cover that the art is absolutely stellar. There’s some interesting stylistic choices throughout, and personally, I really enjoyed them. I loved how dynamic the movement and action was, and the colors were evocative and atmospheric.
The story, as I mentioned, might be a tiny bit confusing if you, like me, don’t know anything about Mister Miracle but you figure out what’s going on pretty quick. It���s a fast-paced, exciting read that will keep you reading — while pulling a chuckle out of you as Scott snarks at his enemies, jokes with his friends, and faces down his fears. The only aspect of the story that didn’t completely grab me was the romance, which within the limits of the graphic novel felt a a bit rushed. I imagine Mister Miracle’s romance is pulled from the source material, so I get the constraints there, but that’s an aspect of the story where I wish the story had diverged.
Overall, Mister Miracle: The Great Escape is a fun read with gorgeous illustratiouns, and another great addition to the new YA DC comics coming out lately. I’ll be looking forward to whatever’s next by Varian Johnson and the next YA DC comics offering!
Recommendation: Get it soon!
I went in with absolutely zero knowledge of Mister Miracle and while it took me a bit to get situated in the story, I enjoyed the journey I went on. If you know a lot about Mister Miracle, you might enjoy the references or possibly dislike the changes — but I can’t speak to that. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, setting, and the character of Scott Free. The story follows Scott Free as he struggles to escape the nightmarish Goodness Academy, while grappling with trauma from his past surviving the school and its terrors. The stakes are high — it’s escape or live a very, very short life as a soldier — and the school is merciless. Along the way, Scott learns a little more about friendship and love, and maybe gains a clue as to who he is.
I think you can tell from the cover that the art is absolutely stellar. There’s some interesting stylistic choices throughout, and personally, I really enjoyed them. I loved how dynamic the movement and action was, and the colors were evocative and atmospheric.
The story, as I mentioned, might be a tiny bit confusing if you, like me, don’t know anything about Mister Miracle but you figure out what’s going on pretty quick. It���s a fast-paced, exciting read that will keep you reading — while pulling a chuckle out of you as Scott snarks at his enemies, jokes with his friends, and faces down his fears. The only aspect of the story that didn’t completely grab me was the romance, which within the limits of the graphic novel felt a a bit rushed. I imagine Mister Miracle’s romance is pulled from the source material, so I get the constraints there, but that’s an aspect of the story where I wish the story had diverged.
Overall, Mister Miracle: The Great Escape is a fun read with gorgeous illustratiouns, and another great addition to the new YA DC comics coming out lately. I’ll be looking forward to whatever’s next by Varian Johnson and the next YA DC comics offering!
Recommendation: Get it soon!
July 30, 2023
Alright, I liked this book. All in all, this was a pretty good reimagining of Mister Miracle. The actual Mister Miracle story is better, but for a teenage version of Scott Free, this was solid. (I mean, I read it in one sitting, so....)
However, there were some plot points that were... I'm just gonna say it... lazy. I mean, the inventor guy who never trusted Granny Goodness all of a sudden going to her and then actually expecting her to use his heart to save his grandchild? I mean... it makes no sense. It just... no. No one in this book would have thought that would work, especially not the wise old man who was always suspicious and knew how terrible Granny was.
I also wasn't sure why race became such a large part of this story? I mean, I get that Apokolips can definitely be a way to examine social classes and such (where basically everyone is subservient to Darkseid and there are only a handful of nobles), but in everything I've ever read of Apokolips, race wasn't the issue? It's just that Darkseid is terrible and Apokolips is basically a living hell, and the only thing that matters is that you serve Darkseid, your race, gender, etc., be darned. Honestly, that theme felt a little shoehorned in. This book was already a solid read just with themes about fighting unjust authority.
I really hope that doesn't sound horrible of me. I'm all for a good book examining racial themes. But it has to make sense. And in this book... in everything I know about Apokolips... it just didn't make sense to me. Maybe there is something in other comics that makes this fit, but... it's just not something I'm familiar with in anything else I've read.
Again, over all, this was a good book. I enjoyed how Scott was written: I liked his confidence, and his attitude, and how he had to overcome what was basically PTSD. (I honestly wished that would have been a stronger theme. What we got was really compelling and I would have loved more.) So yeah, over all, not a bad read. Just some of the choices, both in character motivation and what themes received the most focus, didn't make sense to me. But, at the same time, I can't say, I don't get why those directions were chosen, and I feel like the book set out to accomplish what it wanted to.
However, there were some plot points that were... I'm just gonna say it... lazy. I mean, the inventor guy who never trusted Granny Goodness all of a sudden going to her and then actually expecting her to use his heart to save his grandchild? I mean... it makes no sense. It just... no. No one in this book would have thought that would work, especially not the wise old man who was always suspicious and knew how terrible Granny was.
I also wasn't sure why race became such a large part of this story? I mean, I get that Apokolips can definitely be a way to examine social classes and such (where basically everyone is subservient to Darkseid and there are only a handful of nobles), but in everything I've ever read of Apokolips, race wasn't the issue? It's just that Darkseid is terrible and Apokolips is basically a living hell, and the only thing that matters is that you serve Darkseid, your race, gender, etc., be darned. Honestly, that theme felt a little shoehorned in. This book was already a solid read just with themes about fighting unjust authority.
I really hope that doesn't sound horrible of me. I'm all for a good book examining racial themes. But it has to make sense. And in this book... in everything I know about Apokolips... it just didn't make sense to me. Maybe there is something in other comics that makes this fit, but... it's just not something I'm familiar with in anything else I've read.
Again, over all, this was a good book. I enjoyed how Scott was written: I liked his confidence, and his attitude, and how he had to overcome what was basically PTSD. (I honestly wished that would have been a stronger theme. What we got was really compelling and I would have loved more.) So yeah, over all, not a bad read. Just some of the choices, both in character motivation and what themes received the most focus, didn't make sense to me. But, at the same time, I can't say, I don't get why those directions were chosen, and I feel like the book set out to accomplish what it wanted to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 27, 2022
On the planet Apokalips, ruled by Darkseid, Scott Free is a student at Goodness Academy. No one has ever escaped the planet, but he's got a plan to go to Earth with his found family. The only thing stopping him is his crush on Big Barda, the one tasked with ensuring he never escapes.
I'm only vaguely aware of the general comic canon for Apokalips, where Darkseid rules and Granny Goodness ran the coliseum and Big Barda also served Darkseid. Together, they all worked to find the Anti Life Equation, which would erase free will from all sentient creatures that it was applied to. This comic spins some of the characters younger, in that Granny Goodness' need for order now applies to an academy of students. Academy is still a generous term for it, as the students are essentially tortured, and graduates join the Apokalips army while those who fail out go to the Pit. Either way, it's a death sentence, so Scott desperately wants out. Big Barda is now in charge of the elites and working for Granny Goodness, and their positions put them at odds with each other constantly.
I never felt bad for Big Barda before, but now I feel sorry for the past trauma she carries as well as the uncomfortable position she's put in. Everyone at the Academy is full of trauma, and at first, Scott is only thinking of his own needs, lying to his friends and everyone else. But the lies eventually come to an end, and he loses more and more as the book progresses. I was rooting for Scott even as he smarted off to everyone, lied, and twisted the truth around. He's more of an anti-hero, and ultimately does have his heart in the right place. I practically cheered at the end and laughed at how it all went down. It's a fun comic, and I enjoyed it a lot.
I'm only vaguely aware of the general comic canon for Apokalips, where Darkseid rules and Granny Goodness ran the coliseum and Big Barda also served Darkseid. Together, they all worked to find the Anti Life Equation, which would erase free will from all sentient creatures that it was applied to. This comic spins some of the characters younger, in that Granny Goodness' need for order now applies to an academy of students. Academy is still a generous term for it, as the students are essentially tortured, and graduates join the Apokalips army while those who fail out go to the Pit. Either way, it's a death sentence, so Scott desperately wants out. Big Barda is now in charge of the elites and working for Granny Goodness, and their positions put them at odds with each other constantly.
I never felt bad for Big Barda before, but now I feel sorry for the past trauma she carries as well as the uncomfortable position she's put in. Everyone at the Academy is full of trauma, and at first, Scott is only thinking of his own needs, lying to his friends and everyone else. But the lies eventually come to an end, and he loses more and more as the book progresses. I was rooting for Scott even as he smarted off to everyone, lied, and twisted the truth around. He's more of an anti-hero, and ultimately does have his heart in the right place. I practically cheered at the end and laughed at how it all went down. It's a fun comic, and I enjoyed it a lot.
February 7, 2023
So far, the books I've read from DC's current All Ages imprint have either been very good, or else poorly, and often problematically written, especially given that they're intended to be progressive and positive. This is the first book I've read which is neither.
This is a perfectly fine children's book version of a DC superhero book. Sure, the characters all behave differently than they do in the regular DC Universe, that's fine. I thought the art style didn't blend well with the story, but it was fine. And the story itself was about what I would expect from an all-ages adventure book. It wasn't for me, but that's ok. It was designed for kids. But, unlike some of the other books in the series, I didn't feel this book was Out Of Touch with kids. There was no attempt to use modern slang that actually played out over thirty years ago, the characters behaved like teens and not like adults imagine they behaved when they were teens. It was fun.
The ending was predictable, but in an upbeat way that rewarded the reader. It wasn't too unbelievable (you know, for a book about a space torture planet that's had to be scaled down for a kids' book), and it wasn't insulting to kids or adults who had read up to that point.
If this sounds like faint praise, I apologize. This is a good book for kids. Just not a great one, and there are dozens of excellent all-ages graphic novels coming out these days. This is a good second tier book if you're a voracious reader who's already gone through a ton of other all-age books.
This is a perfectly fine children's book version of a DC superhero book. Sure, the characters all behave differently than they do in the regular DC Universe, that's fine. I thought the art style didn't blend well with the story, but it was fine. And the story itself was about what I would expect from an all-ages adventure book. It wasn't for me, but that's ok. It was designed for kids. But, unlike some of the other books in the series, I didn't feel this book was Out Of Touch with kids. There was no attempt to use modern slang that actually played out over thirty years ago, the characters behaved like teens and not like adults imagine they behaved when they were teens. It was fun.
The ending was predictable, but in an upbeat way that rewarded the reader. It wasn't too unbelievable (you know, for a book about a space torture planet that's had to be scaled down for a kids' book), and it wasn't insulting to kids or adults who had read up to that point.
If this sounds like faint praise, I apologize. This is a good book for kids. Just not a great one, and there are dozens of excellent all-ages graphic novels coming out these days. This is a good second tier book if you're a voracious reader who's already gone through a ton of other all-age books.
January 23, 2022
Thank you to DC Comics and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Mister Miracle: The Great Escape is an amazing #ownvoices superhero graphic novel for teenagers. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered this was a graphic novel and not an illustrated novel. The story revolves around Scott Free, a black teenager who is the new, reimagined Mister Miracle. Scott lives on the futuristic planet Apokolips, and he makes a plan to escape. However, he ends up falling in love with Big Barda, the head of the Female Furies. Will he follow through with his plan, or will the plan end up getting scrapped?
Overall, Mister Miracle: The Great Escape is a wonderful #ownvoices graphic novel that will appeal to fans of Miles Morales's Spiderman or Jaime Reyes's Blue Beetle. I am totally here for these reimaginings of popular characters as PoC. As a Person of Color myself, I've always wished for more representation and diversity among superhero comics. This book fills that void and need for representation, and I am so excited to support it! One highlight of this book is the amazing, color-filled art. The book has a similar style to Young Justice and Teen Titans Go, which are two of my favorite series. If you're intrigued by the description, or if you're a fan of superhero graphic novels, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in January!
Mister Miracle: The Great Escape is an amazing #ownvoices superhero graphic novel for teenagers. I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered this was a graphic novel and not an illustrated novel. The story revolves around Scott Free, a black teenager who is the new, reimagined Mister Miracle. Scott lives on the futuristic planet Apokolips, and he makes a plan to escape. However, he ends up falling in love with Big Barda, the head of the Female Furies. Will he follow through with his plan, or will the plan end up getting scrapped?
Overall, Mister Miracle: The Great Escape is a wonderful #ownvoices graphic novel that will appeal to fans of Miles Morales's Spiderman or Jaime Reyes's Blue Beetle. I am totally here for these reimaginings of popular characters as PoC. As a Person of Color myself, I've always wished for more representation and diversity among superhero comics. This book fills that void and need for representation, and I am so excited to support it! One highlight of this book is the amazing, color-filled art. The book has a similar style to Young Justice and Teen Titans Go, which are two of my favorite series. If you're intrigued by the description, or if you're a fan of superhero graphic novels, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in January!
February 1, 2022
I was given an advance copy by Netgalley in exchange for review
This is a fine book overall, and it's a book that I think a lot of younger comic readers will enjoy. That's one of the things I like about this imprint from DC is that it keeps the interest of young readers in mind. I think it suffers from being a standalone origin story though, this isn't unique to this book it's a problem that I think a lot of the books about lesser known characters have.
Scott Free aka Mister Miracle is a character I had a passing familiarity with from old Justice League cartoons and a passing familiarity was really all I needed to feel like this book spent maybe a little too much time trying to flesh out who Scott was or would eventually be. If I thought there would be a follow up this wouldn't be such an issue, but since we haven't seen much of that from DC I'm not holding my breath.
I also felt the coloring was a little flat, again not necessarily a problem unique to this book, and I will say in print it might not be as obvious in print as it was digitally.
To close on a more positive note, I did really like the romance between Barda and Scott. I felt like it brought out the best in both of their characters and their interactions really made the whole book. They were both charming and well written characters and after this origin story I would like to see Johnson spend a little more time with them both.
This is a fine book overall, and it's a book that I think a lot of younger comic readers will enjoy. That's one of the things I like about this imprint from DC is that it keeps the interest of young readers in mind. I think it suffers from being a standalone origin story though, this isn't unique to this book it's a problem that I think a lot of the books about lesser known characters have.
Scott Free aka Mister Miracle is a character I had a passing familiarity with from old Justice League cartoons and a passing familiarity was really all I needed to feel like this book spent maybe a little too much time trying to flesh out who Scott was or would eventually be. If I thought there would be a follow up this wouldn't be such an issue, but since we haven't seen much of that from DC I'm not holding my breath.
I also felt the coloring was a little flat, again not necessarily a problem unique to this book, and I will say in print it might not be as obvious in print as it was digitally.
To close on a more positive note, I did really like the romance between Barda and Scott. I felt like it brought out the best in both of their characters and their interactions really made the whole book. They were both charming and well written characters and after this origin story I would like to see Johnson spend a little more time with them both.
February 17, 2022
I am not familiar with the Mister Miracle graphic novels or comics but it was sent over and I love reading graphic novels, so I gave it a chance.
Mister Miracle follows Scott Free, a student at an academy/ orphanage, that is more like a prison than anything else. His goal is to escape his school and make for Earth, only that is not done so easily.
Scott is a pretty typical teenage boy, he has jokes and talks a lot, getting himself into trouble at every available instance. But he also tries to stand up for others. While a smart ass, he seems like a good-natured teen.
The world is miliary-themed and messy and the illustrations do a good job of showing that. I liked the detail throughout. There was just enough text and dialogue to keep things moving but not too much to drag the story down. I was a little confused by one detail that was recurring - there were little red dots throughout the graphic novel, often emphasizing movement, but it seemed like it could be blood at first so I kept thinking it might be blood and I was very confused about the choice stylistically.
Overall the story was a good one, it emphasized burden and the weight that it can carry even for teens. This was a fun coming of agee / origin story and it was a good book to pick up for Black History Month. If you are looking for diverse characters, some action, and maybe even a little love, this would be a good graphic novel to pick up.
Mister Miracle follows Scott Free, a student at an academy/ orphanage, that is more like a prison than anything else. His goal is to escape his school and make for Earth, only that is not done so easily.
Scott is a pretty typical teenage boy, he has jokes and talks a lot, getting himself into trouble at every available instance. But he also tries to stand up for others. While a smart ass, he seems like a good-natured teen.
The world is miliary-themed and messy and the illustrations do a good job of showing that. I liked the detail throughout. There was just enough text and dialogue to keep things moving but not too much to drag the story down. I was a little confused by one detail that was recurring - there were little red dots throughout the graphic novel, often emphasizing movement, but it seemed like it could be blood at first so I kept thinking it might be blood and I was very confused about the choice stylistically.
Overall the story was a good one, it emphasized burden and the weight that it can carry even for teens. This was a fun coming of agee / origin story and it was a good book to pick up for Black History Month. If you are looking for diverse characters, some action, and maybe even a little love, this would be a good graphic novel to pick up.
January 28, 2022
Thanks to NetGalley & DC Comics for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.
"Mister Miracle" is an odd hero in DC's history, he's heavily involved in Darkseid (baddest of the bad in DC) and his conquering stuff. Though, MM isn't interested in conquering anything. It's especially highlighted in this graphic novel where Scott Free (Mister Miracle) simply wants to escape from Apokolips to Earth and get away from Darkseid & Granny Goodness' evil regime.
I haven't read much Mister Miracle so I came in this blind. I really enjoyed the reimagining and I was happy to see the graphic novel pushed the dystopian angle of Apokolips and didn't sugarcoat it. Scott Free is highlighted as a self-serving protagonist who struggles with morality on a planet that prefers the morally evil angle. I really enjoyed seeing Barda and Scott's evolving relationship and Barda was a great character on her own.
The artwork got a bit weird at some points--though I LOVED the colors! It was somehow vibrant and muted and it worked really well! The one villain toward the end had the most ridiculous-looking face and I couldn't take him seriously but that's a pretty minor complaint, so.
Can't wait to read the next one!
"Mister Miracle" is an odd hero in DC's history, he's heavily involved in Darkseid (baddest of the bad in DC) and his conquering stuff. Though, MM isn't interested in conquering anything. It's especially highlighted in this graphic novel where Scott Free (Mister Miracle) simply wants to escape from Apokolips to Earth and get away from Darkseid & Granny Goodness' evil regime.
I haven't read much Mister Miracle so I came in this blind. I really enjoyed the reimagining and I was happy to see the graphic novel pushed the dystopian angle of Apokolips and didn't sugarcoat it. Scott Free is highlighted as a self-serving protagonist who struggles with morality on a planet that prefers the morally evil angle. I really enjoyed seeing Barda and Scott's evolving relationship and Barda was a great character on her own.
The artwork got a bit weird at some points--though I LOVED the colors! It was somehow vibrant and muted and it worked really well! The one villain toward the end had the most ridiculous-looking face and I couldn't take him seriously but that's a pretty minor complaint, so.
Can't wait to read the next one!
December 16, 2022
Varian Johnson and Daniel Isles graphic novel "Mister Miracle: The Great Escape" is a retelling of the origin of Mister Miracle as Scott Free on his upbringing on Apokolips. The gang is all there from his first meeting, then falling in love, with Big Barda. The Female Furies. Granny Goodness, head of the indoctrination factory for youth. Kalibak the Cruel and his machinations with Darkseid away. Himon the living on Apokolips for the plans between Darkseid and New Genesis' High Father.
This is a fast paced and enriched retelling of Jack Kirby's Mister Miracle. The artwork by Daniel Isles is very suited to the pacing of the story. The comparison between the way Jack Kirby drawings and Daniel Isles is obvious. While there is energy in the style of Isles it is not the dynamic, bombastic energy flowing from a creative genius who gave the comic book it's look and so many iconic characters from Fantastic Four to the Fourth World. The mythos of Marvel and DC would be so much lesser.
Read this work and enjoy the fact that this retelling is very good and enriches the 21st century reader. Highly recommended.
This is a fast paced and enriched retelling of Jack Kirby's Mister Miracle. The artwork by Daniel Isles is very suited to the pacing of the story. The comparison between the way Jack Kirby drawings and Daniel Isles is obvious. While there is energy in the style of Isles it is not the dynamic, bombastic energy flowing from a creative genius who gave the comic book it's look and so many iconic characters from Fantastic Four to the Fourth World. The mythos of Marvel and DC would be so much lesser.
Read this work and enjoy the fact that this retelling is very good and enriches the 21st century reader. Highly recommended.
February 2, 2022
3.5 stars
Not knowing anything about Mister Miracle going into this, I admit it took me a while to actually figure out what was happening. I think some of the writing relied on the fact that readers will probably know some background for this character, which is fine! It just took away from the story a bit for me.
However, I did really love the art in this! The color scheme throughout is just fantastic. I think it meshes well with the drawing style and the story itself. I feel like sometimes these DC graphic novels can be hit or miss with the art, but this one was great!
Outside of the confusion with the world building, I did like the story arc and the writing for the characters in the story itself. Part of me just wishes that a bit more context was given at the beginning of the book, especially since these YA DC graphic novels are kind of hinging on the fact that readers might not have background knowledge on the character.
All in all, if you've liked the YA DC graphic novels this far, you'll probably enjoy this one too!
Not knowing anything about Mister Miracle going into this, I admit it took me a while to actually figure out what was happening. I think some of the writing relied on the fact that readers will probably know some background for this character, which is fine! It just took away from the story a bit for me.
However, I did really love the art in this! The color scheme throughout is just fantastic. I think it meshes well with the drawing style and the story itself. I feel like sometimes these DC graphic novels can be hit or miss with the art, but this one was great!
Outside of the confusion with the world building, I did like the story arc and the writing for the characters in the story itself. Part of me just wishes that a bit more context was given at the beginning of the book, especially since these YA DC graphic novels are kind of hinging on the fact that readers might not have background knowledge on the character.
All in all, if you've liked the YA DC graphic novels this far, you'll probably enjoy this one too!
February 2, 2022
I didn't love it. I was okay with the muted color palette because it added an element, but I felt like I was thrown into a story and needed to collect all of the details like bread crumbs and not in thrilling mystery kind of way but because the story wasn't fully developed. The science fiction story follows a kid who wants to get back to planet Earth and he has befriended a man and a kid, he draws ire from the "Grandma" character and her Amazonian-like women space warriors, but he still lives to tell the tale.
Then enter the "chosen / hidden child" trope as you realize that Scott Free has some royalty in his blood, but people are not save, even Scott himself, because he's duped into a romance only to be manipulated. It worked. I understood just enough, but I wasn't sitting at the edge of my seat to learn about this kid or this world.
Then enter the "chosen / hidden child" trope as you realize that Scott Free has some royalty in his blood, but people are not save, even Scott himself, because he's duped into a romance only to be manipulated. It worked. I understood just enough, but I wasn't sitting at the edge of my seat to learn about this kid or this world.
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