Coming this August from DC Comics is a full-fledged revival of Jack Kirby’s 1976 character, Mr. Miracle. The series will run for 12 issues and will be written and illustrated by Tom King and Mitch Gerards. The two have been writing and illustrating DC characters for a long time, and the two created the beloved Vertigo series, The Sheriff of Baghdad. The duo has been praised for their work in the past, approaching interesting topics and themes in the vein of Preacher and Sandman, and are setting out to create something transcendent with this reboot.
If you’re not familiar with who Mr. Miracle is, then this is a good time to get to know the character. Scott Free is his real name, and he is the son of Izaya, the ruler of New Genesis. Izaya traded infant sons with Darkseid in an attempt to keep the peace, but when Scott escaped his terrible conditions and fled to Earth, the deal was broken. Scott Free soon became Mr. Miracle after assuming the identity of the original Mr. Miracle and mentor to Scott, an escape artist named Thaddeus Brown. Oh, Scott Free is also an immortal genius, so there’s that.
While DC has definitely been taking the backseat when it comes to really outstanding and fresh stories, this new run of Mr. Miracle looks like it might hit the mark. Scott Free is a lower-profile character, and this revival might give King and Gerards the creative freedom they need to make the 12-issue run great. Looking at the art sample provided by DC Comics, Gerards is giving the series a gritty feel that I really like, and I’m excited to see how King makes the character relevant today. Odds are we won’t be seeing him show up in Injustice 2, but one can definitely hope.
