DC Comics 2017
Written by Tom King
Illustrated by Mitch Gerads
Lettered by Clayton Cowles
It’s the trial of Mister Miracle! Orion and Lightray are convinced that Scott has become infected with Anti-Life and is working against them to bring down New Genesis. Scott must succumb to their interrogation and physical challenges to prove he’s not what they say he is…but how do you speak truth to people who don’t want to believe?
Okay so this is a completely a mind fuck and there’s no two ways around that. We’re four issues in and I feel like there are plenty of clues as to what is really going on here. We see them, read them and possibly raise an eyebrow at them but in all honesty it’s written off, usually by the dialogue of another character. So what Tom is doing here is beyond incredible to me. This isn’t Vertigo, Young Animals or mainstream DC nope it feels more like something classic from DC’s archives like House of Mystery or House of Secrets or even The Witching Hour as there’s this delicious feel of psychological horror being waged in the mind of Scott Free.
At this point I have to believe that Scott is either under someone’s mental power and is purposefully putting him through this or it’s his own mind doing this to him while he is in a coma after a traumatic accident took place at one of his shows. Either way it would explain why he gets inconsistencies in his memory and why the Highfather is gone and Orion is now leading New Genesis and waging war against his father Darkseid who now possesses the Anti-Life equation. Or maybe I’m becoming a conspiracy theorist and I’m looking for things that aren’t there.
Regardless the story Tom is bringing us is probably THE best story of the year hands down. Out of nowhere he comes at the reader with this intelligent, thought provoking and downright strangely creepy story. It leaves me mesmerised when I read it and I can’t get enough of it and I’m not the only one everyone I know whose read this feels the same way. The premise, story direction, pacing and the characterisation is mind blowing in how well it’s done and how it leaves the reader feeling afterwards.
Mitch my god is doing something so incredibly unique with his work here. To be able to keep up the whole nine panel page layout throughout the run without the use of linework to differentiate the panels is stunning. The creativity and imagination he’s got that keeps us riveted while he and Orion talk and it’s the same thing over and over again with few variations with those added moments when it looks like reality resets itself takes such a steady hand and eye. His eye for storytelling actually is a lot complicated than we think and I gotta say hella respect for such a strong look here.
There are few couples in comics like Barda and Scott. From their meeting to falling in love and living on Earth full time she is who she is. She’s also a force of nature and wow you cannot help but love how she handles things. When Lightray shows up her response and actions well even off camera we hear the dialogue and yeah LOVE her. it’s odd by Stand by Your Man just popped into my head and I doubt she’d be caught dead listening to that but it kind of suits her. Still this is the most underrated power couple to ever have existed and quite honestly I think only Black Bolt and Medusa rival them in how they are seen. So that we get to see them and feel their connection through Tom’s writing is prefect.
This book was kind of novelty, oh look it’s Mister Miracle let’s check it out. DC really hasn’t promoted it, we wont’ get into that, but this little book that could and it’s the best thing I’m reading or have read, this is bigger and better than Watchmen when it came out to me. So come and see what the fuss is all about if you already haven’t!