Jack Kirby Mr. Miracle: Super Escape Artist

Rating:
Summary: One fourth of Kirby's Fourth World ...
Review: I am waiting for Mark Evanier and the folk's at DC to realize Jack Kirby's Fourth World isn't complete without the DNA Project, Intergang, Dabney Donovan, the Evil Factory and ... well, the list goes on. Give us Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen! Granted, the 1st half of Kirby's run on the title wasn't the flagship for Kirby's Fourth World. The series really took off with the second half during the '25-cent, Bigger&Better' phase. So, come on DC, complete the reprinting of Kirby's Fourth World and introduce readers to some dynamite storytelling, Kirby style!

Rating:
Summary: A True Jack Kirby Epic
Review: It was Kirby, together with Stan Lee, who put a human face on superheroes and superhero fiction in general. Case in point is this fine series that might have been somewhat ahead of it's time with Jack putting a lot of human emotions into the characters. The same with his other NEW GODS work and his Marvel stories. Scott Free and Big Barda make an unuseal couple in this group of stories, yet they love each other, and some say that this relationship was based on the long years of marridge that Kirby had with his wife, Roz.

Rating:
Summary: A True Jack Kirby Epic
Review: It was Kirby, together with Stan Lee, who put a human face on superheroes and superhero fiction in general. Case in point is this fine series that might have been somewhat ahead of it's time with Jack putting a lot of human emotions into the characters. The same with his other NEW GODS work and his Marvel stories. Scott Free and Big Barda make an unuseal couple in this group of stories, yet they love each other, and some say that this relationship was based on the long years of marridge that Kirby had with his wife, Roz.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT SCOTT FOR JACK KIRBY!
Review: Jack Kirby never ceased to amaze me as an artist or as awriter/creator. Mr. Miracle was indeed a very interesting character. Today's Spawn character bears a very strong resemblance to him... Even though the art work is in black and white, it is still very fresh and exciting. The story of a super escape artist was never before tried and it took Jack Kirby to pull it off. This book is a must for fourth world fans ,Kirby Fans, D.C. COMICS fans and grown ups who remember their youth. Mr.Miracle, Big Barda, Granny Goodness, everything Kirby could think of for his fans are in this Book. For the aspiring cartoonist, this book is a great source of inspiration. Do the late "KING KIRBY" a favor and buy yourself this book.The artwork,and the writing are excellent! Jack Kirby's creativity was as amazing as all the superheroes he created. Mr. Miracle was a very entertaining and fun book. END

Rating:
Summary: The best corner of King Kirby's kingdom
Review: Jack Kirby was to comic books what William Shakespeare was to literature...an undisputed Titan! Not only was the quality of his artwork and visual concepts amazing, but the quantity of art he produced in his career was beyond belief (I can't remember the number of pages he drew in his lifetime offhand...but it was truly staggering) So to say that Mister Miracle was his best creation ever (my opinion of course...other Kirby fans have their own favorites)is saying alot.It was a part of a bigger storyline/universe which through the use of several interrelated and separate comic book titles(The New Gods,Forever People,Mister Miracle)a bigger story unfolded...the "Fourth world" saga.Mister Miracle was the most unique of the bunch and told the story of Scott Free...raised in a very Spartan manner to be a soldier on the dehumanizing world of "Apokolips"...but who escapes to the planet Earth.This comic book had characters and ideas that were not only unique to comics but unique to Kirby
and never really surfaced anywhere else in his prolific career. Big Barda is my favorite character in all of comic history.Never was there a female character like her...Big "Zaftig" and beautiful (Wonder woman was supposed to be an Amazon but was a dried up piece of nothing compared to Barda) powerful and liberated but without ever being the "B" word.There is a really Atypical (For Kirby and for the time period) undercurrent of,well, kink to put it bluntly (see the character of "Lashina" for example)which anyone in the know will notice throughout.It lasted longer than the other titles (New Gods and Forever people) but had a dreadfully undeserved short run.When the other titles collapsed the "Fourth world,New Genesis" aspect was dropped and it became a more routine comic book adventure.This book collects the first ten books of the series.A Noble effort on D.C.s part but...the reason I give it four stars is only because of the black and white format...D.C. should have done what marvel did in reprinting Kirby's classics in graphic novel form...print it affordably in B&W but NEVER substitute the color with hideous tones of grey...it really does Kirby's artwork no justice.If you can't afford (or just dont want to mess up) the original 30 year old magazines...pick this gem up!

Rating:
Summary: Kirby's best creation of the 1970s.
Review: Jack Kirby was undoubtedly one of the true geniuses of the comics industry. He created, wrote and drew his own characters. Kirby's major strengths were his ability to create unique, refreshing characters and to visualize any manner of setting or situation. Kirby's writing was weaker and somewhat simplistic when compared to his ability to put down on paper the cosmic images in his mind or in those of another writer. In fact, later writers would write better stories with Kirby's characters, but it took Kirby to create them in the first place. Mister Miracle, the super escape artist, was one of Kirby's best charcters from his amazingly fruitful stint at DC during the early 1970s. Coming from the horrendous world of Apokolips, Scott Free yearned to follow his own path while battling those from his former world who would destroy him or take him back to that hell. Who couldn't identify with that kind of charcter? While the plotting and dialogue are rather simple, the images are as breathtaking now as they were 25 years ago when I first saw them. That abilty to draw unique and awe-inspiring worlds was Kirby's alone. Again, only Kirby could have imagined these scenarios and the fact that his characters couldn't engage in more lively banter pales in comparison to the backdrop. I appreciate the fact that DC is holding down the cost of the book by reprinting the first 11 complete issues of Mister Miracle's book in black and white, but I would have loved to see these in color again. Kirby's artwork is still wonderful, but the color definitely added to it.

Rating:
Summary: Get Scott Free!
Review: Scott Free aka Mr. Miracle is the brain child of comicdoms greatest mind Jack "The King" Kirby! Based on his friend Jim Sternako, an amateur escape artist, Mr. Miracle is a look at a Super escape artist! He's quite different than the normal fist flinging fighters of other comics. Do your self a favor and make Granny Goodness happy and order this book! You wouldn't like to see her upset would you? (gulp!)

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Summary: Mr. Miracle Part One
Review: There are two volumes of reprints for Kirby's Mister Miracle. This is the first volume which dwells more on the New Gods saga.

The second volume in this series (Jack Kirby's Fourth World Featuring Mister Miracle) takes the series in a different direction as Kirby's Fourth World books (Forever People and New Gods) were cancelled. Mister Miracle found himself in more conventional superhero stories that had less and less to do with the Fourth World.

For the cheaper price you pay you get the art in black and white with grey tones added. The results resembles those old Warren Magazines of the 70's and Kirby's own flirtation into magazines (DC's Days of The Mob).

The story follows young Scott Free as he escapes Granny's orphanage on bleak Apokolips and goes to earth. He assumes the identity of Mister Miracle, escape artist and finds a cast of supporting characters. Similarities between this story and David Copperfield by Charles Dickens abound and are even eluded to by Kirby in the most important story in this book "Himon."

"Himon" deals with a man who goes around the planet Apokolips helping people think for themselves and overcome the brainwashing of the dictator Darkseid. This includes young Scott Free and his future wife Barda, Simon gathers a group of young charges aound him and eventually becomes a martyr for his cause (several times!!!).

The other story of note is the reprint of issue #6 which introduces "Funky Flashman" a very thinly veiled Stan Lee. At the time the story was produced Kirby had just parted ways with Marvel and with Stan Lee (his collaborator) and had felt slighted by him both financially and in creative credit. This was his way of getting it out of his system and it is one of the most biting parodies in comics. Even Roy Thomas catches a bit of the flack in this one.

Vince Colletta inks the earlier stories and is slick in his own way but I personally favor Mike Royer who pencils and letters the stories after Vince left as his strong solid lines really compliment Kirby's pencils and over all general dynamic style.

This is Kirby (as the phrase goes) unleashed and in in his prime.

Well worth it for the price.

Rating:
Summary: What can I say?
Review: This is classic Kirby. No one else creates mythology like he does. His New Gods / Fourth World books were some of the best comics ever done -- a nice blending of world mythologies with the American comic-book mythos. Mr. Miracle is his Heracles, Horace, Heru, etc., and is just as entertaining today as it was when it was first written. The black and white art may put off some potential readers, but Kirby's art sans the color really brings out the weight and depth of his lines.

Rating:
Summary: What can I say?
Review: This is classic Kirby. No one else creates mythology like he does. His New Gods / Fourth World books were some of the best comics ever done -- a nice blending of world mythologies with the American comic-book mythos. Mr. Miracle is his Heracles, Horace, Heru, etc., and is just as entertaining today as it was when it was first written. The black and white art may put off some potential readers, but Kirby's art sans the color really brings out the weight and depth of his lines.