AUTHOR: TOM KING | ARTIST: MITCH GERADS | PUBLISHER: DC | FORMAT: TRADE PAPERBACK | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

After many years of taking a lesser role in the DC universe, Jack Kirby’s Mister Miracle is centre-stage once again in this startling reimagining courtesy of Tom King and Mitch Gerads. Those unfamiliar with the wacky lore of Kirby’s Fourth World saga shouldn’t be put off, as the ongoing war between Apokolips and New Genesis is secondary to a story about psychological trauma and its effect on a marriage.

It’s quite clear from the outset that this series is unconcerned with acting in the confines of traditional superheroics, with the only splash page being a graphic depiction of a suicide attempt at the start of the book. In the hands of a less capable creative team, this could have appeared as tasteless shock value, but King and Gerads succeed in justifying the decision by delivering a gripping narrative that explores difficult topics in a sensitive and sophisticated way.

Having been raised under the oppressive thumb of Darkseid and his sadistic henchwoman Granny Goodness, both Mister Miracle and his wife Big Barda have a troubling amount of baggage. First and foremost, this book is a fascinating exploration of their love which endures in the face of such hardship, along with the added pressure of a devastating war and a baby on the way. These two stressors are often contrasted against each other to great comedic effect, such as one chapter which sees the pair work their way past ludicrously elaborate traps as they argue about how to renovate their apartment.

The book never loses sight of this zany sense of humour, despite dealing with some very weighty themes. The script by King is certainly one part of maintaining that balancing act, but the art and colours by Gerads is also vitally important. His illustrations demonstrate great versatility, delivering big on affecting sincerity in the dramatic scenes, while also providing some charming physical comedy in the lighter moments. Admittedly, his action sequences don’t flow particularly well, and some of the landscape shots are difficult to interpret due to the book’s rigid nine-panel page structure, but these are minor issues with some generally stellar work.

It isn’t hard to see why Mister Miracle has garnered so much attention from fans and critics alike. The collected series forms a compelling character study with its razor-sharp script and distinct visual style. Tom King and Mitch Gerads plucked a couple of outlandish characters from relative obscurity and successfully transformed them into two of the most endearing in DC’s roster.