Newer Gods 10. To escape once more!
Newer Gods is a monthly feature where I take a look back at the history of DC Comics’ New Gods from the era after original creator Jack Kirby. It’s a study of creators as they take a look back at work of the King of Comics and re-create it.
Unlike on Return of the New Gods, Rogers provided his own cover. Sadly, his
first is also by far his worst work on the book.
Mister Miracle 19
After years without his own title, Mister Miracle returns to his own title with issue 19 by the super-star creative team of Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers. The team is legendary these days for their year-long run of Detective Comics that helped redefine the character (and gave us Silver St. Cloud, "The Laughing Fish" and the modern Deadshot.) That run was actually going concurrently to these issues. In fact, their second issue of Detective together came out the same month as this issue. They've got several issues of that series ahead of them. Not so much for this one.
The book opens with a stupendous splash page that quickly covers the nitty-gritty on the inner workings of Mister Miracle. It's a handy introduction to a character that's only had three appearances in the past three and a half years.
This is the kind of character work Englehart excels at, and Rogers kills it on the art side.
The story opens with Scott Free back on New Genesis with his bride Big Barda. Rogers draws Barda a bit more slight than she'd been before and certainly would become after this book. They allude to the events of Return of the New Gods, as both feel like they should be in battle as well. But Highfather arrives and lays out Scott's back story. Highfather admits his fault in the awfulness of Scott's upbringing. He vows to keep them free of the battle for the first time in their lives and that they should enjoy their honeymoon on New Genesis.
Do those kinds of statements ever go well in comics?
Just as Scott and Barda agree and kiss, a boom tube opens right in front of them! But Apokolips hasn't sent one threat. They've sent four: Granny Goodness, Vermin Vundabar, Kanto and Dr. Bedlam! Neither of the happy couple will back down from a fight! They attack the Apokoliptans with all their force. Barda lays out Granny, but Dr. Bedlam and Kanto work together to capture her. Scott fights to free her, but before he can the villains summon another boom tube. They disappear with Barda in their hands!
Highfather warns his son that the heroes of New Genesis are on Earth. Even the Female Furies are away and busy. (At this time, they still hadn't returned to Apokolips and Darkseid.) The only person that can stop the villains and free Barda is Scott himself. Scott accepts this truth, saying, "I understand, Highfather! I have faced these four before! I can face them again! And I'll do it - the same way!"
We switch to Earth where Oberon opens the door... and sees the return of Mister Miracle! Scott followed Granny's trail back to Earth and joins his new friend (and even gives a brief mention of Scott's last Brave & The Bold appearance.) Oberon joins him as they fly off to find Granny and Barda. They trace her to a Utah mine, but before they can enter, a warning from Granny blares out to them! If he enters the mine with his Mother Box, they will kill Barda immediately. Mister Miracle knows he has no choice. He pulls the Mother Box out of his costume. He keeps a few of his trick gadgets though, ready to escape any trap Granny might have for him.
He quickly finds Kanto, Vermin and Granny, but Barda isn't here! Instead Granny shows him footage of a sedated Barda in a machine to return obedience to the former Fury. Kanto and Vermin move to secure Mister Miracle. They chain and bind Scott, then drop him into a tank to drown.
The villains have thought him too overdependent on Mother Box for his escapes. But as they leave, he removes the high-tech lock pick from his mouth. He uses the device to slice right through his bindings and then cut his way free of the tank!
Mister Miracle is far craftier than the villains clearly think.
The villains are shocked to see he's escaped again, but they are already fleeing with Barda in tow. he tries to slow them with the dynotherm bomb he smuggled in, but it fails as the villains boom away again. But earlier Vermin had let slip a comment about "looking down on you," one that helps Mister Miracle deduce the location of the villain's base. His next destination will be... the moon!
We are promised an "Eclipse" with the next issue as this one closes.
This tale isn't as strong of work as what the team brought to Detective Comics. Yet their talents shine through even in a somewhat clunky tale. Much like Newton on Return of the New Gods, Rogers lets loose here with some amazing work that really shows off his skills. Englehart clearly knows these characters, even if it feels like he's throwing out too many too fast.
We will learn the fate of Barda and experience in a few short weeks as we start the bounce from the two New Gods comics running concurrently! There's a lot ahead so stay tuned for our next installment next month!
