It’s time for the first New God to be born on earth. Will Scott and Barda’s baby join the world peacefully? Or will the furies take the party to a whole other level? Find out in Mister Miracle!
Mister Miracle #7
Author: Tom King
Artist: Mitch Gerads
Colors: Mitch Gerads
Letters: Clayton Cowles
Publisher: DC Comics
!!!Spoiler Warning!!!
What You Need to Know:
The events of Mister Miracle have taken Scott Free through a rollercoaster of emotional trauma and triumph as the seventh issue roles in to bring us more of the whole-heartedness that every few issues let pour out. Scott and Barda have just fought their way through Apokolips and at the end of the hordes of enemies Scott found the newly appointed Highfather, Orion, murdered by the hands of Darkseid. Now Scott must take Orion’s place and put a stop to the war that has only cost lives. During the operation on Apokolips Barda admitted to Scott that she was pregnant and that the couple would soon be parents!
What You’ll Find Out:
Tom King and Mitch Gerads keep up the good work with an emotional issue that gives the full event of the New Gods birth. The issue opens with Scott and Barda arguing with a hospital valet, trying to find a place to park the car while Barda is in labor. Freaking out, Scott rushes her in and gives the hospital her legal name (Big Barda is her legal name for anyone curious.)
After being admitted the couple sit and talk like any normal married couple should before The Furies of Apokolips decides to make a visit via Boom Tube. Scott goes to have a peaceful conversation before realizing there isn’t such a thing with these women. The Furies and Scott share some pretty comical dialogue before Scott goes back in the Room with Barda.
At one point the pregnancy has a complication where the heart monitor stops. The nurses have to turn Barda to get the baby breathing again, but Mitch draws this scene to show the emotion in everyone’s face and you could just feel the intensity within the world in the pages and it was very well done.
After a while Scott goes to talk to the Furies again when one of them hands him the Fahren-Knife, a knife forged from Darkseid’s own flesh, the Fury tells Scott this is the only thing that will cut Barda when the time comes. She also explains that after they all meet back up in the heat of battle, that it is the same knife she will kill the new Highfather with. Scott takes this with a grain of salt as he has more important things to worry about.
The couple keeps going back and forth with New God names for their newborn while every time Scott mentions one Barda just denies it like any good Mom does to silly names.
Before the baby comes, Barda tells Scott she thinks of Jacobs ladder to stay calm. Jacobs ladder was the only way out of the X-pit where Granny Goodness kept all her young children. Barda talked about all the times she watched as Scott attempted to escape via the ladder, and how handsome she thought he was as he failed and was dragged off by the Furies. Then, finally, the baby is born, but not without Scott feeling some kind of anxiety about it. All parents might get cold feet right around this time, but Scott snaps out of it and realizes the umbilical cord is wrapped around the baby’s neck. The nurses aren’t making any progress so enter Mister Miracle to save the day with the Fahren-Knife as he cuts the cord and lets his baby free.
After all is said and done, Scott thanks the Furies. Finally, the couple looks upon their newborn child. Barda decides to name him Jacob before she tells Scott that “he is their little miracle” when Scott replies to her jokingly that he looks like a lump. Calling back to a death trap created by Granny Goodness that originated in Jack Kirby’s original Mister Miracle run, the final page closes with excerpts from the same Jack Kirby issue explaining that now Scott must escape The Lump! Which may be something that makes more sense later or just a fun callback to the original stories.
What Just Happened?
Tom King and Mitch Gerads bring the same emotional display seen in issue #5 with an issue that focuses mostly on Scott and Barda as a couple. The dialogue between the two New Gods was so natural and well written that once again you forget that these are fantasy beings made up for comic books. This issue does everything to convince you that this is a real-life couple that is going through labor together, from Bardas attitude to Scott freaking out at, well everything, it makes you fall in love with these characters as if you weren’t already. Tom’s writing makes everything seem so realistic. Everything is so down to earth, even when the most fantasy characters, the furies come along they act like normal people when in the hospital, weird people, but people nonetheless.
Mitch Gerads’ art goes right along with the realism. One of the best examples of attention to detail in the art of this series is Scott’s beard, every issue the beard gets a little longer, as though Scott hasn’t shaved. The different superhero tee’s Scott is seen in in every issue is also another fun touch that makes the character relatable. Even Barda reminds me so much of any young rebellious woman that it’s hard to cope with the fact that she isn’t real. Every person needs a Big Barda in their life.
Rating: 10/10.
Final Thoughts: Tom King and Mitch Gerads knock it out of the park once again with “Mister Miracle” #7. Everything about this issue from the writing, art, and even the lettering placement thanks to Clayton Cowles makes this series so raw and one of the best reports of character development I have ever read. No other creative team could have taken Jack Kirby’s Fourth World and made such a fulfilling, and relatable story out of its roster of characters. I recommend Mister Miracle to anyone that is a fan of the Fourth World, Mister Miracle or Big Barda, and anyone that just wants to read a raw story about a couple trying to stick together while dealing with their past coming back to haunt them.
Follow us on Twitter and Like us on Facebook!
Love DC Comics? follow me @Austin_Braun on Twitter for other DC Comic reviews!
Join our Age of Social Media Network consisting of X-Men, Marvel, DC, Superhero and Action Movies, Anime, Indie Comics, and numerous fan pages. Interested in becoming a member? Join us by clicking here and pick your favorite group!
