And Then I Read: MISTER MIRACLE #9

Image © DC Entertainment. Written by Tom King, art and colors by Mitch Gerads, letters by Clayton Cowles.

This is a mighty eccentric and surreal book. It starts with the Jack Kirby creations of Scott Free (Mister Miracle) and his wife Big Barda, as well as the New Gods and their twisted counterparts, minions of Darkseid. Then it’s filtered through the possible madness of the title character (what is real, what is only in his head?). The reading experience suggests to me things like the novel “Catch 22” by Joseph Heller, the work of Franz Kafka, and the surreal humor of Monty Python and the Firesign Theatre.

We seem to be in negotiations over the end of the current war between New Genesis and Apokolips. At the negotiating table on Apokolips are Scott and Barda and Lightray. Across from them are Kalibak, Kanto and others of Darkseid’s elite. The negotiations are bizarre, and interrupted by side trips like a swim in the Apokolips firelakes. I don’t know what to make of it, but it has such unexpected and sometimes funny moments that I can’t help wanting to read more. Looks like Darkseid shows up in the next issue. That should be interesting.

Recommended.