As Mister Miracle reflects on an ol Christmas story that Granny Goodness used to tell, he is visited by Forager, who tells of the horrors that have occurred to his people and New Genesis during the war against Apokolips under Orion’s command.
What is happening to Scott Free? Will he recover from the hallucinations that he was infected with? What does Orion have planned for New Genesis?
It’s interesting, that despite how people feel about Tom King’s stuff on Batman, he displays a more bigger interest in characters and other works that really let his writing shine. Marvel’s Vision series was an example of that and this specific series is showcasing the same level of excitement that King provides when writing about characters that really catch his eye. His handle on Scott Free AKA Mister Miracle and Big Barda’s relationship is loveable, hilarious, admirable and adorable. They have a tight-knit bond and a great understanding of each other. It’s enough to make Jack Kirby proud. His handle on Orion and his presence make him as intimidating as he is godly. What’s even greater is the looming mystery that is happening with New Genesis and their war against Apokolips. What is Darkseid’s hand in all of this amongst all the “ Darkseid Is” stuff? King has managed to carve out an entertaining mystery.
In terms of the art, Mitch Gerald’s is amazing. There were issues that Mitch Gerald’s had illustrated during his time on Batman such as the “Rooftops” two-parter, and the Swamp Thing team up issue, which showcased Gerald’s mastery as a panel layout, draftsman, inker, colorist, and illustrator. His panel work is fantastic if one was to do a stop-motion, taking frames of each panel that showcases moment drawn, Gerald’s artwork would become a perfect stop-motion animation gif that would flow with movement and life. I don’t think there has ever been a strikingly powerful and intimidating, visual Interpretation of Orion that has been drawn fantastically than what Gerald’s has accomplished this far. His Orion is like a combination of Batman and Judge Dredd, giving off an intimidatingly powerful and scary presence that makes him an even more, believable force to be reckoned with. What I love most is his use of a 9-panel grid page. He manages to make the most out of every scene in a Dave Gibbons, Watchmen esque kind of flair, that really keeps the visual narrative tight-knit, making the reader constantly follow the story with focus throughout the issue. Clayton Cowels lettering is also perfect creating an interesting layer of distinctive voices amongst all of the beautiful art and story.
This is a great book with a strong artist and writer team. This is Tom King at his best, and it’s worth reading.
Newsdesk