What will Scott Free do on his last day alive?
Jack Kirby had a well-known saying, "Comics will break your heart." Kirby was referring mainly to the way giant publishers shew up and spit out creators without bothering to fairly compensate them for their efforts, but Tom King and Mitch Gerads include that line in Mister Miracle #5 as a way of acknowledging the melancholic quality of Scott Free's existence and the endless, destructive wars plaguing the New Gods. It's a reminder that this series is very true to the spirit of Kirby's work, even if it doesn't always attempt to replicate the look and feel of the classic Fourth World material.
Mister Miracle #5 continues the series' trend of blending the cosmic spectacle and grandeur of the New Gods with a very grounded, ordinary look at Scott Free and Barda's life on Earth. This issue could easily ditch its minimal superhero trappings and still function as a perfectly engaging look at a couple enjoying their last day together. King's script is a very sweet look at one of the most enduring romances in the DCU (it survived event the wrath of the New 52, after all). But it's also haunting and emotionally charged. How could it not be when the whole premise of this issue is that Scott is savoring every moment he can on the final day before his execution?
This issue winds up tapping into many of the same qualities as King and Gerads' stellar Batman #14 from earlier this year. Like Batman and Catwoman, there's a strong sense of intimacy to this relationship, and also a quiet desperation as both come to terms with the circumstances preventing them from being together. rarely have these gods felt so human and vulnerable. And that human quality only serves to make the handful of larger-than-life elements stand out all the more.
Gerads never fails to impress with his one man army approach to this series. His methodically constructed pages keep the story flowing at just the right, steady pace. His use of color never fails to set the right mood. The various distortion effects serve as a subtle reminder that we should always be questioning the veracity of this story and how much (if any) is truly unfolding in the real world.
Visually, this issue stands out from its predecessors because of the sexually charged nature of the art. Gerads renders multiple scenes of passionate lovemaking between Scott and Barda, coupled with a heavy BDSM element that's only fitting for a character who claims to be able to escape any trap. These scenes do more even that King's nuanced dialogue to convey the burning love between the two characters and their defiant loyalty to one another.
The Verdict
It's fitting that the only series that can rival Batman as DC's best current book is another Tom King-penned epic. Mister Miracle delivers its finest issue yet thanks to this emotionally charged, intimate look at the romance between Scott Free and Barda. It's got humor and sex appeal, but it truly succeeds when it comes to highlighting the enduring appeal of this pairing and their ability to survive the worst the Fourth World can throw at them.
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