Siskoid and Bass’s coverage of DC Comics Presents continues with issue #12 (August 1979) by Steve Englehart, Rich Buckler and Dick Giordano, starring Superman and Mister Miracle! It’s “‘Winner Takes Metropolis”.
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Isn’t it weird that Steve Englehart was once Mr. Miracle’s regular scripter but didn’t do that great of a job with the character here? Of course, the fact that Englehart obviously doesn’t “get” Mr. Miracle’s character might explain why he only lasted a handful of issues on Mr. Miracle’s title.
My first exposure to Mr. Miracle was Brave & the Bold 138. It was an entertaining enough issue for six-year-old me, but looking back, it didn’t really do a good job of introducing Mr. Miracle. Literally, almost any hero could have subbed for him, and the story wouldn’t have had to be changed. Oberon and Barda don’t even appear. Great Jim Aparo artwork, though.
As for Superman in this issue, if he were really this petty and had this much ego…he would probably have wiped out the human race by now.
If you liked Rich Buckler’s art on Carolyn….check out the Wonder Woman: Secret of the Magic Tiara book & record set, with Buckler art. I think Wonder Woman’s sales would have improved greatly if Buckler had been Wonder Woman’s regular artist for an extended period of time.
You’re right, he HAD written the book, I missed that. I’m not quite clear on the post-Kirby revivals and when they actually happened.
Try the Steve Gerber issues for that run, heck, buy the collection of the revival from a few years back, this issue is in there too.
Not a great comic, is it? Well, the Buckler art is nice, but Englehart really was just writing for a paycheque, but not earning it. Still, at least he didn’t put substitute Mantis Willow in there.
Yes, that Secret of the Magic Tiara book was definitely…titilating. If Buckler had replaced artists like Jose Delbo and Don Heck, Diana may have survived the Post-Crisis era with no need for a hard reboot (not that I would ever NOT want Perez to take over!)!
My introduction to Mister MIracle was the Englehart/Rogers reboot. The full page ad grabbed me as a kid. And I truly love that series, owning the issues, having them signed by Englehart at cons, and even buying the hardcover. Those are worth reading if you can find them!
So seeing how he writes him here (which I bought off the spinner rack) makes no sense. Maybe DC told him ‘make it easy for the kids Steve’?
I don’t think I am as enamored of the Mentropy machine. Superman will ‘forget how to live’ and so will die? Makes no sense. I suppose I shouldn’t think too hard.
But I do love the ‘off the record’ panels because Superman finally admits it when he sees some rather comely lasses wearing Mr. Miracle gear. That doesn’t feel like Superman but I chuckled.
Can’t wait to hear what you think of the Legion issue Siskoid!
I started with MM in the first issue of Kirby’s run. The relaunches haven’t really done much for me after that.
Inclined to agree about him (and his supporting cast – Big Barda and Oberon are cool in their own right) being the most promising thing to come out of the Fourth World books, that overhyped blockhead Darkseid notwithstanding. Unless you’re including Kirby’s Jimmy Olsen run in Fourth World like the omnibus does, in which case Scott’s down to second place. I like Kirby’s extra-ridiculous Jimmy much better than his usual version.
This was like those Superman/ Booster Gold team ups years later but Superman didn’t quite seem as jealous and Judgmental in those. Mister Miracle just seemed desperate to prove himself here. possibly because Oberon wasn’t in it much or Maybe Englehart was on a bad deadline. At the very least I’m Surprised they didn’t bring Carolyn back in a later issue.
Here’s my team up
In the Teenage mutant ninja turtles universe there
Is character called Kirby (tribute character to Jack the king Kirby he shows up in Donatello’s one shot and the 2003 turtles cartoon ) he has the Kirby stone a power artifact that when tided to pencil it can bring objects to life it’s stronger when tied to pen . What if Kirby from TMNT went on adventure with Mr miracle and his team because the Kirby stone was new gods tech . And dark side wants so can a bunch of rag tag team save the day
Well, that was an ok team up between Mr Miracle and a Superman robot. No, really, it’s the only explanation that makes sense. The robots were still around at this point, and they were always touchy. So Superman is off earth during this story, probably hitting night clubs with his buddy Vartox, and left a robot to fill in. It explains the insecurity, competitiveness with Scott, and using his powers badly.
Then there’s Miracle, and I don’t think this is normal, but the narration and thought balloons were overly focused on his godly heritage. That just doesn’t read like Mr Miracle. Just as he escaped Apokolips. Scott also avoids being trapped by New Genesis expecting him to be the next Highfather. He wants his own life, not some destiny. Just a very strange take on him.
Now I had a joke team up suggestion of the Vision because they have matching color schemes and big capes. But they’re both on paths to discover who they want to be while saddled with powerful baggage. I’m suddenly imagining Vermin Vundabar’s tech being compromised by Utron, and it takes these 2 heroes to stop it. Interesting.
Well, this issue had issues, but your discussion was a delight as always!
Agree with Tim’s last line. Also, I still remember that terrific art — no gallery page nor short box digging required.
Late to the party but had to comment on the brief discussion of the Mister Miracle Super Powers figure. I was flummoxed by his barrel-chested design too, but I think it was to accomodate the mechanism of his “Power Action Feature” wich required additional articulation in the shoulders for his arms to pop-out sideways and “escape” the manacles included with him. Still clunky by Kenner’s standards, though.
This book sounds nuts, and as Martin said above it sounds like Engelhart took a quick paycheck here. He wrote some brilliant stuff (his Batman run, of course) but wasn’t above dashing out a quicky, and I think this must be one of those.