Miracleman #0 is a one-shot published by Marvel Comics. It celebrates 40 years of the titular hero’s “Modern Age,” with a collection of creators offering their own take on Miracleman. These stories range from classic superhero tales to modern, harder-edged fiction and everything in between. But at their core, they share one simple truth: they’re about the power of stories and how those stories shape the people who read them.
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There are eight stories in total. The framing story, “Apocrypha,” is written by Neil Gaiman with illustrations by Mark Buckingham, colors by Jordie Bellaire, and lettering by Todd Klein. “Blood on the Snow” is written and illustrated by Ryan Stegman with JP Mayer on inks & colors by Sonia Oback. “Miracleman: The Animated Series” and “Miracle Funnies” are illustrated by Ty Templeton.
“Kimota’s Miracle” is written and illustrated by Peach Momoko, with Zack Davisson co-scripting and VC’s Ariana Maher lettering. “Whisper In The Dark” is written by Mike Carey, illustrated by Paul Davidson, and colored by Antonio Fabela. Finally, “The Man Whose Dreams Were Miracles” is written by Jason Aaron, illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu, and colored by Sunny Gho. The majority of the lettering is handled by VC’s Joe Caramagna.
Miracleman rose to prominence thanks to the work of Gaiman and Buckingham, so it’s only fitting that the duo returns for a story in this issue. Gaiman, as always, wraps his musings about the transcendent power of comics in a poetic script. And Buckingham’s artwork is a thing of beauty. Miracleman looks like a benevolent yet bemused protector as he hovers over the books in his library. Bellaire delivers a soft array of colors that would feel right at home in the Golden Age of comics, including Miracleman’s trademark red and blue costume.
The rest of the issue features a different mix of genres and tones, all with Miracleman as the focus. “Kimota’s Miracle” is a cosmic horror odyssey, as Momoko delivers some trippy and downright disturbing imagery when a man utters Miracleman’s code word of Kimota. “Blood on the Snow” finds Stegman bringing the same 90’s-era aesthetic that he did to Vanish and Venom, with a future Miracleman fighting through an atomic winter. And Templeton’s “ad” for Miracleman: The Animated Series imagines a world where Bruce Timm brought his animated talents to Marvel instead of DC.
But my favorite story has to be “The Man Whose Dreams Were Miracles.” Aaron and Yu deliver a story that addresses the most important part of any comic book character: their creator. The creator is responsible for the adventures a character goes through, and even if they pass on, their impact will continue to be felt. The last sentence of the story hits with the force of a truck as Miracleman declares, “I’ll write myself a better life.” If that isn’t inspiring, I don’t know what is.
Miracleman #0 serves as both a tribute to the power of storytelling and a perfect introduction to the legendary hero. If you love Gaiman’s work on stories like The Sandman, pick it up. If you want to step outside the box for your next comic reading experience, pick it up. If you want to know why Miracleman has endured for all these years, pick it up.
Miracleman #0 is available wherever comics are sold.
Miracleman #0
TL;DR
Miracleman #0 serves as both a tribute to the power of storytelling and a perfect introduction to the legendary hero. If you love Gaiman’s work on stories like The Sandman, pick it up. If you want to step outside the box for your next comic reading experience, pick it up. If you want to know why Miracleman has endured for all these years, pick it up.
