Miracleman - Marvel hardcovers by The Original Writer

Radbacker · 23 May, 2016, 10:10:54 AM

WOW, never read these in original form but have heard a lot about it around here and various other places and am a big The Original Writer fan so while down in Perth this week end saw these three Hardcovers on the shelves and thought I'd give em a whirl. Expensive but absolutely lovely packages I'm generally not a fan of Hardcover GN's but it just seems to suit this epic story I doubt floppies would've been able to contain the epicness on display.
Over 300 or so pages Moore crafts possibly the best Super hero tale I've ever read (I think this is better than Watchmen), so much story and detail packed into so few pages if one of the modern big hitters was writing this we'd be getting at least 1000+ pages to get the same story across and it'd still only have half the impact.
I love how it starts out all goofy and 50's and just goes full boar down the rabbit hole ending with probably the most horrible brutal superhero showdown ever put on paper. I know he's played the trick several times since but the all you remember is a lie aspect of the story is brilliantly revealed without even betraying the original silly 4 colour the original title was, all those old stories are still there just not quite how you remember. Holy shit is Kid Miracleman one of the most f^&ked up villains ever. The art is brilliant all through (this is the coloured stuff but it has a lot of the original B&W art at the back which looks tasty too and definitely hasn't been ruined by colouring it) and some of those parts after bad Johnny gets out again are some of the most horrifying things I've ever seen, this is how helpless we'd be if beings of this power got loose in our world, I've always wondered why peoples heads and bodies don't explode when superman gives em a punch a being of such immense power even slightly angry would just pulverise any normal flesh bag human, Batman V Superman looking at this there is no fight. This is violent stuff but unlike any most other super hero stuff this violence has extreme consequences. KM's end is also brilliant and when the kid starts blubbing after bad Johnny got out again and MM is all Good kid Johnny good kid sklutch OMG near tears in my eye's.
I started to get a bit confused as the QYs and Warpsmith stuff started to get introduced but it all makes sense in the end and the confusion seems purposeful to the story telling, MM doesn't know WTF is going on why should we.
Seems to wrap up completely in the Olympus arc and what a wrap up, there he is changed the world completely new gods arisen and everyone with the chance to be a god, Utopia arisen but still leaves you feeling what you just witnessed was wrong, we have this Utopia enjoy it if you don't like it too bad there is no other choice. And is that the point there is NO OTHER CHOICE!! no choice at all for anyone just what the Supermen decided for us all, god my brain is fried from this I still cant decide if what he did was right or wrong is MM a saviour or just the most successful dictator ever to live?

So as that completely blew my mind is the follow up Gaiman stuff worth a read and add anything useful to the story or best to leave it where it is?

CU Radbacker

Theblazeuk · 23 May, 2016, 11:20:22 AM

The Gaiman stuff is really good too, not so narrative-driven as exploring the different stories and facets of the post-superhuman world. Unfortunately it gets canned and locked in the legal quagmire of the last few decades just as the 'storyline' gets going again.

IndigoPrime · 23 May, 2016, 11:20:38 AM

QuoteI'm generally not a fan of Hardcover GN's

I've changed my tune on that after all my trades have started to go a bit bendy in the shelves. HB FTW...

As for MM, very tempted...

Rately · 23 May, 2016, 11:53:17 AM

Quote from: IndigoPrime on 23 May, 2016, 11:20:38 AM
QuoteI'm generally not a fan of Hardcover GN's
I've changed my tune on that after all my trades have started to go a bit bendy in the shelves. HB FTW...

As for MM, very tempted...

Tempted myself.

Never read the Miracleman books, so sorely tempted to add these to my list of future purchases. Big decision being whether i get them in HB, or go digital.

Has Gaiman concluded his Miracleman story, or has there been a delay?

Link Prime · 23 May, 2016, 12:00:08 PM

Quote from: Rately on 23 May, 2016, 11:53:17 AM

Has Gaiman concluded his Miracleman story, or has there been a delay?

A delay unfortunately.
They've printed all 6 issues of 'The Golden Age' so far, and were due to start (reprint and new issues of) Gaiman's 'The Silver Age' a few months ago.
It's been indefinitely delayed, I've yet to hear of a a rescheduled solicitation.

I impetuously bought this series as single issues and of course regret that decision- should've waited for the hardbacks.
It was quite expensive too- €5 an issue. Don't think I'll be double dipping.

Rately · 23 May, 2016, 12:27:38 PM

Quote from: Link Prime on 23 May, 2016, 12:00:08 PM
Quote from: Rately on 23 May, 2016, 11:53:17 AM

Has Gaiman concluded his Miracleman story, or has there been a delay?

A delay unfortunately.
They've printed all 6 issues of 'The Golden Age' so far, and were due to start (reprint and new issues of) Gaiman's 'The Silver Age' a few months ago.
It's been indefinitely delayed, I've yet to hear of a a rescheduled solicitation.

I impetuously bought this series as single issues and of course regret that decision- should've waited for the hardbacks.
It was quite expensive too- €5 an issue. Don't think I'll be double dipping.

Thanks for the response.

Right, i'll definitely get caught up on this before the conclusion.

Colin YNWA · 23 May, 2016, 07:34:15 PM

I've read Miracle/Marvelman ages ago. Back in the day I absolutely adored it. But my memories of it haven't aged well and the last time I read the issues I had (about 14 years ago now!) it didn't quite hold up to my original impression, which isn't to say it wasn't good, just not great. I'm keen to read it but I'm not 100% it will hold up the way I remember it doing on first read. To be fair in large due to the many stories that have come since influenced by it.

I'd love to know for sure how it stands up but having waited 20+ years since reading it all I figure I can be patient and wait for Marvel to put it out at a reasonable price... I'm sure they will one day.

Oh yeah and again not having read it for those 14 years the Gaiman stuff was bloody good too. As I recall.

radiator · 23 May, 2016, 07:45:24 PM

I read the first two trades a year or so ago (never got round to the third, despite owning it...!), and though I liked it, I wasn't blown away. It certainly feels to me like a rough draft for what Moore would go on to do (imo, far more successfully) with later works like Watchmen and Swamp Thing, and the choppy nature of the narrative (due, I understand, to the spotty publication history, changing formats etc) doesn't help it.

It's hard to put my finger on, but I think my main takeaway was that it feels incredibly small scale and confined compared to Watchmen, which comparatively feels like it takes place in a living, breathing world, where there is loads of stuff going on out of frame.

Hawkmumbler · 23 May, 2016, 08:29:39 PM

I seriously need to get around to buying myself those Miracleman HC's, an apparent classic i'm not well aquainted with.

Tell me, is the notorious 'birth issue' present in all it's unsettling glory?

Fungus · 24 May, 2016, 02:38:20 AM

I can believe it's preferred to Watchmen in some quarters. Seriously clever and hard-hitting comics. Picking Moore's "best" often in futility, so much to enjoy.

Have the Gaiman issues and found them tough going. He was obviously going for something different, it just didn't click for me and seemed a bit unnecessary.

Link Prime · 24 May, 2016, 09:51:18 AM

Quote from: Hawkmumbler on 23 May, 2016, 08:29:39 PM

Tell me, is the notorious 'birth issue' present in all it's unsettling glory?

I think that was the first issue that Marvel 'polybagged' (in case some poor unsuspecting soul flipped through it in their local comic shop).
Not really unsettling at all of course, but I'm no Maude Flanders.

Surprised to hear you didn't like the Gaiman issues Fungus- I found the first 5 'Golden Age' stories excellent (in particular the Gargunza / Warhol story), just didn't really care for the last chapter.
'Retrieval' was also nicely executed, I enjoyed reading Gaiman's script for this.

I'm looking forward to reading 'The Silver Age' & 'The Dark Age' at some point in the (probably distant) future.

Dandontdare · 24 May, 2016, 06:18:43 PM

I'd love to get these, it's about 25 years since I read a friends copies, but they're not cheap are they?

IndigoPrime · 24 May, 2016, 08:04:34 PM

Looks like you can get the complete Moore run from Wordery for a smidgeon under 42 quid at the mo'. In three hardbacks. Tempting...

matty_ae · 24 May, 2016, 08:16:19 PM

Sorry but I think Neil Gaimam's follow up was a very mixed bag.
It felt very much like treading water and diluting what had gone before.

The spy story and Warhol story were notable high points but I hope the silver age redeems it.

maryanddavid · 25 May, 2016, 12:30:24 AM

QuoteI think that was the first issue that Marvel 'polybagged' (in case some poor unsuspecting soul flipped through it in their local comic shop).
Not really unsettling at all of course, but I'm no Maude Flanders.

Surprised to hear you didn't like the Gaiman issues Fungus- I found the first 5 'Golden Age' stories excellent (in particular the Gargunza / Warhol story), just didn't really care for the last chapter.
'Retrieval' was also nicely executed, I enjoyed reading Gaiman's script for this.

I'm looking forward to reading 'The Silver Age' & 'The Dark Age' at some point in the (probably distant) future.

Yeah the birth issue was a bit strange, but hardly shocking. Was it sold at the time with and advisory? I have the issue somewhere, but I am a bit lazy.

Ill have to say I'm another fan of the Gaiman issues, it felt like a natural progression from a liberator of sorts to god. I look forward to the finish when it happens.