Only Scott Free could go to Apokolips…

After war comes peace. The bloody battles that waged across New Genesis and Apokolips have come to an end, and now Mister Miracle and Kalibak must sit down and discuss a truce. Can Scott Free trust the former minions of Darkseid to keep their word? Not likely, but a leader sometimes has to take a risk in service to the greater good. Perhaps the more pressing question, though, is whether Big Barda can make it through the negotiations without beating the life out of the assassin Kanto.

There’s so many instances of comics having weird timing with real world events despite their lead time in creation. We’ve seen comics timed with the mortgage crisis, Cambridge Analytica, and now a negotiation with a brutal dictator.

Written by Tom King, Mister Miracle #9 focuses on the negotiations towards peace for the forces of New Genesis and Apokolips. On one end is Scott Free and the other Kalibak negotiating.

This is the Michael Mann of comics with a focus on discussion and characters instead of a action. Every word used, every situation, every movement of a character goes deep into the situation. Every detail matters. And it’s one to read through a ponder.

It’s also odd to read as President Trump meets with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, who, much like Darkseid, is a brutal leader who enslaves his people, warmongers, and has the deaths of unknown amounts on his hands. The criticism of legitimizing such a leader echoes here for the better.

Artist Mitch Gerads continues his amazing work and Gerads and King are a writer/artist combo that I hope continue for years to come. The movement of the characters, the look of an eye, the position of where they are, the framing of a scene, all enhance the storytelling and can tell the story without lettering. The use of reds throughout the comic emphasizes the blood that has been spilled up to this point.

Clayton Cowles‘ lettering is key too giving the delivery a live action performance brings to such a story. The emphasis of words, the layout of speech bubbles, every detail here too adds to the story.

While the end is a bit predictable the overall read is amazing and is a comic that blends entertainment, socio-political themes, a reflection on real world events, and drama, with a dash of philosophy. It’s an amazing issue for an already amazing series.

Story: Tom King Art: Mitch Gerads Lettering: Clayton Cowles
Story: 9.75 Art: 10 Overall: 9.75 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review