It was new comic book day yesterday! What’d everyone get? What’d you like? What did you dislike? Sound off in the comments below. While you think about that, here’s some comic news and reviews from around the web.
Miracleman by Gaiman and Buckingham: The Silver Age #3
(W) Neil Gaiman (A) Mark Buckingham (CA) Mark Buckingham (VCA) David Aja, Skottie Young Mature In Shops: Dec 28, 2022 SRP: $4.99
Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham present the first ALL-NEW chapter in “The Silver Age!” High atop the Himalayas, Dicky Dauntless searches to find his place in the Age of Miracles. He’ll make new friends and encounter a frightening, familiar face – Johnny Bates! It’s Young Miracleman and Kid Miracleman – face-to-face!
(W) Neil Gaiman (A/CA) Mark Buckingham RATED T+ In Shops: Nov 23, 2022 SRP: $4.99
• Gaiman and Buckingham’s epic has returned and you won’t believe where the story goes. • Miracleman has his old friend back, but Young Miracleman has never felt more alone. • Where can a hero from a simpler time call home in this brave new world? • Remastered from MIRACLEMAN (1985) #24 with stunning new artwork by Mark Buckingham!
(W) Neil Gaiman (A/CA) Mark Buckingham RATED T+ In Shops: Nov 23, 2022 SRP: $4.99
• Gaiman and Buckingham’s epic has returned and you won’t believe where the story goes. • Miracleman has his old friend back, but Young Miracleman has never felt more alone. • Where can a hero from a simpler time call home in this brave new world? • Remastered from MIRACLEMAN (1985) #24 with stunning new artwork by Mark Buckingham!
(W) Neil Gaiman (A/CA) Mark Buckingham RATED T+ In Shops: Nov 23, 2022 SRP: $4.99
• Gaiman and Buckingham’s epic has returned and you won’t believe where the story goes. • Miracleman has his old friend back, but Young Miracleman has never felt more alone. • Where can a hero from a simpler time call home in this brave new world? • Remastered from MIRACLEMAN (1985) #24 with stunning new artwork by Mark Buckingham!
The wait is over! Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham present the story comic fans have waited decades for: the first ALL-NEW chapter of Miracleman: The Silver Age! Young Miracleman is back from the dead and adapting to a strange new world, and this poignant and relevant super hero epic represents the next chapter in Miracleman’s monumental legacy.
Forty years ago, Miracleman reinvented the super hero genre and changed the world of comics as we know it. Now, these two industry legends return to do it all over again with this timely and riveting new beginning for the Age of Miracles! Fans new and old can first witness the epically remastered Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age #1-2, and then jump into the first thrilling all-new chapter of this groundbreaking saga in Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age#3! Back and more impactful than ever, this new story chronicles the bright Golden Age hero tackling the complexities of today’s modern world!
Get a first look at this new chapter set high atop the Himalayas where Dickie Dauntless, aka Young Miracleman, is on a desperate search to find his place in the Age of Miracles. Before finding new allies, he’ll first have to confront his frightening past with Johnny Bates! It’s Young Miracleman and Kid Miracleman face-to-face at last! This perfect jumping on point will add new depth to the character of Young Miracleman as he takes a brave first step to living life as his true self.
Pick up the most anticipated issue in comic book history when Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age#3 graces stands on December 28.
After almost 30 years, writer Neil Gaiman and artist Mark Buckingham are finally going to conclude one of the great superhero epics, Miracleman, wrapping up the unfinished “Silver Age” storyline and maybe even getting to the long-awaited “Dark Age” arc where Miracleman’s utopia collapses and the corrupted, twisted Kid Miracleman returns. But, before getting to the new material, Gaiman and Buckingham serve up remastered versions of the first two issues of “Silver Age” with new coloring from Jordie Bellaire. Basically, Miracleman: The Silver Age #1 is a remastered version of Miracleman #23, and it’s all about Young Miracleman coming back from the dead after 40 years and honestly being freaked out and appalled by the new utopia he lives in, especially when Miracleman tells him about the Alan Moore retcon that all his “adventures” in the classic Marvelman comics were just a fantasy dream world created by the evil Gargunza. This is bookended by the a look in on what the young superheroes of this era are up to aka mostly nostalgia exercises, which is as much a commentary on the genre as it is on the world we live in where an almost 40 year old song topped the charts this summer and a 77 year old comic book character is topping the box office.
Unlike the “Golden Age” stories which mainly focused on different citizens of Miracleman’s utopian world, Miracleman: The Silver Age #1 returns the focus on superheroes, especially adolescent ones. Mark Buckingham and Bellaire may portray the superhero battle between Jenda, Zapster, and Klingstor the Galaxtron as a brightly colored, double page spread punch-fest, but it’s just kids playing in their backyard as drawn by Jack Kirby in the 1960s with one of the Miracle children basically having the ability to shapeshift into different Kirby monsters. They live in a perfect world, there’s no crime or supervillains so they fight each other in the ruins of old skyscrapers and clean up the debris before one of the adults notice. The Miracle children are the like the classic Legion of Superheroes with just a dash of the 1990s sarcasm. However, they’re quickly turned from their pointless fisticuffs to the human drama of Young Miracleman waking up because emotional conflict and tension is always more interesting than action figure battles. (And if you combine both, it’s a fucking masterpiece aka Miracleman #15)
Buckingham and Jordie Bellaire do a pastiche of modern and Golden Age art styles for the scenes with Young Miracleman that correlates well to Neil Gaiman’s 1950s British style dialogue. Seriously, I felt like Young Miracleman was one of the kids from Chronicles of Narnia or something, and it especially comes out when he’s alone again with Miracleman and slut shames Miraclewoman and is racist towards Huey Moon and xenophobic towards the the aliens that were responsible for bringing him back to the dead. It totally makes sense that someone born in the 1940s would act that way, especially if they’ve been in a coma since 1963 and reminds me of what Mark Millar did with Captain America in the Ultimates albeit with more restraint and a decade before. Gaiman and Buckingham lean into the trauma behind Young Miracleman’s beaming, innocent face, and although he doesn’t leave Olympus, there’s a general feeling of unease with even the Miracle children feeling sorry for them even as they have one last play battle as the issue wraps up.
Miracleman: The Silver Age #1 succeeds as an old/new first issue reintroducing the current status quo of Miracleman and his utopian world while providing insightful commentary on youth, the superhero genre, and the mixed bag that is nostalgia through the return of Young Miracleman and the activities of the Miracle children. Jordie Bellaire’s colors are a near perfect fusion of the old Eclipse books, classic comics, and modern techniques while Mark Buckingham’s use of double page spreads add more energy and momentum to Neil Gaiman’s scripting. Miracleman isn’t as fresh in the 2020s because so many comics, TV shows, and films have borrowed from whether intentionally or unintentionally, but dealing with trauma and the aimlessness of youth will always universal struggles.
Story: Neil Gaiman Art: Mark Buckingham Colors:Jordie Bellaire Letters: Todd Klein Story: 8.2 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.6 Recommendation: Buy
Marvel Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
(W) Neil Gaiman (A/CA) Mark Buckingham Mature In Shops: Oct 19, 2022 SRP: $4.99
Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham’s unfinished storyline “The Silver Age” begins! Young Miracleman – the lost member of the Miracleman Family – is back! His last memories were of a 1963 world of joy and innocence. Now, he’s been thrust into the 21st century, where his best friends have become gods and monsters. Remastered with stunning new artwork by Mark Buckingham! Including material originally presented in MIRACLEMAN (1985) #23, plus bonus content.
(W) Neil Gaiman (A/CA) Mark Buckingham Mature In Shops: Oct 19, 2022 SRP: $4.99
Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham’s unfinished storyline “The Silver Age” begins! Young Miracleman – the lost member of the Miracleman Family – is back! His last memories were of a 1963 world of joy and innocence. Now, he’s been thrust into the 21st century, where his best friends have become gods and monsters. Remastered with stunning new artwork by Mark Buckingham! Including material originally presented in MIRACLEMAN (1985) #23, plus bonus content.
Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham‘s unfinished storyline “The Silver Age” begins next month! In the late 80s, Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham took over the saga of Miracleman to critical acclaim. The pair of comic visionaries expanded the Miracleman mythos with new characters and introduced the story of Young Miracleman. Their series was cut short mid-storyline almost 30 years ago, but now their Miracleman: The Silver Age saga will finally be completed! Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age #1 and Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham: The Silver Age #2 will present the early chapters of the story that made it to stands but with stunning new remastered artwork by Buckingham and containing bonus content! And then, starting in December’s Miracleman: The Silver Age #3, all-new material by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham will at long last, continue this legendary comic story!
Also arriving next month, Miracleman #0 will drum up the anticipation by getting new readers and longtime fans excited for the return of Miracleman! The giant-sized one-shot will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Miracleman’s modern era with a breathtaking journey through the fascinating Miracleman mythology in a collection of stories by Mike Carey, Peach Momoko, Jason Aaron, Ryan Stegman, and more. Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham will also craft a framing story for the issue that will lead into their upcoming return. Look for it when it hits stands on October 5.
A character with a tremendous legacy in the comic book industry, Miracleman’s modern era officially begin in 1982. Miracleman changed perceptions of what a comic could be with its dark and socially relevant interpretation of the Super Hero genre. Often hailed as one of the greatest comics of all time, Miracleman holds a significant place in many fan’s hearts, and his absence in the last decades have only made his impact more revered and treasured. Right now, check out an exclusive preview, featuring Buckinham’s breathtaking new artwork, and pick it up on October 19! And if you want the full scope of Gaiman and Buckingham’s Miracleman, dive into the first part of their legendary run with Miracleman by Gaiman & Buckingham Book 1: THe Golden Age TPB, also arriving next month!
