Starred Review ALA Booklist (Fri Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2019)

Starred Review Jack Kirby was famous for his conceptual and visual bombast, but Mister Miracle may be his most bombastic creation. As one of the New Gods, Scott Free is engaged in a never-ending cosmic battle between New Genesis and Apokolips. Raised in an orphanage/torture chamber by the terrifying Granny Goodness, he's now the universe's greatest escape artist and husband to invincible warrior woman Big Barda. Ingeniously, King uses hyperbole itself as a weapon against a man desperately seeking utter normalcy. With their first child on the way, Scott wants mundanity, but the outsize tone of his backstory stalks him always. He's put on trial for his life by a mad king who's also his stepbrother, forced into impossible choices of life and death as he and Barda reluctantly take command of the New Genesis army, dreading that reality itself might actually be a madness implanted in him by the antigod, Darkseid. Gerads creates a wonder of visual counterpoint, reining this cosmic freak-out into the ironclad normalcy of nine panel grids and playing with body language, lighting, and pixels to craft an ordinary world that keeps coming apart at the seams. This is a most fitting tribute to Kirby by way of King, a tale of epic cataclysm, both delicately devastating and quietly joyful.

Kirkus Reviews

A superhero strives for stasis between his life on Earth and fighting an interdimensional war.Scott Free, son of the otherworldly Highfather, was raised in the hellish pits of Apokolips as the son of villainous Darkseid in an attempt to foster peace between warring factions. Scott eventually flees the infernal torture, relocating to Earth and assuming the mantle of Mister Miracle, escape artist. Scott marries his love, Big Barda, who shared the same tormented upbringing in Apokolips, and the two begin a family. As the war between Highfather and Darkseid intensifies, Scott navigates the minutiae of marriage, fatherhood, and identity alongside the unrelenting and gruesome war in his home dimension. Comics veterans may recognize Mister Miracle from stints with the Justice League, however this volume that collects a 12-issue narrative arc is also a fine jumping-in point for comics neophytes; even the in-jokes are easily accessible. Tackling issues like suicide, parenting, and war, this offering is better suited for older readers; be sure to get it into the hands of those who enjoy Brian K. Vaughan's Saga series. While diversity is nearly nonexistent (as most characters are white), the dynamic between Scott and Barda is refreshing; they are a healthy couple who not only communicate well, but also share bloody battles and diaper changes equally.A solid stand-alone that should have broad teen and adult appeal for those seeking more unusual cape-and-tights fare. (Graphic science fiction. 14-adult)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

This masterful continuation of Jack Kirby-s Fourth World saga breathes new life into Scott Free, aka brilliant escape artist Mister Miracle. The book opens with his attempted suicide, and it-s clear that a history of struggle has made its mark on Scott. While he recovers with help from his beloved wife, Big Barda, Scott learns that his father-ruler of the planet New Genesis-has died. While fighting his half-brother, Orion, for the throne, Scott becomes a father himself. Balancing rulership, fatherhood, and war, Scott is forced to question whether he is willing to sacrifice what is most important to him in order to end a cycle of pain. Though there is no shortage of action, the story-s script expertly tackles intense issues of trauma without pandering or offering any easy answers, instead extending a sense of empathy. The writing-s subtlety is aided by Gerads-s impeccable attention to detail and dynamic coloring, which nod to the story-s origins while giving the characters a realistically updated aesthetic. Thoughtful insights connect to the reader on a deeply human level. Fans of Mister Miracle and new readers will be equally enthralled. (Feb.)