After I heard that Marvel had acquired the rights to the Marvelman/Miracleman franchise, it sent me scrambling to find my back issues published by Eclipse. I had read the Alan Moore run in TPB form shortly after its U.S. publication and most of the Neil Gaiman/Mark Buckingham issues as they were published. (I originally wrote “monthly issues,” but this book was rarely on schedule —Marvelman might be an eternally cursed property.)
I gave up reading comics in late 1993, roughly the same time that Eclipse went bankrupt and the Gaiman-Buckingham run was suspended. They were about halfway through the second of three six-issue arcs. When I returned to comics this decade, I became aware of the legal wrangling to gain control of Miracleman and the resulting lawsuit between Gaiman and Todd McFarlane. I also learned that many of today’s comics fans had not read Moore’s run, one of his classic works, or even the Gaiman issues because the series had been out of print since Eclipse folded. I never suspected that Miracleman would become the rarest, and probably most valuable, piece in my comics collection.
In this thread, my goal is go through the Moore and Gaiman issues, a chapter or two at a time, with story summaries and comments. There will be spoilers, undoubtedly, so that may keep away some people who wish to wait for republication. But, the series is on my mind now, so I’m starting this thread just the same.
Ready? We’ll begin in the morning!
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That's what I meant: the new material. I have also contacted Figserello via Facebook. (I'm trying to get the old band back together again!) He was unaware that Marvel is in the midst of publishing "The Silver Age" at last and resolved to seek them out. Meanwhile, I'd like to move on with...
MIRACLEMAN #0 (2022): I include this one just for completeness' sake but I don't want to spend a lot of time on it. It is a collection of seven all-new stories and features, including a framing sequence by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham. In it, Miracleman peruses the Library of Olympus in search of reading material and settles on a few in-universe comic books. This one-shot is quite similar to Eclipse's Apocrypha limited series and is decidedly non-essential reading. for obsessive completists only. which brings us up to...
THE SILVER AGE:
ISSUES #1-2: I almost gave the first two issues a pass because I thought they were going to be reprints of Miracleman #23-24, but they're not. They are actually completely redrawn versions of those two issues. It's interesting to see two different artists' interpretations of the the same script, but it's more interesting still to see a different interpretation by the same artist 30 years later (well, 25 years later, as I think this work has been completed since 2017). That's even longer than the time between the cancellation of Jack Kirby's "Fourth world" titles and the publication of The Hunger Dogs. The difference is that "The Silver Age" was what the creators had intended all along. Mark Buckingham has improved so much since 1993 (and he was at the top of the field then) that comparing the two sets of comics is really quite remarkable. When I think of the artists who were "hot" in 1993 and what their work looks like today, well... there's just no comparison with Mark Buckingham's work.
SUMMARY: I'm not going to spend a lot of time summarizing these issues in detail because b_dog already did such a good job of it back on page 15 of this discussion. Suffice it to say that, in 1985, Johnny Bates (Kid Miracleman) attacked London and slaughtered thousands. Miracleman defeated him, with the help of the Qys and Warpsmiths, and went on to remake civilization into a Golden age, free of war, famine and poverty. It is into this world that Dickie Dauntless (Young Miracleman) awakens.
Young Miracleman has been brought back to life after 40 years and is traumatized by the culture shock of aliens and "Miraclechildren" which now populate the Earth. His mentor reigns as a god. Their best friend is a mass murderer. YM does his best to put on a brave face and cope, but when Miracleman, at Miraclewoman's urging, kisses Dickie, Young Miracleman strikes out in shock and flies off. Miracleman approaches Miraclewoman and says, "Avril? I think we need to talk. Don't you?"
And that is exactly where the story left off 30 years ago.
One thing I should have pointed out in the previous summary is that "The Silver Age" takes place in the year A.D. 2003 (or 19 E.M. - The Era of Miracles). All of these stories were supposed to take place in the near future (of an alternate reality). Back in 1993, Gaiman and Buckingham completed Miracleman #25, the third chapter of "The Silver Age." But Eclipse Comics ceased operations in 1994 and declared bankruptcy in early 1995. TwoMorrows' publication KIMOTA! The Miracleman Companion later published five pages of what would have been Miracleman #25, art only, no narration or dialogue. I mistakenly thought they were the first five pages and described them on page 15 of this discussion. (They were actually pp. 2, 5-6 and 14-15; I made some other incorrect assumptions about the art as well.) Miracleman: The Silver Age #3, like #1-2, is completely redrawn as well, but all 26 pages of the original Miracleman #25 are reprinted in thumbnail size.
Miracleman: The Silver Age #1-2 are dual numbered LGY #23-24, but the "legacy" numbering is dropped with #3. Another thing we discussed on page 15 is that the titles of each chapter of "The Silver Age" are meant to be evocative of the Silver Age of Comics. For example, the title of chapter one is "The Secret Origin of Young Miracleman" and the title of chapter two is "When Titans Clash" which brings us up to...
ISSUE #3:"Trapped... in a World He Never Made"
SUMMARY: Young Miracleman, still dressed in his pajamas and robe, crashes into a the side of Mount Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas. He is unconscious and dreams of the adult Johnny Bates. There is a flash, and it is now Dickie Dauntless (wearing his courier uniform) who lies unconscious in the snow. A man comes to his aid and introduces himself as Jason Oakey. Yes, this is the same person who met Miracleman when he was a boy and who returned in The Golden Age. He was on his way up the mountain to meet a man named Caxton, who lives there, and was attracted by Dickie's "flare." Dickie introduces himself as Dickie Smith.
Tom Caxton, a.k.a. Mister Master, was the first person to receive Miracleman's "enhancements." After that, he became a sort of "spokesman" for the procedure, but later still decided to give them up and become human again. Now he writes books and lives on a mountaintop, a philosopher. Jason was hoping to make to Caxton's lodge by nightfall, but lost time detouring to help Dickie. Just as they are setting up camp for the night, they are accosted by two of the "enhanced" on a skycycle, Meta-Maid and Deadlock the Demolisher. They offer Jason and Dickie a lift to the refectory where they're stayed, and their offer is accepted. there are already a couple of other people staying there on their way to meet Caxton. Meta-Maid offers to share her cube with both Jason and Dickie, but both refuse.
That night, Dickie dreams of Johnny again. One gets the impression that these aren't "dreams" exactly.
The next morning, Jason and Dickie resume their trek up the mountain and are joined by Meta-Maid. Sha and Deadlock have had something of a falling out, and she asks if she can join them. they make it to the lodge and are welcomed by Tom Caxton, who looks not unlike Alan Moore (at least he has the same hair and beard). Meta-Maid is actually friends with Kay and the Zapster (see chapters one and two), but she feels Kay looks down on her because Kay is a "genetic" and Kay is merely "enhanced." Meta-Maid is a big fan of Young Miracleman and was in New York City for the parade honoring him in #2. It was there she met Deadlock and took him up on his offer to "see the sun set on the Himalayas."
That night, Dickie again dreams of Johnny, and Johnny tries to recruit him to take up where he left off. In his dream, Young Miracleman rebuffs him, and Johnny goes spinning off in a panel like the Phantom Zone prisoners in Superman: The Movie. But, remembering how adult Johnny similarly manipulated child Johnny, one cannot help but wonder if his "defeat" is a ruse.
SUMMARY: A man takes his nephew to a church service worshiping Miracleman. Apart from them, the only others there are the Brother leading the serivice and the organist. They go through quite a bit of the service, including a hymn, when the nephew notices that Phon Mooda, the female Warpsmith, is standing in the rear of the church. She departs without saying a word and ascends to a spaceship in orbit, where Kana Blur informs her that the Black Warpsmiths "desire to speak with you," We have never seen the Black Warpsmiths before, but they are huge and imposing, like Jack Kirby's Celestials. They speeak for four pages, the practical upshot being that "the world seems wrong, in ways I do not grasp... this relatively short experiment may actually be winding up."
Back on Olympus, Miracleman and Miraclewoman finally have their long-delayed conversation. ("Avril? I think we need to talk. Don't you?" - Miracleman #24, 1993) He tells her she was wrong about Dickie, but she maintains she's right. (FWIW, I think she is right, but Miracleman handled it in a ham-fisted way.) their conversation is interrupted by Phon Mooda, straight from her audience with the Black Warpsmiths. She tells them that "The Black Warpsmiths wish me to convey their continued commitment to your world." Miracleman thanks her and accepts it as good news, but Miraclwoman has a different reaction: "Fuck. We're screwed... Really, I love you. But you can be so naïve sometimes."
Back in the Himalayas, Dickie and Caxton have a philosophical conversation. Caxton tells him why he gave up his powers as Mister Master. Their conversation lasts for five pages. Caxton reveals that he knows Dickie is Young Miracleman. Their situations are somewhat similar, but Caxton is unable to help him beyond a certain point. They are joined by Meta-maid, who does not know that Dickie is YM. she seems to genuinely care for Dickie. she plans to travel with him and Jason for a while.
SECOND FEATURE: "Why? - Part One" - After his conversation with Miraclewoman, Miracleman goes to Gargunza's recordings of fantasy adventures fed to Dickie looking for answers. this is a framing device for a reprint of "The Young Marvelman Meets Young Nastyman" from Young Marvelman #57, 1954. Marvel has reprinted this first appearance of Young Nastyman before, but in the original black and white. I prefer my Marvelman Family reprints in color, just as I prefer Big Bang! comics in color. This story doesn't give Miracleman any real insight, and he resolves to keep looking.
COMMENT: Not only was Miracleman #25 completed when Eclipse went bankrupt, but the layouts of the first seven pages of #26 were roughed out, and four of them are presented here for comparison's sake.
"We have never seen the Black Warpsmiths before..."
Actually, we have seen the Black Warpsmiths before. We glimpsed them in "Olympus" and they were featured more prominently in the three-part Warpsmiths story from Warrior #9-10 and A1 #1, which I read for the first time last night. (It's in the Miracleman omnibus but I've been holding it in reserve.)
ISSUE #5: "What Lies Beneath"
SUMMARY: Jason Oakey changes his mind about leaving with Dickie and decides to stay with Caxton for a while. Dickie and Meta-maid leave with Deadlock on his super-cycle (which he calls "Waspstar" BTW). They travel to New Delhi, Tehran, Istanbul, Budapest and Brussels, Dickie learning about Miracleman's "utopia" every step of the way. He is troubled by Caxton's suggestion that "Dickie Dauntless" is not his real name, and also by some things Bates said to him in his dream about "The joy of power. the joy of Blood. The joy of Flame." When the trio get back to England, Dickie is looking forward to parting ways with them, but Meta-maid decides to stay with him and it is Deadlock who goes off on his own.
Actually, Dickie is happy to have a guide. Their first port of call is the British Library, but all records pertaining to the "Spookshow" have been destroyed. They do find the records of Barnardo's Boys' Homes, but there's no record of a "Dickie Dauntless." Although they don't discuss it openly, it is clear that Meta-maid knows that Dickie is really Young Miracleman. Their trail leads them next to the Memorial Museum, then to an archive in Barnsley in South Yorkshire. On the train, Dickie dreams of he and his mates visiting the "Joyful House." Meta-maid doesn't know what that is.
In town, they ask directions of the same uncle (Arthur) and nephew (Kevin) from last issue. They are standing outside the church, and Kevin is trying to convince his uncle he saw a Warpsmith. While Meta-maid gets directions from the Arthur, Dickie examines a stained glass window depicting Miracleman, and Kevin examines Dickie. As Meta-maid and Dickie walk away, Kevin tries to convince Arthur that Dickie is Young Miracleman, but Arthur doesn't believe him.
The "archive" is nothing more than a closet full of microfilm in a woman's house. Virtually all of the people and records associated with the Spookshow no longer exist (Bates' work), but Bates didn't know about Sir Dennis' duplicate records on microfilm. In the records, they learn of an actual "Joyful House." It has been condemned, but it is still standing. after another train ride, Meta-maid breaks in the door and they step inside. Dickie immediately starts to hallucinate. By the time they get upstairs, Dickie passes out.
SECOND FEATURE: "Why? - Part Two" - Again, Marvelman reviews one of the dream tapes fed to Dickie by Gargunza, but again he doesn't learn anything. This time it the first meeting of Young Miracleman and Young Gargunza. this placement reminds me very much of the Julius Schwartz-edited comics of the '70s. Whenever there was a sequel to a '60s story his younger audience may not have read, he'd reprint the original in a 100-Page Super-Spectacular.
And that's it. From now on, this discussion must proceed in "real time."
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
Issues #6-7: "The Silver Age" is slated to run for seven issues. #7 was solicited for May release, so obviously they're running a bit behind. Considering how LONG we had to wait for Book Five, you'd think they'd've had their act together enough to release it on time! "The Dark Age" was supposed to have followed (decades ago), but no word on that.
"The Silver Age" tpb: This has been solicited for October release. I don't know if the delay of the periodical issues will push that back or not. ($30)
Miracleman: Marvel Tales #1: This is a reprint of the early British Miracleman, from Warrior #1-11, Marvelman Special #1 and A1 #1. this has already been released. ($10)
The Original Epic tpb: This is the omnibus in trade paperback form; solicited for September release. ($50)
SUMMARY: The life story of Dickie, pre-Gargunza. It ends with Young Miracleman prepared to confront Miracleman.
COMMENTARY: Seeing as issue #7 was originally slated for May release and #6 shipped only yesterday (September), I don't think the "Silver Age" tpb is going to make its solicit date (October).
When it was first announced that Neil Gaiman was going to be taking Miracleman over from Alan Moore... back in the '80s, remember... he had three storylines planned for the next big arc: "The Golden Age," "The Silver Age" and "The Dark Age." After taking so many years... decades... to complete (even these last months were problematic), I was prepared to say something along the lines of, "Now that 'The Silver Age' is finally completed, I'm not even going to think about 'The Dark Age'." Then I get to the end of issue #7... and it's continued in 'The Dark Age'! "Miracleman will return in 'The Dark Age' #1" we are told. Yes, but when? And how long will it take? I don't have another 30 years left to wait!
[SPOILERS]
SUMMARY: Dickie Dauntless confronts Miracleman. Miracleman gives him four options moving forward: 1) Accept the utopia he has created, 2) Give up his miracle-body and live out his life as a human being, 3) Die, or 4) Go back into Gargunza's imaginary world. Dickie chooses option #5.
COMMENTARY: "The Silver Age" is a transition between "The Golden Age" and "The Dark Age" as it was always intended to be.
A collected edition of "The Silver Age" has been solicited for July release.
I finally got around to reading the Miracleman: The Silver Age comics that have piled up since they first started getting republished. I initially thought I might reread the original Miracleman issues, but I decided to set that aside for a while and not put off reading these comics any longer.
I enjoyed them! There's strong stuff from Gaiman and especially Buckingham, who delivers some astonishing work here. I loved Dickie's search for his origins, and his growing friendship with Meta-Maid. I'm definitely looking forward to more, whenever it is we finally get it.
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That's what I meant: the new material. I have also contacted Figserello via Facebook. (I'm trying to get the old band back together again!) He was unaware that Marvel is in the midst of publishing "The Silver Age" at last and resolved to seek them out. Meanwhile, I'd like to move on with...
MIRACLEMAN #0 (2022): I include this one just for completeness' sake but I don't want to spend a lot of time on it. It is a collection of seven all-new stories and features, including a framing sequence by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham. In it, Miracleman peruses the Library of Olympus in search of reading material and settles on a few in-universe comic books. This one-shot is quite similar to Eclipse's Apocrypha limited series and is decidedly non-essential reading. for obsessive completists only. which brings us up to...
THE SILVER AGE:
ISSUES #1-2: I almost gave the first two issues a pass because I thought they were going to be reprints of Miracleman #23-24, but they're not. They are actually completely redrawn versions of those two issues. It's interesting to see two different artists' interpretations of the the same script, but it's more interesting still to see a different interpretation by the same artist 30 years later (well, 25 years later, as I think this work has been completed since 2017). That's even longer than the time between the cancellation of Jack Kirby's "Fourth world" titles and the publication of The Hunger Dogs. The difference is that "The Silver Age" was what the creators had intended all along. Mark Buckingham has improved so much since 1993 (and he was at the top of the field then) that comparing the two sets of comics is really quite remarkable. When I think of the artists who were "hot" in 1993 and what their work looks like today, well... there's just no comparison with Mark Buckingham's work.
SUMMARY: I'm not going to spend a lot of time summarizing these issues in detail because b_dog already did such a good job of it back on page 15 of this discussion. Suffice it to say that, in 1985, Johnny Bates (Kid Miracleman) attacked London and slaughtered thousands. Miracleman defeated him, with the help of the Qys and Warpsmiths, and went on to remake civilization into a Golden age, free of war, famine and poverty. It is into this world that Dickie Dauntless (Young Miracleman) awakens.
Young Miracleman has been brought back to life after 40 years and is traumatized by the culture shock of aliens and "Miraclechildren" which now populate the Earth. His mentor reigns as a god. Their best friend is a mass murderer. YM does his best to put on a brave face and cope, but when Miracleman, at Miraclewoman's urging, kisses Dickie, Young Miracleman strikes out in shock and flies off. Miracleman approaches Miraclewoman and says, "Avril? I think we need to talk. Don't you?"
And that is exactly where the story left off 30 years ago.
One thing I should have pointed out in the previous summary is that "The Silver Age" takes place in the year A.D. 2003 (or 19 E.M. - The Era of Miracles). All of these stories were supposed to take place in the near future (of an alternate reality). Back in 1993, Gaiman and Buckingham completed Miracleman #25, the third chapter of "The Silver Age." But Eclipse Comics ceased operations in 1994 and declared bankruptcy in early 1995. TwoMorrows' publication KIMOTA! The Miracleman Companion later published five pages of what would have been Miracleman #25, art only, no narration or dialogue. I mistakenly thought they were the first five pages and described them on page 15 of this discussion. (They were actually pp. 2, 5-6 and 14-15; I made some other incorrect assumptions about the art as well.) Miracleman: The Silver Age #3, like #1-2, is completely redrawn as well, but all 26 pages of the original Miracleman #25 are reprinted in thumbnail size.
Miracleman: The Silver Age #1-2 are dual numbered LGY #23-24, but the "legacy" numbering is dropped with #3. Another thing we discussed on page 15 is that the titles of each chapter of "The Silver Age" are meant to be evocative of the Silver Age of Comics. For example, the title of chapter one is "The Secret Origin of Young Miracleman" and the title of chapter two is "When Titans Clash" which brings us up to...
ISSUE #3: "Trapped... in a World He Never Made"
SUMMARY: Young Miracleman, still dressed in his pajamas and robe, crashes into a the side of Mount Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas. He is unconscious and dreams of the adult Johnny Bates. There is a flash, and it is now Dickie Dauntless (wearing his courier uniform) who lies unconscious in the snow. A man comes to his aid and introduces himself as Jason Oakey. Yes, this is the same person who met Miracleman when he was a boy and who returned in The Golden Age. He was on his way up the mountain to meet a man named Caxton, who lives there, and was attracted by Dickie's "flare." Dickie introduces himself as Dickie Smith.
Tom Caxton, a.k.a. Mister Master, was the first person to receive Miracleman's "enhancements." After that, he became a sort of "spokesman" for the procedure, but later still decided to give them up and become human again. Now he writes books and lives on a mountaintop, a philosopher. Jason was hoping to make to Caxton's lodge by nightfall, but lost time detouring to help Dickie. Just as they are setting up camp for the night, they are accosted by two of the "enhanced" on a skycycle, Meta-Maid and Deadlock the Demolisher. They offer Jason and Dickie a lift to the refectory where they're stayed, and their offer is accepted. there are already a couple of other people staying there on their way to meet Caxton. Meta-Maid offers to share her cube with both Jason and Dickie, but both refuse.
That night, Dickie dreams of Johnny again. One gets the impression that these aren't "dreams" exactly.
The next morning, Jason and Dickie resume their trek up the mountain and are joined by Meta-Maid. Sha and Deadlock have had something of a falling out, and she asks if she can join them. they make it to the lodge and are welcomed by Tom Caxton, who looks not unlike Alan Moore (at least he has the same hair and beard). Meta-Maid is actually friends with Kay and the Zapster (see chapters one and two), but she feels Kay looks down on her because Kay is a "genetic" and Kay is merely "enhanced." Meta-Maid is a big fan of Young Miracleman and was in New York City for the parade honoring him in #2. It was there she met Deadlock and took him up on his offer to "see the sun set on the Himalayas."
That night, Dickie again dreams of Johnny, and Johnny tries to recruit him to take up where he left off. In his dream, Young Miracleman rebuffs him, and Johnny goes spinning off in a panel like the Phantom Zone prisoners in Superman: The Movie. But, remembering how adult Johnny similarly manipulated child Johnny, one cannot help but wonder if his "defeat" is a ruse.
And how am I to face the odds
Of man's bedevilment and God's
I, a stranger and afraid
In a world I never made?
ISSUE #4: "An Alien Walks Amongst Us"
SUMMARY: A man takes his nephew to a church service worshiping Miracleman. Apart from them, the only others there are the Brother leading the serivice and the organist. They go through quite a bit of the service, including a hymn, when the nephew notices that Phon Mooda, the female Warpsmith, is standing in the rear of the church. She departs without saying a word and ascends to a spaceship in orbit, where Kana Blur informs her that the Black Warpsmiths "desire to speak with you," We have never seen the Black Warpsmiths before, but they are huge and imposing, like Jack Kirby's Celestials. They speeak for four pages, the practical upshot being that "the world seems wrong, in ways I do not grasp... this relatively short experiment may actually be winding up."
Back on Olympus, Miracleman and Miraclewoman finally have their long-delayed conversation. ("Avril? I think we need to talk. Don't you?" - Miracleman #24, 1993) He tells her she was wrong about Dickie, but she maintains she's right. (FWIW, I think she is right, but Miracleman handled it in a ham-fisted way.) their conversation is interrupted by Phon Mooda, straight from her audience with the Black Warpsmiths. She tells them that "The Black Warpsmiths wish me to convey their continued commitment to your world." Miracleman thanks her and accepts it as good news, but Miraclwoman has a different reaction: "Fuck. We're screwed... Really, I love you. But you can be so naïve sometimes."
Back in the Himalayas, Dickie and Caxton have a philosophical conversation. Caxton tells him why he gave up his powers as Mister Master. Their conversation lasts for five pages. Caxton reveals that he knows Dickie is Young Miracleman. Their situations are somewhat similar, but Caxton is unable to help him beyond a certain point. They are joined by Meta-maid, who does not know that Dickie is YM. she seems to genuinely care for Dickie. she plans to travel with him and Jason for a while.
SECOND FEATURE: "Why? - Part One" - After his conversation with Miraclewoman, Miracleman goes to Gargunza's recordings of fantasy adventures fed to Dickie looking for answers. this is a framing device for a reprint of "The Young Marvelman Meets Young Nastyman" from Young Marvelman #57, 1954. Marvel has reprinted this first appearance of Young Nastyman before, but in the original black and white. I prefer my Marvelman Family reprints in color, just as I prefer Big Bang! comics in color. This story doesn't give Miracleman any real insight, and he resolves to keep looking.
COMMENT: Not only was Miracleman #25 completed when Eclipse went bankrupt, but the layouts of the first seven pages of #26 were roughed out, and four of them are presented here for comparison's sake.
CORRECTION:
"We have never seen the Black Warpsmiths before..."
Actually, we have seen the Black Warpsmiths before. We glimpsed them in "Olympus" and they were featured more prominently in the three-part Warpsmiths story from Warrior #9-10 and A1 #1, which I read for the first time last night. (It's in the Miracleman omnibus but I've been holding it in reserve.)
ISSUE #5: "What Lies Beneath"
SUMMARY: Jason Oakey changes his mind about leaving with Dickie and decides to stay with Caxton for a while. Dickie and Meta-maid leave with Deadlock on his super-cycle (which he calls "Waspstar" BTW). They travel to New Delhi, Tehran, Istanbul, Budapest and Brussels, Dickie learning about Miracleman's "utopia" every step of the way. He is troubled by Caxton's suggestion that "Dickie Dauntless" is not his real name, and also by some things Bates said to him in his dream about "The joy of power. the joy of Blood. The joy of Flame." When the trio get back to England, Dickie is looking forward to parting ways with them, but Meta-maid decides to stay with him and it is Deadlock who goes off on his own.
Actually, Dickie is happy to have a guide. Their first port of call is the British Library, but all records pertaining to the "Spookshow" have been destroyed. They do find the records of Barnardo's Boys' Homes, but there's no record of a "Dickie Dauntless." Although they don't discuss it openly, it is clear that Meta-maid knows that Dickie is really Young Miracleman. Their trail leads them next to the Memorial Museum, then to an archive in Barnsley in South Yorkshire. On the train, Dickie dreams of he and his mates visiting the "Joyful House." Meta-maid doesn't know what that is.
In town, they ask directions of the same uncle (Arthur) and nephew (Kevin) from last issue. They are standing outside the church, and Kevin is trying to convince his uncle he saw a Warpsmith. While Meta-maid gets directions from the Arthur, Dickie examines a stained glass window depicting Miracleman, and Kevin examines Dickie. As Meta-maid and Dickie walk away, Kevin tries to convince Arthur that Dickie is Young Miracleman, but Arthur doesn't believe him.
The "archive" is nothing more than a closet full of microfilm in a woman's house. Virtually all of the people and records associated with the Spookshow no longer exist (Bates' work), but Bates didn't know about Sir Dennis' duplicate records on microfilm. In the records, they learn of an actual "Joyful House." It has been condemned, but it is still standing. after another train ride, Meta-maid breaks in the door and they step inside. Dickie immediately starts to hallucinate. By the time they get upstairs, Dickie passes out.
SECOND FEATURE: "Why? - Part Two" - Again, Marvelman reviews one of the dream tapes fed to Dickie by Gargunza, but again he doesn't learn anything. This time it the first meeting of Young Miracleman and Young Gargunza. this placement reminds me very much of the Julius Schwartz-edited comics of the '70s. Whenever there was a sequel to a '60s story his younger audience may not have read, he'd reprint the original in a 100-Page Super-Spectacular.
And that's it. From now on, this discussion must proceed in "real time."
COMING ATTRACTIONS:
Issues #6-7: "The Silver Age" is slated to run for seven issues. #7 was solicited for May release, so obviously they're running a bit behind. Considering how LONG we had to wait for Book Five, you'd think they'd've had their act together enough to release it on time! "The Dark Age" was supposed to have followed (decades ago), but no word on that.
"The Silver Age" tpb: This has been solicited for October release. I don't know if the delay of the periodical issues will push that back or not. ($30)
Miracleman: Marvel Tales #1: This is a reprint of the early British Miracleman, from Warrior #1-11, Marvelman Special #1 and A1 #1. this has already been released. ($10)
The Original Epic tpb: This is the omnibus in trade paperback form; solicited for September release. ($50)
ISSUE #6: "Who is... Dickie Dauntless?"
SUMMARY: The life story of Dickie, pre-Gargunza. It ends with Young Miracleman prepared to confront Miracleman.
COMMENTARY: Seeing as issue #7 was originally slated for May release and #6 shipped only yesterday (September), I don't think the "Silver Age" tpb is going to make its solicit date (October).
ISSUE #7: "If This Be My Destiny..."
Well, F#%& me.
When it was first announced that Neil Gaiman was going to be taking Miracleman over from Alan Moore... back in the '80s, remember... he had three storylines planned for the next big arc: "The Golden Age," "The Silver Age" and "The Dark Age." After taking so many years... decades... to complete (even these last months were problematic), I was prepared to say something along the lines of, "Now that 'The Silver Age' is finally completed, I'm not even going to think about 'The Dark Age'." Then I get to the end of issue #7... and it's continued in 'The Dark Age'! "Miracleman will return in 'The Dark Age' #1" we are told. Yes, but when? And how long will it take? I don't have another 30 years left to wait!
[SPOILERS]
SUMMARY: Dickie Dauntless confronts Miracleman. Miracleman gives him four options moving forward: 1) Accept the utopia he has created, 2) Give up his miracle-body and live out his life as a human being, 3) Die, or 4) Go back into Gargunza's imaginary world. Dickie chooses option #5.
COMMENTARY: "The Silver Age" is a transition between "The Golden Age" and "The Dark Age" as it was always intended to be.
A collected edition of "The Silver Age" has been solicited for July release.
I finally got around to reading the Miracleman: The Silver Age comics that have piled up since they first started getting republished. I initially thought I might reread the original Miracleman issues, but I decided to set that aside for a while and not put off reading these comics any longer.
I enjoyed them! There's strong stuff from Gaiman and especially Buckingham, who delivers some astonishing work here. I loved Dickie's search for his origins, and his growing friendship with Meta-Maid. I'm definitely looking forward to more, whenever it is we finally get it.
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