It’s day 26 of this year’s Jack Kirby Tribute Month, and the theme we’re working with this week is characters raised in Granny Goodness’ Orphanage on Apokolips. Today’s prompt is Mister Miracle!
I’ve drawn him before, not just for last year’s Jack Kirby Tribute Month, but also a few times when I was younger. Something about the character caught my eye. I’ve got a soft spot for him. Maybe it was the fact he was the closest thing in Kirby’s Fourth World titles to looking like a regular superhero, or the bright color scheme. Perhaps it was also the super-scientific escape act, that had him getting out of situations that looked impossible. Maybe I wasn’t alone in being fascinated, because apparently sales figures prompted DC to keep Mister Miracle going longer than any of the other Fourth World titles.
It looks bad for our hero, but I’m sure he’ll get out of this at the last possible moment! Tomorrow will be another former resident of Granny Goodness’ Orphanage.
A day brightener for sure. I too have always liked the costume of the character. I was buying hardly any titles during the release of the books. I wonder what Mr Miracle would have looked like if Ditko had actually ended up as the artist, as wiki tells me was sort of Jack’s plan. Having just read this, I was again surprised by how Jack was denigrated by DC. But I digress: your conjuring is dynamic and flowing. Admirable. Thanks Mark.
Glad you liked my shot at Mister Miracle.
Yeah, Mark Evanier has talked about how Jack had in mind to launch a bunch of these books, then get other hands like Ditko’s to pick up the baton, and he’d oversee them as kind of quasi-editor/creative contributor. I think John Romita’s name was also mentioned as someone he would’ve approached. But DC wanted all Jack Kirby, so that’s what they did. And I can’t say I’m disappointed to end up with more pure Jack Kirby art and storytelling for us to enjoy.