Miracleman Apocrypha #3



This one parodies FF #5. This came out in May of '92, according to Mike's Amazing World of Comics, with MM #23 coming out in August. So, this was the last Miracleman for 3 months. Of course, it was a year between MM #23 and 24. and it's been nearly 25 years since we last saw a "new" Miracleman. How about that Marvel/Neil/Mark?

Our first story, "Wishing On A Star," is from Steve Moore and Alex Ross. Ross is still a rookie, at this point. he had produced 5 issues of Terminator: Burning Earth, for Now Comics, and the cover to Clive Barker's Hellraiser, for Epic/Marvel. Marvels is over a year away.

A group of teenagers are watching a meteor shower, in the desert, making wishes. one wishes for a return of the space program. We see Miracleman fly over Cape Canaveral and encounter an astronaut, sitting on an empty gantry...



MM makes a deal to launch Cal into space; but not interfere with the flight itself. The ship launches successfully but has a misfire and cannot break Earth orbit. Cal is unable to fix it and the ship plummets back to Earth. He refuses help from MM, that it has to be his mission, his destiny. The girl of the wishing group sees the giant streak of light and makes her wish...



A small tale of the human spirit and the need to achieve for one's own self-worth. If there is a theme in these tales, this is it; that mankind has lost the desire to achieve, since MM does everything for them. Utopia is not something to strive for, as it brings and end to striving.

Next is "A bright and Sunny Day," from Fred Schiller and Val Mayerick. The story features Kid Miracleman meeting up with a professor, a particle physicist who was altered in an accident; he lives years in minutes. KM accompanies him as he shows him the people he has left behind and desperately wants to return to. KM assures him the MM can help and tries to contact him; but, he doesn't come. KM ends up spending the last moments with the prof. as he dies. Finally, MM shows up. The narration says this is the turning point in their relationship.



This is a quiet tale that places Johnny Bates into the hero role, as he tries to help the professor and stays with him to the end, so that he is not alone. Miracleman is the callous person who ignores cries for help. Nothing more is said, as to whether this is a Bates cult story or something else. It's certainly not actual history, as these tales are all fiction and this would be an odd para-reality program, from Gargunza, except as a ost-awakening mindf@#$ for MM. However, it does present an idea for how KM is pushed away from MM, setting him on a path to monster.

The last story, "Gospel," is from Steven Grant and Darrick Robinson. A young man delivers a parcel to a man named Tamblyn, in a community that shuns the wonders of the new world. it is a rejection of a manuscript and we learn of its content. Tamblyn preaches an alternate gospel of how Miracleman was evil and corrupt, who looked down upon mortals. Only Kid Miracleman saw the truth. He saw MM and Miraclewoman seel the Earth to the alien Warpsmiths and fought back. He was defeating the monster when the aliens interfered. and he was banished. The remaining gods live a life of corruption and decadence, while the faithful remain apart and pure. The messenger starts to interrupt,as he was in London, but thinks better of it. He gets out of this community as fast as he can. Tamblyn dies within a year and his daughter and wife move into the city and wait for Johnny Bates' return.



More of the fantasy world of the Bates cult. This adds to the paranoia that this modern group of Satanists will somehow bring the release of Kid Miracleman, plunging the world into darkness again. That clash seems inevitable, given that KM was left alive, but trapped. The seed is nourished as we saw the retrieval of DNA from Dicky Dauntless/Young Miracleman. The Silver Age brings back Young Miracleman; would The Dark Age bring back Kid Miracleman? I still wonder if we will ever find out...

The book ends with Miraclewoman pulling MM out of his reading, laughing that the whole mess began with comic books, as they inspired Gargunza's vision. We pull back and end with a comic book image of Miraclewoman, triumphant over other women...



The image brings to mind some of the kinkier Wonder Woman imagery, from the Golden Age comics; something Melinda Gebbie continued in the Cobweb stories, in Tomorrow Stories, from Alan Moore's America's Best Comics line. Notice how Miraclewoman stands with her foot on a conquered female, who kneels subserviently to her, as others lie prone and beaten. Very much an image of domination to match those of Marston and Peters, or fetish artist Eric Stanton (who did the kinkier Wonder Woman parody, Blunder Broad).

This ends this diversion. Nothing really groundbreaking here, just a group of stories. Most are well done, in their own right, even if many seem like they are old hat. Mostly, they are character pieces. In the grand scheme of things, the Apocrypha are seen as the lightest element, even when compared to the reprints of the Mick Anglo material. (such as the Miracleman 3D special, which reprinted the Marvelman Special, that ed to Marvel Comics' legal threats).

Miracleman #23



BWS doing the covers, Gaiman and Buckingham do the interior.

The year, we are told, is 2003 AD; or, as some recon, 19 EM (Era of Miracles). it's 19 years since Miracleman reshaped the world. We open with some Miracle Kids playing superhero games...



One of them is called Mist; so, we can probably assume that this is the daughter of Rachel, from "Winter's Tale," during The Golden Age. She calls the others that it is time for the awakening. We see these kids acting out stereotypical Marvel super-battles and we also see that they can change between multiple bodies, like the Qys. In some scary irony, one of the kids was knocked through both towers of the World Trade Center.

The kids watch and we see Young Miracleman, lying on a bed...



We learn that Mors took DNA samples from tissue that was frozen at the time of the bomb, as the bodies hit infra-space, freezing them in time. It is 40 years since that day. Dicky wakes up and MM speaks to him through a door, then comes in. He tells Dicky what happened. he seems to take it rather well, all things considered...



Miracleman tries to ease Dicky into things; but, Winter shows up, still in the form of a toddler, and tells Dicky that she is MM's daughter and is nearly 21. MM takes DD out to meet the others.



Dicky takes it all in and speaks like he is caught in an old b & w movie. Then, when he leaves the group, we see the truth...



Dicky relates his origin, as told in the original Marvelman comics. Much like Captain Marvel Jr, he was given a portion of Marvelman's power, to save his life, after Nazis nearly kill him. MM tells him the truth, about the alien ship, Gargunza, the para-reality programming; everything. We learn that Dicky's father wasn't a war hero; he found DD's mother in bed with another, shot and killed them, then himself. Dicky was kidnapped and subjected to the experiments and died in 1963. MM tells him the truth about Johnny and the Retrieval mission, that brought him back. DD asks to be left alone and he then switches form and begins crying for his mother. The scene fades from the view of the Miracle Kids. The boys joke about things and head off. The girls realize that DD is severely traumatized and are worried.

An interesting thing to note: Miracleman's symbol is missing from his oval, in every panel. Even Dicky remarks about the change to his uniform. Dicky expects a sci-fi future, including some kind of global government and MM tells him, "No, there's just me..." It sounds ominous. Dicky seems in shock and acts non-plussed, until the end, when he breaks down, after hearing the full truth. Imagine what is going through his head: he's been dead for 40 years, his memories are lies, his father murdered his mother and killed himself, he was kidnapped and abused as an experiment by Gargunza, he was killed because he posed a threat to mankind, his mentor and friend killed his other friend after he decimated London, he has been reborn via alien technology. He is on extremely dangerous psychological ground.

You can sort of assume that Miracleman began the project to bring back Dicky out of the grief of killing Johnny Bates. He hopes to correct his mistake with his other acolyte. The problem is, he still can't see beyond his emotions, as Winter and Miracle Woman can. He makes bad decisions because of emotional baggage. Is the utopia unravelling? Dicky is shocked by Miracle Woman's mode of dress; what happens when he sees her sex tapes and other erotica? He refers to the Firedrake as the "coloured gentleman." It reflects 50s terminology that he would have heard; but, does it also reflect racists attitudes he may have learned, in his real youth? To Dicky, the powers were a fun fantasy world, fed to him by Gargunza; what happens when he learns what he can really do?

The stuff with the Miracle Kids struck me as a distraction, though it was probably meant to showcase the further changes in the world. The other stuff is really foreboding, that the defecation is about to hit the oscillator. Gaiman and Buckingham do a great job to sell the idea that the utopia is about to break apart. This issue really had me excited to see what came next, after feeling somewhat stagnant, during the Golden Age and Apocrypha. This feels more in line with what Alan Moore had previously done and I couldn't wait for the next issue. Unfortunately, I did have to wait; an entire year!

In Kimota!: The Miracleman Companion, cat yronwode blames the delays, in part, on Gaiman being slow with the script. Gaiman claims they hadn't been paid and refused to turn in more work until they received money owed. Eclipse was in deep financial trouble and found themselves repeatedly unable to get books printed without cash up front. Too many printers had been burnt and owed money to give them credit. By the time the next issue came out, we had another new editor. If Dicky Dauntless' world seemed messed up, the reader's world wasn't much better.

Miracleman #25 and Miracleman Triumphant

So, in the letters column of issue 24, it was announced that Eclipse was going to publish a 6 issue mini-series, Miracleman Triumphant, with script by Fred Burke and art by Mike Deodato. It was supposed to fill in the gap between the Golden Age and The Silver Age. Eclipse claimed Neil Gaiman had provided input; but, in the TwoMorrows reference book, Kimota!, The Miracleman Companion, Gaiman didn't recall anything about it. cat yronwode maintained that he had consulted and acted surprised that he denied knowledge of it.

You can read the first script here:

miraclemen.info/comics/unreleased/miracleman-triumphant-1/

It includes a letter to Neil Gaiman, though the letter doesn't suggest Neil consulted, just that Burke was told the Gaiman approved the idea. More on that later.

The first issue starts right after issue #22, with the end of Carnival. miracleman is still in his disguise and finds a flyer for a family of fortune tellers. he goes to consult with them. meanwhile, Lizz Sullivan (formerly Moran) has been invited to a party at Olympus, with her new book, Winter's Tale. She meets Avril Lear and has a conversation, but Winter shows up and greets her mother. Liz realizes that Avril is Miracle Woman and berates her. Avril changes form and pities Liz. Liz fires back. We also see Emil gargunza, once again raised from the dead. Liz questions this and remarks of his rape of Miracle Woman. MW denies rape and said it was just fantasy, though we have seen differently, in past. Liz see that MW is in denial about the abuse she suffered. Gargunza uses a radio communicator to affect Miracle Dog, who attacks British Bulldog and Winter. Gargunza releases Winter clones, to add to the confusion. He uses a control word, "Lolita," to force MW to change to Avril lear, again. Liz is the one who stops Gargunza and saves her daughter, not MW or MM. Miracle Woman wanted Liz to join the family; but, she leaves. MM tells Winter that he is going to the US, as instructed by the fortune tellers, to see evidence of whether he acted for the best, in the past. jason Oakey, the boy he conversed with (now an adult) will accompany.



The issue is intriguing and addresses some points I raised about Miraclewoman, last time. She was systematically abused by Gargunza and you have to wonder how that affected her. her preoccupation with sex, in the new utopia, suggests she still hasn't dealt with it. liza addresses that point specifically. We also see that Avril/Miraclewoman is a manipulator, as she set up this celebration under false pretenses. Did she also do the same in pushing Miracleman to "make a pass" at Young Miracleman? We definitely see that she is not the perfection she claims.

Miracleman has doubts about what he has done and is looking for answers. he will be reunited with Jason Oakey and go on a voyage to America. With Jason, he sees the past and looks at the present. Jason has molded himself into MM's appearance. Is he a surrogate for YM? An idea of what Mike and or Dicky would be if they had remained human?

Deodato's art looks fantastic and this issue really tantalizes you for more. Burke picked up on Gargunza's ability to confound even Mors and his malevolence. He keyed in on Miracle Woman and her imbalance. One thing, though, is that Liz looks rather like Rachel, Mist's mother, from Winter's Tale and issue 22. I wonder if that was a misunderstanding, with Deodato, or if that was intentional.

Miracleman #25 was completed and turned in; but, financial problems kept it from being published. The full script is not available and only a few pages of art have been seen:



Neil Gaiman says in Kimota that Dicky travels to the Himalayas and wakes up in his human form. He meets and old man and also sees Johnny. He said Johnny is not "back from the dead" and it isn't a flashback. He doesn't say if it is a vision/dream, or if it is a psychic conversation, in infra-space, similar to the communication between Kid Miracleman and Johnny Bates, while Bates was in the institution and KM was trapped in infra-space. Bates would definitely appear in The Dark Age. It's hard to judge form the art miraclemen.info/comics/unreleased/miracleman-25/ what the full story is.

The Dark Age, according to Gaiman, was to be sett several hundred to one thousand years in the future. The Miracle babies are gone, flown off into space. Mike Moran or someone who claims to be him would be seen. bates would return. The story would end in a conversation between two people, as the last sunrise occurs. The planet is ruined.



Kimota! was published in 2001, with interviews conducted by Greg Khoury (who has interviewed Alan Moore, extensively) It features an introduction by Alex Ross, who says the series greatly influenced Kingdom Come (which people tend to forget was his conception, not Mark Waid's). All the major players are interviewed, except Dean Mullaney, Fred Burke, Valerie Jones,and Warrior cover artist Mick Austin. It emerges that Dez Skinn did not purchase the rights to Marvelman, though he maintained it was in the public domain. he did pass money on to Mick Anglo, to be able to reprint some classic Marvelman material and to cover his interest. He claims in the interview that the cessation of the series was due to a breakdown between Alans Moore and Davis, and that the Marvel threats were mostly smoke and mirrors. Moore and Davis did have a falling out over Captain Britain, as Moore blocked it being reprinted earlier, due to objections about treatment of the UK editor, Bernie Jaye, and over threats about Marvelman, when Dez Skinn was shopping the US reprint rights around. Skinn says that DC passed on it, saying they didn't know what to do with it and couldn't make the original Captain marvel work. They did snap up V for Vendetta, with Moore's blessing, though Skinn says it was for less money than the got from Eclipse, for Marvelman.

Marvelman actually was sold to Pacific; but, their bankruptcy led to Eclipse buying it up, along with the other Pacific titles they snapped up. Eclipse then went on to secure a portion of the rights, eventually buying out Skinn and Gary Leach. In interviews, Alan Davis claims he was never paid for the reprint of his work. Gary Leach was also not paid, until they were doing the trade, and he got money to do the cover. Mick Austin did not get paid for reusing his cover on the 3-D Miracleman special. Mick Anglo was not paid for the reprints. cat yronwode, in Miracleman 24 stated that Dez absconded with the money and pretty much maintains that in her interview. Skinn claims that is false and the others point fingers at Eclipse. Skinn says he had a later conversation with yronwode where she blames Dean Mullaney for feeding the story to her and that he filled her head with similar things. She denies this in her interview. She does paint Dean as a mess, as the end looms for the company and says she contacted Neil Gaiman to return the art to issue 25, to keep Dean from selling it elsewhere.

What comes out of this is very "he said, she said;" but, it is clear that Eclipse reneged on many things and had questionable business dealings. Similar charges were made over the manga reprints and by David Campitti, who acted as agent for Mike Deodato, on Miracleman Triumphant. Dez Skinn tells a story of withholding material, after Eclipse failed to make payments, and meeting with Jan Mullaney, in a seedy New York bar, who slipped him an envelope with $2000 cash. yronwode, blames others and Dean Mullaney and says that lateness on issues was due to the creators. Moore and Chuck Austen tell stories of cat attacking loved ones (Moore's then-wife and Austen's grandmother) on the phone, looking for delayed work. Moore talks of Eclipse reneging on providing documentation of some of the rights claims they made and says th relationship soured pretty quickly, with Eclipse. Olympus almost didn't come about, due to the problems. yronwode accuses Neil gaiman of having personal issues that were affecting turning in work; but, Gaiman claims that he and Buckingham withheld work due to non-payment for the previous issue, especially with The Silver Age, citing it as the reason for the year between #23 and 24.

Aside from the behind-the-scenes gossip, the book is an excellent resource for the creation and evolution of the series. It features art from the unreleased works and some sketches from John Totleben. It also includes Moore's complete script for the first story and Moore and Totleben's "Lux Brevis", a story intended for an anthology at First Comics, put together by Tim Truman. The anthology was never published. There is also Moore's original pitch for the series, his and Steve Moore's chronology of the Quality Communications Universe (combining Marvelman, V, Lazer Eraser, Warpsmiths, and more), a checklist of all of the material, and more. beau Smith is interviewed about Todd McFarlane's purchase of Eclipse's assets and Miracleman and his plans for it. It also speaks of the then-ongoing legal battle.

I highly recommend getting your hands on it, if you are even remotely interested in the series.

And so, that is it, until Gaiman and Buckingham return to finish The Silver Age. Personally, I'm not holding my breath. I sometimes wonder which we will see first, Miracleman 25 or Big Numbers #3. Or, peace in the Middle East?

Kimota is a fascinating read, but the whole legal situation remains murky despite Khoury's best efforts. I've talked to Dez Skinn about Marvelman a couple of times over the years, and the claim that it was the falling out between the two Alans that led to the strip's cessation rather than Marvel's threats seems to be pretty much the opposite of what he and others have been saying happened for the last thirty years! Dez has also stated at least once that Eclipse never actually owned the rights to Marvelman so Todd McFarlane could never have acquired them. And personally, I'm still not convinced that Mick Anglo would ever have owned the rights to begin with-that's just not how comics publishing worked in the UK back in the 1950s. It seems far more likely that L. Miller & Son owned the rights until the company was dissolved, after which nobody would have owned them. But, of course, Marvel say that he did, and that they bought the rights, and Marvel have very good lawyers, so...

I want to throw in here I hated this cover! Marvelwoman is NOT a good parallel for the Invisible Girl, and moreover doing the Marvelman Family to a 60's Marvel pastiche seemed il-fitting to me.



I read these when they came out in the 80s in sequence, and it was mind-blowing. And who the heck is Firedrake? Who are 'the others'? On the other hand, by the time Moore caught up, sadly the style of Olympus was so far advanced from this it would not make sense to reprint in chronological sequence.



I've always felt somehow we were owed more Dillon artwork on the series as a result of this. For that reason I wish he'd been the one to draw the Kid Marvelman tail by Morrison.