Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, and durability
Superhumanly skilled escape artist
Immortality
Accelerated healing
Genius-level intellect
Proficient scientist and inventor
Indomitable will
Advanced hand-to-hand combatant
Knowledge of the Anti-Life Equation
The Alpha Effect
Teleportation
Heat vision
Carries a Mother Box, aero-discs, multi-cube and advanced gadgets
Mister Miracle is the name of three superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first and third are humans Thaddeus Brown and Shilo Norman, while the second is New GodScott Free. The Scott Free incarnation of Mister Miracle first appeared in Mister Miracle #1 (April 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby.[1]
The Scott Free incarnation of Mister Miracle has appeared in various media outside comics, primarily in association with the New Gods. Ioan Gruffudd, Yuri Lowenthal, Roger Craig Smith, and Andy Daly have voiced the character in animation.
Publication history
Mister Miracle debuted in the first issue of the eponymous series cover dated April 1971[2][3][4] as part of the Fourth World tetralogy.[5]Big Barda, the character's love interest, was introduced in Mister Miracle #4 (October 1971).[6] According to creator Jack Kirby's then-assistant Mark Evanier, Kirby wanted to be a comics creator and creative supervisor at DC Comics, rather than a regular writer-artist: "... we were going to turn Mr. Miracle over to Steve Ditko after a couple of issues and have me write it and Ditko draw it. Carmine Infantino, publisher of DC at the time, vetoed that and said Kirby had to do it all himself."[7] Evanier unofficially co-wrote most issues of the series.[7]
The original title featuring Miracle was the longest-lasting of the Fourth World titles, lasting 18 issues[8] while the other titles, New Gods and The Forever People, were cancelled after 11 issues. The most traditionally super-heroesque comic of the various Fourth World titles, the last seven issues as well as later incarnations of the series would downplay the Fourth World mythology in favor of more traditional superhero fare. The character teamed up with Batman three times in The Brave and the Bold.[9] The title was revived in September 1977 by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers.[10]Steve Gerber[11] and Michael Golden produced three issues ending with #25 (September 1978)[3][4] with several story lines unresolved.[12] Mister Miracle teamed with Superman in DC Comics Presents #12 (August 1979)[13] and met the Justice League of America and the Justice Society of America in Justice League of America #183–185 (October–December 1980).[14]
When the character was revived as part of the Justice League International lineup in 1987, a one-shot special by writer Mark Evanier and artist Steve Rude was published in 1987.[4][15] This special was followed by an ongoing series that began in January 1989, written by J. M. DeMatteis and drawn by Ian Gibson.[4][16] Other writers who contributed to the title include Keith Giffen, Len Wein, and Doug Moench. This run lasted 28 issues before cancellation in 1991. The series was largely humor-driven, per Giffen's reimagining Scott Free, his wife Big Barda, and their friend Oberon, who pretended to be Scott's uncle, as living in suburbia when they were not fighting evil with the Justice League.
In 1996, a series written by Kevin Dooley showed Scott attempting to escape his destiny as a New God by working for a charitable foundation in New York. This ran for seven issues,[4][17] before all Fourth World titles were canceled for the launch of Jack Kirby's Fourth World.
In addition, Scott's ally and wife Big Barda was made a member of the revived Justice League and appeared regularly in the Jack Kirby's Fourth World series by John Byrne.
With the launching of Grant Morrison's meta-series Seven Soldiers (2005–2006), Mister Miracle was revived as a four-issue miniseries. This miniseries focused instead on Scott's sidekick and apprentice Shilo Norman, who died.
In 2017, the character returned in a 12-issue limited series written by Tom King and illustrated by Mitch Gerads.[18]
From July 2021 to January 2022, Mister Miracle: The Source of Freedom was published as a six issue miniseries starring Shilo Norman as Mister Miracle. The series was written by Brandon Easton and drawn by Fico Ossio.
Fictional character biography
Mister Miracle was one of four DC Comics series in Kirby's ambitious, but short-lived, Fourth World saga. Mister Miracle, Super Escape Artist was inspired by comic book writer/artist Jim Steranko. Mister Miracle's relationship with his wife Big Barda is based on Kirby's relationship with his own wife Roz.[19]
Thaddeus Brown
Thaddeus Brown is a circusescape artist whose stage name is Mister Miracle. As the first escape artist to use the name Mister Miracle, Brown earns a modest living and practices his art into his later years. Brown meets Scott Free as he is practicing an outdoor escape with his long-time friend and assistant Oberon. Scott then aids Brown as he is being coerced by Intergang thugs working for Intergang member Steel Hand. While practicing an escape of being tied to a tree with a projectile speeding toward him, Brown is killed by a sniper working for Steel Hand. After Brown's murder, Scott takes his costume and the mantle of Mister Miracle.[20]
Following The New 52 and DC Rebirth relaunches, Brown's history remains intact, though it is claimed that he may have faked his death.[21] Brown is also revealed to have been part of a group called Justice Society Dark in the 1940s.[22]
Scott Free is the son of Highfather, the ruler of New Genesis, and his wife, Avia. As part of a diplomatic move to stop a war with the planet Apokolips, Highfather agreed to an exchange of heirs with Darkseid, the ruler of Apokolips. Scott was traded for Darkseid's second-born son Orion.[23]
Scott grows up in one of Granny Goodness' orphanages with no knowledge of his heritage, but refuses to allow his spirit to break under the institution's training. As he matures, Scott rebels against the totalitarian ideology of Apokolips. Hating himself for being unable to fit in despite his unfailing defiance of the abuse he suffered, Scott is influenced by Metron to see a future beyond Darkseid. Scott joins a small band of pupils led by Himon,[24] a New Genesian living under cover as a Hunger Dog on Apokolips. At these meetings, Scott meets Big Barda, a lieutenant in Darkseid's Female Furies.[25]
Eventually, Free escapes and flees to Earth. His escape, long anticipated and planned for by Darkseid, nullifies the pact between Darkseid and Highfather, allowing Darkseid to revive his war with New Genesis. Once on Earth, Free meets circusescape artist Thaddeus Brown, whose stage name was Mister Miracle. Brown is impressed with Scott's skills (especially as supplemented with Apokoliptian technology). Scott befriends Brown's assistant, a dwarf named Oberon. When Brown is murdered, Free assumes the identity of Mister Miracle.[26][20] Barda later follows Scott to Earth and the two battle Darkseid, who seeks to capture them. Eventually, tired of being chased by Darkseid's servants, Scott returns to Apokolips and wins his freedom through trial by combat.
Scott later joins Justice League International alongside Barda and Oberon. This recast Scott and Big Barda as semi-retired super-heroes who seek to live peaceful civilian lives. In particular, Scott is recast as a hen-pecked husband who often finds himself on the receiving end of Barda's temper over her desire to live a quiet life on Earth.
During his time in the League, Scott develops an intense rivalry with Manga Khan. Khan repeatedly kidnaps Scott, convincing Scott's conniving former manager Funky Flashman into forging documents that force Scott to work for Manga as his personal entertainer. To force him to go along willingly, Khan replaces Scott with a lifelike robot who is later destroyed by Despero. Scott ultimately escapes from Khan's clutches and reunited with his wife and friends, though the shock leads Scott to quit the League and take on Shilo Norman as his protégé.
In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, Mister Miracle appears alongside Big Barda flying around the ruins of Gotham City on Earth 2.[27] Their purpose is revealed to find the mysterious new Batman, which is thwarted when both are attacked by Fury.[28]
Shilo Norman
Shilo Norman, Mister Miracle #1 Art by Pasqual Ferry.
Abandoned by his mother when he was only an infant, Shilo Norman's desire to escape was fostered in an abusive orphanage. He eventually runs away and ends up on the streets near the informal ward of Thaddeus Brown (the original Mister Miracle), and he served as an occasional stand-in. When Brown is murdered by Steel Hand, Scott Free avenges his death by taking on the identity of Mister Miracle and bringing Steel Hand to justice. Shilo also works with Scott and his wife Barda. Shilo later becomes security chief of the Slab, a maximum-security prison.
Shilo Norman also appears in Mister Miracle: The Source of Freedom, a six-issue miniseries spinning out of the events of "DC Future State" and tying into "Infinite Frontier".
Powers and abilities
Like all the New Gods, Scott Free is functionally immortal; having stopped aging around the age of 30, he has developed an immunity to toxins and diseases. Scott has superhuman strength, agility, speed, coordination and reflexes, along with incredible stamina. Due to his exhausting and rigorous life on Apokolips, his body has tremendous resistance to extreme temperatures, physical injury, psychic influence and he is capable of extremely rapid recovery.
Scott has a genius-level intellect and is knowledgeable about much of the universe. During his life on Apokolips, he was instructed by Himon in the science and use of advanced Fourth World's technology. He is a genius inventor who has designed most of the equipment in his costume, including his Mother Box.
Scott was trained by Granny Goodness as an Aero-trooper. Although he despises violence and is often portrayed as a pacifist, he is still an exceptional warrior, instructed in all combat techniques of Apokolips and very skilled with weapons. On one occasion, he was able to beat Big Barda. Also, he is a master escapologist and acrobat. He is considered better at escapes than Batman, and much of his skill is the result of his advanced physiology.
Scott Free is heir of the Alpha Effect, the antithesis of Darkseid's Omega Energy. This power was almost unlimited and allowed him to manipulate energy in many ways. Also, Mister Miracle used his godlike powers to resurrect his wife and battle against Steppenwolf and Kalibak, temporarily stopping the war between New Genesis and Apokolips. Later, Scott relinquished his heritage.
Scott possesses greater power as the embodiment of the Anti-Life Equation. The ability is fueled by rage and negative emotions. The Anti-Life Equation can give any being the power to dominate the will of all sentient and sapient races and alter the reality, space, time, matter and anti-matter at the cosmic level. Mister Miracle proved to be powerful enough to fight Superman and Orion together.
The New 52
In The New 52 reboot, Mister Miracle retains the status of a New God and has been reborn more powerful than before. Mister Miracle is able to lift at least 50 tons. He is shown to have a high level of invulnerability; enduring space's rigors, surviving the explosion of three "Boom Spheres", resisting attacks of powerful beings such as Darkseid. His combined reflexes, speed and agility make him able to dodge almost any attack, even from two Apokalitian assassins, as he did with Lashina and Kanto. In addition, Mister Miracle has a limited healing factor and a great variety of mental tricks that allow him to break free of psychic influence. Mister Miracle is still a super escape artist and an expert combatant, successfully defeating Fury, Wonder Woman's daughter.
Equipment
Mother Box: The Mother Box can access the energy of the Source for various effects; it can change the gravitational constant of an area, transfer energy from one place to another, sense danger, sense of life, create force fields, transmute matter, absorb or project powerful shock blasts, create electro-webs of atoms, control the mental state of a being, communicate telepathically with a host or other life form, manipulate the life-force of a host to sustain it past fatal injuries, and teleport via Boom Tubes.
Costume: Mister Miracle's costume is magnetically sealed and provides limited protection from damage and fire. It contains numerous hidden pockets. Each glove and boot has a pocket and the utility belt contains half a dozen more. A secret pocket on the upper right arm hides his Mother Box.
Mask: Contains circuitry for his Mother Box and a life support unit. The circuits let Scott use his Mother Box hands free. The life support system lets him survive in hostile environments.
Gloves: Have wide cuffs that hold Scott's multi-cube and assorted picks. In addition, the gloves can fire concussive blasts and generate enormous electric power, and contain a fingertip laser for fine welding or burning. His hidden circuits have the ability to create fission blasts and mini shockwaves.
Boots: Contain laser-jets capable of burning almost any surface.
Cape: Is made of a memory fibroid from New Genesis. Scott's Mother Box can transmute the cape into a cocoon that can withstand a sizable explosion. This can only be done once. The transmutation is not permanent and destroys the cape.
Aero Discs: Thin metal plates about a foot across. The New Gods use them for personal travel. They can reach speeds of 250mph. Scott has modified his discs considerably for battle. They can be attached to the forearms to use them as shields or blades.
Multi-Cube: A peripheral device for Mister Miracle's Mother Box. The cube was designed by Mister Miracle to use the transmutation power of the Mother Box to create a number of preset mechanisms in its interior. All of these functions are much easier to perform than improvised transmutation. They can be activated in stressful situations. The cube is small enough to be hidden in the palm of the hand. The multi-cube is not sentient but is still capable of interpreting complex commands and recording data. The multi-cube can fly under its own power and follow the mental commands of Mister Miracle. The cube can use the transmuting power of the Mother Box to create several hundred feet of swing line. Besides the cable, the cube can produce a smoke screen or fire suppression foam. The simplest use of the cube is to generate light effects. The cube can create lifelike holograms, a blinding flash or a laser capable of cutting through a steel cable or handcuff links. In hologram mode the cube can record extended scenes or make a complete holographic recording. It can then manipulate the playback to simulate the subject in motion. The cube can emit a powerful sonic beam that can spring locks or shatter a brick wall. The sound blast can stun an unprotected human.
Other versions
An alternate timeline variant of Mister Miracle appears in Kingdom Come.
An alternate universe variant of Mister Miracle who became Metron's successor appears in Superman: The Dark Side.
An alternate universe variant of Mister Miracle appears in JLA: The Nail. This version downloaded himself into Barda's Mother Box before being killed by DeSaad. The Box's circuitry later bonds with a Green Lantern ring, allowing him to project his consciousness into an energy construct similar to his original body.
The character has a cameo (identified only as "Scott Free") in "Passengers," an issue of Neil Gaiman's run of The Sandman. Morpheus visits him to ascertain the whereabouts of the Dreamstone that was taken from him and found its way into the possession of the Justice League. Scott leads him to the Martian Manhunter, who directs Morpheus to the place where the Dream stone can be found.
The Scott Free incarnation of Mister Miracle makes a cameo appearance in the Harley Quinn episode "Inner (Para) Demons", voiced by Andy Daly.[29]
The Scott Free incarnation of Mister Miracle will headline an adult animated television series based on the 2017–2018 miniseries by Tom King and Mitch Gerads. King will serve as showrunner and executive producer, with DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation co-producing the series.[31]
Film
An alternate universe variant of Scott Free / Mister Miracle makes a non-speaking appearance in a flashback in Justice League: Gods and Monsters.[29]
The Scott Free incarnation of Mister Miracle was meant to appear in a New Gods film, with director Ava DuVernay and comic writer Tom King attached to the production, before the project was cancelled in April 2021.[32][33][34][35]
Video games
The Scott Free incarnation of Mister Miracle appears in DC Universe Online via the "Halls of Power" DLC trilogy.[36]
Volume 2 collects Forever People #4–6, Mister Miracle #4–6, The New Gods #4–6, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #141–145, 396 pages, August 2007, ISBN978-1401213572 (hardcover);[42] April 2012, ISBN978-1401234409 (paperback)[43]
Volume 3 collects Forever People #7–10, Mister Miracle #7–9, The New Gods #7–10, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #146–148, 396 pages, November 2007, ISBN978-1401214852 (hardcover);[44] August 2012, ISBN978-1401235352 (paperback)[45]
Volume 4 collects Forever People #11; Mister Miracle #10–18; The New Gods #11; "Even Gods Must Die" from The New Gods vol. 2 #6; DC Graphic Novel #4: "The Hunger Dogs"; "On the Road to Armagetto!" (previously unpublished), 424 pages, March 2008, ISBN978-1401215835 (hardcover);[46] December 2012, ISBN978-1401237462 (paperback)[47]
Mister Miracle by Steve Englehart and Steve Gerber collects Mister Miracle #19–25, 216 pages, March 2020, ISBN978-1779500793
↑ McAvennie, Michael (2010). "1970s". In Dolan, Hannah (ed.). DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. London, United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. p.145. ISBN978-0-7566-6742-9. As the writer, artist, and editor of the Fourth World family of interlocking titles, each of which possessed its own distinct tone and theme, Jack Kirby cemented his legacy as a pioneer of grand-scale storytelling.
↑ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 145: "In Kirby's final 'Fourth World' series, Mister Miracle, Scott Free was already on Earth, having fled Apokollips and the cruel orphanage that raised him."
↑ Levitz, Paul (2010). "The Bronze Age 1970-1984". 75 Years of DC Comics The Art of Modern Mythmaking. Cologne, Germany: Taschen. p.447. ISBN9783836519816. Kirby began introducing new elements to the DC Universe, building toward the introduction of a trio of new titles based on a complex mythology he called the Fourth World.
↑ McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 147: "Mister Miracle battled supervillain Doctor Bedlam with the aid of a voluptuous figure from his past."
McAvennie "1970s" in Dolan, p. 175: "Writer Steve Englehart and artist Marshall Rogers, having garnered acclaim for Detective Comics, picked up Mister Miracle where the series had ended three years before."
↑ Kingman, Jim (December 2008). "The Miracle Messiah: Steve Gerber's Short-Lived Take on Mister Miracle". Back Issue! (31). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 57–59.
↑ Nolen-Weathington, Eric (2007). Modern Masters Volume 12: Michael Golden. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing. pp.13–16. ISBN978-1893905740.
Evanier, Mark (n.d.). "The Jack F.A.Q." News From ME. Archived from the original on July 2, 2014. Jack based some of his characters (not all) on people in his life or in the news…though often, the connection would be lost as the character evolved. That is to say, once the story was done, only Jack would be able to see any trace of the model…and sometimes, even he would lose track of how a character came about. Nevertheless, Big Barda's roots are not in doubt. The visual came about shortly after songstress Lainie Kazan posed for Playboy…and the characterization between Scott "Mr. Miracle" Free and Barda was based largely — though with tongue in cheek — on the interplay betwixt Jack and his wife Roz. Of course, the whole "escape artist" theme was inspired by an earlier career of writer-artist Jim Steranko.
↑ Robinson, James(w),Fernandez Urbano, Carlos Alberto; Gopez, Julius(p),Fernandez Urbano, Carlos Alberto; Smith, Cam(i)."Secrets and Origins"Earth 2 Annual,no.1(July 2013).
1 2 3 4 5 "Mr. Miracle Voices (DC Universe)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved June 13, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
↑ "Scott Free (Young) Voice - Justice League Unlimited (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved June 13, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
↑ "Tom King and Mister Miracle Are Top Winners at 2019 Eisner Awards". Comic-Con International: San Diego. 2019. Archived from the original on June 7, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2019. The top winners at the 3lst Annual Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, held during Comic-Con on July 19 at the Bayfront San Diego Hilton, were the DC Comics series Mister Miracle by Tom King and Mitch Gerads (Best Limited Series, Best Writer, Best Penciller/Inker).
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