Mister Miracle #4: True or False - this needs a review thread?

I really want to like this more than I do. What I need to find is a thread at cbr or elsewhere annotating the pages and inter-character dynamics of the players at Scott Free's TRIAL for a better appreciation of all the nuances. The art is certainly good enough - even with the panel photocopying method (whatever it's called). I loved the (apparent) details that Scott Free is not his reall name (of homonym thereof?) because it makes sense. Is it a new reveal? The TRIAL was "a joke", which was clearly the intent, how Orion easily (and cleverly) twisted the concept of True or False. Has any back issue ever featured a New Genesis Trial proceedings? Anyways in that vein, the point of this review thread will be more effective for you to tell me about this issue not the other way around.

This time round is Barda's spotlight on the fine cover. And she's a great choice 'cuz she's great mate to her accused husband here.
[URL="https://www.readdcentertainment.com/Mister-Miracle-2017-4/digital-comic/T1758200045001"][ATTACH=CONFIG]57734[/ATTACH][/URL]

The Scott Free thing is straight from Kirby's original MM series. I don't think it's ever really been dwelt on like here, but it's not new information per se.

This issue is another really great one. I don't have a whole lot to say, honestly, other than King and Gerard are making a fantastic series overall.

I've really been enjoying this series, but it's also disturbing how messed up everything seems to be. It certainly succeeds at conveying a sense of uneasiness and creepiness, like Darkseid got into all of us at some point when we weren't watching and it's only now becoming obvious.

Of all of them, Barda is the one who is still consistently herself. (More so than ever in this issue.) Which makes me wonder if she's some kind of plant, put in there to make Scott doubt himself instead of the reality around him. As long as he can depend on her, then this must be real life, right?

[QUOTE=Kevin Street;3230679]I've really been enjoying this series, but it's also disturbing how messed up everything seems to be. It certainly succeeds at conveying a sense of uneasiness and creepiness, like Darkseid got into all of us at some point when we weren't watching and it's only now becoming obvious.

Of all of them, Barda is the one who is still consistently herself. (More so than ever in this issue.) Which makes me wonder if she's some kind of plant, put in there to make Scott doubt himself instead of the reality around him. As long as he can depend on her, then this must be real life, right?[/QUOTE]

There's something up with Barda. Oberon and Highfather have been taken out of play (not that I think they're really dead) leaving Scott without two sources of advice and comfort. Why is Barda left? I don't know. The eye color thing from an earlier issue obviously means something in the story. The believability of Orion's behavior here is a nice touch. He could be doing this if life was being reshuffled to mess with Scott's head.

If there's some sort of plot going on, it's also possible Darkseid doesn't really have the Anti-Life Equation. The changes happening so far are huge and make fundamental changes to the New Gods setup. Could it happen? Sure, but would this happen in a Mister Miracle limited series?

Even though I strongly suspect a reset by issue 12, getting there is an awesome ride.

I wish King’s Batman was half this good. This series is fantastic

A few observations to spark conversation:

The veggie plate reminded me of the veggie plate Gus Fring provided the Mexican druglords in a Breaking Bad episode. I would bet a dollar of my own money this was an inspiration for the plate's presence in this issue.

I'm going back to see if panel borders appear anywhere in this series and what that might mean.

The blurring of some panels indicates to me that Tom King put some Alan Moore level detail into this story.

[QUOTE=Jody Garland;3230668]The Scott Free thing is straight from Kirby's original MM series. I don't think it's ever really been dwelt on like here, but it's not new information per se.[/QUOTE]

There''s a powerful sequence all based in this concept in Neil Gaiman's Sandman #5.

DC would be smart to spin it off into an ongoing...
#4 was Comixology's fourth top-selling [URL="https://www.comixology.com/comics-best-sellers"]comic for the week.[/URL]
This is very likely unprecedented for Mister Miracle.

As if no one else has had this thought.

But to me this reads like is building on something like Morrisons Seven Soldiers, here the world that Scott is surrounded by, the one we see, is actually the trap and we are witnessing him realizing that he is in one and somehow has to escape it.
Hence why it just seems to get worse and worse for Scott and hence why the 'Darkseid Is' panel seems to be getting more frequent.

[QUOTE=BohemiaDrinker;3231108]There''s a powerful sequence all based in this concept in Neil Gaiman's Sandman #5.[/QUOTE]

True, there was a bit in that about how Scott is still struggling with his own identity.

[QUOTE=Lee Stone;3231126]DC would be smart to spin it off into an ongoing...
#4 was Comixology's fourth top-selling [URL="https://www.comixology.com/comics-best-sellers"]comic for the week.[/URL]
This is very likely unprecedented for Mister Miracle.[/QUOTE]
[URL="https://abload.de/img/giphy0fubn.gif"]"It's unprecedented, baby!"[/URL]

[QUOTE=Outside_85;3231372]As if no one else has had this thought.

But to me this reads like is building on something like Morrisons Seven Soldiers, here the world that Scott is surrounded by, the one we see, is actually the trap and we are witnessing him realizing that he is in one and somehow has to escape it.
Hence why it just seems to get worse and worse for Scott and hence why the 'Darkseid Is' panel seems to be getting more frequent.[/QUOTE]
That's what worries me and would be a real shame creatively speaking - what is it 8 or 12 ish maxi? And basically nothing happened. Just like many of the Holodeck episodes of STtNG where 1 or 2 characters simulate 1 hour of self-motivation in an inconsequential and canonically insignificant environment. The "whole thing is a trap idea" might work if there is some kind of twist involved - like say if all the players experience an upcoming delusional execution of MM. Anything but simply copying an unoriginal "It was all a dream" thing (like when Bobby came back on Dallas).

Loving this series. Hopefully King will be a Awesomecon 2018 so I can get these signed and sealed by CGC

I really like the series. I'm curious what the ulterior dynamic is at play and how to interpret those electric "disruptions" of the images we see. Orion is coming off very strong but it makes sense that there's some kind of manipulation going on. This is the kind of writing the New Gods deserve. I like that the trial took place in his living room. The 4th World characters are larger than life but at the same time never have a problem inserting themselves somewhat comically into an everyday Earth setting and still retaining their grandeur. And they're being fleshed out here with distinct personalities and relationships without losing the dramatic edge of their eternal binary conflict. Free really anchors them all.

[QUOTE=Bookem Danno;3230593]I really want to like this more than I do. What I need to find is a thread at cbr or elsewhere annotating the pages and inter-character dynamics of the players at Scott Free's TRIAL for a better appreciation of all the nuances. The art is certainly good enough - even with the panel photocopying method (whatever it's called). I loved the (apparent) details that Scott Free is not his reall name (of homonym thereof?) because it makes sense. Is it a new reveal? The TRIAL was "a joke", which was clearly the intent, how Orion easily (and cleverly) twisted the concept of True or False. Has any back issue ever featured a New Genesis Trial proceedings? Anyways in that vein, the point of this review thread will be more effective for you to tell me about this issue not the other way around.

This time round is Barda's spotlight on the fine cover. And she's a great choice 'cuz she's great mate to her accused husband here.
[URL="https://www.readdcentertainment.com/Mister-Miracle-2017-4/digital-comic/T1758200045001"][ATTACH=CONFIG]57734[/ATTACH][/URL][/QUOTE]

Man. I thought Barda was the variant.
[IMG]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/36/7d/d8/367dd89e4fc315c0773aedcf69c42206.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE=Old School Ollie 1962;3239350]Man. I thought Barda was the variant.[/QUOTE]

It's weird. The Mitch Gerads covers are considered the variants while the Nick Derington covers are the primary. But I don't think the variant is special due to the number I see at my LCS so it really doesn't matter. Personally, I prefer the Gerads covers.

I was wary of this for the first few issues, but I completely love this series now. This is very much feels like it's going off of the original Kirby stories rather than the New 52 stuff, which made some dumb retcons about Scott & Orion's switcheroo being when they were both old enough to remember it, rather than being babies.