The ballad of Dickie Dauntless is back, and for some, this might be the first time. I’m betting that if you’re here, you might know a thing or two about the wild story of Marvelman/Miracleman; if not, I would highly recommend you brush up on the character and his publishing woes on Wikipedia. For now, Miracleman has found a home at Marvel Comics, and all of his Alan Moore- and Neil Gaiman-written adventures have found reprintings. Now we’ve had two new issues with the All-New Miracleman Annual (2015) and Miracleman #0; this time, we get an update instead of a reprint.
The comic reviewed here is a rework of Miracleman #23 from June 1992 by Eclipse publications, and artist Mark Buckingham has changed some things. Along with the layout changes, there is also a change in personnel – D’Israeli painted the original, and Jordie Bellaire colored the Marvel Comics version. Despite the changes, this book lives up to its name of Silver Age as it is lighter and gives a sense of wonder. The script and words play out the same, but the art change does wonders for it. If you can, I recommend you check out both editions, as it is fun to see the differences.
Continuing with the art, I like the new choices that Mark Buckingham brings as they look like they live with more expression. Buckingham’s faces look better, which helps as Dickie is going to be riding a roller coaster of emotions. Bellaire’s colors help to bring the brightness of a Silver Age comic while helping to deliver a crazy world to your pages. The redesigns of characters are a significant improvement, too – there is the start with super-powered beings playing around, and they are facing a Galactus wannabe. The updated version works way better as it has the vibe down for what it is trying to mimic.
I like this story’s version of the “man out of time.” Yes, we have seen this trope with Captain America and Captain Atom, but for Young Miracleman, this adds quite a set of layers. Imagine living in a very happy, perfect 1950s, and then there is something gnawing at the back of your mind. What is that memory? Your death. It doesn’t stop there – your mentor comes along and tells you that your origins are a lie and you live in a fantastic world of Gods and miracles. This is where the updated art comes into play as Buckingham simplifies some panels and expands others to give better reactions.
I am very excited to see the Silver Age back with a firmer hope of a conclusion. Golden Age was fun, but it was more of an exploration of the world of Miracleman. Here, we finally get to see these characters move on with their lives. You can read the next issue early by checking out the original edition, but you’ll have to wait for issue #25. Luckily it won’t be as long of a wait since August of 1993. I can’t wait to see what Young Miracleman will do in this new world, and it’ll be great to get closure to the story.
It’s happening! We are getting closer to a conclusion to Gaiman & Buckingham’s Silver Age story in Miracleman. This updated edition features new art and colors, which help to give that Silver Age feel of wonder and excitement.
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