As I mentioned in a related thread, I would really like to see a 5th volume of The 4th World Omnibus featuring the best of the relaunches, particulary Mr.
Miracle, Return of the New Gods and Orion. I wouldn't even mind the 4th World by Byrne, although that was far from one of his finest efforts.
I really enjoyed the short-lived relaunches of Mr. Miracle and the New Gods just prior to the infamous DC Implosion. Take a gander.
Mr. Miracle had the best writing but the quality of the artwork fluctuated because of rotating inkers but it is a little jem of a run, kicking off in fine form
with the classic team of Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers, who were creating their legendary Detective Comics run at the same time.
Englehart and Rogers hit the ground running, starting a storyline in which Scott Free returns to Apokalips posing as a messiah to get the Lowlies to rise up
against Darkseid. A great idea, which they pull off with panache.
As you would imagine, Englehart's scripts are much more sophisticated and provocative than Kirby's 50s schlock. His dialogue is crisp and contemporary,
Scott and (Big) Barda seem to have an adult relationship (within the confines of the then-prevailing comics-code) and Englehart explores the New Gods nature as
"gods", as well as the conflict between Scott and his adoptive father, Darkseid. Englehart's characterisation of Darkseid is chilling and
intriguing. This is a cosmic character who genuinely seems to have a different, non-human perspective on life.
Englehart also had a much better handle on Mr. Miracle's "super escape artist" identity, coming up with some doozies of traps and presenting
believable escape, instead of the hackneyed, silly traps Kirby came up, which were more like throw-backs to the "Perils of Pauline" than real
threats.
Unfortunately most of Rogers artwork was marred by poor inking. Vince Colletta was the worst perpetrator of course. However, the artwork came together nicely
in #21, which was unfortunately Rogers' last issue. At least he went out on a high note.
See how sleek and graceful his Mr. Miracle is, a real performer instead of Kirby's hulkish heavy-weight wrestler. You can also see a lot of Simonson
influences in his work, which added that much needed Kirby vibe.
If you compare the Englehart & Rogers' Mr. Miracle with Kirby's run, which was only a mere 3 year earlier, it underlines for me once again how
hopelessly out of step with the times Kirby was.
