Marvel’s remastering of the deconstructionist classic Miracleman returns in its second chapter. This is second part of Book One: A Dream of Flying, with stories by Alan Moore and art by Garry Leach, Steve Dillon, Alan Davis and Paul Neary. #2collects reprints from Warriors #3 – #5, as well as reprints of original Marvelman adventures from creator Mick Angelo with art by Don Lawrence. As with #1, the backmatter features sketches and original artwork by Leech, offering a look into the production of the original Warriors serial.
Picking up directly after #1, this issue follows the return of Jonathan Bates, the former Kid Miracleman, in When Johnny Comes Marching Home and Dragons. Now a wealthy cybernetics mogul, Bates has morphed into a pitiless sociopath, corrupted by the destructive powers he now hides behind the polished veneer of status and industry. Back at the Moran household Liz is still struggling to deal with her husband’s transformation when Mike gets a call from Bates, inviting them to his offices. When Mike and Liz go to visit Bates, their polite chat takes a sinister turn as Bates’ true nature rears it vicious head. With no other choice, Mike transforms into Miracleman to stop the ensuing rampage as Bates lays waste to everything in his path, putting London in danger.
In the third story, The Yesterday Gambit, the Miracleman saga jumps three years into the future as Miracleman teams up with the alien Warpsmith to travel back in time. They arrive in 1963 on the day that the Miracleman family died, attempting to keep them from completing their fateful final mission. Young Miracleman dies and Miracleman loses his powers and memory, leaving Kid Miracleman alone to fester in his violent burgeoning tendencies. The resulting skirmish does nothing, however, as the family flies away to meet their inevitable death and Warpsmith wipes their memories of the event. In the end Miracleman and Warpsmith must return to their home timeline empty-handed, only to find themselves ambushed by Bates. This results in an ominous battle that alludes to dark days to come for Miracleman, past, present and future.
Whether you’re new to the series or a longtime fan, Miracleman #2 is worth picking up. Moore’s writing is so lush and descriptive that it sometimes reads more like an illustrated novel than a comic, enriching the graphic narrative through the pure strength of language. He presents a bleak but fascinating view into the internal machinations of the superhuman, and how even the best of intentions can become corrupted by the nature of ultimate power and strength. Today such deconstruction of the superhero genre is so commonplace as to become tired, but for the pre-Watchmen 1980s, this stands as a fresh and engaging glimpse into superhero fiction.
As for the art, Leech’s work, which for me is the real draw of the series, still holds up today through his command of page design and storytelling. His pencils are made all the more affective and intense by Steve Oliff’s palettes, bringing a new level of emotional subtly to the page through thoughtful color choice. While I was a little less engaged by the artwork in The Yesterday Gambit, it’s still a solid story and a good read, with a wealth of beautiful narration and great imagery. And be sure to look at the Marvelman reprints in the back of the issue, they are truly charming and a great deal of fun.
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