Mister Miracle #11-14

This batch doesn’t concentrate on the Fourth World as much as the previous issues, so I’ll get through them faster.

---

Mister Miracle #11 (1972)
by Jack Kirby

The main attraction of the title is supposed to be that Mister Miracle is an escape artist, considering the new logo and constant stunts on the cover.

But that’s just the cover. I have a feeling Kirby is more interested in drawing something else.

I really don’t like how the Female Furies have now been assimilated into the supporting cast.
I could buy that they’re still following Big Barda into battle, but to help her husband’s artistic career!?

Meanwhile, Doctor Bedlam reincarnates on Earth.

Who telegraphs his attacks by first terrorizing Oberon.

He then sends his androids, who are no match for Big Barda and the Female Furies.

Good news, though: the Mother Box™ has been damaged, so Mister Miracle will actually have to work this time!

Aaaand he walks straight into a trap, what are the odds.

Doctor Bedlam is all about mind control and illusions, so of course the trap involves sending Mister Miracle’s flying saucer into space.

Mister Miracle survives… thanks to the Mother Box™.
OH COME ON!!!

This is an absurdly useful device, but given his track record I’m skeptical Mister Miracle will use it again.

Splash pages: 2 out of 21 (10%)
Splash + double splash pages: 4 out of 21 (19%)

Most Kirby panel

Most WTF panel
I can excuse Oberon at this point, but the son of the original Mister Miracle is new to all this stuff… BE IMPRESSED, DAMMIT!!!

---

Mister Miracle #12 (1973)
by Jack Kirby

I swear all these covers are beginning to look the same to me.

Mister Miracle must be absurdly popular at this point, because the military allows him to use AN EXPERIMENTAL TORPEDO as a publicity stunt!!!

The Female Furies are still just hanging around.

The plot is about some rich guy who has acquired a mystic creature called Mystivac.

Eh, it’s probably nothing.

I have the distinct feeling that Kirby didn’t know what to do with the Female Furies anymore, but he liked drawing them so he shoehorned them into the plot.

This is an interesting idea: Mystivac implanted a subconscious desire to die, making Mister Miracle far too reckless.

Mister Miracle eventually defeats Mystivac by sending back a mini-earthquake, SOMEHOW.
What, did he train under Karate Kid?

Turns out Mystivac was just a tiny alien.

Well, I stand corrected: Mister Miracle DID use that circuitry after all.

Splash pages: 2 out of 24 (8%)
No double splash pages

Most Kirby panel

Most WTF panel
I said BE IMPRESSED, DAMMIT!!!

---

Mister Miracle #13 (1973)
by Jack Kirby

Took him longer than expected to pull off THIS stunt.

The son of the original Mister Miracle is kidnapped by these guys on a flying saucer, who also end up kidnapping his successor and Big Barda.

You can guess the results.

The leader of the bad guys is King Komodo, who lives in Tibet.

And since we’re in Tibet, Mister Miracle lends his cape to Big Barda to keep her warm.
It’s a good look for her, but then again I’m biased in favor of green capes held up by golden buttons.

Have we stumbled upon Tibetan Nazis? Because if Kirby is basing this on the fact that the swastika pre-dates Nazis by a lot, maybe he’s forgotten that the non-Nazi version should rotate the other way.

Nope, it’s just Nazis.

Good thing that cape is nearly indestructible.

Okay when I complained about using the circuits again, I didn’t mean EVERY SINGLE ISSUE!!! Talk about over-correcting.

The son of the original Mister Miracle first met the bad guys after leaving Korea, being picked up by Mongols who were going to China and ended up in Tibet.

Sounds like a perfectly reasonable route.

Splash pages: 2 out of 24 (8%)
No double splash pages

Most Kirby panel

Most WTF panel
Big Barda is naturally the biggest proponent of putting your life on auto-drive.
You know, the woman who betrayed her tyrannical government at great risk to herself despite being in a position of leadership.

---

Mister Miracle #14 (1973)
by Jack Kirby

Is it just me, or does the ghost on the right looks like a Skrull?

Don’t get your hopes up: we’re promised Satan…

…but the villain is just Madame Evil Eyes.
Which SOUNDS like I’m making fun of her, but really that’s her name!

Well, Satan kind of shows up anyway.

It’s a bit hard to take her seriously.

She DOES have potential, I’ll give her that.

Okay this is getting ridiculous, this is THE FOURTH ISSUE IN A ROW where Mister Miracle solves everything with the Mother Box™ circuits.

The Female Furies continue being completely wasted.

Splash pages: 3 out of 22 (14%)
Splash + double splash pages: 5 out of 22 (23%)

Most Kirby panel

Most WTF panel
You haven’t thought about your feelings for Mister Miracle yet? REALLY???

---

Historical significance: 0/10
Doctor Bedlam will return in post-Kirby series, but all the other villains are forgotten.

Silver Age-ness: 6/10
Pretty standard for the times.

Does it stand the test of time? 4/10
Stripped of the Fourth World connection (even Doctor Bedlam feels it’s barely part of it), the series is almost indistinguishable from any other Kirby series. Even the strongest part of the series, the interaction between characters, feels off: outside of issue 13, Mister Miracle and Big Barda barely share any scene together.
The son of the original Mister Miracle is little more than a plot device most of the time, and as I’ve repeated the Female Furies are utterly wasted.
In addition to that, the villains are forgettable (even the previously great Doctor Bedlam feels generic), and it’s hard to be excited about Mister Miracle’s daring escapes if EVERY TIME he wins with exactly the same gadget!