***Contains Spoilers***
The stories in New Gods #13-19 by Gerry Conway and Mister Miracle #19-25 by Steve Englehart are continuations of Jack Kirby’s iconic Fourth World saga, but they lack much of the energy and innovation that defined Kirby’s original work. New Gods primarily focuses on Darkseid’s quest for the Anti-Life Equation, weaving through conflicts between New Genesis and Apokolips. Meanwhile, Mister Miracle delves deeper into Scott Free’s personal life, highlighting his struggles as a super escape artist and his confrontations with Darkseid. Though these runs expand the mythos of the Fourth World, they often fail to fully capture its essence.
What I appreciated most in New Gods was its continued exploration of Darkseid and the Anti-Life Equation. Darkseid remains a captivating villain, and seeing more of his manipulation and pursuit of power added depth to the character. The cosmic stakes of the story are compelling, and there’s a genuine sense of tension as the characters grapple with the implications of Anti-Life. Similarly, Mister Miracle offered valuable context about Scott Free’s character. While the escape artist premise might not feel as fresh here, I enjoyed seeing Scott confront Darkseid in a way that felt personal and meaningful. These moments reminded me why the Fourth World saga has such a devoted following.
Unfortunately, there’s a lot that didn’t work for me. Both runs suffer from repetitive storytelling. In Mister Miracle, many of the escapes feel formulaic—an escape from peril followed by an unremarkable resolution. The stories lack the creativity and flair that defined Kirby’s original take on the character. The same can be said for New Gods, which often feels like it’s going through the motions rather than delivering the larger-than-life energy the series needs. While the Anti-Life storyline is intriguing, much of the narrative felt plodding, failing to balance action with meaningful character development. The art in both series is serviceable but lacks the dynamic visual storytelling Kirby brought to the Fourth World. Without his larger-than-life panels, the grandeur of these cosmic tales feels muted.
In the end, these runs had some redeeming qualities, but they weren’t enough to make me want to revisit them. While New Gods did expand on Darkseid’s quest for Anti-Life, and Mister Miracle gave me more context about Scott Free’s character, the stories themselves weren’t particularly engaging. They often felt like pale imitations of Kirby’s work, lacking his boundless imagination and narrative drive. If you’re a hardcore fan of the Fourth World, there might be some interest here, but for me, it’s not something I’d recommend or revisit. 2 stars — I liked parts of it, but I wouldn’t read it again.
Feature Image Mister Miracle #20 cover art by Vice Colletta and Marshall Rogers