how's this for a birthday gift?

[Guest MaskedDanger]

My birthday was yesterday (I turned 103...woo hoo!) and today one of my friends gave me Miracleman 15 as a gift. I've been trying to get this goddamned book for two years (money being the main roadblock...to put it in perspective, I went to Hero's Con in Charlotte this year and only one booth had it, the owner of which was trying to get 100 bucks for the single issue), so when I saw it I flipped out. When I finally read it tonight, I was absolutely fucking floored. It in every way lived up to and surpassed my expectations, even for a quasi-jaded Moore nerd like me. "There is a coral reef of baby's skulls...." That, my friends, is one severe comic book.

 

So my question is, has anyone else here read it? If so, what did you think? Opinions? Comments? Bueller? Bueller?

[Guest areacode212]

I have never read it. I didn't care about Miracleman when it was originally published, and once I "discovered" it, it was too late, and they were pretty much out of my price range. Well, I'll just wait for the (hopefully forthcoming) TPB.

[Guest Sassquatch]

In the summer of '95, my local scumbag comic book shop was going out of business. The place was in financial shambles and the day I went the owner/ass was selling *all* of his stuff from anywhere from 35% to 85% off what he was originally asking for.

 

I noticed for the 1st time ever that the scumbag had a collection of Mircleman comics. I was a huge Alan Moore fan when I picked up Batman: The Killing Joke and became a fan of Moore's work from then on.

 

This was when the average price for a MM ish was $3.50 at *best. * The issues were all 85% off.

 

Did I mention that he had every issue from #1 - #24 in NM/Mint condition?

 

 

3 years later and Miracleman #15 is now anywhere from $60 - $140. I picked up every issue in the scumbag had including his doubles/triples/quadruples of the same issue.

 

Miracleman #15 has perhaps one of the most violent super powered fights I have ever seen in comics.

 

Over 40,000 slaughtered.

 

Kid Miracleman's quick dismantling of Miraclewoman has to be seen to be believed. The background shots with half of London in ruins with bodies hanging from buildings, fences, lampposts, etc. are a sight to behold.

 

That issue also has one of my *favorite* quote's from a comic book which comes from kid Miracleman:

 

"Eating life 'n shitting skulls!"

 

Gotta love it.

 

The most touching and saddest part of the book is of course the ending with Johnny Bates half-naked in Miracleman's arms after nearly being raped by some bullies. Bates is terrified at what he has done and doesn't know what to do to stop it.

 

Miracleman tells lil Johnny he has found a cure and the look on Johnny's face is just heart breaking after you see what Miracleman's cure really is...

 

This issue is *not* hyperbole and is as good as people say it is. If any of you ever get the cash, shell out for this issue because the fight will blow your mind along with all the little extras thrown into the fight.

 

*Highest* recommendation to rob your grandparents for the money to buy this one issue.

[Guest pochorenella]

From all I have read con comic magazines this has to be one of the most praised series ever. And I know exactly what Miracleman's cure was.

 

I read somewhere that Joe Quesada was interested on reprinting Miracleman (or Marvelman, rather) but there are a lot of legal rights issues here involving Todd McFarlane, Neil Gaiman, and Alan Moore.

If Marvel came up with a decent TPB collection I would definitely give it a try. Other than that, I'm not robbing my granny for this, but I'm most surely interested.

[Guest Sassquatch]

Marvel has begun negotiating with Neil on possibly reprinting the Moore MM run as well as publishing new MM stories written by Neil once the lawsuit has been settled (starting with the legendary never published issue #25 which Neil has said is all done and waiting to be published). Furthermore it's been highly rumored that Neil (with Marvel's blessing) would restore the character of Miracleman to his original name of Marvelman if Neil wins the lawsuit.

 

Marvel is apparently going all out to help Neil and Joey Quesada has pledged all of his resources to Neil in his lawsuit with Toad which will be very interesting to read about over the next several months.

 

All I can say is "good luck" to Neil and Marvel in kicking Toad's ass.