The long-awaited return of Marvel's first announcement in June, this preview brings readers inside one of the most anticipated products of the year.
Part of Miracleman's mystique is due to his complex and adventurous publication history. Beginning as Marvelman, a British imitation of Fawcett Comics' Captain Marvel, the character was really popular in 1950s Britain, until the title was discontinued in 1963. Marvelman came back as a regular feature in the anthology Warrior in 1982, where it also had to change its name to Miracleman due to pressure from Marvel Comics. This new Miracleman became a precursor of modern superhero comics thanks to visionary creator Alan Moore, who wrote it until 1985. The series was discontinued again in 1989 due to financial disputes between Moore and the publisher, but Miracleman fell into good hands, as Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham stepped in as the new creative team after US publisher Eclipse bought the rights to the character. Not too long after, however, Eclipse went bankrupt, and Gaiman and Buckingham's story was left hanging. The rights to the character were purchased by Todd McFarlane first and, after another decade-long legal battle, by Marvel Comics, which promised to bring back Miracleman.
In the summer of 2022, Marvel Comics announced that Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham would complete their Miracleman run. The first six issues have already been reprinted as Miracleman: The Golden Age, and the brand-new stories will appear as a series of three volumes titled Miracleman: The Silver Age. The first volume (going on sale on October 19) and the second will collect the early chapters of the story that were published before Eclipse collapsed, but with new remastered artwork by Buckingham and bonus content. In December, Miracleman: The Silver Age #3 will present Gaiman and Buckingham's all-new stories that will continue this iconic comic book tale. Marvel Comics has shared a first preview containing interior artwork by Mark Buckingham for Miracleman: The Silver Age #1, which you can enjoy below.
The made Miracleman one of the first socially relevant superhero comics forty years ago, opening the way for modern interpretations of the genre. A giant-sized anthology one-shot, Miracleman #0, coming out on October 5, will also celebrate the character's 40th anniversary.
The troubled publication history and its hugely impactful legacy make Miracleman by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham one of the most demanded stories in comic book history, and it's finally coming to readers, courtesy of Marvel Comics, starting on October 19.
Source: Marvel
