Mister Miracle: The Great Escape is one of those stories which I picked up with no expectations. But I ended up loving the world we are introduced to in Apokolips. Scott is trying to navigate these perceptions of himself and his responsibilities. It’s a story about being torn. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
Scott Free is a student at the Goodness Academy, on the planet Apokolips, ruled by Lord Darkseid. Sounds pretty cool, right? Wrong. Scott Free wants nothing more than to leave Apokolips for planet Earth; the only problem is that no one has ever left Apokolips of their own free will…or alive.
Scott Free has a plan, a foolproof plan, a plan that his found family depends on for their own freedom. But that plan never involved falling in love with the head of the Female Furies, Big Barda-the one person tasked with ensuring he never escapes.
From the Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author of The Parker Inheritance, Varian Johnson, and afrofuturist artist Daniel Isles (DirtyRobot) comes the story of an escape plan that will take a miracle to pull off. Lucky for Scott, everyone calls him MISTER MIRACLE! Okay, fine, no one calls him that…yet.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Scott has only ever dreamed of escape and finding out more about his parents. While I enjoyed the snippets of Apokolips we saw, I enjoyed Scott’s character journey the most. He’s driven by escape, but also by trying to figure out if he’s a hero. If he’s a protector, a friend, a partner. In this system of intense classicism – which I wish we had just gotten to see a bit more – Scott navigates his past while also planning for his future.
The pressure which lies across his shoulders is heavy. The burden not only of his own dreams, but the promises he has made. He has a good heart, but one that looks to what is possible. At the same time, Scott must learn that not everything lies alone on his shoulders. With his past fears and trauma, Scott must learn that he doesn’t have to handle it alone. Mister Miracle: The Great Escape stresses the importance of choice, especially when we think we have none. If you like the idea of a graphic novel which examines making mistakes and the responsibilities of trying to be a hero in a superhero setting, check this one out!
Find Mister Miracle: The Great Escape on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Depository.