Mister Miracle #4 comic review: A vegetable tray steals the show

Mister Miracle #4 of 12 dropped this week, and it contains a suspenseful, comical, and potentially deadly trial.

Writer: Tom King

Artist: Mitch Gerads

Tom King and Mitch Gerads have been giving us what has been the best comic book series out there. Scott Free, aka Mister Miracle, has been in the middle of a major war between the New Genesis and Darkseid. Willingly or not, the master escape artist was set to lead New Genesis under Orion, the new Highfather. All the while, he is plagued by what is called the Anti-Life equation.

In the fourth issue of this incredible, emotional story, Lightray shows up to inform Mister Miracle he is to decide to between execution or trial for “being an agent of Darkseid”. Lightray is met with a fury of haymakers from Big Barda.

Scott is pretty care-free

Scott Free hears Lightray’s proclamation. He dresses in a Green Lantern t-shirt, and responds by making himself a cup of coffee. He then tells a bloodied Lightray that he will choose a trial, and that the trial be held in his apartment because he has a show the next day.

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Downplaying the fact that Orion is ultimately creating a ploy to kill him, he goes to bed. Barda asks him who he thinks will come to the trial, and that the couple should buy a vegetable tray to comfort their guests.

The next morning he performs what he calls his last show for a long time. He crawls into a barrel on a railroad tracks as a train smashes into it. The next scene is Berda and Scott waiting for the trial to begin.

Law, Order, and Carrots

In the apex of the issue, Orion and Lightray portal into the apartment. The next panel is Berda telling them they bought a vegetable tray. And in one of the most hilarious drawings, the vegetable tray is shown with transparent “BOOM, BOOM” above and below it.

Orion goes on to call himself the judge and the jury, and attempts to start the trial against Mister Miracle. Before he does so, he interrupts Orion and gets up to get a carrot from the vegetable tray.

Lightray, Barda, and Scott are all sitting on a small couch as Orion paces back and forth. Orion starts to question him, giving the only possible answers as true or false. Of course, the new Highfather corners the hero into practically accepting that the anti-life equation has affected him in a major way, causing him to hate life, and Orion.

Through this intense moment, the doorbell rings. Barda answers the door, and drops a package on the floor, claiming it is a microphone for a Mister Miracle show. Through this all, Orion comically looks up in frustration at the hilarious interruption.

By the end of it, Orion gets Scott to snap, leading to a bloody nose for the Highfather. While he’s getting beaten, he has the wherewithal to grab a carrot from the vegetable tray and eat it. He then rules Scott as guilty, and will execute him.

This was the absolute most entertaining comic I have read in a while. Tom King wrote a compelling and addicting issue, all taking place in a living room. Mitch Gerads of course gets credit for his beautifully detailed art, showing pure emotion from each character in what feels like a well-written sit-comic book (if this isn’t a thing, someone please make it a term).

Next: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Meet Ghostbusters

There’s not much else to say besides the fact that this is by far the best comic series out there right now. If you haven’t yet, get to reading all four issues currently available at your local comic shop.