Look, I've read more issues of VEXT than I have of MIRACLEMAN; but I think I'm OK with that?

Oof, we saw an old issue over a decade ago, and we're just now checking out another one? Although I'm not sure why, either. From 2015, All-New Miracleman Annual #1, featuring "October Incident: 1966" Written by Grant Morrison, art by Joe Quesada; and "Seriously Miraculous" Written by Peter Milligan, art by Mike Allred.

There's been a lot of Miracleman discussion this week, mostly to the effect of, why aren't people more hyped for it? And the general consensus seems to be, either Marvel botched the relaunch, or it's been so long since the original stories nobody cares or remembers anymore. Both things are kinda true: I've read a lot of comics, but not much Miracleman, since it was a pain in the ass to track down, and why bother, since I think it just ended mid-stream. After years of false starts and fights over the rights, now Marvel's got them, but seems almost willfully incapable of getting a good trade program going. It should probably be an evergreen seller like Watchmen or Dark Knight Returns, but Marvel maybe tried to pad out sales by including "classic" Marvelman stories; which might be interesting in a historical context, but weren't integral to the story. Moreover, Alan Moore may have requested they leave his name out of it, which probably didn't help matters. Still, it's weird that "October Incident: 1966" was written around 1984, per the back matter, then not published until thirty years later when Quesada asked if Morrison still had the script. And while there are allusions and symbolism and a bunch of stuff the back matter had to explain to me, it's still a bit slight: Johnny Bates, a.k.a. Kid Miracleman, returns; and kills a priest on a rainy beach. Cheekily, Bates is drawn to look and dress like Morrison circa 1984! Very mod. If you had read more Miracleman than I have, it probably would resonate more.

The second story, Milligan and Allred's "Seriously Miraculous," is in the style of Golden Age Marvelman stories, with Miracleman and his sidekicks Kid Miracleman and Young Miracleman fighting their usual baddies, the King of Boromania, Young Nastyman, Gargunza, and in what appears to be an unlicensed Simpsons crossover, Snorky. (OK, they're dolphins pissed about illegal waste dumping, but yeah.) Miracleman is starting to question the reality of his world, but doesn't push it too hard...yet. This was a $4.99 book, but with only 21 pages of actual comics; and like 15 pages of script and process and blah, blah, blah. I don't mean to be down on it; but this must be what superhero comics are like for people who don't read superhero comics: if you weren't already a Miracleman fan, this wasn't going to do anything for you. Maybe if Marvel ever gets it together, in easy to read and track down trades; but until then, it will probably remain something I know of, rather than actually appreciate.