Mister Miracle: The Great Escape

Gr 6 Up–Black student Scott Free has a knack for miraculous escapes—he’s the only person who’s ever lived through the onslaught of beasts in Granny Goodness’s X-Pit. So can he manage to escape from the Goodness Academy and bring his companions along with him? With no memory of his parents or of life before he was orphaned and abandoned at the school, Scott projects confidence while internally struggling with self-doubt. What are the odds that he’ll find a way to modify the surgically precise plans of Black genius janitor (and secret scientist) Himon to not only bring Himon’s sick granddaughter Bekka to Earth, but also manage to hide away his three roommates? His own scheming might go a little smoother if Granny Goodness’s goons, the Furies, would give Scott some peace, or if he could squelch his overwhelming need to mouth off to the Furies’ leader, Big Barda, whenever presented with the opportunity. The clock is ticking for the great escape; Bekka’s health deteriorates by the day, and leaving becomes increasingly urgent as Scott and his friends close in on graduation day, when they’ll be automatically drafted into the army. Mister Miracle’s origin story flows smoothly from panel to panel, bursting with expressive characters and a classic comic book vibe. The muted tones and crisp linework let Johnson’s storytelling shine. The ending leaves plenty of room for adventures to continue.