DC forgot they approved Mister Miracle by Tom King & Mitch Gerads until three issues were done, the duo says
What happens when you give your editor a script and they don’t remember assigning it?
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Sometimes you don’t know when you have a hit comic. In fact, sometimes you don’t even know when you have a comic period. When Mister Miracle was released in 2017, it quickly became a critical and commercial success. Tom King and Mitch Gerads redefined the classic Fourth World character for an emotional 12-issue mini-series. The comic snagged three Eisner Awards, winning the coveted Best Limited Series spot, in addition to Best Writer and Best Artist.
With all that in mind, it might surprise you to know what DC initially forgot that they commissioned the series. King and Gerads recalled the amusing incident during a spotlight panel at Megacon 2024. It all started when DC’s former publisher Dan Didio asked King if he could repeat the success he had at Marvel with Vision. “Dan said, ‘Can you just do Vision again,’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, how hard can it be,’” King recalls.
“He said, ‘You can have Atomic Knight or Mister Miracle. Neither of them have ever worked.’ I picked Mister Miracle, and by the time I woke up the next morning I had a pitch,” King continues.
Mitch Gerads signed on as artist, and the two began working on the mini-series before the series had officially been greenlit or scheduled. However, a funny thing happened after they turned in the first three issues – DC had forgotten about the series, according to the artist.
“We literally think DC forgot they were doing it. I did three issues, and I was like, ‘Here’s the issues.’ And they were like, ‘What?! This is about suicide! We can’t do this.’ And I was like ‘They’re done,’” Gerads recalls.
“Mark Doyle was the original editor, and he was the one forgot, and them Jamie [S. Rich] Came on,” Gerads continues.
At the time, Mark Doyle was also Tom King's Batman group editor - although Rich ended up taking over that role from Doyle as well during King's run.
King and Gerads added that they Doyle was wonderful to work with and praised the editor’s work at IDW. Despite Didio’s warnings about Mister Miracle never selling, the title was a hit. DC may have forgotten they were making the book, but readers never forgot to buy it.
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