Although he debuted as Marvelman in 1954 as a UK substitute for Captain Marvel created by Mick Anglo, Miracleman as we know him today appeared on the scene in 1982 in a post-modern reboot helmed by Alan Moore and the late Garry Leach.
That makes 2022 Miracleman’s 40th anniversary, and Marvel has announced big plans to celebrate in October – starting with Miracleman #0, a giant-sized, anthology-style one-shot.
Featuring new work by Neil Gaiman and Mark Buckingham, who took over from Moore with Miracleman #17 in 1990, Miracleman #0 will also feature stories by the likes of Jason Aaron and Mike Carey, Ty Templeton, Ryan Stegman, and more. Gaiman and Buckingham’s story will act as a prelude to “their upcoming new chapter,” which is ostensibly different than the anniversary reprint that Marvel already announced.
Alongside the announcement of Miracleman #0, Marvel teases more news to come, indicating a full-on celebration for the cult-classic hero. Marvel also revealed the cover for the one-shot by Alan Davis, which shows the character coming into his power, surrounded by flame.
Miracleman has a long, storied history not just in the comics, but also in the courts. After a back-and-forth battle between Gaiman and Todd McFarlane over the character in the late ’90s and early aughts, it was revealed in 2009 that Anglo – the original creator of Marvelman – had retained rights to the characters all along.
At that year’s San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel announced it had purchased the rights from Anglo, securing the character for its large roster of heroes. New team-up covers seem to indicate that he’ll finally join the Marvel Universe soon, after years of fans waiting for his proper inclusion in the Multiverse.
Stay tuned for more Miracleman anniversary announcements this week, as well as the full October solicitations for Marvel Comics, coming in July.
Alan Moore references Miracleman in his run on Captain Britain, one of the best Marvel Multiverse comic book stories of all time.