Marvel Comics has been guarding a secretive project that many suspect could bring Miracleman back into the limelight. Although they’re playing the cards close, some suggestive teases from former executive Joe Quesada are keeping fans’ eyes peeled; but is it confirmation or misdirection? Here’s what we know so far.
Recently, Joe Quesada announced his retirement from Marvel at the end of May, bewildering industry fans and fellows alike. In a letter he released to the public via Twitter, Joe Quesada wrote that he would remain a staunch supporter of Marvel and even make occasional contributions, “including something I’m thrilled about for later this year.” This single phrase launched a thousand theories, but the most popular is that Quesada will be a key player in the revival of long-dormant comic book icon Michael Moran, a.k.a. Miracleman.
Marvel released Timeless #1 by Jed McKay, Greg Land, Mark Bagley, and Kev Walker in December 2021. In this epoch-hopping story, Kang the Conqueror kidnapped Anatoly Petrov, a writer and historian, to confirm himself as history’s most dominant supervillain. There were plenty surprises along the way, but none so tantalizing as Petrov opening his notebook to find the logo of Miracleman sketched within. The day after the issue premiered, Quesada posted a set of uncolored panels featuring Black Panther and Captain America in a battle torn landscape, saying that he would be releasing more tidbits in 2022. Many fans found the timing too perfect to be coincidental, and in the wake of Quesada’s departure, it seems even more likely that this could be his closing act. In addition, Quesada also posted some art related to this mystery project.
And speaking of timing, Miracleman couldn’t ask for a more opportune reboot window. All of Marvel’s most powerful teams are heading for a clash in A.X.E. Judgment Day. Originally invented as Marvel’s answer to Shazam, Miracleman developed a unique characterization over the years, thanks in part to a postmodern interpretation by Alan Moore which ended with him establishing a worldwide totalitarian regime and essentially achieving divination. Judgment Day promises to investigate superhumans both mortal and immortal; evaluating their sweeping acts of authority and unilateral power to determine if the world is better with or without them. Miracleman simultaneously represents atomic consequence, genetic mutation, and nigh-godhood, making him the perfect character to reintroduce in conjunction with these three specific teams—and Joe Quesada could be the perfect artist for the task.
Though Marvel continues to uphold a cone of silence as Quesada plays coy, fans can at least anticipate that his project will coincide with the events of A.X.E. Quesada oversaw some of Marvel’s most pivotal events during his tenure as Chief Creative Officer, including Siege, Fear Itself, and Avengers vs. X-Men. He wouldn’t be able to ignore a paradigm shift of this scale, and if he can contribute while helping revitalize a character in sore need of an update, all the better. But even if Miracleman isn’t in the cards, it still looks like Joe Quesada has one last miracle to perform for Marvel.
