Jack Kirby Premiering Mr. Miracle

It was quite a show back in the early 1970s when Jack Kirby came back to DC Comics, and no show was bigger than the performance put on in Mr. Miracle!  Scott Free made his first appearance in Mr. Miracle #1 (March-April, 1971).  Scott showed up on the outskirts of Metropolis to watch Thaddeus Brown and Oberon going through training for Thaddeus' Mr. Miracle escape act, except they were set upon by Inter-Gang thugs under orders from Steel Hand. 

Scott used miraculous technology to defeat the foes, and became Thaddeus' protege for a time, until another attack finished him off, prompting Scott to take up the mantle of Mr. Miracle to catch Steel Hand, and then, to continue the escape artist act with Oberon, as the show must go on!

Still, where did this mysterious Scott Free and his technology come from?

Apokolips

In the course of a few flashbacks of "Young Scott Free" (included in issues #5, #6 and #7 of Mr. Miracle of 1971/1972), readers followed the pre-Mister Miracle as he deals with the abuse of Granny Goodness in shock trooper training, first encounters Metron, who warns Scott not to eat the food provided (which has mind-numbing agents) and trains on aero-discs against Parademons...
...all part of the mundane existence of a minor soldier (and hinting that all this technology that Mr. Miracle uses is from Apokolips). 

So, why is Scott Free so important? 

Himon

In Mr. Miracle #9 (July-August. 1972), Jack Kirby finally gives us answers, as well as "Himon!".  In the last of the "Young Scott Free" tales (this one taking up the full issue), readers meet Himon, who sees a group of "lowlies" in Armagetto die for him, and counts on Scott Free to save him from accidentally phasing into a wall. 

Himon is the inventor of the Mother Box, and is creating rebellion amongst the lowest ranks of Apokolips, which gets him hunted by Darkseid's forces, including a young lieutenant Barda of the Female Furies (who grows up to be Big Barda, and later lead the Females Furies against Mr. Miracle, then defecting for him).  While Metron and Himon discuss if Scott Free has the strength to escape Apokolips himself, Darkseid troops kill all of Scott and Barda's friends, and Himon kills Scott and Barda's tormentor, helping Scott remember a woman who knew Izaya (a memory from his own youth on New Genesis...

....yes, Scott was Izaya's son, traded in "The Pact").  This forces Scott and Barda to dream beyond Apokolips, and try to escape, though Barda is held back by dog soldiers and Parademons, Scott presses on, straining to leave via a "Boom Tube" Metron and Himon created, while Darkseid himself appears, beckoning the lad to stay and bow to his will, yet the boy declares "let me be Scott Free...and find myself!", and escapes.

This breaks the Pact, allowing Darkseid to restart the war with Apokolips, as well as to try to find the "anti-life equation" which will allow no other will in the universe other than Darkseid's...while Himon and Metron warn Darkseid of the prophecy that he will face Orion one day in Armagetto...

...as well as showing how connected Kirby's Fourth World was simply with two flashback based issues! 

Jack Kirby Beginning The New Gods

New Gods #1 came out in February-March, 1971, introducing the world to the main concepts of Jack Kirby's Fourth World as "Orion Fights For Earth" (by writer/artist Jack Kirby, and inked by Vince Colletta) .  This was the first appearance of Orion, the dog of war, who uses the astro-force to fight the forces of Apokolips (like Kalibak, Darkseid's brutal son), working for Highfather (Izaya, who is connected to the mysterious "Source"), working with jovial Lightray (a young New God of New Genesis), and using Mother Boxes made by Metron....

...but, the beginning of the battle started before New Gods #1.

Darkseid

Leader of the forces of Apokolips, Darkseid had already appeared in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #134 to #136 (also by Jack Kirby, from 1970/1971), and in Forever People #1 (February-March, 1971, by Kirby/Colletta), where he was the force behind Inter-Gang, a new group of gangsters that used futuristic weapons, and were fought by Jimmy Olsen, Superman, a new Newsboy Legion and the Forever People (a group of kids who came to Earth, but were from New Genesis).

But, this didn't tell where the war between New Genesis and Apokolips started, nor why it moved to Earth...

The Pact

The start of the war was revealed in "The Pact" in New Gods #7 (February-March, 1972 by Jack Kirby and Mike Royer).  Izaya the Inheritor was enjoying the peace on New Genesis with his wife, Avia, when their picnic was set upon by Steppenwolf of the Dog Cavalry and his nephew, Darkseid, and attacked, resulting in the death of Avia by Steppenwolf's hands.  Darkseid promised his uncle he killed Izaya, but he lied, allowing Izaya to lead New Genesis' forces against Apokolips, and kill Steppenwolf, which allowed him to take over Apokolips from his mother, Heggra, and give enigmatic Metron the "X-Element", which would allow him to travel anywhere in the galaxy in his Mobius Chair.

After killing Steppenwolf, and the terrible aftermath of the many battles, Izaya tired of fighting, and went to find himself, instead connecting with the all-powerful "Source", becoming the Highfather of New Genesis.  Darkseid, meanwhile, came up with "The Pact", where he and Izaya would exchange sons (with Darkseid angering his wife, Tigra) as they gave up their angry red-haired boy to Highfather, and Darkseid accepted Izaya's heir, giving him to Granny Goodness for soldier training.  Darkseid schemed, planning on angering the lad so much that he'd escape eventually, breaking the Pact, allowing Darkseid to attack (which eventually happened).

But, Darkseid didn't count on his own son, Orion, becoming such a loyal fighter for the forces of New Genesis, destined to face his father in a final battle, nor on what Izaya's boy would do after escaping to Earth (but, his story developed elsewhere, and will be revealed "soon"....).  

Superman As President?

Faster than a speeding congressman, more powerful than a filibuster, able to leap tall monuments in a single bound...


....it is Superman as President of the United States!


Taking advantage of the alternate futures that Waverider was able to project when touching your favorite DC heroes in the 1991 Armageddon 2001 Annuals, readers get to see what a Superman presidency would be like in Action Comics Annual #3 (1991) by Roger Stern, Tom Grummett, Phil Rodier, Carlos Garzon, Doug Hazlewood and Brad Vancata under a cover by Dave Gibbons.


After a brief battle with Kalibak of the New Gods and a conversation with Metron, Superman goes to have a date night with Lois (as Clark Kent), when Waverider arrives to see Superman's future.

In this future, Pa Kent dies in a horrible accident on the farm, prompting Ma Kent to move to Metropolis, Clark and Lois to get married, and Pete Ross to run for President.  After a nearly successful attempt on Pete's life by Intergang, foiled only by Clark Kent (who exposes his duel identity in public to save his friend), Pete convinces Clark to run for President in his place.  After having the Supreme Court rule Superman is an American (as his birthing chamber was also his rocket, meaning Superman was born in the USA), Superman runs for and wins the Presidency.  Clark settles the national debt with help from Aquaman (finding old sea treasure), has Luthor arrested for plotting to kill him, and unites the world's heroes to help all mankind.

Not the bleak future where Monarch ruled that he was looking for, Waverider leaves Superman (who prevents this future by being slightly distracted, and going to save Pa Kent from being crushed by a tractor).