Editing Miracle Monday

{{short description|Book by Elliot S. Maggin}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox book | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
| name         = Miracle Monday
| title_orig   =
| translator   =
| image        = Superman Miracle Monday.png
| caption      =
| author       = [[Elliot S. Maggin]]
| cover_artist =
| country      = United States
| language     = English
| series       =
| genre        = [[Superhero fiction]]
| publisher    = [[Warner Books]]
| release_date = [[1981 in literature|1981]]
| media_type   = Print ([[paperback]])
| pages        = 205 pp (first edition paperback)
| isbn         = 0446911968
| isbn_note    = (first edition paperback)
| oclc         =
| preceded_by  = [[Superman: Last Son of Krypton]]
| followed_by  = [[Kingdom Come (comics)#Collected editions|Kingdom Come]]
}}
'''''Miracle Monday''''' is a novel written by [[Elliot S. Maggin]], starring the [[DC Comics]] superhero [[Superman]]. It was published in 1981. A revised edition was published in 2017. This is Elliot S. Maggin's second Superman novel, following ''[[Superman: Last Son of Krypton]]''. As with Maggin's first novel, the original edition was published as a tie-in with the then-current Superman film series, with the first edition including a photograph of [[Christopher Reeve]] as the character; the novel is not, however, an adaptation of any of the films, nor does it take place in the same continuity as the movies.

''Miracle Monday'' tells the story of Superman trying to stop an entity of pure evil from causing universal chaos. The story introduces the time traveler Kristin Wells. The character later appeared in the Superman comics, both as herself and as [[Superwoman]]. The novel introduces the holiday Miracle Monday, which occurs annually on the third Monday of May. The holiday would also make an appearance in the Superman comics and in the television series ''[[Superman & Lois]]'' (S2E15).

==Plot summary==
In the story, [[Samael]], the ruler of Hell, sends his greatest agent of evil, C. W. Saturn, to Earth, to destroy Superman morally. Saturn is able to enter our dimension thanks to [[Lex Luthor]] having used a form of magic to escape prison, leaving a 'hole' between worlds. At the same time, Kristin Wells, a history graduate student from the far future, uses time travel technology to arrive in the present, for the purpose of finding out the origin of the holiday known as Miracle Monday, which is known only to be somehow connected to Superman. She infiltrates Clark Kent's circle of friends by becoming [[Lois Lane]]'s assistant. To her dismay, because she does not belong in the present, Saturn is able to possess her. Saturn then proceeds to cause worldwide havoc, taunting Superman that the only way for him to stop it would be by killing its host&mdash;thus making him break his vow against killing. Saturn even reveals Superman's [[secret identity]] to the world, to further drive him into desperation.

Ultimately, Superman refuses to kill Kristin, even if it means he would have to spend the rest of his life battling Saturn. At that moment, because of the rules that bind demons, Saturn is defeated, and forced to grant Superman a wish. He asks that everything that happened since Saturn's arrival be undone, and it is granted, with Saturn then being banished back to Hell. However, a lingering memory of the events remained within the souls of humanity, causing them to begin celebrating the day every year, on the third Monday of May, starting the Miracle Monday tradition. Kristin then returns to the future to reveal this fact to the public.

==Impact==
[[Mark Waid]] has cited the ending of ''Miracle Monday'' as his favorite moment from a Superman story.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mably |first1=Timothy |title=Kingdom Come Writer's Favorite Superman Moment Isn't From Comics |url=https://screenrant.com/kingdom-come-writers-favorite-superman-moment-comics/ |website=ScreenRant.com |date=20 March 2022 |access-date=September 22, 2023}}</ref><ref name="Superman Through the Ages: Miracle Monday">{{cite web |last1=Waid |first1=Mark |title="Miracle Monday" |url=http://theages.superman.nu/MiracleMonday/ |website=Superman Through the Ages |access-date=September 22, 2023}}</ref> [[Paul Kupperberg]] credited Maggin for writing the "definitive" comic book story about Man of Steel, and cited all three of his Superman novels as favorites.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kupperberg |first1=Paul |title=Paul Kupperberg: My 13 Favorite Comic Book Novels |url=https://13thdimension.com/paul-kupperberg-my-13-favorite-comic-book-novels/ |website=13th Dimension |date=15 July 2023 |publisher=Dan Greenfield |access-date=September 22, 2023}}</ref>

The ten-page story "The Miracle Monday Dinner" subsequently appeared in ''Superman'' #400 (1984). Kristin Wells debuted in the comics as [[Superwoman]] in ''DC Comics Presents Annual'' #2 (1983) and appeared again in ''DC Comics Presents Annual'' #4 (1985). She made a cameo appearance in ''[[Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?]]'', the final Superman story by [[Alan Moore]] and [[Curt Swan]].

In 2018, Maggin did an audiobook reading of the novel on his podcast, "Elliot Makes Stuff Up".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://maggin.libsyn.com |title = Elliot Makes Stuff Up}}</ref> In 2022, the Miracle Monday holiday was referenced in an episode of ''[[Superman and Lois]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Johnston |first1=Rich |title=No Elliot S. Maggin Credit for Superman & Lois Use Of Miracle Monday |url=https://bleedingcool.com/tv/no-elliot-s-maggin-credit-for-superman-lois-use-of-miracle-monday/ |website=Bleeding Cool |date=5 July 2022 |access-date=September 23, 2023}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://superman.nu/thebook/mm_contents.php ''Miracle Monday'' e-book]
* [http://theages.superman.nu/encyc/miracle.php The holiday of Miracle Monday]
* [https://maggin.libsyn.com/size/5/?search=miracle+monday online Audiobook version]

{{Superman (1978 film series)}}

[[Category:1981 American novels]]
[[Category:DC Comics novels]]
[[Category:Superman novels]]
[[Category:Superman (1978 film series)]]