Some superhero comics — Watchmen, for example — are so great they break out of their genre, becoming mainstream cultural touchstones. They become big-budget movies; they're stocked at Barnes and Noble. Miracleman was almost one of them — only it was even better. And if you've never heard of it, now's the time to get initiated: after almost 30 years, new stories are coming out this New Year's Eve, Vulture reports.

This is a big deal for comics

The saga of Miracleman is too convoluted to get into here, but the short version goes like this: the great comics writer Alan Moore took an obscure superhero and turned him into the tragic protagonist of a dark, psychedelic world. Then, the equally great Neil Gaiman took the reigns, cementing the series as a legendary work of the medium. But lawsuits and soured relationships ended the comic's run, and it's been maddeningly hard to find ever since. This year, after a protracted battle over rights, the series finally started being republished.

Now there's a new, unexpected development, according to Vulture. Another legendary comics writer, Grant Morrison, once wrote a script for Miracleman, only to have it killed, allegedly by Moore himself. That story, thought lost to time, is being released, along with a brand-new story and some new art, as part of Miracleman Annual No. 1.

It's hard to underestimate what a big deal this is for comics nerds, and what it could mean for anyone with even passing interest in the form. Not only can you begin picking up the series, but it'll actually be moving forward. Do yourself a favor and get acquainted.