This cover comes at an interesting time. After years of not being able to use his own name on the cover of the comics he appears in, the original Captain Marvel is finally giving up the title once and for all and will officially go by the name Shazam! Of course. now he won't be able to say his name without transforming back to Billy Batson, so that's gonna be an issue. I think a better solution perhaps would have been to rename him Captain Thunder. This change leaves the Captain Marvel name free to use and now we find out the Ms. Marvel will be taking it on as her official superhero moniker (seemingly closing the door on a return of the Mar-Vell Captain Marvel). To further confuse things, she will be sporting a costume very close to that worn by Marvelman, the character who started as a knockoff of the original Captain Marvel, whose rights were just bought by Marvel Comics. I've been reading comics for decades and it makes my head spin, I can only imagine what this name and identity shuffling looks like to those outside of the hobby!
absolute craziness. my (new) favorite cover.
ReplyDeleteThe setup for the new Shazam! series sounds similar to TRIALS OF SHAZAM! In that, Freddy could say the word without transforming, so maybe that will carry over to Curse of Shazam!
ReplyDeleteAm I the only one who always found Mary Marvel, Freddie (Capt. Marvel Jr.), and Black Adam VASTLY more interesting Billy Batson/Captain Marvel? Hand on heart, I would much rather see a Mary Marvel series than SHAZAM!
ReplyDeleteWhen will you use the African-American Ms. Marvel?
ReplyDeleteI did a cover with Monica Rambeau recently... but it's in the 300's so it'll be a while before it hits the blog.
ReplyDeleteRoss, we are long due for another "behind the scenes" process piece. Share your trade secrets ;o)
ReplyDeleteRe: Ms Marvel/Capt Marvel's costume, I really prefer her black and gold costume or even her original blue and red costume to her new Marvelman inspired suit.
ReplyDeleteRe: Capt Marvel/Shazam's costume. Not too thrilled with the goofy hood he's wearing. This says it best:
The Gutters: Shazam
I would have prefered if DC renamed him Captain Shazam instead of just Shazam. I read an op-ed that said to solve the change while saying his name problem is to give him two magic words. Billy says "Shazam" to change into Shazam, but Shazam needs to say "Billy Batson" to change back. Of course, if Billy becomes a kid reporter in this new continuity, he'll have a problem reporting on the exploits of Shazam.
I like Carol's new costume - I dig that whole uniform thing they aimed for, makes me think of Captain Britain whose best costume was also made to look like an uniform. Through they could keep the more limited color-scheme. For me once you put too many colors in too many places, the costume starts looking too silly and this new costume is a little bit close, the yellow parts seems out of place. But it's still an overal improvement.
ReplyDeleteI would pay much more than 60 cents to read this comic.
ReplyDeleteI would have preferred a new Captain Marvel rather than yet another iteration of the ever-changing Carol Danvers.
ReplyDeleteAnd the Curse of Shazam concept looks far less entertaining so far than even the six kids and the disguised tiger bit from the Flashpoint mini-series.
You're already in the 300's as to the issue number of this series? I cannot believe how prolific you are with these!