Shazam before JSA and LoS??

[Trey Strain]

It looks like we'll be getting a Shazam comic before we get a Justice Society comic and a Legion of Superheroes comic.

And isn't that sort of goofy? Shouldn't Geoff Johns focus on finishing Doomsday Clock before he worries about Shazam?

[Jekyll]

Should Johns focus be on finishing Doomsday Clock? Sure. However, Shazam is one of my favorite DC characters and I am very glad to see him be returning before the end of the year.

[Bor]

The movie is coming out and a new trailer just debuted. Makes sense why they think it would be a good idea to have some more books on the shelf. Whether it works or not is a different thing.

[Trey Strain]

The movie isn't coming out until April. That's nine months from now. We aren't getting JSA and LoS until after quite a while after April?

If it's so important to get a Shazam comic on the stands in April -- and I don't think it is -- then someone else can write the first issues using plots from Johns.

Otherwise, maybe they'll announce JSA and LoS at the NEXT SDCC...

[Güicho]

SHAZAM! deserves it's own book, and his last back-up tale was left on a bit of a surprise setup for more. So fans have been waiting too.

Also all these supposed Universe changing events become meaningless, and I loath DC and especially the fans who gobble them up, pushing them as the main drive and focus.
I care more about the individual books and characters, not slavishly following these ridiculously over-hyped events.
Whenever a book ties into an event it always becomes my drop off point.
Sorry you were roped into another meaningless endless-tinkering event, you have none to blame but yourself.

As far as Legion and especially JSA, I'de love to see them back.
And I don't need another frikin "event" to play out or explain it, just bring them back, like they've been there all along!

JSA should just take place (and continue to take place) in DC's ambiguous deco-diesel-punk pulpy looking past (see Batman Animated series on how to do timeless setting) . Don't tie it to a specific date, make it fluid, and their tales can read as DC's ongoing past and continue as inspiration for the modern age.
And Legion should be DC's equally ambiguous (and fluid) future. again don't give it a date.

And we don't need events to constantly "fix" or "explain" it. Stop feeding into them!

[Bor]

I dont think this is a good/necessary decision but if they want to have some trades on the shelf other then just the one by from the JL back ups they need to get going now if they want it by the time the movie comes out.

[Trey Strain]

The issue here is triage.

One thing has been holding up JSA and LoS for a long time. That is how long it's taking Doomsday Clock to come out.

The writer of Doomday Clock is going to now divert his time and energy into writing Shazam?

Is that a good thing?

If you've been writing comics for 20 years, you should know how long it takes to get something done. There should be no unexpected delays.

If I were him, I wouldn't even have gone to the SDCC. I'd have been too busy for that.

[CaptCleghorn]

I dont think this is a good/necessary decision but if they want to have some trades on the shelf other then just the one by from the JL back ups they need to get going now if they want it by the time the movie comes out.

Trades are an excellent point. If Shazam is seen as a property that could sell well in trades in multiple locations, then a collection of the first five or six issues would be a nice item to have when the movie comes out.

[DrNewGod]

The movie is coming out and a new trailer just debuted. Makes sense why they think it would be a good idea to have some more books on the shelf. Whether it works or not is a different thing.

^This^ Cinematic IP Pump has driven comics bus for at least a decade, maybe two. With a ramp up towards a film, it should be no surprise that WB would want their marquee directors aimed at stuff that helps promote the film, and just maybe generates some reciprocal revenue.

[Judge Dredd]

The issue here is triage.

One thing has been holding up JSA and LoS for a long time. That is how long it's taking Doomsday Clock to come out.

The writer of Doomday Clock is going to now divert his time and energy into writing Shazam?

Is that a good thing?

If you've been writing comics for 20 years, you should know how long it takes to get something done. There should be no unexpected delays.

If I were him, I wouldn't even have gone to the SDCC. I'd have been too busy for that.

He knows what he is doing and has been doing it successfully for years, but you got to go to SDCC to promote and hype. Also you do not know what is going on with the book it could be the artist and not the writer. I think he knows what he is doing being a pro writer and not a fanfic Monday morning quarterback

[caj]

As much as I would love the return of JSA and LSH, I'm not holding my breath that either of these will be any good when they do finally return.

Unless it's built on Pre-Crisis history, both of these books will probably look nothing like the heroes we fell in love with in our youth. They'll both be targeted towards 12 - 15 year olds. And there's nothing wrong with that really. They probably feel the need to target a younger audience and that's their right to do so. But these books rarely ever provide much for those of us who grew up loving them.

[Trey Strain]

He knows what he is doing and has been doing it successfully for years, but you got to go to SDCC to promote and hype. Also you do not know what is going on with the book it could be the artist and not the writer. I think he knows what he is doing being a pro writer and not a fanfic Monday morning quarterback

Then PUT ANOTHER ARTIST ON IT! Hey, put THREE MORE ARTISTS on it! Just get it done!

[The Darknight Detective]

^This^ Cinematic IP Pump has driven comics bus for at least a decade, maybe two.

It actually goes back to the early '40s in regard to Superman on the radio and the first superhero movie serials. The more popular mediums will almost always point the ship in the direction they want it to go.

[Marvelman]

It looks like we'll be getting a Shazam comic before we get a Justice Society comic and a Legion of Superheroes comic.

And isn't that sort of goofy? Shouldn't Geoff Johns focus on finishing Doomsday Clock before he worries about Shazam?

I have something to say about this. I like Geoff Johns work - usually. But the last time he worked on a monthly ongoing was Justice League, and IMO he was really phoning it in. Look at those issues! Look how many splash pages there were! Five, sometimes six in an issue! What might have been done with those pages? He could have developed Billy's character more; he could have further developed the Shazam universe; he could have developed Billy's relationship with the other Leaguers! When Johns brought Shazam into the League, he said that there was going to be some conflict between Shazam and Superman and the rest of the league. Billy was going to challenge them when they were wrong. What happened to that? Instead we got splash page after splash page!

If we are getting the Geoff Johns who wrote Stars & Stripe, Green Lantern, and the JSA then I welcome him. But if we are getting the Geoff Johns who can't be bothered to script nineteen whole pages - then maybe he should give the job to someone else.