Shazam before JSA and LoS??

[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.

[WonderScott]

It'll all be okay.

Now that he's no long CCO, he's got more time to write and develop his projects with his new deal. Total conjecture on my part, but I'd guess he's had a few story arcs of Shazam already planned out at least in his head since the new Shazam debuted in Justice League. The creative mind and how it works and all...

Doomsday Clock is of a different order in terms of what he's trying to write and the impact it'll have on the JSA, Legion, and the entire DCU. Whether the delay is that the artist is taking longer to draw it or they creatively changed the course of the story and outcome a bit once they dove into developing it (new ideas and connections could have "popped up - they're creative people after all), we'll get there when we get there. Conjecture again on my part (I have no insider info), but I'm not going to second guess the team and what they're trying to create. Overall Doomsday Clock has been interesting so far, so I'm okay with the wait (except for the lack of momentum) and hopeful for the payoff.

[RepHope]

Pretty sure the hold up with Doomsday Clock is that Franks takes a long time to draw it. I'm sure Johns already has finished writing it, although he might have changed courses at one point or another. Plus there's been rumors that regardless of whether or not Doomsday Clock can keep it's schedule, the JSA and the LoS will be back in play for writers to use.

[Bor]

Its rare that this happens but I agree, atleast partly, with Trey. Put some more artists on it and get that thing finishd if John has done his part. Stuff like that has worked well enough before. That being said that really has little to do with why they are doing Shazam now. If they can do one and Johns has the time why not do it? Its already been in the cards for years now.

[MajorHoy]

It'll all be okay.

Now that he's no long CCO, he's got more time to write and develop his projects with his new deal. Total conjecture on my part, but I'd guess he's had a few story arcs of Shazam already planned out at least in his head since the new Shazam debuted in Justice League. The creative mind and how it works and all...

Except Johns' mind tends to derail before he actually finishes writing things, so we often wind up with rushed, confusing, lack-luster endings since the brain had already moved on to the next project . . .

Pretty sure the hold up with Doomsday Clock is that Franks takes a long time to draw it. I'm sure Johns already has finished writing it, although he might have changed courses at one point or another. Plus there's been rumors that regardless of whether or not Doomsday Clock can keep it's schedule, the JSA and the LoS will be back in play for writers to use.

Oh, I'm sure Franks' artwork speed isn't helping things, but it also depends on when Johns gets a final write-up to him and whether he goes and changes things while Franks is doing the art.
And while the rumor from Bleeding Cool is that after a certain date (not publicly specified), even if Johns & Frank hadn't finished with the JSA and LoS-H in Doomsday Cluck that those two franchises can be used by other writers, there's no guarantee when/how soon after that would actually happen.

[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.

[astro@work]

I thought the hold up with Doomsday Clock was because Frank was drawing Batman Earth One vol 3 at the same time.

...with his toes, apparently.

Honestly I could wait a lot longer for Batman E1 vol.3

Doomsday Clock is the one that will have lost considerable steam by the time it comes out. It's already lost half my interest. A story that progresses like glue needs to come out more frequently if it's going to keep me hooked.

[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.