Marvel/Shazam Family

[justinslot]

I like the new additions to the Marvel Family (Darla, Pedro, Eugene), it's a diversification of the Family that wouldn't be there if they stuck with the old Lieutenant Marvels forever.

But Mary and Freddy turning into adults when they power up absolutely sucks (and Freddy's adult and child designs look awful and are so off model he might as well be a new character.)

And I don't understand in a DC Universe that embraces Detective Chimp why a tiger who simply wants to wear clothes and be civilized can't also exist. Real Tawky needs to come back.

(I voted Golden Age but I guess I do want a mix.)

[SelinaK12]

For me I think a mixture of golden age and new 52 could work. The New Marvel Family is growing on me. I do want to see Tawky Tawny eventually talk and get a suit. I do not like blonde Freddy but it is what it is. I want to see characters like Uncle Dudley,The New Ibis Daniel Khalifa,kid eternity and some of Billy's other golden age characters Joan Jameson,Whitey Murphy, Sunny Sparkle, and etc. I want to see inventions like Marvelium and The eterni-phone(a phone in Uncle Dudley's that allowed billy to contact the gods at the rock of eternity). I want Billy to have more experience with magic (learning spells, having more visions and so on)and be more part of dc magic event like how he was in (day of judgement,day of vengeance,war of gods, and so on). I want Billy to have a job at WHIZ Radio Station again.

[deadman322]

classic for me.

mary shazam doesn't have the same ring as mary marvel, but mary marvel make no sense anymore.

[Güicho]

mary shazam doesn't have the same ring
...

Was she actually ever called that in story anywhere? Or you made that up? LOL!
I thought the names of the family members powered up was still undetermined.
And they argued against using their real names in public.
Favorite idea thrown out so far is they still all use difrent military ranks, Captain, Lieutenant, etc. plus something, maybe their power attributes; Strength, Speed, Courage, etc...

If they could actually use Marvel to sell and brand the characters, my ideal hybrid of both classic and new!

[Robotman]

I like the New 52 kids but I’m just hoping they have slightly different powers than Billy. Make them a bit unique so it really is like a superhero team with everyone bringing something different to the table. Not just a bunch of clones of Cap Marvel/Shazam.

[Güicho]

..Make them a bit unique so it really is like a superhero team with everyone bringing something different to the table. Not just a bunch of clones of Cap Marvel/Shazam.

LOL the old group except Mary were 5 all white males 4 of them actually called Billy, 4 with the exact costume, and all with the exact power as Billy.
Yet now this new group has two prominent girls, asian, black, and latino, characters. all have a specific power, none all the exact powers as Billy, some still being defined, exhibiting some surprises, ie Eugene can communicate with any tec. Yet in a thread comparing the two, this new group, not the old one, is the one accused of being- "a bunch of clones of Cap."?
Love how that works?

And never mind the fact he's letting go and sharing specifically his own power, is the theme and whole point of what he can do.
What showed he was the right champion.
The one thing Teth Adam the previous champion could/would never do.
Share his own power.

[SilverWarriorWolf]

I like the New 52 kids but I’m just hoping they have slightly different powers than Billy. Make them a bit unique so it really is like a superhero team with everyone bringing something different to the table. Not just a bunch of clones of Cap Marvel/Shazam.

Exactly. I’d kind of wish they'd get separate heroes too, to provide different powers. For instance:

Freddy: the Wit of Anansi (illusions, a silver tongue, shapeshifting)

Pedro: the Persistence of Susanoo (wind control, rain manipulation, increase in stamina with determination, sword modeled after Grasscutter)

Darla: Skill of Artimis (silver bow, super agility, stealth, animal communication and manipulation)

Eugene: Ingenuity of Hetphaestus (technopathy, metal manipulation, golem generation)

Billy would be the most powerful and the clear head, but each would have their own skill.

LOL the old group exept Mary were 5 all white males 4 of them actually called Billy, and all with the exact power as Billy.
Yet now this new goup has two prominant girls, asian, black, and latino, characters. all have a specific power, none all the exact powers as Billy, some still being defiend, exibiting some surprises, ie Eugene can communicate with any tec. Yet in a thread comparing the two, this new group, not the old one, is the one acused of being- "a bunch of clones of Cap."?
Love how that works?

And never mind the fact he's sharing his own power is the theme.
The one thing Teth Adam the previous champion could never do.

It’s less physical appearance and more power set I’m concerned with, though I agree varying that is important for memorability. A fight scene is less interesting if everyone fights in exactly the same way. I’d agree this was very much a problem with the old lieutenants, which is why I’d prefer to retire them.

[Güicho]

I’d kind of wish they'd get separate heroes too, to

Freddy:... shapeshifting)

Pedro:.... control, rain manipulation,

Darla: ....silver bow, super agility, stealth, animal communication and manipulation)

......

I don't want to see Mary with strechy powers, or Freddy with Fire powers etc...
You are looking at the wrong team for that. And missing the point of this team.

[Billy] is .... letting go and sharing specifically his own power, is the theme and whole point of what he can do.
What showed he was the right champion.
The one thing Teth Adam the previous champion could/would never do.
Share his power.

Further: The SHAZAMILY isn't supposed to be like Superman encountering a bunch of differently themed and powered heroes, to form a JL team.
This is Billy literally sharing the power he has with his family.

If anything the impetus for Billy forming his own League should be for his Squadron of Justice - .https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post3617467

Definitely! Would love to see them all updated and revisited.
Rather than continue to be an afterthought joiner of the JL, answering to Superman and Batman,
I'd rather see SHAZAM start and lead his own team.



AKA The Fawcett City Crusaders

That ^ is where you should direct DC to refocus a SHAZAM lead team.
The SHAZAMILY has been nicely re-established. He can call on them when he needs.

Where they need to expand. What they are constantly neglecting (and have been for decades) is the other heroes of the Fawcett Universe.
Playing Billy as a second string to Superman and Batman. Joining their already established team the JL, which instantly cast him as secondary to them.
Has been the greatest disservice to the character.
When what he should be doing is forming and leading his own team of Fawcett heroes!
Expanding the Fawcett franchise, not consolidating it, which has been DC's approach.

This is where diversity of power and theme in a SHAZAM lead team should shine, he can have both the SHAZAMILY and the Squadron. Sadly DC and worse the fans ignore it.

[SilverWarriorWolf]

I don't want to see Mary with strechy powers, or Freddy with Fire powers etc...
You are looking at the wrong team for that. And missing the point of this team.

The point is magical powers stemming from mythological figures. DC even mixed that up with Darkseid Wars. As long as it comes from some mythic figure, it matches. Otherwise, New 52 would be missing the point ala Darkseid Wars.

Further: The SHAZAMILY isn't supposed to be like Superman encountering a bunch of differently themed and powered heroes, to form a JL team.
This is Billy literally sharing the power he has with his family.

In New 52 only. What I’m working with combines in elements of all versions, and since Mary originally had her own set, by my logic, the others can too. Heck, in Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil, her powers worked different from him even when she was sharing powers with Billy.

If anything the impetus for Billy forming his own League should be for his Squadron of Justice - .https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post3617467



That ^ is where you should direct DC to refocus a SHAZAM lead team.
The SHAZAMILY has been nicely re-established. He can call on them when he needs.

Where they need to expand. What they are constantly neglecting (and have been for decades) is the other heroes of the Fawcett Universe.
Playing Billy as a second string to Superman and Batman. Joining their already established team the JL, which instantly cast him as secondary to them.
Has been the greatest disservice to the character.
When what he should be doing is forming and leading his own team of Fawcett heroes!
Expanding the Fawcett franchise, not consolidating it, which has been DC's approach.

This is where diversity of power and theme in a SHAZAM lead team should shine, he can have both the SHAZAMILY and the Squadron. Sadly DC and worse the fans ignore it.

That’s a point for another post. Setting up that sort of team is akin to the Justice League, while the Shazam family is more akin to the Batfamily.

But, like I said before, I suppose we’ll have to agree to disagree.

[KurtW95]

The original Lieutenant Marvels don’t matter to me all that much, so it doesn’t really seem like an either or when it comes to them and the Johns kids. IMO, it really should just be Billy, Freddy, and Mary. If you want the others to be recurring characters, that’s fine, but I think Freddy should be the only character Billy shares his powers with and Mary gets it automatically through different female sources because she’s Billy’s twin. But if the Johns kids must be included, have them be other street kids. And if so, Darla should have a different last name, so Uncle Dudley can still be a thing and won’t need to be racebent. Also, not a fan of Billy being a foster kid. And Mary being one fundamental changes her origin. Original Lieutenant Marvels can be like they are in Thunderworld, if you want to include them. But they weren’t used at all Post-Crisis, so it’s not like they’re a necessity, or the Johns kids for that matter.

[SilverWarriorWolf]

The original Lieutenant Marvels don’t matter to me all that much, so it doesn’t really seem like an either or when it comes to them and the Johns kids. IMO, it really should just be Billy, Freddy, and Mary. If you want the others to be recurring characters, that’s fine, but I think Freddy should be the only character Billy shares his powers with and Mary gets it automatically through different female sources because she’s Billy’s twin. But if the Johns kids must be included, have them be other street kids. And if so, Darla should have a different last name, so Uncle Dudley can still be a thing and won’t need to be racebent. Also, not a fan of Billy being a foster kid. And Mary being one fundamental changes her origin. Original Lieutenant Marvels can be like they are in Thunderworld, if you want to include them. But they weren’t used at all Post-Crisis, so it’s not like they’re a necessity, or the Johns kids for that matter.

I don’t think Dudley needs to be racebent to have him be related to Darla. Just say she’s biracial. A lot of white/black biracial people still look black.

[phantom1592]

The original Lieutenant Marvels don’t matter to me all that much, so it doesn’t really seem like an either or when it comes to them and the Johns kids. IMO, it really should just be Billy, Freddy, and Mary. If you want the others to be recurring characters, that’s fine, but I think Freddy should be the only character Billy shares his powers with and Mary gets it automatically through different female sources because she’s Billy’s twin.

This is my opinion too. I never cared or really read much about the Lieutenants before. I don't really want them back. For me it is and should always be Billy, Mary and Freddy. Dudley is on the fringe... and the tiger is pretty much awesome. But adding in a bunch of extra characters for the heck of it just dilutes it too much. Splitting up the power amongst the group... I hate that too. I want the full on Superman/Supergirl/Superboy analogs that they have always been. I wasn't overly fond of them 'sharing' the power and getting weaker that they did in the 90's.

I clicked golden Age... but I don't think that was a solid choice. there should have been something that represented the Power of Shazam/80's Cartoon family without EITHER the Lieutenants OR the Johns kids...

[Jim Kelly]

The core group should be Billy, Mary and Freddy. Dudley is a pretender who dresses up as a Marvel (but has to tie his cape around his neck) and has no actual powers. Other characters can guest star, but Cap has enough trouble getting attention for himself, the family shouldn't be extended too far to begin with. Once the franchise is on solid footing, then more spin-off characters can hog the limelight.

[KurtW95]

I don’t think Dudley needs to be racebent to have him be related to Darla. Just say she’s biracial. A lot of white/black biracial people still look black.

Maybe, but I think Dudley works better not having a biological connection to anybody. Otherwise, such a kid would be staying with him rather than being in foster care.

[phantom1592]

Maybe, but I think Dudley works better not having a biological connection to anybody. Otherwise, such a kid would be staying with him rather than being in foster care.

My favorite Dudley is the one that is kind of bumbling and while he appears to be the responsible adult looking after the orphan kids... Really it's the kids that look after him. And he's a good enough guy to go along with that arrangement.


The idea of Dudley actually being a real father and actually having REAL responsibility... that doesn't give me a good feeling inside. Leave him without biological connections.