Darla, Eugene and Pedro and/or the Lieutenant Marvels ? Which Worked better ?

[Cmbmool]

Now to be honest I enjoy the likes of Eugene, Pedro and Darla in the new Shazam series as it’s a great modern take on the iconic other Marvels in the Marvel family. HOwever, that being said I can’t help but recall the other Marvels of the GOLDEN AGE ADVENTURES of SHAZAM. Which brings me to my question: Which do you all prefer as readers of the adventures of SHAZAM ?

[Güicho]

Absolutely the new Lieutenants. / AKA the New Goonies)

The old ones; Tall, Fat & Hill Billy were fun, but 5 (although slightly different shaped) white guys sharing the power (with one girl) gets pretty repetitive. I like that Johns and Frank unapologeticly made them more diverse, while at the same time was absolutely true to the spirit of the book and character, and reinforced the family theme of the book.
The main hero (whose ultimate purpose is looking to belong to a family) discovers he can share the power, and literally create one ...this was a wonderful way to do it!

And looking forward to seeing them in the movie this weekend!

[astro@work]

I like the new twist on the Lt. Marvels, and look forward to seeing more of them.

The Marvel family has always been about, um, family....and the Shazam kids idea is a lot less contrived than three others all named Billy!

[Jon Clark]

The original Lt Marvels worked better because they were infrequent, but were still a bit of overkill once we had Freddy and Mary. And Mary and Freddy had their own lives and supporting casts that made them separate characters capable of having monthly solo adventures rather than every story being the three marvels acting in unison.

The current ones are too problematic. I don't want to read a team book every issue, but based on the diversity aspect any attempt to downplay the new members now is bound to draw cries of some type of "-ism". So we now have six god-like heroes on deck for every story. They liv in the same house, attend the same school and thus are less plausible having adventures that wouldn't pull each other in.

[Ascended]

I greatly prefer the new family, though admittedly I've only seen the old Lieutenants Marvel a handful of times.

Though I really see both groups as being basically the same thing; the modern kids are just updated for modern sensibilities, but I dont really view them as a separate concept. Sort of like how 1986 Krypton is very different from Silver Age Krypton, but it's still Krypton.

[Güicho]

old stories often had Family at the heart of it, and often even dragged Dudley along.

They liv in the same house, attend the same school and thus are less plausible having adventures that wouldn't pull each other in.

And the book just launched and still only starting the world building. They can easily build to have eventual solo stories, arcs and and spin-offs for any one of them. That you can't imagine how, just shows incredibly lazy thinking on your part.

The current ones are too problematic. I don't want to read a team book every issue, but based on the diversity aspect any attempt to downplay the new members now is bound to draw cries of some type of "-ism".

Yet Billy is the center of the Book, and nobody pulled the ism card except you.
The story arc of Billy gaining a family is and has been at the core of it, that's who he is and what they are focused on. The current ongoing has introduced a character claiming to be his father. He's the one at the heart of everything.

If it's popular, they get spin-offs books. That's how it works.

And what if it's one of the new characters who gets a solo, will you celebrate that you were wrong, about the franchise not allowing for solo spin-off stories.
Or will you complain cause they chose the one with the wrong color for you?
How wiill you survive the conflict of intrest, oh my?

[Jim Kelly]

I can't get into the Geoff Johns version. Not because of the family itself, but just because there's this heavy Geoff Johns feel to how it all works--I've figured him out, he puts on this happy face, but underneath there's a dark pessimism. So I haven't read a lot of the comics.

The movie is okay--can't say more than that without spoilers--and I like the youngest kids the best. Especially Darla--although giving her the name Dudley makes me think there can't be an Uncle Dudley without a heavy retcon--the little girl who plays her in the movie is worth her weight in gold. I don't like Mary being older and not Billy's biological sister and that she's older than Freddy, as I ship Mary and Freddy in the original comics. And making Freddy look like Captain Nazi's younger brother in the Geoff Johns treatment is perverse.

There are some good ideas in the Johns re-imagining, I just wish someone had the liberty to take those ideas and fool around with them to create a better fusion of the old and the new Marvel Family. Make Billy and Mary siblings separated at birth. Give Freddy his black hair and make him the same age as Mary (also, if he's Jewish, that furthers the diversity). Make all the kids closer to Darla's age. Bring back Uncle Dudley, Tawky Tawny and Sterling Morris. Make Sivana more funny.

[Jody Garland]

The current Marvel Family, without a doubt. While i prefer the older versions of Mary and Freddy, the Lts. were quickly forgotten for a reason. Their comparative lack of a personality and difference makes it hard to care about them as much. The idea is neat- there's something very fairy tale about them getting their powers because of what amounts to a contract oversight- and the idea of Captain Marvel having a 'Squadron of Justice' is certainly salvageable. As it stands, though, the new guys edge them out.

[Güicho]

I can't get into the Geoff Johns version. Not because of the family itself, but just because there's this heavy Geoff Johns feel to how it all works--I've figured him out, he puts on this happy face, but underneath there's a dark pessimism. So I haven't read a lot of the comics.

The first story arc, from the JL back-ups ends with the most optimistic positive theme imaginable. Absolute, Pure, faithful celebration of the character, what he is, why he was chosen, and what he can do.
And mostly what he gains in the end.
It's a story arc though, he doesn't just get it all from the go, Billy has to get there. Actually makes him, and what he gets more interesting and rewarding.
Did you read it? That end really didn't read to you as absolutely underlying positive?

And making Freddy look like Captain Nazi's younger brother in the Geoff Johns treatment is perverse.

LOL I wouldn't have put it that^ way (he's more a horrible Fabio wanna be, which might be even worse), but yes the awfull blond Freddy hate, now that I can get behind. LOL!

[kcekada]

I don't mind the new additions, but I don't like the changes made to Billy and Mary's relationship. Can't stand stoner Freddy.

[vartox]

I love the new Shazam family. The old Lieutenants always seemed kind of goofy in a bad way.

[Jim Kelly]

Did DC lose the rights to the other Fawcett characters, like Bulletman, Minute Man and Mr. Scarlet?

I don't like all the multi-colours of the family. I can accept red, blue and purple--but grey is blah and the green makes me think of Captain Nazi. There was nothing in the original comics that barred this treatment. The other Marvels, besides Billy, all got their powers because of the fuzzy contract with the wizard Shazam.

Mary already lived in a foster home with Mrs. Bromfield. In this day and age, it wouldn't make sense for Billy and Freddy to live on their own, so they would likely move into the same foster home as Mary--certainly Billy would, if she was his biological sister. Frankly it never made sense to me that Billy and Mary lived apart from each other once they were reunited.

[SiegePerilous02]

I feel like calling the original Lt. Marvels "characters" is being very generous.

Darla alone makes the new kids the obvious choice. They fill the same slot with added benefits for diversity, and more character potential.

[Jim Kelly]

I wonder what number 1 Captain Marvel fan Gomer Pyle thought about "Hill" Billy. Gomer was quite a character himself--did he think he was being mocked by the southern character?

[Rakzo]

New Shazam family all the way although I wouldn't be surprised if Johns brings back the Liutenants in some way considering his love for classic, obscure mythos.