Earth's Mightiest Mortals: The Shazamily Appreciation 2023

[dswynne]

IMO, I think what's happening is that the Marvels are being reset to their more traditional depiction, and thus everything is being cleared off the proverbial board, in order to allow Waid and company full reign over the ongoing series. Thus, anything that has come before is undergoing a reset (as annoying as it may seem).

[Nomads1]

Just and FYI, the Wonder Woman issue out this week is a Lazarus tie-in. You should read if you want to see the Wisdom of Solomon fail in spectacular fashion and also If you like Billy being shat on because he's male, Josie Campbell provides a master class.

The emasculation of male characters in some comics needs to stop.

This has gotten tiresome quite quickly, as much as ugly art.

Peace

[Digifiend]

IMO, I think what's happening is that the Marvels are being reset to their more traditional depiction, and thus everything is being cleared off the proverbial board, in order to allow Waid and company full reign over the ongoing series. Thus, anything that has come before is undergoing a reset (as annoying as it may seem).

There's one thing that probably can't be reset though. While Mary sees Billy as her brother now, the fact remains that they're not twins like they are in their classic origin, and are neither blood related nor the same age.

Though I notice the memory Diana saw of Mary's youth showed her at Child Protection Services, which means she was taken away from the Bromfields. In Johns's New 52 origin, she actually ran away from home, and her parents gave her up. Perhaps they could retcon it as her actually being adopted by the Bromsfields - which is pretty close to her golden age origin I believe - only for Mr Bromsfield to abuse her, so she gets taken away and sent to the Vasquezes. She wouldn't know it yet, but her real parents would also be Billy's. That would restore the blood relation of them, but the age gap would require a reboot to fix.

[Frontier]

IMO, I think what's happening is that the Marvels are being reset to their more traditional depiction, and thus everything is being cleared off the proverbial board, in order to allow Waid and company full reign over the ongoing series. Thus, anything that has come before is undergoing a reset (as annoying as it may seem).

Pretty much how it feels at this point.

[Knightmare]

There's one thing that probably can't be reset though. While Mary sees Billy as her brother now, the fact remains that they're not twins like they are in their classic origin, and are neither blood related nor the same age.

Though I notice the memory Diana saw of Mary's youth showed her at Child Protection Services, which means she was taken away from the Bromfields. In Johns's New 52 origin, she actually ran away from home, and her parents gave her up. Perhaps they could retcon it as her actually being adopted by the Bromsfields - which is pretty close to her golden age origin I believe - only for Mr Bromsfield to abuse her, so she gets taken away and sent to the Vasquezes. She wouldn't know it yet, but her real parents would also be Billy's. That would restore the blood relation of them, but the age gap would require a reboot to fix.

With the new retcon Billy is no longer an orphan but is instead now a disowned kid. Meaning both his parents are still alive and out there living their lives. This could be a very compelling storyline, especially if it turns out that Mary is Billy's biological sibling.

[king of hybrids]

Honestly the Vasquez’s and the other kids were doomed as soon as Johns basically sat on the Shazam title for near on a decade.

How they go about swapping out Aboriginal Austrialan thunder god!Wizard for oddly white Canaanite!wizard in 2023 will probably be the most awkward part.

[dswynne]

There's one thing that probably can't be reset though. While Mary sees Billy as her brother now, the fact remains that they're not twins like they are in their classic origin, and are neither blood related nor the same age.

Though I notice the memory Diana saw of Mary's youth showed her at Child Protection Services, which means she was taken away from the Bromfields. In Johns's New 52 origin, she actually ran away from home, and her parents gave her up. Perhaps they could retcon it as her actually being adopted by the Bromsfields - which is pretty close to her golden age origin I believe - only for Mr Bromsfield to abuse her, so she gets taken away and sent to the Vasquezes. She wouldn't know it yet, but her real parents would also be Billy's. That would restore the blood relation of them, but the age gap would require a reboot to fix.

Trust me, a skillful writer like Waid could come up with a convoluted means to correct even this. Besides, they do it all the time with the Maximoff Twins, Wanda and Pietro, over at Marvel. Observe...

"OH NO!" Mary said. "I've lied to all my life about who I am. NOOOOOO!"

See? Heck, DC could easily use the Lazarus Planet event to change Freddy's hair color to its traditional black. You just got to be bold and creative about it.

[dswynne]

Honestly the Vasquez’s and the other kids were doomed as soon as Johns basically sat on the Shazam title for near on a decade.

How they go about swapping out Aboriginal Austrialan thunder god!Wizard for oddly white Canaanite!wizard in 2023 will probably be the most awkward part.

Not really. The "original" Wizard oversees the 52 worlds of the DC Multiverse, from the actual Rock of Eternity (see MULTIVERSITY: THUNDERWORLD!). Though his attention is primarily for Earth-5, who's to say he can't take over management over what's going on, on Earth-Zero?

"You failed at protecting THIS 'facet' of 'the Rock', thunder god," the Wizard said of Mamaragan, of the Council of Eternity. "To put in modern parlance: YOU'RE FIRED."

The Wizard kicks Mamaragan out of the council chambers, before turning towards this iteration of his Champion.

"While I am not happy with these turn of events, you are the champion of this world, Billy Batson," the Wizard said of the boy who stood before the Wizard. "And while I prefer a version of you that is 'pure of heart', I suppose I can work with someone who is...good enough. But you are going to earn my trust. Is that clear, Billy Batson?"

"it is, sir," Billy said with a nod. "I just want to help people."

"That's a start. Say MY name, Billy Batson, and be the champion you are meant to be."

"SHAZAM!"

BOOM!

BTW, Canaanites weren't "white" (i.e. European) per se, but definitely tanned Middle Eastern. Then again, who cares? I just want some classic SHAZAM! stories again...

[Knightmare]

[Frontier]

Trust me, a skillful writer like Waid could come up with a convoluted means to correct even this. Besides, they do it all the time with the Maximoff Twins, Wanda and Pietro, over at Marvel. Observe...

"OH NO!" Mary said. "I've lied to all my life about who I am. NOOOOOO!"

See? Heck, DC could easily use the Lazarus Planet event to change Freddy's hair color to its traditional black. You just got to be bold and creative about it.

Here's hoping .

[Mantis-Ray]

Honestly the Vasquez’s and the other kids were doomed as soon as Johns basically sat on the Shazam title for near on a decade.

How they go about swapping out Aboriginal Austrialan thunder god!Wizard for oddly white Canaanite!wizard in 2023 will probably be the most awkward part.

Yeah the lack of a Shazam ongoing for years did not help those characters gain any sort of foothold or development.

At least with a Shazam book back with a team who can be trusted to keep a schedule that provides the Vasquez's some potential for development even if they are depowered for the time being

[Frontier]

Yeah the lack of a Shazam ongoing for years did not help those characters gain any sort of foothold or development.

At least with a Shazam book back with a team who can be trusted to keep a schedule that provides the Vasquez's some potential for development even if they are depowered for the time being

It'll be interesting to see what Waid does with them.

[Mantis-Ray]

Hey I found the pages where Yara talks down to Billy for anyone curious

Yeah I'm not sure where Yara has the gall to call rank on anyone. For those who don't know Yara is a new character who hasn't even been on the job for a year at most, she's more of a newbie than the actual child. Also not sure why Billy is being treated as if he's never experianced struggle before.

[Stanlos]

Why does Billy have Superman hair?

[Digifiend]

Yeah, he looks like Jon there, when he should look more like Clark without his spitcurl.