Earth's Mightiest Mortals: The Shazamily Appreciation 2023

[Pinsir]

I finally got around to reading the Rebirth Shazam comic, which was pretty good with exception to the Super Boy Prime junk, and I even read that Mary Marvel comic (which had good art). Is there some sort of event that involved Shazam stuff? Because the Wizard showed up as a Zombie in the most recent WW comic and 'reappeared' at the end of the Mary Marvel one.

[Nomads1]

Feels like an old friend is back.

I'm sharing that vibe.

Peace

[dswynne]

CBR has an interview with Waid.
https://www.cbr.com/shazam-mark-waid-interview/

Captain Marvel and Captain Thunder both can't be used as they're trademarked, hence just the Captain - though I see it didn't stop Mora from including Captain Marvel as his name on that Twitter feed Billy's reading!

Which is why I was fine with using SHAZAM has Billy's hero name. And before anyone says, "Well, you can't do that because that's his magic word!" Guys, it's called FICTION. A half-way decent writer can come up with caveats. Heck, look at HAWK & DOVE. Hank and Don Hall are able to say their hero name to transform, and could continue to use their hero name until the crisis is resolved, where they automatically return to normal. The way I look at it, "Shazam!" is both the transformation magic spell, as well as the name of the champion of the Wizard, who is the guardian of the Rock of Eternity. Billy BECOMES the living embodiment of the magic word, hence his hero name being "Shazam". And to return to "normal", there are two options. One, once the crisis is resolved, Billy automatically reverts to normal. Not very dramatic, but you could easily have it that a cloud of mist or something envelop Shazam, and disappears, revealing just Billy. Second option: Billy says the magic word to transform, but says it backwards to return to normal. Or, he could just say his own name "Billy Batson", to revert back to normal.

OR...

Just call Billy's superhero form "Champion", as in "The Champion of SHAZAM" since he is the champion of the Wizard. Trademark THAT.

Basically, I'm just tired of this back and forth nonsense. Stick with SOMETHING, and let's move on. And the reason I am against using "The Captain" is because it is a lame way of addressing a situation that won't ever get resolved in our lifetimes. Why hold on to false hope? So, unless Disney buys DC Comics and WB Studios, which isn't that much of a stretch of the imagination, we're stuck with the fact that the original "Captain Marvel" is GONE. He's not coming back any time soon. Again, I would rather have "The World's Mightiest Hero" have an entirely new name/designation (Shazam, Champion, Captain Wonder, etc.), than to hold onto something that was lost because of a stupid lawsuit brought on by envy.

Then again, I'm just ranting out of boredom, being on pins and needles for when Waid's book comes out...

[Pinsir]

It's magic, it should be able to read intent in how the word is used. If Billy says, "Hello, my name is Shazam," the magic should know that he doesn't want to depower.

[StarSpangledMan]

Well part of the fun of the character is that his magical transformation word works regardless of whether he wants it to or not, which can be used against him by villains or for hilarity.

[Pinsir]

Well part of the fun of the character is that his magical transformation word works regardless of whether he wants it to or not, which can be used against him by villains or for hilarity.

Has this happened recently though? I think the character could be updated so that the intent of his words matter, you could even make it a plot point to drive that through.

[Vordan]

Has this happened recently though? I think the character could be updated so that the intent of his words matter, you could even make it a plot point to drive that through.

Johns made it work that way, but Waid is using Lazarus Planet to revert the character back to changing when he says the word regardless of intent. Waid thinks the gimmick is too essential to the character to leave out.

[Frontier]

Nobody really seemed invested in the whole "intent" convention.

[HsssH]

Yeah, it is essential that the character with the wisdom of solomon would be tricked like a moron into saying his magic word.

I'm fairly sure that if few months ago soneone asked what are the essential parts for Shazam character then very few people would have even mentioned Billy being unable to say Shazam without transforming.

[Digifiend]

Just call Billy's superhero form "Champion", as in "The Champion of SHAZAM" since he is the champion of the Wizard. Trademark THAT.

Basically, I'm just tired of this back and forth nonsense. Stick with SOMETHING, and let's move on. And the reason I am against using "The Captain" is because it is a lame way of addressing a situation that won't ever get resolved in our lifetimes. Why hold on to false hope? So, unless Disney buys DC Comics and WB Studios, which isn't that much of a stretch of the imagination, we're stuck with the fact that the original "Captain Marvel" is GONE. He's not coming back any time soon. Again, I would rather have "The World's Mightiest Hero" have an entirely new name/designation (Shazam, Champion, Captain Wonder, etc.), than to hold onto something that was lost because of a stupid lawsuit brought on by envy.

Then again, I'm just ranting out of boredom, being on pins and needles for when Waid's book comes out...

Pretty sure they can't use Champion, due to Marvel's teen team (they fought hard to grab that trademark, as another company had been using it for a tabletop roleplaying game similar to Dungeons and Dragons, which did have comics). Marvel would object if DC had a hero called The Avenger, this would be no different. Champion can be an adjective, like in Mary's editorial name New Champion of Shazam, but it can't be used on it's own.

Also, while Disney would be allowed to buy DC (as they'd only be considered a small piece of the overall magazines market, the fact that Marvel and DC dominate comic books is irrelevant to the regulators), they wouldn't be allowed to buy WB, not after buying 20th Century. And WB and DC come as a package, so they'll probably never get DC, short of a fire sale splitting them up if Discovery goes bust.

---

Mary's name officially reverts to Mary Marvel in this week's Wonder Woman... where she somehow flies while not transformed!
https://bleedingcool.com/comics/a-ne...rvel-spoilers/

[Knightmare]

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.

[king of hybrids]

My religious education might have been somewhat lacking, but isn’t Solomon’s reputation for wisdom ludicrously overhyped?

[Frontier]

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.

Well, that sucks .

[Knightmare]

My religious education might have been somewhat lacking, but isn’t Solomon’s reputation for wisdom ludicrously overhyped?

Maybe biblically speaking, but in the Shazam world it's the ultimate MacGuffin! But forget that, because continuity means nothing and it's getting past time I got with that program.

[Mantis-Ray]

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.

I know the story is overall mediocre but what exactly happens to Billy there?