Monday, April 3, 2023

The Power of Shazam Collections (Print and eBook)

 The Power of Shazam has begun to be collected in both print and eBook!  Here is some information on what you can find at your favorite retailer!


The Power of Shazam!  Book 1:  In the Beginning


This book collects The Power of Shazam! one-shot graphic novel, The Power of Shazam! #1-12, and a story from Superman & Batman Magazine #4.  It is an action-packed 397 pages of Captain Marvel adventures!  It's available in hardcover and eBook.  (At the time of this writing I found the eBook on Amazon for $6.99!)


The Power of Shazam!  Book 2:  The Worm Turns



This book will be released on May 30, 2023.  Based on information I found on Amazon it will be a trade paperback of 424 pages.  It collects "Playing with Fire" from Showcase '96, Superboy Plus #1, Supergirl Plus #1, Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #4 (1996), The Power of Shazam! #13-23 (1996), and The Power of Shazam! Annual (1996).


Both books have great artwork on their covers!  I've not heard anything about Book 3 but will let you know when I do!

Saturday, March 25, 2023

Coming Back!

 Back in 2018 I made a decision to end this blog, but as of today I decided I will bring it back and try and post as best as I can.  The Power of Shazam is my favorite modern-day iteration of Captain Marvel and I want to write about that series as I am able.  Thank you for taking the time to read and I hope you enjoy the current posts and future posts!




Wednesday, April 18, 2018

Ending This Blog :(

I started this blog with the best of intentions, hoping I would be able to chronicle Captain Marvel's adventures and exploits from the pages of The Power of Shazam! comic series.  I got off to a good start, but I just haven't been able to post new articles.  It's not that my interest in Captain Marvel has diminished, it's just that I've been trying to keep up with my other Cap blogs and the events of life as well.  So, with great sadness, I am ending this blog.  Thank you for taking the time to read it.  It was a fun adventure!


Tuesday, July 19, 2016

My Review of The Power of Shazam #27

Last month I had the privilege of writing a guest blog for one of my favorite comic blogs - Coffee and Comics.   I look forward to reading each article on this blog, as well as Clinton's other blog, Armageddon 2001.  I have learned a lot from them and cannot recommend them enough.

For my guest article on the Coffee and Comics blog, I wrote a review of The Power of Shazam #27.  If you would like to read it, please click here.  I hope you enjoy the article and take the time to check out these two great blogs!


Wednesday, June 8, 2016

The Captains Marvel


Here are some brief differences I wanted to point out from golden age Captain Marvel and the Captains Marvel of The Power of Shazam!  In the golden age Fawcett comics, Billy Batson and his sister Mary are known as Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel respectively.  But in The Power of Shazam! series, Billy and Mary are both called Captain Marvel!  In The Power of Shazam! #27, the wizard Shazam reveals that both Billy and Mary are to have his powers as the Captains Marvel.

Another difference you'll see in The Power of Shazam! is that when Mary transforms, she transforms from a teenager to an adult (and rumored to look like her mother, Lyn).  In the golden age when Mary transformed into Mary Marvel, she remained as a young girl.



A final difference you'll notice in The Power of Shazam! series is that when the Captains Marvel and Captain Marvel Junior are all 'powered up' their individual powers are weakened by 1/3.  This plays a significant part in battles with Black Adam in the early part of the series.

These are three differences from the golden age Captain Marvel, but I enjoy the differences and Jerry Ordway does a great job using them to enhance the stories and add more depth to the characters!


Saturday, May 7, 2016

The Power of Shazam! - Great Title and Script for Upcoming Captain Marvel Movie

I've mentioned this before on Twitter, and now I'd like to write out in more detail why I think the upcoming Captain Marvel/Shazam movie should be based on The Power of Shazam! graphic novel.
  • The Power of Shazam! is a fantastic movie title for several reasons.  First, it bypasses the copyright restrictions DC has on using the character name 'Captain Marvel' in a title.  My understanding is they can use the Captain Marvel character name, just not in a comic title.  Second, it is an accurate title in that Captain Marvel gains his powers through Shazam.  DC's unfortunate renaming of the character to Shazam has created a lot of problems and this would help restore Captain Marvel's true and original name.
  • The graphic novel is a self-contained unit that stands on its own. Yes, it launched The Power of Shazam! series, and I'm very glad it did, but it's an awesome story by itself and seems to be ready made for a movie script.  (NOTE: In a Twitter conversation I had with Jerry Ordway, I asked him if he has been involved in the upcoming movie and he replied, "At one point, when John August was doing a script, I heard that they were looking at my painted book."  In another tweet he mentionded, Jonathan Peterson, the editor, and I set out to make "the movie adaptation" of Captain Marvel, without the actual movie."  I have to agree with Mr. Ordway - the graphic novel should be the movie adaptation!!! )
  • Captain Marvel's origin as well as that of Black Adam's is well developed in the graphic novel.  We already know Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson is playing Black Adam in the movie, and Black Adam has a major role in The Power of Shazam! that he never had in the golden (Fawcett) age of Captain Marvel comics.  Yet in the graphic novel it stays true to Black Adam's character as a villain, not as an anti-hero.  Black Adam needs to be a villain, an antithesis to the wholesomeness of Captain Marvel.  Captain Marvel and Billy Batson's origins also remain intact but with some nice modernizations that do a fine job of bridging the golden age hero with our modern times.
  • By using The Power of Shazam! graphic novel, DC leaves the door open for future Captain Marvel movies.  It would ruin the movie if you try telling Cap's origin and throw in the entire cast of villains that Cap has faced over the years.  By sticking to the story in the graphic novel both Cap and Black Adam will be able to have future movies with well-established back stories.  The original Superman movie, Batman '89, Man of Steel, etc. used this format of introducing us to the character but not overwhelming us with villains.
For these reasons, The Power of Shazam! should be used as the title and script for the upcoming Captain Marvel movie.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this article, feel free to share them!  If I come up with any more reasons, I'll update this article and let you know.



Friday, May 6, 2016

The Unofficial Captain Marvel Theme!


John William's Superman Theme is iconic - when you hear that music, you identify it with Superman.  For me, the same can be said about Danny Elfman's Batman Theme for the 1989 Batman movie.  But what about the world's mightiest mortal?  Captain Marvel has no iconic theme music!  This post seeks to rectify that and I humbly submit that the song, "The Impossible Dream" should be Captain Marvel's theme song.

Here are the words to the song.  As you read them, keep Captain Marvel in mind.  


The Impossible Dream
(Composed by Mitch Leigh, Lyrics by Joe Darion)

To dream the impossible dream,
to fight the unbeatable foe,
to bear with unbearable sorrow,
to run where the brave dare not go.

To right the unrightable wrong,
to love pure and chaste from afar,
to try when your arms are too weary,
to reach the unreachable star.

This is my quest,
to follow that star --
no matter how hopeless,
no matter how far.

To fight for the right
without question or pause,
to be willing to march into hell for a
heavenly cause.

And I know if I'll only be true to this
glorious quest
that my heart will be peaceful and calm
when I'm laid to my rest.

And the world will be better for this,
that one man scorned and covered with scars
still strove with his last ounce of courage.
To reach the unreachable stars.

The lyrics are very moving, and truly capture the character and essence of Captain Marvel.  Regardless of whether its Captain Marvel in Whiz comics, The Power of Shazam! or Kingdom Come, Cap is willing to strive with his last ounce of courage to protect the helpless and defeat evil.  



Here's a video of my favorite version of the song as sung by Elvis Presley.