SHAZAM: THE MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL #3

[MattBrady]

When we last left Captain Marvel...

DC Comics has provided Newsarama with the first six pages of Shazam: The Monster Society of Evil #3, due in stores on May 2nd.

The solicitation for the issue reads:

Written by Jeff Smith; Art and Cover by Smith

Jeff Smith's amazing Shazam miniseries continues! Billy and Mary have been captured by Sivana... so Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel may not be able to stop Mr. Mind's Monster Society from taking over the world.

[Nate-Earth 2]

I haven't really been following this story, but, why is Mary a toddler in this reboot? The only reason I haven't really picked it up is mostly because I think the Power of Shazam reboot was the best version of the character, and doesn't really need any further revisions. But, thats just me.

[bkwrds]

Mary is younger, but I don't think she's a toddler. She's between 5-7 years old, little younger than Billy.

It's not a reboot, I don't think it's canon. I'm all for Jeff Smith doing whatever the hell he wants with any comic book character. I'd let him do any character he wanted, even if it seemed against his style. Captain Marvel suits him to a tee, though.

First two books were great -- before you jump to a conclusion based on five pages, you might want to check out one of the other books.

[Snowspinner]

Originally Posted by Nate-Earth 2

I haven't really been following this story, but, why is Mary a toddler in this reboot? The only reason I haven't really picked it up is mostly because I think the Power of Shazam reboot was the best version of the character, and doesn't really need any further revisions. But, thats just me.

Mary isn't a toddler - she's just cartoonishly small.

As for why it needs further revisions...

Because if Jeff Smith feels like writing and drawing a comic book, the world needs him to do it.

[O.M.A.C.]

think of it as All Star Shazam!!

[hugo]

I so love the concept of "Chibi Mary Marvel" ^__________^

Jeff Smith is a master to render facial expressions; this man rules

[NeroMan]

Originally Posted by O.M.A.C.

think of it as All Star Shazam!!

So do I

and I think of Justice as All-Star JSA.

[KoozyK]

you know what? i love jeff smith.

that is all.

[GSHAG]

the real issue i have with this is Smith is channeling too much bone in this. it could very well be just his writing style, but take page four for example. mary does this cute/brash move and yells at whatever that thing is, then you get a panel of blank, deadpan reaction. that just screams "bone" writing mechanics. moreover, you frankly can just plug in characters. replace CM/Billy as Phone Bone, a guy whos always just trying to do the right thing, and Mary as Phoney for Billy/Phone's foil as the outspoken brash one that usually get the other in trouble.

i hate to be such a downer but bone is one of the few things about my childhood that i unconditionally will always love. i just hate to see it revived to tell a year one story about a concept that needs to move on from its goofy past and into the hardcore DCU. and yes you guessed it right, i like trials alot better than i like monster society

[Grendel Prime]

Originally Posted by NeroMan

So do I

and I think of Justice as All-Star JSA.

I think you mean JLA. But otherwise I agree. It bugs me that Justice and the Smith Captain Marvel were not marketed under the All-Star banner. (Probably because both of these titles come out relatively on time).

[Dreighton]

I read the 1st one. For every hit there was a big miss. And over all, I was disappointed. The changes were so jarring. I didn't bother with the 2nd (same as this). I do hope DC does a Captain Marvel series, and uses at least the tone/feel of this series.

And if Mary looks like a toddler, and acts like a toddler, doesn't that make her a toddler?

[Snowspinner]

Originally Posted by GSHAG

the real issue i have with this is Smith is channeling too much bone in this. it could very well be just his writing style, but take page four for example. mary does this cute/brash move and yells at whatever that thing is, then you get a panel of blank, deadpan reaction. that just screams "bone" writing mechanics.

I think this is a bit unfair. You're dealing here with a writer who has one other story. Is it a Bone mechanic or just a technique Smith uses? It's not as though Smith invented using the pause for comic timing.

moreover, you frankly can just plug in characters. replace CM/Billy as Phone Bone, a guy whos always just trying to do the right thing, and Mary as Phoney for Billy/Phone's foil as the outspoken brash one that usually get the other in trouble.

What? Mary and Phoney have virtually nothing in common other than the status as occasionally troublesome sidekick - again, hardly an innovation on Smith's part.

i hate to be such a downer but bone is one of the few things about my childhood that i unconditionally will always love. i just hate to see it revived to tell a year one story about a concept that needs to move on from its goofy past and into the hardcore DCU. and yes you guessed it right, i like trials alot better than i like monster society

Why? I mean, why does Captain Marvel need to be in the hardcore DCU? When the hardcore DCU is so invested in its own past, why can't Captain Marvel reflect its past? It was the biggest-selling superhero comic of its time, and provided brilliant, whimsical, fun adventures of a sort you cant get anywhere else. There are dozens of titles I can get hardcore DCU from. This is the only one I can get that taps satisfyingly into the legacy of fun, goofy, exciting comics.

[Snowspinner]

Originally Posted by Grendel Prime

I think you mean JLA. But otherwise I agree. It bugs me that Justice and the Smith Captain Marvel were not marketed under the All-Star banner. (Probably because both of these titles come out relatively on time).

Also, perhaps, because the Smith Captain Marvel is prestige format, and the All-Star line is supposed to not be prestige format.

[Roche-Man]

not reading it but I really dig what they are doing with mary marvel...

before she was just like Hakgirl toHawkman, Supergirl to superman, Batgirl to Batman but I really love this take...

I love the original too I love how the marvels are portrayed as these innocent characters.

[bsmith]

Best mini of the year so far, hands down.

As a Captain Marvel story, it captures the spirit of the character perfectly. Would love a series like this.

As a comic book, it provides something no other comic does out there right now.


Go Jeff go!


And give it to someone else with skills after it's done!

[MattBrady]

Originally Posted by Dreighton

And if Mary looks like a toddler, and acts like a toddler, doesn't that make her a toddler?

5-8 isn't a toddler. And trust the parents of the 5-8 crowd, that's how she's acting.

MattB

[Aquaduck]

Everytime this comes out I feel like a kid again - the mythology that Jeff brings to the series is just mind-tickling! I loved the magic train showing up out of no where in the first issue. I loved the take on Tawky-Tawny, the tiger, as the old bum. I love how this could all just be in a boys' imagination. There is an other-worldliness to it.

Mary is about 5-8 years, and... Wait, MattB already said what I was gonna say.

I also love the Trials of Shazam series. The professional critics might find it trite, but it is a great take on how these former gods of myth can actually live in today's world and do battle right under our noses. I hope Freddy becomes the new Captan Marvel, but I also hope Shazam (who uses to be Billy) loses the white uniform. It just doesn't say "All Powerful Wizard" as much as a Gandolf look-alike does.

I was not a big Captain Marvel fan unto these two series came out and yes, I own Power of Shazam. I just thought he was just a magical Superman, but now I know why the DCU needs him. Kingdom Come and the recent Week 50 also helped me see this.

[Wonder Boy]

LOL. Mary Marvel rocks in this.

Yeah, it's different from what's generally canon, but you know what? I'm okay with it, because this book's not screwing things over horribly, and I don't think its an in-canon story either.

It's just...a fun book. Something we've been sorely lacking.

[NeoSamurai]

this is a very fun book that is good for kids as it is adults.

I bought my nephew copies of the first two because of this.

[TakumProti]

Originally Posted by Nate-Earth 2

I haven't really been following this story, but, why is Mary a toddler in this reboot? The only reason I haven't really picked it up is mostly because I think the Power of Shazam reboot was the best version of the character, and doesn't really need any further revisions. But, thats just me.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute, this is supposed to be a reboot?! And aren't Billy and
Mary twins?

[Davy]

Originally Posted by GSHAG

the real issue i have with this is Smith is channeling too much bone in this. it could very well be just his writing style, but take page four for example. mary does this cute/brash move and yells at whatever that thing is, then you get a panel of blank, deadpan reaction.

To be fair, the deadpan reaction shot is hardly limited solely to Jeff Smith or Bone. It's a staple in comedy in general. I can't, however, speak to your other criticism of similarity of characters because I never read many issues of Bone. But I'm thoroughly enjoying this (so far) incredibly fun mini. More please.

Davy

[SHIM'TAR]

I LOVE THIS MINI-SERIES!!!

[NeoSamurai]

dont forget the monster society secret code!!!!

[Nate-Earth 2]

Originally Posted by TakumProti

Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute, this is supposed to be a reboot?! And aren't Billy and
Mary twins?

Yeah, it is a reboot. In a preview article of this series, before it came out, Jeff Smith said this is canon and the current interpretation of the early days of Captain Marvel. That's what he said at the time, at least. Maybe it's changed since then.

[Lex]

That preview was so awesome, I think I just peed my pants! I love Jeff Smith's Shazam! It's good comics.