There’s a lot going on as the Mr Mind storyline continues, with Mary Marvel confronting Georgia Sivana.
Billy is having a heart to heart with the girl he’s been crushing on.
And Freddy Freeman, also the victim of possession by the Venusian worm and cast down into the darkness, finds he’s not alone.
And with that lightning bolt comes a new look for Freddy’s recently renamed hero persona, the Commander, along with a fresh list of patrons. He and Billy – back as the Captain – make short work of Mr Mind’s partner, Mr Atom.
Elsewhere, though, we see that a betrayal is occurring.
I applaud writer Josie Campbell for surprising me with the fact that Billy has been played – I should’ve remembered that sometimes what appears to be a forename can be the shortened form of something else. This is a move I like – in the Golden Age Dr Sivana had two great-looking kids, Beautia and Magnificus, and two, shall we say, plainer types, Georgia and Jr. The former pair were good, the latter, evil. I never liked that lazy stereotyping, so am behind Beautia being bad and Georgia being… well, she’s bad too, as seen in The New Champion of Shazam, but still, at least a rotten personality is no longer linked to looks.
I like that Freddy gets his own list of patrons separate from Billy’s, something Mary has had since the beginning… mind, Hephaestus isn’t kidding when he calls his pack of gods and heroes ‘misfits’. Zagreus? Airgetlám? All-Father for Odin? Who’s going to remember this lot? Mind, I can’t recall any of Mary’s acronymical aiders beyond Sappho, sorry, Selene. And Hippolyta. And, er…
I’m less keen on one aspect of Freddy’s new transformation.
A leg brace. It could be a nod to Hephaestus having being born lame, and I assume Campbell is aiming for representation, but Shazam is about wish-fulfilment. Also, Freddy has a disability, but with one magic word he can temporarily be not just strong, but super strong. I always liked that despite being on crutches (something the Freddy of this series also used, prior to this issue), Freddy was far from helpless, his native courage and wit taking him a long way. And how much of a problem for a superhero is a weak leg when you can levitate?
It’s implied he’s going to keep the ‘Commander’ name, which to me sounds more villainous than anything. If he doesn’t wish to be Captain Marvel Jr, how about Lt Marvel?
The title of this issue is ‘Welcome to our overlords: Finale’ yet the blurb at the close of this comic, on a page that’s very much a cliffhanger, reads: ‘Shazam! #20 is out next month. Then get ready to see what our glorious worm overlord has in store in Shazam! #21, out in March’. A fill-in issue between two chapters of one story does not two separate stories make.
The writing is pretty decent, with plenty of thought put into story details and how characters fit in, and I’m very much down with the Sivana Sisters. Mary vanishes from the issue after the second page, dead says Mr Mind, and that’s a shame – I’d rather she got the space that goes to the worm’s super-melodramatic meditation on hate.
Dan McDaid’s pencils are pretty snazzy, the compositions nicely done, with an especially fine Mr Mind, and I like Beau’s constant side-eye, a clue if ever I saw one. I did laugh when Mr Mind refers to the Commander as being ‘handsomer than the Captain’. He really wasn’t, as seen in this panel from #18.
A haircut would help a lot. (I’m not showing his pre-revamp look from this issue, as he’s all dark and corrupted looking. I suppose Venusians like their men slimy.)
The finishes by Roberto Poggi and colours by Trish Mulvihill add the visual finishing touches, the pictures always draw the eye. Wes Abbott’s lettering treatments suit the characters, from Mr Mind’s regular style on a green background, to Hephaestus’s ‘god font’.
Gleb Melnikov’s full-colour cover illo is excellent.
So, next month we’re getting a team up between The Captain and Young Jonathan Kent with, presumably, not a worm in sight. Then, hopefully, Mr Mind will finally get squashed.
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 
You can’t really tell from Dan McDaid’s work who is supposed to be attractive and who is supposed to be hideous. Or whether Mary is heavy (civilian Mary) or slender. Or if Beau is young, or a senior citizen. I’m not a fan of his style. What a change from Mora to Lupacchino to McDaid.
I found this online, rather interesting. Mary’s current power derivation is not new, as I had thought, but rather it’s close to a restoration of the classic, but with Artemis in place of Aurora, and Aurora in place of Ariadne.
So I guess during 2 periods she was deriving her powers from the Wizard or indirectly through Billy, and during Countdown I think she went bad and got Black Adam’s powers.
Classic (Pre-Crisis) Powers:
– The Grace of Selene, goddess of the Moon
– The Strength of Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons
– The Beauty of Aurora, goddess of the Dawn
– The Fleetness of Zephyrus, spirit of the West Wind
– The Skill of Ariadne, daughter of King Minos
– The Wisdom of Minerva, the Roman name for Athena, goddess of wisdom and war
Post-Crisis Powers:
– The Wisdom of Solomon
– The Strength of Hercules
– The Stamina of Atlas
– The Power of Zeus
– The Courage of Achilles
– The Speed of Mercury
Countdown Powers:
– The Stamina of Shu
– The Swiftness of Heru(Horus)
– The Strength of Amon
– The Wisdom of Zehuti(Thoth)
– The Power of Aton
– The courage of Mehen
New 52 Powers:
– The Wisdom of Solomon
– The Strength of Hercules
– The Stamina of Atlas
– The Power of Zeus
– The Courage of Achilles
– The Speed of Mercury
Current Powers (Post-Lazarus Planet):
– The Agility of Moon-Touched Selene
– The Strength of Hippolyta, Amazon Queen
– The Stamina of righteous Artemis
– The Flight of Zephyrus, she of the West Wind
– The Invulnerability of Aurora, the unconquered Dawn
– The Wisdom of Thrice-Cunning Minerva
T.N.
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Yep, Mary got the classic power set back in Lazarus Planet: Revenge of the Gods #4, which I’m sure I reviewed but can’t find! I like separate patrons because it kills off the much-used trope of power levels varying according to who was Shazamed at the time.
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I think I’d like this book if it started with this writer. It’s been so long since there was a fun and pure run with Captain Marvel that it would have been brighter than them all. Now it just looks like something Waid would have rejected. The art I wouldn’t be excited for even if Liefeld had preceded it. It’s too cartoony without anything special about it. I absolutely hate both the Commander name and especially the look. Affection for the characters will keep me going because it’s not horrible. I just want less Freddy unless he gets his original look back and a better name. I’d also like to see no Mary. She’s been written as so damn perfect all the time it makes Billy look bad when they’re not even trying to do that. If only Supergirl writers tried that but if Kara were written like this, she’ wouldn’t ‘d have her own book and no one would have Superman guest star and be so much of a downer as Billy’s being portrayed that she eclipses him.
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I wish we could get Freddy looking like himself again, are they trying to make him look like the film actor? I’m surprised DC aren’t keeping well away given the Shazam! films weren’t big hits… mind, I really enjoyed them!
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I was just wondering if the Shazam book was still going as I’d completely forgotten about it. It looks like it might have gone in more of the direction I was hoping for since the first issues of Campbell’s run so I might give it another go.
The speed of Zagreus is an odd choice, given his myth revolves around being torn to bits. I guess the writer was desperate for a Z.
I don’t know if McDaid has shifted to digital inks or has just simplified his style for speed, but (a bit like Kev Walker’s currently), I think it’s stolen some of the energy from his work by making the lines too smooth.
Stu
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I’ve not even heard of Zagreus, Stu, and I thought I was good at gods, it’s so upsetting. McDaid hasn’t been inking himself on this book lately.
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Loved that they gave Freddy his own powerful patrons. That’s a great little twist. I do wish that we could dispense with this “Captain”, “Commander” nonsense and just get back to Captain Marvel. We’ve got Mary Marvel back… can we not just bring the “Marvel” codename?
For the most part this is a solid series for me. I hven’t warmed to the new artist yet, but I appreciate that his style is cartoony. That’s what I want for a Shazam series. I’m wondering if it isn’t cartoony enough for me? I’d be curious to see what his characters would look like if he dialled it up a little more.
I feel the same way about the storytelling. Josie Campbell is good, but I feel like there are opportunities that are being missed. Just little things. The robots look like Mr. Atom but I don’t believe he’s been name-checked? Or really utilized all that well. It’s cool to have the design there, but much like the alligators that are walking around, it feels like window dressing when I want it to be more.
I thought the Beautia twist was inspired. Did not see that coming at all. More of that, please!
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Shoot Murray, I agree in all points… I’ve nothing to say!
Then again, it’s odd if Marvel hasn’t trademarked/copyrighted ‘Marvel’ as a protected asset when used in any combination of a hero name, inside or outside of a comic book.
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Shhhhhh…. don’t be giving Marvel any ideas!
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Sorry!
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Anj here.
Liking this book a lot. Mr. Mind is hella creepy here, crawling out of eyes and broadcasting himself.
I like this take on Hephaestus.I think it is reutilizing the New 52 version of that god. In some ways, I am glad that Freddy has his own pantheon so there isn’t any ‘we are divvying up the powers’ like I have seen in some versions of the Marvels.
Lastly, like you, I was also floored that Billy is being played and should have realized it sooner.
I really like McDaid’s art and his transition from the bleak Kneel Before Zod to this shows his range.
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I wasn’t a fan of New 52 WW but there were some memorable designs, so I was also pleased to see Hephaestus here. Given the patrons/pantheon overlap it’s surprising we’ve not seen much contact between the Marvel Family and the Wonder Family post-Crisis… I loved the recent Justice League Unlimited team-up between Diana and Mary.
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