Aquaman Haters Are All Wet: Part One

Aquaman is lame! Or so I’ve been told for the last couple of decades. When pressed for a reason, I am often given surface answers- “He wears an orange shirt”, or “He talks to fish”. If that’s the depth of your complaint, your argument is pretty shallow (Whew, that’s a lot of water puns for an opening paragraph).

I have done writing for marketing, and I can tell you that Aquaman challenges the old axiom, “Any publicity is good publicity”. If that holds true than he is an icon for the ages. Late show hosts Craig Fergusson and Jimmy Kimmel, cartoons like Sponge Bob Squarepants, and the HBO series Entourage have gotten tons of mileage out of mocking the King of the Seven Seas. Countering them has been a slew of recent “positive” portrayals on Smallville, a pilot film, Justice League (Unlimited), and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. When I was growing up Aquaman was everywhere from lunchboxes to Megos, and from his own show to the Super Friends. Michael Phelps was even dubbed “Aquaman” after his Olympic gold medal wins. So why has Aquaman, of all characters, achieved equal parts stardom and scorn?

It could be because Aquaman is a character defined by a perception of what he can’t do, rather than what he can. Superman flies, The Flash runs fast, Spider-Man spins webs…Aquaman can’t go on land. This is, of course, false. He can get along just fine on the surface. But, take someone like the oh so cool Wolverine, and drop him in the middle of an ocean trench- and he’s toast (there is no way someone can tell me a healing factor would do jack squat against drowning). Now, there was a time (nearly 20 years ago) that Aquaman needed water every hour. But, this was treated as a “ticking time bomb” element, designed to give his stories a level of suspense. Can Aquaman beat the badguy before time runs out? In this way he was no different than Hourman, the early Iron Man (who had to constantly recharge his chest plate or suffer a heart attack), the first incarnation of the Hulk who would revert to normal when the sun came up, or Green Lantern’s ring constantly running out of juice everyday.

It could be because Aquaman is a character whose two most memorable stories stem from failure. Long before Red Arrow, Aquaman lost both his child, and his hand (it’s ironic that both Aquaman and Roy Harper were created by the same writer, and both made their debut in More Fun Comics #73 in 1941).

It could be because Aquaman is always Aquaman. There is constant debate among comic fans over the true natures of Batman and Superman. Is The Batman his real personality, and it’s Bruce Wayne that’s the mask? Is Superman better served by being the Last Son of Krypton, or a simple Kansas farm boy? Aquaman has no such dual identity. Perhaps he lacks the story advantages afforded those with alter egos.

It could be anyone of these things. But, sadly it really is just…”He wears an orange shirt”, and “He talks to fish”.

Next time, I will explore why I like that orange shirt, and just what talking to fish really means.

Putting a Price on a Good Time

I continue to have modem problems, but maybe I can get back on track. More Top 10 lists are coming (one day), but I had to acknowledge a great time I had this weekend. My local comic store, Comic Masters, held an auction. It was a total blast. I hope Harry and his staff reached some kind of financial goal (I really don’t know), but more importantly I hope they know what a great community they’ve put together.

In addition to Dom, Ken, and Robert, I got to have fun bidding on items alongside Marty, Nick, and a host of other customers who share my passion. All of these guys really know their stuff, and it is a pleasure to have an outlet for some fun after a hard week. I must also tip my hat to another of Harry’s staff- Brian. I teased him quite a bit over his love of the GI Joe and Spider-Man 3 films, but he got me back by dissing my boy Aquaman. Brian is a good guy, and we both like Ben Reilly (so I hope he takes my next post with a sense of humor).

Thanks for a good time, and hey if you need trivia questions for your next party I’m here for you (I’ll try to go easy).

The Sensational Character Find of 1940

DC Comics is my favorite comic company. There I’ve said it. I’m still a two-company guy when it comes to some things… Marvel’s Silver Age comics are unparalleled in their genius. Stan Lee is the greatest showman in the biz. Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, John Romita, John Buscema, Gene Colan, and Jim Steranko made up a bullpen of heavy hitters that were the comics’ version of Mantle, Maris, Berra, and DiMaggio. The Death of Captain Marvel will always be my favorite graphic novel, and Daredevil’s Born Again my favorite storyline. And, I’ll never get over how Bucky’s return made a boyhood dream come true. But, damn my heart really does belong to DC.

A lot of people gravitate to Marvel over their “cool” heroes, but for me it has always been DC’s champions that have me in their grip. I love tons of Marvel characters, and can explain (often better than their current writers) what makes them resonate so strongly. However, give me the chance to read the adventures of a DC icon, and I’ll choose that title over a Marvel one nearly every time. See, I know that most readers like to read about characters they can “relate” to (a Marvel hallmark), but I’m all about the escape. I want to read about the bravest pilot, the smartest detective, and mightiest being- because I can’t be any of those things.

That said, when it came time for me, as a fan, to choose “my character” I went in a slightly different direction. I chose Dick Grayson. Now, Dick Grayson was a boy when I first encountered him (despite the fact that he had been created thirty years before I was born), and it would be easy for me to relate to him. In the 80’s he was finally allowed to age in the comics, just as I was reaching my teenage years. And, I would eventually move out around the same time he at last earned his solo title. Despite all this I followed Dick Grayson’s adventures not out of any shared kinship, but because of a feeling his character instilled in every page (even as I am more than aware that I’ve now aged past him)- Wonder!

Dick Grayson, no matter his heroic identity, is the Boy Wonder after all. And, wonder I have. I’ve wondered how a boy can take down an army of grown men with guns. I’ve wondered how he turned his tragedy into a chance to do good for others with a smile on his face. I’ve wondered how he would cope with the threats that the adult heroes encountered. I’ve wondered whom he would fall in love with. I’ve wondered if he would get the due he deserved. Now, I wonder on the eve of his 70^th anniversary (April, 2010), what the future holds for him.

He is currently doing fine as a replacement for Batman. But, with Bruce Wayne coming back soon, Damien wearing the Robin mantle, and the Nightwing name firmly back in the Superman camp, I’m a bit anxious to learn what’s next. One thing is for sure; I don’t want to sit through any more “rebuilding” stories. Does this mean I want nothing done with the character, and that nothing bad can ever come his way? HELL NO!!! I want to see him pushed to his limits, and then some. But, I want him to embrace his challenges with the same gusto and flair he had back when he was created. I hope the strides that have been achieved during his tenure as Batman will mark an end to the whiny Dick Grayson we were treated to a few years back (before Peter J. Tomasi’s brilliant story and words set things right).

“Introducing in this issue an exciting new figure whose incredible gymnastic and athletic feats will astound you. A laughing, fighting, young daredevil who scoffs at danger like the legendary Robin Hood whose name and spirit he has adopted”- Intro to Detective Comics #38 1940.

Does this sound like a guy who sits around complaining about his life?

Bruce Wayne: “ Well, Dick, now that your parents’ deaths have been avenged, are you going back to circus life?”

Dick Grayson: “No, I think Mother and Dad would like me to go on fighting crime, and as for me …well I love adventure!”

Wayne: “Okay, you reckless young squirt…Why didn’t you wait for me?”

Grayson: “ Aw! I didn’t want to miss any of the fun! Say, I can hardly wait till we go on our next case. I’ll bet it’ll be a corker!” From Detective Comics #38 1940.

Happy Anniversary, and Happy Birthday (most comics say that Grayson was born on the first day of Spring) to the single greatest character in any medium (to me anyway)- Richard John Grayson AKA Robin, Nightwing, Batman, Target, Renegade, etc.!

Teen Angst

With all of the chaos that has befallen the Titans characters recently, I looked at a pitch I was thinking of sending in a couple of years ago for a Teen Titans: Year One mini-series. This was written right after Infinite Crisis. Now, there was a Year One series for the Titans a short while back, but this would be different. My “hook” would involve delving into how the original five Titans start off as almost funhouse mirror reflections of the characters they would evolve into. For example, most of the outside world views Robin as the constantly punning sidekick to the Caped Crusader (Holy wisecracks, Batman). But, at the time I wrote this, he was the dark, and brooding Nightwing. Wonder Girl functions as the team’s den mother. She is always offering a shoulder to cry on, but she is a mess inside- always questioning her true nature, while encouraging others to follow their own. In the original Titans series she did not get a “real name” until over twenty issues into the run. Yet, now that name (Donna Troy) is all she goes by. In the brilliant New Teen Titans #20 (Dear Mom and Dad), we see that Wally writes letters to his loving, and supportive parents. But, once he got his own ongoing, his folks became flaky jerks. Another key aspect of Wally’s portrayal in the New Teen Titans, was that he wanted to retire from being a hero, and become a normal college student. So, how bizarre is it that he would be the first Titan to actually make it to the big leagues as his mentor’s successor? Garth, of course, should be the most powerful member (in terms of strength, and political prestige), but he became almost a joke. And, Roy starts off as a rebellious troublemaker, only to become the most responsible by taking care of his daughter (that is until the gift that was Cry For Justice).

I wrote a heck of a lot of stuff for this “project”, but I thought I would share my character profiles here (since I think they are pretty spot on):

Titans Together: Teen Titans Year One

By John Conlon

This series would update, and refresh, the origin and first adventures of the Teen Titans. The goal is to give these tales a “New Earth” twist, and provide a look at the team that is rich with irony and pathos- given the complex character development the members have endured over the years. Here are some character templates that will provide the launch point for this examination:

Robin, The Boy Wonder (Real Name: Dick Grayson)- The laughing, fighting, young daredevil. He used to wow them under the Big Top. Now, thanks to the Batman’s tutelage, the whole world’s his stage. Despite their radically different styles, the Dark Knight, wishes to salvage whatever childhood he can for the orphaned acrobat. So, he allows him to crusade in bright colors, and quip and pun in the face of danger. It is with great eagerness that Robin joins the Titans. He’s anxious to hang out with other kids who fully embrace the fun and thrill of adventure. But, being the most skilled and cerebral of the group comes with a price. When the others turn to him more for guidance than kinship, he’ll have to grow up even faster than his role as junior partner required. Will he sacrifice the joys of youth in order to evolve from the world’s greatest sidekick to the world’s greatest leader?

Wonder Girl (Real Name: Unknown)- She is a mystery, even to herself. A fractured mind in the body of a teen goddess. She claims to be one of the mythical Amazons, and she has the raw power to back it up. So, why does her own memory call her a liar? Her motherly wisdom and instincts speak of one who has lived before, not just a mere thirteen years. Her dreams are plagued with visions of burning slums, warring planets, ancient gods, and cosmic entities. Is she destined to be the team’s nurturer, or the harbinger of their destruction?

Kid Flash (Real Name: Wally West)- Of all the members he would seem to be the most together, and indeed the most blessed. After all, unlike his orphaned teammates, his parents are alive and well. The other male Titans are great guys, but they are too consumed with trying to please their mentors. While, the Flash is a good role model, Wally not only doesn’t live with him, he has no desire to follow in his footsteps. He suspects that Robin, Aqualad, and Speedy will all adopt the identities of the men that trained them one day, but if his powers were to fade tomorrow, he’d be just fine. Maybe one day he’ll leave the race behind. Maybe one day he’ll graduate college and settle down in placid Blue Valley, just a few doors down from the mom and dad he writes to everyday he’s away. And, who knows? Maybe one day his parents just might love him back.

Aqualad (Real Name: Prince Garth)- Under the waves he is absolute royalty. The future heir to three quarters of the Earth. He’s worshipped by subjects throughout the Seven Seas. Every denizen of the deep, whether they be citizens of fabled Atlantis, the fairest mermaids, or great beasts bow before him. Even on land, he is the strongest of the male Titans. So why beneath his surface, does his heart sink? Though he has been bred to rule, the detective is wiser about air-breather culture. Though he shares her noble background, and a once hidden heritage, the princess rejects his offers of help. Though the archer wields a weapon that would be less than useless in his realm, Harper’s jests seek to belittle him. And, though the speedster’s mentor was the first to show Aquaman kindness, the younger Flash shares none of his commitment to legacy. Could it be, that the prince is simply out of his element?

Speedy (Real Name: Roy Harper)- He learned it all from Oliver Queen. The uncanny marksmanship, the great right cross, and the superb tracking skills. But, did he learn it ALL a little too well? The contempt for authority, even when represented by the Boy Wonder. The cutting remarks aimed to wound the strongest guy on the team, in order to mask his own insecurities. The urge to compete with the small town boy from Blue Valley, for the romantic affections of the Amazon- knowing he’ll probably love her, and leave her. Is the decision he makes, to decline full-time membership in the group he just founded, the first in a lifetime of self-destructive choices? Or, is it one made to spare the fledgling group?

Rise And Fall, or Trip And Fail?

I decided to take a look at the follow up to last week's "classic" Justice League: Cry For Justice #7. Could this week's Justice League: Rise and Fall Special improve upon that monumental storyline? Well, the answer is yes. But, a one legged midget could've cleared that hurdle. While this is a bit better, it's still nearly as big a wreck as Star City.

First, let's look at the art (since we must). This issue's three artists(Really, three? That makes six artists, just on these last two comics) are given the task of portraying some highly emotional territory. The characters cope with murder, betrayal, and grief. But, the art just bleeds "bland" all over the page. I felt kept at a distance, rather than sucked into the drama. As for the story, J.T. Krul is a talented writer. He has a love of these characters that shines through, and if he continues to develop his chops, he'll be a favorite. But, he'd make the Black Lantern Fiddler jealous with all the wrong notes he hits here.

Note#1- Green Arrow reasoning that at his core he's not a hero, but a hunter. Yes, i know that GA gained his skills by hunting on an island for months. And, yes I know that Mike Grell's run took him in the direction of "urban hunter". However, at his heart Ollie is a crusader. I've always thought of archery as a means to an end for him. That end being, spreading social justice and reform to the underdog.

Note#2- Batman and Wally's pow-wow. While it is always great to see these two together, and particularly vital to have an ex-Titans perspective on these events, these guys should be well past the point of worrying. Are they serious? They think it's just luck they haven't been maimed as well? They have more experience than 90% of the JLA membership. Besides, Roy's injury, and Lian's death had nothing to do with skill. Roy thought that Prometheus was Shazam, and Lian was one of thousands that had a building drop on her head. How would more training help with that?

Note#3- Barry and Hal- OF ALL PEOPLE-calling Ollie a killer. Let's see, when Coast City was destroyed Hal tried to slaughter the entire Green Lantern Corps, and of course Barry snapped the Reverse Flash's neck. Now, GA does call Barry out on this, and Hal's Parallax possession let's him off the hook. But, you would think they would set the hypocrisy ray to stun at least. By the way, Barry says he killed Prof. Zoom to save Iris. Nope. Iris was "dead" for years at that point. The Flash was actually rescuing his new girlfriend Fiona Webb.

Once again, Roy is the character most impacted, and he gets no panel time. Maybe the Arsenal mini-series will surprise me. But, as it stands, these issues managed to do something Green Arrow and Arsenal never do- miss the target.

For Those Growing Listless

The Top Ten Lists will return next week.

When Will They Call It A (Krypto)Night?

"I never thought this thing would go the distance", Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman, Superman II. Smallville was picked up for a 10th season? Boy...let it stop!

Dan Is A Pain In The Arse(nal), Or My Two Cents On Sensibility

This week I read one of saddest comics ever. No tears fell from my eyes, it wasn’t even remotely touching. It was just a pathetic effort, that paved no new ground, or inspire any reaction other than Blechhh! The comic was Justice League: Cry For Justice #7. This series was a farce from the get go. The initial concept was that a faction of the Justice League would split off into their own ongoing title. The group would be proactive, stopping crimes before they could occur. This is a premise that has been tried several times, and NEVER WORKS…BECAUSE IT IS STUPID! I have a place in my heart for Krypto, Bat-Mite, and the Legion of Substitute-Heroes, but the whole proactive thang is too dumb to ever work.

A short time after James Robinson started writing the new series, the book was demoted to a seven issue mini-series. Characters that dominated the early issues, such as Congorilla and the blue Starman, were shuffled off panel (and promised member Batwoman couldn’t be bothered to make but a brief cameo), as the book took off on a new course in issue five. Now, characters such as Red Arrow (who hadn’t even been hinted at up till then) were suddenly involved. And, what was Roy’s role? Well, he gets his arm ripped off. What? Oh, Prometheus is pretending to be Shazam, and has a plan to teleport Star City. And the heroes, who had been so fired up about stopping crimes before they occur, look like total dumb asses, when they capture Prometheus AFTER he’s already blown Star City sky high.

This brings us to issue seven. Is this a lowlight because of the destruction of a DC city, or the death of a Titan’s child, or the murder of a badguy, or the fall of the heroic ideal? No. It’s wretched because its yet another destruction of a DC city (Bludhaven, Coast City), it is yet another death of a Titan’s child (Donna’s son Robert, Garth’s son Cerdian), its yet another murder of a badguy (Max Lord, Blockbuster, Psycho Pirate), and its yet another fall of the heroic ideal (Hal Jordan, Hawk, Jericho). After you add in the horrible dialogue, and uneven art, you are left with a flat- unoriginal mess.

Two questions come to mind: Why was this done in this book? And, why was this done at all? The first has no answer. How a book devoted to a talking gorilla, a blue alien, Supergirl, a fake Shazam, and bizarre back-up essays morphed into torture porn for Red Arrow is beyond me. The answer to the second question is easier to grasp. They wanted to give Green Arrow and Arsenal new directions. Why this was not done in say, the Green Arrow book, I don’t know. And, this would be fine if they had not just gotten new directions. It wasn’t that long ago that Green Arrow married Black Canary, and his book was relaunched (heck, its been like a decade since they brought him back from the dead). And, it was just in the last few that Roy Harper took his place on the JLA as Red Arrow (after a couple years on the Outsiders as Arsenal). During this time we have witnessed the upheaval of the Outsiders six times, the Justice League three times, the Titans three times, and the Teen Titans…well, don’t make me laugh.

I have a daughter of my own, and she’s the light of my life. But, I must say I’m not upset that they killed Lian Harper off per se. It would be ok if Lian joined the angels, if Robert and Cerdian hadn’t been offed as well. This trick has become tired, tacky, and lost all value.

Now to set Roy on this new course was it necessary to rip his arm off as well? This is the mindset that has existed since Identity Crisis. It wasn’t enough that Sue Dibny died. She also had to be torched with a flamethrower, while pregnant (after being raped). This overkill, be it laying absolute waste to a hero’s life (through severe injury, grizzly death, loss of a child, moral compromise, or hometown blown off the map), or whiplash inducing status quo changes on titles (through roster shakeups, creative team swaps, or lead characters replaced with lame understudies) has been granted a name by DC publisher Dan Didio-“Sensibility”.

You see, Dan’s approach to super-hero comics is to keep posing the question, “can heroes still be heroes, even when it’s not attractive to do so”? He has tried to bring this “sensibility”, as he calls it to the entire DC line. The dilemma readers face is that after years of these overwrought scenarios, we are no closer to an answer (for example how many more times must we cope with the whole year of a “world without Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman”?). Every time a character does reach a catharsis, or prove their worth, it becomes an excuse to upend them yet again. Now, life is about change, and I have no desire for the DCU to become a placid fairytale. But, if you can’t slow down for even a second, how can you truly examine the results? The “never ending battle” has become a struggle to keep pace with all the willy-nilly changes. It’s no wonder that the writer Chuck Dixon described Didio as a, “glad hander with a Ouija board”. Thankfully, Geoff Johns has somehow thrived during his tenure, and produced tons of comics I do enjoy.

Now, back to Roy. Let’s see, his arm was ripped off, and his daughter was murdered. So, Green Arrow gets to kill Prometheus? BULL!

I hate this issue, but there is some heavy irony to be mined here by a good writer. Consider, there is no character in the DCU more defined by their choices (good and bad) than Roy Harper. He has hopped from costume to costume, identity to identity, team to team, and bed to bed. He has chosen to take drugs and cleanup his act. He has foolishly knocked-up a super-villain and proudly been a devoted father. He has chosen careers as varied as rock band drummer and secret agent. So, there is some pathos to be had from having these horrible events happen to him not by choice, but by just being in the wrong place- at the wrong time. This could give him a fatalistic edge. He could become more daring; ignoring consequences, believing that fate will do what it will. He would become Arsenal, and use other weapons, not because he can no longer use a bow, but to distance himself from Green Arrow (just as he became Red Arrow and joined the JLA to honor Ollie). He would not do this out of spite, but to spare Oliver. He has things to do that Green Arrow would no longer approve of. He would use his contacts as a government agent (I always thought they missed an opportunity to see how Ollie would react to Roy working for “the man” as a Fed), and his connections in the underworld (having been Cheshire’s lover) to take on assignments that heroes who care about the stakes, and their reputations won’t. Because, to put it simply-he’s way past caring.

Well, there is one positive. If I don’t like how Ollie and Roy are treated, the old Ouija board will tell Dan to change them again soon.

Pitching A Fit!

It has been awhile, but after some modem problems, we’re back. Before I return to my huge stack of Top 10 lists, I must digress. In my second post I mentioned a Shazam pitch I had done. Now, while I have developed tons of ideas for comic properties, I’ve only actually made two pitches. The first was an Arsenal series, the other a book called, “The Challenge of Shazam”. I bring this up now, because I was listening to a recent Word Balloon podcast (my favorite cast, by the way). There was an interview with Art & Franco, the guys behind Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam. This is a delightful series, and I really do recommend it (plus, I was blown away at the new artistic direction Mike Norton brought on in the latest issue). That said, there was a part in the interview that made me want to throw my iphone out my car window (more about that in a bit).

My pitch for Shazam was obviously rejected. You’ll never see it grace store shelves, at least not by me. In my pitch I outlined several major storylines the series would pursue. At last count, three central concepts from the pitch have made their way into actual DC comics. First: The idea of a powerless hero competing against the gods that comprise the Shazam powers, in order to regain those abilities. Second: The introduction of a new Spy Smasher, whose status trumps that of all other DC secret agents. Third: The transition of Freddy Freeman into Black Adam Jr.

Let’s take these point by point. The Trials of Shazam mini series covered a similar quest to regain power (although in that story it is Freddy, and not Billy undergoing the trials). The battles play out differently, because here the gods themselves engage in the combat (in mine they are represented by hand-picked champions)… A new Spy Smasher was introduced in Birds of Prey #100. My character was male (the grandson of the original Alan Armstrong). The one that saw print was female (Katarina Armstrong, perhaps the original’s granddaughter). Both versions are at the top of the intelligence agency food chain, and both are armed with multiple credentials… Finally, in the latest issue of Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam, Freddy Freeman sides with Theo Adam, and becomes Black Adam Jr.

Now, let me be crystal clear. I don’t think for a millisecond that Judd Winick, Gail Simone, or Art & Franco “ripped me off”, or know a damn thing about my pitch. My frustration came in when I heard a quote from the Word Balloon interview (I told you I’d get back to it). Art & Franco recall telling Dan Didio about their idea to turn Freddy into Black Adam Jr. He was so impressed with the concept he said, “Whoa, that’s never been done before. I like the way you guys think big”.

You see, my ideas were rejected several years ago. I understood. I am a novice to the field. But, when I see these concepts see print (in one form or another), I feel that grants my instincts an amount of merit. I don’t think everything I wrote was gold (and some bits are a little overwrought). But, damn it- I was onto something.

Rather than continuing to rant, I will lay out my case by posting the relevant parts of my original pitch (the rest are issue by issue breakdowns). To put this in context, this was written in 2005. It was right after The Day of Vengeance mini series, but before the follow up Day of Vengeance Special (which put the kibosh on all of my plans for the Rock of Eternity and the Lords of Chaos and Order- since the special killed them all off).

Enjoy (or try to)…

The Challenge of Shazam (2005)

By John Conlon

The Proposal: When DC brought Captain Marvel, and the other Fawcett characters, into their pantheon, they ignited a renewed interest in C.C. Beck’s charming creations. Growing up in the 1970’s, I couldn’t help but feel the thunder, as a burst of new Shazam comics and merchandise came my way. Millions of children (donned perhaps in their Shazam PJs) watched the Big Red Cheese’s Saturday morning shows (both live action and animated). That is, when they were not choosing between a host of Shazam products ranging from Mego action figures to View Master reels. Or, maybe, slurpee cups and flower pots (yep, flower pots). This was all new to us, but old hat to our parents. They could play with Mary Marvel paper dolls, and go to the theatre to watch the Captain Marvel serial back in the 40’s. Golly, even sitcom star Gomer Pyle carried the torch by belting out an occasional, “Shazam”.

A number of talented creators continued to forward the good Captain’s adventures (Don Newton and Jerry Ordway stand out for me), however, there is little doubt that in the 2000’s the Marvel’s have lost a bit of their luster. But, if lightning can strike twice, why not three times? I truly believe that DC can once again super charge this proud franchise. It’ll just take three magic words…

W= Wonder! A boy gains wizard-like powers, and uses them to fight against the forces of dark magic. Sorry, J.K. – C.C. got there first. Still, Ms. Rowling’s success has shown millions (and millions) that the combo of little kids and magic adventure never goes out of style. Our new series, “The Challenge of Shazam”, would downplay some of the original run’s whimsy in favor of ratcheting up the scope, scale, and sheer spectacle that is Billy Batson’s surroundings. We’ll explore new dimensions, push the boundaries of science to the breaking point, and fully map out the Rock…make that Realm of Eternity.

C= Chills! Every fairy tale has a wicked witch. Kids beg to hear ghost stories around the campfire. Students compete to have the scariest Halloween costume at school. So, I don’t think its taboo to infuse some dark, and even disturbing elements into “Shazam”. The goal is not to gross out purists, but really shake readers to the core with threats both external and internal. And, in doing so, show just how great a beacon of light Billy Batson really is.

E= Epic! Tournaments of heroes. Wars between the forces of Chaos and Order for control of all reality. The end of innocence. Betrayal and double crosses. Scary, slimy, super beasts. New roles for old heroes. New heroes in old roles. Espionage, romance, genies, and yes, a certain Bunny. All played out against a central theme- are the Marvels truly a Family?

The Pitch: Following the events of the recent mini series “Day of Vengeance”, the Wizard Shazam is dead. But, there is no time to mourn. His home, the Rock of Eternity, has been torn asunder. Now, the Seven Deadly Sins of Man, that were trapped within have achieved freedom. And, to make matters worse, the pathways to all of time and space, once held at bay by the Rock, have been ripped wide open. This Rift Of Eternity poses the greatest threat to ever face the Lords Of Order. Their opposite number, the Lords Of Chaos, are poised to gain control of the Rift, and seek to hasten its deterioration. If successful, Chaos will spread throughout every corner of reality- instantaneously.

Enter the Marvel Family? Not so fast! Though tapped by the Lords Of Order to help secure the Rift, they have been fractured as well. Technically an adult after passing his 18^th birthday, Captain Marvel Jr. (Freddy Freeman) begins to question his role as the 16-year-old Billy Batson’s “kid” partner. Mary Marvel (Mary Batson Bromfield) is close to hanging up her cape forever following the deaths of her teammates (see Formerly Known as the Justice League) Blue Beetle, Sue Dibny, and turncoat Max Lord. Meanwhile, Captain Marvel (Billy Batson) is driven to distraction trying to discover how the Marvel Family can magically transform, despite the Wizard’s murder.

The first arc will follow all of these plot points, and result in Billy finding an amnesiac man that reminds him of a younger Shazam. This being, called Jebeidah (Shazam’s original name), claims to be subconsciously giving off magical energy to the trio when his former name is invoked. As Jebeidah seemingly reclaims more of his faculties, he begins to send Captain Marvel on tasks that arise suspicion in Billy. Billy confronts the wizard, and learns that “he” is actually Shazam’s daughter Blaze in disguise. Blaze hopes to use Captain Marvel for her own purposes. Although Blaze does not actually control the magic lightning, she can direct it. She chokes off the flow of its energy to our champions, while Billy is in his mortal form, and Freddy and Mary are in their heroic guises. Billy warns them to not transform back to normal, or they’ll cease to be metahumans.

With this setup in play, the following arcs will consist of four, interweaving, storylines:

1) Tournament of Thunder- Billy hatches an incredible plan to restore his abilities. He sets off on a worlds spanning odyssey to find each of the “gods” that contribute to the Marvels’ power set (Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, Mercury). He petitions these legends to give him their powers directly, so he can bypass Blaze. They decree that Billy must compete in a series of challenges if he’s to secure his prize. All of the “gods” will select a champion that Billy must defeat in order to win their favor (for example Mercury may pit him in a race against Jay Garrick, or Zeus could have him take on his daughter, Wonder Girl). This tournament will be a grand romp, filled with action, guest stars, and cement Captain Marvel’s place among his DC peers.

2) Dark Son Rising- Freddy ignores Billy’s pleas to remain Captain Marvel Jr., when he is made an offer he can’t refuse. But, boy should he. STAR Labs have developed a risky procedure that may repair Freddy’s crippled leg. To perform the surgery, he must relinquish his invulnerability, and revert to his mortal form. Sadly, his leg suffers an infection in the operation, requiring an amputation below the knee (I know this sounds rather harsh, and a bit melodramatic, but I feel this more pronounced handicap will serve future storylines well). Awash with self-loathing, Freddy hits rock bottom. There to pickup the pieces is Armstrong Evans, the new Spy Smasher.

This Spy Smasher (the grandson of the original) is the leader of an internal affairs agency called the Jurisdiction. The Jurisdiction runs oversight on all other DC intelligence networks (CBI, Checkmate, Task Force X, etc.). With his unique credentials, Evans, is well aware of Black Adam’s new role as leader of Kahndaq. Spy Smasher is unwilling to take the JSA’s word that Teth has changed his ways. So, he recruits Freddy to infiltrate Kahndaq, and keep tabs on the rogue dictator. His hope is that Freddy will fill the vacuum left by Atom Smasher, and become Adam’s right hand man and confidant. But, when Black Adam and Freeman truly do form a bond, Freddy sides with his former enemy. This leads to a startling new pact. Black Adam, unaffected by the Wizard’s passing (since his powers come from a different array of gods), gives a portion of his magic to Freddy. This not only heals Freeman, but also transforms him into Kahndaq’s new chief enforcer…a Black Adam Jr.

3) Whiz Kid- Mary is trapped as Mary Marvel, so she can no longer hide from her emotional turmoil. She is forced to operate as a hero 24/7, picking up the slack in Billy and Freddy’s absence. This works on her psyche, hardening her. And, then there is the question of the silver haired young man that is shadowing her every step.

The enigmatic stranger is the new Lt. Marvel, AKA Aaron Freeman, Mary and Freddy’s son from a future reality (based in small part on the Kingdom Come character the Whiz). Aaron, a mutant, was born with the magic energy flowing through his veins. After he emerges from a ripple in the Rift of Eternity, he becomes stranded in our time. Operating under the alias of Mac King (named in honor of Captain Marvel Jr.’s classic artist Mac Raboy, and Jr.’s biggest fan- Elvis), he secretly aids Mary. The question is, can he also reconcile his future parents?

4) The Times That War Forgot- As time and space exceed their breaking point, due to the Rift’s continued expansion, bizarre facets of every era bleed into one another. Chaos has been achieved. Leading their armies is a twisted new foe- Sintrigue (think sin and intrigue). Magnificus Sivanna, (the Adonis like son of Captain Marvel’s archenemy), has become the host vessel for all of the Seven Deadly Sins of Man. With this immense power at his disposal, Sintrigue has established despotic beachheads on every plain of existence. Can the Marvel Family pull together, and spearhead a full-scale war on such a vast battlefield? Or, have their internal divisions doomed us all?