Lightning Strikes Again...
Shazam, the Golden Age Captain Marvel got his start in Whiz Comics # 1 way back in 1940, when the concept of superheroes was still new to the world. He was the first to have a family (Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel, even Uncle Marvel!). He even stared in one of the world’s most popular radio syndicated show ever and he was the only superhero in history to surpass Superman in comic books sales. In fact the Marvel Family titles outsold everything else on the market at the height of the comic industry in the mid 1940s. By the 1950’s however, he moved from Fawcett Comics to DC (then known as National Periodicals). He was then revived from obscurity with the 1970s with "Shazam!" comic series & a Saturday morning TV show starring Michael Gray as Billy Batson.
Captain Marvel and his Marvel family were also stars of one of DC’s more successful & one of the best written mid-90s titles, (1995’s) Power of Shazam! but that’s just history nowadays... but at least history will seem to repeat itself in 2005 as Captain Marvel will join the Man of Steel in the April Superman titles. Check out Superman #216, Action Comics #826 & Adventures of Superman #638 by Judd Winick (Green Arrow scribe) and Ian Churchill. Be sure to check out the Superman/Shazam!: First Thunder, a 4 issue mini-series by Winick and (former NYX artist) Josh Middleton to debut this coming summer. First Thunder is a prequel to the 3 part Superman story. Both stories will include Eclipso. Also, Jeff Smith’s (Bone) delayed & highly anticipated four-issue Shazam! mini-series will see the light of day in late 2005. Smith will write, draw, letter and color the project all by himself. After 2005 is over, I feel Captain Marvel will return to the top tier of DC’s super-elite.
Short Takes…
The WB network aims to modernize their famous Looney Tunes characters for a new children’s cartoon series "Loonatics" which will air Saturday mornings this fall. The show introduces sleek new characters based on the descendants of Bugs Bunny, Wile E. Coyote & others as the show is set in the year 2772.
Craig Thompson, who penned "Goodbye, Chunky Rice" has released the autobiographical graphic novel "Blankets" from Top Shelf Comics. Many mega-creators are working on this coming-of-age story including Brian Michael Bendis, Neil Gaiman and the late Will Eisner.
Top Cow’s Witchblade anime will debut in Japan this coming fall, based on the animated one-shot. 26 episodes will be produced by Studio Gonzo and rumor has it there could be a new bearer or the Witchblade…
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