Comments on: Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #99

By: CMTHEMAN

CMTHEMAN — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 00:05:10 +0000

DC just needs to erase the TOS crap. Bring back the montly POS. After doing the Blackest Night tie in with POS#48. Bring Jerry Ordway back, with Jim Krueger, Alex Ross or Gail Simone as the writer. Possibly even having John Byrne drawing it . I wouldn't have liked his writting / take on CM,etc. But I love the way he draws him, have Ordway do those beautifully painted covers once again. With him inking Byrne & or drawing certain issues also. POS had many flaws, the whiney Billy, the power sharing, the drunk Uncle Dudley & drinking Mr.Tawny. Keep Mr.Tawny as a up beat funny guardian of the kids. But also let him keep the ability to change to a human being at times. Give Mary Marvel her own mini-series. Make Freddy freeman CMJR once again. Or better yet Captain Thunder . Dc needs to work out a deal with Marvel to finally share certains names. Like Captain Marvel/Mar-vell, the Scarecrow, the Guardian,etc.

By: Captain Zorikh

Captain Zorikh — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 04:19:17 +0000

Boy, did I miss the boat! I had posted something on a previous rumor about Captain Aarvel just two days before this one appeared and I am only just seeing it now!

Anyway, here is my big question. This is not the firs time you stated that Marvel Comics created their Captain Marvel because they were concerned that DC would revive the original in the late 1960's Where did you get that info? According to Stan Lee in Les Daniels' history of Marvel Comics and Roy Thomas in the introduction the the Marvel Masterworks edition of early Captain Marvel stories, it was a reaction to the MF Enterprises Captain Marvel. Carmine Infantino tells me that the idea to bring back Captain Marvel was his alone, and it happened in 1972. Have I missed something?

By: Ted Watson

Ted Watson — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 20:59:30 +0000

Concerning the statement that the use of non--Shazam Fawcett superheroes in the 1976 JLA/JSA crossover was an inadvertent usage of characters DC didn't have licensed--why were Bulletman and Bulletgirl used just a couple of years later in the Shazam series in WORLD'S FINEST, years before the purchase has been indicated to have occurred?

By: Thenodrin

Thenodrin — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 15:41:00 +0000

I notice that no one is mentioning Captain Marvel's stint in JSA. I think it is the best recurring CM that DC has put out, second only to PoS.

I don't know why, but I always enjoy seeing Captain Marvel in a DC one shot, Elseworlds, or guest appearance; but most of the time when he is a recurring cast member he comes across like a completely different character.

Theno

By: Michael G

Michael G — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 08:49:19 +0000

OK, so I'm late to the party here, but that Captain Thunder cover brought back memories - that issue of Superman was the very first superhero (non-Archie, non-Disney) comic I ever remember reading. That was 1974, and I wasn't even 8 years old then. I had no idea who any of them were, but I thought that the Monster Society (homage) in that story was a really cool idea.

By: Marc

Marc — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 08:45:21 +0000

Superman and Captain Marvel switch powers?
Their power sets are practically the same!
Does Marvel get heat vision or what?

By: Jerry Ordway

Jerry Ordway — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 14:46:21 +0000

To Brian Cronin, If Back Issue credited me as the inker on the 2 Byrne pages from his aborted take on Shazam, it was in error. I think I was the one who scanned the pages for inclusion though, as Byrne gave me copies when we used to see each other all the time, back before I did WildStar for Image.As for Byrne, John may have his social problems, but I always liked his art and his Shazam would have been in tune with what they are doing now. Pretty gritty harsh stuff. I honestly tried to do the character as a 1960's Marvel comic, as my way of updating it, but not trashing the groundwork that Fawcett had. I know even at that time, certain comic fans wanted us to ditch the wholesomeness, and go for grim and gritty, but that would be a slap in the face to the original creators, in my opinion. I had issues with Peter David when he "borrowed" Mary Marvel for a Supergirl crossover, and immediately wantet to have her sexually molested in his story. Then Giffen wanted her to lose her virginity in Formerly Known as the Justice League! Now it looks like they are finally getting their way in Countdown. I'm no prude, but if you want to "violate" the intent of a character, create a new damn character, will you? Just my opinion.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 00:05:53 +0000

Thanks a ton, Vic!

By: Vic Perfecto

Vic Perfecto — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 18:06:57 +0000

Hey guys. Long time lurker, first time poster. In answer to why Maggin created a Captain Marvel pastiche when DC owned the Big Red Cheese, he addressed that question in an interview from Two Morrows Krypton Companion (a must own for fans of the Silver Age Superman, by the by): Maggin: We were trying to do the traditional Fawcet-style Captain Marvel in the Shazam! book in those days. The style of artwork was different from Superman's. The degree of suspension of disbelief in the two story threads-Shazam! as opposed to Superman-were different. I never really believed that Superman and Captain Marvel belonged in the same story and neither did Julie. The Captain Thunder story was a piece of speculation as to what Captain Marvel might be like if he lived in the "real world." I think Metropolis in the '70s was what we thought of as the real world at the time. So there y'go. Keep blogging like mad, sirs, I'll certainly be reading!

By: Wayne B.

Wayne B. — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 02:01:57 +0000

I owuld like to speak for someone who is really enjoying Trials of Shazam. Believe me there are quite a few of us out there. I can't wait to see how this all plays out.

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:18:11 +0000

You rule, Walt!

By: Walt Grogan

Walt Grogan — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 22:12:00 +0000

Captain Thunder made a brief one panel appearance in THE POWER OF SHAZAM #27 along with DC version of the Marvel Captain Mar-vell, a DC version of Marvel's female Captain Marvel, the Thomas/Mandrake version of Captain Marvel, the DC version of the Split/Xam Captain Marvel and Hoppy the Marve Bunny.

Best,
Walt

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 21:25:20 +0000

I am about 99% certain that that issue was his sole appearance.

Roy Thomas later created (and trademarked) a character named Captain Thunder for his independent comic book work.

By: TF_loki

TF_loki — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:27:17 +0000

Anybody know if Captain Thunder appeared again?

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 17:39:39 +0000

Okay, smoothed it out (especially changing the order - the earlier time error regarding the Black Captain Marvel made the three pieces not exactly flow together anymore). Anything folks would still like added/changed?

By: Brian Cronin

Brian Cronin — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 16:55:54 +0000

Sorry about the delay on the other small tweaks the piece still needs. I was headed to the airport Friday, and I only had time to make the one major correction (and the Legends change). I'm back now, so I'll smooth the piece out.

Thanks Jerry, for all the info! Very cool. One question, though - the pages that Back Issue had from that issue had you listed as the inker of the Byrne pages. Is that a mistake?

By: Graeme Burk

Graeme Burk — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 16:48:27 +0000

I never saw a Kid Eternity story that indicated he had a secret identity, and, as I recall, the vintage origin story reprinted in DCâ€™s 70s SECRET ORIGINS series didnâ€™t give his name prior to his death (maybe the first name Kit). I think the same surname began WHEN Bridwell made them brothers.

You are correct and I am wrong. I'm sure I recalled an interview or an article or something in Amazing Heroes where it was mentioned that Bridwell capitalized on the characters having the same last name, but looking around maybe I was thinking of something else (like Thomas making Phantom Lady and Starman cousins). I'm just too damn old to keep all these things straight!

By: M.G.

M.G. — Mon, 23 Apr 2007 14:36:53 +0000

Wow, i havent't seen those covers in a long time. Thanks for bringing back memories of my childhood on my favorite character back then.

By: Ted Watson

Ted Watson — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 22:17:19 +0000

Graeme Burk: "Well, that and the fact that Captain Marvel Jr. and Kid Eternity both had secret identities with the same last name and a similar gimmick of a magic word! Under similar circumstances Iâ€™d have picked up on the coincidence and given it a comics continuity approved reason in a heartbeat. And E. Nelson Bridwell was perhaps an even bigger comics geek than Roy Thomas was." I never saw a Kid Eternity story that indicated he had a secret identity, and, as I recall, the vintage origin story reprinted in DC's 70s SECRET ORIGINS series didn't give his name prior to his death (maybe the first name Kit). I think the same surname began WHEN Bridwell made them brothers. But what really made the idea work was the very strong facial resemblance (even in the 40s stories) and the fact that "Eternity" was important to both of them.

By: Ty Buttars

Ty Buttars — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 19:50:18 +0000

Another great installment. I look forward to reading this blog every week.

While looking at the cover for DC Comics Presents #33, I noticed some religious references that were snuck in on the store signage:

"Jesus"
"Jewe" - Jews perhaps?
"He" - Hebrews ? or He as in reference to Jesus?