Shazam in the 70s - The Monster Society of Evil Returns

[jaybee3]

From Shazam #14, 1974 - Script is by Denny O'Neil (yes that Denny O'Neil) and art was by Kurt Schaffenberger (who did a lot of the art on pre-Crisis Shazam stories).

The story starts as Uncle Dudley, the honorary Marvel, does some heroing in his own unique and clueless way.



But unbeknown to the Marvels, Doctor Sivana and his younger children (Georgia and Thaddeus Jr.), team up with Mr. Mind to reconstitute the "Monster Society of Evil". Ibac arrives to join them.



Meanwhile, we join the Batsons and Freddy Freeman and Uncle Dudley (who's head is buried in a book)...



The Marvels meet the Monster Society and an ass-kicking commences, thanks to power of the Marvels' good thoughts - for real - just don't tell Dan Didio! And oh yeah, Mary sings Hoagy Carmichael as she punches some Sivanas - sweet!



So the Monster Society loses (again) but Sivana escapes and kidnaps Uncle Dudley. He holds Dudley in his lab and Uncle D passes the time reading - just as he was before - when Sivana notices that one of Mr. Mind's inventions when attached to Dudley's head regurgitates his nightmares into reality (yeah, I know, just go with it). Dudley originally dreams a giant griffin (with Sivana's head) that flies out and attacks the Marvels. Because the dream monsters aren't real the Marvels can't hurt them but somehow the monsters can still cause havoc. Having seen its success, Sivana plans on using Dudley's dreams to create some more.



The kids figure out whats up and figure out a plan for Cap and Mary to surrender themselves to Sivana complete with getting on their knees before him to plead defeat and mercy. This actually works since while Sivana gloats (and makes Cap/Mary return to their depowered selves), Freddy is able to find Uncle Dudley, wake him up and give him a new book (about the Marvels themselves!). So the next time Uncle D goes to sleep (within minutes actually), Sivana is in for bad surprise.


And so Uncle Dudley helps save the day - even though he doesn't actually have any powers of his own. Hard to believe these days that it was DC who was actually producing these fun Shazam/Marvel stories, isn't it?

Comments

[tacobob]

Poor Billy Batson, they took his eyes and replaced them with buttons!

[jaybee3]

And the funny thing he's the ONLY one ever drawn this way. I just kinda figured the only way to explain is that Billy had naturally black eyes (instead of brown, blue, green, etc.).

[cainofdreaming]

I've seen the face of true terror. And her name is Georgia.

I mean, yikes! Seeing Sivana's mug on a (supposed) female is just too much. But other than that nice story. So wonderfully off-key.

[crinos]

Yeah, and apparently IBAC has the hots for her.

Yeah, I think alot of things in regard to Georgia Sivanna, but "Jailbait" is not one of em.

I mean dear God, at least Superfriends prettied her up a bt.

[jlroberson]

When I was a kid, because they often reprinted the older stuff in with this, I knew there was a difference between them. And liked the older stuff better. But that didn't mean the newer stuff was bad(or the later Don Newton stuff either, which is lovely), just not AS good. They were excellent comics for kids and I was one of those. The attempts to make Cap darker or more grown-up miss the point. Superman might be for everyone but Cap is for children and is specifically a kid's wish-fulfillment: BIG with superpowers and gods.

[jaybee3]

"BIG with superpowers and gods."

This was actually the pitch line on the script screenwriter John August used for the Shazam script Warner Bros. hired him to do. According to his blog: http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/shazam-done WB passed on it because the Dark Knight just made a bajillion dollars and they wanted something "darker".

Obviously the execs had never read a Captain Marvel comic because he's not a character that works DARK (neither does Mary or Freddy). Apparently Dan Didio never read any Cap either because he continues (and continues) to do the same thing - dark, dark, dark. Why?

With Geoff Johns and Bill Birch now on the Shazam script maybe Warners has learned the error of their ways. I hope so. A Shazam film would make an excellent PG rated all-ages super-hero film.

[auggie18]

Motto.

[autolychus2]

Superman is NOT for everyone. I hate the Red-and-Blue Boy Scout with the heat of 1,000 suns, but I love Cap. Cap is a more honest character.

[darkblade]

There is a joke to be made in Billy's happy thought being motherhood.

[icon_uk]

True, but considering he's an orphan, it's also rather sweet and touching... and not BAD touching!

[iskander]

Hmmm, didn't know there was a "savana family".

[auggie18]

Dude has 4 kids and had a very attractive wife. Two of the kids took after the wife. The other two...

[leikomgwtfbbq]

I want these Marvels back. Leiknow, kthx.

They're just so fun!

(Though I prefer Mary's costume to include boots. Those little slipper things she's wearing here look silly.)

[jaybee3]

I know. It looks like they could fall off any second.

[tacobob]

I think those are the same ones Iron Fist used to wear.

[autolychus2]

I just one writer would remember that Cap isn't Billy Batson all growed up. He's a completely different character. He talks about Billy as a different person and vice versa. Yes, Mary is Mary and Freddy is Cap Jr., but -- like Black Adam and Teth Adam -- he and his alter ego are actually, y'know, alter.

[mcity]

>http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab80/jaybee113/Shazam_UncleDudley_2_14.jpg

There was a door, you idiot.

[box_in_the_box]

I like to think that IBAC actually knew that there was a door, but he crashed through the wall anyway, just because he's a dick.

"Um, Luthor? Aren't you going to wash your hands?"
No - because I'm EVIL!"

[midare]

[proteus_lives]

We need another Cracky Shazam series stat!

I want an ALL-STAR Captain Marvel!

[superfangirl1]

Motto!

[autolychus2]

I hope we never have another All-Star anything from DC. I've rarely hated two comics as much as I hated ASBAR and the aptly acronym-ed ASS. (ASBAR because it disappointed me and ASS, well because it was ASS.)

[psychopathicus_rex]

That 'thinking good thoughts' panel is hysterical. "Apple pie!" "Motherhood!" "Christmas!" It's so incredibly corny, but in all the right ways. Add an American flag and someone saluting it, and it would be absolutely perfect.

NEEDS MOAR CRYING STATUE OF LIBERTY

[box_in_the_box]

Seriously, it's almost a Kelly comic from The Onion.

[box_in_the_box]

I FUCKING LOVE MISTER MIND

HE'S A TELEPATHIC ALIEN WORM WITH COKE-BOTTLE GLASSES AND AN OLD-TIMEY RADIO FOR A VOICE-BOX, AND HE'S AN UNREPENTANT MASS-MURDERER ON THE SCALE OF HITLER

THERE IS NO PART OF HIS CHARACTER THAT IS NOT INSANELY WHAT-THE-FUCK

TRYING TO MAKE SENSE OF HIM IS LIKE ASKING "WHAT COLOR IS FIVE?"

[icon_uk]

Five is green... unless it's a capital five, in which case, more of an aqua...