Justice League #9

[flint_marko]

It's Billy's first day at school.



Later some kids start harassing Billy's new foster siblings, so he fights them and gets in trouble with the principal. It turns out the kids' father, Mr. Bryer, is a rich man who makes donations to the school.






Meanwhile Dr. Sivana finds the Tomb of Black Adam and tries opening it, saying he can save his family. He gets struck by lightning and falls to the ground.

Comments

[darkknightjrk]

While the main story's getting better with each issue, this was definitely the highlight for the issue. Really showing more of Billy's heroic/non-dickhole-ish side. :D

[superfangirl1]

I like that Billy protected his step brothers and Mary from the rich bullies. Just hope he puts down his tough defense guard just a little soon.

[freezer]

Just hope he puts down his tough defense guard just a little soon.

They really are hitting the tough act way too hard.

And in what universe does someone that apparently rich and powerful send his kids to public school?

[shadowpsykie]

is he supposed to look like Lionel Luthor?

[bruinsfan]

One in which all the private schools within driving distance have already expelled them for behavior problems?

(frozen)

[ensiform]

That three panels of Billy = Billy is a complete asshole. I'm a Shazam fan from way back. Not interested in this AT ALL.

(frozen)

[flint_marko]

How is he a complete asshole here?

(frozen)

[beoweasel]

I dunno, I have to agree. Without context, Billy really comes off as an asshole in these panels, especially at the first page where he goes off on that kid without any reason to.

And I get the three rich boys are shit heads, but it really doesn't make Billy look all that good for him to brazenly run up to them and threaten violence.

[beoweasel]

Was it intentional to have Bryer look like Richard Branson? I'm getting this vibe that he was the inspiration, at least. :P

(frozen)

[auggie18]

"I don't want any friends!"


I mean, his "good" thing here is threatening other kids with violence. Granted, it's to defend his new foster family...

...who he's a constant raging dick towards.

I don't know, maybe I'm missing something by just going with what we have here, but it looks more like Billy is an angry kid looking for a fight than a guarded kid trying to do what's right. (Rhyming was unintentional. Sorry.)

Again, maybe I'm missing something by not reading the whole story, but Billy seems like a considerably more dickish and unlikeable character, which sorta misses the point of Billy Batson.

I know, I know. More realistic attitude for a kid having gone through the system, maybe he's still got a good heart, maybe after character development he'll be the same person he was pre-DCnU, etc, etc...


...I just miss fun, happy characters.

[freezer]

If he's got the cash to spread around keeping his brats out of trouble, he's got the cash to send them to a bording school.

But we seem to be putting more thought into this than the writers are.

[terrykun]

Could be for the power trip.

[jlbarnett]

possible he does it so he can use it for self-promotion. "My kids go to the same school yours do..."

(frozen)

[ensiform]

The sneering responses toward his foster dad, the refusal to take his hand after the guy got in a scuffle to help him, the surly "whatever" after a kind word, the screaming at Freddy... Yeah, I totally understand how you needed clarification. These are things every good-hearted, typical nice guy does.

[silverzeo]

Oh man, does this mean Dr Sivana is going to be like Ice King from Adventure Time. His "wizard eyes" make him stuff that other don't... and crazy, crazy, CRAZY in his face 24/7....

... why is such a rich guy is paying his kids through Public School?

(frozen)

[kenn_el]

They had previously attacked his foster brothers and sister. He was acting appropriately.

[skjam]

One where he can essentially buy the system, being a huge fish in a little pond, instead of a medium-size fish in a large pond.

Or, perhaps he had to go through public school and the hellish environment toughened him up enough to become a ruthless businessman...so he's doing the same to his sons but missing the point by removing consequences from their lives.

[skjam]

hmm, maybe it's Sivana who's suffering (about to) the "Curse of Shazam" mentioned in the title.

(frozen)

[flint_marko]

So if you're not a "good-hearted, typical nice guy " you're a "complete asshole"? I guess I just don't see things as black and white as you do.

(frozen)

[freezer]

It's totally possible to do the right thing and still be an asshole about it. Just sayin'.

Last page

[big_daddy_d]

SHA-ARRRGGHHH! MY EYE! WHY GOD WHY?!

(frozen)

[auggie18]

So if you're not a "good-hearted, typical nice guy " you're a "complete asshole"?

No, but if you spend all your time being a snide dick to everyone and your one on panel good act is threatening to beat someone up, then you probably end up on the asshole side of things.

(frozen)

[ensiform]

Nope! I didn't set up that false dichotomy. At all! But thanks for continuing to dig your heels in.

[thormonger]

I haven't read the issue yet, but I admit I do like this twist with Sivana. Almost everything else has left me feeling "meh" so far, with Superboy-Prime playing the role of Billy Batson in the DCnU and all. Still, I'm hoping for good things with Black Adam, as I like him (World War III notwithstanding).

[jlroberson]

My opinion of this so far:

1) The art is beautiful but it's Gary Frank; it would be, even if he were drawing the stupidest comic in the world. And SHAZAM is not the stupidest comic in the world, it just happens to be featured in the back of that comic.

2) I do not like Sivana being Luthor, and I do not like the Gestalt-Shazam thing from FLASHPOINT they're obviously slouching toward slowly for the trade. And as this is shorter than a regular comic, expect this to stretch to months and months. Excruciatingly.

3) Absolutely synthetic and the whole thing stinks of marketing and working-toward-a-movie. And I am fucking sick of comics that are only treatments. Absolutely and utterly. This is why I like CASANOVA: you COULDN'T do that accurately as a film, because it's built as a comic.

It's forgettable, except the artwork, which, even then, feels photoreffed to death in every facial expression, though not as badly as some might do it.

(frozen)

[flint_marko]

Pretty sure you did, but have fun continuing to act like a self-righteous jerk yourself. :)

(frozen)

[flint_marko]

I reserve terms like "complete asshole" for people who are intentionally malicious and cruel. All Billy has done is push his family away because he wants to be left alone, but when they were getting picked on he came to their defense. He's not the nicest kid, but I don't think he's an asshole either.

[arise]

Sick of the borderline offensive ~troubled foster kid~ crap. :/ I really hope this comic is better written than the scans that have been posted here so far suggest.

[espanolbot]

Is Sivana supposed to look like Lex?

[magus_69]

To be fair, only Billy is really troubled. The rest of the foster sibs are various degrees of normal (though it's implied that Darla is putting on a happy front, and Freddy is kind of a weasel).

[arise]

True. I guess it's just that Billy is so painfully handled, and he's the main character...

[kraesil]

Gee, the frownyness of the entire DCnU.

At this rate I'll have trouble remembering what his face looked like without that scowl.

(frozen)

[aeka]

This thread is frozen while under discussion by the mod team.

(frozen) Mod Note

[aeka]

flint_marko was only asking why you felt those three panels made Billy a "complete asshole." No need to be rude.

(frozen)

[gerardotejada]

I think with Batman, Hal and Super Dickery they have that covered.

[gerardotejada]

your avatar is more than awsome.

(frozen) Re: Mod Note

[ensiform]

I agree. There was no need for him to be rude. I'm very surprised that "thanks for continuing to dig your heels in" (while sarcastic, but not insulting) was flagged as rude while his comment to me - "I guess I just don't see things as black and white as you do" - went unremarked on, when this is clearly a snide remark that implies that (a) I see thing simply, without attention to fine moral distinctions and (b) am therefore wrong.

I would further suggest that he was NOT "only asking" what I felt about anything, but challenging me (and several others) so he could disregard our explanations with, among other things, a false dichotomy that was intended to make me look unthoughtful. Has he been "only asking," I imagine his reply would be along the lines of, "Well, I don't agree, because XYZ, but I guess I can see why you would say that."

(frozen) Re: Mod Note

[flint_marko]

I wouldn't have made the "black and white "comment if your original response had been civil instead of rude and condescending ("Yeah, I totally understand how you needed clarification. These are things every good-hearted, typical nice guy does.")

[junipepper]

And I'd like to know why a public school thinks it can expel a student for getting in one fight. Public schools... don't really rely on donations, that's kind of the point. Ah, well. It's a strange world, the DCnU.

[junipepper]

God, yes. Frownyness, it's a great word for the case. Just sucking the fun out of the entire comics experience...