World Famous Comics: The Shazam! Archives, Vol. 4 (DC Archive Editions)
The Shazam! Archives, Vol. 4 (DC Archive Editions)
By: Various Publisher: DC Comics Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: DC Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 196 Publication Date: 2005-08 Release Date: August 04, 2004
For Completists Only This volume continues with DC comics reprinting the mostly mundane and erratic early adventures of Capt. Marvel, with one notable exception: the Mac Raboy-drawn origin of Capt. Marvel Junior, which is a little better than the other stories so far reprinted in the Shazam Archives. This anthology only gets into the year 1942, and it is clear that Capt. Marvel had not yet found his stride by this time (in 1943, the great 20-something chapter Mr. Mind serial began, and this might be considered to be the beginning point of Cap's true greatness, which lasted until DC comics sued him out of existence in 1953...).
In fact, the amazing thing is just how bad most of the early Capt. Marvel stories are. With a few notable exceptions, they appear to be slapped together by a sweatshop of artists, Timely-style, with the story plotted out panel by panel. This is true not just of this volume, but also 1-3 of the Shazam Archives as well. For a lifelong fan of the original Fawcett material that DC used to reprint in the monthly Shazam magazine and those great tabloid size editions, it was truly shocking for me to see how pointless most of the stories are. I mean, most of these stories are bad even by golden age comic book standards, far worse than Superman, Batman or Justice Society stories of the same period. And I am a die-hard Capt. Marvel fan, not some modern era fanboy.
This stuff in this book makes the contemporary Timely material seem like Alan Moore and Brian Bolland. Clearly, when Otto Binder came on board, Cap really must have just come together for the 1st time. I recommend this book only for completists; the rest of us should save our money. Message to DC comics: you ought to be doing some TPB format anthologies of the good Fawcett material, people would scoop it up fast as you could print it.
be aware I was and am a fan of the Big Red Cheese...I should have realized that when DC put out the Shazam Archives (remember why "Capain Marvel" is a no-no?... except for some inane 1970's alien) that the Archives would not be all Capain Marvel...this one had 2 Bulletman stories (altho the Raboy art was great) as well as cross-overs involving Captain Marvel, Jr. There were Captain Marvel stories, which varied in quality and artist. Next time, just pick 10/12 Captain Marvel stories, showing a progression from the very early Cap to the middle years...and, then, another volume, showing Cap from the middle years to the early 50's when Fawcett caved in to DC. These would sell...and, if you want an all Marvel Family or an all Cap, Jr. or an all Mary Marvel Archives,do them.
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
