Today’s Comic> Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! #12

I didn’t have time to do a list of this week’s comics. So you get to be surprised all week! 🙂

Someone get Captain Marvel a cotton swab.

Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! #12

DC Comics/Johnny DC (March 2010)

WRITERS: Art Baltazar & Franco

ARTIST: Byron Vaughns

COLORIST: David Tanguay

LETTERER: Travis Lanham

ASSISTANT EDITOR: Simona Martore

EDITOR: Dan Didio (this being a good comic for kids, I’m betting Simona did the real editing) (yes, I have that low an opinion of him at this point)

Using the Captain Marvel/Levram Niatpac power, Mr. Mind is able to turn Captain Marvel into Billy and halts his ability to transform. Then he unleashes an army of monsters using a signal device he whipped up whenever Billy went to sleep. It doesn’t take the wisdom of Solomon for Billy to figure out how to finally change back, but he does need to find a way to trap Mr. Mind. However, Mind’s attack last issue has trapped Tawny half-way between his human and tiger forms.

What they got right: Tawny’s origin makes more sense in this comic than it did in the original Captain Marvel stories. I have both positive and negative things about the art. The new character models are well done…

What they got wrong: but the poses are a bit stiff. Vaughns was better off with the style he was using before (just not the Captain Marvel model–this one is better). There’s a scene where Cap is flying in the air taunting Mr. Mind, and he looks like he’s standing rather than flying. But how Cap beats Mr. Mind, calculating how to phase through a building while Mr. Mind gets trapped in a reflective window? Even for a kids comic that makes no bloody sense! I mean, just drill through the building and find a way to strip Mr. Mind of the magic lightning for good.

Recommendation: Impossible science and powers aside, this is a fun story with a touching ending. Give it a read through at least.

The Condemmed Building Corporation has trouble getting insurance. {click for full size}

It’s weird what makes it as my Best Scene nominee, but the thought of a huge sign on a condemned building reading condemned building tickles me for some reason. “Best Scene” is really “the scene that mostly stood out in the comic”.