...in The Black Adam Junior Story, now playing.
Billy Batson & The Magic of Shazam! #15
DC Comics (June 2010)
WRITERS: Art Baltazar & Franco
ARTIST: Mike Norton
LETTERER: Travis Lanham
COLORIST: Zac Atkinson
EDITOR: Chris Conroy
As you can see on the cover, Black Adam has shared his power with Freddy Freeman, creating Captain Marvel Black Adam Junior! Now Freddy can get the revenge he wants, but Captain Marvel is more concerned with stopping Black Adam. Freddy and Mary battle, but like Captain Marvel and Black Adam, can’t seem to hurt each other. (Although Tawny can take a good swat at Freddy.) Captain Marvel tracks Black Adam to Egypt and the villain’s tomb, where Adam is trying to find a scarab medallion he believes will give him the power to take Marvel down. Returning to Fawcett City (no medallion found), Freddy has gotten away from Mary and Tawny and finally gets his chance at Captain Marvel…whom he can hurt!
What they got right: Even the parts of the story I don’t like personally I love from a storytelling standpoint. The writers make each character interesting and their motivations believable. The art is also good, with dynamic angles and poses where appropriate. I know colorists don’t get a lot of love here (or don’t appear to, as I consider the colorist part of the “art team”), but I have to hand it Atkinson here. The shading, the special effects, and the sound effects (which could be the letterer or Norton, I don’t know how they operate) add to the scene and help pull you into the story.
What they got wrong: I’m still bothered by the whole “Freddy gone bad” thing, partly because of what DC proper did to Mary Marvel (DC says they’re not going to be using the Shazam! cast for a while, and I’m all behind this title being their only showing) and partly because I want to punch the jerk. Sure, his motivations are believable and we all know Adam’s just using the kid’s anger to his advantage, but jeez is this Freddy a jerk or what? I almost want to see him win if only for him to learn what an a#$$#%#$ he really is once Adam conquers the world or hurts other innocents beyond accidental leg breakage.
Recommendation: Much like the Breakfast of the Gods webcomic, there are things here I really should be hating, but I’m just enjoying the overall package way too much. If you’re not reading this already, you are making a major mistake or just that poor.
And here's where Freddy's underwear turns the same color as his outfit. {click for full-size}
Tomorrow’s Comic> Iron Man: Legacy #1
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