“Yesterday’s” Comic> Shazam!: The New Beginning #1

"Eating all my vegetables? If I want to grow big and strong, I just say a magic word."

Shazam: The New Beginning #1

(Not originally part of my collection, I picked this up as a back issue at the last convention.

DC Comics (April, 1987)

When Billy Batson’s parents are killed in a car accident, his uncle Thaddeus Silvana cons him into moving in with him instead of his Uncle Dudley to use the boy’s inheritance to continue his experiments. When he learns what’s going on, Billy runs into the wizard Shazam and is given the powers of Captain Marvel. Meanwhile, Silvana has managed to draw the power’s previous owner, Black Adam, to this reality.

Backstory: This was the first Captain Marvel story in the post Crisis DC Universe. Co-writer Roy Thomas decided that Earth-S stories weren’t part of the then new DC Universe (unlike the other multiverses like Earth-2) and created a whole new story, keeping what he felt were the more important parts of Billy’s origin story, but making Dudley his real uncle, and making Dr. Silvana the evil uncle that pushed Billy to the streets.

What they got right: I have no problem with Thomas wanted to revamp Captain Marvel for the 80’s. While I think we can use a bit of that old whimsy now, it might not have worked in the 80’s, but I think there is still some fun to be had with the Fawcett characters, as later writers would prove. The changes I liked are: Dudley becoming Billy’s full uncle, a bit of Billy’s life before and after his parents’ death, and the later addition of Black Adam into Billy’s origin beyond being the previous owner of Shazam’s gift. They kept the classic meeting between Billy and Shazam, although I think Billy got a bit full of himself there. Otherwise, it was a nice updating of their meeting.

What they got wrong: I don’t like Silvana as Billy’s other uncle. While making Dudley the evil uncle who kicked him out wouldn’t have worked, I’m not sure being homeless was that important to Billy’s story and making Silvana an evil relative seems unnecessary. Also, it takes too long to get Billy his Captain Marvel powers. This is the 80’s, when comics were long, yet this feels as drawn out as one of today’s comics. Yes, this was a four-part miniseries, but I usually like to end issue #1 with the hero using his or her powers to at least take down some muggers or something, so that we can see what he or she can do.

Recommendation: As a piece of history for Marvel Family fans, then this is worth getting. Otherwise, I’m sure there’s a trade collection somewhere that might be a better read. As a fan of the monthlies, that saddens me to say.

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