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Written by Josie Campbell with art by Evan “Doc” Shaner, The New Champion of Shazam! introduces a new Shazam! – the one-time Mary Marvel AKA Mary Bromfield – in her first DC solo series (see below for more details).

In September 6’s The New Champion of Shazam! #2 with a cover by Shaner and variant covers by Joshua Middleton and Gary Frank, Mary returns home to Philadelphia, but according to DC she’s feeling nothing but hate in the city of Brotherly Love.

“Not only did she have to leave her dream school, but now she’s the caretaker of her siblings and a city that is skeptical about the new hero in town,” reads DC’s description, which you can read here first. “Everyone wants a piece of Shazam, and super-powered misfits are lining up to take her on! When her world is falling apart, can our hero keep it together?”

Check out all of The New Champion of Shazam! #2 covers and more information on the series below, and look for DC’s September 2022 solicitations later this month.

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Original story follows…

Following a wave of new heroes stepping up to take on classic mantles, DC has announced that the one-time Mary Marvel will be graduating to become the new Shazam in a series, fittingly titled, The New Champion of Shazam!. First reported by Polygon (opens in new tab), the four-issue The New Champion of Shazam! Will be written by Netflix’s She-Ra head writer Josie Campbell, with art by Evan ‘Doc’ Shaner, who drew the fan-favorite Convergence: Shazam (opens in new tab) limited series.

“For a long time I just didn’t have any interest in returning to anything Shazam-related,” Shaner tells Polygon. “But I always thought Mary should be the lead of the book for a while; and that was the one time I would return if it ever happened.”

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Created in 1942 in response to the popularity of Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel was visually based on the Wizard of Oz’s Judy Garland, and like the actor, quickly became a star in her own right, starring in both a Wow Comics series as well her own Mary Marvel book. Mary Marvel’s star eventually faded due to issues with the publisher Fawcett Publications and the character was later acquired by DC.\

The ‘Mary Marvel’ name (as well as the Captain Marvel name) grew into disuse due to legal issues between DC and Marvel Comics, leading her to become known for a time as Lady Shazam when she did appear in comics. Even the announcement of this New Champion of Shazam! Series dances around the naming issue and the comic book’s storyline will take it on in a unique way.

“‘Who Mary is’ the very heart of this comic,” says Campbell. “Who she is, who she wants to be, and the roles that she’s either been forced into or has willingly joined into. […] It’s really shining a light on her and her wants and her desires — as somebody who was part of a superhero team, doesn’t have her powers, gets them back, and then she’s got a lot of choices suddenly displayed in front of her that she’s gonna have to make real fast.”

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So what can you call her? Well, for now, you can use her real name – Mary Bromfield – but once The New Champion of Shazam gets started you can call her Shazam. The publisher says Mary will be deputized to be the new champion of Shazam! when a “talking rabbit” is sent to her by Billy Batson – her brother, and current Shazam.

“It’s been so long since she had her own book, since before she was a DC property,” says Shaner. “We’re hoping to have the fun and the creative energy behind so much of the early stuff that Binder did, but bring that to a more modern audience and try to make it more relatable to kids or young adults today.”

This new Shazam could soon graduate to our list of the best legacy superheroes of all time.

The post DCs new Shazam! returns home in September appeared first on Game News.

We spoke with Priest about how the new series differs from past representations of Black Adam, and during the interview asked what he hopes readers will take away from the series. He gave an initial answer but said he needed a few days to really think about it. Then, following our initial conversation, he sent his expanded answer via e-mail.

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“Every writer, if they are honest with themselves, is searching for truth. Writing is a form of catharsis and cheap psychotherapy. In every story we write, we are problem-solving, tackling issues, and trying to make sense out of life’s experience,” Priest writes. 

“Every character I write has some part of me in them and they are all doing what we all do – looking for meaning and relevance in their lives. I would be less interested in Black Adam if I were being limited to escapism. But DC has afforded me the opportunity for a deeper dive into every implication of Theo Teth-Adam’s life, a mortal burdened by immortality and, as such, often misunderstood.”

One of the primary aspects of the character Priest wanted to dig into more, he revealed, is Black Adam’s ethnicity – being from Kahndaq, the character is Middle Eastern and living in the United States, which would subject him to a certain level of bigotry.

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“Like Black Panther, Black Adam is not American. His values are not our values and he will often act in ways we will not immediately understand. He is also subject to the same often unfair scrutiny as many people from his part of the world,” Priest continues. “There will be those looking to Theo to avenge ancient wrongs and he will be pressured by factions and movements of many geopolitical persuasions, ultimately pleasing few, if any.”

“That makes the character a very compelling challenge for any writer. I hope the end-user – the reader – is provoked to think more broadly about concepts like freedom and justice in a way that transcends the political silos most Americans find themselves in – an artifact of political manipulation – and see the world for what it is, a global community of people wanting the same things we do.”

Ultimately, Priest comes back to the idea of legacy, and what that means for Black Adam as well as what it means for readers: “And then, thanks to the magic of comics, we move beyond Earth and into the stars, where our hearts ideally should be humbled by the fact our small planet is but one among billions. Maybe, at the end of the day, Black Adam’s blackness can reflect light on us. Whether he succeeds or fails in his mission to redeem his legacy, hopefully, we can redeem our own.”

Black Adam #1 goes on sale June 21. 

If you’re not sure who Black Adam is or what his powers are, check out our explainer.

The post Priest wants Black Adam readers to dig deep appeared first on Game News.

Future State: Shazam #2 credits

Written by Tim Sheridan
Art by Eduardo Pansica, Júlio Ferreira, and Marcelo Maiolo
Lettered by Rob Leigh
Published by DC
‘Rama Rating: 3 out of 10 

Now, there is a nugget of a potential idea embedded within this mess that sees Billy and Shazam separated into different entities. Tim Sheridan’s script however chooses not to dig into what makes these individual parts a cohesive whole. Instead, the focus is occupied on justifying why Billy has chosen to make a deal with Neron. Meanwhile, the remaining Teen Titans do their best to understand why Shazam has returned with a penchant for murder.

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There’s a panel early on, during a scene between Vixen and Shazam, in which Eduardo Pansica focuses on Shazam’s eyes and furrowed brow. Júlio Ferreira’s inks enhance the heavy shadow in the panel. The finished result makes for an evocative image in a sense, albeit one that emanates so much rage by itself that it shows how hard the creative team is committing to this vibe.

There’s been a good deal of pessimistic times presented in ‘Future State,’ but many of those have at least seen heroes taking a stand to try and better the world from getting any worse. Future State: Shazam #2 however, is resigned to the bleakness of the situation – even the body language of the characters reads as cold and at a remove from one another – and that dissonance between the chosen tone and what you’d expect for a Shazam story is a factor which the creative team proves unable to reconcile.

You don’t need a magic word to know what the best Shazam stories of all time are.

The post Best Shots review – Future State: Shazam #2 overly grim appeared first on Game News.

Guest writer Jeff Loveness (screenwriter of the upcoming Ant-Man & the Wasp sequel) and artist Brandon Peterson (Avengers, Justice League) will be wrapping up the run, with their second of two issues – their first, #12, was released on June 3.

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“After a night battling robots across the globe, Billy Batson finds out not everyone loves superheroes when one of his teachers unleashes a lecture on the ethics of unchecked power and privilege,” reads DC’s solicitation for the finale. “It’ll take more than just the wisdom of Solomon for the teen hero to figure this one out.”

If that description sounds familiar, it should; this story was originally solicited for #14 but was pushed back in a re-shuffling of recent issues to accommodate original series writer Geoff Johns and artist Dale Eaglesham’s final issues on the title (opens in new tab).

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“The greatest kid superhero ever faces the worst teen supervillain as Billy Batson and the Shazam family confront Superboy Prime,” reads DC’s solicitation for their finale in #14. “Superboy Prime has the powers of Superman and none of his heroic morality – can even Shazam stop the most powerful threat he and his family have ever encountered?”

Johns and Eaglesham launched Shazam! in December 2018, with an intermittent release schedule that interrupted the flow of the monthly title. Their finale in Shazam! #14 has been expanded to a 40-page issue.

Shazam! #15 is scheduled to arrive September 22, with a primary cover by Peterson and a variant by Francis Manapul.

The post DCs Shazam title ending in September appeared first on Game News.

The first impressions embargo is up, and we’ve collected the best opinions from those who have had the chance to watch it. Yes, the movie isn’t out for another month – but it appears DC is confident enough to show it off early and get some hype going.

The greatest DC movie ever?

That’s what some are saying. Sure, we’ve got pedantic people who are adamant that this is only the best DCEU movie, and not topping The Dark Knight (opens in new tab) anytime soon, but both Wonder Woman (opens in new tab) and Aquaman (opens in new tab) were great fun. If Shazam is reaching that sort of level, then DC is finally heading back on the right track.

In fact, I’m gonna go out on a limb and call #Shazam my favorite DCEU movie. It is really well balanced, gets the magical wonder of the character and his world right, and somehow never feels like it’s trying too hard.March 8, 2019

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#Shazam So having seen Shazam, I can safely say it’s my favourite DCEU film bar none!Fun action, a brilliant villain, a fantastic and game cast (plus JERRY from the Walking Dead) adding to my hope that cooper andrews and Jason Momoa just chat in a film. Well done @ZacharyQuinto!March 8, 2019

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The #Shazam social embargo dropped, so I can say that I really liked this movie! Lots of laughs, some real heart, and a great classic superhero story. I think audiences are gonna love it and DC fans are REALLY gonna love it. Unquestionably atop the DCEU with Wonder Woman for me. pic.twitter.com/9JsGPSJU6ZMarch 8, 2019

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Don’t believe the hype, #Shazam isn’t the best DC movie to date, it’s only the SECOND best after The Dark Knight.March 8, 2019

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A Big influence

If you haven’t been swotting up on your Shazam then the character’s origins might have passed you by. Billy Batson is a 14-year-old kid who stumbles upon an ancient mystic who bestows upon him the power ever teenager would love to have: the ability to turn into a superhero at will, complete with adult body. Of course, people are getting Big vibes from that, which is no bad thing – and definitely a different source for a superhero movie to mine.

#Shazam is parts Home Alone, parts Big, a crowd pleasing family-friendly joy-filled wish-fulfillment superhero film which gets a bit over the top and cheesy at times. It’s fun and funny, and I was surprised at how much it wears it’s heart on its sleeve.March 8, 2019

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#Shazam is big, goofy, lovable, and unlike anything DC has done before. Definitely in the vein of Tom Hanks’ BIG, but with superhero action & lots of Batman and Superman references. I dug this film so much I wanted to give it a bear hug at the end. DC’s movies keep getting better pic.twitter.com/WQJgo61gMgMarch 8, 2019

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The best of the rest

You might not have had high hopes for Shazam. That’s fine. But with the whirlwind of praise it’s getting, as you can see below, you might want to start circling April 5 on your calendars.

#Shazam is another gigantic win for DC following #Aquaman and #WonderWoman and is just so different from both of them. I love it.March 8, 2019

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#Shazam is an absolute delight! Super vibrant, tons of heart & a great fun-loving vibe. The family element is a big charmer & so is the humor that comes with watching @ZacharyLevi explore his new powers. Said this after IT but it’s worth repeating – @Jgrazerofficial is a star.March 8, 2019

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Shazam! is another win for DC. Sure, the humor & action you’d expect from a superhero film are there, but #ShazamMovie stands out because of the emotional, family story at its center. I had some small issues with the hero/villain aspects but the family stuff is dynamic & powerful pic.twitter.com/FYM3QVp5huMarch 8, 2019

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Shazam! is the superhero film that you never knew you needed. Zachary Levi was born to play this role. Ridiculously entertaining & non-stop fun from start to finish. Loved every character & all of the pop culture references. This is what going to the movies is all about. #Shazam pic.twitter.com/SxCcCTy2ZBMarch 8, 2019

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There are so many hilarious and absolutely clever moments in #Shazam that I lost track. There’s no other superhero movie like this in existence. You never feel been-there-done-that with this one, even if some of it falls into the realm of stereotypical character tropes. @joblocomMarch 8, 2019

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Maybe it’s time to start adding Shazam to your personal list of upcoming movies (opens in new tab) that you simply can’t wait for?

The post “There’s no other superhero movie like this” – The first reactions to Shazam are in appeared first on Game News.

“Zachary Levi, who plays the lead [Shazam, the superhero alter ego of Billy Batson], is a very funny guy, and I’ve no doubt he will play with that part and make it interesting,” he says. “I think DC have realized that they’ve got their canon of films that are dark, and they’ve now found one that’s pretty funny! There are some really funny moments in it.”

Of course, this isn’t Strong’s first dip in the DC pool. Back in 2001, he starred in Green Lantern with Ryan Reynolds, playing the fallen Green Lantern Corps member Sinestro. Sadly, the movie flopped.

“Sinestro was meant to go evil in the second one,” explains Strong. “The final frame of the first film is him trying on the yellow ring and his whole costume going yellow, and that was when he went evil. So I was really looking forward to that. The film didn’t do as well as they expected… so it never got made. So I was definitely conscious that Sivana is almost like the next stage that I wasn’t able to take.”

You can read the full interview and much much more in the latest issue of Total Film (opens in new tab), on sale now. 

Shazam! is currently slated for release on April 5, 2019. 

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The post Professional bad guy Mark Strong promises DCs Shazam! will bring the laughs appeared first on Game News.