Shazam movie update

One of the producers of the upcoming Shazam! movie, Hiram Garcia (VP of Seven Bucks Productions, the company making the film in conjunction with New Line Cinema), in an interview with comicbook.com gives a much awaited update on the project.
"We're a good way into development. We're expecting a next draft soon which I think is really gonna put us in the zone that we're hoping for... the great thing with Shazam for me as a fan, I was always a fan of Superman and his mythology as I grew up. I remember it was Alex Ross's Kingdom Come that was the first time that ever made me look at Shazam just differently. I just knew of Shazam, you know the name, you knew the word, but I thought Alex Ross... He portrayed him and drew him in that epic kind of conflict that him and Superman ultimately had. It just made me look at Shazam in way like this is a bad mf'er."

OK, hit pause. First he refers to Captain Marvel as Shazam.  Crap.  Bad sign. "You know the name".  Yeah, but it's the wrong name. Then he calls Captain Marvel a "bad mf'er". Uh.... no... just no. Captain Marvel is a hero full of hope and optimism. Batman is a "bad mf'er". Captain Marvel is Americana wish fulfillment. As for the name conundrum, if "Captain Marvel" simply cannot be used, don't use any name.  Diana was never called Wonder Woman in Batman v Superman. Selena Kyle was never called Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises. We know who Captain Marvel is, so there is no reason to use any name in the dialogue (in the credits, he can be called "World's Mightiest Mortal").  If and when Captain Marvel Jr comes around in a sequel, it just takes a little bit of creativity to work around it.  As the injured Freddy lays dying, Captain Marvel tells him to "say my name", and we cut to a very wide shot where we do not hear what Freddy says, but we see the effect of thunder and lightning.

Garcia continues, "That whole world, as well as Black Adam as you start looking into Black Adam, so our take on that world is first and foremost, movies like that can be grounded and can have real stakes but can still be fun. That's the place we always want it to come from. We have a character in Shazam that is a boy who is in this man's body who is having the ultimate fulfillment that I think all comic book fans and everyone can associate with. Like, what if you wake up one day and you can just do all this great stuff? And then on the other side, you have this force of nature who is really anchored by what he lost in his family and that thread that he's bringing with him throughout this journey. There's a real grounding there. That combination of youth and enthusiasm and being in new to a world and then the place that Adam's coming from. It makes for a great dynamic that not only allows us to have not only real stakes, real story, and real emotion, but a ton of fun in the process. There's no reason that there should ever be a version of this story told that's devoid of that. That's our goal in doing this: following the path of the films that have been coming out and have done such a good job. Marvel has, everyone knows, really locked into that place where they're able to tell you really grounded, rooted stories that have real repercussions and there's a real wake that's left after what's the done but while through the whole process they still acknowledge that, you have a blast while you're watching that. They find the moments where you're constantly having fun and you're able to go on the ride and that's the place we're gonna be playing in." 

OK, this is good. He admits Marvel Studios will have more of an influence than Synder's films. But I'm concerned he wants to ground this film in a form of reality that leaves behind the uniqueness of Captain Marvel's world consisting of evil alien worms, talking tigers dressed in plaid sports coats... a world where a homeless boy not only gets the power to be a superhero, but also works his way up to becoming something of a child celebrity... a world where your mad scientist arch enemy happens to have a hot blonde daughter who has a crush on you.  In other words, I fear Garcia just wants another generic take on Superman done in a Marvel Studios style.

Garcia adds, "I promise you dude, we're not gonna f-- this up! My vision is so clear for this story and this movie. As story tellers, you sometimes get on projects but this has always been a priority. I've been carrying the Black Adam torch for so many years before we finally locked it in and I'm telling you we're gonna knock this thing out of the park. It's gonna be a blast and it's gonna be a dope ride, so get ready!"

Well, dude, I have no doubt your main priority is to get Black Adam right, but my concern is that your dope ride leaves Captain Marvel on the side of the road to hitch hike. You need to get Alex Ross on board as a creative consultant. 

Consider me officially concerned about this project.

Popeye artist George Wildman, RIP

George "Geo" Wildman, best known as the main Popeye comic book artist through out the 1970s, passed away on May 22, 2016 at the age of 88.  In addition to his Popeye work, he was also a managing editor at Charlton Comics.  Wildman's Popeye art graced the pages of the series at Charlton and Gold Key/Whitman, as well as story books and coloring books produced at that same time. He was known for working the name "Karl" (his son) into the art of all his covers.  After the Popeye comic book series ended in 1984, Wildman continued to do freelance art featuring Loony Tunes, Hanna-Barbara, Harvey, and Disney characters in addition to Popeye.  In later years, he was a regular guest at the annual Popeye Picnic in Chester IL.  Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, let perpetual light shine upon him, may he rest in peace.

movie review: CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

As a DC guy, I hate admitting it, but Captain America: Civil War is everything Batman v Superman could have and should have been. From a well written and coherent script, to spectacular and flawless action sequences, to character development, it outshines BvS. The one area where BvS trumps Civil War is in the visual presentation. BvS looked like a live action comic book, where Civil War, like the Nolan Batman movies, has a real world tone, but otherwise directors Joe and Anthony Russo have blown away Zack Snyder.

The plot deals with Captain America's loyalty to his buddy Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier, to the point it divides the Avengers. The United Nations, after reviewing the collateral damage and political repercussions the Avengers have caused on various missions, want the team to answer and report to a committee. Tony Stark, on a guilt trip, agrees big government is the answer.  Steve Rogers says screw that bureaucratic red tape, the best government is a tiny government.  When Bucky is set up to take the fall for bombing a UN meeting, rifts begin with the Avengers picking sides between Iron Man and Captain America. Eventually, after roller-coaster rides of action sequences, Tony learns Cap was right, Bucky was framed, but then the film's "villain", Baron Zemo,  although "mastermind" might be a more appropriate word, reveals a dark secret to Stark about his parents' deaths.

Unlike BvS, there is a legitimate reason for the heroes turning against each other, unlike Batman's random and often unascertained hate for Superman.  And unlike BvS, there is no ridiculous "hey our moms have the same first name, let's be best friends" resolution. In fact, there is no true resolution to the divide among heroes. It is something that will need to be resolved in subsequent films. Marvel knows how to build these things, where DC seems trying way too hard to play catch up.

The introduction of Spider-Man into this universe is just one of the film's highlights, although the sight of Tony Stark flirting with a very MILFy Aunt May is something I never thought I would ever see. After the dismal Andrew Garfield Spider-Man movies, the Russos have brought Spidey back on track in a stellar introduction. Add to this the introduction of Black Panther, and the introduction of Wonder Woman which was one of the best parts of BvS, perhaps even the MVP of that film, begins to look a little lightweight by comparison. The Russos were also able to balance drama, fun, humor, and action, again besting Snyder.

Going in, I thought this would be an Avengers movie mistitled as a Captain America movie.  Various Avengers do get moments to shine (the previously mentioned Spider-Man, Bucky, Scarlet Witch, and Ant-Man top the list, as does agent Sharon Carter, and the always dependable Black Widow), and in some spots Cap does seem to get lost in the shuffle. There's lots of Tony Stark, but very little of him suited up as Iron Man.  At the end, it does seem like Cap's show. As far as MCU movies go, Civil War doesn't quite top The Winter Soldier, but it comes in a strong second place on the list.  Ten years ago, who would ever have though Captain America would have the two best movies in the MCU?

Review: Scooby Doo Team Up #16

I'm reviewing this issue solely for the Marvel Family appearance. The script, by Sholley Fisch, is typical Scooby Doo fare, but Fisch scores big by creatively making the entire script a primer for the classic Fawcett continuity. By reading this issue, you essentially get the entire history of the Fawcett Marvel Family without even realizing you are being schooled.
E. Nelson Bridwell would be proud. Not only that, but in this issue, you get an appearance by Fawcett era villain Mr Banjo.  I believe this is his first appearance in a DC Comic.  The art, by Dario Brizuela, is very slick and fluid. It doesn't quite match the character designs used for the short lived 1981 Shazam! cartoon by Filmation, nor does it resemble an Alex Toth Super Friends design by Scooby Doo's parent company, Hanna Barbera. It looks like Brizuela was trying to create a unique Scooby Doo design for the Marvels that still was grounded in C.C. Beck's art.  In that, it was very successful, although I noticed Brizuela followed Cameron Stewart's lead in giving Freddy Moe Howard bangs instead of his more traditional Elvis-looking hair.  At least he's not blond. This issue scores an A.

"You Bring The Summer", another new Monkees track.

Unbelievably, just four days after the Monkees released their new single, "She Makes Me Laugh", they have released another new song, "You Bring The Summer", written by Andy Partridge. Perhaps, this is meant to be the B-side, as in classic vinyl singles.  Once again, Micky on lead vocals with Mike and Peter singing backup harmony vocals. Mike is also on rhythm guitar and Peter on organ.  Enjoy!