Review: Three Stooges Halloween Stoogetacular

The latest in American Mythology's series of Three Stooges one-shots is the second with a Halloween theme.  It features two new stories and a reprint from the 1960s. The new stories are both written by S.A. Check and drawn by Brendan and Brian Fraim. The first story is a period piece set in the 1800s, and is more in the spirit of the classic two-reelers than the stories in some of the immediate previous issues. The boys are traveling peddlers trying to sell their new invention, a brush that cleans teeth, when they come across a Hammer Studios inspired Dr Frankenstein, and his creature, who looks a lot like Shemp. The second story is done in the style of the boys more experimental shorts, like Cuckoo on a Choo Choo and Gypped in the Penthouse where the Stooges are not a team.  This one also features Shemp in a much more substantial role.  The focus is on Larry's bizarre travels. I really like having Shemp making appearances in these stories.  Perhaps we can also get some appearances by Ted Healy and maybe even a Joe Besser cameo.  We don't need Joe DeRita, since he is featured in the reprints. Speaking of the reprints, the one in this issue is typical in that it has a very good script, but the art is on the crude side.  This issue earns an A-.

Billy Batson audition tapes

The Omega Underground website has posted some Billy Batson audition tapes. You can see them (potential script spoilers included) by clicking here.  Of a slight concern is that the script they are working from seems to have quite a bit of Curse of Shazam influence to it, with the reference to a council of wizards, and an allusion to the foster family.  But, it seems like the Billy Batson character is in line with the traditional version, and does not seem to be the jerk as seen in Curse. I am kind of hoping this is not the actual movie screenplay, but rather something tossed together culled from the rejected Bill Birch-Geoff Johns script just for the audition process, or if it is the current script, an early draft that has since been, or is the process of, being polished and tweaked.

Jeremy Michael Lanuti's Billy Batson audition

UPDATE: Just a few hours after being posted, the videos were locked with passwords. A tape of Parker Young reading for the role of Captain Marvel was also briefly available before being shut down with a password, although Heroic Gateway was able to copy a part of it.

A post shared by Justice League DC Movie NEWS (@heroic.gateway) on Sep 20, 2017 at 11:10am PDT

Things just got interesting...

Just when it looked like Derek Theler was out of consideration for the role of Captain Marvel, due to his signing on to play Mr Immortal in the upcoming MCU TV series New Warriors, he has hinted at having an audition in a Snapchat post.

The lightning bolt symbol seems to indicate he may still be up for the role of Captain Marvel despite being signed on to a rival MCU production.  Perhaps he may be the first actor to simultaneously play characters in MCU and DCEU franchises.  Ironically, I believed that honor would most likely go to Dwayne Johnson, whom in addition to playing Black Adam, I was sure he would also sign on to play Namor the Sub-Mariner for the MCU.  But perhaps the failure of his Baywatch remake threw cold water on that idea.
Also of significance is Theler and David F. Sandberg have been liking each other's posts across Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram, and Theler has begun to follow several key DCEU people.

And speaking of Sandberg, he has continued to post daily Instagram updates of the movie's progress in a way only he can.

Day 9

A post shared by David F. Sandberg (@ponysmasher) on Sep 8, 2017 at 5:12pm PDT

Of note is classic Captain Marvel beating the crap out of New52 Shazam.  Related to this is that New Line released a synopsis and a Billy Batson casting call that both use the name "Captain Marvel" (although some sources later said these releases are fake). Also you can see an Elvis cartoon on the wall, hopefully a sign negotiations are going on to have Elvis recordings on the film's soundtrack.  Yes, things are getting interesting.

Work officially begins on "World's Mightiest Mortal"

David F. Sandberg has humorously hinted on his Instagram page he has officially began working on World's Mightiest Mortal.

Day 1

A post shared by David F. Sandberg (@ponysmasher) on Aug 28, 2017 at 7:34pm PDT

And then added an update.

Day 2. On this movie I might get to the ceiling. Or the hospital.

A post shared by David F. Sandberg (@ponysmasher) on Aug 29, 2017 at 4:54pm PDT

Casting announcements may be imminent. So far, all we know is Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam will not appear (except for a possible cameo), Sandberg has shown signs he is more influenced by the classic version of Captain Marvel rather than the Curse of Shazam reboot, and has said he will cast two actors as Billy Batson and Captain Marvel, instead of casting only one, and using CGI trickery to create the other.

Sandberg "leaks" script page

David F. Sandberg, the director of World's Mightiest Mortal gave fandom a treat by leaking a page of the screenplay.

Obviously it is a joke, but if you read between the lines, it can be interpreted as a symbolic "middle finger" to both the unpopular Curse of Shazam reboot of Captain Marvel, and to the nagging calls by certain fans to include Superman in the movie as Billy Batson's mentor. I really think we got the right guy for this movie.  I'm feeling very optimistic.