Shazam 2 - the musical?

Shazam director David F. Sandberg has brought into the public consciousness the idea of making Shazam 2 a musical.

He recently tweeted that he has been getting comments from, presumably, kids and parents of kids asking for this.  Whether these are real comments, or something Sandberg himself had written, like the fake script page he leaked for the first movie, or perhaps even a concept being pushed by Asher Angel's management, Sandberg, by putting this out there, is probably considering this concept and sending out feelers for opinions.  If that is the case, the reaction to his tweet is evenly divided between those for and those against.

As for my opinion on this, if you read my review of the first movie, I made it clear.  The standard for bad ideas was established by choosing to base the film on Geoff Johns' New52 Shazam instead of Fawcett's original Captain Marvel, and choosing to use a (needless) Superman cameo where his face is cropped out of the shot.   Making the sequel a musical is no worse an idea than either of those two.  So more power to Sandberg if Shazam 2 is to be a musical.  And with the cast he has, they could pull it off nicely.

Who knows... perhaps #releasethesnydercut may by superseded by #makeshazam2amusical.

Review: Shazam! #10

Holy Moly.  Another issue released one month after the previous.  Is this a trend?  Issue 10 opens with King Kid.  Remember him?  He was very important in the early chapters then just sort of vanished.  He's back.  Kind of wish he would vanish again. He's terrorizing Philadelphia until the Shazam Family shows up.  At one point while they are saving people, Daddy Shazam refers to Captain Shazam as "Captain".  Oh, Geoff... you throw us fans such bones.  Cut to Mr Tawny, watching all this on TV... live news coverage.  Apparently, he's now the Vasquez's Alfred.  Back to the action where Captain Shazam halts everything by simply taking away King Kid's wishing stick, reverting all the invaders into toys, its original form.  Captain Shazam wants to cart the King off to Juvey, but Daddy Shazam tries to nurture King Kid instead.

Cut to Sivana and Mr Mind at the Rock of Eternity where they succeed in opening the door to the Monsterlands.  They enter to recruit what I'm guessing is going to be the New52 Monster Society of Evil.  Cut to the Vasquez home for a nice sit-com family dinner scene.  Billy takes a plate to (the potentially imposter) Wizard Shazam who is creepily lurking in Billy's bedroom.  Billy asks what he did with King Kid.  The Wizard replies he sent him back to the Funlands and freed all the adults who will decide what to do.  Cut back to Sivana and Mr Mind in the Monsterlands where Mr Mind lectures Sivana on the origins of the Monsterlands, the Rock of Eternity, and the Council of Wizards.  Kept prisoner there is Superboy-Prime who vows revenge against Billy Batson.  Cut back to Billy who suspects something is not quite right about the Wizard, who later that night neutralizes Daddy Shazam. Geoff Johns' script is slightly better than the previous issue, and the art by Scott Kolins and Dale Eaglesham is more consistent than the previous issue.  This issue earns a C.

Review: Shazam! #9

It's unprecedented!  It's apocalyptic! It's putrid!  The latest issue has been released a month after the previous issue! But after reading it, I kind of wish there was a longer gap between these issues.  This issue picks up with the newly created Daddy Shazam (although he's wearing Zazzo-Plus's costume) encountering his son, who he doesn't recognize as his son, Captain Shazam.  There's a long monologue recapping every thing that has gone on... like we really need to read about it all again.  Nice way of filling a perpetually delayed issue, Johns.  Captain Shazam, Daddy Shazam and Sexy Shazam team up to attack Black Adam, but he removes the power from Mary.  Daddy Shazam attempts to fly Mary to safety but she inadvertently takes his power.  The game of Hot Potato, Geoff Johns style.

The three retreat to the Wozenderlands (a name that gets more stupid every time I have to type it).  They are found by the Scarecrow.  No not that one, the one from the Wizard of Oz.  With the Munchkins, no less. They carry them off to see Dorothy. This is quickly turning into either bad fan-fic or a really bad acid trip. Mary's and the dad's powers keep going on and off.  Then Wizard Shazam (who was foreshadowed as being an imposter a few issues back) pops in with the other kids. Wizard tells Captain the reason the powers are going on the blink is that he must choose between his father and his foster family.  The dad and the kids all give their closing arguments.  And then Billy chooses (spoiler alert)......
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all of them.  Cut to the Rock of Eternity where Sivana and Mr Mind, observing all that has happened, plot their next move.   The artwork, by three different artists, unclear who did what, is in spots a notch above last issue's, but still generic.  Geoff Johns' script... he needs to lay off the LSD.  This issue earns a D.

Review: Shazam #8

After being postponed four months, issue 8 of Shazam! is finally released and could be the final issue of the troubled series. At least it is the last issue to be scheduled for the foreseeable future, and with a rumored "five generation" timeline reboot for DC continuity on the horizon, this whole series may end up being moot.

The issue starts in the Wozenderlands (don't ask) with a rabbit (Hoppy?), Eugene, Pedro and Wizard Shazam (who may be an imposter) around a campfire discussing how a seventh member for the Shazam Family needs to be found in order for all to fully realize their powers.  Cut to Billy's father... remember he came looking for Billy a few issues back.... as Mary and the Vasquezes cover for Billy who has, as Captain Shazam, gone to the Darklands.  As Billy's dad leaves, he is trailed by Sivana and Black Adam.  Meanwhile in the Darklands, Captain Shazam encounters a skeleton in a Captain Shazam costume, who explains he is the counterpart who defends the Darklands. Then it's back to Sivana, Mr Mind, and Black Adam trailing Billy's father.  They argue about their plan with Geoff Johns clearly implying Black Adam is really a good guy who gets put in bad situations by other people.  Then it's back to the Darklands where Captain Shazam and Skeleton Shazam are discussing making a deal when the skeletal remains of the "original" Marvel Family emerge from their graves.  They help Captain Shazam escape to rescue Freddy and Darla with Mr Tawny.  They get back to the Vasquez house just as Black Adam attempts to abduct Billy's father.  Captain Shazam arrives to fight Adam, but the 7 Deadly Sins abduct Billy's dad.  As he falls to certain death, Captain Shazam infuses him with power and spells out the name he is supposed to say.  The dad does and transforms into Daddy Shazam, the previously missing seventh member. (Or maybe it's Zazzo-Plus?)

Typical slightly below average script by Geoff Johns (with the advertised return of Captain Marvel utter BS), and generic art by Scott Kolins. Will there be another chapter to this overlong, drawn out story, or does it end here with the upcoming company wide "Five Generation" reboot wiping it all out of continuity?  Does anyone still care at this point?  Stay tuned.  This issue earns a C-.

review: JOKER

In the world of comic book movies, the year 2019 has three significant achievements. First, 2019 was the year the MCU jumped the shark.  Second, Shazam! was the worst comic book movie of 2019.  Third, Joker was the most artistic comic book movie of 2019.

You have to go into this movie with the mindset that while it is based on the comic book character of the Joker, it is separate and not connected to the classic version. You had to be in the same mindset with Shazam!, but perhaps because Joker is such a much better made and better looking film, it is so much easier to get lost in this new take without constantly finding contradictions with the classic version, one of the many things Shazam! failed miserably at.

Within the first minute, Jared Leto's bungled take from Suicide Squad is completely blown away.  What we have here is a character study of a mentally ill person, Arthur Fleck (played by Joaquin Phoenix) that, at times, gets uncomfortable to watch. The concept of giving Arthur Pseudobulbar affect (PBA) is brilliant in its obviousness and makes one think why no story has ever hinted at The Joker having this ailment before.  Arthur is on screen for nearly the entire movie, and we are immersed in his daily life.  Outside of a straight narrative, we also get glimpses of Arthur's daydreams and fantasies.  Just when you think a concept is part of the story, it gets revealed it was only in Arthur's imagination.  Zazie Beetz plays Sophie, a woman Arthur becomes fixated on. Robert DeNiro  plays Murray Franklin, essentially a variation to David Endochrine from Frank Miller's Dark Knight Returns graphic novel, and surely, the main thrust of this movie is a live action variation of the scene from the graphic novel.  Arthur's aspiration to be a stand-up comedian comes from The Killing Joke. Brett Cullen plays Thomas Wayne as a physician-turned-politician much like in the unused Tom Mankeiwicz Batman screenplay.  Another borrowed idea comes from the recent Gotham TV series, where its proto-Joker Jeremiah Valeska inspired a movement, much like Arthur does in this movie, although with a more Antifa-like result.  One of the more cringe worthy moments is when Arthur begins to believe Thomas Wayne is his father, which I'm sure causes eye rolls from all comic book fans thinking "oh, that's original... make the hero and his enemy brothers". What makes it even more weird is that Arthur and Thomas look to be roughly the same age, even though in real life the two actors are nearly 20 years apart.  There actually isn't too much violence in this movie, but what there is, is very graphic. We also don't see Phoenix in full-on Joker mode until the last act of the movie, and don't expect to see any kind of Joker crime sprees.  But do expect to see that chilling, iconic moment on Crime Alley. 

The direction by Todd Phillips and the cinematography are top notch, and as I said at the beginning, very artistic, and visually Joker completely blows away a film like Shazam!  As I also mentioned, at times this movie does become uncomfortable to watch, but wouldn't it be a disservice if a movie based on the Joker was all lighthearted fun?