As far as I know, this is a transformation, but I'd like to know the origins and how strong is the transformation. Can Billy transform when he want?

Cover Art by Gleb Melnikov

UNDER MR. MIND'S CONTROL! The Society app isn't just infecting Philadelphians with brotherly hatred. The users are also hosts to the parasite, Mr. Mind! And Freddy Freeman, a.k.a. the Commander, is no exception. Will the combined efforts of the whole Shazamily be enough to free him? And with a second secret follower watching Billy Batson's family, how close is Mr. Mind to his true target, the Successor?

You can either make a new magic word or keep it in the Shazam acronym. You can either create a new champion or a explain why the Marvel Family switched pantheons. Only rule is there needs to be Gods and Heroes, not just Gods (think Achilles and Solomon). Go!

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I have many thoughts. Some good, some bad, some indifferent, but overall I really enjoyed reading this. Let's get into it.

It is a complete love letter to the history of the character. They make many references and nods to the 40's live action serial, plenty of love and care is given to the Fawcett legacy characters, they build upon the aesthetic created from the old comics, they even make nods to the legal history of the character (specifically one reference that made me laugh was to the weird Captain Marvel that detached his limbs? Lol). All in all, you can tell the people who worked on this LOVE the character of Captain Marvel.

The art and visuals are stunning. Everything is very stylistic, very retro-art deco. They get his outfit pretty much right on the money (wish they used gold instead of yellow but i digress), and they mastered his face and build. Visually, he looks great. I would've like to see more lightning implemented here and there in his powers(think how they did Captain Marvel from MK vs DC). I know that's a personal bias but I think it'd make him more visually unique without taking away from the story.

Fawcett City being in the Midwest made me very happy being a Midwesterner myself. The city looks and feels as unique as Metropolis or Gotham. The setting was wonderful and really got me immersed into the world. The magical undercurrent flowing through the city also leads to very interesting storytelling that I wish could've been explained more. The side characters within the city are great too. I love Dudley, Muscles, Delroy, etc.

Billy's characterization is almost perfect. He reads like a kid his age who has been through a lot and had to grow up quick, but still retains his childlike innocence and wonder. In his Captain Marvel form, it was refreshing to see him actually have and utilize the wisdom of Solomon regularly. I always said that Captain Marvel and Billy batson should be written to feel like a big brother type of character and I like it's done really well here.

The Wizard Shazam is great. He actually cares about Billy, what he has to think, what he has to say, and is written to be a very wise and understanding mentor. Hes mostly very present for Billy throughout his journey and I actually really enjoyed his little plots (becoming a human mentor to Billy and living with him, the time debacle with Billy's parents, achieving godhood on New Genesis). I however, was mixed on his backstory. I wish it was fleshed out more. I was also not a fan of Blaze and Satanus. Overall, I really enjoyed him in this.

Mary was also written very well and I found myself just as excited to see what she was up to along with the other characters. I like that she wasn't just "female Billy." I liked seeing the juxtaposition of her growing up with the Bromfields and Billy growing up on the streets. Her white outfit also really grew on me I have to admit. Also, I like the idea of Freddy Freeman and her being an item, its sweet. I wish they could've settled on a name for her, I think Lady Marvel would've fitted her nicely.

Freddy was a very mixed bag. In most cases I liked him, but I found it strange that he seemingly had a romantic relationship with the scientist at STARR labs when he's only 16, pushing him over to train with the Titans also felt like a way to silently write him out of the story. Near the end he decides to go by CM3 as a way to differentiate himself, but dude, let's be real, that name REALLY sucks. If they want to go the route of Freddy not being called Junior, the just call him Lieutenant Marvel. I really enjoyed the plot of Chain Lightning breaking into his vehicle to get revenge on him. It felt like they started very strong on his character then completely deflated until the end. His little solo adventures were fun though.

The powers. I'm very indifferent on the power sharing concept, leaning more towards not liking it. Why do Mary, Freddy, and Billy have to share power, but Black Adam and Shazam don't? I don't know. I like the idea of it I suppose, I just wish it was implemented differently. Like I stated earlier, visually I would've like to see them utilize more lightning. Utilize saying Shazam and using that bolt of magic lightning in fights and what have you. Maybe have some of that iconic yellow lightning around their fists when they're punching stuff or have some of it in their blurs as they fly and whiz past. Also, they ise the wisdom of Solomon so much, only to seemingly abandon it at times to make emotional decisions. Like, why isn't the wisdom of Solomon telling Billy it's a bad idea to attack his friend Freddy, date Deanna Barr, etc. Also the endurance and invulnerability of their powers is strangely inconsistent.

The plot. I wish it was more cohesive and definitive. Alan Moore had Swamp Thing, Grant Morrison had Animal Man, they made those characters so much cooler than ever before and made genuinely palpable and enriching fiction. I wish Jerry Ordway could've done that for Power of Shazam. There were inconsistencies, plot holes, complete 180s in the story telling, overcooking some parts and undercooking others. Their explanation for how Black Adam comes to be is so "doing too much." Just make him Teth Adam, the corrupted champion, banished beyond time and space, is back now. Making him a distant relative that gets the powers after stealing an amulet and saying the magic word, effectively sharing souls with him and Teth to gain his powers is so overcooked and needless. Ebenezer and Sinclair was also very overcooked. Mr. Atom was undercooked, Ibac was undercooked, Fairfield being obliterated was undercooked and didn't pack the emotional gut punch they thought it would and other instances as well. I wish it was perfect, I know it's not, and I know it's unfair to judge the series for it, but still. I just felt like it was a Frankensteined series of many different ideas without one clear cut vision.

Overall, I highly recommend this series. Solid 8/10 and a must read for any and all Captain Marvel fans.

Shazam has a decisive edge over Superman due to his magical nature. While Superman is incredibly powerful, he has a critical vulnerability to magic that Shazam can exploit2. Unlike kryptonite, magic can genuinely harm and potentially defeat the Man of Steel. Key Advantages for Shazam: Inherent magical powers derived from the gods2 Ability to use lightning and magical attacks that directly affect Superman Superman himself has acknowledged Shazam as his equal in the Justice League4 Magical Weakness Exploitation In multiple comic storylines, Shazam has demonstrated the potential to defeat Superman. The most compelling evidence comes from Action Comics #873, where Zatanna and Shazam used a magical reversal of the "Shazam" word to de-power thousands of Kryptonians1. This proves that Shazam's magical abilities can fundamentally neutralize Superman's powers. Battle Dynamics While Superman might have more experience and potentially greater raw strength, Shazam's magical nature gives him a significant advantage. His powers can cut through Superman's defenses, causing pain and potentially incapacitating the Kryptonian hero2. In a direct confrontation, Shazam's magical lightning could be the decisive factor in overcoming Superman's seemingly invincible physiology.

Now even after this... I still think Superman can kick Billy's ass. I'm just saying Billy COULD beat Superman without any plot protection and nerf of his character.

I'd love to see someone make an animated series out of the original Fawcett publications. A true return for the original Captain Marvel. I think it'd be pretty cool. What do you guys think?

For me, I have a few.

1.) The color scheme is red, white, and GOLD. I hate when they make the lightning bolt, the cape trim, and the boots just plain yellow. 2.) The shoulder cape. It bugs the hell out of me when they just give him a generic white Superman cape. 3.) When they downplay his strength, speed, and durability, and intelligence in comparison to other characters. Him, Martian Manhunter, and Superman should all be neck and neck when it comes to capacity of their powers with a few deviations to set them apart. 4.) The cuffs and sash. They're a must. They are just as unique and important to the character as the shoulder cape. I'm also very big fan of his chest flap. These are essential to the character that sets him apart from others. 5.) When they downplay the Wizard Shazam to be weaker than the Spectre, Nabu, or other big names in the cosmology of the DC landscape. 6.) When they make his lightning blue. The lightning of Shazam is very magical and powerful, that's why the bolt that strikes Billy is huge and yellow. It's different from regular lightning. 7.) If Superman gives off an fatherly Aura, Captain Marvel should feel like everyone's older brother. I hate how they turn him into an irresponsible man-child. He has the wisdom of Solomon for crying out loud. He should be comforting, humble, kind, with a boyish charm.

I'm sure I can think of more but these are just a few of mine. What about you m

Move so fast he can create to images of himself.