Fortress of Solitude

Submit Articles


Superman Book, t-shirts  Videos, Posters and more

Superman Returns Merchandise

Superman Books

Superman Soundtracks

Superman DVDs

Superman Posters

Superman T-shirts

Superman Auto & Tools

Superman Toys & Games

Superman Videos

Superman Collector's Corner

Smallville Merchandise

Other Super Heroes Merchandise

Aquaman
Batman
Captain America
Daredevil
Fantastic Four
Green Lantern
Justice League
Hulk
Spiderman
Teen Titans
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Transformers
X-men
Wonder Woman

Superman TV Menu

Smallville


Superman Movies


George Reeves


Lois and Clark


1980's Superboy


Superman Animation


Incredible Hulk VS
 Superman


Superman Message Board

Superman Wallpaper
Superman Articles and News
Superman Fan Art
Superman What ifs
Superman movie serials
Superman Comic Books
Superman Links

 

 
SUPERMAN STORE
 

Books : Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil

In association with Amazon.com

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars - Shazam! Entertaining and Colorful
This collection of the 4-issue mini-series is highly enjoyable. The story retells Billy Batson's transformation to Captain Marvel in a modern-day setting, and puts Sivana at the head of the Dept. Of Homeland Security. Initially I was put off by how young Billy and his sister, Mary, were drawn, but it ends up working out well for the story. The art is colorful, the plot simplistic, and the writing minimal.

Enjoyable, but you don't get a lot for your money.



Rating: 4 out of 5 stars - Graphic SF Reader
Cute, with Tigers.


Jeff Smith here appears to have taken Captain Marvel back to his roots, and maybe even further, although the art style may make Billy Batson look younger than he is actually supposed to be, given how short and stumpy Smith displays these characters.

These is absolutely designed to be for the very young comics readers, so the actual story isn't going to thrill the non-kids, but they should find some amusing bits in it nonetheless.


3.5 out of 5



Rating: 3 out of 5 stars - Not perfect, but a step in the right direction for DC
This is a vast improvement over some of the junk being kicked out by DC lately, and it's a good read (Jeff Smith has such a clean, easy to view brush style). It's not perfect, and it's still not quite a childrens book (Billy Batson being kicks to unconscienceness by a thug isn't kid-friendly) but it's vastly better than the latest Infinity Whatever kicked out by DC lately.
The story is rather hollow, and has virtually no substance other than zippy entertainment. Which can be good for a fun Shazam-like, and yet I would have liked a little more substance here. Something a little deeper.



Rating: 2 out of 5 stars - Not your father's Captain Marvel!
I'm just adding my voice to that of a few others. Jeff Smith's art is unique and perfectly suited to this type of story. The book looks very good, nobody can deny that. But Smith made a few choices that I can't agree with personally and that I think hurt the story objectively. First, I like Billy Batson and Captain Marvel as the same person. I like the idea of a ten year old boy with that kind of power. Definitely gives the character a different perspective than most heroes and provides an anodyne for many of today's gritty comics. But Smith makes them two seperate people. Didn't see the need and didn't care for it. I know that's the way it was originally set up, but I like the revised "two-in-one" version better. Smith didn't slavishly stick to Beck and Binder's vision(Awesome as it was!) on other issues so he didn't need to here either.It didn't help the story in fact I think it hurt it. The biggest problem though was Smith injecting his own post-9/11 political views into the story. If a comic book artist wants to communicate his political views, let him write an op/ed piece for the New Yorker. This is especially true of a character like Captain Marvel. Marvel's world was always a little bit more fanciful than ours, even more fanciful than the typical superhero's. I can appreciate how that horrible day affected Smith, but this character and story just aren't the right venue for Smith's political feelings. Like combining oil and water, Captian Marvel and modern terror politics just don't mix.



Rating: 5 out of 5 stars - I really liked it
This graphic novel puts together the entire story-arc presented in SHAZAM!: THE MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL 1-4, retelling the story of Billy Batson and the origin of Captain Marvel. Billy Batson is a homeless boy, on the mean streets of New York City. But, when he rides a fantastic train he meets a wizard named Shazam, and he unleashes the power of Captain Marvel. But, when Billy's curiosity gets to be too much for him, and he travels beyond the beginning of the universe, he unleashes a power from beyond time. Can Billy and Marvel overcome the mysterious Monster Society of Evil? Read and find out.

I must admit to being somewhat ignorant of the Golden Age Captain Marvel, and as such, I cannot discuss how this Marvel is different than that one. But, what I can discuss is what I think about this here book. Well, I must admit that I really liked it. Too many modern comics are too adult, focusing on politics or the political issue de jour, whereas this graphic novel tells a great adventure story that is sure to please any young fan of superhero stories. Heck, I loved it myself.

Now, there are some problems with the story - the relationship of Billy and Marvel is rather strange. But, in spite of that I did think that it was a fun and highly entertaining story. I loved this book, and highly recommend it.


page 1 of  3

 1  2  3 
Superman Actors and Actresses Posters and Photos
check out these sections for lots of great images that you can have for your own wall. Find out how each actor or actress relates to Superman.
Actors
  Actresses  Movies   Television Shows
Classic Superman Posters  Superman the Movie  
Superman II Posters  Superman III Posters  Comic Book Posters
Your Favorite Super Hero Posters
Batman
  Captain America   Fantastic Four
Green Hornet  Incredible Hulk
  Incredibles Spiderman  Steel  Supergirl  Swamp Thing  Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Wolverine
   Wonder Woman   X-men

  Click for the Warner Bros. Online Shop-WBShop.com

 Movie Release Costumes   

Official Collectibles from Warner Bros
SUPERMAN Sterling Silver Chunk Ring

SUPERMAN Sterling Silver Chunk Ring

 

  Six Foot Tall Limited Edition SUPERMAN Display Statue
life-size replica of Superman stands a full 6-feet 9-inches tall

 SUPERMAN RETURNS Remote Control Superman Figure
Superman Returns Remote Control Figure

Launch Superman into the air

 SUPERMAN Classic Adult T-shirt

Superman Classic Adult T-shirt

Movie News
Magazines

Other Movie DVD Sections from DVDS-Videos.US
Animation
Classics
Comedy Movie
Drama Movie
Family & Kids Movies
Science Fiction Movie
Television Shows
Western