Trials of Shazam #2

[Jack]

Okay, first off, the art continues to be absolutely goddamn gorgeous. Just beautiful work from Porter.

Now that we've covered that, on to the actual issue itself. #1 was really a prologue for the story, because the Trials of Shazam... are the trials of Freddy Freeman, once Captain Marvel Jr. and now.. nothing.

Freddy has just withdrawn from university, even though he has almost graduated. He's done this because he's having trouble coping now that he's just a cripple. His girlfriend is upset with him, but he can't tell her what's really wrong. He's spent all his money on the medical costs of Mary, who's in a coma after falling three vertical miles into a river. Freddy talks to Mary about how he the world is being overrun with magic and he can't find Billy or do anything to help, because no matter how many times he says "Captain Marvel" the lightning won't come. Eventually he says that it looks like they'll never recover from the loss of Shazam... and suddenly lightning strikes him, and he disappears.

Freddy reappears in the Rock of Eternity, where he meets the new Billy, who explains what has happened - when Shazam was destroyed, the power he controlled and the dark forces he held at bay discharged, but eventually the power began to heal itself and to do that it had to draw the power back from all the Marvels before being all contained by Billy, taking Shazam's role. Billy is now Marvel, the keeper of the power.

Which brings him to Freddy - who has been chosen to be the acolyte of the power of Shazam, to maintain the balance between the worlds of magic and humanity. But before he can do this, he has to prove himself worthy by visiting each of the six whose names spell SHAZAM - Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury. They will test him, and if he succeeds, they'll give him their powers. If he fails, the power of Shazam will be passed to another group entirely. If he does this, Freddy will be Shazam.

Freddy is then sent to meet his guide, a former necromancer by the name of Zareb Babak. On the way, he meets a deliveryman with a package for Zarab, which Freddy takes up for him. Zarab informs Freddy that the Gods that he'll be meeting aren't those of Olympus, because the names are more like titles than anything else - they're the Lords of Magic. There are apparently millions who bear the names, but these six are above all the others.

Freddy hands over the package, which turns out to be an attack of some sort using Zarab's name, which Freddy unwittingly handed right over. It turns into a giant green octopus-brain, and Zarab tells Freddy that his first lesson is never to take anything from anybody.

The issue was pretty good. I loved the art, of course, and I liked the look into Freddy's life. The first page recap of Freddy's origin was cool, and it was good to see the results of the BNW preview at last. But it feels like a bit of a cop out that Billy's transition was completely skipped over. I also like the premise of the series, which previously had seemed like a generic title but actually means something.

Apparently there are at least 11 Marvels out there now.

My main concern seems a little petty, but the names... the names are going to be confusing. Billy is the new Shazam, and his title is now just Marvel. But Freddy is the new Captain Marvel, and his title is Shazam. Confusing!

[Dr.Geekibus]

I liked the artwork, but didn't Freddy look more asian than he has in the past? Maybe it was just me, but I thought he actually looked more like Ryan Choi, the new Atom, than the Freddy Freeman we've seen in the past.

I like the trials to get his powers back, but my question then becomes...will Mary have to go through the same trials? It could take forever. Also it seems a bit capricious that Billy, Mary, Freddy are all affected by Adam, Isis and Osiris are not? Or are they? Have they made any appearances since 52?

Doc

[moon knight]

Shazam for Black Adam had a different set of Gods that it stands for. I don't know if that really means anything but it could seperate him form the rets of the Marvel family.

[Dr.Geekibus]

Billy made a comment about the power only coming from "All the marvels who are pure at heart must walk as humans again". But if that's the case, then what about Isis and Osiris? Isis isn't really a part of the Marvel family I suppose but how did Osiris get his powers? I don't think that's been revealed in 52 yet.

[Bloody Thumb]

Mary Marvel in the hospital after falling Three miles into the water was my favorite part of the issue. Granted, it was just a plot device used to push the character out of the way while we focused on Freddie, but at least it's a fun one.

[mdg1]

It's possible that Black Adam never actually drew on "the power of Shazam" but a completely different source. That's why the wizard was unable to strip him of his powers when he went rogue, and why he remained powered when the wizard died.

[Count Vertigo]

It'd be interesting to see if there are other individuals who call upon names of power other than Shazam. Kind of like Ibac and Sabbac. Maybe a Japanese version, a Hindu etc.

[Dr.Geekibus]

Count,

You need to add a followup comment to your signature. In Secret Six #4 Ragdoll is looking up Elastic Girl's skirt (she's grown to gigantic stature) and says (paraphrased) "My friend Parademon would love this view".

[Peter M.]

Isis isn't really a part of the Marvel family I suppose but how did Osiris get his powers? I don't think that's been revealed in 52 yet. Well I'm going on a major limb here, but it's possible that Osiris got his powers from his namesake like Isis.

[Peter M.]

Zarab informs Freddy that the Gods that he'll be meeting aren't those of Olympus, because the names are more like titles than anything else - they're the Lords of Magic. There are apparently millions who bear the names, but these six are above all the others. You know this and the trials of shazam thing kinda sounds like stuff taken from the hermetics and the turn of the century occult groups.

[Jack]

I like the trials to get his powers back, but my question then becomes...will Mary have to go through the same trials? It could take forever. Also it seems a bit capricious that Billy, Mary, Freddy are all affected by Adam, Isis and Osiris are not? Or are they? Have they made any appearances since 52?They haven't. Isis and quite possibly Osiris get their powers from a different source, though.

And it seems very much that Freddy is the only one who has to go through the trials. Once he's won back the favour of all of the various Lords of Magic, their powers will be given to all the Marvels, I think.

[Count Vertigo]

Count,

You need to add a followup comment to your signature. In Secret Six #4 Ragdoll is looking up Elastic Girl's skirt (she's grown to gigantic stature) and says (paraphrased) "My friend Parademon would love this view".
LOL! As soon as I get the issue, i'll fix the signature!

[Nogs]

It's possible that Black Adam never actually drew on "the power of Shazam" but a completely different source. That's why the wizard was unable to strip him of his powers when he went rogue, and why he remained powered when the wizard died.

that's how I understood it too. But what about in 52, when Black Adam goes out on the balcony and says "Shazam", then nothing happens.

In a later issue he goes to meet billy and billy says that he was having troubles with the powers, but now it should all work again. Raises a lot of questions as to how everyone is powered and by who

[Dr.Geekibus]

And there is that quote in there about only the Marvels who are "pure of heart" being affected. Why that would be I have no idea. Hopefully the explanation won't suck too badly. ;-)

[Count Vertigo]

that's how I understood it too. But what about in 52, when Black Adam goes out on the balcony and says "Shazam", then nothing happens.

In a later issue he goes to meet billy and billy says that he was having troubles with the powers, but now it should all work again. Raises a lot of questions as to how everyone is powered and by who

Black Adam's calling of Shazam is not the same as Batson's.

Wikipedia -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Adam#Pre-Crisis_and_Shazam.21:_The_New_Beginning


....we find out that Black Adam gets his powers from Shu (stamina), Hershef (strength), Amon (power), Zehuti (Thoth) (wisdom), Anpu (speed), and Menthu (courage).

[phantom1592]

Black Adam's calling of Shazam is not the same as Batson's.

Wikipedia -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Adam#Pre-Crisis_and_Shazam.21:_The_New_Beginning


....we find out that Black Adam gets his powers from Shu (stamina), Hershef (strength), Amon (power), Zehuti (Thoth) (wisdom), Anpu (speed), and Menthu (courage).

Also the Marvels weren't the only magical people affected by the whole Spectre thing. When the Current Age of Magic ended it really screwed with everyone.

I do wish they would nail down the connections between Adam and the Marvels a little better.

[jadegiant77]

Did anyone else notice that tiny pic of Uncle Dudley loosing the SHAZAM powers? Um...did he ever really have any to begin with?

[Captain Smith]

I remember that he had no powers.

Duh, I didn't understand that you don't talk to Zeus or Solomon but a symbol of them. What was that blither all about?

My uncle was named Moses - will Freddy talk to him?

[Steve Brady]

So, DC is tired of having a character named Captain Marvel who can't star in a book called "Captain Marvel," so Billy's gonna keep the name, although he really is "Shazam" now, and Freddy, in the "Captain Marvel" role, will be called "Shazam" instead.

Which is fine and all, but if you keep the word of power "Shazam," Freddy still won't be able to say his own name. So maybe he'll be allowed to keep saying "Captain Marvel" to transform.

[Peter M.]

Which is fine and all, but if you keep the word of power "Shazam," Freddy still won't be able to say his own name. Well neither can Sabbac.

[saintsaucey]

I like it. I have a limited knowledge of the Marvel Family. So it was a shock to me when Freddy turned out to be a cripple.

I'm glad I picked up this series. It's gonna be a fun ride. But if it turns out that it leads up to a new ongoing for the marvel family im gonna be kinda upset.

[phantom1592]

I'm glad I picked up this series. It's gonna be a fun ride. But if it turns out that it leads up to a new ongoing for the marvel family im gonna be kinda upset.


:confused:

Why?

[Nevets F]

I have read Captain Marvel for years, and it has never been done better than it is being handled right now. The whole story up until now does not work. It did in the 40's, 50's. Not since then though. THIS works.

[Lex]

I have read Captain Marvel for years, and it has never been done better than it is being handled right now. The whole story up until now does not work. It did in the 40's, 50's. Not since then though. THIS works.But works for who?

[kane]

I enjoy "trials of shazzam". It is the first time i am really interested in the marvel family and buy a book about them.

[jodykw1982]

I have always loved the Captain Marvel character but too bad he has always played second bananna to superman in the DCU. I haven't read comics in years and recently started again and was really looking forward when I heard there was going to be a new shazam series.

I picked up the first 2 issues and I find the story interesting yet I'm kind of upset. Guess the big red cheese is finally gone....

I understand that superman and cm have similiar powers but they are very different. Read Superman/Shazam first thunder for instance. I thought that was done very well and it showed all the differences.

After First Thunder I thought they could have really started a great Shazam series without making CM look like a powered down superman.

My thought was after the wizard died couldn't somebody else have take the role instead of Billy? Now Billy just gets to stay at the rock of eternity? That just doesn't sit well with me....

Thoughts?

Am I right or am I just ranting and whining?

[mattx110]

kingdom come had a "conference" between the sort of mystical heads of state in the DCU, so maybe he gets to hang out with the guardians and the spectre and not just sit on a chair on a rock

[Jack]

I'm extremely certain that Billy will remain to be a hero. It's just that Freddy needs to complete the Trials before any of the Marvel Family can become heroes again.

[Kid Omega]

This issue was a meaningless stretch of endless exposition.

There is no reason to care about any of the characters, and so far the plot hook (if you can call it that) seems arbirtrary and frankly, totally boring.

As has been hashed out endlessly, this is a far cry from what makes the Marvel family work, and is little more than a teen soap opera with some "mystical" elements thrown in randomly.

The word "dreck" comes to mind.

[LtMarvel]

Mary Marvel in the hospital after falling Three miles into the water was my favorite part of the issue. Granted, it was just a plot device used to push the character out of the way while we focused on Freddie, but at least it's a fun one.sarcasm, I hope....


I hated that seemingly only Freddy was visiting Mary. Billy didn't say word one about it...

[LtMarvel]

There's an interesting theory on the DC boards that I hope is true Billy's Cap (and perhaps Billy, too) is really Golden Age Shazam villian Oggar in disguise.

Freddy nearly a college grad?? Holy Moly, where did the time go for the eternal teens?