Trials of SHAZAM! #3 Thread

[dswynne]

Did anyone get this issue? Just checking.

-De

[wes_rk]

I got it but haven't read it yet.

[moon knight]

This issue was very good. I'll do some spoilers. It starts where #2 left off. The monster is making a mess and Zareb puts the wand into the monsters stomach and Freddy activates it and the monster expoldes. By doing this Freddy pasted the first test and when he says Shazam he does not need his crutch anymore. The focus goes to the Council of Merlin. One guys is identified as Terrom the other is Sabbac. They sent the monster. Soon after all this is shown we are introduced to Sabrina(the girl on next months cover) Freddy and Zareb go to the tatoo parlor. There is a flashback and it describes how Freddy became cripled and his Grandpa died.

[Peter M.]

Interesting I think it's fascinating that we have been introduced to four different versions of Merlin in the DCU. And I was quite suprised about Solomon's new form though from retrospect, it's not at all suprising since he would administer a test delving into Freddy's motivations.

[kcekada]

Not a fan of Winnick's so I just page through this at the shop. So far nothing has motivated me to actually buy an issue.

[Captain Smith]

The bit about the tatoo artist being King Solmon, a god - who was really an historical figure of the Jewish People, isn't making much sense. Maybe I got it wrong. To deify what is a phrase in our language and event a new mythology for Solomon is silly, IMHO.

[Effect]

This issue was really enjoyable. :) Can't wait for the next part of the story. I just hope if there is an ongoing after this that this writer gets to write it.

[mnl88]

I really enjoyed the issue, actually. Convinced me to pick up the rest of the series.

[Powerboy]

The bit about the tatoo artist being King Solmon, a god - who was really an historical figure of the Jewish People, isn't making much sense. Maybe I got it wrong. To deify what is a phrase in our language and event a new mythology for Solomon is silly, IMHO.

They sort of explained that in one of the previous issues but they need to explain it a LOT more. Apparently, the entities that power Shazam are not the Greek gods and the Jewish King. It seems there are magical entities, Lords of Magic or some such (forget the exact wording). I think last issue they said that there are, for instance, thousands of entities that call themselves Zeus. One of them has a connection to Earth and is the Greek god/ Lord of Olympus. It is a different entity using that name that grants Power to Shazam.

In one respect, I find this very cool. I've always liked the idea that there are powerful beings who appear to different cultures as different beings. But they need to explain this much more. Is there some cosmic entity called Zeus and part of him takes the form of the Greek god Zeus and part of him is this Lord of Magic or whatever, also called Zeus. Likewise, this Lord of Magic Solomon may not be the Jewish King Solomon but they could both be aspects of the same entity.

It sounds like the DC writers have been reading Neil Gaiman's novel, "American Gods" or reading some modern ideas about the gods casting aspects. I find it fascinating but hopefully it won't become total confusion.

Getting to the more human side of the story, I love the issues Freddy has to deal with. A part of me wishes it was Mary who would become the new hero (heroine). I'm not sure why they eliminated her from the picture except, maybe, female lead characters just are not selling well.

[dswynne]

<SNIP!>

Getting to the more human side of the story, I love the issues Freddy has to deal with. A part of me wishes it was Mary who would become the new hero (heroine). I'm not sure why they eliminated her from the picture except, maybe, female lead characters just are not selling well.

OH, YEAH! Let's have a scene where we get to see a bare-back Mary getting tats and body piercings... :D

-De

[loraxxx j zynishter]

not bad so far, but part of me still resents that the MARVELS are being "darkened up" in order to be more relevant to today's comic audience...

[CaptainAwesome]

I liked the issue, but I am very dissapointed that the focus of the story has shifted to Freddy. He is just so boring. I say the story should still be about Billy and Freddy should still be a supporting character. That is the only problem I really have with this series. Oh, that and the ugly art.

[Captain Smith]

To my point - I think it is a mistake that DC mistakes to have a prolifertion of zillions of very powerful magic types floating around Earth.

A thousand of so dudes who want to be Zeus or Solomon - they just pulled that out of their butt. It was like when they created all those dumb angels to invade Earth - The Bull Host, the Frog Host, etc.

Then all these entities are never around when there is an invasion, the Sun Eater, the Last Crisis, etc.

Creating new mythologies on the fly never really works.

They have a whole dimension of invincible 5D imps who could wipe out of all of existence. It kind of makes all the heroes really redundant.

[CYOTI]

A thousand of so dudes who want to be Zeus or Solomon - they just pulled that out of their butt. More like that they openly admitted to having ripped off Gaiman's Sandman and American Gods.



It was like when they created all those dumb angels to invade Earth - The Bull Host, the Frog Host, etc.
The various hosts were derived from Morrison's skewed interpretations of several verses in Ezekiel.



Then all these entities are never around when there is an invasion, the Sun Eater, the Last Crisis, etc. The sun eater was featured in one of the precludes to Infinite Crisis and ditto for the 5D Imps.

[shaxper]

This title feels like it's trying a little too hard to be "cool". Captain Marvel Jr. meets a teenage oracle with dreads who takes him to a tattoo parlor in order to inherit the wisdom of Solomon. All this plus the not-so-witty banter between characters as they grapple with issues that should be more serious make this story feel like a little too much fluff and image for me. If I want a genuine Marvel Family feel from a comic, I'll stick with 52 and hope that Black Adam and the gang get their own title sooner or later. At least that cast has adapted to a more serious modern age tone while maintaining some semblance of the Marvel Family legacy.