Frank Discusses Working with Johns, "Shazam" & "Batman: Earth One"

[CBR News]

Artist Gary Frank spoke with CBR News about his and Geoff Johns "The Curse Of Shazam" backup story in "Justice League," as well as his "Earth One" and "Smallville" work.


Full article here.

[nightwing1982]

I much as I enjoy is art, pass on both. Another re-telling of Batman...been there done that so many times. As for CAPTAIN MARVEL, I'm just displeased on how DC just mucked-up this character.

[chastmastr]

I've never, ever encountered anyone who thought that "Shazam" was the name of the character in the red suit with the lightning bolt. And for goodness' sake, he's been appearing in Young Justice under the traditional name, so readers who are attracted to DC because of their vaunted new "DC Nation" Cartoon Network block are already going to know that name.

I'd honestly have vastly preferred the team from Flashpoint, or some version thereof, to what this sounds like.

And we never even got a real resolution to the Shazam-related storyline pre-Flashpoint...

[Fan-El]

I agree. No one thinks his name is "Shazam." BTW, this new look is more contemporary? It looks more old fashioned to me than his regular costume. The original concept is great. This? Not so much.

[chastmastr]

Well, at least we'll (hopefully) have the "real" version in Multiversity...

[CagedLeo730]

I agree. No one thinks his name is "Shazam." BTW, this new look is more contemporary? It looks more old fashioned to me than his regular costume. The original concept is great. This? Not so much.

It's a fallacy to say no one. More like no one you know. I've already read more than a handful of people on this board alone who were confused.

[CagedLeo730]

I've never, ever encountered anyone who thought that "Shazam" was the name of the character in the red suit with the lightning bolt. And for goodness' sake, he's been appearing in Young Justice under the traditional name, so readers who are attracted to DC because of their vaunted new "DC Nation" Cartoon Network block are already going to know that name.

I'd honestly have vastly preferred the team from Flashpoint, or some version thereof, to what this sounds like.

And we never even got a real resolution to the Shazam-related storyline pre-Flashpoint...

DC Comics have no say what the TV division does. It was never their call.
As for pre-Flashpoint, be happy that Eric Wallace never got his hands on them. Have you read Mr. Terrific? It's really bad.

[Name Already Taken]

Looks interesting. Despite how Geoff handles writings of various characters and consolidating their differing origins, he made/reinvented Hal Jordan very well. The same applies to The Justice Society, Barry Allen as Flash, and even Aquaman (which I would have sworn no one could do). If there is one thing he does fairly well, it is consolidating and reintroducing characters that might fall by the way side in DC. I still think there are other writers that could turn a magic Superman-clone into something far more interesting, especially considering the DCU Dark titles, like Morrison or Milligan, but this looks like a straight shot to reintroduce him into the new proper.

[Global Honored]

I think it is fairly common that when people see Capt. Marvel the first thing they think is the word "Shazam" and many who know little else about the character do just refer to him as simply Shazam. We educated CBR regulars of course understand the difference and also likely understand the legalities behind the Capt. Marvel namesake. New readers likely will just embrace the Shazam name, not a big stretch for older fans either. Better than not having a book at all, IMO.

As for Frank on art...oh yes! Johns/Franks made Action Comics a gorgeous and enthralling read, hope they turn on the magic again here.

Really like the teaser art for Frank's Batman too. Will pick it up even if it is just another origin re-telling, for the pretty art alone.

[chastmastr]

Better than not having a book at all, IMO.

I'm not sure about that. Depending on how the writing is, it might be better to have the character remain in limbo, or just appear as an occasional guest-star, than get messed up. I'm hoping Johns' writing of this will be more like his writing of JSA than the first six issues of Justice League.

[theXfactor]

Nice to see Mary and Black Adam will appear, I was a little worried they'd be ignored like Wally West.

[Celestin]

In other news - Marvel is finally planing to publish new Marvelman/Miracleman stories. To avoid any possible confusion they decided to change his name into Kimota.

[Flashpoint]

Looks interesting. Despite how Geoff handles writings of various characters and consolidating their differing origins, he made/reinvented Hal Jordan very well. The same applies to The Justice Society, Barry Allen as Flash, and even Aquaman (which I would have sworn no one could do). If there is one thing he does fairly well, it is consolidating and reintroducing characters that might fall by the way side in DC. I still think there are other writers that could turn a magic Superman-clone into something far more interesting, especially considering the DCU Dark titles, like Morrison or Milligan, but this looks like a straight shot to reintroduce him into the new proper.

Best post so far in this thread. Thank you for being so darn levelheaded about this--and you nailed it. "A magic Superman-clone"--that's the reason they won the lawsuit. He was a copy of Superman. While many of us may have grown up with him as a magic Superman clone, there is no irrefutable reason why he should stay that way simply to conform to our youthful memories or our nostalgic feelings.

Fans complain constantly that DC as one of the Big Two is overly resistant to change and constantly putting things back that should be left alone--like letting Barry stay dead and have Wally keep the mantle he inherited. Once again, we're getting change and evolution in a franchise and fans are now switching tactics slamming it based on the fact that the costume added a hood. Or that he's standing in shadows so they leap to the illogical conclusion that now Shazam is grim N gritty.

Seriously, it is ridiculous watching people overreact to this. In this day and age, the only place for a Big Red Cheese is on supermarket shelves with The Laughing Cow label slapped on the side. What worked as whimsical and silly in the Forties or Fifties is seen as dorky and dated now. DC did bring back Barry Allen, but they wised up with the New 52 ditching anachronisms like the bow ties. Keep the core elements, but make adjustments along the way to keep up with changing tastes.

And for all the kvetching about Geoff's update of Shazam, I'm more than a little surprised no one so far has noted one very, very salient and hugely significant quote from Gary Frank...

CBR: Are you also getting a chance to redesign supporting cast and extended Shazam family members like Tawky Tawny or Mary?

GARY FRANK: I am, yes. The family is getting a makeover but the idea of "family" is so central to the story that we couldn't possibly leave it out. And you'll see Mr. Tawky Tawny in Chapter Two in "Justice League" #8 (sort of).

Yes, boys and girls, both Mary Marvel and Tawky Tawny are *in* the story.
Yes, "family is so central to the story that we couldn't possibly leave it out."
Yes, Billy Batson is back in his classic red sweater and no, he's not now a Harry Potter clone that wears glasses as shown in the preview page where he's surrounded by family.

I can understand hating the hood because it changes the costume or disliking the shadowy setting of the preview image. But I cannot understand being so obstinate and bullheaded as to refuse to acknowledge the majority of classic elements are all still there and are *not* being removed or turned dark and depressing. You got Billy Batson, Mary Marvel, Tawky Tawny and most likely the entire Marvel Family all coming back in a story that is serious without being grim n gritty.

It is unreasonable and unfair to malign the parts you dislike without acknowledging all the good parts they kept in effort to remain true to the central core of the concept.

This looks better and better the more I see it. If others can't see that, I'll lend them my glasses--or they should get their prescription updated.

[Flashpoint]

It's a fallacy to say no one. More like no one you know. I've already read more than a handful of people on this board alone who were confused.

Quoted for truth. I have friends who can't tell the difference between The Flash and Captain America. Whether we like it or not, I think it's safe to say 90% of the world doesn't read comics and have no idea that Shazam was a wizard and not the hero. We do because we're part of a small, fringe audience. We can't expect DC to market things only to us; they've got to go for the widest name recognition and brand familiarity with average, non-comics reading consumers.

[CrazyOldHermit]

The only reason you don't hear people saying "Captain Marvel? Don't you mean "Shazam?" is because nobody cares about Captain Marvel or even knows who he is. Its like saying people don't think Frankenstein's monster is called "Frankenstein", or think the shark in Jaws is named "Jaws".