Comic Info
Comic Name: Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Jeff Smith
Artist: Jeff Smith
# of Issues: 4
Release Date: 2012
Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil #2
Reprints Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil #1-4 (April 2007-July 2007). Billy Batson is trying to survive on his own in the city. When Billy is led into the subway by a mysterious stranger, he ends up on the Rock of Eternity where the Wizard grants him with the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury…all Billy has to do is say the magic word SHAZAM and he’s Captain Marvel. Being big doesn’t stop Billy from being curious and his curiosity could get Billy in trouble. When Billy accidentally unleashes a force called Mr. Mind on Earth, Billy, his sister Mary, and his friend Tawky Tawny must stop Mr. Mind and the evil profiteer named Dr. Sivana.
Written and illustrated by Jeff Smith, Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil is Smith’s follow-up to his run on Bone. It was a four issue prestige series by DC and has been collected in an affordable hardback edition with extras.
I love Jeff Smith and I love Captain Marvel so this was an obvious for me. Jeff Smith’s art has a sort of innocent simplicity to it that fits perfect with the rosy world of Captain Marvel (who of course due to famous legal wrangling is sometimes just called Shazam…ugh). Smith brings his skills to the series and with great coloring, it is like Bone meets DC. The story couldn’t look any better and he also has a lot of fun with the old style art combined with newer technology (even the issue titles are in “The Monster Society Code” and need to be decoded by the faithful readers). I also like how Smith modified Billy’s standard red shirt to reflect a bit of Phoney Bone by having a big star on it.
Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil #3
The story of Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil combines a lot of classic elements of the Captain Marvel origin along with his famous showdown with Mr. Mind. Smith writes it in a way that shows he’s also a fan of the classic series. I loved the Jerry Ordway The Power of Shazam series so I felt like the retread was maybe a bit unnecessary, but it doesn’t mean it isn’t fun. The problem I do have with the story is that since it is divided into four big issues, I expected more near the end of the series. The first two issues which introduce Captain Marvel and then Mary Marvel are quite fun, but issues three and four seem to drag a little and the final showdown with Mr. Mind isn’t all that thrilling (though I do like the giant Captain Marvel). I really wish that Smith had continued to do this series instead of Rasl which I’ve had even more issues with.
Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil is fun for everyone. Some younger readers might find the story a little slow compared to other more modern comics, but also some of the “homeless Billy” portions of the story are rather intense. Check out Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil…now if I could only find a font to allow me to do the lightning bolt exclamation point, I’d be in business.
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