Shazam's Animated Tie-In

A couple months ago, when I did my Flashback Friday on Isis, I talked briefly about how the 70s Shazam! comic was suddenly marketed as a DC TV comic even though it "isn't connected to the Shazam! animated series at all".

I was wrong.

Turns out, once the book became a DC TV comic, it was actually very strongly tied to the show. I'll explain.

See, when DC decided to launch a new Captain Marvel series in December 1972, they made it a continuation of his original series...which hadn't been published in 20 years. There are ways of doing that and having it work, but sales suggest whatever they did didn't work.

Luckily, a Shazam! tv series debuted in 1974 and it was a huge hit. Like many shows in the 70s, it involved Billy Batson travelling to a new town each episode and dealing with whatever trouble was there. Since he was still a minor, he was accompanied by an original character called Mentor, and they travelled together in a Captain Marvel-branded RV.

In Shazam! #25 (August 1976), Dr. Sivana threatens to attack a bunch of American cities. Billy doesn't know how he can protect all those cities since he has a job in New York, but luckily, his boss gets the idea to send Billy on a cross-country trip.

In Shazam! #26 (October 1976), several things of note happen. First, it's pointed out that Uncle Dudley grew a mustache and Billy's hair is getting longer, making them both look more like the leads in the show:

Second, the wizard Shazam tasks them with travelling across the country, and Shazam says Dudley needs to be like Mentor, the mythological character. (I find it interesting that Billy's boss had the idea to send him across the country but Shazam is carrying it out. Is Shazam secretly the manager of WHIZ?!)

Third, Shazam gives Billy a device called the Eterni-Phone to summon one of the people that make up the SHAZAM acronym (Solomon, Hercules, Achilles, Zeus, Atlas, and Mercury). This is based on a device in the show that performs the same function.

Finally, WHIZ-TV gives Billy an RV that strangely has the Captain Marvel lightning bolt on the front. (I'm telling you: Sterling Morris and Shazam are the same person.)

Interestingly, in the very same issue that moves the book to tie so closely to the tv show, there's also a reference to a recent team-up Captain Marvel had with the Justice League and Justice Society with a footnote to the relevant issues. More evidence to support my stance that DC TV comics are in continuity despite the title.

Flashback Friday: John Malcolm

Each Friday, I take one of the entries from my old Super Posts and expand it into its own featured article.

This week: John Malcolm!

John Malcolm is an archaeologist and the leader of the Malcolm Expedition in The Adventures of Captain Marvel serial (March 1941). The goal of the Malcolm Expedition was to find the Scorpion Machine and keep it out of the hands of the villain, the Scorpion.

His first appearance in print was Captain Marvel Adventures #2 (Summer 1941). It doesn't really count, but I'll mention it anyway. For one thing, he was called JAMES Malcolm. Normally that's not a deal breaker, but the more important reason it doesn't count is that it's simply a text adaptation of the first chapter of the serial - and specifically mentions the serial, so they're not even pretending this story is about the comics version of Captain Marvel.

His first actual comics appearance was as John Malcolm in Whiz Comics #22 (July 1941), which was something of a sequel to the serial. In the story, "Capt. Marvel and the Temple of Itzalotahui", Malcolm gets captured on an expedition to South America, so Whitey Murphy enlists the help of Billy Batson/Captain Marvel to rescue him.

To my knowledge, that's the only time he's appeared. But it's not the only time he's been mentioned. In Power of Shazam! #24 (January 1997), Spy Smasher tells Billy and Mary Batson a story about the Scorpion Machine, and Billy mentions that it was recovered by the Malcolm Expedition.

What I find most interesting about this is that most serials didn't have any sort of real impact on their comics. There are a few one-off examples here and there, but nothing major. Captain America never became a lawyer, for instance. But for whatever reason, The Adventures of Captain Marvel did, in several respects. I can't speak to why that is, but I find it fascinating.

Flashback Friday: Isis

Each Friday, I take one of the entries from my old Super Posts and expand it into its own featured article.

This week: Isis!

Isis is a strange one because I'm not entirely sure how she's possible. But I suppose I should explain who she is first. See, Isis first appeared in the 1975 Filmation tv series, The Secrets of Isis, which was the second half of The Shazam!/Isis Hour.

The show was about a schoolteacher named Andrea Thomas, who discovered an amulet that she can use to harness the powers of the Egyptian goddess, Isis. As part of the Shazam!/Isis Hour, and probably because they have similar power origins, although I'm not sure whether that was a coincidence, the two characters crossed over frequently, with Isis appearing on three episodes of Shazam! and Captain Marvel appearing on three episodes of The Secrets of Isis.

An animated version of her later appeared in a very short-lived show called The Freedom Force (1978), which teamed up Isis with Hercules - from the Filmation animated series The Space Sentinels - to put together an international team of heroes. In addition to them, the team featured Merlin, Sinbad, and a character named Super Samurai. The whole thing lasted five episodes. The internet also claims she appeared in an episode of the animated series Hero High (the second half of The Shazam! Superpower Hour), but I can't find proof of that.

Isis's first comics appearance was, fittingly, Shazam! #25 (July 1976), but here's where the first bit of strangeness comes in: it's marked as a DC TV comic. DC TV comics were bizarre comics in the 70s of dubious canonicity. They were clearly marked tie-ins to tv shows, but written in a way that doesn't contradict the comic book universe. As an example of how strange they could be, Shazam! was an ongoing comic book series with no relation to the show. This DC TV comic issue was just dropped in the middle of the run, and afterward it's marketed as a DC TV for the rest of its run, but still isn't connected to either Shazam! show at all. All of that is to say that Isis is kind of an Earth-S character and kind of not. (See the Wonder Twins and the Global Guardians for more examples of this oddity.)

Isis then received her own series, The Mighty Isis, that began in September 1976 and ran for eight issues. All eight of them were marked as DC TV comics, so is this the same Isis that appeared in Shazam! #25, or a completely different one? As far as I know, there are no Captain Marvel appearances in the series, and no DC references at all...though the letters page does suggest - but doesn't state outright - that Isis's amulet was created by the wizard Shazam.

In 52 #3 (May 2006), DC introduced a character named Adrianna Tomaz, an Egyptian refugee who was brought to Black Adam as a slave. He killed her captors and freed her, and she helped convince him that he could be doing more good in the world. In return, he retrieved the Amulet of Isis, and in #12 (July 2006), he asked the wizard Shazam to confer the amulet's powers onto Adrianna, giving her the ability to transform into Isis. Adrianna Tomaz is obviously named after Andrea Thomas, and the series established that the Amulet's original owner, Hatshepsut, was one of Shazam's previous champions.

Here's where the strangeness really kicks in: DC DOESN'T OWN ISIS. Isis is a Filmation character. DC doesn't own Filmation. Warner Bros. doesn't own Filmation. How can they use her? Are they just skirting trademarks by the fact that Isis and Hatshepsut are historical characters in the public domain? Is the white dress generic enough that it's not actionable? Can they get by the transformation by the fact that Captain Marvel did it first?

I can't prove it, but I think DC got in trouble over it, and here's why. Less than a year after she was introduced, she was killed off, basically for good. Adrianna Tomaz later appeared in the New 52, in Justice League of America #7.4: Black Adam (September 2013), but she wasn't Isis and she hasn't been seen since.

She's appeared in adaptations, but those are peculiar too. The first one was in the Smallville episode, "Isis" (October 2010). In it, Lois Lane finds the amulet of Isis and transforms into a superhero very similar to the Isis we know. Notably, a character named Adrianna also appears in the episode, but has little to do with Isis - she's in charge of the exhibit that includes the amulet, but that's about it.

The character also appears in Legends of Tomorrow (first appearing in the episode "Zari", October 2017), but you'd be forgiven for not realizing it. Although she has the amulet, her name in this continuity is Zari Tomaz (though Adrianna is given as a middle name) and she doesn't transform or use the name Isis...but she does wear a much more modest version of the Isis costume as a Halloween costume in the episode "Phone Home" (October 2017).

So yeah, it seems like DC has to be very careful about how they use her, but they were still able to get into the comics universe, even for a brief time!

Flashback Friday: The Scorpion Machine

Each Friday, I take one of the entries from my old Super Posts and expand it into its own featured article.

This week: The Scorpion Machine!

Way back in the long ago, when Shazam was still called Captain Marvel, he was the most popular superhero. So he got the first superhero serial, The Adventures of Captain Marvel, in 1941. The plot involved a criminal mastermind called The Scorpion trying to find an artifact called the Scorpion Machine that could supposedly turn sunlight into gold. It’s a serial so there’s a lot more to it than that, but that’s the gist.

The Scorpion Machine makes its comics debut in The Power Of Shazam #24 (January 1997) as part of a story Spy Smasher is telling Billy and Mary Batson. In the story, Spy Smasher enlisted the help of their dad to help him find a machine called The Scorpion that was originally found by the Malcolm Expedition, which Batson’s father (Billy’s grandfather) was a part of. It was lost for a time and then turned up again, and Spy Smasher wanted to keep it out of Nazis’ hands.

Unfortunately that was the only time we saw it, but DC loves referencing that serial. Look up Whitey Murphy for another example!

Flashback Friday: Whitey Murphy

Each Friday, I take one of the entries from my old Super Posts and expand it into its own featured article.

This week: “Whitey” Murphy!

It’s hard to believe now, but there was a time when Captain Marvel was the most popular superhero in the world. Even more popular than Superman. But it’s true! And all you need to look at to realize that is a list of comic book film adaptations, because you’ll see that first in the list is The Adventures of Captain Marvel. (Though, to be fair, Superman was already on the radio by this time.)

The Adventures of Captain Marvel is a 12-part Republic serial released in March 1941. Like many adaptations of the time - and still today, who are we kidding - it played fast and loose with the established mythology. Billy Batson is still a young reporter (though not a kid; more like a teen or young adult) and he still gets the power to turn into Captain Marvel from the wizard Shazam, but everything else is original.

One of those original elements is “Whitey” Murphy, a companion of Billy’s and fellow member of the Malcolm Expedition.

Whitey made his first comics appearance in Whiz Comics #22 (July 1941) in the story “Captain Marvel and the Temple of Itsalotahui”, a sequel to The Adventures of Captain Marvel. Strangely, it seems as though the expedition was real, but they also made a movie during it. So how much of the movie actually happened in this world? I’m not entirely sure.

Whitey became a recurring character in the comics, such as this bit in Captain Marvel Adventures #12 (March 1942) when he gets a promotion in the Army.

Eventually, Fawcett Comics folded and their superhero characters were licensed and then bought outright by DC Comics.So in Shazam! #15 (October 1974), he makes his DC debut...or so the DC Wiki claims. The only character I could find who might be Whitey is this guy...

...and not only is he never named, he doesn't even have white hair. Shazam! #26 (October 1976) is a more concrete first appearance.

He continued to make a few more sporadic appearances, with his last being in 1981. But is this really the last we've seen of him? With the new Shazam! movie coming out later this year, there's no telling what kind of bump Shazam will get, nor can we know which of his supporting characters will come along for the ride. We may see Whitey again sooner than you think!

Kingdom Come Spotlight: Mister Scarlet

I try to avoid cross-comic canon immigrants when I can, but I set the precedent by including Kingdom Come ones on this site, so I guess I have to continue. As a compromise, however, I will post these and any future ones like these on Saturdays.

If you're not familiar with Kingdom Come, it's about a future of the DC Universe and how older versions of the current heroes we know clash with the new generation of heroes. The whole thing was basically a satire of 90s superheroes compared to Silver Age superheroes, and it was very successful, both critically and commercially.

Nearly every character who appeared in it got a new design of some sort, and for the most part, the designs fell into one of a few categories:

1) A design that combines aspects of multiple identities of the character to make it unclear which identity it was. Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkman are examples of this kind.

2) A design that combines multiple separate superheroes as certain heroes take on new identities. Red Arrow and Red Robin are examples of this kind.

3) A design that plays on the trends of modern superheroes. Magog and Kid Flash are examples of this kind.

4) Minor tweaks. Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman are examples of this kind.

Mister Scarlet definitely falls into #3.

Mister Scarlet was a superhero originally published by Fawcett Comics, along with Captain Marvel. He was essentially a Batman knockoff, complete with utility belt and kid sidekick, but he had the interesting gimmick that he was too good at his job. Despite being an attorney, he frequently had to find side gigs because of the lack of crime!

In Kingdom Come, a new Mister Scarlet appears. Although his look is partially derived from the fin on the original Mister Scarlet's cowl, I don't think it's a stretch to say that this Scarlet was more closely based on Image's Savage Dragon.

A Mister Scarlet looking just like this one made a brief appearance in Justice League of America #21 (December 2017).

Thanks to Thomas Parks for telling me about this one!

The Final 52 Shake-Up!

This is it: The New 52 is finally over! DC Rebirth #1 comes out today, which means DC's Five Years of Nonsense is officially at a close. Missing characters have returned, missing relationships have returned, missing teams have returned, and all of the characters look and feel like themselves again. I haven't decided yet whether I should replace the "52 Shake Up" tag with a "Reborn" one (although there's already one character - Jackson Hyde - that I could use it on), but that'll work itself out in time.

The point of this post is to close out the New 52 with a bookend of sorts. Two years ago, I created the first 52 Shake Up post to highlight all the canon immigrants that were kept around during the reboot. I've made several more posts since then, and in some cases the definition has expanded to include already existing characters that the New 52 changed radically enough to match adaptations that they basically became canon immigrants. But there are several more I missed, so I'll close out this era with an article dedicated to them.

The Riddler maintains his suit and bowler from the 60s show. Batman #23.2 (September 2013) is one example:

Killer Croc maintains his true reptilian-ness, instead of just having a skin condition. Batman and Robin #23.4 (September 2013) is one example:

Alfred continues to have raised Bruce after the Waynes died. This example is taken from Batman #49 (February 2016):

The Hall of Justice appeared in Justice League International #1 (September 2011).

The Global Guardians were mentioned in Justice League International Annual #1 (August 2012). I'm not aware of their formation ever coming to pass.

Adrianna Tomaz appears in Justice League of America #7.4 (September 2013), which sets her up to become Isis. As far as I know, this never came to pass, either.

John Stewart still has a military background, as evidenced by this cover to Green Lantern Corps #25 (November 2013):

Captain Marvel Not-So-Super Post!

Part 3 of our Not-So-Super Posts: Captain Marvel. (Fun Fact: Nearly all of these come from the Adventures of Captain Marvel serial, which is so old it actually has his name in it!)


John Malcolm

"Whitey" Murphy

Dr. Stephen Lang

Dr. Lang is a member of the Malcolm Expedition in The Adventures of Captain Marvel serial (March 1941) and appears in an adaptation of the first chapter of said serial in Captain Marvel Adventures #2 (Summer 1941).

Professor Luther Bentley

Prof. Bentley is a member of the Malcolm Expedition in The Adventures of Captain Marvel serial (March 1941) and appears in an adaptation of the first chapter of said serial in Captain Marvel Adventures #2 (Summer 1941).

Betty Wallace

Betty Wallace is a member of the Malcolm Expedition in The Adventures of Captain Marvel serial (March 1941) and appears in an adaptation of the first chapter of said serial in Captain Marvel Adventures #2 (Summer 1941).

Isis

The Scorpion Machine