JUSTICE LEAGUE #0

[ SHAZAM FOR SALE ] 

Get ready for the power of Shazam! It's taut like a cheap can of spam. You know the meat product, right? It looks like a duck and taste like sh*te? When its ready for some wham-bam-bam! Well, that's what these guys told me. Writer: Geoff Johns; Artists: Gary Frank and Ethan Van Sciver; plus Publisher: DC Comics in October 2012.

So what’s the STORY morning glory?

Magic is a rather ying / yang entity if you think about it. Well, if you are the last living member of the 'Council of Wizards', it can leave you searching for a savoir for your chosen cause. Though if you are the impish and fruitful Billy Batson on the other hand, it can turn you in the worlds mightiest mortal, 'Captain Hoodie', as seen in this issue called 'SHAZAM!'.

• Granted, it did take Billy some persuading to get this pug-faced old git to give him these powers. And even then he was only spurned to do so because Black Adam is causing a right ruckus elsewhere.
• Still, the damage is done now -- POW! -- just like the damage Billy does after he tells Freddy what's happened to him, to his bearded nemesis's car.
• It could be worse though! He could be 'pimping' his heroism out for beer money too.

D'Oh!

Meanwhile, in the back-up feature, the 'Wizard' and Pandora have a short tête-à-tête about the fate of the universe.

To be continued...

What is the most memorable SENTENCE OR CONVERSATION spoken in this issue?

Now I really dug the scene were the Wizard was explaining to Captain Marvel about his definition of the word 'family'. It was as if what he was saying will foreshadow Billy's time ahead, especially that part where he says to him 'Family is what it can be... not what it should be. That is your secret spell, your ultimate power'.

Well, doesn't that sound like a new 'Marvel Family' coming soon to you?

What was the BEST thing about this issue?

Even though it may sound somewhat trite, I have to say that the best thing about this issue was this issue itself. It was just magical from beginning to end, and justified in a rather subtle way, why this 'new Billy' is the way he is, plus this new take on 'Captain Marvel' as well.

What was the WORST thing about this issue?

My one small miniscule gripe with this adventure was that I couldn't feel the Wizards desperation when he reluctantly gave Billy his powers. It was as if he said to himself 'Oh dear! I've been here for too long now, so I might as well give the power to this punk kid because talked back to me'.

See what I mean? It's only a small gripe though.

What was the most CREATIVE thing about this issue?

STORY: There were three new innovations in this yarn that I thought were really great additions to Billy's origin story. Firstly, Billy has to now say the word 'Shazam' with some emotional conviction for it to actually work. Secondly, I like the fact that Cap and electricity don't seem to get along together. And thirdly, I loved that scene were Cap saves the girl and asks her for some money afterwards.

Very original and very intriguing concepts for the future, I'm sure you'll agree.

ART: WOW! How can anybody fault the art in this issue? Both Gary and Ethan have very distinct styles that can make the mundane feel magical. I just hope other artists take note of what they've done on this book -- bringing freshness to life.  My personally favorite picture would have to be the 'Captain Marvel unveil', as well as that whole introductory sequence with the magical artifacts in the cave.

Brilliant. Just brilliant.

If you had to CAST TWO CHARACTERS in this comic book, who would they be and why?

CAPTAIN MARVEL: I'm going to go all oriental in this version of casting call. Because since I first saw Hapkido practitioner, Han Jae Ji, in the film 'Game of Death', I thought that he looked like a Chinese version of 'The Worlds Mightiest Mortal' straight away. 

THE WIZARD: Also, when I first saw this new aboriginal wizard, I thought "Ha! Yuen Siu-tien from Jackie Chan's 'Drunken Master', one hundred percent'.

If this issue had a MOVIE TAG LINE, what would it be?

SHAZAM On Your Ass Mo-Fo! This New Billy Is No Silly Willy. Word!

If this issue were a MOVIE, an OBJECT, or a piece of MUSIC, what would that be and why? 

In essence, this tale is about the wrong man for the job, becoming the right man for the job. Something on the same lines as 'National Security' perhaps? Just without the buddy-comedy angle and an awful lot better.

FINAL thoughts...

Now I've purposefully failed to mention the back-up feature within my b*llsh*t, because I want to talk about it here.

You see, it's starting to feel obvious to me that something is going on behind the scenes in the DCnU at the moment, entailing Pandora, magic, Stormwatch, and whatever the fate of the pre-DCnU really was.

Did you see those speaking magical artifacts at the beginning of this issue? One looked like a Green Lantern power ring. One looked like the Engineer. One was a knight's Armour. And let's not forget about that box Pandora wants opened as well.

It appears that the heroes of the DC Universe are going to go on a treasure hunt together, one that could be associated with Stormwatch's mysterious plans.

Shazam Vs Stormwatch? Justice League Vs Justice League of America? Oh! Too much? Or too little?

MARKS out of 10? 9