It’s time to begin Connected Content!!! I am excited to begin this journey and thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this mini-series. As we move on into the weeks the challenge will be real. Remember!!! Some weeks will be Easy Peasy and other weeks will take more work. This week we read Shazam! The New Beginnings which is a retcon following Crisis on Infinite Earths. This origin story is though noticably different from the upcoming movie though. Hopefully, you saw enough of the core dynamic between Billy and Sivana as well as Billy and his Uncle as well as lots of heart. Next week is Shazam! Power of Hope #1-8 which will be a lot of reading but hopefully you enjoy the series!! Remember the fast pacing is in order to get to the end of Power of Hope before the movie comes out. Afterword we will focus on, Swamp Thing with slower paced reading.
The New Beginnings #1
#1. Billy Batson becomes Captain Marvel as a result of mistakes that he made. This sense of being tricked and taken advantage of permeates the book. In the court scene, Billy is just a child and can’t decide with whom he wanted to go to. With Sivana, he’s just there for insurance money. This sense of being taken advantage of is something that gives Billy a reason why Captain Marvel is who he wants to be. He can be an adult now and take matters into his own hands.
Discussion Question for Issue #1
- In Shazam! The upcoming movie, Billy finds himself in a foster family who seems to support him first. How might this change the dynamic of the movie?
- What aspects of this opening would you like to see of this in the upcoming movie especially knowing Black Adam will not be in the movie?
- Is Sivana compelling yet or just evil?
#2. Billy Batson begins to use Shazam! To get into places he can’t go as a kid starting with R rated movies. His connection to his Uncle becomes significantly more interesting. Yet, Captain Marvel has the wisdom of Solomon. Is what he’s doing wisdom? Maybe but it’s probably more desire which I think fuels Batson the most. He desires to be a hero and wants to good, but when being a hero is tough his desire wanes in favor of “wisdom.”
- Billy calls Black Adam a Blackie. Remember this is post civil rights. Is his use of the word show he is somewhat racist, or is it just a sign of the times?
- What desires does Billy seem to have in the trailers?
- Is Billy being wise we he follows his desires?
#3. Billy Batson discovers who Black Adam is. Interestingly Black Adam is an egyptian mythology version of Captain Marvel who is Greek Mythology based. He’s a hero turned villian but was he ever a hero? By starting out as an adult soldier and then becoming the most powerful person in Egypt he quickly realizes how evil he can become.
- Is Black Adam in that sense truly an equivalent/ nemesis to Captain Marvel or is he something more?
- Can Captain Marvel become evil and if not, what elements of Captain Marvel separate him from Shazam.
- Billy Batson has a couple of smaller moments where he’s a kid but is he better off as a kid? Will he always he downgraded for being to Young.
#4. Billy Batson nearly about to be sent into limbo, manages to win after Black Adam and Sivana bicker. In the end, Black Adam is sent back to Limbo, Sivana escapes, and Billy becomes famous.
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Billy risks his life to stop Black Adam. Is Billy a hero without Shazam’s powers?
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Billy and his Uncle have a compelling relationship. Is Sivana compelling now?
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Billy becomes famous, is that what we needed to be taken seriously or is Shazam still what allows Billy to make people take him seriously?
Overall questions
What makes Shazam shine? Is it the relationships? The humor? The characters? Or something else?
What aspects of this do you want to see in the upcoming movie?
Anything in the trailer that is similar it inspired by this miniseries?
If you have any questions or thoughts other than the above of course add them!!!
And of course as I always say to conclude post(I don’t)
Shazam!