The Shazam! Archives, Vol. 2 (DC Archive Editions) [Hardcover]

DC Comics (Author)

Book Description

Series: Shazam! Archives | Publication Date: July 1, 1999

Given powers by an ancient and mysterious wizard, boy reporter Billy Batson need only say the word Shazam and he is transformed into the powerful adult hero Captain Marvel. Reprinting the early 1940s tales of the World's Mightiest Mortal, this beautiful book includes classic stories in which Captain Marvel battles the heavyweight boxing champion and his super-intelligent gorilla companion, breaks up a murderous gambling ring, investigates curious occurrences at a haunted house, fights a deadly ancient vampire, breaks up a cattle rustling ring, meets his match in a robotic adversary and fights his hypnotized ally Spy Smasher.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 232 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563895218
• ISBN-13: 978-1563895210
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 0.6 x 10.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,335,079 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More classic Captain Marvel!, January 20, 2003

By 

Blake Petit "Novelist, columnist & reviewer" (Ama, Louisiana United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Shazam! Archives, Vol. 2 (DC Archive Editions) (Hardcover)

Like its predecessor, this volume is an excellent look into the history of the original Captain Marvel. By saying the magic word "Shazam," boy reporter Bill Batson is transformed into the world's mightiest mortal. In this book, Captain Marvel battles aliens, robots, vampires and a fellow defender of justice who has fallen under mind control.

The last story in this book is where we start to see some of the humor and tongue-in-cheek superheroics that would become the trademark of Captain Marvel. That's not to say it doesn't have its other highlights, though. There are four stories here done by the legendary team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby -- and while they are distinctly different from the Bill Parker/CC Beck/Otto Binder Cap, they're still good.

Of particular note is the seven-part serial collected in its entirety in this volume, in which Cap's "Whiz Comics" co-star, Spy Smasher, becomes hypnotized by the insidious Mask and begins a violent vendetta against America. Cap is called upon to battle his fellow defender of liberty in a story that took up the serials of both heroes for four issues of Whiz, one of the earliest comic book crossovers. It's a crying shame the author of this great story is listed as "unknown." I can't wait for volume three.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beck at his best, November 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Shazam! Archives, Vol. 2 (DC Archive Editions) (Hardcover)

Charles Clarence Beck,and all who followed,drew a Captain Marvel who could be taken seriously-yet had a truly humorous side as well.Captain Marvel's early adventures were true superheroic action with a hero who knew what to do and how to do it!

Captain Marvel was the best-selling hero of the 1940s-and the reason can be found here by those who are willing to be transported to a simpler time when good and evil were basic.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Collection, January 4, 2000

By 

Zack Davisson "japanreviewed" (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Shazam! Archives, Vol. 2 (DC Archive Editions) (Hardcover)

The Shazam Archives Vol.2 presents some historic Captain Marvel tales, including Special Edition #1, Captain Marvel Adventures #1, and the Spy Smasher crossover in Whiz. The whole archive has some very different takes on Captain Marvel, with Jack Kirby artwork on Adventures #1 and a more realistic approach in the Spy Smasher series. While not quite as light-hearted as most Captain Marvel, the archives is very enjoyable and a great addition to any collection.