Customer Reviews

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

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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.

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.

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.

This set of Archives is perfect for any collecter of the Origional Captian Marvel. They go through the first set of comics that were published in WHIZ Comics back in the late 1930's. See his first meeting with old Shazam, and his battles with the evil Dr. Sivana. Great collectors Item!