Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil by Jeff Smith

Who hasn’t dreamt of being a superhero? I have, and to be honest I still do. Yes, I am 29 and I daydream about being a superhero. But it’s all good because it only takes up like 75% of my day. I think I sleep and eat that other 25%… and work… and family… and read… and video games. How do I fit 150% of stuff in a 100% day?

Jeff Smith, the creator of Bone, has produced a wonderful new spin on the Captain Marvel mythos. Billy Batson is a young homeless boy who is called upon by the ancient wizard Shazam to be a force of good in the world. By saying a magic word, (Shazam!), he turns into the mighty superhero Captain Marvel. Although he has similar powers to Superman, I believe he is far superior because he has the heart and the outlook of a child. These new powers of Billy’s are put to the test when he comes up against the villains of Mr. Mind (an intelligent worm) and Dr. Sivana (a super genius that happens to be the Director of Homeland Security). He does have help along the way. He guide for this journey is the talking tiger Talky Tawny and his little sister who shares his powers Mary Marvel. He can also rely on the ghost of the wizard Shazam who resides in the Rock of Eternity (which is located before space and time!).

I really enjoyed this for a variety of reasons. First off Jeff Smith’s art is astounding. A color comic has never looked this good. I was entranced by how he drew the ideas from the book from many different religious traditions, while making everything entirely accessible to readers of any age. Another aspect of the book is how great the characters are. They all have internal struggles, that are externally expressed with great dramatic effect. Billy as Captain Marvel is at once a kid and an adult and must balance the two. Mary Marvel is a six year old girl with powers to match her brother, but she never loses her sense of fun. This book has great depth but yet is still relevant for the young or young at heart. Smith also adds in references to the our own world, our fear of terrorism and how our government has reacted. Although this could have been very preachy it really adds a new flavor to the story, and I think it works well as a representation of how a child would respond to the world we live in.

All in all, this is a fun read. If you like Bone, if you like superheroes, you’ll love this. Highly recommended for all ages.

Posted under a librarian reads