***Record scratch***
So, today was supposed to be the final ‘preamble’ to “52” installment of this column. But a number of my Multiversity responsibilities have crashed into each other. Two of the events I was to cover, “Day of Judgment” and “Infinite Crisis,” will be covered in great detail in a few weeks on the DC3cast. So, instead of double dipping, I was going to jump right into “52.” But that, too, is on the DC3cast docket for later this summer. So, I decided to eschew the big events for now, and dive right into “The Trials of Shazam,” the 12-issue maxi-series from Judd Winick and Howard Porter that recast Freddie Freeman as the ‘main’ Marvel family member, with Billy in the Rock of Eternity and Mary, temporarily, off the table in a coma. Let’s dig right in.
Written by Judd WinickCover by Howard Porter
Illustrated and colored by Howard Porter
Lettered by Rob LeighThe world is in magical turmoil as Captain Marvel tries to keep everything under control in the aftermath of the events of DAY OF VENGEANCE. And with the rest of the Marvel Family powerless, it’s all up to him-unless some drastic changes occur fast. Luckily, everything changes by this issue’s end!
The story begins in the “DCU Brave New World” special that introduced a number of new series, including “The All-New Atom,” “OMAC,” and, of course, “The Trails of Shazam.” We see both Freddie and Mary lose their powers in this prelude, which saw Mary fall from the skies into the water and seriously injuring herself in the process. When the series begins in earnest, we hear a lot about how the books of magic have been rewritten, and the rules of engagement for magical creatures seem totally off. In issue #1, Zatanna needs Captain Marvel’s help to take down a being that would seemingly be well within her normal abilities to defeat.
Winick makes the choice to replace the fallen Wizard Shazam with Billy, who now will take the title “Marvel” or maybe still Captain Marvel?, and will occupy the Rock of Eternity. Freddie will undergo the titular trials, gain the powers of the seven gods named in his acronym, and then take the name Shazam. It seems backwards that the one replacing Shazam is called Marvel, and the one replacing Marvel Shazam, but this is what DC has decided is the best way to handle the fact that there is another Captain Marvel folks may have heard of over at the competition.
As far as concepts go, this is a fun one. We get to follow Freddie around the world, encountering gods disguised as humans, and doing what he can to pass their trials. In the first trial, we see Solomon tattoo a magical symbol on Freddie’s back/soul to protect him, and in telling his truth, passes the first trial. We also see him fight in the Middle East with Achilles, and through his courage, pass that trial as well. The sixth issue, where I stopped reading for this installment, sees him with half the power of Hercules, with the other half stolen by Sabina, who is also angling for the powers of Shazam, but represents evil, not good.
All of that stuff is fun, but Winick places Freddie at the feet of some pretty serious stereotypes, whether it is Hercules in the physical guise of a huge African American prisoner with face tattoos or Achilles as a soldier who keeps saying, over and over, how much hate there is in the Middle East. These both seem like well-intentioned characters, but both read as really dated in 2020. There’s a fine line between representation and exploitation, and these characters walk those lines pretty gingerly throughout. Hercules, in particular, is presented as the stereotypical racist’s fear of what a black man is like: a hulking monster that can kill you with his bare hands.
I’m not say that this was the intent of Winick, but it reads weirdly 14 years later and, likely, probably read a little weirdly at the time, too.
The highlight of these issues is the amazing art by Howard Porter, who is penciling, inking, and coloring these issues. His work has a cinematic, epic feel which is befitting of the trials narrative. But he also does some fun tricks, like doing his best C.C. Beck on a flashback to Freddie Freeman’s origin. Porter does his best to make Billy’s new silver locks and white outfit look not as silly as they would in other artists’ hands. Porter’s work throughout is solid, though it is also quite different than what we’ve come to know as his style due to the ‘digital painting’ technique he used. Regardless of whether or not it is familiar, it is striking, and quite pretty to look at.
Overall, these issues are solid enough, and are attempting, for the first time since “Shazam: The New Beginning” that tries something really new with these characters. I don’t love the new status quo, but it’s something different, and it’s a book with “Shazam” in the title.
See ya next week for the conclusion of the series.
