Newsarama talked with Geoff Johns about The Curse of Shazam!, a 10-page monthly back-up story that will start in Justice League. In the lengthy interview, Johns mentions the core of Captain Marvel as well as a big change in the name:
Nrama: When you were putting a fresh, new take on Shazam, what's the core essence of the character that you couldn't change?
Johns: Well, the core of the character, obviously, is surrogate family. I mean, it's easy. That's what he's all about. The same with wish fulfillment. And tied into his wish fulfillment, even if he won't admit it, is a surrogate family.
But it's making the best of every situation you're in. I think it's something that's at the core. That's what Billy Batson, that's what Shazam really allows him to do, is you've got to make the best of the situation that you're in.
But if you want a log line that sells the book or sums up the character, you'll see it in the little origin box in the first story.
Nrama: Are you calling him Shazam now? Have you gotten rid of "Captain Marvel?"
Johns: Yeah, we're going to call him Shazam.
Nrama: Why the change?
Johns: Well, there are a lot of reasons for the change. One is that everybody thinks he's called Shazam already, outside of comics. It's also, for all sorts of reasons, calling him Shazam just made sense for us. And, you know, every comic book he's in right now has Shazam on the cover. So I think just by embracing that and calling him Shazam.
And you'll see it actually make sense in story, why he's called Shazam rather than Captain Marvel. That's just what he's going to be called for us from now on.
Switching gears to
Justice League, Johns offers up what we can expect in the forthcoming issues:
These first six issues are set in the past, but then we jump to the present with issue #7. But in issue #6, you'll see a lot of subplots kick off in the book that carry over into the present day and develop later.
But when we jump to the present day in issue #7, we'll show how the Justice League operates with their main liaison to the rest of the world, and that's Steve Trevor. I don't know if we've announced that anywhere, but Steve Trevor will be their main liaison to the rest of the world. He'll play a big role in the book.
Issue #8 will feature Green Arrow, who desperately wants to join the team. And we'll learn about a history between him and Aquaman that's not so great.
Issue #9 starts off Jim's next art, The Villain's Journey, which introduces a new enemy for the League that has a very personal connection to them. And this arc will alter how the world sees the League, how the League sees themselves, and will change relationships pretty drastically. Two in particular will turn into something that I don't think people will expect.
The end of that arc will lead to the first new member of the team, beyond the set of the core seven. And that gets us through the year, I think.
What do you think about the name change for
Captain Marvel? Excited to see him back in print? Thoughts on
JL? Sound off below!