Shazam – Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Jerry Ordway — Shazam!

February 22, 2020 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Power of Shazam #42, September 1998

Sometimes the stars and planets line up harmoniously.

Case in point: Jerry Ordway on Shazam, who managed to keep the spirit of the original Captain Marvel intact, while making the character more relatable to contemporary late 20th century audiences. Not an easy feat.

Ordway launched the Captain Marvel “reboot” with a brilliant Graphic Novel in 1994 that he wrote drew and colored entirely himself. Shortly thereafter, Ordway wrote a new ongoing series, the Power of Shazam, and then drew a few stories at the end of its run five years later.

This brilliant splash page is from the first issue that he penciled, and is inked lovingly by the late, great Dick Giordano. It’s a textbook example of storytelling and composition, and it’s contrasting use of light and dark brings the entire scene together in an extraordinary way.

I love the use of the art deco design on the movie theater as well. The “7 Arts” name is likely an easter egg. Seven Arts acquired Warner Brothers in 1967, setting up the initial steps that led to the Warner / DC conglomerate that exists today.

Every once in a while we have to remind ourselves that nearly all art is essentially an illusion — three dimensional narrative on a two dimensional plane. This illusion? Pretty great.

Fun fact: With few exceptions, Jerry keeps his published art, so pretty much the only way to acquire something he’s created is from his collaborator — if there is one. That makes acquiring such a cool page even more challenging.

*The original graphic novel, that captured the spirit of Captain Marvel for a contemporary audience.*

As a marketing gimmick for Blackest Night in 2009, DC brought back Ordway’s Shazam (and a handful of others) for one “final” issue. Above, Ordway’s original black and white in washtones, color and final with trade dress.

Kurt Schaffenberger — Still Marvelous

February 20, 2020 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Shazam #26, December 1976

We continue to celebrate the 80^th anniversary of the original Captain Marvel, now known as Shazam.

In 1972, with a nostalgia craze in full swing in the US, DC shocked the fan world by announcing that they had acquired the rights to the original Fawcett Comics characters. So… after 20 years, the Captain was back. Unfortunately for DC, a little company called Marvel had added its own Captain Marvel character and title to its line-up, and so at first the DC comic’s title was called Shazam. Ultimately, the character himself became named after his own magic word to avoid additional legal battles.

Title aside, Shazam presented a challenge for DC. The audience that had grown up on 50s and 60s comic book stories had in fact… grown up. And in a universe of Kirby, Steranko, Adams, et al, the golden age Captain Marvel was simply too quaint. Shazam #1 sold like proverbial hotcakes, because of the nostalgia craze and curiosity factor — and the burgeoning collectors’ market — but it was clear that the struggle to keep the character true to his roots AND somehow contemporize him created enormous editorial and commercial challenges. (One that’s challenged DC for nearly 50 years.)

In this terrific page by Schaffenberger, we see the classic Captain Marvel art style, only updated very slightly from the stories that Kurt had drawn 20 years previously. Although Schaffenberger was a more accomplished artist at this point, his clean and uncluttered style is still his trademark.

Fun fact: As you can see from the inscription, this page was originally acquired from Kurt by my friend and former colleague Len Brown (Mars Attacks, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents). Len ultimately sold it, and it made its way through the collectors market until I spotted it about 10 year ago and purchased it. I offered it to Len in case he had any regrets, but he doesn’t collect art anymore, so he declined.

Leaving it in my hands, with some interesting provenance as a bonus.

DC made a major marketing effort for Captain Marvel — announcing the title at the 1972 NYCC in July, and working closely with fanzines for support, including Jim Steranko’s Comixscence (Ultimately Mediascene).

Schaffenberger provided the cover for the first issue of the Isis spinoff, showcasing both his spot-on anatomy and his willingness to borrow inspiration from a previous DC comic — the first appearance of Green Lantern (by Gil Kane) about 15 years prior.

*Shazam and Isis — remembered fondly by many — in their television incarnations.*

Kurt Schaffenberger — Golden Age Marvel

February 18, 2020 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Whiz Comics # 129, January 1951

This week we celebrate the 80^th anniversary of the original Captain Marvel, (cover dated in 1940, although the issue likely appeared on most newsstands in late 1939) now known as Shazam.

Captain Marvel (Shazam to you kids) appears in every panel in this ebullient page pencilled and inked by Kurt Schaffenberger.

Schaffenberger went to work as an assistant in the Jack Binder studio in 1941 just as Fawcett’s Captain Marvel was soaring, eventually outselling DC’s Superman. When Schaffenberger returned from World War 2 military service, he ultimately penciled and inked complete stories.

His wholesome, uncluttered and often whimsical style was a perfect fit for Captain Marvel, who was nothing if not wholesome and whimsical.

Schaffenberger drew many of the stories that capped the end Captain Marvel’s amazing run — and 10 years of legal battles with DC.

In fact, despite the seemingly never-ending copyright lawsuit that alleged that the Big Red Cheese was a knockoff of Superman, The Captain outlasted many of his spandex-attired peers, publishing longer than most competitive superhero titles.

But, by 1954, declining sales meant that Fawcett no longer had the will to fight. They settled with DC, and called it a day for Captain Marvel.

As they say… To Be Continued.

Fun Fact: After Fawcett left the superhero business, Schaffenberger ultimately went to work for DC, and became best known for his 10-year run on the Lois Lane series, setting the DC house style for the character for much of the silver age.