The Failure of the Edgy Shazam Reboot

[@ComicDrake]

If you’re ever injured in an accident, you can check out Morgan & Morgan. Their fee is free unless they win. For more information go to www.wordontheblock.biz/r/2228/86/?s=FOR_THE_PEOPLE

[@GhostlyPhantom]

Bro got sponsored by Saul Goodman 💀💀💀

[@ComicDrake]

@@GhostlyPhantom Did you know that you have right?

[@pqcowboychanel]

@@ComicDrake “the constitution says you do.”

[@jessegartung294]

You should do a history on moon girl and devil dinosaur

[@TheMightsparrow]

Roy Thomas's wife was called Dan?

[@danielreilly139]

Personally I would love to hear Drake talk about the Prince Comic, cause that just sounds amazing.

[@LinguarumFautor]

Seconded.

[@ItsButterBean1020]

Agreed

[@MrJonesito]

Maybe for the April 1st video, since it's what he does for that day (talk about weird comics or comic related stuff that don't usually fit the vibe of his regular videos).

[@TheZooropaBaby]

I’m sad he didn’t mention artist because I think that comic was drawn by Denys Cowan, that’s awesome too

[@benjacarrasco9447]

PLEASEEEEEE

[@ThePatxiao]

It's sad how the comic book industry STILL has an obsession with dark and edgy despite the 90's.

[@comixproviderftw_02]

Corporation be like; “REMEMBER THE 90’s?!?!”

[@ThePatxiao]

@@comixproviderftw_02 The New 52 in a nutshell

[@daelen.cclark]

Nostalgia’s a hell of a drug.

[@LucciClubStudios]

It’s just not comics either lol

[@comixproviderftw_02]

@@daelen.cclark A very toxic drug

[@mbletz3958]

A law firm... sponsoring a KZbinr...? Well that's new lol

[@jaymesEo6]

The Breakfast Club has been sponsored by a law office for years.

[@1davey29shows]

I zone out during sponsors normally, so right when it ended I had to do a double take to make sure I heard right.

[@jachariah4694]

Yeah I just watched a Saberspark on family guy also sponsored by Morgan and Morgan

[@mattwo7]

@@jachariah4694 Dr. Crafty is sponsored by Jedah and Jedah lol

[@skyslasher2297]

There’s a shit ton of law related content in this channel I can see why they’d think it’s a good idea

[@soltandvinegar]

I paused the video for about three hours, and once I unpaused it I saw Drake pointing at me and saying "Bitch, give me some damn super powers."

[@TitularHeroine]

So did you do it??

[@soltandvinegar]

@@TitularHeroine sadly I lack a magical staff imbued with the powers of ancient gods and heroes :(

[@joshuaingobo1559]

5:17 That feeling where you’ve almost said “Shazam” instead of “Captain Marvel.”

[@wdcain1]

Grant Morrison took the Doom Patrol in some dark places in his '90s reboot (child molestation, psychological damage, and gender identity) but he still let his run be goofy and fun.

[@nikolasmokalis3425]

Grants approach to superhero stuff imo is to keep the actions of the characters the same but make the continuity that informs their actions more detailed/mature

[@breawycker]

Grant uses they/them pronouns

[@wdcain1]

@@breawycker My mistake.

[@concept5631]

​@@wdcain1 Hella based for admitting your mistake and not doubling down.

[@wdcain1]

@@concept5631 It's logical to acknowledge your mistakes. Otherwise you won't learn anything.

[@jacobwilliams1223]

You know, at first I felt bad Roy got f-ed over on getting to make his dream project a reality...but after hearing what his actual pitch was, I think I am actually on DC's side here. This is the last thing Billy Batson needed.

[@owensreviews625]

Shame that Roy got burned by DC like that. It’s truly sad when you hear about when writers or artists get to work on their dream characters for the big 2, only to get screwed over when they try to bring their ideas to life (even if they weren’t considered good).

[@daelen.cclark]

At least let them down easy when the idea isn’t good.

[@andrewcook3983]

He did get to do a few Earth 2 titles that he created - All Star Squadron (the expanded JSA during WWII and Infinity Inc. (the sons and daughters of the JSA, set in contemporary times) - prior to Crisis on Infinite Earths.

[@RoverBoy1899]

Black Adam also appeared in the Bronze Age Shazam comic.

[@brianthomas2434]

What was really a shame was Roy's reboot plan. That someone who had read original Captain Marvel stories when they were new thought "updating " him to be just another eighties superhero makes me lose some respect for Thomas, whose career I followed almost from its beginning. Cap CAN'T be updated. The kid friendliness, innocence and even silliness is part and parcel of him. You want to write "mature " stuff, create a new character. Don't make Captain Marvel a character he isn't. Or wasn't, really. DC tried to revive CM, looking for the huge sales he had in the Forties. They didn't consider those sales came from a different time and a different readership. Their only sensible option is to admit defeat and forget the character. But since they can sell, what twenty thousand copies of an issue, they won't. The fact that in the past, Whiz Comics and Captain Marvel Adventures sold hundreds of thousands of copies.....Well, at least we sell SOMETHING.

[@brianthomas2434]

​@@daelen.cclarkand baby, this sucked MASSIVELY!

[@nikolasmokalis3425]

It’s a shame that Roy Thomas went through all that crap. That being said, Im happy we got Jerry Ordway’s Power of Shazam in the 90’s

[@AustynSN]

I so miss that version. I especially liked the idea the they were all "sharing" the power so that the more of them using it, the less powerful they were. (Kind of wish they'd reincorporate that into the current version.)

[@MutantsInDisguise]

Jerry Ordway's Captain Marvel is one of the very few good things DC has ever done with the character.

[@benjaminmuratore9341]

The title/thumbnail gave me the impression that this was actually an attempt made in the 90's, not the 80's.

[@catlawyerwilldefendfortrea6038]

I'd love to see an inked and coloured version of those pages. Even if it's just by a fan. Think it'll make a cool Elseworld concept. Also, Captain Thunder is such a better name than Shazam or just Captain

[@smiller2044]

@Cat Lawyer Will defend for treats Captain might not work for Captain America

[@pkrockinomega4184]

Gonna be honest, Captain Thunder is a really cool name.

[@tonypeppermint5329]

Oh yeah.

[@Antwannnn]

Shazam is cooler to me. I like that it's an acronym and an onomatopoeia

[@benwasserman8223]

Wonder if this reboot semi-inspired Mary Marvel’s evil phase in the 2000s.

[@wdcain1]

That was one of the few cool ideas Countdown had.

[@CaptainCat101]

It's always about being edgy, even in 2015 I'm looking at you Fant4stic

[@kuchenjaeger2164]

THAT MOVIE IS 8 YEARS OLD ALREADY?! Oh christ.

[@TheZooropaBaby]

@@kuchenjaeger2164 Fan4stic is basically Ultimate FF right?

[@majinsole8554]

Shazam almost looked straight outta JoJo’s, that’s wild 😆 ~_~

[@geoffreyrichards6079]

I gotta admit… I kinda like the Prince/Jackson-styled take on Captain Marvel. It does help give him some visual distinction from Superman.

[@ItsButterBean1020]

Honestly it does kinda work for me, I’d be down for it as an alternate superhero or version of Shazam out there

[@kingofthegundam7974]

I wouldn't have minded a more rock and roll take on Captain Marvel like that... I just wish the rest of the pitch wasn''t nearly so weird.

[@caliken10]

Is it me or is there a little young Elvis mixed in that design?

[@TheZooropaBaby]

I guess injecting pop icon stuff makes sense, ive heard Elvis Presley loved Captain Marvel Jr and his visual was inspired by Cap Jr's appearance, so yeah why not work in pop culture of the then-current singers and what not?

[@tonypeppermint5329]

​@@ItsButterBean1020 Oh yeah.

[@nigelflood7074]

Damn , that Capt Marvel relaunch would have made a pretty sweet Black Label book lol

[@shoresean1237]

From what I've heard, the bad blood between Roy and DC started when he was assured Earth-2 would survive the COIE intact, and this promise was broken, and more, seemed like it was never in play to start with.

[@jameslink8]

The dark & edgy stuff is one thing I don't miss from the 90's. Long comment sorry & going to get into some personal stuff, but I found you're channel about 5 years ago & subscribed, but a few months later I was hit by a car & in the hospital for a few weeks it broke vertebra in my neck, cracked my skull & de-gloved my scalp, cracked my right shoulder blade almost in half & broke my left leg & shattered my ankle so now I can't work or get out much so I get lonely & bored, had to move back in with my parents & all we have is Direct TV & there's never anything on so now I just watch KZbin on my Xbox & talking to my therapist, my medication, weed & you're videos help with my loneliness & boredom & I just wanted to say thank you for that

[@r.jclark4641]

Prayed for you.

[@jameslink8]

@@r.jclark4641 thank you

[@humachine6738]

If you want to read some good Shazam stories, I highly recommend Shazam & The Monster Society of Evil by Jeff Smith. Great book and it’s from the guy who created Bone. Wow! Roy Thomas’ potential Shazam reboot is WILD! I mean it’s not surprising that someone may have wanted to try a darker and edgier reboot for Shazam back in the 80s, but I never would have expected that Roy Thomas would be the creative mind behind it. You’d think Roy being such a big fan of CM he’d want to bring back the elements of what he liked when he read the books as a kid like maybe the fantasy and whimsical elements, but NOPE! I think the problem with Roy’s pitch is that he’s trying to make CM fit with the trends of the 80s (dark and gritty) rather than bring back what made it popular in the 40s and make it work for the modern day (see Jeff Smith’s Shazam book for a great example of how that could work).

[@jordanloux3883]

So Billy almost had an awkward edgelord teenager phase... I can see that working as a comedy series actually

[@mrkaji8913]

6:11 hard core fan

[@koushikraja331]

Ironic they wanted to make the edgy captain marvel design based on Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen, but Elvis' outfits and style was based on his favorite superhero, Captain Marvel Jr.

[@henriqueabreu9706]

That Michael Jackson inspired costume looks like some kind of fever dream LMAO

[@radiant_ways0746]

I'm glad to have watched another one of your award-winning content Drake

[@GerarddeSouza-yt3fc]

Horrible. Give me "Bright, silly and goofy." "Okay, boomer."

[@smiller2044]

Shazam in theaters is good! Glad that Zac *IS* the superhero, great casting all around & even for Shazam Family (different then comics and it works)!

[@prime7213]

Gosh I hate how there’s this idea that dark/gritty = mature in all media. I’m all for taking a silly property and making it “mature” but that doesn’t mean you have to take every taboo topic under the sun and throw it in your book. Look at IDW’s Ninja Turtles or Boom Studio’s Power Ranger. Both are more mature versions of children’s properties but don’t feel the need to prove their badassery with hyper violence and sex, they do it with strong writing and multidimensional characters.

[@luigiboi4244]

I mostly know Roy Thomas for his work on the early Avengers comics, with my favorite being the 2-Part Story introducing The Vision. That story will forever be one of my favorite stories thanks to Roy.

[@comic_mistakes]

The look reminds me of Alex Ross's captain marvel Jr. In kingdom come he was basically just elvis

[@andrewcook3983]

The way it comes in the vid is that Roy Thomas didn't do much whilst he was at DC, but that is far from the cases. I didn't read all of his output at the time, but two of my favourites to this day are All Star Squadron and Infinity Inc., both started before Crisis on Infinite Earths, being set on Earth 2, and impacted by that event.

[@mathieuleader8601]

Elvis is a big Shazam fan

[@kalebstigall2989]

The batmen of every country

[@samuelturner6076]

6:14 Hi, I’d love to see that prince video if you’d want to make it.

[@mathieuleader8601]

Imagine a timeline whereby Elvis played Shazam

[@AgentNevets]

Great video, as always! And lols. Law firm.

[@christopherb501]

I forget, did you ever talk about the edgy reboot that _did_ happen in the New 52?

[@lightskinnedlarry728]

I do like the design of prince Shazam though. Would be cool

[@lucyinchat]

Talk about The Prince comic!

[@doubleberger5983]

And Roy Thomas...LIKED captain marvel?

[@kirbymarchbarcena]

Roy's time was a wasted magic

[@insanemakaioshin]

That could've been a good elseworld story.

[@nick_knows_stuff]

So glad they didn't change Shazam/ Captain Marvel. I grew up with The Kids Super Power Hour With Shazam and was hooked that when I got financially stable enough, I started collecting his Whiz and Captain Marvel comic, plus that first run of his comics from DC in the 70s.

[@jonathansdreamland1207]

Shazam be like: 🎶I used to ruuule the world🎶

[@toasteroven45]

if i had a nickel for every time a comic book youtuber was sponsored by morgan and morgan i'd have 2 nickels, which isn't a lot buts it weird that it happened twice

[@Tussin59]

I mean in the lexicon of pop culutre those old enough to remember gomer pyle know the catch phrase Sha-uh-zam which is in reference to the character . I have an affinity for the original version where billy is the kid and shazam is the adult not the other way around in the new movies. He was the first comic character I remember finding in my youth keep up the good content I enjoy your youtube and tiktok stuff.

[@tskmaster3837]

I read that as "HOT Fred McMurry" which makes more sense.

[@dandragon8595]

DC Comics eventually did their dark, edgy, Captain Marvel reboot in the New 52. And It sucked and is the unfortunate basis for the first and second Shazam movies. Not in tone but in things like him not being worthy of the power of Captain Marvel, making Billy a little angry child as opposed to the one that despite the hardships in life, he is still a good kid with a kind heart, not perfect but a good person to be deserving of the power. Black Adam's new origin, doing the shazam family in the first arc. Note: This is not me saying that you can't tell dark or more mature stories with this character, but he has to have the core of his character stay the same. The best example I can give is in the episode "Clash" from Justice League: Unlimited.

[@Magmafrost13]

For a moment I thought you were gonna say the law firm sponsor represented your girlfriend and/or the lady that hit her, which would've been a really funny story. "Hey law firm involved in my girlfriend's car crash, wanna sponsor a youtube video?" and/or "hey boyfriend of our client, want us to sponsor one of your youtube videos?"

[@comixproviderftw_02]

0:32 That’s… Interesting.

[@Braig1]

Really it was no surprise to me that crap happened to Roy’s project. DC has had it out for Captain Marvel/Shazam ever since he out sold Superman under Fawcett. To this day their grudge continues, hence why we can never have a long lasting Captain Marvel/Shazam series.

[@djpegao]

Whoa, glad to see you were able to make some time from studying in order to make this video, NGL some of the decisions are quite...... unorthodox and waaaaay out there; but I would like to see these pages colored just to grasp any sense of what they were supposed to look like

[@Fernando-ek8jp]

"What the actual fuck Roy?" is one of my favorite soundbites

[@fatenabu1]

So glad the edgy reboot didn't happen. I really piked the Power of Shazam book that eventually did come out. Also didn't Roy Thomas write Young All-Stars that dealt with the replacements for Golden Age Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman post-Crisis. With Iron Munro, Flying Fox, and Fury as the replacements? It also featured other characters of course but those are the stand outs in my memory.

[@joshuaingobo1559]

Yes, as well as writing issues of All-Star Squadron. Fun fact, he was born the same date the JSA made their debut.

[@fatenabu1]

@@joshuaingobo1559 yea I thought he wrote a few books for DC. I remember liking All-Star Squadron and Young All-Stars. I haven't read them in forever though.

[@rokotigersgamingclaws9554]

7:25 deserves to be a meme of some kind.

[@nicodemusedwards6931]

My family didn’t believe me when I said Shazam was awesome. They thought I was crazy when I told them I wanted to see the first Shazam movie… look who’s laughing now.

[@typemasters2871]

2 or 3 fully drawn issues and DC has to burn the bridge with Roy If I was a conspiracy nut, I would say that DC was deliberately wasting Roy’s time so that he wouldn’t be working at Marvel

[@Darqueness]

Glad no one was seriously hurt in the car accident. I also paused it right when you showed the Mary Marvel redesigns and was like "Wasn't that just the failed Power Girl redesign from the other video?" then unpaused and you said that exact thing. :p Love your thoroughness dude, stay wesome!

[@eliandervalderen5849]

I cannot imagine a Captain Marvel based on Michael Jackson

[@liska_dae]

I first watched Shazam in the '70s live action show.

[@bloodshark71]

this is the first time ive ever seen a law firm commercial on KZbin

[@tantryl]

Was totally expecting this to turn into a Miracleman video.

[@jayplay8140]

Speak the magic words ... "shamon ee hee"

[@TitularHeroine]

😂😂😂

[@fredlloyd-ward6141]

Do a video on everyone who has been batman

[@theodorequakins2636]

I can't even imagine how they wrote that crossover comic. Like, how do you write an interesting story about superman switching places with magic superman?

[@ComicDrake]

It's actually kind of interesting. When Superman says Shazam, he turns into a non-super powered Clark Kent. That said, it's a Mr. Mxyzptlk book and plays out like most of his plots. So if you don't like them, you might want to skip it.

[@DemonPrincessNyri]

This is the second morgan and morgan ad ive gotten today

[@fernandozavaletabustos205]

Thank you for making another interesting video as always!!

[@togorconquest2372]

Id love to see goth chris. I give the look a 9/10. Little too much pink for me, but ya always beautiful!

[@WylsComics]

Award Winning

[@FN64Productions]

A law firm sponsoring a ytber...so...can we fight all the yt copyright claim bots now...?

[@lohanmicahtv6684]

bro looks like prince

[@benjaminfenty8745]

Shazam looking like Michael Jackson does sound cool, but dude this sounds like something Todd MacFarlane would do 😳

[@trex23d]

Does anyone know what issue of Alter Ego talks about the cancelled gritty pitch? I'd love to read more about it

[@michaelkantner6420]

I really like all of your videos! You are very thorough and knowledgeable, and you have a great sense of humor. I am amazed on how much research you do in order to make a video, and unlike some random commentors, you KNOW your shit!

[@DavidAllgaier_]

5:13 funny correction 😂

[@ricky865]

Personally I think if this Comic would have come out it would have been moved to the Vertigo imprint without a doubt and it would have done very well there if written correctly.

[@TheCreepypro]

a shame what they did to roy hope he is doing better

[@aname7286]

love your vids

[@ThePkmnYPerson]

The DCEU having the same "We can't make up our minds" problem that this comic book did shows DC has learned nothing.

[@TevyaSmolka]

This Shazam! Captain marvel Reboot sounded so bad and a complete trainwreck from the very beginning.

[@SKOURGEOFORCE]

I Like the Michael Jackson / Elvis Shazam the be awesome why they do that.

[@BirthquakeRecords]

Prince comic video pls

[@Abominatrix650]

Thank you for another informative video, Drake!

[@garrettkujo26]

Ohhh you should do a video on Mr. Miracle, my favorite run is the one from 2017. Or do a video on the Prince comic, I've read it and its something, something interesting

[@breawycker]

DC might as well be called EM for executive meddling

[@heavenly2k]

Talk about the Prince comic for a video? :0

[@leegish6984]

I love the pineapple shirt

[@colinakersakers44]

While the story of this sucks for the people involved who just wanted to tell their stories, I can’t say I’m to bummed out that we missed our chance to see Shazam with some edge. Shazam is the last character who needs some edge thrown in there besides Superman

[@barq6994]

Wasn't John Byrne going to do a Captain Marvel/Power of Shazam (whatever) series but he wanted it to be unconnected like originally and DC was firm on the one universe and it didn't happen.

[@kevingriffin3628]

This pitch sounds like it would have been perfect for a tales of the dark multiverse story a few years ago.

[@vincentfranklin17]

I'm still a fan of Shazam. I find it dismaying and some people only know him through the 2019 movie

[@alexandermccalla5098]

They kinda did do the edgy Mary thing. I remember a forum of Mary during Countdown to Final Crisis. Mary altered by Eclipso I think. I would love to see Shazam say the magic word and turn in MJ.

[@ValueNetwork]

Not the first Morgan and Morgan KZbin sponsor I’ve seen, and honestly I don’t mind that. It’s not a very Intrusive sponsor, although it is very American

[@ChildlikeMan]

Pound Law, That's all.

[@JodyGoChase]

I actually kinda like the idea of Edgy Michael Jackson inspired Shazam

[@meerkatjeans8892]

Dude you need to make a video on the Prince comics!

[@kr555wizard]

I would have loved to see the michael jackson based design in an official comic, though I def don't think an edgier captain marvel would work. Like not unless they aged up billy himself to his late teens, and changed the reasoning he got his powers.

[@douglasbriel6103]

The latest run was good, but Johns wasn't getting his scripts in on time.

[@sahilhossain8204]

Lore of The Edgy Shazam Reboot DC Comics Didn't Want You to See momentum 100

[@alecaquino4306]

Dwayne McDuffie kind of looks like Keegan-Michael Key.