DC’s 1973 revival of Captain Marvel, one of the most popular heroes of the Golden Age, was cause for excitement among longtime comics fans. But the new series couldn’t be called “Captain Marvel,” even if that was the guy’s name, since Marvel Comics had claimed the trademark on that title. And so they called the series “Shazam!” instead, and that name has stuck around for the last half-century. Drew takes us through Shazam! #1, which paired original Captain Marvel artist C. C. Beck with talented young writer Denny O’Neil. And their story cleverly explains why no one had seen Captain Marvel for twenty years! Meanwhile, Joe Simon (co-creator of a certain other Captain from the Golden Age) had an offbeat idea that he hoped would appeal to the young hippie generation: Prez, America’s first teen president! So Kevin is looking at Prez #1. The series didn’t last long, but it’s bursting with glorious Bronze Age goofiness, and the concept has been revisited in more recent years by creators like Neil Gaiman, Ed Brubaker, and Mark Russell. And seriously, we would vote for Mark’s version of Prez (aka Corndog Girl) right now. Available to patrons of the ESO Network. Why not join in and enjoy the fun and support ESO at the same time? https://www.patreon.com/posts/71795408
