Secret History of EL Comics 17
With “Capt. Fantastic” the EL Comics era of superherodom really began. If “Funtastic Four” was an earnest first effort, it takes more than one title for a true movement, and “Capt. Fantastic” provided that.
It also provided the same provocative mindset, directly challenging a mainstream comic book company and saying in the haughtiest tone, “We can do your work better.”; So self-assured is the effort this time that the company barely hides the fact that they are re-imagining Captain Marvel. Capt. Fantastic has a magic word, but it’s merely Captain Marvel’s backwards — the ultimate symbolism with which they throw down the gauntlet!
In fact, this whole origin story is a gauntlet at their feet. It boldly states, “What’s with all the ballyhoo and ceremony? Why can’t Shazam just take care of business?” Rather than take the unsuspecting hero through a mystical initiation rite, in “Capt. Fantastic” the wizard cuts right to the chase — crime happening, say this, do that, the end. It’s EL’s desire to cut through the bull, get down to brass tacks, and deconstruct the window dressing that has become standard with the competition’s creations that defines the upcoming EL Era of Superherodom.
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Tags: Capt. Fantastic, Captain Marvel, Shazam
