Jeff Smith's Captain Marvel Is Coming...

The latest DC Editors Debriefing at Newsarama (which I read, so you don't have to) contains a couple of interesting nuggets, but none is so exciting as the news that Jeff Smith's long-awaited Captain Marvel project, Shazam: Monster Society of Evil, is progressing.

DC Editor Mike Carlin says the book is about half finished, and he also gave a quick hit on the basis of the series:

"Basically the story follows a young Billy Batson and his even younger sister, Mary, in their first tussle with Sivana. It will include several other classic Marvel villains and concepts (the "Monsters" in the "Society of Evil", even)... as well as a new take on Mr Tawky Tawny!"

Oh my god, this book sounds like fun. It's planned for four prestige-format issues, and I honestly might not be able to wait for the trade on this one. I mean, just look at Mary Marvel! It's almost too adorable to handle.

Maybe, if we're lucky, DC will release some sort of collection of the original Monster Society of Evil saga back form the forties. I think that would be awesome, mostly because I want to read it. It would make for a ginchy tie-in with the Smith book, though.

The Neswarama piece also has some other preview pages and art from assorted DC books such as Hawkgirl, Green Arrow and the JLA & JSA Classified books. So, go and have a look if that sort of thing seems like it would appeal to you.

If mini Mary Marvel doesn't appeal to you, however, go seek a physician's care immediately, because you are sick, buster.