Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! and Hero High Recap

I have always wondered why Captain Marvel AKA Shazam wasn't a bigger hero. The dude has a whole array of powers, a mythology, and a supporting cast... but this series perhaps begins to shed some light on the characters' limited appeal. While the Cap and Mary are fine enough, Uncle Dudley, Tawky Tawny and Captain Marvel Jr. each have some strange quirks that were probably exacerbated by this low budget / effort production. And there was just a silliness to the Fawcett world that makes The Big Red Cheese more of a parody or kids' hero than a bona fide DC powerhouse.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - A Fistful of Knuckles

This was the first of three Hero High episodes featuring appearances by heroes of the DC universe - this one featuring the Captain himself. Reporter Billy Batson just happened to be in the right place to help the teens bust a bank robbery by Knuckles, who curiously seemed to favor a karate chop. This show managed an even more cartoony feel than the Shazam! episodes and so the even shorter 12 minutes was plenty. Its just too bad that Captain Marvel (not counting a couple of Billy scenes) only managed maybe a 15 seconds of air time. Did I mention there was a shark with a monocle and a penguin with a fire hose?

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Episode Count: 0478
Series Count: (1 of 3)

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Star Master and the Solar Mirror

Admittedly, a three-eyed lion face dude has a pretty good look - sort of a Despero vibe, but flying around in a green submarine makes him seem like he is trying to hard to copy the Beetles. The quality of the episode sadly ended with that design.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Circus Plot

This horrendous episode might have you singin' "Bring back my Tawney to me," after Tony the Tawney Tiger's failed attempt to join the circus. You'd think a talking tiger in a suit would be a big attraction, but I guess no one wants to hear a tiger sing or recite poetry.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Mister Atom, the Smasher

 

The diabolical robot, Mr. Atom took over an electronics store to build human looking robot police in order to incite mass hysteria by causing traffic jams. As it turns out, Uncle Dudley was just as much of a nuisance, inadvertently creating his own traffic jam (same intersection to save animation costs) with an electromagnetic "door-opener" gone awry. What do you know, the device was key to exploding the robot minions. Luckily, the waves were smart enough to only fry "bad" circuits rather than destroying all electronics on the planet. As for Mr. Atom, the dude was a legit Captain Marvel foe, first appearing in 1947 with pretty much the same classic look.

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Episode Count: 0474
Series Count: (10 of 12)
First Appearance: Mr. Atom

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Airport Caper

Night Owl made an appearance in this episode, but before you get out the welcome mat for Rorschach or Dr. Manhattan, this Night Owl was a villain with an affinity for darkness and tiger cubs, not a Watchman. 

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Girl of His Dreams

LOST EPISODE or Myth?

This episode of Shazam! has been referred to as the lost episode because, well because its lost. But some recent detective work has led me to believe that it may not exist at all. Maybe it was planned but never produced, or maybe it is just a myth altogether. I will present evidence for and against it and let other draw their own conclusions until more concrete evidence is presented.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - A Little Something Extra

Even though Black Adam had been reduced to an ash pile, somehow he was still the most likely culprit... His plot wasn't very well thought out though - plant a fake story in the newspaper and then make a river explode. Sure... The highlight of course had to be the mummy-ghosts. I always love me a mummy. Though the oozing lava men were also a bit of fun. I am pretty mixed on the Mxyzptlkian defeat of Adam. While it was fun seeing him tricked into saying Shazam, he is not the sharpest tack in the box. Both tricks were awfully feeble. I also don't get why this time he was thrust back in time. I guess that's what you get when dealing with magic. 

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Uncle Dudley's Wedding Day

Uncle Dudley is a doofus and so him getting the spotlight was not a welcome thought. For some reason, the evil Aunt Minerva wanted a piece of the Dusdter's action. She even had a room devoted to him with its own "chamber". Old people can be creepy... AND I am not sure why she had her own spaceship, even if it was made in Rio de Janeiro. This was such an awful episode and was all over the place it went from love potions to robbing Fort Knox and amnesia. The series is quickly running out of chances to be decent. At this point I am just crossing my fingers that Dudley doesn't get another spotlight.

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Episode Count: 0471
Series Count: (07 of 12)

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Family Affair

You know how some shows are so bad they are good? This was worse than that. Does that mean its a masterpiece or a crap pile. See if you can guess. One aspect I liked was the inclusion of Dr. Sivana's family and how his son and daughter managed to be creepy and cost effective by having identical faces with different hair. It was also admittedly funny that the three super powered baddies wound up in a literal block of big red cheese - their nickname for Captain Marvel.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Black Adam's Return

Black Adam is probably the series best villain so far, even if his "thing" is turning heroes into dogs and aside from the fact that the dude was whipped. At least the story had a semi coherent plot including the origin of (Teth) Black Adam who gained powers from the Wizard Shazam. Too bad he doesn't look likely to return. The magic angle also suits this series much better than the pseudo science of Sivana or Mr. Mind. Even though I did not love this one, I think it must be the best episode so far - hardly a ringing endorsement, but at least a step in the right direction.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Flight 601 Has Vanished

Dr. Sivana was back, this time with a tiny rhiny. Not only was there shrinking, and and alternate "4th dimension," but amnesia, and dino attacks. This episode really went for broke and pretty much broke. Just remember, in the crazy 4th dimension, the laws of physics are backwards... shrink rays make you grow, and I presume time runs backwards. Then again maybe time just exists whereas is Fawcet City which presumably has no time, all things exist at all places concurrently.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Best Seller

Well, this is the first I have heard of Freckles Marvel who just 3 episodes in  is something like the Cousin Oliver of the Marvel family. After that the Izod wearing Hiss-men got to work. This one was full of gags, involuntary shrinking, jumping into books, time travel, and lizardication of the Marvels.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Incredible Sinking City

The episode introduced two pretty significant villains. Although not too remarkable in appearance, Dr. Sivana actually coined the phrase, "Curses, foiled again." Mind on the other hand, even without the old PhD was pretty smart, especially for a worm.I admit, I am fond of the little guy who communicates via a tiny radio necklace. Cute and dangerous!

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - Who's Who at the Zoo

Tawky Tawny, a Tony the Tiger wannabe who wears a suit and tie is given absolutely no explanation for existence. And even though I am sure there are plenty of other things that should have disturbed me, that still seems like a big one. Turns out old Tony also makes dinner for the Marvel family and he also has a keen nose. Whats also creepy is that at the zoo there are also tigers which are anthropomorphized, but naked. Nothing like seeing Tony the Tiger in his birthday suit.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!

The Kid Super Power Hour was comprised of two Filmation series, Shazam! and Hero High which aired in 1981-2. While the mighty Marvels appeared mostly on the former series' 12 episodes, 3 episodes of Hero High played host to guest heroes from the DC line-up.

Super History of Superman: Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam (2010)

Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam was a high point of the far too brief run of the animated DC Showcase line of shorts. Running just 25 minutes,the tale didn't waste too much time with world building or back story. Most of the time was devoted to the team up of Captain Marvel and the Man of Steel against the evil Black Adam.

Super History of Superman: Superman/Batman: Public Enemies (2009)

In 2009, the first arc of the recent Superman / Batman comic series titled Public Enemies received a fairly strict adaptation for the direct to video project. Taking the lead from the comic art, this Superman's design was all about presenting Supes as the paragon of physicality. Along with battling Power Suit wearing President Luthor and Metallo, with Batman by his side Superman also faced off against hordes of villains hoping to collect a bounty on his head.

DC Nation Shorts in the Pipeline

By this point, 18 different series of shorts have aired in part or full on DC Nation, but I am happy to report that there are still more new ideas in the works. As just announced by TV Guide, among those yet to debut include Shazam! and Metal Men as well as a stylish black and white Batman series under the guidance of Bruce Timm. We have also been teased with Doom Patrol for over a year now and hints of a Doctor Fate series have also been heard.

Crisis of Infinite Episodes - MAD Presents Shazamwich!

When the short was first announced, it was a bit disappointing that some of the previously used material from the animated MAD series was going to be repurposed for DC Nation. On the bright side, some of the MAD shorts, like this one, were brilliant an had been tragically overlooked by the core superhero audience. Cleverly playing off of the acronym SHAZAM! (wisdom of Solomon, strength of Hercules, etc.) an attempt was made to describe the Shazamwich... which was utterly disgusting. Flavor of Sausage, texture of Ham, nutrients of Apples, chalkiness of Zinc, the Apples mentioned earlier, calcium of Milk, heartiness of Meatloaf (two Ms?), color of White bread, stickiness of Ice pops, festiveness of Cake, and convenience of a Hot pocket. Maybe its just my Achilles heel for sandwiches, but this was another gem.