Shazam production journal: The final pass
Steve and I are finishing up the final color pass on Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil #4. This last issue kicked our butts pretty good, but by next week, everything will be in DC's hands and we can get Cartoon Books back to normal – - not that you can ever call making comic books normal. New production journals should start in week or so, until then, here are some Shazam MSoE links:
Monster Society of Evil #3 review at Film Fodder
- – "Jeff Smith continues to infuse the book with the air of mystery, humor and eye-popping awe that one would hope to find in a book about a kid who can turn into The World's Most Powerful Mortal. The writing certainly skews towards an "all-ages" audience, but like any story about kids with surprising power (from Shazam! to Harry Potter), there's still quite a bit for the adult audience to enjoy, especially Smith's portrayal of a sleazy Dr. Sivana as a cretinous bureaucrat in the game for his own financial gain…"
Raleigh News & Observer review
- - "Jeff Smith, creator of the cult hit "Bone," is close to completing the four part mini-series: "Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil." The final issue will be out in July, so catch up on the first three now. Smith dials down the complexities of the D.C. universe and just pays attention to Captain Marvel and his alter ego Billy Batson and the origins of the character, lost to the winds of the 1940s and years of civil litigation. Smith draws and writes the series with a whimsy that recalls the Bone books. Not gratuitously violent or profane, "The Monster Society" plays up nobility and strength of character. It does take a few potshots at homeland security hysteria. All told, reading this book is like chugging a glass of whole milk; it could be that good for you."
Got Shazam?
These are from the comments section:
"I really, really miss the letters column in comics. It’s very hard to express one’s opinion (positive or negative) about comics these days. Apart from spending that all-mighty dollar, of course. Anyway, I’d like to remark that Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil is one of the greatest pieces of literature I’ve picked up in a good year now and I will probably feel a similar sense of loss (like that of a good friend) when it ends that I did at the last page of Bone. In short, keep up the good work."
Comment by devon — May 21, 2007
"Just wanted to say I am not a very big fan of DC, although I picked up Shazam because the art looked very nice, and I just wanted to say that you’ve made one of the most adorable comics I have ever read, with lovely endearing characters. I hope that that’s a compliment 
"
Comment by Charlotte — May 28, 2007
It is a compliment. Thanks!
And here is a link to a podcast that I posted earlier, but in case you missed it, this one is a lot of fun. It's an hour long talk about Shazam and Bone with a Canadian College radio station. Warning: I talk a lot, and there is a little bit of swearing. But there's some good tunes by Dylan, Little Richard, and Tom Waits: Inkstuds.com
Next time you hear from me, I'll be working on the San Diego preview of my next project!
Awesome! Can’t wait to check it out! Ha, I see you’re a Gorillaz fan also.
Comment by Marcus — June 8, 2007 @ 8:50 pm
Next project? WOW, seriously can’t wait to see what that is.
-Kev
Comment by Kevin Richter — June 9, 2007 @ 6:15 pm
Looking forward to the Shazam hardcover release, as well as what you got planned for your next project for San Diego! Was great seeing you in NY.
best,
Derek
Comment by Derek Fridolfs — June 10, 2007 @ 12:30 am
J’espère que ca sortitra bientot en France !
I hope that it will be translated soon in French, you know if that is envisaged?
Comment by Rich — June 11, 2007 @ 3:36 am
I don’t know who DC’s publishing partners are in France, but I have been told that EU versions are planned – - and there are French publishers who have told me personally that they want to do it – - so I can’t tell you when it will happen, but it seems fairly certain that it is going to be translated.
Comment by Jeff Smith — June 11, 2007 @ 9:43 am
Hey, Jeff!
How ’bout a tease of the next project?
Or will that have to wait for San Diego?
Anxiously awaiting issue 4…
-Jeremy
Comment by Jeremy Holstein — June 11, 2007 @ 1:43 pm
Sad to see this series coming to an end – you’ve done a beautiful job with art and storytelling! I’ve loved reading it and seeing the care you’ve taken with such hallmark characters of the DC Universe – thank you Jeff!!
Have you had any input into or seen any previews of Mike Kunkel’s rumoured run on the next Shazam series? *nudge nudge* *wink wink*
Comment by Monkey — June 11, 2007 @ 4:33 pm
I have no idea what you mean… *nudge nudge*wink wink* What have you heard?
Comment by Jeff Smith — June 11, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
Love the photo… ahh those boards are so cool!
So stoked for the final issue of Shazam, the hardcover, and then…
YOUR NEW PROJECT?! I can’t wait!
Comment by Brandon — June 12, 2007 @ 2:26 am
someone likes the gorillaz.
Comment by Aaron — June 14, 2007 @ 5:24 pm
My 5 yo son and I love this book! He is learning to read and really likes Captain Marvel. Thank you for a great story.
Shazam!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Daikins/Shazam/sivanna.jpg
Comment by Deane — June 14, 2007 @ 11:12 pm
Jeff, from the bottom of my heart I thank you for everything you’ve done with SHAZAM! almost ten years ago I first floated your name for Captain Marvel on a fan board. I got a lot of derisive answers (Primary among them: “He’d never touch it.”)But I knew you’d be brilliant.
MSOE has been a perfect combonation of the traditional Captain Marvel and your own wildly original take. Thank God you’re smart enough to trust the material and not think you’re smarter than people like Otto Binder. (An all-too-common failing among modern creators.)
What you’ve done will be remembered as the first step to rescuing Captain Marvel from the miserable place DC wants to take him.
Thank you again Jeff. It’s great, great work.
(P.S., “Ptoo-cute.” in #3 is one of my favorite moments in 45 years of reading comics.)
Comment by Lon Madnight — June 15, 2007 @ 7:31 pm
I’d like to say that your Shazam series has been amazing. It’s as good as I hoped. I wasn’t sure if this series would hold up to the likes of Bone and it did. Although I didn’t start reading Bone when it first started, I’ve been reading it since the end of elementary school. I found out about Bone in an independent bookshop in Norwich, Vermont. Bone helped me deal with some tough times due to surgery over the summer as well as increased my interest and comics and animation a lot.
Thanks for both Shazam and Bone
Comment by Martin — June 23, 2007 @ 11:34 am
Thats a terribly disapproving look you’re throwing over the spectacles, J!
Your hive of industry seems to be thundering along unabated, nice to see. Sorry for absence, had festival stuff in France to gear up for and wind down from (phew)
C
Comment by Curtis Jobling — June 25, 2007 @ 11:30 am
Latest project?
Does it include the man with the face of another man’s wife tattooed on his arm?
Comment by scott — June 26, 2007 @ 10:08 am
Always good to hear from you Curtis! Not disapproving so much as just beat! Both Steve and I were working long days and weekends. But I think it will be worth it. Steve's final pages of Shazam color are off the hook amazing!
Comment by Jeff Smith — June 27, 2007 @ 10:23 am
Yes, Scott, the next project is the one with that guy in it! I’m working up a six page preview comic for San Diego Comic Con International. Once I have some panels finished, I’ll start posting a few images.
Comment by Jeff — June 27, 2007 @ 11:39 am
That project as described in the Inkstuds interview sounds insane, hehe. Thanks for the response and looking forward to those images…
Comment by scott — June 27, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
Hello everybody,
I’m a 38 years old woman, married and with children. I have an employ as nurse, part-time, so I can use the time to take care of my kids and and I’ve found my equilibrium doing like this. During the never ending spent in my house I have one big passion that is watching tennis on my satellite . I also love to watch cartoons. I don’t dislikesometime to look out of my windows either.
I am pretty happy with what I have and overall about my kids. I just hope to remain in good health, so just an normal happy life.
Bye Bye
Judith
Comment by sweetjessyfc — July 5, 2007 @ 1:53 am