#MerryMarvel
-So, some photos of appearances of the Legion of Superheroes in the modern day include a young lady wearing a costume that looks like the Captain's. Do you know if that's a coincidence or is she a future Champion of Shazam? If the latter, how do you feel about that?
-Any thoughts on the "Virgin Luthor VS Chaddeus Sivana" meme?
-So, during the last "Marvel Family Roundtable" you guys did on Billy Batson's podcast, Uncle and Junior started arguing about whether "Earth Five" was the coolest or most disturbing alternate universe, but the Captain cut them off and forbade any further discussion on the subject until they calmed down enough to be civil about it. As a result, we never heard what, exactly the deal is with it, can you tell us?
-Speaking if Mister Batson (Master Batson? I am not sure at what age the honorific changes), you guys are pretty tight with him. You ever hang out with his sister?
-So, uh, is the Wizard alive or a ghost or what? The way you guys talk about him is...confusing.
-Which of Fawcett's Golden Age Heroes is your favorite?
Mary: Oh we LOVE her
Sid: So you know the heroine my friend is talking about.
(M)ary: That I do, her name is Thunder and she's originally from the 90th Century
(S)id: the NINETEETH?! That's upwards of 6000 years from where the Legion is normally from?!
M: Evidently superheroes having headaches with time travel is not a new thing, nor will it be a new thing in the distant future.
S: The poor thing. 6000 years in MY past was the beginning of the Bronze Age
M: She made the best of it, from what we've seen
S: So, do tell us about her.
M: Her given name is CeCe and she comes from the planet Binderaan. At some point she discovered, or rather discovers a passage to the Rock of Eternity
S: For those of you not in the know, the Rock of Eternity is a massive mountain, said to be set at the literal center of all space and time. Home and headquarters of the arch wizard Shazam
M: That's the one. In much the same way MY family and I were given our powers, she was granted access to the magic word and became a hero both in her own century, the century of the legion, and a few times in the modern day
S: And your thoughts on all this?
M: Two bigs thumbs up and a "who wants to live forever?" for good measure.
M: As much as I'm loathe to give Sivana credit for anything. My family and I laughed ourselves SICK on that one.
S: Doesn't have to be to Sivana's credit. It could be framed just as easily as a joke at Lex Luthor's expense. And we all enjoy that
M: And we ALL enjoy that! *laugh*
S: There is something...refreshingly honest about Sivana's intentions in comparison to Luthor's public image.
M: Oh for sure. Sivana is here to do evil and he's ridiculous enough while doing it.
S: Luthor on the other hand can pretend to be humanity's benefactor and enough people are stupid enough to believe him that dealing with his newest scheme is just a pain in the ass.
M: I certainly don't envy the Super Family having to deal with him on a regular basis
S: Sivana on the otherhand?
M: I mean sure he's ALSO a pain but at least he's the kind of pain where all we need to do is find his newest thingamajig and smash a hole in the side
S: Which you never seem to have too much trouble doing
M: I relish it even.
S: So it makes him much more fun to think about as an over the top "supervillain"
M: I'm sure somewhere he relishes the comparison
S:...I bet he posted it in the Legion of Doom's group chat.
M: *Bark laugh hard enough to make the table jump*
M: Ah the multiverse
S: Always simple to wrap your head around and not at all slightly dissociating
M: No kidding. Every universe has some aspects that can leave a person...unsettled...
S: And what was the issue with this one?
M: It was...us. It was the Marvel Family...
S: You mean like you were evil or something?
M: Goodness no, I've dealt with bad guys with names like "Mary Menace" or something for years
S: Then what's the issue?
M: The entire world seemed to be...focused around us. A very innocent, very sanitized version of the Marvel Family
S: And that was a problem?
M: Yes?...No? Goodness this is difficult.
S: Walk us through it, I'm not charging by the word
M: It reached a level of innocence where...there was almost a humanity lacking from it
S: What makes you say that?
M: It was looking at a version of myself with nothing behind her eyes. She reacted to everything with such a chipper energy and a bubbly enthusiasm. Like nothing in the world bothered her. Like nothing in the world possibly COULD bother her...
S: Like meeting a robot version of yourself
M: More disturbing than the few times I've done that. But it's a decent comparison. Half a feeling of inadequacy for not being that perfect. Half waiting for the other shoe to drop.
M: Who, Mary Bromfield?
S: if that is the name of Billy Batson's sister. I wouldn't know. I get most of my news from the Planet
M: I don't think "hang out" would be the right word. She and Billy are the same age but she's not quite as much of an old soul
S: What makes you say that?
M: Billy Batson, famously grew up half homeless on the streets of Fawcett City after the death of their parents. Mary, as implied by her different last name, was adopted by a wealthy family
S: Didn't have to grow up quite as fast?
M: Not nearly, no.
S: Makes her not as good company?
M: There's nothing WRONG with the girl, obviously. She's perfectly kind, pleasent, polite
S: A little upper crust?
M: To a certain point. But honestly the biggest thing to point out is just the fact that she's...well, she's still a child
S: Not a fan of kids?
M: I don't hate them but I'm not exactly a born den mother, no.
S: Your family's connection to the Batsons seems mostly to be your brother's attachment to Billy Batson
M: He's a go getter, I'll give him that. He was a first point of contact for the Captain during his early days. More of a...big brother version of Superman's connection with Lois Lane
S: They are VERY cute.
M: Everything that boy does is cute, the fact that he's a keen eyed reporter only makes that skill more useful to him from what I've seen
M: The Wizard is dead, he has been for years.
S: Ok.
M: I also just talked to him this morning. He helped me prep for this interview
S:...This is one of those magic things, isn't it?
M: Oh you betcha.
S: Eventually Gwen will run out of ways to bail on these interviews...please go on...
M: Because I know you folks can't see, Sid just pulled out a lined notebook with "magic stuff" written on it.
S: It's a glossary my friend helped me put together!
M: Anyway, the Wizard is a powerful Arch Mage. He's been around since the first kingdoms of Ancient Canaan.
S: Near the beginning of known human history
M: Exactly. So the idea of "old age" was already a long prospect for him. Four thousand years on the LOW end.
S: Right, but I assume it caught up to him eventually
M: Even after being spooked by the failed empowering of Black Adam, the reaper always collects his due. So he needed to choose a champion, less his role as guardian of the Rock of Eternity and friend of mankind be lost forever.
S: And that's where Captain Marvel comes in
M: Exactly. He originally chose my brother himself as a champion. and in that moment passed away.
S: I sense a "but"
M: But he's a VERY powerful magic user and was able to create a strong connection between his spirit, the Rock of Eternity, his throne, and a magic bronze brazier that sits beside it.
S: So how does it work? Talking to him?
M: We light the brazier, his ghost appears. As intelligent and vital as he was in life, one assumes. I never actually met the living wizard...
S: Must be a bit disconcerting...
M: Not really. The only trade off is that binding his spirit keeps him from his actual afterlife.
S: Something tells me a 4000 year old arch mage wasn't that worried...
M: and you would be right. He spends most of his time vacationing in the various magical realms, really. Going to banquets on Olympus, sun bathing in Elysium, that sort of thing.
S: As far as retirements go...
M: This is an opinion I KNOW you and I have in common!
S: Oh, so it's Bulletgirl, then?
M: Oh you bet! Isn't she just the neatest?!
S: Certainly it's not hard to see the cues that you take from her in your position
M: You really think I remind people of her?
S: I'd say the only reason more people don't think you two look similar is because she was always wearing a helmet, and your hair is one of the most distinctive things about you.
M: Why thank you! But yes, I really do see her as a role model
S: She was Fawcett's first superheroine, you slot into that same role.
M: Brave, cunning, with a no backing down attitude!
S: Enough nazi ended up with a full speed broken jaw to back you up on that appriasal.
M: Whether as a member of a duo or on her lonesome she was just so unstoppable
S: While also being remembered for her kindness, humility and compassion.
M: Learning how to get cats out of trees when you flew that fast couldn't have been easy! *giggle*
S: I'm sure you could ask her. You must have met her personally, right?
M: Oh of course. But its one of those superhero "business" things. Either it's an all hands on deck scenario whether nobody has any time for small talk...
S: Still, that builds a bond
M: Sure, I know I trust her with my life but I've never gotten the time to ask her all the questions I'm sure would come rushing out of my mouth
S: There is not a thing stopping you. Unless the Maid of Might gets social anxiety around a role mdoel
M: Some things even MAGIC can't fix...
