Warning: contains spoilers forShazam#18!
After 80 years, one ofDC’smost underrated villain teams stands on the cusp of their ultimate victory. The Monster Society of Evil, in all its incarnations, has been a menace to Shazam and his allies, who have kept them at bay for years. InShazam#18,the latest version of the Monster Society has seemingly clinched a brutal victory over the Shazam Family.
Shazam#18 is written by Josie Campbell and drawn by Dan McDaid.Georgia Sivana, the leader of the new Monster Society of Evil, is ready to succeed where her father failed: in destroying the Shazam Family once and for all. Freedy Freeman, now calling himself the “Commander,” has been corrupted by Mister Mind, and is leading the assault. He severely beats the Captain (Shazam’s new, preferred name) and Georgia draws Mary to the moon, where she begins suffocating. On Earth, an army of upgraded Mister Atoms reign atomic fire down on Fawcett City.
The Monster Society of Evil Is A Historic Team in Comic Book History
The Monster Society Has Changed With the Times
The Monster Society of Evil, while largely forgotten among fans, actually occupies a unique spot in comics history, as the first super-villain team.The Societywas compiled by Mister Mind, and consisted of nearly every villain in Shazam’s rogues’ gallery. Among the Society’s ranks included Doctor Sivana, Ibac and Captain Nazi. Debuting in 1943’sCaptain Marvel Adventures#22, the Monster Society of Evil nearly crushed the Shazam Family. This version of the team is the best known, but Mister Mind has assembled other lineups over the years, each with the same goal in mind: killing Shazam and conquering the world.
The Monster Society of Evil’s Golden Age origin story has the honor of being the first serialized story in American comic books.
The new Monster Society of Evil, as seen inShazam#18, boasts that they have a new goal: liberation, not conquest.However, this “liberation” applies only to the monsters of the world. Led by the monstrous King Kull, these monsters were some of Earth’s original inhabitants–and they want the planet back. Mister Mind, who does not make an appearance until the issue’s end, is playing to Kull’s anger. Despite his goofy appearance, Mister Mind is ruthless and will murder anyone who gets in his way, as will Georgia Sivana. Mary Marvel is about to learn the extent of Georgia’s evil.
The New Monster Society Has a Most Unlikely Member
Mister Mind Has Torn the Shazam Family Apart
Mister Mind realized he could never destroy the Shazam Family from the outside, so he decided to strike at their very core.
The Monster Society’s victory over Shazam can largely be attributed tothe corruption of Freddy Freeman.While the Monster Society has powerful members, they do not have anyone on Shazam’s level–-until Mister Mind succeeds in turning Freddy. Mister Mind realized he could never destroy the Shazam Family from the outside, so he decided to strike at their very core. In a sense, Mister Mind and the Monster Society have achieved their ultimate victory on both a physical and mental level. Without the Shazam Family to stop them, the rest of theDCUniverse will soon fear the Monster Society of Evil.
