An Interview with Josie Campbell

For our readers familiar with the Shazam! movies, where is Billy Batson currently in the DC Comics universe? 

Billy Batson is a full hero, and a member of the Justice League. He also lives at home with his foster siblings, some who have recently regained their superpowers (Mary and Freddy) and others who have lost their powers (Darla, Pedro, and Eugene). As well, he is trying to balance his home life with his superhero life—especially as his foster parents are trying to adopt him!

Billy’s powers have also evolved past what we’ve seen in the movies—now he and the Captain (his superpowered persona) have slightly different personalities. This means the two can talk to each other and clash over their ideas on how to save the day—and boy, do they clash!

What is Billy Batson’s relationship with the immortal elders who grant him the power of SHAZAM! (Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury)? 

The gods are a gift and a curse! The gods have chosen Billy as their champion—both because Billy is determined and courageous, and because him being a foster kid resonates with them. After all, Zeus himself was a foster (in mythology he was fostered by the nymphs on Mount Ida), and the other gods have had struggles that allow them to relate to Billy’s struggles. The Gods often CAUSE Billy problems, especially when they meddle in mortal affairs, but ultimately, they have Billy’s back and see themselves in him.

How does Billy represent the concept of a parentified child—a child with adult responsibilities? 

Billy is the poster child for someone forced to grow up too fast, which is both a theme in my run and a large plot point for my first issues. Because he learned early on adults could not be relied upon, Billy’s taken on way more responsibility than he ever should have.

In my first issues, that is the BIG conflict between him and the grown-up Captain. The Captain begins hiding things from Billy to try and prevent him from getting hurt by the adults in his life and tries to shift that responsibility away from Billy. But while the Captain thinks he’s doing the kind thing, Billy sees it as another adult forcing him to do what THEY want, and not taking Billy’s own wants and desires into account. It’s a big issue between them, and one that will continually pop up in their relationship.

What balance does Billy’s foster family bring over Shazam!’s world of magic and myth? How does their human perspective help Billy in a way the immortal elders don’t?

Billy’s foster family absolutely grounds this world and gives it true stakes—fighting villains is one thing, but when fighting the bad guys forces you into conflict with those you love, and forces you to reflect on what family truly means to you, the stakes become so much higher. His foster family is the beating heart of Billy’s world and gives us an emotional center that colors every part of the comic.

They also support him in a way the Gods and his fellow heroes cannot. They love and support him—as well as call him out when he acts egotistical, or ignores other people’s ideas and wants, balancing his heroics with a teasing but kind family dynamic. His foster family inspires Billy to be a hero, giving him a unique POV on the world no other hero possesses. Billy knows what it’s like to be shuffled around from family to family, your whole life stuffed into a trash bag. That knowledge makes him even more determined to speak up for the helpless, the weak, and the downtrodden, becoming the champion of all who need a voice.

What other projects do you currently have coming out and where can our readers find you online?

Outside of “SHAZAM!,” I also write an original comic through Boom Studios. The comic is called “I Heart Skull-Crusher!” and the first volume is out in trade paperback now! As well, I am the Executive Producer for a new DC animated show called “Starfire!” following the titular character as she explores space with a crew of other new and returning DC superheroines. And you can find me online at @cozyjamble on X and at my website cozyjamble.com.

January Staff Picks

Inanna Carter

My Time at Sandrock

Farming sims and RPGs have been around for quite some time. The classics of Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons, the iconic Stardew Valley, the upcoming Fields of Mistria—they’re not going away for a long time. Now, take that and add…building?

My Time at Sandrock is an RPG where rather than moving to a new town to take over your deceased grandfather’s farm, you move to a new town to take over a builder’s workshop. The full release recently came out, and though I only just got around to starting it, I’ve been having a blast. This game is heaps better than its predecessor, My Time at Portia (though Portia has a special place in my heart).

Aside from building for the community, you can mine, fight, farm, and form relationships with the other townsfolk. It’s something you can easily sink your time into, and overall, it’s a great game. The writing is witty and the plot keeps you on your toes. Games like Sandrock and Portia, ones with complete storylines, remind me so much of books. They don’t have to be perfect or extraordinary, but if the story is engaging and the characters evoke emotion, then I’d say they end up being something pretty special.

Dominic Loise

Wesley Dodds: The Sandman

When I talk about the Sandman, I am not like most comic book fans. The character I am talking about isn’t Spider-Man’s granulated, morphing foe or Neil Gaiman’s groundbreaking goth-classic character. My Sandman is the Golden Age character, Wesley Dodds. Dodds, in his WWI gas mask, stood out to me against his WWII counterparts by wearing a three-piece suit, trench coat, and fedora while the rest of the Justice Society of America were flexing their muscles in tights and domino masks.

The new DC Comics miniseries by writer Robert Venditti and artist Riley Rossmo delves into Dodds as a man-of-mystery hero rather than a two-fisted, vigilante crime fighter. Venditti writes to the core of the character by looking at the nonviolent nature of the Sandman’s sleeping gas and PTSD from Dodds’ father in WWI, which led to his path as a hero and experiments with nonlethal weapons.

Rossmo’s art style is perfect for a series that needs to be grounded in the urban alleyways of gangster pulp and other times drift away in the dreams of a tormented hero trying to make the world safer. Besides hired thugs and gang bosses, the main villain is a darker version of Dodds, using toxic gases and tapping into the hero’s horrors and his work against chemical weapons in warfare.

Wesley Dodds: The Sandman shows a character a step between comic book and pulp novel heroes. It also shows the mindset of someone trying to make the world better between two world wars all while dealing with local violence and injustice in his city.

Sara Santistevan

Marry My Husband

*SPOILER ALERT* The following contains plot details about Marry My Husband.

If Marry My Husband is just your run-of-the-mill K-Drama, then I sincerely regret sleeping on K-Dramas until now! Based on a Webtoon by Sung So-jakMarry My Husband follows the story of Kang Ji-won, a woman who gets a second chance at life after she is murdered by her husband and best friend, who were having an affair.

I’ve often wondered what life decisions I would make differently if I got the chance to go back in time with the knowledge I have now. I also love a good revenge story! What makes Marry My Husband special is the plot’s seamless acknowledgement of some of the technical complications of time travel. In early episodes, we learn that in her previous life, Ji-won was diagnosed with stomach cancer, which was implied to result from gastritis due to the stress of her marriage. When Ji-won is thrust back into her life prior to her illness, she learns, through a series of experiments, that although future events can’t completely be avoided, they can be delayed or passed on to someone else. With this knowledge in mind, Ji-won makes it her mission to set up her best friend and future husband to avoid her fate.

Along the way, Ji-won forms genuine friendships, learns to stand up for herself, and grows more confident in her appearance and personality. Oh, and don’t worry—there’s plenty of romance, too, courtesy of the mysterious Yoo Ji-hyuk, Ji-won’s manager who seems to know more than he should about Ji-won.