Having read comics as a kid (and occasionally as an adult), I counted Captain Marvel amongst my favorite superheroes. I’m not talking about the Marvel Comics version of Captain Marvel. I’m talking about the original DC version where young Billy Batson comes across an old man in a cave (or underground subway system depending on which version you read), and is endowed with the power to become a superhero by uttering the word SHAZAM. I used to read the comics during the light and frothy phase of the 1960’s and early 1970’s and loved them for their simplicity. It was a more innocent time when comics were still for kids, unlike their dark and violent beginnings and the far more explicit nature of today’s ‘graphic novels.’ I also loved Captain Marvel for the possibilities that it brought to a young kid’s imagination. “Hmmm, maybe I could go into a cave and meet some old guy who will endow me with super powers,” I used to think. Being a bit more grown up now, though I realize it’s only a little less possible. (SHAZAM……….dagnabbit)

As I grew older my comic book reading habit started to wane, and it wasn’t until a few years ago that I started to sporadically read them again, I came across one that particularly caught my eye. It was the “Kingdom Come” series. It dealt with a future where the superhero population had grown out of control, and with that growth came an insane amount of fighting and destruction. I was fascinated by the naturalistic artwork by Alex Ross. He has the uncanny ability to make his heroes look like real people. Captain Marvel was used in the story as an unwitting pawn, and the way his character was written, as well as drawn, was nothing short of amazing.

I also have vague memories of watching the Saturday morning live action show with Jackson Bostwick as the mighty hero. Of course I have to admit I was watching it more so for the follow-up show “Isis” starring Joanna Cassidy. (‘Oh Zephyr wings that blow on high, lift me now so I may fly….’) This version of Captain Marvel was kitschy at best, but I watched it anyway. I keep hearing that there is a new live action movie version in the works, but I still haven’t seen anything concrete.

But then, wonder of wonders, a DVD showed up at my house that contained a 1941 live action serial starring Tom Tyler as Captain Marvel. I wondered how on Earth that one had fallen under my radar. I’m a big fan of the old cliff-hanger serials, yet had never heard of this one. Just the fact that the immortal hero was played by Tyler should have warranted my having heard of it. I couldn’t wait to watch it.

“The Adventures of Captain Marvel” is made up of twelve episodes, each one ending in a ‘cliff-hanger’. The first thing that caught my attention was how good of a transfer the DVD offered considering the age of the material. There are certainly occasional glitches and scratches, but the picture is surprisingly sharp. Even the sound isn’t half bad. Generally these old films are a bit muffled, but I had no problems understanding any of the dialogue.

After sitting through the entire series, I still can’t get over how I missed it. It is probably one of the best serials I have ever seen. Granted most of the origin of Captain Marvel was Hollywood-ized, making Batson a little older and part of an archeological crew, but beyond that they got everything else right. The costume was perfect, and unlike many of the older superhero serials actually fit. I’m used to seeing the really baggy 1940’s Batman. I will comment that lesser intelligent viewers (whose minds have been warped by today’s sensibilities) might find the small over-the-shoulder cape a little effeminate. But I didn’t have a problem with it at all.

Tyler does a great job as Marvel, and you can tell he’s having quite a bit of fun with the role. I guess it was a far cry from the cowboys he was used to playing. His enthusiasm, as well as the gymnastic abilities of his stunt double, make for a great realization of the character. As Billy Batson, Frank Coghlan Jr. generally delivers just the right amount of earnestness, though every now and then he’s a little too earnest. The main thing you have to keep in mind is how different acting styles were back in the 1940’s and there’s no reason why you wouldn’t enjoy this series.

The other thing that really impressed me about the series was how well the special effects were handled. Of course, the changes between Batson and Captain Marvel are pretty standard for the time. Whenever the word SHAZAM was spoken the screen would fill with smoke and sparks and the appropriate character would appear. I mentioned before the gymnastic abilities of Tyler’s stunt double and the way he would jump over the bad guys during a fight looked great. Then there was the flying. For the actual flying scenes themselves, Tyler would hang suspended in front of a screen with a moving background. These scenes were filmed really well, but what sold them were the takeoff and landing shots. Tyler (or his stunt man) would dive in a very natural way that made the transition to flight seem believable.

Since the serial was done back in 1941, the actions of Captain Marvel did at times mirror what the comics of the time had him doing. Back then it wasn’t unusual to see a superhero use a gun, Batman even did it in the early days. Here Captain Marvel turns a machine gun on some baddies, but later mostly just breaks them.

I love this new DVD from Artisan, mostly because it introduced me to a serial that I never knew existed, but also because it’s really a good one to boot.

Episodes:
Curse of the Scorpion
The Guillotine
Time Bomb
Death Takes the Wheel
The Scorpion Strikes
Lens of Death
Human Targets
Boomerang
Dead Man's Trap
Doom Ship
Valley of Death
Captain Marvel's Secret

Starring: Tom Tyler, Frank Coghlan Jr, William Benedict, Louise Currie, Robert Strange
Specifications: Full Screen
Studio: Artisan
Release Date: 12/16/2003
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give The Adventures of Captain Marvel a B.