The Power of Jerry Ordway!

Little-seen (and Never-seen) Art from the 1990s Shazam! Series

by Roy Thomas

From Alter Ego Vol. 3 #3

Truly, our Captain Marvel cup runneth over this issue!

The 1990s was, of course, the decade in which Jerry Ordway's Power of Shazam! series ran its dazzling lifespan of just under fifty issues, following his 1994 hardcover graphic novel of the same name.

For most of the regular series Jerry merely scripted the comic, leaving the art chores to Mike Manley and others, except for the beautiful covers he painted for each and every issue. Near the end, Jerry penciled the magazine, with the inking chores handled by Dick Giordano.

As preparation for the graphic novel and later the monthly series, however, Jerry did a considerable amount of little-seen artwork of the World's Mightiest Mortal- some of which has never been printed until now.

Although Jerry had, months ago, generously offered Alter Ego permission to showcase that artwork, I was frankly a bit apprehensive about including it in an issue which would feature a painted cover and a mountain of Marvel Family conceptual drawings by Alex Ross, because in no way did I want it to seem that Jerry was playing "second fiddle" to Alex. It's simply that, since Jerry had drawn that wonderful cover to A/E V3#1, I reasoned that I should wait a while before asking if he had anything we could use for a cover or interiors of our first issue spotlighting the Big Red Cheese and company.

When I contacted Jerry with this mini-dilemma, however, I quickly learned I needn't have worried. He e-mailed back: "I have no problem being in the issue with Alex! He's my hero!"

Although Jerry said he'd have to "dig around to find some good stuff," it was only a week or two later that I was surprised and pleased to receive the following Power of Shazam!-related artwork, all of it both penciled and inked by Jerry.

Thanks, buddy!

At this point, I'll bow out and let Jerry's commentary, written in the margins of the artwork he sent, speak by and large for itself, keeping my bracketed remarks to a minimum.

-R.T.

"Drawing that graced my initial proposal for Shazam! graphic novel."
[©1999 DC Comics Inc.]

"Art from 2nd retail poster from DC."
[©1999 DC Comics Inc.]

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