But where's the talk about the Marvel Family?
Every issue--I mean literally every issue--has at least one story where the hero(es) are captured, bound and gagged in their non-Marvelous form. Every. Goshdarned. Issue. Fawcett City must lead the nation in gag sales.
Of course, gagging is a necessary story contrivance, given the nature of their powers. Still, it can come across as, well, kind of creepy to modern eyes, to constantly see children bound and gagged.
Of course, Billy and Mary and Freddy always managed to get the gag off in the nick of time...which probably says something about the knot-tying competence of the average criminal they faced.
Sometimes, though, the way they removed the gag was quite...well, freakin' painful.
Billy has been--surprise--bound and gagged, and stuck inside a "time capsule" not to be opened until the year 5000!!
Billy, though, doesn't mind living with the pain it takes to get out:
The Marvel Family. Pain and bondage. Your move, Wonder Woman!
From Marvel Family #33 (1949)
4 comments:
Good point. Sometimes we run with something because it so smoothly fits an already accepted narrative without taking the time to consider examples that don't.
These kind of stories make wonder, why ever change back to vulnerable Billy, Mary and Freddie? It's almost an irresponsible thing to do.
I've often thought that way myself. Especially since KINGDOM COME established that an adult Billy Batson looks exactly like Captain Marvel. If that held true in the mainstream universe, once Billy grew up there'd be no reason whatsoever to not be Captain Marvel.
The absolutely wonderful Captain Marvel movie serial took the "gag the hero to keep him from changing" concept to it's logical conclusion.
Earlier, the bad-guy Scorpion saw Billy Batson duck behind a truck, witnessed lightning strike, and then Captain Marvel emerged from behind the truck.
The Scorpion put 1 + 1 together...sort of.
Later, he captures Billy and gags and ties the kid.
He threatens Billy's friends and associates with death if Batson doesn't reveal how he changes to Captain Marvel.
Billy shakes his head "No"!
After a "red shirt" member of the group is killed, and Billy's girlfriend is threatened, he nods "Yes"!
The Scorpion, thinking he's being clever, says "Remove the gag, but keep his hands tied!"
The gag's removed.
The Scorpion demands "Now, tell me, or she dies!"
Billy smiles and responds; "i'll not only tell ya...I'll show ya! SHAZAM!"
Guess what happens?
And, yes, it's the final chapter of the serial!
My favorite is when they were hung by their wrists and Freddy got the idea to start swinging towards Billy so that Billy could use Freddy's leg brace as a gag-removal implement. So, a flying metal bar firmly attached to an appendage that Freddy only has vague control over even in normal circumstances (or he wouldn't be wearing the brace...)
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