Power!, by Dennis O’Neil

Dennis O'Neil

Dennis O'Neil was born in 1939, the same year that Batman first appeared in Detective Comics. It was thus perhaps fated that he would be so closely associated with the character, writing and editing the Dark Knight for more than 30 years. He's been an editor at Marvel and DC Comics. In addition to Batman, he's worked on Spider-Man, Daredevil, Iron Man, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, the Question, The Shadow and more. O'Neil has won every major award in the industry. His prose novels have been New York Times bestsellers. Denny lives in Rockland County with his wife, Marifran.

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9 Responses

  1. John Ostrander says:

    "The Great Cosmic Snortlefish". I think I've just found my new religion.And you're right about the power of "Shazam". The late Del Close, who could be as cynical as anyone and who personified hip, told me the story of once going out into a field at night and, with all his voice and all his being, did the invocation, saying the magic word. He KNEW nothing was going to happen but. . .he just had to find out. We later worked it into a WASTELAND story.

  2. Marilee J. Layman says:

    Actually, I remember "Shazam" being used when people shook their heads disappointedly. Kind of like a replacement for "damn."

  3. John Tebbel says:

    And, before his natural patois was ruined by Sgt. Carter, Matberry's Gomer Pyle delivered a wonderful reading of the word to indicate astonishment, getting it up to three syllables.

    • Mike Gold says:

      And now it's the title of a major motion picture — co-written by William Goldman, co-produced by our pal Mike Uslan, and co-starring Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam. Hmmm… I wonder if Frank Coghlan Jr. is still around. Betcha he could STILL play Billy Batson.

      • Rick Taylor says:

        The Adventures of Captain Marvel – Still my favorite movie serial. That, and Spy Smasher. I loved the way the majority of the actors referred to him as Captain MAHvel.

  4. Michael H. Price says:

    I've always preferred plain old indignation and gumption as sources of unlikely abilities. Batman makes a good example. Big Science and Bad Medicine can provide some nifty finishing touches. And Wonder Woman (cosmic gifts aside) fostered a Little Engine That Could attitude, maintaining in essence that, if you believe you can do it, then, by golly, you can.The Cap'n MAHvel and Spy Smasher references call to mind some other odd pronunciations of heroic names. Seems the references on screen to Spy Smasher sounded more like "Spice Masher," last time I watched the serial. Not unlike that famous singing cowboy, Gee Nautry, or Public Radio's Bah Bedwards.

  5. Steve Atkins says:

    Speaking of the origin of Captain America's powers, I remember when I was in the 6th Grade and a law enforcement officer in the D.A.R.E. program came by my school to lecture against drugs. One of the things he brought was a big poster of Ol' Cap standing there with a big grin and a word balloon that said "Just say no to drugs! I do!" ………I started laughing so loud and for so long that I had to be dismissed from the lecture.