WGSH Shazam or "who exactly is that supposed to be"

[hedrap]

I've been meaning to throw this out to the peanut gallery and see what's the consensus, but whodaheck is WGSH Shazam supposed to be?

Because it ain't Fred MacMurray.

So is this another case of the art department got their hands on four issues of a totally aberrant Shazam and went with that?

Or - is he the Shazam dudes from the TV show, (which I have coming in the next day...)

shazam+capitao+marvel+seriado+raro+22+episodios+dublados+florianopolis+sc+brasil__2A2363_6.jpg

Or - was it a Peter Parker head first, then adopted for Shazam? As if the original plan was to do an RM Spider-Man?

Or - did they just really screw up again and base it on Capt Marvel Jr, because that's who he looks like to me.

134999-52991-captain-marvel-jr_super.jpg

[PNGwynne]

I love the Shazam! head--to me, it looks just like a more realistic sculpt of Capt. Marvel.

If you look at art from Shazam! ('73) by Beck, Mego's sculpt has the proper wavey hair, dimpled jaw, & pug nose. It even has the hint of frown & smile lines that Beck often indicated. The brow paint, too, is sterner/straighter than, for example, Superman or Aquaman.

I certainly wouldn't say it's innately "Parkeresque." That's strictly Mego repurposing IMO.

Regarding Cap Jr, he has more even, almost pretty, features, with a definite side-part and forelock to his hair-style.

I think the lack of a squint, and the rough box art, influence people's perceptions of this sculpt.

[hedrap]

I'll have to look at the '73 Shazam.

It feels Cap Mar Jr to me, because the sculpt looks so young compared to the other DC heads. I keep thinking I might shrink one and put it on a Lion Rock.

[PNGwynne]

I have the Showcase Shazam! volume, to make comparisons. It's great fun, even in B&W.