From The Scoop: Mary Marvel

From the March 30 issue of Gemstone Publishing's The Scoop:

Since Captain Marvel's sister Mary Marvel is getting lots of attention in DC's Shazam!: Monster Society of Evil mini-series and will have an important part in the upcoming Countdown, we thought this would be a great time to revisit one of our favorite superheroines.

Mary Marvel made her debut in 1942 in Captain Marvel Adventures #18. Mary Marvel's mortal alter ego was Mary Bromfield, the long lost twin sister of Captain Marvel's mortal alter ego, Billy Batson. Both had the ability to go from regular kids to mighty superheroes (heroines), by simply calling out the name of Shazam. Billy's Shazam called together the powers of six Roman gods, while Mary's summoned the powers of the goddesses. For grace, she called upon Selena, for strength, Hippolyta, for skill, Ariadne, for fleetness, Zephyrus, for beauty, Aurora, and for wisdom, Minerva.

As Mary Marvel's popularity grew, it seemed only right that her large group of girl fans could have their own club. The Mary Marvel Club for Girl promoted fun and morality, offering letters to members on comci news, fashion tips, and more. For only ten cent, girls could receive a commemorative magic lapel pin for joining, as well as a membership card. 

With Mary back on the scene in a big way, we wonder if a new generation of female readers will latch onto her as a role model. What do you think?

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