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Shazam! Volume 1 HC (The New 52) by Johns. Geoff ( 2013 ) Hardcover
BY Johns, Geoff ( Author ) [{ Shazam! Vol. 1 (the New 52) (New 52!) By Johns, Geoff ( Author ) Oct - 01- 2013 ( Hardcover ) } ]
Hardcover
First published October 1, 2013
220 people are currently reading
1470 people want to read
About the author
Geoff Johns
2,349 books2,410 followersGeoff Johns originally hails from Detroit, Michigan. He attended Michigan State University, where he earned a degree in Media Arts and Film. He moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s in search of work within the film industry. Through perseverance, Geoff ended up as the assistant to Richard Donner, working on Conspiracy Theory and Lethal Weapon 4. During that time, he also began his comics career writing Stars and S.T.R.I.P.E. and JSA (co-written with David S. Goyer) for DC Comics. He worked with Richard Donner for four years, leaving the company to pursue writing full-time.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
His first comics assignments led to a critically acclaimed five-year run on the The Flash. Since then, he has quickly become one of the most popular and prolific comics writers today, working on such titles including a highly successful re-imagining of Green Lantern, Action Comics (co-written with Richard Donner), Teen Titans, Justice Society of America, Infinite Crisis and the experimental breakout hit series 52 for DC with Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid. Geoff received the Wizard Fan Award for Breakout Talent of 2002 and Writer of the Year for 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 as well as the CBG Writer of the Year 2003 thru 2005, 2007 and CBG Best Comic Book Series for JSA 2001 thru 2005. Geoff also developed BLADE: THE SERIES with David S. Goyer, as well as penned the acclaimed “Legion” episode of SMALLVILLE. He also served as staff writer for the fourth season of ROBOT CHICKEN.
Geoff recently became a New York Times Bestselling author with the graphic novel Superman: Brainiac with art by Gary Frank.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 470 reviews
May 21, 2021
(A-) 82% | Very Good
Notes: A cozy urban escapade, it’s feel-good, fun and bright: a splendid start, raised up by art, and gets teenage voices right.
Notes: A cozy urban escapade, it’s feel-good, fun and bright: a splendid start, raised up by art, and gets teenage voices right.
March 5, 2019
4.5 stars
Just finished a re-read in preperation for the movie, and I think I loved it even more this time around. I just wish there were more!
SHAZAM!
Billions of screaming fans go wild with anticipation for the revamped version of Billy Batson!
Fine. It's just me and five other geeks having a nerdgasm.
Whatever.
It counts!
If you don't know much about this title, let me give you a couple of important tidbits of information.
First, the buff character on the cover is not named Shazam. Shazam is the wizard who gave Billy Batson the power to transform into Captain Marvel.
Not much of an improvement in the name department, but still...
Shazam is also the magic word Batson uses to make the transformation.
Second, Billy Batson is a kid. Worse, he was originally an annoyingly perfect kid. See, Batson was picked by the wizard because he was so pure of heart. He was nice and sweet and always did the right thing. He made Superman look morally deficient.
So, yeah. He was too boring to bother with.
But when I heard Geoff Johns was taking on this title for the reboot, my inner dork did a little dance!
Could the great and mighty Johns make this title readable!?
Answer: Yes!
Batson is no longer a sweet orphan who tries to always do the right thing. Now he's an angry kid in the foster care system.
But he still has a Pure Heart underneath it all, right?
Eh. Not so much.
In fact, he only ends up with the powers of Shazam because the wizard was out of time. He'd been looking for someone worthy to take the mantle, but surprisingly kept coming up empty handed. Billy accidentally found his way to the magic subway car...seriously, don't ask...and ended up in the right place at the right time. Black Adam had been freed from his prison dimension, and he was currently en route to kick some ancient wizard ass. Poor old Shazam literally has no choice but to fork over the power and hope for the best.
Of course, Batson realized the importance of being given access to such great powers, and immediately set out on an epic quest for...beer.
Oh, come on. What would you have done if you were a teenage boy who found himself suddenly able to turn into an adult?
That's what I thought.
And that's just the beginning.
Now I know that there are a few of you hardcore fans of the original Shazam out there, and seeing your beloved character portrayed in a different light will likely upset you.
Fun Fact: Nobody else cares what you think.
This title needed a kick in the ass to make it more relevant, and that's exactly what happened.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a digital copy of this lovely comic.
Just finished a re-read in preperation for the movie, and I think I loved it even more this time around. I just wish there were more!
SHAZAM!
Billions of screaming fans go wild with anticipation for the revamped version of Billy Batson!
Fine. It's just me and five other geeks having a nerdgasm.
Whatever.
It counts!
If you don't know much about this title, let me give you a couple of important tidbits of information.
First, the buff character on the cover is not named Shazam. Shazam is the wizard who gave Billy Batson the power to transform into Captain Marvel.
Not much of an improvement in the name department, but still...
Shazam is also the magic word Batson uses to make the transformation.
Second, Billy Batson is a kid. Worse, he was originally an annoyingly perfect kid. See, Batson was picked by the wizard because he was so pure of heart. He was nice and sweet and always did the right thing. He made Superman look morally deficient.
So, yeah. He was too boring to bother with.
But when I heard Geoff Johns was taking on this title for the reboot, my inner dork did a little dance!
Could the great and mighty Johns make this title readable!?
Answer: Yes!
Batson is no longer a sweet orphan who tries to always do the right thing. Now he's an angry kid in the foster care system.
But he still has a Pure Heart underneath it all, right?
Eh. Not so much.
In fact, he only ends up with the powers of Shazam because the wizard was out of time. He'd been looking for someone worthy to take the mantle, but surprisingly kept coming up empty handed. Billy accidentally found his way to the magic subway car...seriously, don't ask...and ended up in the right place at the right time. Black Adam had been freed from his prison dimension, and he was currently en route to kick some ancient wizard ass. Poor old Shazam literally has no choice but to fork over the power and hope for the best.
Of course, Batson realized the importance of being given access to such great powers, and immediately set out on an epic quest for...beer.
Oh, come on. What would you have done if you were a teenage boy who found himself suddenly able to turn into an adult?
That's what I thought.
And that's just the beginning.
Now I know that there are a few of you hardcore fans of the original Shazam out there, and seeing your beloved character portrayed in a different light will likely upset you.
Fun Fact: Nobody else cares what you think.
This title needed a kick in the ass to make it more relevant, and that's exactly what happened.
Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for a digital copy of this lovely comic.
April 4, 2016
SHAZAM!!!
This TPB collects the side-story originally published in the pages of "Justice League" re-introducing the character of Shazam in the New52 continuity.
Creative Team:
Writer: Geoff Johns
Illustrator: Gary Frank
YOU KNOW THAT YOU DONE IT
Maybe most women didn't do it, but men when they were kids at some moment and even more than once time, they all yelled the magic word and for a split-second, maybe even less than that but sensed in the depths of their minds, they waited for that incredible few moment, to see if the magic word had worked.
Those were good old times.
Those were more naive times.
Where you can believe that a kid can be transformed into an adult super-hero with powers in the level of Superman. And only was needed to say...
...a magic word.
THAT CHARACTER USED TO BE CAPTAIN MARVEL
With the "reboot" of the New 52 universe on DC Comics, now the character that some of you may know as "Captain Marvel" now it's officially named only as "Shazam".
The good old Captain Marvel is easily one of the most complicated characters not on his fictional comic book world but in the courts of legal justice of the very real world.
First, when it was owned by Fawcett Comics, it lost a lawsuit since it was charged to be an illegal copy of Superman. Later, when it was bought by the very DC Comics, they needed to re-title the comic book to "Shazam!" since it was then Marvel Comics who claimed to be owners of the name of "Captain Marvel" used on their own comics in a very different character.
And even there was another legal battle for "Marvelman", an ingenious character created to be able to continue the publications of comic books on England which started by the original Captain Marvel. So, Marvelman became "Miracleman" just to be yet again Marvelman when Marvel adquired the rights of the British character. DC Comics played with the idea to get away from the name of Captain Marvel on the Flashpoint event when the hero was named then "Captain Thunder", which was being used on certain comics years ago. However, when the New 52 universe began, now the very legally disputed character was finally known as Shazam.
A SHAZAM FOR A NEW GENERATION
Back in the 1940s, it was normal to conceive that a kid can be totally good and being worthy of the power of Shazam.
However, for better or worse, it's quite inconceivable to think that a kid nowadays can be that naively good as was Billy Batson on the '40s.
But, taking away the charming campy mood of the Golden Age of comic books, anybody can tell you that nobody is totally good or even totally evil, everybody needs both sides to survive in society, but the balance of those two inclinations is what will define how people would see them.
In the Rock of Eternity, last bastion of real magic, the last survivor member of the protectors of magic has been looking for a long, long time for a person of total goodness to be chosen and given the powers of the Living Lightning. However, the rebellious Billy Batson, without realizing, showed to the The Wizard that has being wrong in his quest. He wouldn't find a person of pure good, but...
...a person with the potential to be good was another matter.
This is the key of all this story, since what can work in a way, it can works backwards. Power corrupts, yes, and the saying tells that absolute power, corrupts in an absolutely way, ah!, but nobody has absolute power, only God (yes, I believe in God, deal with that), so even the most despotic tyrant or the most powerful supervillain can think that he/she has absolute power but that's a misconception, a mistake, an illusion, therefore, if nobody can be totally good, they can't be totally evil neither.
WHY THE WORLD NEEDS SHAZAM
When you try to fit a character like Shazam in a comic book universe where Superman exists, you need to portrait as different as possible to avoid the ever question:
Why Shazam if we have Superman?
So, now Shazam besides his good old powers like flying, super-strength, super-speed and a near invulnerability, now he has magical lightning bolts, he can cast spells (but he is barely beginning Spell 101 yet) and it's implying that he has some other abilities yet to be discovered.
That's good since back then, it was said that Captain Marvel got his powers from six Greek gods but only Zeus fit the description since Hercules, Atlas and Achilles were demi-gods, Mercury is the Roman name of the Greek Hermes and Solomon was a judge of the Hebrew nation. Sooooo, yes, it was about time to "clean up" all that mess of from whom his powers came from.
A very big difference now is that Billy Batson can say the word "Shazam" in casual dialogue without fearing to be transformed.
Now, to be transformed, he must say "Shazam" but with the intention in mind of wanting to be transformed.
That's useful now more than ever since his hero codename is Shazam, no more Captain Marvel, and that will help him in situations like:
"Oh, thank you for saving my life! Who are you?"
"Oh, madam, I can't tell you or I would expose my secret identity to you! Ho, ho, ho!"
Holy Moley!
WELCOME TO PHILADELPHIA
Fawcett City? Oh, no, while DC Comics is not shy of creating as fictional towns as they like, now the base of operations is the very real city of Philadelphia.
The Marvel Family? Oh, yes, they are here too!
And now they are "Eight is Enough" minus one, since Billy Batson has five "brothers" from the foster family where he is now living along with a tiger (yes, you read right, a tiger) and he can "share" his powers to give them Shazam-like powers (yes, even the tiger), so that it's like Power Rangers meet Masters of the Universe, but honestly, it works for me.
Even while Captain Marvel Jr. and Mary Marvel were the most known members of the Marvel Family on the eras previous to the New 52, back at the good old Golden Age, there were three "Lieutenants Marvel" (Those sneaky witty devil writers of the Golden Age!!!).
Billy is still learning the sharing spells to know how to do it without screwing up in the process.
ENTER THE VILLAINS
Black Adam? You betcha all your Kahndaq coins that you have him too!
And his new origin is one of the strongest pieces of the storyline giving him quite great depth and complexity to the character.
But Black Adam isn't coming alone, he is supported by the Seven Deadly Sins. (Why the seven sins of the Christian ethics? Well, they were messing with Greek, Egyptian, and other ancient cultures, so why not?!).
The Seven Deadly Sins for some reason, while they must be of material and visible form since they were disguised as humans only with their memories erased, seems that when they will attack the city, all seven possessed one single human body, of course, they became a huge scary monster but even so, I thought that it could be better to be seven separate threats making them more difficult to deal with, but they didn't ask me!
Dr. Sivana? Oh, yes, he is coming along too to the evil fun!
But it seems that his time of glory will be on the following storylines and he will have help of another quite known enemy that I hope you don't mind that I don't say who is.
The story arc was full of great dialogues, spectacular art and remarkable characters!
P.S.
Mmh...
SHAZAM!!!
...mmh...still nothing, well it was worth a try!
This TPB collects the side-story originally published in the pages of "Justice League" re-introducing the character of Shazam in the New52 continuity.
Creative Team:
Writer: Geoff Johns
Illustrator: Gary Frank
YOU KNOW THAT YOU DONE IT
Maybe most women didn't do it, but men when they were kids at some moment and even more than once time, they all yelled the magic word and for a split-second, maybe even less than that but sensed in the depths of their minds, they waited for that incredible few moment, to see if the magic word had worked.
Those were good old times.
Those were more naive times.
Where you can believe that a kid can be transformed into an adult super-hero with powers in the level of Superman. And only was needed to say...
...a magic word.
THAT CHARACTER USED TO BE CAPTAIN MARVEL
With the "reboot" of the New 52 universe on DC Comics, now the character that some of you may know as "Captain Marvel" now it's officially named only as "Shazam".
The good old Captain Marvel is easily one of the most complicated characters not on his fictional comic book world but in the courts of legal justice of the very real world.
First, when it was owned by Fawcett Comics, it lost a lawsuit since it was charged to be an illegal copy of Superman. Later, when it was bought by the very DC Comics, they needed to re-title the comic book to "Shazam!" since it was then Marvel Comics who claimed to be owners of the name of "Captain Marvel" used on their own comics in a very different character.
And even there was another legal battle for "Marvelman", an ingenious character created to be able to continue the publications of comic books on England which started by the original Captain Marvel. So, Marvelman became "Miracleman" just to be yet again Marvelman when Marvel adquired the rights of the British character. DC Comics played with the idea to get away from the name of Captain Marvel on the Flashpoint event when the hero was named then "Captain Thunder", which was being used on certain comics years ago. However, when the New 52 universe began, now the very legally disputed character was finally known as Shazam.
A SHAZAM FOR A NEW GENERATION
Back in the 1940s, it was normal to conceive that a kid can be totally good and being worthy of the power of Shazam.
However, for better or worse, it's quite inconceivable to think that a kid nowadays can be that naively good as was Billy Batson on the '40s.
But, taking away the charming campy mood of the Golden Age of comic books, anybody can tell you that nobody is totally good or even totally evil, everybody needs both sides to survive in society, but the balance of those two inclinations is what will define how people would see them.
In the Rock of Eternity, last bastion of real magic, the last survivor member of the protectors of magic has been looking for a long, long time for a person of total goodness to be chosen and given the powers of the Living Lightning. However, the rebellious Billy Batson, without realizing, showed to the The Wizard that has being wrong in his quest. He wouldn't find a person of pure good, but...
...a person with the potential to be good was another matter.
This is the key of all this story, since what can work in a way, it can works backwards. Power corrupts, yes, and the saying tells that absolute power, corrupts in an absolutely way, ah!, but nobody has absolute power, only God (yes, I believe in God, deal with that), so even the most despotic tyrant or the most powerful supervillain can think that he/she has absolute power but that's a misconception, a mistake, an illusion, therefore, if nobody can be totally good, they can't be totally evil neither.
WHY THE WORLD NEEDS SHAZAM
When you try to fit a character like Shazam in a comic book universe where Superman exists, you need to portrait as different as possible to avoid the ever question:
Why Shazam if we have Superman?
So, now Shazam besides his good old powers like flying, super-strength, super-speed and a near invulnerability, now he has magical lightning bolts, he can cast spells (but he is barely beginning Spell 101 yet) and it's implying that he has some other abilities yet to be discovered.
That's good since back then, it was said that Captain Marvel got his powers from six Greek gods but only Zeus fit the description since Hercules, Atlas and Achilles were demi-gods, Mercury is the Roman name of the Greek Hermes and Solomon was a judge of the Hebrew nation. Sooooo, yes, it was about time to "clean up" all that mess of from whom his powers came from.
A very big difference now is that Billy Batson can say the word "Shazam" in casual dialogue without fearing to be transformed.
Now, to be transformed, he must say "Shazam" but with the intention in mind of wanting to be transformed.
That's useful now more than ever since his hero codename is Shazam, no more Captain Marvel, and that will help him in situations like:
"Oh, thank you for saving my life! Who are you?"
"Oh, madam, I can't tell you or I would expose my secret identity to you! Ho, ho, ho!"
Holy Moley!
WELCOME TO PHILADELPHIA
Fawcett City? Oh, no, while DC Comics is not shy of creating as fictional towns as they like, now the base of operations is the very real city of Philadelphia.
The Marvel Family? Oh, yes, they are here too!
And now they are "Eight is Enough" minus one, since Billy Batson has five "brothers" from the foster family where he is now living along with a tiger (yes, you read right, a tiger) and he can "share" his powers to give them Shazam-like powers (yes, even the tiger), so that it's like Power Rangers meet Masters of the Universe, but honestly, it works for me.
Even while Captain Marvel Jr. and Mary Marvel were the most known members of the Marvel Family on the eras previous to the New 52, back at the good old Golden Age, there were three "Lieutenants Marvel" (Those sneaky witty devil writers of the Golden Age!!!).
Billy is still learning the sharing spells to know how to do it without screwing up in the process.
ENTER THE VILLAINS
Black Adam? You betcha all your Kahndaq coins that you have him too!
And his new origin is one of the strongest pieces of the storyline giving him quite great depth and complexity to the character.
But Black Adam isn't coming alone, he is supported by the Seven Deadly Sins. (Why the seven sins of the Christian ethics? Well, they were messing with Greek, Egyptian, and other ancient cultures, so why not?!).
The Seven Deadly Sins for some reason, while they must be of material and visible form since they were disguised as humans only with their memories erased, seems that when they will attack the city, all seven possessed one single human body, of course, they became a huge scary monster but even so, I thought that it could be better to be seven separate threats making them more difficult to deal with, but they didn't ask me!
Dr. Sivana? Oh, yes, he is coming along too to the evil fun!
But it seems that his time of glory will be on the following storylines and he will have help of another quite known enemy that I hope you don't mind that I don't say who is.
The story arc was full of great dialogues, spectacular art and remarkable characters!
P.S.
Mmh...
SHAZAM!!!
...mmh...still nothing, well it was worth a try!
April 2, 2019
WARNING!
This Shazam!: Origins thing is just a reprint of the New 52 Shazam!
It's a great book! But if you've already read it, then don't be fooled (like I was) into thinking that you were getting something extra. If you haven't read it yet and are interested in the character because of the movie? Go for it!
This Shazam!: Origins thing is just a reprint of the New 52 Shazam!
It's a great book! But if you've already read it, then don't be fooled (like I was) into thinking that you were getting something extra. If you haven't read it yet and are interested in the character because of the movie? Go for it!
October 23, 2014
Once again Geoff Johns takes some good ideas and undercuts them with cliché, sentimentality and head shaking plot developments - another gut punch, courtesy DC comics.
The good and the bad then:
Good - Instead of a real gosh and golly teen, we have Billy Batson ultra-brat. Way to sass that old lady, kid.
Bad – Adorable orphans - More gruel, sir. Please.
Bad – A Christmas setting. Look what Santa brought you – a hokey Geoff Johns story.
Bad –Billy out logics a wizard who’s thousands of years old. Precocious little bastard.
Very good – Billy reacts to his powers like any normal fourteen year old would.
Good – Black Adam is a kick-ass villain. Evil, EVIL, EVVIIILLL!!!
So, so bad -
Bad – Who do the seven deadly sins find when searching for the most evil person in Philadelphia? Saw that one coming all the way up Broad Street.
Very bad - If you’re going to use Philadelphia as a back drop for a story, why not have your artist draw some Philadelphia land marks into the panels. Let Black Adam get smacked around with the Liberty Bell or have the orphans eat a hoagie or cheese steak. This story could have taken place in Scranton.
The good and the bad then:
Good - Instead of a real gosh and golly teen, we have Billy Batson ultra-brat. Way to sass that old lady, kid.
Bad – Adorable orphans - More gruel, sir. Please.
Bad – A Christmas setting. Look what Santa brought you – a hokey Geoff Johns story.
Bad –Billy out logics a wizard who’s thousands of years old. Precocious little bastard.
Very good – Billy reacts to his powers like any normal fourteen year old would.
Good – Black Adam is a kick-ass villain. Evil, EVIL, EVVIIILLL!!!
So, so bad -
Bad – Who do the seven deadly sins find when searching for the most evil person in Philadelphia? Saw that one coming all the way up Broad Street.
Very bad - If you’re going to use Philadelphia as a back drop for a story, why not have your artist draw some Philadelphia land marks into the panels. Let Black Adam get smacked around with the Liberty Bell or have the orphans eat a hoagie or cheese steak. This story could have taken place in Scranton.
June 26, 2019
That was fun! I had no idea what to expect, but I really enjoyed it. I didn't like the main character at first - he was an ungrateful brat in the beginning - but he grew on me towards the end. All of the other characters were interesting, and along with the mythology and action packed panels, made for a very engaging story. I read this in one sitting. I honestly don't understand why they didn't publish more volumes. I loved it, and I can't wait to see the movie!
March 24, 2019
I love how Johns and Frank updated the Shazam myth for today. It still keeps his basic story the same while removing a lot of the hokeyness of the original. Making Billy a snarky little snot with a good heart was a really good move. Gary Frank may be my favorite artist in comics and he shows why again here.
I went and saw the Shazam! tonight and this is definitely the story it's based on.
I went and saw the Shazam! tonight and this is definitely the story it's based on.
April 7, 2019
Billy Batson is a pain in the ass, in Geoff Johns’s reimagining. In the original, Bill Parker 1939 original, Billy Batson was kind-hearted and a bit awkward. This Billy, in spite of the fact that he is an orphanage, is not all “food, glorious food” sympathetic, someone, say, who has lost his parents to murder that our heart goes out to, but a mean-spirited little ”jerkwad,” as someone calls him. But in spite of himself he once again becomes a foster child, taken in by one of those families that fosters a wide range of kids, those who might be seen as “outcasts,” kids who are large, kids with disabilities. Bu he’s not appreciative, he’s mean.
And out of nowhere, for no good reason, this kid we don’t like gets chosen to be a good wizard, the protector and conveyor of magic. He becomes a wizard, but a grumpy one, as he himself admits. And how does he get the new powers he is just discovering? By shouting, with verve and intention, “Shazam!”
Awesome?@!
Yep, Billy becomes Captain Marvel, though there’s some DC/Marvel legal wrangling, so we’ll call him Shazam. I am seeing soon the two different versions—one male and one female—that are blowing up movie theaters this spring.
And at first opportunity he uses some of his powers to. . . get beer! And because he is an idiot, to be destructive, in sync with his selfish, flawed character. But then he does a random good thing for a woman, good for him, but then asks for twenty bucks—he is a foster kid! He’s broke, and he sees that wow, having awesome superpowers can be lu-cra-tive. . . Funny, He’s a dumbass kid! But over time, he begins to side with goodness over jerkwadness.
This is a YA comic, the story a little too clichéd and sentimental for my tastes (ugh, a Christmas story, too, Johns?! The Seven Deadly Sins?!), but at heart is a good question: Will Billy actually begin to make the right choices and do what it takes to become a hero? Or will he continue to make the bad boy teen mistakes he has been making and align himself with the villain Black Adam??!
I liked the energy and fun in it, but I liked the illustration work of Gary Frank a bit more than the writing of Johns. I think maybe 3.5 stars. I had read the Jeff Smith Shazam, and like this better. I know I will like both movies, based on preliminary word from reviews.
And out of nowhere, for no good reason, this kid we don’t like gets chosen to be a good wizard, the protector and conveyor of magic. He becomes a wizard, but a grumpy one, as he himself admits. And how does he get the new powers he is just discovering? By shouting, with verve and intention, “Shazam!”
Awesome?@!
Yep, Billy becomes Captain Marvel, though there’s some DC/Marvel legal wrangling, so we’ll call him Shazam. I am seeing soon the two different versions—one male and one female—that are blowing up movie theaters this spring.
And at first opportunity he uses some of his powers to. . . get beer! And because he is an idiot, to be destructive, in sync with his selfish, flawed character. But then he does a random good thing for a woman, good for him, but then asks for twenty bucks—he is a foster kid! He’s broke, and he sees that wow, having awesome superpowers can be lu-cra-tive. . . Funny, He’s a dumbass kid! But over time, he begins to side with goodness over jerkwadness.
This is a YA comic, the story a little too clichéd and sentimental for my tastes (ugh, a Christmas story, too, Johns?! The Seven Deadly Sins?!), but at heart is a good question: Will Billy actually begin to make the right choices and do what it takes to become a hero? Or will he continue to make the bad boy teen mistakes he has been making and align himself with the villain Black Adam??!
I liked the energy and fun in it, but I liked the illustration work of Gary Frank a bit more than the writing of Johns. I think maybe 3.5 stars. I had read the Jeff Smith Shazam, and like this better. I know I will like both movies, based on preliminary word from reviews.
August 3, 2015
Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths Reviews
I’ve never been a Captain Marvel fan (even when I was a kid back in the Funky 70s and Shazam comics were on the same rack as Superman), so I wasn’t hyped about this revamped New 52 version. My eleven year old son, however, was excited, ordered it from the local library, devoured it when it arrived, immediately thereafter declared that it was cool, and instructed me that I should give it a try.
Well, now that I’m done reading it, I’m glad my son gave me that advice, because I really enjoyed this Shazam. It is different though. Specifically, Billy Batson.
Now, in this story, Billy is sort of a brat; he has reasons for being a belligerent jerk though: living in foster care, dealing with the lose of his family. All of these events giving him a decidedly pessimistic view of life. And so when a subway riding wizard whisks him away for consideration to receive mystic powers, it seemed weird that this kid could ever become the do-gooder Shazam, but he does for various reasons, saying the magic words and transforming into the hero known as the “Big Red Cheese.”
Naturally, our disgruntled orphan immediately puts his powers to use for good — his good, I mean, getting some money to buy things he probably shouldn’t have and playing pranks on some local bullies. But the fun and games cease when Black Adam is released from a mystical prison by Dr Sivana, raises the Seven Deadly Sins, and sets out to destroy Shazam once and for all!
Will you love this Shazam story?
It probably will depend on how you feel about the pre-New 52 Shazam. Did you like the kind-hearted Billy Batson, who was a bit awkward but always tried to do the right thing? If so, the New 52 Billy might not be your thing. But if you didn’t have any strong feelings about Billy/Shazam, then you might not be bothered by Johns turning him into a negative, whiny, and belligerent kid, who still has a good heart hiding under all that angst.
As for me, I really liked this comic collection. Geoff Johns’ story is very entertaining, if different; Gary Frank’s art is excellent, even if our superhero’s boots take a bit of getting use to; and this new Shazam is good stuff. There really is only one problem: no more New 52 Shazam! to read after this one. Something that really sucks for me and my son, at least.
I’ve never been a Captain Marvel fan (even when I was a kid back in the Funky 70s and Shazam comics were on the same rack as Superman), so I wasn’t hyped about this revamped New 52 version. My eleven year old son, however, was excited, ordered it from the local library, devoured it when it arrived, immediately thereafter declared that it was cool, and instructed me that I should give it a try.
Well, now that I’m done reading it, I’m glad my son gave me that advice, because I really enjoyed this Shazam. It is different though. Specifically, Billy Batson.
Now, in this story, Billy is sort of a brat; he has reasons for being a belligerent jerk though: living in foster care, dealing with the lose of his family. All of these events giving him a decidedly pessimistic view of life. And so when a subway riding wizard whisks him away for consideration to receive mystic powers, it seemed weird that this kid could ever become the do-gooder Shazam, but he does for various reasons, saying the magic words and transforming into the hero known as the “Big Red Cheese.”
Naturally, our disgruntled orphan immediately puts his powers to use for good — his good, I mean, getting some money to buy things he probably shouldn’t have and playing pranks on some local bullies. But the fun and games cease when Black Adam is released from a mystical prison by Dr Sivana, raises the Seven Deadly Sins, and sets out to destroy Shazam once and for all!
Will you love this Shazam story?
It probably will depend on how you feel about the pre-New 52 Shazam. Did you like the kind-hearted Billy Batson, who was a bit awkward but always tried to do the right thing? If so, the New 52 Billy might not be your thing. But if you didn’t have any strong feelings about Billy/Shazam, then you might not be bothered by Johns turning him into a negative, whiny, and belligerent kid, who still has a good heart hiding under all that angst.
As for me, I really liked this comic collection. Geoff Johns’ story is very entertaining, if different; Gary Frank’s art is excellent, even if our superhero’s boots take a bit of getting use to; and this new Shazam is good stuff. There really is only one problem: no more New 52 Shazam! to read after this one. Something that really sucks for me and my son, at least.
August 23, 2018
Satisfactory little reboot and/or 21st-century updating of the superhero character's origin - who, it should be noted, once rivaled Superman in terms of top sales back in the 40's - and squarely aimed at a modern teenage audience. Billy Batson, a belligerent Philadelphia foster kid, is doubly-blessed with placement in a good home AND superpowers in apparently the same holiday season week. Come fly along with him as he tests his newfound abilities, amusingly stumbles into interrupting crimes in progress, and reluctantly comes to accept his new 'brothers and sisters' in the household.
March 11, 2014
Billy Batson is a bratty orphan who meets a wizard on the subway, “reasons” his way into superpowers and becomes Shazam, a kind of magical Superman analogue. Black Adam is released from his mystical prison by Dr Sivana and raises the Seven Deadly Sins to destroy Shazam once and for all.
Your reaction to this book depends on how you feel about the character. Did you like Billy Batson/Captain Marvel before the New 52? If so, you’ll probably hate this version where Billy’s gone from being a kind-hearted kid to a whiny twerp you want to clobber. If, like me, you didn’t care about pre-New 52 Billy Batson, this one won’t offend you outright but, because New 52 Billy Batson is so unlikeable, you’re not going to root for him either.
The story reads a lot like a pilot episode to a CW show. Billy’s foster family is cynically made up of kids from every demographic so it’s like a marketing team constructed the cast. You’ve got a hot white girl who may as well be wearing a badge saying “Billy’s love interest”, a Latino, a black, an Asian, and a disabled kid – together they are the Bizarrely Politically Correct Family! There are two bad guys – Black Adam and the angry rich white guy. The rich dude is, of course, the father of the spoilt kids who beat up Billy’s new brothers and sisters and rants and raves like a cartoon bad guy. “I’m rich, I’m better than everyone, do what I say police officer, blah blah terrible dialogue etc.”.
Black Adam is his usual charming self, smashing everything in sight while sneering at everyone. Though he does take a look at people protesting against the banks, fly into the top of a skyscraper, and throw a banking exec out the window, so he’s not all bad. He does seem to spend a lot of time waiting for Shazam to show up and little else, so his whole story arc is pretty contrived.
Gary Frank’s art is by far the best part of the book. Every page is really well drawn and I loved the stuff in the magic cave but Shazam’s shoes? I don’t know what he was thinking – are those magic glow-in-the-dark plasters? Anyways, this is still a great looking book.
Johns’ script isn’t terrible but it is very basically written as if this is aimed at pre-teens. You can easily follow the story and understand motivations but it still reads as a very dumbed down superhero story in the end. None of the characters are especially memorable or well written and Batson himself remains an obnoxious jerk. As for the wizard himself, he’s written as a complete imbecile. When Batson, a 15 year old rude-boy, can out-reason a millennia-old entity with teenage “wisdom”, you’re doing a disservice to the character and creating a laughably simplistic origin story.
I’ve never read a Shazam book before so I can’t compare it to anything but for what this was, it was fine. It was a decent origin for Shazam that I was never bored with while reading – I didn’t love the characters but Johns’ script keeps things moving quickly and Frank’s art make the book a delight to read. I’m getting a little tired of the notion that for 21st century audiences to “buy” a classic superhero character, you need to revamp them so that they’re “edgy” and “dark” – it’s just too cynical an approach at this point – but Johns has done this to lesser effect elsewhere (like Justice League/Aquaman) and I was expecting Shazam to be a lot worse than it turned out to be.
Your reaction to this book depends on how you feel about the character. Did you like Billy Batson/Captain Marvel before the New 52? If so, you’ll probably hate this version where Billy’s gone from being a kind-hearted kid to a whiny twerp you want to clobber. If, like me, you didn’t care about pre-New 52 Billy Batson, this one won’t offend you outright but, because New 52 Billy Batson is so unlikeable, you’re not going to root for him either.
The story reads a lot like a pilot episode to a CW show. Billy’s foster family is cynically made up of kids from every demographic so it’s like a marketing team constructed the cast. You’ve got a hot white girl who may as well be wearing a badge saying “Billy’s love interest”, a Latino, a black, an Asian, and a disabled kid – together they are the Bizarrely Politically Correct Family! There are two bad guys – Black Adam and the angry rich white guy. The rich dude is, of course, the father of the spoilt kids who beat up Billy’s new brothers and sisters and rants and raves like a cartoon bad guy. “I’m rich, I’m better than everyone, do what I say police officer, blah blah terrible dialogue etc.”.
Black Adam is his usual charming self, smashing everything in sight while sneering at everyone. Though he does take a look at people protesting against the banks, fly into the top of a skyscraper, and throw a banking exec out the window, so he’s not all bad. He does seem to spend a lot of time waiting for Shazam to show up and little else, so his whole story arc is pretty contrived.
Gary Frank’s art is by far the best part of the book. Every page is really well drawn and I loved the stuff in the magic cave but Shazam’s shoes? I don’t know what he was thinking – are those magic glow-in-the-dark plasters? Anyways, this is still a great looking book.
Johns’ script isn’t terrible but it is very basically written as if this is aimed at pre-teens. You can easily follow the story and understand motivations but it still reads as a very dumbed down superhero story in the end. None of the characters are especially memorable or well written and Batson himself remains an obnoxious jerk. As for the wizard himself, he’s written as a complete imbecile. When Batson, a 15 year old rude-boy, can out-reason a millennia-old entity with teenage “wisdom”, you’re doing a disservice to the character and creating a laughably simplistic origin story.
I’ve never read a Shazam book before so I can’t compare it to anything but for what this was, it was fine. It was a decent origin for Shazam that I was never bored with while reading – I didn’t love the characters but Johns’ script keeps things moving quickly and Frank’s art make the book a delight to read. I’m getting a little tired of the notion that for 21st century audiences to “buy” a classic superhero character, you need to revamp them so that they’re “edgy” and “dark” – it’s just too cynical an approach at this point – but Johns has done this to lesser effect elsewhere (like Justice League/Aquaman) and I was expecting Shazam to be a lot worse than it turned out to be.
January 18, 2019
Fun little reintroduction of Billy Batson into the modern comics world as Geoff Johns continued to put his stamp on the DC Universe during the New 52. Billy Batson is a precocious foster kid who is chosen by an ancient wizard to protect the Earth from evil and dark magic by transforming into a muscle-bound hero whenever he screams the word Shazam!
It's entertaining, more lighter-hearted fare than many of the other DC books but I wish the character went further with a proper series and really staked a claim on the Dc Universe. But what we have here is still fun times! And as usual, the detailed art by Gary Frank is impressive.
It's entertaining, more lighter-hearted fare than many of the other DC books but I wish the character went further with a proper series and really staked a claim on the Dc Universe. But what we have here is still fun times! And as usual, the detailed art by Gary Frank is impressive.
July 3, 2022
A fantastic retelling of Shazam’s origins in the modern-day by Geoff Johns & Gary Frank. I usually don’t love Johns but this is one of his better works. The art by Gary Frank is fantastic like it always is, but I have to admit this reading experience was helped immensely by reading this in a deluxe hardcover. Frank’s art all blown up is impressive.
Every other review sums up how great this book is better than I ever could, so just go read their amazing reviews instead. But this is an easy recommendation for anyone interested in Shazam comics, it’s very similar to the 2019 film. I’m also surprised I hadn’t read it until now, I liked a decent amount of New 52 titles, but just never got around to this one for some odd reason.
Every other review sums up how great this book is better than I ever could, so just go read their amazing reviews instead. But this is an easy recommendation for anyone interested in Shazam comics, it’s very similar to the 2019 film. I’m also surprised I hadn’t read it until now, I liked a decent amount of New 52 titles, but just never got around to this one for some odd reason.
May 23, 2022
Surprisingly spectacular, this is one of the best origin re-tellings out there. It perfectly encapsulates Billy Batson as a character, highlighting both his strengths and flaws to create a very realistic and raw protagonist. The ensemble cast are also a lot of fun, allowing for moments of humour and familial solidarity. It takes the reader on a very digestible - even relatable at times - journey which perfectly welcomes newbies into the world of Shazam. Fun characters, wonderfully illustrated panels, and just the right amount of action makes for one compelling superhero origin.
August 7, 2021
Its the new origin of Billy Batson in DCU and I love Johns approach to this and it feels like a movie more so as we see him taken to a new foster home, running away and the drama there meanwhile we have the villain subplot with Dr Sivana, Seven deadly sins and Black Adam and seeing the latters origin and how it all connects in such a brilliant manner and the family element of it and Billy realizing what true power is and then the fight towards the end is just epic!
Its one of those books that changes the character for good and like introduces them to a new era and the storytelling is very cinematic and after watching the movie you can see they are heavily influenced by it. Also I like the growth of the character in one volume and its brilliantly done and the art is just fantastic! Each panel well detailed and facial expressions even better. Overall a great read and Johns hallmark way of making a character feel fresh in the modern world and he sets clues for things to come down the line too!
Its one of those books that changes the character for good and like introduces them to a new era and the storytelling is very cinematic and after watching the movie you can see they are heavily influenced by it. Also I like the growth of the character in one volume and its brilliantly done and the art is just fantastic! Each panel well detailed and facial expressions even better. Overall a great read and Johns hallmark way of making a character feel fresh in the modern world and he sets clues for things to come down the line too!
November 12, 2017
"Family is what it can be, not what it should be."
Billy Batson is just another troubled orphan who can't seem to stay in any foster home. He's quick to join a fight, doesn't care much about school and has a lot of trust issues. But he's also extremely determined and has the potential to be something great. And that's exactly why "the wizard" gives Billy the amazing powers of SHAZAM! As Earth's Mightiest Mortal, Billy has to decide whether he wants to live up to his potential and become a hero or give in to all the sinful distractions surrounding him and turn out like the wicked Black Adam. And of course, Black Adam isn't just going to wait for Billy to make a decision... Cue seven deadly sins and bunch of destruction.
At first, I was a bit disappointed because Billy has some serious attitude problems and I did not picture him to be like that at all -- I was so thrown. But as the plot progressed, I could really see just how much his character grew from a rude brat to a somewhat-responsible hero. And there were lots of opportunities for Billy to mature. The other kids in Billy's foster home were pretty mild, so there wasn't anything that really stood out about them. Freddy's disability was nicely represented, though. And I really liked Black Adam's brute-force-all-day-every-day character. It was hilarious to follow.
The plot line was great too. Billy Barton's origin story is always a winner.
I was flipping between 4 stars and 5 stars while reading this comic, but in the end, Gary Frank's art is what definitely made up my mind. It's simply amazing -- down to every little detail in any clothing, animals, facial expressions, etc. Especially, the lightning. Basically, it's pretty easy to see how pro Gary Frank is. A+
I 110% recommend Shazam! 4.75
Billy Batson is just another troubled orphan who can't seem to stay in any foster home. He's quick to join a fight, doesn't care much about school and has a lot of trust issues. But he's also extremely determined and has the potential to be something great. And that's exactly why "the wizard" gives Billy the amazing powers of SHAZAM! As Earth's Mightiest Mortal, Billy has to decide whether he wants to live up to his potential and become a hero or give in to all the sinful distractions surrounding him and turn out like the wicked Black Adam. And of course, Black Adam isn't just going to wait for Billy to make a decision... Cue seven deadly sins and bunch of destruction.
At first, I was a bit disappointed because Billy has some serious attitude problems and I did not picture him to be like that at all -- I was so thrown. But as the plot progressed, I could really see just how much his character grew from a rude brat to a somewhat-responsible hero. And there were lots of opportunities for Billy to mature. The other kids in Billy's foster home were pretty mild, so there wasn't anything that really stood out about them. Freddy's disability was nicely represented, though. And I really liked Black Adam's brute-force-all-day-every-day character. It was hilarious to follow.
The plot line was great too. Billy Barton's origin story is always a winner.
I was flipping between 4 stars and 5 stars while reading this comic, but in the end, Gary Frank's art is what definitely made up my mind. It's simply amazing -- down to every little detail in any clothing, animals, facial expressions, etc. Especially, the lightning. Basically, it's pretty easy to see how pro Gary Frank is. A+
I 110% recommend Shazam! 4.75
January 23, 2016
4.5 stars
I really loved this comic! I very rarely come across comics that have a good, positive message, good humor, fun, a solid plot, and great artwork. I had a lot of fun with this comic! I'm sad that there aren't more in this series. Maybe there are? I haven't found any.
Either way, awesome comic!!!
I really loved this comic! I very rarely come across comics that have a good, positive message, good humor, fun, a solid plot, and great artwork. I had a lot of fun with this comic! I'm sad that there aren't more in this series. Maybe there are? I haven't found any.
Either way, awesome comic!!!
October 6, 2020
If I did actually read this previously, I had forgotten.
Pretty decent almost-the-movie version that stays reasonably true to the original I remember from somewhen, oh, in the temporal vicinity of 1974, with glorious, shiny new art styles.
Pretty decent almost-the-movie version that stays reasonably true to the original I remember from somewhen, oh, in the temporal vicinity of 1974, with glorious, shiny new art styles.
September 8, 2018
The only time I have read anything with Shazam is when he shows up in an event or in someone else's comic. With the new movie coming out, thiugh, I thought it was time to check him out. Luckily, Shazam is a lot of fun.
What is interesting about this comic is that it is a very human story. The big action doesn't happen until much later on and, instead, most of this tale is about a normal kid and his journey of self discovery (both with and without powers). An action light superhero comic doesn't always work, but here it does.
I also like that the villains have a lot of depth. Both Dr. Sivana and Black Adam see themselves as the good guys who are trying to help people in their own twisted way.
What is interesting about this comic is that it is a very human story. The big action doesn't happen until much later on and, instead, most of this tale is about a normal kid and his journey of self discovery (both with and without powers). An action light superhero comic doesn't always work, but here it does.
I also like that the villains have a lot of depth. Both Dr. Sivana and Black Adam see themselves as the good guys who are trying to help people in their own twisted way.
December 8, 2015
OK, not too bad...Billy is a foster kid here, and full of anger and distrust, much like a real one might be. He's not goody two shoes, he's just got potential like others, for goodness.
Basically we meet the main crew, the other kids, Mary Marvel and co...but they're not Marvel anymore, since that's Carol Danvers at Stan Lee co.
We also meet Dr. Shivana, Black Adam, and the Wizard.
Fun, not too crazy, not stupid, but not amazing. In other words, a perfectly acceptable comic book.
Basically we meet the main crew, the other kids, Mary Marvel and co...but they're not Marvel anymore, since that's Carol Danvers at Stan Lee co.
We also meet Dr. Shivana, Black Adam, and the Wizard.
Fun, not too crazy, not stupid, but not amazing. In other words, a perfectly acceptable comic book.
July 3, 2018
Thought I'd give this a go before the film comes out. This was just pure fun. Good action, cool character and world buidling, witty funny dialogue and fun artwork. Shazam works really well. Obviously was a spinoff of sorts but it definitely was a fun read and the character works well solo.
Read
April 3, 2016I started smiling a few pages into this book and didn't stop until I had finished it. I had only intended to read the first 20 pages and get a feel for the book. The next thing I knew It was the last page. I'm pretty sure I drifted into another world while reading. The story isn't particularly deep or complex. It isn't incredibly thought provoking, doesn't tackle big life issues. None of this matters as it is a joyful experience from start to finish. There is just a warmth about the characters that makes you unable to put the book down.
The story, people have been going missing in various locations around the world. On their return, they report of being transported to a magical castle (the Rock of Eternity) where they are quizzed by an elderly wizard in his search for a pure good person to be his successor. Dr. Sivana, a man who has dedicated his life to science in order to save his family, has been investigating their disappearances as he now turns to magic for a cure. He travels to Iraq in search of this mysterious castle and in doing so releases Black Adam. This forces the Wizards to select a successor immediately. After convincing the wizard there is no such thing as a pure good person anymore, recently fostered fifteen year old orphan Billy Batson is chosen.
It was so much fun to see a fifteen year old boy given powers that turn him into an adult superhero. He and his foster brother Freddie instantly begin to think of all the things they can now do. “Lets by beer” Freddie says. This is of course a coming of age story and with great power comes great responsibility. I will let you discover Billy’s journey on your own. I think you would need a heart of stone not to enjoy it.
There are some great villains here too. Black Adam, Dr. Sivana and the Seven Deadly Sins are all very interesting characters that only add to the enjoyment of this book.
Geoff Johns really plays to his strengths as he delivers a funny, optimistic, uplifting story with very warm, rich characters. Billy and his foster family (who were basically the pre new 52 Marvel family with a twist) steal the show. Billy's transformation from distrusting, cynical loner to loyal caring family member every bit a significant as his transformation into an adult demigod. The artwork by Gary Frank is superb. It is bright, vibrant, and reflects the whole feel of the book very well. The only downside is, with no immediate plans for a Volume 2, and with Volume 1 being made up of special features in the back of Justice League Comics, it could be a long time (if ever) before we get a follow up to this book. I hope they do it soon, as this book really does leave you pining for more. 5 stars and the perfect antidote to a bad day!
The story, people have been going missing in various locations around the world. On their return, they report of being transported to a magical castle (the Rock of Eternity) where they are quizzed by an elderly wizard in his search for a pure good person to be his successor. Dr. Sivana, a man who has dedicated his life to science in order to save his family, has been investigating their disappearances as he now turns to magic for a cure. He travels to Iraq in search of this mysterious castle and in doing so releases Black Adam. This forces the Wizards to select a successor immediately. After convincing the wizard there is no such thing as a pure good person anymore, recently fostered fifteen year old orphan Billy Batson is chosen.
It was so much fun to see a fifteen year old boy given powers that turn him into an adult superhero. He and his foster brother Freddie instantly begin to think of all the things they can now do. “Lets by beer” Freddie says. This is of course a coming of age story and with great power comes great responsibility. I will let you discover Billy’s journey on your own. I think you would need a heart of stone not to enjoy it.
There are some great villains here too. Black Adam, Dr. Sivana and the Seven Deadly Sins are all very interesting characters that only add to the enjoyment of this book.
Geoff Johns really plays to his strengths as he delivers a funny, optimistic, uplifting story with very warm, rich characters. Billy and his foster family (who were basically the pre new 52 Marvel family with a twist) steal the show. Billy's transformation from distrusting, cynical loner to loyal caring family member every bit a significant as his transformation into an adult demigod. The artwork by Gary Frank is superb. It is bright, vibrant, and reflects the whole feel of the book very well. The only downside is, with no immediate plans for a Volume 2, and with Volume 1 being made up of special features in the back of Justice League Comics, it could be a long time (if ever) before we get a follow up to this book. I hope they do it soon, as this book really does leave you pining for more. 5 stars and the perfect antidote to a bad day!
August 30, 2016
Yeeessss. Who is Shazam? "I'm... I'm just some guy. An adult." Ha! Convincing, Billy. Really.
So what's happening? Thirty seven people are "mystically abducted" by The Wizard to the Rock of Eternity, a hidden castle and fortress of magic, to test their worthiness. Doctor Sivana, (who I surmise) is a cryptologist or archaeologist, investigates Black Adam and the ROE to "save his family" (more in the next volume, I assume). But then he finds the ROE on a dig in Iraq and releases Black Adam from his imprisonment. Meanwhile, Billy Batson, a "seemingly" perfect orphan is adopted by his new foster parents. But it turns out he's that prototypical broken child: scared, distrusting, angry. He is called by The Wizard, and from his unique and cynical perspective convinces The Wizard that the perfectly good person he's looking for doesn't exist, but that people, who have all been beaten down, possess "embers" of good in them. Well, guess who finally wins the prize? Pissed off, back talking, fist swinging Billy Batson. (Oh and total non sequitur, I have to mention the ginger Principal Peach. That's an obvious nod to Princess Peach of Super Mario fame, right?) I'll leave it at that.
I don't think I've ever laughed so much while reading a graphic novel. Billy (and Freddy, too) are some funny little wise cracks. Seriously. Johns writes some great humor in here, balanced with that "touchy feely" good feeling you would expect from a story of orphans and family and "brothers" and redemption, with plenty of block busting action and villainy from Black Adam and the Seven Deadly Sins, plus magic, coming of age, some satire, and a heavy dose of intoxicating Gary Frank illustrations. Lighter fare? Sure. But far from shallow. And one of the best, most fun and balanced books I've read in some time.
November 4, 2019
Storyline: ☆☆☆1/2
Artworks: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
Artworks: ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
November 21, 2017
3.5.
So yeah it's good but it's just not the same.
World: Frank's art is good for the tone that Johns wants to set for this book. Is it the fun one I remember from a long time ago and all the other animated incarnations of this character...no. The world building is good, Johns is great at that. That being said I know they can't call him Captain Marvel and the family can't be Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. But still... The tone is different, it's grey and it's more jaded and it's less hopeful and bright which I hornets am not a big fan of. Oh and I do not like the redesign of Shazam and Black Adam, the lightning bolt is too busy, the duel layer cape and hood also...not a fan. Plus that chunky belt...
Story: Well written and solid for the story that Johns wants to tell, its not the Captain Marvel I know and love but it's self contained and makes sense in 2013. It's rather grey and Billy is not the boy u remember and Sivana is not the quirky mad scientist I know. But that being said it was a good read and an interesting take. I would not mind more...oh wait...
Characters: Wow this series is darker. Billy is nothing like I remember and his goodness is really deep inside. Sure, I see the arc Johns was going for but year it's different. The rest of the Family is also different. I don't know how I feel about it. It's not bad, just different.
Captain Marvel is suppose to be bubblegum sugar sweet and makes Superman look like a bad boy but I guess DC's agenda was to make him bad ass....
Onward to the next book!
So yeah it's good but it's just not the same.
World: Frank's art is good for the tone that Johns wants to set for this book. Is it the fun one I remember from a long time ago and all the other animated incarnations of this character...no. The world building is good, Johns is great at that. That being said I know they can't call him Captain Marvel and the family can't be Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. But still... The tone is different, it's grey and it's more jaded and it's less hopeful and bright which I hornets am not a big fan of. Oh and I do not like the redesign of Shazam and Black Adam, the lightning bolt is too busy, the duel layer cape and hood also...not a fan. Plus that chunky belt...
Story: Well written and solid for the story that Johns wants to tell, its not the Captain Marvel I know and love but it's self contained and makes sense in 2013. It's rather grey and Billy is not the boy u remember and Sivana is not the quirky mad scientist I know. But that being said it was a good read and an interesting take. I would not mind more...oh wait...
Characters: Wow this series is darker. Billy is nothing like I remember and his goodness is really deep inside. Sure, I see the arc Johns was going for but year it's different. The rest of the Family is also different. I don't know how I feel about it. It's not bad, just different.
Captain Marvel is suppose to be bubblegum sugar sweet and makes Superman look like a bad boy but I guess DC's agenda was to make him bad ass....
Onward to the next book!
June 13, 2020
*Mild spoilers, read at your own discretion.*
I am so glad I read this! Not only because it’s the perfect way to prepare for the movie but because suddenly everything about Shazam! 2018 (we won’t call it Shazam! Rebirth because it’s not officially called that) makes so much more sense!
Things I loved about this vol:
- Shazam is cool!
- But guys, Billy Batson is cool.
- I love how Billy isn’t made out to be an angel. From the outset he’s a trouble-maker. And I honestly feel for him. I also relate to how he treats his new ‘family’. Imagine going to live with a bunch of extraordinarily happy people that you don’t know and you’ve never been around such happy people before. You would definitely try to close yourself off from them.
- I relate to how Billy reacts to Darla😂 Everyone thinks Darla is so cute and I guess she kind of is but also I find her annoying. That’s kids for you! (Wow look at me being all adult all of a sudden😂) Just look at Billy’s face here:
- The Doctor Sivana origin story here was very good, but I really wished there was more. I wanted to see his family! I wanted to know which one was suffering. Would’ve helped me connect and understand him more. I guess there wasn’t enough pages.
- The Seven Deadly Sins were not very deadly at all, if I’m honest. They felt much more like an afterthought. A side fight for the others whilst Billy heads off against Black Adam.
- The Black Adam vs Shazam! fight was epic!! It was drawn so well, written amazingly and it was so cool. It wasn’t all throwing punches. There was dialogue. Losing and winning for both sides. Fear and courage. This is what I wanted and I am so glad I have got it.
- I love love love how much reading this has helped to make sense of some stuff that happens in Shazam! (2018-) #1 and the rest of the issues out so far!! For one thing, Tawny’s appearance feels so much more special (issue #4), Doctor Sivana and ’s appearance feels so much more clever (issue #2) and of course that lovely tease at the end issue #4 which was a reintroduction of your fave baddie(/turned hero…?) aka seems so much more exciting!
After reading every issue of Shazam! 2018 I kept wondering when Geoff Johns was going to do a quick Shazam! origin story but it really isn’t necessary. This is the origin story. Honestly, this links so perfectly into the new series that even the last scene left me like “OH MY GOSH I UNDERSTAND NOW”. When all the pieces finally fall into place it feels great.
I’m not going to lie. I couldn’t really find anything I didn’t like in this vol. Maybe it’s because I really like the whole Shazam! fam and always have. Or because this honestly was really great.
Ooh! I can actually think of 2 not so great things about this vol.
1. It’s too short! I mean, it would’ve been nice if it was longer. The start was great, but I felt as though the story and the fight was a bit rushed. I would’ve liked to see more character development in terms of Billy bonding more with his new family. And for Doctor Sivana too.
2. I wish Shazam! had had a follow-up series to this vol. Another vol. A mini-series, a special, something! Shame we had to wait till the end of 2018 to finally get the Shazam comic we deserve.
So, all in all, a stellar volume that really does more than you expect it to considering it’s limited number of pages. An exciting and entertaining origin story that also feels a bit like a coming-of-age story for Billy too. You’ve got action, family drama, internal conflict, magic and two crazy kids having fun, and if that isn’t what you’re looking for – who I am I kidding? Of course, that’s what you’re looking for!
And now… I go watch the movie! Tomorrow, to be precise!
Oh, and check out my reviews for Shazam! 2018 issue #1, issue #2, issue #3 and issue #4!!
I am so glad I read this! Not only because it’s the perfect way to prepare for the movie but because suddenly everything about Shazam! 2018 (we won’t call it Shazam! Rebirth because it’s not officially called that) makes so much more sense!
Things I loved about this vol:
- Shazam is cool!
- But guys, Billy Batson is cool.
- I love how Billy isn’t made out to be an angel. From the outset he’s a trouble-maker. And I honestly feel for him. I also relate to how he treats his new ‘family’. Imagine going to live with a bunch of extraordinarily happy people that you don’t know and you’ve never been around such happy people before. You would definitely try to close yourself off from them.
- I relate to how Billy reacts to Darla😂 Everyone thinks Darla is so cute and I guess she kind of is but also I find her annoying. That’s kids for you! (Wow look at me being all adult all of a sudden😂) Just look at Billy’s face here:
- The Doctor Sivana origin story here was very good, but I really wished there was more. I wanted to see his family! I wanted to know which one was suffering. Would’ve helped me connect and understand him more. I guess there wasn’t enough pages.
- The Seven Deadly Sins were not very deadly at all, if I’m honest. They felt much more like an afterthought. A side fight for the others whilst Billy heads off against Black Adam.
- The Black Adam vs Shazam! fight was epic!! It was drawn so well, written amazingly and it was so cool. It wasn’t all throwing punches. There was dialogue. Losing and winning for both sides. Fear and courage. This is what I wanted and I am so glad I have got it.
- I love love love how much reading this has helped to make sense of some stuff that happens in Shazam! (2018-) #1 and the rest of the issues out so far!! For one thing, Tawny’s appearance feels so much more special (issue #4), Doctor Sivana and ’s appearance feels so much more clever (issue #2) and of course that lovely tease at the end issue #4 which was a reintroduction of your fave baddie(/turned hero…?) aka seems so much more exciting!
After reading every issue of Shazam! 2018 I kept wondering when Geoff Johns was going to do a quick Shazam! origin story but it really isn’t necessary. This is the origin story. Honestly, this links so perfectly into the new series that even the last scene left me like “OH MY GOSH I UNDERSTAND NOW”. When all the pieces finally fall into place it feels great.
I’m not going to lie. I couldn’t really find anything I didn’t like in this vol. Maybe it’s because I really like the whole Shazam! fam and always have. Or because this honestly was really great.
Ooh! I can actually think of 2 not so great things about this vol.
1. It’s too short! I mean, it would’ve been nice if it was longer. The start was great, but I felt as though the story and the fight was a bit rushed. I would’ve liked to see more character development in terms of Billy bonding more with his new family. And for Doctor Sivana too.
2. I wish Shazam! had had a follow-up series to this vol. Another vol. A mini-series, a special, something! Shame we had to wait till the end of 2018 to finally get the Shazam comic we deserve.
So, all in all, a stellar volume that really does more than you expect it to considering it’s limited number of pages. An exciting and entertaining origin story that also feels a bit like a coming-of-age story for Billy too. You’ve got action, family drama, internal conflict, magic and two crazy kids having fun, and if that isn’t what you’re looking for – who I am I kidding? Of course, that’s what you’re looking for!
And now… I go watch the movie! Tomorrow, to be precise!
Oh, and check out my reviews for Shazam! 2018 issue #1, issue #2, issue #3 and issue #4!!
March 25, 2019
Published by Fawcett Comics in 1939 and created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck, the character formerly known as Captain Marvel will be getting his own movie that will be released next year as part of the DC Extended Universe. Obviously not to be confused with the Marvel movie out next year, this magic-based superhero has been referred to as Shazam since the New 52. In the light of the recent trailer of the upcoming movie that suggests a more fun approach to the cinematic universe, it's about time I read his New 52 adventures.
As a scourge to the foster-care system, the 15-year-old Billy Batson reluctantly finds a home with the Vázquezs, who are raising other youthful orphans. Meanwhile, the mad scientist Dr Sivana is searching for an ancient magic and in doing so, he awakens Black Adam. As the world is under threat by this powerful foe, the Wizard chooses Billy to be the next Champion to protect the Rock of Eternity, so in order to become an older, godlike superhero, Billy must utter the word "Shazam".
Originally published as backup issues as part of his Justice League run during the New 52, in this modernised version of this origin story, one of the things Geoff Johns does is updating the character of Batson, who is a rebellious youth who feels rejected and thus rejecting the world, no matter how nurturing the foster family tries to be towards him.
In terms of becoming Shazam, Billy was not the first or indeed the obvious choice of carrying the magic following the Wizard, who is frustrated over the search for that purely good human being and Billy himself is far from perfect. Obviously, when the moment he becomes Shazam, it's like the Tom Hanks film Big, in which our young protagonist, now in a grown-up body, gets to do grown-up things in a very childish way with his sidekick Freddy Freeman. However, the twist here is that he's a superhero and thus crime-fighting happens in a very comedic fashion, as he initially fights for cash, which buys him junk food and beer.
Johns balances the light and the dark really well, as in contrast with the shenanigans of Billy and Freddy, things go dark when it comes to the villains. This is largely due to Black Adam, who is the antithesis of Shazam and really does believe he is the rightful Champion, as explored through his tragic backstory. With the dominating presence of Black Adam, it does sideline every other villain, including Dr Sivana who has a potentially interesting arc that hints at his own tragic backstory, but is never delved upon.
Having previously collaborated with Geoff Johns, largely through the Superman comics, Gary Frank is one of the best artists working today as he brings a realistic detail to these fantastical characters, whilst illustrating sequences of intimate drama and heavy spectacle. In regards to the latter, Johns tries to do too much in the climax with multiple characters, including villains that don't pose a threat, but at least you can't deny his gorgeous renditions.
Having not read any comics centrally about the magical superhero, this version of Shazam! is a fun gateway to his adventures, thanks to Johns' funny and touching characterisation and Frank's stunning fantasy art.
As a scourge to the foster-care system, the 15-year-old Billy Batson reluctantly finds a home with the Vázquezs, who are raising other youthful orphans. Meanwhile, the mad scientist Dr Sivana is searching for an ancient magic and in doing so, he awakens Black Adam. As the world is under threat by this powerful foe, the Wizard chooses Billy to be the next Champion to protect the Rock of Eternity, so in order to become an older, godlike superhero, Billy must utter the word "Shazam".
Originally published as backup issues as part of his Justice League run during the New 52, in this modernised version of this origin story, one of the things Geoff Johns does is updating the character of Batson, who is a rebellious youth who feels rejected and thus rejecting the world, no matter how nurturing the foster family tries to be towards him.
In terms of becoming Shazam, Billy was not the first or indeed the obvious choice of carrying the magic following the Wizard, who is frustrated over the search for that purely good human being and Billy himself is far from perfect. Obviously, when the moment he becomes Shazam, it's like the Tom Hanks film Big, in which our young protagonist, now in a grown-up body, gets to do grown-up things in a very childish way with his sidekick Freddy Freeman. However, the twist here is that he's a superhero and thus crime-fighting happens in a very comedic fashion, as he initially fights for cash, which buys him junk food and beer.
Johns balances the light and the dark really well, as in contrast with the shenanigans of Billy and Freddy, things go dark when it comes to the villains. This is largely due to Black Adam, who is the antithesis of Shazam and really does believe he is the rightful Champion, as explored through his tragic backstory. With the dominating presence of Black Adam, it does sideline every other villain, including Dr Sivana who has a potentially interesting arc that hints at his own tragic backstory, but is never delved upon.
Having previously collaborated with Geoff Johns, largely through the Superman comics, Gary Frank is one of the best artists working today as he brings a realistic detail to these fantastical characters, whilst illustrating sequences of intimate drama and heavy spectacle. In regards to the latter, Johns tries to do too much in the climax with multiple characters, including villains that don't pose a threat, but at least you can't deny his gorgeous renditions.
Having not read any comics centrally about the magical superhero, this version of Shazam! is a fun gateway to his adventures, thanks to Johns' funny and touching characterisation and Frank's stunning fantasy art.
November 27, 2020
Хубав и интересен комикс с великолепни илюстрации, на който реших да обърна внимание покрай филма. Доста неща се припокриват между комикса и филма (основно), но има и разлики. Например Black Adam, който е основния злодей в комикса, а във филма е Dr. Sivana. Историята на Black Adam в комикса ми беше доста интересна.
Филмът пък от своя страна също ми хареса много. (Първоначално изобщо не му обърнах внимание, когато вървеше по кината, чак когато го завъртяха по платените филмови канали реших да го видя и изненадващо ме увлече. После реших да го гледам и в 3D на домашното тв и мога да кажа, че 3D ефектите са наистина страхотни. Направо отвяващи 🤩).
Оценка: 4.5.
Филмът пък от своя страна също ми хареса много. (Първоначално изобщо не му обърнах внимание, когато вървеше по кината, чак когато го завъртяха по платените филмови канали реших да го видя и изненадващо ме увлече. После реших да го гледам и в 3D на домашното тв и мога да кажа, че 3D ефектите са наистина страхотни. Направо отвяващи 🤩).
Оценка: 4.5.
March 1, 2015
This was surprisingly good. The story presented Billy Batson as a bit of a punk, and his family was a ragtag group of orphans, but the dynamic worked. A new take on Black Adam was presented as well. It was just a more modern take on the characters, including Tawny the Tiger.
The art by Gary Frank was some of his best, and very consistent as well. This was actually one of the better things I've read so far from the New 52. If you are a Shazam fan, or a DC fan in general, pick this one up! I don't think you'll be disappointed.
The art by Gary Frank was some of his best, and very consistent as well. This was actually one of the better things I've read so far from the New 52. If you are a Shazam fan, or a DC fan in general, pick this one up! I don't think you'll be disappointed.
April 14, 2019
I'm surprised I didn't read this before when the new 52 was running issues. Perhaps it's because there doesn't seem to be a volume 2 and this is just a collection of Shazam stories from other comics. Of course once the movie came out I heard that it was based on this volume so I wanted to read it before watching the new movie (which is really really good by the way). I didn't end up reading this before the movie and I'm kind of glad because I ended up being surprised during the film. I usually like to read a book before a movie but this time around I'm glad I didn't. The art is fantastic. I've never read the original Shazam so this basically was an origin story to me. I loved the humor, I thought it was a breath of fresh air from some of the more serious comics. Maybe now that the movie has come out Rebirth will do a Shazam series. I really enjoy reading about this character.
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