Superman Shazam First Thunder #4

Superman/Shazam!: First Thunder #4

by Judd Winick

Written by Judd Winick. Illustrated by Joshua Middleton. The pulse-pounding conclusion to the story of the first meeting between the Last Son of Krypton and the World's Mightiest Mortal! Captain Marvel confronts Dr. Sivana once and for all. Can Superman stop him before he goes too far?

Comic

Published March 15, 2006

About the author

Judd Winick is an American cartoonist, comic book writer, screenwriter, and former reality television personality known for his diverse contributions to storytelling across multiple media. He first entered the public eye in 1994 as a cast member on The Real World: San Francisco, where he formed a close friendship with AIDS educator Pedro Zamora, an experience that deeply influenced his later work. Winick memorialized their bond in Pedro and Me, a critically acclaimed autobiographical graphic novel that earned several literary awards and became a staple in school curricula.

Winick's career in comics took off with The Adventures of Barry Ween, Boy Genius and continued with major runs at DC Comics, including Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Batman. His stories often explored socially relevant themes, such as HIV, homophobia, and identity. He was recognized for introducing gay characters and tackling difficult subjects with empathy and clarity. His work on Batman notably included resurrecting the character Jason Todd as the Red Hood, a storyline later adapted into the animated film Batman: Under the Red Hood, for which Winick wrote the screenplay.

Beyond comics, he created The Life and Times of Juniper Lee for Cartoon Network and served as head writer for Hulu's The Awesomes. In 2015, he launched the Hilo series, an all-ages sci-fi adventure inspired by his own children. The bestselling series has been widely praised and is expected to reach its eleventh volume in 2025.

Winick lives in San Francisco with his wife, Pam Ling, also a Real World alum, and their two children. He continues to create heartfelt and imaginative stories for audiences of all ages.

Reviews

[Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was absolutely heart wrenching.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This last issue really had a lot of heart. Billy is unable to save his friend, and he feels terrible about it. And when Superman finds out he's a boy, he scolds the wizard Shazam. It makes sense. Clark Kent's powers manifested as he grew up, and he didn't have guidance. So when Shazam suggests that Billy needs guidance, you can see that it really hits Clark. The moment when he visits Billy and reveals his true identity is such a wonderful moment to see. I'd like to see more of this mentor role in other stories.

[Ernez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went into this series not expecting much and boy was I wrong. The last issue is what done it. Superman arguing with the Wizard was a neat touch since Clark knew what it was like growing up with powers. I love how they left it at almost a cliff hanger. It's a neat story.