Shazam #10 – Geoff Johns, Writer; Dale Eaglesham, Scott Kolins, Artists; Michael Atiyeh, Colorist
Ratings:
Ray – 9/10
Ray: Despite some early delays, Shazam #10 puts this title is back on track. This series has been feeling more and more like a vintage Geoff Johns book by the issue. Every enemy the characters have faced since the beginning of the title have converged on Philadelphia, where the now completed Marvel family is working together to take them down.
King Kid is the main threat this issue, invading the city with an army of circus-themed villains. While Dale Eaglesham’s take on these circus monstrosities is great, it’s the dialogue and teamwork between the heroes that works best this issue. CC Batson, Billy’s long-lost father, has been an intriguing addition to the team and has brought a very different dynamic to the role. It also potentially brings up some conflict for Billy as he clearly doesn’t want to choose between his two families. CC is a character who could easily have turned out to be a villain, but Johns has a compelling scene between him and King Kid that shows how he’s working for redemption after his past mistakes.
Shazam #10 has some great lighter moments, such as how the shell-shocked Vasquez parents are adjusting to having six kid superheroes, one adult superhero, and a talking tiger under their roof. But something much darker is lurking as Dr. Sivana and Mr. Mind enter the Monsterlands for the first time and discover the dark secrets of the Council of Eternity. This coincides with the Wizard Shazam returning and acting very differently than he used to. He’s keeping secrets from Billy, refusing to give him information on King Kid’s whereabouts, and seems almost threatening at times.
It’s not clear who the villain is here – Sivana clearly has nefarious intentions, but Shazam may be hiding one of the greatest crimes in history. The possible return of a famous – and infamous – DC villain could go either way, but the gut punch of a last page threatens to take this title in a very dark direction. Quality-wise, this title gets better with every issue.
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Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
