Shazam! #2 – Mark Waid, Writer; Dan Mora, Artist; Alejandro Sanchez, Colorist
Ray – 8.5/10
Ray: Is The Captain breaking bad? That seems to be the indication after last issue’s cliffhanger, which saw Billy (complete with his new, utterly generic codename) flipping out on a crowd he had just rescued, insulting and threatening them. We know this is the result of a bizarre trial concocted by the very Gods who give him his power, but Billy doesn’t know—and neither does his family. His currently powerless siblings (sans Mary) are interrogating him over his embarrassing outburst, and he has no answers. Things get even more frustrating when his one good deed last issue—saving the dinosaur scientists—results in him getting a visit from a fastidious dinosaur lawyer who wants to make sure all the paperwork is in order. This is a good example of this series’ best strength—there might be a serious central plotline, but Waid and Mora are putting in a good amount of Silver Age silliness.
But honestly, that doesn’t go quite as far as I wish it would. This story seems to be tearing down Billy, making him lose faith in himself as the bearer of the Shazam powers—an odd choice for a story intended to be a back-to-basics soft reboot for the character. History repeats itself when Psycho Pirate robs a museum, looking to steal the Mona Lisa, and Billy’s heroic response winds up causing more damage than the actual robbery does. As he makes a vow to give up being The Captain before he causes any more damage, Freddy goes looking for a way to restore his own powers—and winds up getting more than he bargained for when he unveils the mastermind. Meanwhile, Mary winds up getting sucked into a trap of her own leading into the upcoming Knight Terrors two-part story. Overall, this series has a lot of potential, but I was hoping for a little more fun and a slightly lighter tone.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
