[[“value”:”Shazam! #20 cover, via DC Comics.
Shazam! #20 – Sina Grace, Writer; Dan McDaid, Penciller; Roberto Poggi, Inker; Trish Mulvihill, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: This issue is a lot of things in one. It’s a fill-in issue as Josie Campbell takes a month off for important personal news. It’s also Sina Grace’s epilogue to the work he did with Jon Kent during Absolute Power, which saw the young Superman get some added trauma thrown on his plate as he was transformed into a living weapon. And it also happens to be the best Shazam issue DC has done in some time. A supernatural being escapes captivity, enters our world, and manages to land a hit on Jon Kent – which just so happens to transform him back into his ten-year-old self before Billy and Mary manage to neutralize the villain. Jon naturally wants to be transformed back – he has a boyfriend, after all! – but before they head to the Rock of Eternity to sort things out, Billy proposes they have a little fun first. And so begins Jon Kent’s epic day off, as the entire Vasquez family rolls out the red carpet.
This is obviously a very meta issue, as there’s a small but vocal group of fans who thinks Jon never should have been aged up and should still be having whimsical Super-Sons team-ups with Damian. It’s a clever choice to have Damian himself shut down this idea, as both have grown up, not just Jon. Even more clever is the reveal of exactly what is stopping Jon from turning back. Despite the supernatural elements at play here, this does an amazing job of addressing such issues as delayed trauma responses, anxiety over taking big life steps into adulthood, and the general agita we all feel over the way life just keeps on marching forward whether we want it to or not. This issue is really funny in places, but it’s also very emotional. Grace seems to be taking the lead on Jon Kent’s development lately, and I hope this continues into a new solo series down the line.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
“]] Sina Grace jumps on board for a one-off issue as Jon Kent’s sudden de-aging causes complications for the Shazam family. Read More