[[“value”:”Shazam! #15 cover, via DC Comics.
Ray – 9/10
Ray: This arc has been the most chaotic of the series, with the Shazam family dealing with crises from all corners – Billy finding out his mother is still out there and dealing with the potential failure of the adoption, Mary being confronted with the fallout of her solo adventure, and Freddy struggling to figure out where he fits into the family without his powers. All this against the backdrop of a monster invasion from below the city – oh, and the growing split between Billy and the Captain, as the adult hero seems to be concealing things from Bill. As Mary struggles to keep the peace on the surface (with the help of Dudley, who has zero sense of self-preservation), Freddy puts himself in the line of fire as he struggles with the question of what to do when your best isn’t good enough, in a segment that felt very personal and was one of the most affecting narrations of the series.
Attack on Philadelphia. Via DC Comics.
And then there’s Billy, who has the most heavy lifting to do of the issue. He’s found himself in a strange world of fantasy that the monsters come from, accompanied by a small child who seems fearful of something and claims their father is the one behind it. The reveal of who this figure is comes as a great surprise and fits perfectly in with the themes this series has been exploring. This segment also sheds some light on what exactly is going on with Billy and the Captain, as the duo find a new equilibrium. The ending of the issue is sort of easy to see coming, but it also delivers a great emotional catharsis and is very well-earned. Since she came on board, Campbell has done some great work exploring the very real issues these kids are facing and the emotions they struggle with, and it seems like this arc is going a lot of work in bringing them to a compelling new status quo.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
“]] To save Philadelphia from monsters, The Captain and Billy Batson will have to find their own peace. Read More