SHAZAM! #6 Sends The Family Deeper Into Danger
by Tony Thornley
The first arc of SHAZAM!’s latest series has dived deep into the DC Universe’s magical world. The first arc wraps in this issue, but it’s not a neat little bow.
Geoff Johns, Dale Eaglesham, Marco Santucci, Scott Kolins, Mike Atiyeh, and Rob Leigh end one story, but set our heroes on a new journey.
Billy and Mary battle their way out of the Funlands and away from King Kid. However they find themselves back on Earth, in human form and face to face with Billy’s father. Can they overcome their personal demons in time to rescue their family?
I wasn’t sure if Johns was going to try to wrap up this entire arc in an issue but I’m glad to see he doesn’t. There was no way this issue could have resolved everything, and Johns knew that. He sets up the second phase of this story, both with intense emotional stakes, and more exciting action. However, it is a bit of a slow issue in comparison to the rest of the arc, which makes the story grind to a halt a bit.
The art remains a great part of this story. Eaglesham and Santucci are both able to deliver key emotional beats and action moments. However, the distinction between the two in story beats is a bit less clearly set apart, which gives the story a more disorganized and chaotic feel than the previous handful of issues. Kolins and Atiyeh’s work are great though, which really helps push the issue forward.
Billy and Mary are free of King Kid, but they have a war to fight across the Magiclands to save their family now.
SHAZAM! #6 is available now from DC Comics.
