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dc reviews 5-2-23
Comic Book

DC Comics reviews 5/2/23 – The Flash #798, SHAZAM! #1

Jeffrey Lyles , , , , ,
SHAZAM! #1

SHAZAM!-1

It takes four, maybe five pages, to feel like Shazam is in good hands again.

And probably less than that for it to be abundantly clear that Batman Superman World’s Finest creators writer Mark Waid and artist Dan Mora are arguably DC’s top creative team right now. With apologies to Nightwing’s Tom Taylor & Bruno Redondo, The Flash’s Jeremy Adams & Fernando Pasarin and Superman’s Joshua Williamson & Jamal Campbell.

That accolade is more because Waid and Mora bring their lightning in a bottle sense of creativity to a character badly in need of a Silver Age bit of wonder told in a modern storytelling presentation.

The issue kicks off with Shazam riding an intergalactic dinosaur. No, he’s not fighting his fellow heroes, moping through every panel or getting too bogged down in real world issues. Easily the most important thing Waid and Mora get is comic books should be escapist fun and not every title needs to be a mirror to a frequently bleak real world.

And this book is seriously so much fun. Try not to let a smile unleash at the sight of Shazam playing with a souvenir from the dinosaurs or playing with his action figures and calling it practicing his combat skills.

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It’s wild how Waid was such a big name at DC during the 90s, faded out of their spotlight. Now he’s back like a welcome long lost relative regaling readers with stories of characters we forgot how much we missed a writer treating them with such reverence and appreciation. Waid understands what makes the heroes so likable and entertaining, which is why all of his DC work these days has been can’t miss.

Billy Batson aka Shazam provides some backstory for new readers but tells it in a way that it’s still amusing for longtime fans.

And Waid, a veteran in the comic game, knows exactly what aspects of heroes need a modern tweak in a way that is perfectly sensible while retaining the charm of the character.

Mora’s artwork is just as responsible for rekindling that classic charm feeling on every page. Mora frames heroes in heroic poses and gives them a larger than life perspective while giving them a relatable side from their expressions or their posture when relaxing. If Mora isn’t DC’s best artists, he’s not leaving the Top 4.

Alejandro Sanchez’s colors reflect that cheery, hopeful tone of the series with bright, bold choices. The colors provide a welcome optimistic sheen to the story.

Waid throws a huge twist at the end of the issue that should make for a memorable opening arc.

If you like DC Comics and heroic superhero stories, just go ahead and add this to your comic store box. You won’t want to miss an issue of this one.

Rating: 10 out of 10

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