Shazam #5 // Review
While the family continues their journey through this new corner of the DC Universe, this issue also stands as a platform for a host of talented artists. While Marco Santucci and Dale Eaglesham still pencil the title, Max Raynor, as well as the legendary Scott Kolins, join Geoff Johns for this issue. The quartet works together on pencil duties to bring each different realm of the Magic Lands to life with very distinct and unique aesthetics. With each new issue, the lead up towards the showdown between the family and Black Adam grows exponentially.
With the family spread out through the Magiclands each group of kids is having different problems within each one. In the Funlands, Billy and Mary must take down the forces of King Kid and help the adults he's held captive to escape. Stuck in the Gamelands, Eugene uses his gaming expertise to help Pedro win a race so they can leave the area and get back to their family. While back on the Wildlands, Freddy and Darla stand trial for being human. While all this is going on within the Rock of Eternity, Black Adam is searching for the family himself before running into a very familiar face.
With a multitude of artists on the title, each artist is used to draw a different section of the issue. Marco Santucci bookends the issue beginning and ending within the Rock of Eternity. Dale Eaglesham gets top billing with his beautiful double page splash within the Funlands as well as a great splash page of Mary Marvel herself. Max Raynor shines bright with his superb renderings of the Wildlands while Scott Kolin's quote fittingly helms over the Gamelands section. Colorist Mike Atiyeh toes everything nicely together, bringing a uniform look even though the varying degree of artists on this particular chapter.
As the Doomsday Clock ticks ever so slowly, in the meantime Geoff Johns delivers yet another exciting tale about a family just trying to find their way home. Bringing the perfect mix between heartwarming character moments and exhilarating action, Johns displays his multitude of storytelling range with each different title he puts out. The fun and heart are felt tenfold as the first arc carries forward. Johns proves why this title was worth all the years of leaving fans waiting.
As the first arc continues, more of the older mythos continues to come into play as Johns, and his long line of artists seed in more new and fun concepts. Building slowly towards the inevitable showdown between Black Adam and the Marvel Family proves to keep fans chomping at the bit for more while learning about the brand new corners of the DCU.
Grade: A
