I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I've read one or two other books featuring Black Adam, but nothing that really focused on Captain Marvel. This volume serves as an introduction to the characters and also manages to be quite a bit of fun. Captain Marvel is actually a young man named Billy Batson. He's a foster kid that has been bouncing from house to house until the holder of this magical power bestows it on Billy in a last ditch hope that someone will be able to defeat Black Adam.

One of the best things about this book is how Billy acts after getting his powers. It's a more realistic approach to what would happen if a kid transformed like this. That combined with the interactions with the other foster kids he is now living with gives this book it's strength. There are some expected superhero moments throughout, but that is balanced out with Billy getting to act like a kid at times and trying to deal with his living situation. It's a more grounded approach that I liked. I'd be willing to read more stories about Billy if they are like this one.

This is a great introduction to Shazam and Black Adam. I had very little knowledge of his origin story and wanted to know more before the movie came out.

The art style works for the story, gritty and yet still vibrant. The story was well told and had very little down time to it. We get history without the flashback becoming overwhelming and unwelcome.

I would definitely pick up the next volume of Shazam.

Very enjoyable. I think the graphics and the story line will satisfy those who are familiar with the series and the artist as well as those who are new. Well done.

I had quite a good time with this comic book. It is a solid story oriented on the character's origin. Typical Gary Frank artwork. Dr. Sivana and Black Adam as enemies. Family bonding time. Fight. Fight. Fight. Oh, and awesome ally to Captain Marvel - Tawky Tawny!

With the new “Shazam” movie with Zachary Levi in post production, this story (or retelling as it were) comes at a very specific time. Now The Rock has always been floated as the idea of Black Adam as well. Those stories blend into the fabric of “Shazam Vol. 1 (The New 52)” [Geoff Johns/DC/192pgs] with the texture of Billy Brayson who inherits the mantle of Shazam. Granted this might just be another iteration of the story but with Johns having been the head of DC’s film division up until recently and the fact that the convenience store scene looking pretty close in the trailer to some of the art here, there might be some comparisons. Returning to brass tacks, the essence of the story is about lost family and finding those that connect. Billy is a foster child who never wants to depend on anyone but doesn’t want to trust in anyone because he knows that he will be let down. However, despite his immaturity there is a texture of wanting to be a protector. So when a wizard summons him (perhaps by mistake) but also when Black Adam is set loose, a domino effect of actions goes into motion. Billy reacts as most kids would but it is the interaction of his new foster family (specifically the kids) that makes it work. The conclusion when it all comes together has the feeling of a “Goonies” or “Explorers” visually and tonally if it was done right. But these transformations as well as the essence of the Seven Sins have a big build up but not the payoff they should have. The resolution is clean but slightly muddled in what it could have been. Black Adam’s perceptions are what does him in but there are those looking for magic who are still rising against Shazam. The fun of the art is reflected in the kids and especially Billy/Shazam’s disbelief at the fact that he is strong, adult and a superhero. Sometimes it only takes that confidence to find the balance.

B-

By Tim Wassberg

Shazam! Vol. 1 collects all the Shazam! plots that occurred during the Justice League series. It’s really nice having them compiled all in one place, not to mention very timely considering the impending Shazam! movie (which looks fantastic by the way).
This was a different Shazam origin than the one I’m used to (I’m thinking of the one from the animated series) but there were many similarities between the two. I think fans of both would enjoy this. As would any fan that just wants to get prepped for the movie (that’s what I was doing).
This series has a lot to cover with not that much time, all things considered. In less than one hundred and seventy pages we have the complete origin of Billy as Shazam, the history of Black Atom, the introduction of the Seven Deadly Sins, and even a conclusion. It’s a lot to take in, but the series makes it work.
Billy was an interesting character. At first I don’t think we’re meant to like him. I believe this was to help us see his progression. Going from being an unlikable character to a likable hero. At least, that is how I interpreted the story.
While we weren’t meant to like Billy from the beginning, we were given moments that showed that he really wasn’t the kid he presented himself as. That makes a lot of sense when you think about children with abandonment issues. It doesn’t take much to go from thinking about the logistics of his behavior to feeling sympathy for him.
Black Atom was another matter entirely. I’ll admit that I was surprised by how much of his backstory we were shown. Normally I’d say we didn’t need to know that much about his past, but it ended up being important in this case. He’s a character that’s easy to hate, and will do just about anything to justify that he’s right (even when being ‘right’ means he’s killing people).
We didn’t get to see much of the Seven Deadly Sins, at least not as separate beings. From what I did see I can say that I enjoyed the different interpretations on some of them. I actually would have liked to see more of them, on a more individual level, given the chance. I feel like they could be really interesting.
I’ll admit that there were points in the series that got a little chaotic. The final battle in particular was…interesting. I don’t know enough about Shazam’s powers to say if what he did there was canon or not. I’m assuming it is, but it seemed sort of odd. Up until that point I was really enjoying the series though.
I’m not sure if they’re planning on rebooting the series in response to the movie coming out. Part of me sort of hopes that they do. The other part of me is just so excited for the movie and really doesn’t want anything else to get in the way. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what they decide to do

Unfortunately, the images did not come through in this download, but the text did. I enjoy the direction of this story and the creative take on Shazam, as well as the way the creators bring a realistic tone to artwork for this character that is sometimes more comedic in nature.