Something is very wrong with The Captain, but it’s Billy Batson who may have to pay the price. Your Major Spoilers review of Shazam #12 from DC Comics awaits!
SHAZAM #12
Writer: Josie Campbell
Artist: Mike Norton and Emanuela Lupacchino
Colorist: Trish Mulvihill
Letterer: Troy Peteri
Editor: Brittany Holzherr
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: June 4, 2024
Previously in Shazam: Billy and the Captain have always made a great team… so why is the Captain keeping secrets from him? Darla discovers the Captain has the ability to transform without Billy knowing, but why now? What is it that the Captain doesn’t want him to know? The answer will not only impact the adoption plans, but the future of Billy’s existence!
THE PRICE OF WISDOM
As Shazam #12 opens, Billy Batson tries to take stock of his life: Somehow, The Captain has gained his own sentience and autonomy, while the return of his biological mother has put his adoption by the Vasquez family in jeopardy, and something…something has been messing with his brain. Or rather, a Big Red someone. When The Captain tries to explain his reasons (and they’re actually quite good), Billy overrides him, trapping him in the Rock of Eternity and returning to the real world, where he, his sister Mary, and foster brother Freddy set off on the most important errand of all, a visit to Billy’s mother. Things go well initially, as Mama Batson explains that she finally has her stuff together, and she’s ready to be the mother that Billy has needed all his life. That’s when the other shoe drops, in the form of her OTHER son, just in time for the horrified Captain to explain to the Shazam siblings that the magical leak from the Rock is Billy himself and his emotions.
And he’s just been completely devastated by the person who could hurt him the most.
MARY STILL HAS HER POWERS
This issue feels so much like a closing chapter that I was surprised to see a tease for #13 at the end, but I’m actually quite pleased by that. Mary Marvel is still active and ready to support her family, and wherever young William has gotten to, he’s got several gods, demigods, and a King of Israel watching his back. The art in this issue is very well done, especially the moment where The Captain realizes what has to be done about The Rock of Eternity, but there are some moments where the connective tissue is missing. We can infer that Mary Marvel changed and followed Billy when he transformed, but her sudden appearance is a bit jarring nonetheless. I enjoy the additional wrinkles to the modern “Shazamily” configuration, especially since most of the new status quo has its roots in classic Golden Age Captain Marvel stories.
BOTTOM LINE: WORTH A READ
The final effect of Shazam #12 is mostly positive, taking what felt like sinister machinations by the Big Red Cheese and making it clear that Cap just saw things that Billy (and by extension, readers) were not privy to, combined with strong art, good use of the supporting cast and a well-deserved 4 out of 5 stars overall. Given that the title no longer refers to a specific hero, and that Mary Marvel is once again using her amazing nom de guerre, it’s my contention that there’s no rush in bringing back Master Batson and The Captain immediately.
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SHAZAM #12
The Captain's secrets are revealed, Mary Marvel makes a save, and Billy can't quite put it all together. It's a well-done issue.
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Writing8
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Art8
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Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.