Thanks to some magical intervention from a wizard, teenager Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids, Darla, Pedro, Mary, Eugene, and Freddy, have been granted phenomenal powers and teamed up to become one big, happy family — or “Shazamily,” as they so happily call themselves. Gifted with superpowers that turn them into adults, the Shazamily are tasked with caring for the inter-dimensional Rock of Eternity and all its doors. Easier said than done.
Set to accompany the upcoming March 17th release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the DC anthology Shazam! Fury of the Gods Special: Shazamily Matters has the members of the Shazamily going through all the trials and tribulations of life — magical, mundane, and sometimes, a bit of both.
Compilations and anthologies can be difficult to edit and pull off successfully. Luckily, despite the staggering number of stories featured in Shazam! Fury of the Gods Special: Shazamily Matters, it is a smooth, enjoyable, fun read. All eight stories are unified by their ensemble cast, magical door-hopping antics, supernatural happenings, and perhaps most notably, the rapid-fire dialogue. There is at least one razor-sharp witticism, steeped in teen slang and very contemporary pop culture references, on each page. It’s appropriate given the youthful and irreverent personalities of the Shazamily. It also suits the similarly lighthearted tone of the franchise, which given the serious and dour tone of the DC Comics canon, is quite refreshing.
“Door To Death” is a witty chapter, but at times, it can be too witty for its own good. The dialogue overwhelms the pages. Considering that this entry has three talented writers — iconic Shazam actor Zachary Levi, with D.J. Cotrona and Colleen Doran — having to share one story, it makes sense that “Door To Death” is so heavy with the dialogue. Letterer Dave Sharpe isn’t given a lot of room to work with. Artist Freddie Williams II and colorist Andrew Dalhouse cram their highly rendered visuals into panels that are too small for them. While the premise is good fun, “Door To Death” tries to cram too much in the little space it has.
Each member of the Shazamily gets a chance to shine and demonstrate their personality with visual aplomb and whimsy. “Darla’s Keepers,” from the writing talents of Faithe Herman and Amanda Deibert, has Darla traversing one of the most adorable and glittery worlds so far. Its origin makes sense thanks to Erica Henerson’s endearingly childlike thick lines. The Pedro-focused chapter, “The Big Game,” written by Controna and Tom Seeley, has the distinct art of Jorge Corona capturing the contrasting worlds Pedro explores in search of a strong wi-fi signal to watch his game.
Some chapters suffer from their short length. “Crocodile Catastrophe” by writer David F. Sandberg and writer-artist Scott Kolins has a good, eldritch-level plot and premise, with the terrifying magic-wielding crocodiles rendered nicely by Kolin’s gritty lines and Josh Kalisz’s somber colors, but it ends too abruptly. Mary’s tale, “Darla’s Birthday,” by Grace Caroline Currey, is a sweet tale of dinosaurs and skewed priorities, ending on a heartwarming if sudden note.
That isn’t to say these chapters are all fun and games. Some zero in on the characters’ flaws and angst. Ross Butler and Josh Trujillo’s “Time Out” explores Eugene’s relationship with Rosa through his video game addiction. Freddy-centric “Dogtown and Blue Boy,” by Adam Brody and Kenny Porter, is a warm yet bittersweet tale of responsibility and Blue-Heeler dogs. Billy gets some hard lessons in the Henry Gayden-penned “Leadership Qualities,” where the darker visuals by artists Scott Godlewski and Alex Guimarães convey the team’s tensions.
At equal turns staggering in scale and cramped in composition, Shazam! Fury of the Gods Special: Shazamily Matters is a fun foray into the more enjoyable and jovial side of the DC Universe. Although the overt youthfulness can feel forced at times, this is still a fun read that perfectly introduces the long-awaited Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
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