A fun special that feels more like a beginning of something fascinating than a simple flash-in-the-pan, Justice League: The Darkseid War: Shazam is the kind of story Ive been hoping to see for so long from DC Comics on a monthly basis for one of their oldest and greatest characters. Steve Orlando and Scott Kolins nailed it, and if I had my druthers, theyd be chronicling Billy Batson and the New Gods of his pantheon month in and month out, ad infinitum. Read Full Review

Unlike the other one-shots, this feels more like a pilot. A really really good pilot with a load of potential. So, I have to look at DC and say this: Okay, you have one job. I hate that phrase, but it is true here. All you have to do, is announce a "Shazam #1" by Steve Orlando, Scott Kolins and Romulo Fajardo Jr. "From the Pages of "Justice League: The Darkseid War" and let them build on this. Read Full Review

Just like Japan has brushed aside Goku for One Punch Man, it looks like we have also. Stand aside Superman, go wash your t-shirt or something. Get ready for Shazam: God of Gods! Read Full Review

DC could do a lot worse than to build a new series on the foundation established here. Read Full Review

Orlando, Kolins and Fajardo work extremely well together here, to the point that I'd love to see them work on another book as a team soon. (Perhaps there's a "Shazam" ongoing is in their future -- if not, DC Comics should reconsider based on the strength of this one-shot.) What could have easily been disposable is instead enthralling thanks to this creative team, and now I want to see much more of Shazam. Nicely done. Read Full Review

Steve Orlando creates a compelling story that as a fan of Shazam and the current Darkseid War storyline I wanted to read. At times the dialogue was a bit overdone and Billy came off as kind of a brat, but I was still entertained and interested until the very end which had a villain that I thought had potential for future stories. I've been a huge fan of the Justice League Darkseid War so I'm glad to see these spinoffs providing some solid storytelling and great art, and this issue starring Shazam is no exception. Read Full Review

It'll be interesting to see where this all goes, and how much will be explored down the road. Maybe we'll see an ongoing Shazam comic with Orlando at the helm. After reading this, it's something I could get behind. Read Full Review

Billy Batson is a teenaged asshole but he makes some good points as he copes with becoming the God of Gods. You don't need to drive your father's Oldsmobile. You can carve your own path. And part of that path includes a meet-and-greet with ethereal manifestations of personality traits and life events, and that's okay. The story is just okay, but the incredible artwork of Scott Kolins is worth recommending at least giving this a look in-store. Read Full Review

Steve Orlando has been one of DC's sharpest up-and-coming writers with his take on Midnighter, but he and artist Scott Kolins bite off a little bit more than they can chew with Justice League: The Darkseid War - Shazam #1. Read Full Review

"Justice League: The Darkseid War: Shazam #1" fails to deliver. The redeeming qualities in the story are overlooked by the lack of direction in the storytelling and the inconsistencies in the art direction. Seeing a Shazam with an all-new power set would have been something to behold, but it looks like were going to have to wait until "Justice League #46" to see a payoff on that. Read Full Review

If there is any connection between Shazam's old Gods and the Old Gods of Kirby's Fourth World you aren't finding it here, just a lot of disappointment and time-wasting, especially given how unlikely it is that any of these changes will actually last. Read Full Review

The Darkseid War: Shazam #1 is one of the best tie-ins to the Darkseid War, only beaten by the oft-praised Green Lantern issue. Steve Orlando writes a good Shazam and understands where he is now compared to where he was in his origin story, and the art by Scott Kolins (whose art I find hit-or-miss usually) and Romulo Fajardo Jr. is some of the best I have seen in any comic ever. There is so much filling the pages and the story, while definitely out-there and possibly not as interesting as the story originally promised in the solicitations, delivers as far as a compelling tie in goes. Recommended for any fans of Shazam in the New 52.

It is...

This feels like a set-up for a solo series, or at least for Shazam having a more prominent role in the DC universe than he's had. If this issue is undone by the end of the Darkseid war, this is more of a 6.5 than an 8.

Strange but interesting.

It's like, the power to believe in yourself guys. Yaaaay! A self-contradictory concept in which Billy loses his powers, yet still has his powers to fight some god guy to replace his powers with other powers. Confused much?