Shazam!: Origins

by Geoff Johns, Gary Frank (Illustrator)

Overview

Shazam's incredible origin story is retold here in this new edition of Shazam!, just in time for the upcoming blockbuster movie starring Zachary Levi! Featuring a photo cover!

Young orphan Billy Batson has bounced from foster home to foster home, but he's far from the ideal child. Brash and rude, Billy is a troubled teen who just can't seem to find a calling. But after a fateful night on a subway car, that all will change.

Brought to the feet of the magical wizard Shazam at the Rock of Eternity, Billy is imbued with powers beyond any mortal man. By shouting the wizard's name—Shazam!—the young teen is mystically transformed into the powerhouse known as Shazam! Now given abilities that make him Earth's Mightiest Mortal at the utterance of a simple phrase, will Billy make the right choices and do what it takes to become a hero? Or will he succumb to the poor choices of youth—and the villainous Black Adam?

Perfect for any new fan of the World's Mightiest Mortal, this new edition of Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's classic graphic novel features a photo cover of star actor Zachary Levi. Collects Justice League #0, #21 and stories from Justice League #7-11, #14-16 and #18-20.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780594142492
Publisher:	DC Comics
Publication date:	03/05/2019
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	388,871
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Geoff Johns is an award-winning writer and one of the most popular contemporary comic book writers today. Johns is the author of the New York Times best-selling graphic novels Aquaman: The Trench, Blackest Night, Green Lantern: The Sinestro Corps War, Justice League: Origin, Superman: Brainiac and Batman: Earth One, which hit #1 on the bestseller list. He is also known for transforming Green Lantern into one of the most critically and commercially successful franchises in comics.

Johns was born in Detroit and studied media arts, screenwriting and film at Michigan State University. After moving to Los Angeles, he became an assistant to Richard Donner, director of Superman: The Movie. He and his mentor Donner later co-wrote Superman: Last Son, featuring the return of General Zod. Johns has written for various other media, including episodes of Smallville, Arrow and Adult Swim's Robot Chicken, for which he was nominated along with his co-writers for an Emmy.

Editorial Reviews

"Once a more whimsical, humor-centered version of Superman, Shazam gets a modern makeover from Johns, main architect of DC's revamped New 52 universe. Johns, always at his sharpest when reimagining and streamlining an origin tale, darkens and deepens some of the character's hokiest elements and does so without tying them to an involved, new-reader-repelling backstory, creating a more palatable treat for longtime readers and superhero novices alike. Frank, among mainstream comics' finest craftsmen, provides standout art that grounds the action in reality and gives it dramatic weight with solid, beautifully expressive character work and gritty, exciting battle choreography."
—Booklist

From the Publisher