Review: The Mysteries Of The Darklands Revealed In SHAZAM! #8
by Tony Thornley
SHAZAM! has done so much to change the DC Universe’s world of magic in just a few issues. It’s made for an exciting read so far, but SHAZAM! #8 might be the darkest part of the journey yet.
Geoff Johns, Scott Kolins, Mike Atiyeh, and Rob Leigh reveal the most frightening of the Magiclands.
Billy and Mary are back on Earth while their siblings are trapped and scattered across the Magiclands. While Mary tries to figure out what’s wrong, Billy heads back to try to find Freddy and Darla in the Darklands. However, unknown to them, Black Adam and Sivana are launching a plot that could ruin them… or reveal the seventh member of the SHAZAM family.
There’s a lot going on here, so unfortunately some of the more interesting plot points don’t get a lot of time. However, Johns continues to tell an epic story, forging mythology to flesh out this newest incarnation of the SHAZAM story. Thankfully it’s grounded in the characters and their motivations, adding so much heart to the story. I definitely hope the series goes back to some of the plot points it glosses over, as there’s a lot left on the table.
Kolins steps in fully on this issue, and his style fits the story extremely well. Normally his line art is bright and energetic. However, he’s able to really convey the creepy nature of the Darklands, without pushing it too far into horror territory, which would distract from the overall story. Atiyeh’s colors help, especially in the Darklands, where he largely uses greyscale except for Billy, which adds so much atmosphere.
Things are getting desperate for Billy and his family and it’s making for a great read.
SHAZAM! #8 is available now from DC Comics.
