Warning: contains spoilers for Shazam! #1
Though Superman is, justifiably, considered DC's strongest hero, there's a reason Shazam has the title of Earth's Mightiest Mortal. Powered by famous heroes of myth, the Rock of Eternity's champion is one of DC's heaviest hitters, easily able to match or exceed many of the Justice's League's strongest heroes. In his latest adventure though, Shazam isn't just losing his powers, he's losing control of them, and it could spell disaster for the DC Universe.
After a brief break from the spotlight after the end of his solo series, Billy Batson made his big return in Future State. Taking place in a possible future for the DC Universe, that timeline saw the world nearly destroyed after an accident involving the young students at Titans Academy unleashed the four riders of the apocalypse. As a member of the Titans Academy, Billy agreed to protect Raven after she absorbed the four demons into herself. This resulted in Billy separating from Shazam so that Billy could stay in Hell to protect Raven while Shazam kept being a hero to the people of Earth. Though it's clear this is only a possible future for the DC Universe, there are already more than a few eerie echoes of it playing out, and Billy losing his powers is one.
Now, in Shazam #1 from Tim Sheridan, Clayton Henry, and Marcelo Maiolo, Billy Batson is having trouble at Titans Academy. A battle with the chemical abomination Chemo leads to Shazam plummeting from the sky and losing his considerable strength. Billy tries to get counseling from Raven about it, and readers learn that Billy and his teacher are both having visions of the awful future depicted in Future State. Making matters worse, a satellite comes hurtling towards Titans Tower. Billy transforms to save his classmates but is quickly depowered, prompting a rescue from Jon Kent's Superman. Later, when Doctor Fate comes to the campus, Billy finally learns why his powers are fading. The source of his powers, the Rock of Eternity, is trapped in Hell. Making matters worse, he learns from his adopted sister Mary that their brother Freddy is in the hospital. Knowing that having access to Shazam's power could save Freddy, Billy makes a bold decision, he's going to Hell to restore his powers.
More than just losing control of his powers, Billy Batson is losing control of his life. Though his teachers respect him immensely and know that he's Shazam, Billy is the target of bullying from a few of his peers who don't know his secret identity. In addition to that, his interactions with Mary show that he hasn't had much contact with his family either. Though the explanation for his haywire powers seems to be the Rock of Eternity's new position in Hell, it's also entirely possible that Billy's real problem is a lack of confidence.
None of this bodes particularly well for Billy or the DC Universe in general. Future State also saw Shazam cutting contact with his family and going to Hell, though for very different reasons than the ones readers see here. Billy even worries about the Shazam persona taking over full time, which is something that has disastrous consequences in DC's dark future. Given the multiversal threat that Raven becomes in Future State, Billy Batson and the Teen Titans are on a disastrous path. Unfortunately, Shazam losing his powers should be the least of Billy Batson's concerns.
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July 22, 2021 at 12:22AM
