It's never a great thing when a critically acclaimed artist departs a title. Dan Mora was just as responsible for the success (maybe more so?) of this new Shazam run as writer Mark Waid. But DC finds a solid successor with Goran Suduka, whose style doesn't channel Mora while delivering art that looks appreciably similar to vintage Captain Marvel stories. Read Full Review

This continues to be another example of why Waid has risen so fast and far since his return to DC. Read Full Review

With words and art that complement each with respect to their whimsy and weight, the start of this new arc shifts gears in this revamp of the Captain's past and present without straying away from what has already made the run appealing. Read Full Review

This issue is worth the price of admission for the analysis of Black Adam's place in the world versus the role of a Bizarro, but it's all really well-done. Read Full Review

Shazam #7 successfully balances humor, nostalgia, and action, making it a must-read issue! The creative team's collective efforts shine, promising an exciting continuation of this epic clash between the Captain and Black Adam. Read Full Review

Shazam! #7 cranks up the silliness as Billy Batson gets tripped up by one wild development after another. The artist changeover to Suduka ensures the series is in good artistic hands, and Waid's story pulls no punches in terms of Silver Age inspiration. Read Full Review

Sequences of mystical bank heists and dinosaurs in space lake the richness and depth that made the Silver Age tone of prior issues so appealing, and so Shazam! #7 falls a bit flat. Read Full Review

Sudzukas art is fun and lively, but the visual style is almost too perfect for the lighter tone of the story and because the story is lacking, the art feels lacking as well, especially in depth. Read Full Review

Waid excels as usual, and we get our first fill-in artist who does a spectacular job; I hope we see more of Sudzuka when Mora is away.

SHAZAM!! The Captain returns for his 7th issue in a fun yet action packed issue!

Mark Waid continues the adventures of Billy Batson, who finally manage to get his life and self awareness out of the grips of the gods who controlled him for the last 6 issues. Things are turning around for him; his family bought a massive new house that they can just baaarely afford (this is important to the plot). The space dinosaurs have sent reinforcements wondering where their auditor had disappeared off--Mr. Dinosaur traded in the paper work for housekeeping at the Rock of Eternity. Black Adam is pissed someone has entered his air space without consulting him first--the nerve of these aliens!

The only major down side to the comic is this being an off issue for Dan Mora and the usual colorist, Alejandro Sánchez. Goran Sudžuka and Ive Svorcina still manage to deliver and slamming issue of flying fists and expensive home repairs! In fact, I'm perfectly happy if these two artists continue as the usual fill in art team between arcs.

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This was one of my favorite issues of the series so far. I do miss Dan Mora on the art, but Sudzuka does a pretty solid job here, so I can’t complain that much. As for the story, Waid continues to do a nice job with the balancing of tones that I’ve mentioned in multiple reviews for this series. I especially liked the dinosaurs this time around.

Now mind you this is still a great issue. I laughed in it, it had a great fight and I was quite stressed by the end. Good characterization, and a fun opening scene (very fun and a fun Bizzaro idea to play with).

All that being said, it feels like it lacked the magic the last few issues had. In those I was bursting out laughing and the art was perfect. This feels great but not amazing. Still a great issue and one of the best things coming out of DC at this time. But for the series itself, it is just a touch down for the usual 9.5 or 10/10s.

Good issue, but lacking a bit compared to previous issues, both in terms of the new story and the guest artist. The space dinosaur plot is fun, occasionally humorous, but feels lighter than the prior storyline that put Billy through his paces. Plus Black Adam is a character that, for me, wears out his welcome pretty quickly. A little goes a long way.