Synopsis: The final battle with King Shazam is here. “Reign of the Superman” begins, but which Superman will reign supreme? With Earth’s Moon serving as their battlefield, the stage is set for an epic showdown.
The Story
Picking up where last month’s issue left off, Superman takes Shazam to the Moon to finish their battle, leaving Steel and Hawkman on Earth to recover from their injuries. Before departing, he entrusts Lois and Jimmy with instructions should he fail to return.
The battle itself is brutal, with Superman determined to stop Shazam without taking his life. Time and again, he tries to reason with his opponent, but the madness and rage consuming Shazam prove too great. Realising he cannot win through strength alone, Superman changes tactics. His only hope is to somehow trick Shazam into speaking the magic word that will transform the mighty champion back into the enslaved boy, Teth-Adam.
Artwork
Rafa Sandoval continues his mission of delivering spectacular artwork on this series. The sequences depicting the two supermen battling across the Moon feel genuinely cinematic and visceral. Sandoval doesn’t allow either combatant to pull their punches, filling the pages with exploding lunar rock, crackling lightning, and the sheer force of their blows.
One panel in particular is especially striking. Pulling back from the action, Sandoval reveals the devastation the battle is inflicting on the Moon itself, with two enormous chunks of its surface torn away. It’s a breathtaking image that perfectly conveys the unimaginable scale of the conflict.
Overall
Jason Aaron brings this story arc to a satisfying conclusion. Shazam’s life is ultimately spared, but he must still answer for his actions. More significantly, Superman’s world has been changed forever. He now knows he isn’t the only superpowered being on Earth, a revelation that opens the door to exciting new possibilities for the series moving forward.
- Covers9.2
- Story9.7
- Artwork10
- Lettering9.4
- Colours10
