Summary
A member of theShazamFamily is about to gain powers again and in my opinion, it’s long overdue.Freddy Freeman has longbeen one biggest cheerleaders for the World’s Mightiest Mortal, even when he was stripped of his own powers. But now the hero onceknown as Captain Marvel Jr.is about to soar through the skies once more.
There’s been a lot of chaos among Billy Batson’s foster family in recent months and they’re only about to get more complicated. In DC Comics' batch of October solicitations, the publisher revealed key information about an upcoming issue ofShazam!.
October 2nd, 2024
Variant Covers:
Felipe Massafera and Ejikure
Shazam family road trip! Or at least an escape from Philly, as the kids hit the road to investigate some twisted monster attacks. Freddy’s new powers should come in handy, except something’s off with him. Will the cost for his new abilities be more than he can pay?
Amid the monster attacks going in on Philadelphia, spurred on by a magic leak, the kids are heading out of the city to investigate the source of the calamity. The solicited information also reveals thatShazam’s foster brother Freddy Freeman is gaining new powers. However, the summary also hints that there’s a price to pay for Freddy’s newfound abilities.
Shazam’s Brother is About to Be a Superhero Again
If you’re a Shazam fan, then you know that Freddy Freeman has a long history with the Big Red Cheese. Back in the day, Freddy went from Captain Marvel fanboy to true blue hero when he was endowed with magic power, turning him into Captain Marvel, Jr. He was even the DC Universe’s sole Champion for a short period beforeFlashpointreset continuity. However, while the shake-up de-powered him,Freddy eventually gained his magic powers, as did the rest of Shazam’s family. That is until the Infinite Frontier era, when most of the kids, including Freddy, lost their superpowers.
One thing I can appreciate about the currentShazam!book is that the recent arc has put Freddy into the spotlight and actually has him doing a bit of introspection over the loss of his powers. While I did like the extended Shazam Family, the one member I’ve been hoping would become a hero again was Freddy. He’s just as worthy as Billy or Mary and neither of them buy into the superhero lifestyle like he does. Though it sounds like there’s a catch to Freddy’s new powers,I’m excited to see my favorite Shazam Family member return.
Even with a Catch, It’s Time Freddy Got His Shazam Powers Back
What I like about Freddy is that he’s often had more working against him than either Mary or Billy. Between health problems and losing his powers, he could have easily shunned the hero life. But Freddy never stops trying and always does the right thing, even as a vulnerable human. He’s proven that he deserves to be a hero numerous times. No matter how he gets them back, Freddy has earned the right to be a superhero. While I’ve got no idea how Freddy’s getting his abilities back, you can bet I’ll be readingShazam!to find out.
