Shazam: Lightning Strikes

Shazam: Lightning Strikes is a DC digital-first series that began publishing in August 2022. It features a series of one-shot stories about Captain Marvel (previously named Shazam) and his supporting cast. The first two chapters of the series where digitally published in July 2020 but the series was revived after the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

The third issue is written by Phil Hester and drawn by Pop Mhan. The story revolves around Billy discovering that his teacher Ms. Ayes is actually an inhabitant of the Wozenderlands, a magical fairy in disguise, and has begun to train Darla on her own (she has a soft spot for her because she's the only member of the family who believes in fairies). Thanks to Ayes' training, Darla begins to perform prodigiously as a superhero but Billy protests that she's taking too much work for her age, though Darla rejects his warning, believing him to be just jealous. Of course Billy is later revealed correct when Ayes will bring Darla into battle by herself for the first time (against Sabbac and his devilish minions) and Captain Marvel will need to save the day! Eventually the brothers and the teacher recouncile. At the beginning of the story, after Billy winds up in a humiliating position (in his underwear in front of his sister, his teacher and a fairy reporter) following an encounter with King Kull and his barbarians, he assumes he's having a "stress dream". Under the illusion that it's not real and thus there are no consequences, he proceeds to make an even bigger fool of himself. But soon enough he finds out it's real life, to late to totally stop himself from embarrassing himself in front of everyone.

The fourth issue is written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Pepe Larraz: it starts with Billy Batson and his class going to a visit at an egyptian museum. Here Billy also meet with a girl from another class, Courtney Whitmore, and the two immediatly begin to socialize. Until Black Adam suddenly enter the museum: he is after a precious necklace exposed that will reveal to be the amulet in which the wizard Shazam trapped his wife Isis whome he immediatly release. Billy and Courtney quickly change into Captain Marvel and Stargirl (without anyone seeing them of course) but Isis traps them both into a dark dimension where Captain Marvel's connection to the gods is disrupted and he turn back into Billy leaving Courtney speechless to learn about his secret identity. As they eventually find a way out together, Billy and Courtney quickly develope a strong attachment to the other and kiss each other just before they come out of the dark realm (with Billy automatically transforming back into the world's mightiest mortal). Together, Captain Marvel and Stargirl defeat Black Adam and Isis trapping them into the jewel (where they at least are now together) then Billy goes back to his true form and the two kiss again. Then the panel goes to Billy explaining his day to his family that evening while he's on his way to go at his first date with Courtney. The last page features Billy and Courtney kissing in front of the house's door while his eavesdropping family congratulates him (including Tawky Tawny).

The fifth issue is a remake of The Power Of Shazam! #37 written by Jeff Loveness and drawn by Pepe Larraz. It began with Freddy who is in terapy with a beautiful nurse causing the visiting Mary to get jealous (though she viciously denie it). Later that night, the nurse reveal herself to be the villainess Dreamdancer, an oneiric witch, which penetrates Freddy's dreams and forces the young Marvel to face his greatest fears and dreams about his insecurities. As Billy, Mary and the others realize that's something is wrong with him, the wizard Shazam appears to explain the situation and sends them in the dream-world to rescue Freddy. The kids find themselves traveling and experiencing Freddy's nightmares but they eventually reach out to him. However, Dreamdancer finally show herself and in order to defeat them unleash an army of various DC villains (from Doomsday to Darkseid, from Trigon to the Batman Who Laughs, they are not the real ones of course but they are no less scary). But Billy and his friends transform into their superhero forms and kick their butts finally defeating Dreamdancer who is trapped in her own worst nightmare. As Freddy wake up, he and Mary finally confess each other's feelings and share a kiss.

The sixth issue is a crossover between Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman: as Billy and Freddy are enjoying an avarage day at school, Diana Prince suddenly barge in leaving everyone in awe and shocked as they learn that she's here because she need to take Billy with her. As the two assumes their superhero identities, Wonder Woman brings Captain Marvel to Mount Olympus where he meets the gods that empowers him, including mighty Zeus himself! And it is Zeus who explains to Billy how Olympus is going to be attacked by the giants escaped from Tartarus and how, according to the prophecy of the Fates, the giants can only be defeated by the combined powers of a god and a mortal. That's why Zeus recruited his most trusted mortal warriors: his daughter Diana and his champion Billy Batson. Most of the story revolves around the great titanic battle between gods and giants: every time an olympian strikes a giant, either Captain Marvel or Wonder Woman immediatly jump in to deliver the fatal blow! The last giant to fall is Alcyoneus, their king, who is defeated when Zeus supercharge Billy with a thunderbolt causing a vibrating aura of energy and lightning to form around his body (similar to a Dragonball Super Saiyan, even his hairs assume a golden glow). As a result, Captain Marvel gains a massive power boost and his attacks become much stronger than before causing him to defeat the greatest giant on his own using nothing but his fists. After the battle has been won, the gods decree the triumph of their champions and invite Billy and Diana to stay for a proper celebration. During the dinner party, Billy is asked by Zeus what does he want as a reward. Without thinking twice, Billy ask a kiss from every olympian goddess who happily get in line. Much to his surprise, even Diana give him a final kiss. In the story, various gods of Olympus will appear (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Ares, Athena, Aphrodite, Artemis, Apollo, Hermes, Dionysus, Hephaestus and Hercules): both the gods and the giants are designed after their counterparts in the anime Blood of Zeus. It is written by Jeff Loveness and drawn by Tom Derenick with a variant cover by Alfredo Reyes that shows Captain Marvel surrounded and groomed by the goddesses of Olympus including Wonder Woman.

The seventh chapter is set mostly in the Zoolands: the Marvel Family will help Tawky Tawny depose the Mayor Krunket's dictatorial and specist regime and help estabilish a peaceful utopia for both carnivores and herbivores. It is written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Jorge Jimenez.