Trying to recapture a feeling that is beyond a simple sense of nostalgia is a noble endeavor for any writer. And there’s something truly admirable about doing so. He doesn’t always succeed, but when he’s firing on all cylinders, he can make even the most jaded comic fan feel like a nine year old kid again. He is a writer who wants his readers to feel the same way he did when he first cracked open a comic and discovered a world of wonder within its pages. He knows these are not his toys, so he tries rather hard not to break them or scuff them up too badly.

Geoff Johns is a man who loves superheroes and, more often than not, treats them with respect. And while some of the things which unfold might leave people unfamiliar with the characters scratching their heads, there’s enough context to get the gist. Their relationship dynamics are defined through tight dialogue and kinetic action in lieu of exposition dumps and needless narration. We are introduced to Billy, his best friend Freddy Freeman, and the other member of the Marvel Family within the first few pages. Not only does Shazam! #1 work as solid entry point to a character who has been explored so heavily, it’s a handsome book, presented with heart, humor and callbacks to older stories seasoned comics fans will enjoy. Johns and Eaglesham jibe with the conceit of the character and may very well have produced the best debut issue of any relaunch this year. Billy is a child, after all, and the idea of a preteen given the power of an entire pantheon of gods is one with endless potential.

The character's popularity, which once rivaled that of Superman’s, has seen its ups and down, but when Billy Batson is put into the hands of creators who honor his Golden Age roots, we are often gifted with fantastic works of art that make us feel like kids again. The character of Shazam (or Captain Marvel) is one of the oldest superheroes still having great works written around them today. RELATED: Shazam! Debuts New Movie Synopsis This is exactly how Geoff Johns and Dale Eaglesham’s Shazam! #1 feels. Now, we don’t think for a moment comics should revert back to their old ways, but it is refreshing when a comic feels like it a script from or decades ago and has been adapted my modern creators.

Some comics have been able to recapture this long-lost sense of rollicking adventure, however titles like Alan Moore and Chris Sprouse’s Tom Strong and Kurt Busiek, Brent Anderson, and Alex Ross’ Astro City come to mind, but even these works dip into the deep well of modern comic storytelling. Yet, for all the strides comic books have made during the better part of a century, childlike wonderment has gotten lost along the way.

Shazam! by Geoff Johns