Starting in January, DC is launching Dawn of DC, a new publishing initiative with new titles arriving throughout the first half of 2023. Among the eight new series the publisher just announced for Dawn of DC is a new Shazam! title from writer Mark Waid and artist Dan Mora, creative team (along with colorist Tamra Bonvillain) of the ongoing Batman/Superman: World's Finest.
But don't fret World's Finest fans. As it turns out, neither Waid nor Mora is leaving series Silver Age-inspired series when Shazam! launches - nor is the Batman-Superman team-up series set in the past ending. Instead, Newsarama understands that Waid and Mora will continue on both titles with the upcoming Shazam! title to run concurrently with Batman/Superman: World's Finest starting in June when Shazam! #1 arrives.
It's worth noting that DC's announcement of Waid and Mora's Shazam! doesn't specify the length or format of the new title, and World's Finest has used other artists for fill-in issues and arcs, including February's upcoming Batman/Superman: World's Finest #12, which is drawn by artist Ema Lupacchino, so how Mora manages both titles could be a product of strategic splitting duties.
That said, however DC manages the scheduling, Mora drawing two titles at once is a feat that few monthly artists can pull off in modern comics - a worthy feat indeed for the fan-favorite artist.
Interestingly enough, Waid has written Billy Batson before - way back in 1996's Kingdom Come, which presented a very different version of Shazam! who is mind controlled by Lex Luthor into fighting Superman to a standstill.
Shazam! #1 goes on sale in June.
Shazam! plays a central role in Kingdom Come, which tops Newsarama's list of the best DC Comics stories ever.
