Shazam! (2023) #5

"Never Too Late"

Part of the "Dawn of DC" event.

Cover
Textless
Textless Barrionuevo Variant
Textless Samnee Variant
1 : 25 Textless Perez Variant

January, 2024

Rated T for Teen (12+)

Never Too Late

Editors

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Shazam! (Volume 5) #5 is an issue of the series Shazam! (Volume 5) with a cover date of January, 2024. It was published on November 7, 2023.

Synopsis for "Never Too Late"

Billy finds himself freezing and suffocating in space, but luckily, he gets rescued by Mary Marvel, who was worried about Billy and followed him into the Moon. She brings him into the space, where the gorillas are still the mind control of Zazzala. She thinks the only way to resucitate Billy is by summoning the lightning bolt, something that the gods that form conclave of Shazam agree upon, as they don't want to lose their pawn in their plan to subjugate mortals, but Zeus can't use his lightning to transform Billy into his superhero form because he is bound by the Wizard's rules. Mary, asking the pantheon of goddesses that empowered her to stand down, says the magic word in Billy's place and Zeus answers the call. As the lightning bolt strikes Billy, Shazam is back in action.

As the adopted siblings fight the gorilla forces, Shazam explains to Mary about his own experiences with Queen Bee, Ted and the gorillas. Zazzala realizes the battle is lost and demands to Garguax that he hand over the warp drive he had hidden so that she can escape. Garguax, offended by Zazzala's betrayal, initially refuses until Zazzala restores him to his original size, and even then, he orders his robots to capture her.

Mercury seizes the opportunity to manipaulate Shazam, who starts acting arrogant and childish in the middle of the fight. Under Mercury's influence, Shazam threatens to brutalize Garguax unless he hands over the warp drive, an action that unsettles Mary. Garguax is forced to relinquish the warp drive, which he had hidden in his stomach. Shazam and Mary are too disgusted to take it, but Zazzala isn't. The Captain, once again controlled by Mercury, attacks Zazzala and the fight begins again.

Meanwhile, Billy's siblings and the saurian lawyer travel to the Rock of Eternity, hoping to find a way to help Billy. As they try to come up with a plan to help Billy, however, they realize that Freddy has gone missing.

Because of the way the Captain has been speaking lately, Mary deduces that the gods that gave him their powers must be controlling them in some way. Before the Captain can capitalize on this discovery, however, Ted grabs the warp drive and tries to escape with it. Unfortunately, the gorillas inadvertently cause damage to the warp drive, which releases an energy wave that cause the Moon to spin out of control and put everyone in it in danger. Mary saves the gorillas trapped in space while Shazam uses all his strength to hold the Moon in place and return it to its proper orbit. Mary takes Ted and his fellow gorillas to jail while Shazam shoves Zazzala, Garguax and their minions into a spaceship and kicks into space, hoping to never seem them again.

At the Rock of Eternity, the gods are frustrated for their failure to control Shazam and they're confronted by Billy, who says that he wants to use his powers to help people, not to appease the gods. That is why Billy offers them a choice: stop controlling Billy or he will relinquish his powers as the Captain and the gods will be left with no mortal representative. Unamused by Billy's offer, Mercury tells him that the gods could easily destroy him but Billy stands by his words. Billy, however, is surprised by the appearance of Freddy, who says that this choice shouldn't be made by Billy and if Billy won't have the powers of Shazam, then he will.