the Trials of SHAZAM! #9 - DC

This is another chapter of Freddy's saga. Judd Winick is doing a great job with this story. But actually, I would expect nothing less. I do have a sad confession to make about this book though. I am a huge Howard Porter fan. I've liked him even before the JLA became hip. His stuff way back on the Ray, I thought, was fantastic. Especially for somebody following up on Joe Quesada's mini series. Then I really dug his stuff on the JLA, and also his different style in the beginning of this series. But now, this series, has garnered a new artist in Mauro Cascioli. And, while I'm sad to see that Howard is no longer on this series, I have to say, Mauro's work is simply amazing. Think Adam Hughes, crossed with Simon Bisley. I even think the work in this book is better than Ariel Olivetti's. That's my opinion. You may not agree with me. But, I think, if you can pick this up and read it, I think you'll be equally impressed. Anyways, last issue, Atlas died. I'm not really sure how a god can die . . . but he did. So Billy is shouldering his burden, literally, until Freddy can convince Apollo to take over for him. But Apollo has become happy in his new role in the human world. He's a husband, a father and a healer . . in the form of a doctor. But he hadn't realized, when he reverted to his godly form, to battle Freddy, all of that disappeared. "You've sired children as a man, now you've become a god again. They're gone. Magic has righted itself. It's as if . . . it's like you never existed as a mortal." And Apollo's pissed. So he takes a stand. "I want my life back. Find another to stand in my place and you can have all of my gift. For now, as a reminder . . . as a marker on your debt . . . half of my gift will go to another." So now half of his power has gone to Sabina. And as Sabina feels the surge of power, she says "Is it me, or did everything just get a lot more interesting?" This was already a good series, with a great story. But now, with the addition of Cascioli on art, Sabina's words were never more accurate. Even if she is a bad-guy . . . or girl.