In Jeff Smith’s previous well-known series, the terrific Bone, He has shown us his ability to shift effortlessly between a variety of emotions. Smith again shows us his emotional versatility in Shazam #2 by shifting between moments of gentle humor and great pathos with an easy grace and style and never once faltering. Smith takes what could be considered an outdated mythos and applies some intriguing twists to them. For instance, portraying Billy Batson and Captain Marvel as separate entities that swap places every time Billy uses the magic word, creates a fascinating dynamic and an interesting spin to the concept that the Captain is the guardian to those that can’t defend themselves. And by making Mary Marvel Billy’s long lost sister and, like him, a homeless child, Smith is able to render some truly touching and tender moments between the two. This is especially true during a scene on a pier about halfway through the issue. Smith shows us his rather sophisticated abilities as a writer. Not to mention his deft and somewhat sweet touch as an artist. When Mary gains some of the Captain’s powers, Smith has a great deal of fun showing us the young girl’s unbound joy at discovering her new abilities. One of the most difficult things to express is exuberance and Smith nails it here. This book is a rarity in the current cynical climate of the comic industry. A book made for any age that has intelligence and tons of heart. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.