Story: "Princes of Darkness Part 3: Enlightenment" (22 Pages)

Credits: Geoff Johns and David Goyer (plot, script)
Leonard Kirk (pencils)
Keith Champagne (inks)
Ken Lopez (letters)
John Kalisz (colors)
Heroic Age (color separations)
Peter Tomasi (edits)

Feature Characters:

Captain Marvel, Doctor Fate IV
Sentinel
Star-Spangled Kid II

Villains: Eclipso
Mordru
Obsidian

Guest Appearances: Nabu
Fate
Kent Nelson
Inza Nelson
Eric Strauss
Linda Strauss
Kid Eternity (all seven in Doctor Fate's amulet; see second Comment)
Shade (last in Green Arrow Vol. 3 #17)

Comment: Story continues in the next issue.

Comment: Although Kent & Inza Nelson, Eric & Linda Strauss, Fate and Kid Eternity are said to be constructs of Doctor Fate's imagination in this story, this does not square with events in the Starman series, where Kent Nelson played a significant role without Hector Hall's knowledge or involvement. This is later revealed to be a lie of Nabu's, so all are listed as a genuine appearance.

Synopsis:

Billy Batson and the Star-Spangled Kid are trapped in the Shadowlands, where Billy is unable to connect with Shazam's power and become Captain Marvel. And inside Doctor Fate's amulet, Hector Hall meets the previous bearers of the mantle of Fate, all of whom tell him that he must let go of the past and accept his wife's death before fading out. Nabu says that they were simply constructs of his imagination, and that he must face Mordru, who is currently using the body of Arion as a host. In the Shadowlands, Billy and Star encounter the Shade, who is distressed to tell them that Alan Scott, Sentinel is dead.