| Shazam Captain Marvel The Captain | |
|---|---|
.png) Billy Batson in his normal and transformed state on the cover ofShazam! (2023) #5. Art by Dan Mora | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | Fawcett Comics (1942–1953) DC Comics (1972–present) |
| First appearance | Whiz Comics #2 (February 1940)[1] |
| Created by | |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | William Joseph "Billy" Batson |
| Species | Human |
| Team affiliations | Justice League Justice Society of America Justice League International Marvel / Shazam Family Squadron of Justice Teen Titans |
| Partnerships | Mary Marvel Captain Marvel Jr. Tawky Tawny The Wizard Raven Stargirl |
| Notable aliases | Captain Thunder World's Mightiest Mortal King Shazam Captain Shazam Lightning Guy Champion of Magic |
| Abilities |
|
Shazam (/ʃəˈzæm/), also known asThe Captain and formerly known asCaptain Marvel, is asuperhero inAmerican comic books originally published byFawcett Comics and currently published byDC Comics. ArtistC. C. Beck and writerBill Parker created the character in 1939. Shazam first appeared inWhiz Comics #2 (cover-dated Feb. 1940), published by Fawcett Comics. Shazam is the alter-ego ofWilliam Joseph "Billy"Batson, a young boy who is granted magical powers by the Wizard by speaking the magic word "SHAZAM!", an acronym of six "immortal elders":Solomon,Hercules,Atlas,Zeus,Achilles, andMercury, and transforms into a costumed adult superhero with various superpowers derived from specific attributes of the aforementioned elders.
The character battles evil in the form of an extensive rogues' gallery, most of them working in tandem as theMonster Society of Evil, including primaryarchenemiesBlack Adam,Doctor Sivana andMister Mind. Billy often shares his powers with other children, primarily his sisterMary Batson and their best friend/foster brotherFreddy Freeman, who also transform into superheroes and fight crime with Billy as members of theMarvel Family (also known as the Shazam Family or Shazamily). The character also serves as a notable member of several teams, including theJustice League and various other derivatives,Justice Society of America, and theTeen Titans.
Since the character's inception, Captain Marvel was once the most popular superhero of the 1940s, outselling evenSuperman.[2][3] Captain Marvel was also the first comic book superhero to be adapted to film, in a 1941Republic Picturesserial,Adventures of Captain Marvel, withTom Tyler as Captain Marvel andFrank Coghlan, Jr. as Billy Batson. Fawcett ceased publishing Captain Marvel-related comics in 1953, partly because of acopyright infringement suit from DC Comics alleging that the character was a copy of Superman.[4] In 1972, Fawcett licensed the character rights to DC, which by 1991 acquired all rights to the entire family of characters. DC has since integrated Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family into theirDC Universe and has attempted to revive the property several times, with mixed success. Owing to trademark conflicts overother characters named "Captain Marvel" owned byMarvel Comics,[5] DC has branded and marketed the character using the trademarkShazam! since his 1972 reintroduction.[6] DC later renamed the mainline version of the character "Shazam" whenrelaunching its comic book properties in 2011,[7] and his associates became the "Shazam Family" at this time as well.[8]
DC's revival ofShazam! has been adapted twice for television byFilmation: as alive-action 1970s series withJackson Bostwick andJohn Davey as Captain Marvel andMichael Gray as Billy Batson, and as ananimated 1980s series. The 2019New Line Cinema/Warner Bros. filmShazam!, an entry in theDC Extended Universe, starsZachary Levi as Shazam andAsher Angel as Billy Batson. Levi and Angel returned in the sequel,Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
After the success ofNational Comics' new superhero charactersSuperman andBatman,Fawcett Publications started its own comics division in 1939, recruiting staff writerBill Parker to create several hero characters for the first title in their line, tentatively titledFlash Comics. Besides penning stories featuring his creationsIbis the Invincible, theSpy Smasher, theGolden Arrow,Lance O'Casey,Scoop Smith, andDan Dare for the new book, Parker also wrote a story about a team of six superheroes. Each superhero in this team possessed a special power granted to them by a mythological figure.[9]
Fawcett Comics' executive director Ralph Daigh decided it would be best to combine the team of six into one hero who would embody all six powers. Parker responded by creating a character he called "Captain Thunder".[9] Staff artistCharles Clarence "C. C." Beck was recruited to design and illustrate Parker's story, rendering it in a direct, somewhatcartoony style that became his trademark. "When Bill Parker and I went to work on Fawcett's first comic book in late 1939, we both saw how poorly written and illustrated the superhero comic books were," Beck told an interviewer. "We decided to give our reader a real comic book, drawn in comic-strip style and telling an imaginative story, based not on the hackneyed formulas of thepulp magazine, but going back to the old folk-tales andmyths of classic times."[10]
The first issue of the comic book, printed as bothFlash Comics #1 andThrill Comics #1,[11] had a low print run in the fall of 1939 as anashcan copy created for advertising andtrademark purposes. Shortly after its printing, however, Fawcett found it could not trademark "Captain Thunder", "Flash Comics", or "Thrill Comics", because all three names were already in use. Consequently, the book was renamedWhiz Comics, and Fawcett artistPete Costanza suggested changing Captain Thunder's name to "Captain Marvelous", which the editors shortened to "Captain Marvel". Theword balloons in the story were re-lettered to label the hero of the main story as "Captain Marvel".
Whiz Comics #2 (cover-dated Feb. 1940) was published in late 1939.Captain Marvel, the comic's lead feature, introduced audiences to Billy Batson, an orphaned 12-year-old boy who, by speaking the name of the ancient wizardShazam, is struck by a magic lightning bolt and transformed into the adult superhero Captain Marvel. Shazam's name was an acronym derived from the six immortal elders who grant Captain Marvel his superpowers:Solomon,Hercules,Atlas,Zeus,Achilles, andMercury.
In addition to introducing the main character, his alter ego, and his mentor, Captain Marvel's first adventure inWhiz Comics #2 also introduced his archenemy, the evilDoctor Sivana, and found Billy Batson talking his way into a job as an on-air radio reporter with station WHIZ.Captain Marvel was an instant success, withWhiz Comics #2 selling over 500,000 copies.[3] By 1941, he had his own solo series,Captain Marvel Adventures, the premiere issue of which (cover-dated March 1941) was written and drawn byJoe Simon andJack Kirby.[12] Captain Marvel continued to appear inWhiz Comics, as well as periodic appearances in other Fawcett books, includingMaster Comics.
Captain Marvel's first appearance,Whiz Comics #2, did not have any copyright registration or renewal.[1]
Inspiration for Captain Marvel came from a number of sources. His visual appearance was modeled after that ofFred MacMurray, a popular American actor of the period,[13] though comparisons with bothCary Grant andJack Oakie were made as well.[14]Fawcett Publications' founder, Wilford H. Fawcett, was nicknamed "Captain Billy", which inspired the name "Billy Batson" as well as Marvel's title.[15] Fawcett's earliest magazine was titledCaptain Billy's Whiz Bang, which inspired the titleWhiz Comics.[16] In addition, Fawcett took several of the elements that had madeSuperman the first popular comic book superhero (super-strength and speed, science-fiction stories, a mild-mannered reporter alter ego) and incorporated them into Captain Marvel. Fawcett's circulation director Roscoe Kent Fawcett recalled telling the staff, "Give me a Superman, only have his other identity be a 10- or 12-year-old boy rather than a man."[17]
Through much of theGolden Age of Comic Books, Captain Marvel proved to be the most popular superhero character of the medium, and his comics outsold all others.Captain Marvel Adventures sold fourteen million copies in 1944,[18] and was at one point being published bi-weekly with a circulation of 1.3 million copies an issue. Several issues ofCaptain Marvel Adventures included a blurb on their covers proclaiming the series the "Largest Circulation of Any Comic Magazine".[3]
The franchise was expanded to introducespin-off characters to Captain Marvel between 1941 and 1942.[19]Whiz Comics #21 (1941) introduced theLieutenant Marvels: three other boys named "Billy Batson" who could also become adult superheroes.Captain Marvel Jr., the alter-ego of disabled newsboy Freddy Freeman, debuted inWhiz Comics #25 (1941).Mary Marvel, alter-ego of Billy's twin sister Mary Batson, first appeared inCaptain Marvel Adventures #18 (1942). In contrast to Captain Marvel and the Lieutenants, both Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. remained kids in superhero form, and were given their own eponymous books in addition to appearing as the lead features inMaster Comics andWow Comics, respectively.[19] Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., and Mary Marvel appeared together as a team in another Fawcett publication,The Marvel Family.[19] In addition, there was atalking animal spin-off character,Hoppy the Marvel Bunny, which was created in 1942 for Fawcett'sFunny Animals comic book and later given an eponymous series as well.[19]
With Bill Parker having been drafted intoWorld War II, chief writing duties on the Captain Marvel-related comics stories went toOtto Binder by 1942.[20] C.C. Beck remained as lead artist, and he and Binder steered the Captain Marvel stories towards a whimsical tone that emphasized comedy and fantasy elements alongside the superhero action. Other artists associated with the Marvel Family at Fawcett includedPete Costanza,Mac Raboy,Marc Swayze, andKurt Schaffenberger.[21] Otto Binder would write over 900 of the approximately 1,790 Captain Marvel-related stories published by Fawcett.[20] Several of Captain Marvel's enduring supporting characters and enemies—including the non-poweredUncle Marvel,Tawky Tawny the talking tiger, and the villainsMister Mind andBlack Adam—were created by Binder during the mid-to-late 1940s.[22]
Detective Comics (later known as National Comics Publications, National Periodical Publications, and today known asDC Comics) sued both Fawcett Comics and Republic Pictures forcopyright infringement in 1941, alleging that Captain Marvel was based on their character Superman.[23] After seven years of litigation,National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc. went to trial in 1948. Although the presiding judge decided that Captain Marvel was an infringement, DC was found to be negligent in copyrighting several of theirSuperman daily newspaper strips, and it was decided that National had abandoned the Superman copyright.[24] As a result, the initial verdict, delivered in 1951, went in Fawcett's favor.
National appealed this decision, and JudgeLearned Hand declared in 1952 that National's Superman copyright was in fact valid. Judge Hand did not find that the character of Captain Marvel itself was an infringement, but rather that specific stories or super feats could be infringements, and this would have to be determined in aretrial. He therefore sent the matter back to the lower court for final determination.[24]
Instead of retrying the case, however, Fawcettsettled with National out of court. The National lawsuit was not the only problem Fawcett faced in regard to Captain Marvel. WhileCaptain Marvel Adventures had been the top-selling comic series during World War II, it suffered declining sales every year after 1945, and, by 1949, it was selling only half its wartime rate.[25] Fawcett tried to revive the popularity of its Captain Marvel series in the early 1950s by introducing elements of thehorror comics trend that had gained popularity at the time.[26]
Feeling that this decline in the popularity of superhero comics meant that it was no longer worth continuing the fight,[27] Fawcett agreed on August 14, 1953, to permanently cease publication of comics with the Captain Marvel-related characters and to pay National $400,000 in damages.[4][28] Fawcett shut down its comics division in the autumn of 1953 and fired its comic book staff. Otto Binder and Kurt Schaffenberger ended up at DC, becoming prominent members of the creative team for the Superman-related comics from 1954 through the 1960s.[29] Schaffenberger snuck an unauthorized cameo by Captain Marvel into a story inSuperman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #42 in 1963.[30]
Whiz Comics had ended with issue #155 in June 1953,Captain Marvel Adventures was canceled with #150 in November 1953, andThe Marvel Family ended its run with #89 in January 1954. Hoppy the Marvel Bunny was sold toCharlton Comics, where a few Fawcett-era stories from that strip were reprinted asHoppy the Magic Bunny, with all references to "Captain Marvel" and "Shazam" removed.[19]
In the 1950s, a small British publisher,L. Miller and Son, published a number ofblack-and-white reprints of American comic books, including the Captain Marvel series. With the outcome of theNational v. Fawcett lawsuit, L. Miller and Son found their supply of Captain Marvel material abruptly cut off. They requested the help of a British comic writer,Mick Anglo, who created a thinly disguised version of the superhero calledMarvelman. Captain Marvel Jr. was adapted to create Young Marvelman, while Mary Marvel had her sex changed to create the male Kid Marvelman. The magic word "Shazam!" was replaced with "Kimota" ("Atomik" spelled backwards). The new characters took over the numbering of the original Captain Marvel's United Kingdom series with issue number #25.
Marvelman ceased publication in 1963, but the character was revived in 1982 by writerAlan Moore in the pages ofWarrior Magazine. Beginning in 1985, Moore's black-and-white serialized adventures were reprinted in color byEclipse Comics under the new titleMiracleman (asMarvel Comics objected to the use of "Marvel" in the title), and continued publication in the United States afterWarrior's demise. Within themetatextual story line of the comic series itself, it was noted that Marvelman's creation was based upon Captain Marvel comics, by both Moore and laterMarvelman/Miracleman writerNeil Gaiman. In 2009, Marvel Comics obtained the rights to the original 1950sMarvelman characters and stories, and later purchased the rights to the 1980s version and those reprints in 2013.[31][32]
In 1966,M. F. Enterprises produced their own Captain Marvel: anandroid superhero from another planet whose main characteristic was the ability to split his body into several parts, each of which could move on its own. He triggered the separation by shouting "Split!" and reassembled himself by shouting "Xam!" He had a young human ward named Billy Baxton. This short-lived Captain Marvel was credited in the comic as being "based on a character created byCarl Burgos".[33]Marvel Comics subsequently created their own character named Captain Marvel in 1967, andMyron Fass sued Marvel for trademark infringement. Fass accepted a $4,500 settlement from Marvel, and Marvel secured the trademark of the name.[34]
Bill Black attempted to revive Captain Marvel in 1969, but written and drawn in a more realisticMarvel Comics style for hisfanzineParagon Golden Age Greats, Vol. 1, #2. However, on the legal advice of his friend and publishing mentorMartin L. Greim, he decided that rather than risk legal trouble withFawcett Publications it would be better to destroy the entire print run except for two copies that he saved for his personal files. Black then rewrote the story using his own newly created hero Captain Paragon.[35]
In 1970, fanzineRocket's Blast Comicollector (RBCC) staffedC.C. Beck,Don Newton, Robert Kline, and Gene Arnold for a special issue calledThe Rocket's Blast Special 8. The comic book focuses on Captain Marvel's origins and creation through a series of columns by the group where they also discussed their history with Fawcett Publications. Along with new and exclusive art by Beck and Newton, the issue included an opinion piece by the staff strongly criticizing the copyright infringement lawsuit by Detective Comics. The opinion piece was titledTHE DEMISE OF CAPTAIN MARVEL and is found on the very last page above where the staff still credits the copyright of Captain Marvel to Fawcett Publications.[citation needed]
| Shazam! | |
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 Cover ofShazam! #1 (Feb. 1973), the first key appearance of Captain Marvel in a DC publication, and his first in 20 years following the cancellation of the Fawcett Comics line. Art byC. C. Beck withNick Cardy andMurphy Anderson | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Schedule | List
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| Format | List
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| Genre | List
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| Publication date | List
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| No. of issues | List
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| Main character | List
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| Creative team | |
| Created by | Bill Parker C.C. Beck |
| Written by | List
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| Penciller | List
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| Inker | List
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| Colorist | List
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When superhero comics became popular again in the mid-1960s in what is now called the "Silver Age of Comic Books", Fawcett was unable to revive Captain Marvel, having agreed to never publish the character again as part of their 1953 settlement. Looking for new properties to introduce to the DC Comics line, at the urging ofJack Kirby who recently defected fromMarvel Comics,[36] DC publisherCarmine Infantino decided to bring the Captain Marvel property back into print. On June 16, 1972, DC entered into an agreement with Fawcett to license the Captain Marvel and Marvel Family characters.[28][37] Because Marvel Comics had by this time establishedCaptain Marvel as a comic book trademark fortheir own character, created and first published in 1967, DC published their book under the nameShazam!.[5] Infantino attempted to give theShazam! book the subtitleThe Original Captain Marvel, but acease and desist letter from Marvel Comics forced them to change the subtitle toThe World's Mightiest Mortal, starting withShazam! #15 (December 1974).[37] As all subsequent toys and other merchandise featuring the character have also been required to use the "Shazam!" label with little to no mention of the name "Captain Marvel", the title became so linked to Captain Marvel that many people took to identifying the character as "Shazam" instead of "Captain Marvel".[7]
TheShazam! comic series began withShazam! #1 (Feb. 1973). It contained both new stories and reprints from the 1940s and 1950s.Dennis O'Neil was the primary writer of the book.[38] His role was later taken over by writersElliot S. Maggin andE. Nelson Bridwell.C. C. Beck drew stories for the first 10 issues of the book before quitting because of creative differences.Bob Oksner and Fawcett alumnusKurt Schaffenberger were among the later artists of the title. As per DC's agreement with Fawcett, DC paid Fawcett—and after 1977, its successorCBS Publications—a licensing fee per issue, per page for each of the Fawcett characters who appeared, either inShazam! or crossovers in other comic series.[39]
With DC'sMultiverse concept in effect during this time, the revived Marvel Family and related characters lived within the DC Universe on the parallel world of "Earth-S".[37] The Fawcett material was still consideredcanon, with the Marvel Family's 20-year layoff explained in the comic as time spent insuspended animation due to Doctor Sivana.[37] While the series began with a great deal of fanfare, the book had a lackluster reception.[37] The creators themselves had misgivings. Beck said, "As an illustrator, I could, in the old days, make a good story better by bringing it to life with drawings. But I couldn't bring the new [Captain Marvel] stories to life no matter how hard I tried".[40]
Shazam! was heavilyrewritten as of issue #34 (April 1978), and Bridwell provided more realistic stories, accompanied by similar art; the first issue was drawn byAlan Weiss andJoe Rubinstein, and thereafter byDon Newton, a longtime fan of the character,[41] and Schaffenberger. Nevertheless, the next issue was the last one, though the feature was kept alive in a back-up position in theDollar Comics-formatted run ofWorld's Finest Comics (from #253, October/November 1978, to #282, August 1982, skipping only #271, which featured a full-length origin of the Superman-Batman team story).[42][43] Schaffenberger left the feature after #259, and the inking credit subsequently varied. WhenWorld's Finest Comics reverted to the standard 36 pages, leftoverShazam! material saw publication inAdventure Comics (#491–492, September–October 1982). The remaining 11 issues of that run contained reprints, withShazam! represented by mostly Fawcett-era stories (left out ofAdventure Comics #500 and the final #503, where two features were doubled up to complete their respectivestory arcs).
Outside of their regular series and features, the Marvel Family characters also appeared as guest stars in theJustice League of America series, in particular issues #135–137 (vol. 1) for the "Crisis on Earth-S" story arc in 1976.[44]Limited Collectors' Edition #C-58 (April 1978) featured a "Superman vs. Shazam!" story by writerGerry Conway and artistsRich Buckler andDick Giordano.[45][46]
Captain Marvel, and often the Marvel Family, also co-starred with Superman in several issues ofDC Comics Presents written byRoy Thomas.[47] Roy Thomas, a veteran comic book writer and editor, had been lured from Marvel Comics to DC in 1981 with the specific contractual obligation that he would become the main writer ofShazam! and theJustice Society of America characters.[39][47] The Marvels also guest-starred in several issues ofAll-Star Squadron, a series centered on the Justice Society and the otherEarth-2 characters written by Roy Thomas and his wifeDann. AsAll-Star Squadron was set during World War II, several events of the comic fell concurrent with and referenced the events of the original early-1940s Fawcett stories.[48] With their 1985Crisis on Infinite Earthsminiseries, DC fully integrated the characters into theDC Universe.
The firstPost-Crisis appearance of Captain Marvel was in the 1986Legends miniseries. In 1987, Captain Marvel appeared as a member of theJustice League inKeith Giffen's andJ. M. DeMatteis' relaunch of that title. That same year (spinning off fromLegends), he was given his own miniseries titledShazam!: The New Beginning. With this four-issue miniseries, writers Roy and Dann Thomas and artist Tom Mandrake attempted to re-launch the Captain Marvel mythos and bring the wizard Shazam, Dr. Sivana, Uncle Dudley, andBlack Adam into the modern DC Universe with an altered origin story.
The most notable change that the Thomases, Giffen, and DeMatteis introduced into the Captain Marvel mythos was that the personality of young Billy Batson is retained when he transforms into the Captain. This change would remain for most future uses of the character as justification for his sunny, Golden-Age personality in the darker modern-day comic book world, instead of the traditional depiction used prior to 1986, which tended to treat Captain Marvel and Billy as two separate personalities.[49]
This revised version of Captain Marvel also appeared in one story arc featured in the short-livedanthologyAction Comics Weekly #623–626 (October 25, 1988 – November 15, 1988), in which aNeo-Nazi version of Captain Marvel was introduced.[39] At the end of the arc, it was announced that this would lead to a newShazam! ongoing series.[39] ThoughNew Beginning had sold well and multiple artists were assigned to and worked on the book, it never saw publication owing to editorial disputes between DC Comics and Roy Thomas.[47] As a result, Thomas's intended revival of the Marvel Family with a newpunk-styled Mary Bromfield/Mary Marvel (a.k.a. "Spike") who was not Billy's sister, and anAfrican-American take on Freddy Freeman/Captain Marvel Jr., did not see print.[39] Thomas departed DC in 1989, not long after his removal from theShazam! project.[39]
Other attempts at revivingShazam! were initiated over the next three years, including a reboot project byJohn Byrne, illustrator ofLegends and writer/artist on the Superman reboot miniseriesThe Man of Steel (1986).[50][51] None of these versions saw print, though Captain Marvel, the wizard Shazam, and Black Adam did appear in DC'sWar of the Gods miniseries in 1991. By this time, DC had ended the fee-per-use licensing agreement with CBS Publications and purchased the full rights to Captain Marvel and the other Fawcett Comics characters.[39]
In 1991,Jerry Ordway was given theShazam! assignment, which he pitched as a paintedgraphic novel that would lead into a series, rather than starting the series outright.[39] Ordway both wrote and illustrated the graphic novel, titledThe Power of Shazam!, which was released in 1994.Power of Shazam!retconned Captain Marvel again and gave him a revised origin, renderingShazam! The New Beginning and theAction Comics Weekly story apocryphal while Marvel's appearances inLegends andJustice League remained in continuity.[52]
Ordway's story more closely followed Captain Marvel's Fawcett origins, with only slight additions and changes. The graphic novel was a critically acclaimed success, leading to aPower of Shazam! ongoing series which ran from 1995 to 1999.[53] That series reintroduced the Marvel Family and many of their allies and enemies into the modern-day DC Universe.
Captain Marvel also appeared inMark Waid andAlex Ross's critically acclaimed 1996 alternate universeElseworlds miniseriesKingdom Come. Set 20 years in the future,Kingdom Come features a brainwashed Captain Marvel playing a major role in the story as a mind-controlled pawn of an elderlyLex Luthor. In 2000, Captain Marvel starred in an oversized special graphic novel,Shazam! Power of Hope, written byPaul Dini and painted byAlex Ross.[54]
Since the cancellation of thePower of Shazam! title in 1999, the Marvel Family has made appearances in a number of other DC comic books. Black Adam became a main character inGeoff Johns' andDavid S. Goyer'sJSA series, which depicted the latest adventures of the world's first superhero team, theJustice Society of America, with Captain Marvel also briefly joining the team to keep an eye on his old nemesis. Captain Marvel also appeared inFrank Miller's graphic novelBatman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, the sequel to Miller's highly acclaimed graphic novelThe Dark Knight Returns, which culminated in his death. TheSuperman/Shazam: First Thunder miniseries, written byJudd Winick with art byJosh Middleton, and published between September 2005 and March 2006, depicted the first post-Crisis meeting between Superman and Captain Marvel.
The Marvel Family played an integral part in DC's 2005/2006Infinite Crisis crossover, which began DC's efforts to retool theShazam! franchise. In theDay of Vengeance miniseries, which preceded theInfinite Crisis event, the wizard Shazam is killed by theSpectre, and Captain Marvel assumes the wizard's place in theRock of Eternity. The Marvel Family made a handful of guest appearances in the year-long weekly maxi-series52, which featured Black Adam as one of its main characters.52 introduced Adam's "Black Marvel Family," which included Adam's wifeIsis, her brotherOsiris, andSobek. The series chronicled Adam's attempts to reform after falling in love with Isis, only to launch the DC universe intoWorld War III after she and Osiris are killed. The Marvel Family appeared frequently in the 12-issue bimonthly paintedJustice maxi-series byAlex Ross,Jim Krueger, andDoug Braithwaite, published from 2005 to 2007.
The Trials of Shazam!, a 12-issue maxiseries written byJudd Winick and illustrated byHoward Porter for the first eight issues, and by Mauro Cascioli for the remaining four, was published from 2006 to 2008. The series redefined theShazam! property with a stronger focus on magic and mysticism.Trials of Shazam! featured Captain Marvel, now with a white costume and long white hair, taking over the role of the wizard Shazam under the nameMarvel, while the former Captain Marvel Jr., Freddy Freeman, attempts to prove himself worthy to become Marvel's champion under the nameShazam.
In the pages of the 2007–2008Countdown to Final Crisis limited series, Black Adam gives the powerlessMary Batson his powers, turning her into a more aggressive super-powered figure, less upstanding than the old Mary Marvel. By the end of the series, as well as in DC's 2008–2009Final Crisis limited series, the now black-costumed Mary Marvel, possessed by the evil New GodDeSaad, becomes a villainess, joining forces with Superman villainDarkseid and fighting bothSupergirl and Freddy Freeman/Shazam.
A three-issue arc inJustice Society of America (vol. 3) undid many of theTrials of Shazam! changes. Issues #23-25 ofJustice Society featured Black Adam and a resurrected Isis defeating Marvel and taking over the Rock of Eternity. Adam and Isis recruit the now-evil Mary Marvel to help them in the ensuing fight against a now-powerless Billy Batson and the Justice Society.
Billy and Mary Batson made a brief appearance during DC's 2009–2010Blackest Night saga in a one-shot special,The Power of Shazam! #48.[55] In 2011, DC published a one-shotShazam! story written by Eric Wallace, in which the still-powerless Billy and Mary help Freddy/Shazam in a battle with the demonessBlaze. Freddy would eventually have his powers stolen by Osiris inTitans (vol. 2) #32 the same year.[56]
In 2011, DC Comics relaunched their entire comic book lineup, creatingThe New 52 lineup of comics. The revamp began with a seven-issueminiseries,Flashpoint, which features an alternate timeline in which Billy Batson, Mary Batson, and Freddy Freeman are joined by three new kids, Eugene Choi, Pedro Peña, and Darla Dudley, as the "S! H! A! Z! A! M! Family." In this concept, all six kids say "Shazam!" in unison to become an alternate version of Captain Marvel named Captain Thunder.[57] While the continuity would be altered again by the conclusion of the story, creating the "New 52" multiverse, the three new Shazam! kids would be reintroduced for later appearances.[58]
One of these relaunched series,Justice League (vol. 2), began featuring aShazam! backup story with issue #7 in March 2012.[59] The feature, written byGeoff Johns and drawn byGary Frank, introduces Billy Batson and his supporting cast into the new DC Universe. As part of the redesign, the character received a new costume designed by Frank with a long cloak and hood, and a metallic belt instead of a sash. His lightning bolt appears as an opening into his body with magical energy visibly inside of him.[60] Johns noted that the character's place in the world will be "far more rooted in fantasy and magic than it ever was before".[61] The character also was officially renamed "Shazam" at this time.[7] TheShazam! origin story, which included two full issues inJustice League (vol. 2) #0 (2012) and 21 (2013), reintroduced Billy Batson/Shazam, the Wizard, Black Adam, Tawny the tiger, and the Shazam Family (Freddy, Mary, Darla, Eugene, and Pedro) to continuity. TheShazam! feature concluded withJustice League (vol. 2) #21, preceding DC's crossover storyline "Trinity War" which heavily features the Shazam mythos.
Johns and Frank's reboot was met with both acclaim and criticism,[62][63] and the renaming of the hero as Shazam brought mixed reactions.[64][65] Johns noted that the change was made "because that's what everyone thinks his name is anyway," owing to the inability to use the "Captain Marvel" moniker on comic book covers and merchandise.[7] In updatingShazam!, Johns and Frank skirted some controversy among long-time fans by introducing Billy Batson as a cynical foster child who comes to appreciate his potential as a hero and the concept of family, rather than starting him from that point as with earlier retellings.[66][67]
Following his appearances in the "Trinity War" and "Forever Evil" crossover storylines, Shazam appeared as a member of the Justice League fromJustice League (vol. 2) #30–50[68] from 2014 through 2016, and also in a one-shot spinoff titledJustice League: The Darkseid War - Shazam (cover-dated January 2016).[69] He also appeared as a supporting character in theCyborg series as the friend of Victor Stone/Cyborg. New takes on the classic Fawcett versions of Shazam and the Marvel Family appeared inGrant Morrison's 2014 miniseriesThe Multiversity (which takes place on the parallel world of Earth-5)[70] and in a 2015 spin-off to theConvergence crossover event,Convergence: Shazam! (which takes place on the parallel world of Earth-S).[71]
Following DC's 2016DC Rebirth soft-relaunch event, theShazam! characters were largely absent from new DC continuity, though Mary Marvel of Earth-5 appeared inSuperman (vol. 4) #14–16 (2016),[72] and Black Adam appeared inDark Nights: Metal #4–5 (2017) to battle Wonder Woman.[73] In late 2018, with theShazam! movie in production at New Line Cinema, DC began publishing a new ongoingShazam! series, written byGeoff Johns and illustrated byDale Eaglesham, Marco Santucci, andScott Kolins.[74] The series features an older and wiser Billy Batson and his foster siblings Mary, Freddy, Eugene, Pedro, and Darla exploring their powers as the Shazam Family. As the six kids venture beyond the nexus of the Rock of Eternity to explore the mysterious Seven Magic Realms, Doctor Sivana teams up with Mister Mind and a reluctant Black Adam to form theMonster Society of Evil, and Billy's long-missing father C.C. Batson returns to attempt to re-connect with his son.[75]
The first issue, featuring amanga backup story focused on Mary and her pet rabbitHoppy by Johns andShazam! fan Mayo "SEN" Naito, was published on December 5, 2018.[74][75][76] Thirteen issues from Johns, Eaglesham, and others - along with two guest issues, #12 and 15, from writerJeff Loveness and artistBrandon Peterson - were published between 2018 and 2020.[77] Despite initial positive reviews, the third volume ofShazam! fell victim to several publishing delays.[78] The book was cancelled with issue #15 (November 2020); Johns cited theCOVID-19 pandemic and Eaglesham's desire to take a break as reasons for discontinuing the book.[79]
In November 2022, it was announced that a newShazam! ongoing would begin publication in May 2023, withMark Waid writing and Dan Mora serving as artist.[80] During this series, Billy becomes known as "The Captain" and his foster siblings lose their powers.[81]
Whiz Comics #2 (Feb. 1940) introduces William Joseph "Billy" Batson,[82] a homeless 12-year-old (later 14-year-old)newsboy[83] who sleeps in the subway station of his home city (originallyNew York City;[84] later referred to in DC publications asFawcett City[85]). A mysterious man in a green cloak asks Billy to follow him into the subway station. A magic subway car painted in unusual shapes and colors escorts them to an underground throne room, which is inhabited by a very old man with a long beard and a white robe. As the man in green disappears, the old man on the throne explains to Billy that he is the wizard Shazam, and has used the powers of "the gods"—Solomon,Hercules,Atlas,Zeus,Achilles, andMercury, hence the name "Shazam"—to fight evil for over 3,000 years. However, he has now grown too old to continue and is in need of a successor. The wizard explains that Billy was chosen because of his misfortune: he had been thrown out by a greedy uncle who stole his inheritance following the deaths of his parents (later retellings of the origin would also note that Billy was chosen for being "pure of heart").[86] Ordered by the wizard to speak the name "Shazam," Billy is struck by a sudden bolt of lightning and transformed into a superpowered adult in a red costume with gold trim.[87]The wizard Shazam declares the new hero "Captain Marvel" and orders him to carry on his work, as a stone block suspended above his throne falls upon him, killing him as prophesied.[86] The wizard would return—in later retellings of the origin story, immediately—as aspirit to serve as a mentor to Billy and Captain Marvel, summoned by lighting a torch on the wall of his lair.[86] As a spirit, the wizard Shazam lives at theRock of Eternity, abicone-shaped rock formation situated at the nexus of time and space.[88] Later retellings of the Captain Marvel origin place Shazam's underground lair within the Rock.[89] Saying the word "Shazam" allows Billy to summon the magic lightning and become Captain Marvel, while Captain Marvel can say the magic word himself to become Billy again.[87]
Captain Marvel's first battle was with the mad scientistDoctor Sivana, who becomes his arch-enemy.[90] Billy Batson becomes a reporter and host for WHIZ Radio, his career allowing him to travel and investigate criminal activity.[91] An adult daughter of Sivana's, Beautia, becomes an unwitting love interest for the shy Captain Marvel, despite her wavering allegiance to her evil father.[92]
While the majority of Billy's adventures feature him as a solo hero, he also fought evil on a regular basis accompanied by several other kids who share his powers to make up a superhero team called theMarvel Family (later referred to as theShazam Family owing to the issues DC Comics faced over the "Marvel" and "Captain Marvel" trademarks). The first members of the family, introduced inWhiz Comics #21 (Sept. 1941) and used sparingly afterwards, were theLieutenant Marvels: three other boys from various parts of the United States who are also named "Billy Batson" and discover that, if they all say "Shazam!" in unison, they can become adult superheroes as well.
InWhiz Comics #25 (Dec. 1941), Captain Marvel saves Freddy Freeman, a boy who had been left for dead by the evilCaptain Nazi, and does for Freddy what the wizard did for him. By speaking the name "Captain Marvel," Freddy can become the superpoweredCaptain Marvel Jr. Unlike Billy, Freddy retains his 14-year-old appearance as a superhero.[83]Captain Marvel Adventures #18 (Dec. 1942) introduced Billy and Freddy to Mary Bromfield, a rich girl who turns out to be Billy's long-lost twin sister. By saying the magic word "Shazam," Mary Bromfield becomesMary Marvel.[93][94] In the Fawcett and pre-1986 DC stories, Mary remained a teenager as Freddy did in Marvel form; Ordway's 1990sPower of Shazam! series made her superpowered form an adult like Billy's.[95] The Marvel Family also included non-powered honorary members such asUncle Marvel, an old con man who pretended to be Mary's uncle, and Freckles Marvel, an honorary cousin.
The basic elements of Billy Batson's and Captain Marvel's origin story remained more or less intact through 2012, with minor alterations over the years. Roy and Dann Thomas's 1987 miniseriesShazam! The New Beginning had a 15-year-old Billy being forced to move in with Doctor Sivana, who in this version is the cruel uncle who throws Billy out into the street.[82] Jerry Ordway's 1994Power of Shazam! graphic novel, which became the character's definite origin through 2011, featured a ten-year-old Billy being chosen as the Wizard Shazam's champion, because of the influence of his archaeologist parents; the mysterious stranger from magic subway car is the ghost of Billy's father in this version.[85] Both the Thomases' and Ordway's retellings of the origin directly tie the need for the Wizard Shazam to draft a younger replacement to the coming re-emergence ofBlack Adam, the wizard's first champion from the days of ancient Egypt who became evil and was due to escape thousands of years of banishment.[85][96]
Ordway's origin added the extra element of Black Adam's alter ego/descendant Theo Adam being the murderer of Billy's parents.[85] The subsequentPower of Shazam! ongoing series features Billy, now 14,[97] meeting his long-lost sister Mary and best friend Freddy Freeman[98] and establishing the Marvel Family as in the Fawcett comics.[99] The Marvels' home base of Fawcett City is depicted as a city full of old-fashioned traditions and architecture, later establishing that the Wizard Shazam placed a spell on the city (broken in later issues) that slowed time to a crawl in 1955.[100] This phenomenon was used to explain the Marvel Family's sometimes anachronistic approaches to life and heroism compared to many of their contemporary heroes in the DC Universe.[101]
In 2012, writer and then-DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns revised Billy Batson's origin for DC'sNew 52 universe, also renaming the character's alter-ego as "Shazam" at this time. In his new origin story, Billy Batson is a moody and troubled 15-year-old foster child living inPhiladelphia who has gone through several foster homes. At his newest foster home under Victor and Rosa Vázquez, Billy gains five foster siblings: "den mother" Mary Bromfield, trickster and pick-pocket Freddy Freeman, shy and quiet Pedro Peña, brainy Eugene Choi, and energetic Darla Dudley. When Dr. Sivana resurrects the ancient warrior Black Adam from his tomb, the dying Wizard Shazam selected several candidates to inherit his power, all unsuitable until his spell summons Billy to the Rock of Eternity. Although Billy's argues the wizard's prerequisite for good people with a pure heart doesn't exist, the ancient entity senses the potential of goodness in him and, with no other viable candidate, chooses him. Blessing him the Powers of Shazam, the wizard passes away and transport Billy back to Earth. Billy reveals his powers to Freddy and scheme to make money and engage in juvenile fun but Billy finds himself acting as a hero and is attacked by Adam and the Seven Deadly Sins. A timely intervention from his foster siblings their empowerment from him tips the situation in his favor and Billy goads Adam into transforming into his human form, where he becomes dust due to being thousands of years old. Billy decides to stay with his new family, having learned to be a more positive and emotionally open.[102]
During the "Trinity War" story line, Billy flies to Black Adam's home nation ofKahndaq to bury Adam's remains. Shazam's entry into the country is interpreted by the locals as illegal US entry into their territory. This leads to run-ins with both the independent Justice League and the US-sponsored Justice League of America (JLA), and a series of events that see the opening ofPandora's Box, a portal toEarth-3 which brings the evil Justice League analogues of theCrime Syndicate to Earth-0.[103][104] Following the successful defeat of the Crime Syndicate, Shazam is inducted into the League.[105] While still a newcomer to the league, Billy has a number of new adventures while under the mentorship ofCyborg, who becomes one of his best friends.[106]
After a year of living in the Vázquez home, Billy and his foster siblings have taken to having fun fighting crime around Philadelphia as the Shazam Family. While exploring the Rock of Eternity, Eugene finds a formerly sealed-off area of the Rock: an abandoned train station leading to the seven realms of an unexplored world known as the Magic Lands.
The secret identity of the character is William "Billy" Batson, a young superhero whose blessed abilities includes him being able to transform into an appearance befitting an adult at will. The character's background differs depending on continuity; prior to Flashpoint, the character was anorphan who is granted the power due to his innocent nature despite his hardships.[107] More recent stories casts Billy as instead a more jaded and troubled youth abandoned by his parents to thefoster care whom was chosen as a champion of the Wizard Shazam due to his potential for goodness.[102]
During the character's publication history, various sources established the character's age: The character's origin and early adventures portray the character being ten or eleven years old.[85][108] InPower of Shazam!, Billy notes he has been a hero for four years, making him either fourteen or fifteen.[82] During the character's appearances within theJustice Society of America, he is sixteen years old.[109] In 2011, theShazam! one-shot depicts Billy and Mary owning a apartment legally, implying the character of being eighteen.[110]After the New 52 reboot, Billy's age was first officially stated to be fifteen.[111] Despite 2018Shazam series taking place a year after the events of Geoff John'sShazam! backup inJustice League, he remained the same age.[112]
Typically, the character serves as a champion that battles the forces of evil with the support of theWizard Shazam. In his super-powered identity, he is considered among Earth's greatest and most powerful superheroes on par withSuperman andWonder Woman, respected among other heroes as a stalwart and virtuous character.[113][111] The character has temporarily assumed the Wizard Shazam's role and position as caretaker of the Rock of Eternity, gaining magical powers and the ability to empowers others. In this arrangement, he empowered best friend, Freddy Freeman, in his former role.[114]
Following the character's reinvention in the New 52, while characterized in his prior role as a champion, a new direction for the character also recognizes him as aChampion of Magic, a role that designates him as a supernatural protector, specifically overlooking the Rock of Eternity and the Seven Magiclands (which includes Earth). This direction also has the Wizard Shazam supporting him to designate seven other protectors and to be a spiritual successor to the previous Circle of Eternity.[115][116]
Billy's familial connections plays an important role in the character's background and has been subjected to changes throughout the character's publication history:
While possessing no special abilities as ordinary human Billy Batson, he is capable of endowing himself with a host of magical-based super powers by saying the magic word ("Shazam!") due to being empowered by the Wizard Shazam. The source of this power, although consistently derived from the Wizard Shazam, varies from one continuity to another; earlier stories say the magical abilities Billy possessed were facilitated by the Wizard's general magical power, while the New 52 onward instead attributes the power to a connection with the Living Lightning, the magical power and essence of the Wizard Shazam.[111]
| Traditional pantheon | ||
| S | Wisdom ofSolomon | The Wisdom of Solomon grants the individual several abilities, including perfect memory, strategic combat skills, exceptional mathematical aptitude, charisma in interpersonal interactions, limited clairvoyance for acquiring arcane knowledge and intuitive insights, as well as a natural fluency in all languages. Unlike some other powers, this is considered an active one a champion must channel to activate.[120] In some stories, this power also gives him the ability to hypnotize people.[121] |
| H | Strength ofHercules | This bestows on Billy an exceptional level of superhuman strength. He gains the ability to exert immense physical power, surpassing the capabilities of ordinary individuals. With this heightened strength, he can effortlessly lift and manipulate objects of tremendous weight, overpower adversaries with ease, and deliver devastating blows in combat.[120] His strength is often compared to that ofSuperman.[122] Golden Age Captain Marvel's strength is deemed limitless,[123][124] enabling him to move stars and planets with ease.[124][125][126][127] |
| A | Stamina ofAtlas | The stamina attribute from Atlas enables Billy to maintain his empowered state for an extended period without any time limitations. Additionally, the empowerment provides Billy with sustenance, eliminating the need for eating, sleeping, and even breathing. As a result, Billy can operate at peak efficiency, unaffected by the physiological requirements that typically apply to ordinary individuals. This extraordinary stamina allows him to fully focus on his heroic duties without the distractions or limitations associated with physical sustenance.[120] |
| Z | Power ofZeus | Zeus's "power" attribute facilitates the transformation that grants Billy access to the full range of his powers, including the ability to shoot bursts of electricity and lightning. He also possesses a limited gift of teleportation, allowing him to effortlessly travel to and from the Rock of Eternity with a single thought. Notably, the Power of Zeus empowers him with the potential to use magic and cast spells. This power is considered the most difficult, requiring the most study, focus, and discipline.[120] |
| A | Courage ofAchilles | The Courage of Achilles grants Billy peak physical defenses, rendering him nearly invulnerable. This heightened level of invulnerability provides significant protection against physical harm. Additionally, the empowerment grants Billy resistance to various elements, including heat, force, disease, and the effects of aging. This attribute allows him to withstand extreme conditions and maintain his health and vitality against formidable challenges.[120] In some stories, it also grants him fighting prowess.[128] |
| M | Speed ofMercury | The Speed of Mercury grants Billy super speed, enhanced reflexes, motor skills, and flight, enabling him to move at incredible speeds, react swiftly, perform precise maneuvers, and soar through the air.[120] The pre-1985 stories also let him travel to the Rock of Eternity by flying faster than the speed of light.[129] |
| Darkseid War pantheon | ||
| S | Strength ofS'ivaa | Derived from an Old God, the Strength of S'ivaa grants powers comparable to the previous Strength of Hercules although S'ivaa himself has claimed it to be at a higher level.[130] |
| H | Fires ofH'ronmeer | Derived from a Martian god, the Fires of H'ronmeer grant pyrokinetic abilities connected to a force known as the "Living Fire", a counterpart to the Living Lightning.[130] |
| A | Compassion ofAnapel | Derived from the Koryak goddess, the Compassion of Anapel seemingly grants powers similar to the Wisdom of Solomon.[130] |
| Z | Power ofZonuz | Derived from the Old God Yuga Khan (whose true name is Zonuz, father of the villainDarkseid), the Power of Zonuz grants the power to draw energy from theSource, the energy field within all forms of life.[130] |
| A | Boldness ofAte | Derived from the Greek goddess of mischief among others, the Boldness of Ate's abilities remain unknown. |
| M | Living Lightning ofMamaragan | Fasciliates the power of the Living Lightning but also strengthens the link between Billy and the Wizard.[130] |
In the current continuity, the mystical abilities the character possess originates from the Living Lightning, a unique form of magic connected to the Wizard Shazam's being and lifeforce often in the form of lightning. The Living Lightning grants additional, separate powers of its own; it allows for lightning control, usage of certain spells in circumstances, and can enhance the power of magic spells, healing abilities, and strength.[131] This power is also among the only known supernatural forces capable of directly countering energies originating from the Great Darkness.[132]
Both aspects of the Powers of Shazam ("Power of Zeus") and the Living Lightning from the New 52 onward similarly grant Billy the power to cast spells and manipulate forms of magic. With the magical and spell-casting aspect requiring focus, discipline, and study to be used properly, this aspect is considered the most difficult to master and is remarked to not be the character's forte.[120]
When the character adopted the "Marvel" codename and Wizard's magical power, while he no longer possessed the Powers of Shazam, he had the capacity to manipulate and command magical energies, transform between his mortal and older form at will, and possessed a deep understanding of the supernatural, particularly during a period of shifting magical rules. However, due to the immense accumulation of magic within the Rock of Eternity, he was required to remain within its confines to maintain control over the abundance of magic. Billy could only venture outside the Rock of Eternity for a maximum of 24 hours at a time.[114]
After the character's re-introduction from New 52 onward, he displayedLatin-based spell-casting abilities that can achieved various effects such as fire manipulation and the ability to alter his size.[133] In theLazarus Planet storyline, Billy becomes tethered to the Rock of Eternity, gaining access to its vast magical energies. Thus far, he has shown to generate duplicates of his empowered form, each possessing his abilities, and can summon Mamaragan, the ancient being associated with his powers, at his own volition.[134][135] A future version of the character also showcases potential to utilize magical methods from others, such as Raven orJohnny Thunder's.[136]
In several stories, he is shown to be susceptible to high-powered magic,[137] which can weaken or de-power him,[137] and, in some older stories, to significantly high voltages of lightning or electricity, which would make him revert to Billy Batson form.[138] Despite possessing the courage of Achilles, the Fawcett version was extremely bashful and shy around attractive women, a weakness some villains came to exploit.[139][140] In classic stories, simply saying the word "Shazam!" transformed Billy between his powered and human form;[141] this extended to accidental utterances, recorded playbacks, and so forth.[142] When he shared his powers with his Marvel Family teammates in 1990s and 2000s DC publications (fromThe Power of Shazam! in 1995 through 2011'sFlashpoint), the Shazam power was depicted as a finite source which would be divided into halves, thirds, or further depending upon how many Marvels were super-powered at one time, and weakening them accordingly.[143] The 2011 reboot changed the rules so that Shazam could speak the magic word "Shazam" without causing a transformation, necessitating an intent to transform for it to take place .[144] This lasted until the 2023 comic eventLazarus Planet, when the rule once again became that speaking the word in any fashion would trigger the lightning.[145]
In "Make Way for Captain Thunder" fromSuperman #276 (June 1974), Superman found himself at odds with "Captain Thunder", a superhero displaced from another Earth and another time.[158] Thunder had been magically tricked by his archenemies in the Monster League of Evil into committing evil himself, which led to his doing battle with Superman. Captain Thunder, whose name was derived from Captain Marvel's original moniker, was a thinly veiledpastiche of Marvel—down to his similar costume, his young alter ego named "Willie Fawcett" (a reference to Fawcett Comics), and a magic word ("Thunder!"), which was an acronym for seven entities and their respective powers. He got his power from rubbing a magic belt buckle with a thunder symbol on it and saying "Thunder". His powers came from Tornado (power), Hare (speed),Uncas (bravery), Nature (wisdom), Diamond (toughness), Eagle (flight), and Ram (tenacity). Superman held him while he used his wisdom to escape the effects of the spell. "Make Way for Captain Thunder" was written by Elliot S! Maggin and illustrated byCurt Swan and Bob Oskner. At the time of its publication, DC had been printingShazam! comics for 18 months, but had kept that universe separate from those of its other publications. The real Captain Marvel would finally meet Superman inJustice League of America #137, two years later (although he metLex Luthor inShazam! #15, November/December 1974).
In 1983, a proposal for an updated Captain Marvel was submitted to DC by Roy Thomas, Don Newton, and Jerry Ordway.[39] This version of the character, to be an inhabitant of DC's main Earth-One universe, rather than the Fawcett-based Earth-S universe, would have featured an African-American version of Billy Batson named "Willie Fawcett" (as in the 1974 story), who spoke the magic word "Shazam!" to become Captain Thunder, Earth-One's Mightiest Mortal.[39] This alternate version of the character was never used, and Roy and Dann Thomas used the name Captain Thunder for a creator-owned character inCaptain Thunder and Blue Bolt, launched in 1987 byHero Comics. Roy Thomas later explained that he disliked the idea of DC Comics acquiring the Captain Thunder trademark through the publication of just one story, and felt that taking the trademark from them was a sort of retribution for the Captain Marvel lawsuit against Fawcett Comics, commenting, "I just felt that it just wasn't right for DC to have the rights to the name Captain Thunder. They didn't deserve it. They couldn't use 'Captain Marvel'; they didn't deserve 'Captain Thunder'. ... And I loved the name 'Captain Thunder', so I just took it and made no apologies for it."[159]
A one-shot alternate take onShazam! was published as part of theJust Imagine... comics line in 2001, which saw Marvel Comics legendStan Lee reimagining various DC characters. Lee reimagined the originalShazam! premise by having the hero be a mild mannered Interpol agent, Robert Rogers. Teamed with the beautiful, and much tougher, fellow agent, Carla Noral, the two of them are in India searching for the megalomaniac master criminal Gunga Kahn. Rogers is given the ability to transform into a large, winged being by saying the magic word "Shazam!" This version is co-created with Gary Frank, and is based on the Bill Parker–C. C. Beck character. In a backup story plotted by Michael Uslan, scripted by Lee and Uslan, and drawn by Kano, an orphaned American boy in India at the same time as the adventures of Shazam heroically saves a village from starvation with the help of a local boy named Zubin Navotny. The boy's name is Billy Marvel, and he and Zubin are made honorary captains in the U.S. Peace Corps by an Ambassador named Batson, making the boy "Captain Marvel."
Mazahs is a corrupted alternate-universe version of Shazam, introduced in the 2013–14Forever Evil DC Comics crossover event series written byGeoff Johns. He is the super-powered alter-ego ofAlexander Luthor ofEarth-3.[160] In the story, theCrime Syndicate (evil Earth-3 analogues of the Justice League) have brought Alexander Luthor, their prisoner, with them to the Prime Earth where the Justice League and other heroes reside. Prime Earth'sLex Luthor andhis team sneak in to the Justice League Watchtower where the Syndicate has Alexander hostage, and remove the duct tape over his mouth, allowing Alexander to speak the magic word "Mazahs!" and transform into his muscular, highly powerful alter-ego. While Prime Earth's Shazam is known for sharing his powers with others, Mazahs kills other superbeings and takes their powers for his own, as when he kills the Syndicate's speedsterJohnny Quick.[161] It is implied that the power of Mazahs previously belonged to Earth-3's Will Batson, before he was killed by Alexander. In the final issue of the series, it is revealed that Earth-3's Wonder Woman analogue,Superwoman, is in a relationship with Alexander and tricked her teammates into bringing him with them. She also reveals she is carrying his child, who is prophesied to bring an end to the world. Exploiting his ability to use the powers of those he has killed, Mazahs easily takes down both the Syndicate and Luthor's team, but Prime Earth Lex Luthor (having the same voice as Mazahs) manages to call down the lightning, using a lightning-rod that Batman had retrieved to try and use against Johnny Quick based on his planned defense against the Flash, and transform Mazahs into his human form. Sealing Alexander's mouth, Lex stabs him with a knife, killing him.[162]
Superwoman later gives birth to Mazahs's child inJustice League #50, and uses the baby's power-stealing abilities, inherited from his father and activated when she says the magic word, to remove abilities the members the Prime-Earth Justice League had inherited from their time onApokolips after the death ofDarkseid. The story ends with the orphaned baby having absorbed both the Omega Effect from Lex Luthor as well as theAnti-Life Equation from Justice League associateSteve Trevor, transforming him into a resurrected—yet still infantile—Darkseid.[163]
In the traditionalShazam! stories, Captain Marvel often fights evil as a member of a superhero team known as the Marvel Family, made up of himself and several other heroes empowered by the wizardShazam. The main core of the Marvel Family were Captain Marvel's sisterMary Marvel, the alter-ego of Billy Batson's twin sister Mary Batson (adopted as Mary Bromfield), and Marvel's protégé,Captain Marvel Jr., who was the alter-ego of Billy and Mary's best friend, the disabled newsboy Freddy Freeman. Before DC'sCrisis on Infinite Earths comic book miniseries in 1985, the Marvel Family also included part-time members such as Mary's non-powered friend "Uncle" Dudley (Uncle Marvel) and three other protégés (all of whose alter egos are named "Billy Batson") known as theLieutenant Marvels. A pink rabbit version of Captain Marvel,Hoppy the Marvel Bunny, appeared in his own stories.[164]
Among the key supporting characters wasSterling Morris, president of Amalgamated Broadcasting, owners of Station WHIZ, the radio (and later TV) station for which Billy worked as a reporter. Billy also had his own love interest,Cissie Sommerly, who was also Sterling Morris' niece and had a recurring role in the comics. In the early Fawcett stories, Billy Batson and Captain Marvel had a sidekick namedSteamboat, anAfrican-American valet character who was removed from the comics by 1945 because of protests over racial stereotyping.[165] From 1947 forward, Billy/Marvel's sidekick was Mr.Tawky Tawny, ananthropomorphic talking tiger who works as a museum curator and seeks integration into human society.[166]
JSA member Captain Marvel briefly datesCourtney Whitmore akaStargirl, and both her and Billy Batson are the same age,[167] although she was attracted to Billy in his older form in the first place, without knowing his secret identity, and even kissed him. To outsiders, however, Captain Marvel is by all appearances a fully grown-up adult, and the relationship between Marvel and Stargirl draws criticism fromJakeem Thunder andJay Garrick. After Garrick confronts them, Marvel decides to leave the JSA and Courtney, instead of revealing his secret to the team. Marvel later returns to the JSA and explains that the Wisdom of Solomon prevents him from revealing his secret identity.
The current-continuity version of Shazam has a Shazam Family made up of his five foster siblings, with whom he shares his powers: Mary Bromfield, Freddy Freeman, Pedro Peña, Eugene Choi, and Darla Dudley.[168] The latter three children were introduced in theFlashpoint miniseries as three of the six children sharing the powers of "Captain Thunder", and introduced into regular DC continuity withJustice League (vol. 2) #8 in 2012. Tawny was initially depicted as a magically charged zoo tiger in theJustice League backup stories. In the 2018–present ongoingShazam! series, a more traditional version of Tawny is a resident of The Wildlands, a magical realm inhabited by anthropomorphic animals.
The Marvel Family's other non-powered allies have traditionally included Dr. Sivana's good-natured adult offspring, Beautia and Magnificus Sivana. The 1970sShazam! series also included Sunny Sparkle, the "nicest boy in the world." Jerry Ordway's 1990sPower of Shazam! series also introduced Billy's school principal, Miss Wormwood, and Mary's adoptive parents, Nick and Nora Bromfield. TheNew 52 reboot ofShazam! introduced the Shazam kids' foster parents, Victor and Rosa Vázquez.[169]
Many of the character's appearances have been collected into severalvolumes:
| Title | Year of release | Publisher | ISBN | Details | Writers and artists | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special Edition Series: Book 1 – Whiz Comics | 1974 | DynaPubs | This softcover volume features Golden Age adventures of Captain Marvel fromWhiz Comics #7–28 in black and white. |
| 8+1⁄2 in. × 11 in., 208 pages | |
| Special Edition Series: Book 3 – Captain Marvel Jr. | 1975 | DynaPubs | This softcover volume reprints Captain Marvel Jr. stories fromMaster Comics #27–42 in black and white. Four covers are featured in full color on the back cover. |
| 8+1⁄2 in. × 11 in., 208 pages | |
| Shazam! From the Forties to the Seventies | 1977 | Harmony Books | ISBN 0-517-53127-5 | Hardcover collection reprinting 37 Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel, and Marvel Family stories from the original Fawcett comics and DC's 1970sShazam! series in black and white, with some color pages. |
| 352 pages |
| The Monster Society of Evil: Deluxe Limited Collector's Edition | 1989 | American Nostalgia Library | ISBN 0-948248-07-6 | Compiled and designed byMike Higgs. Reprints the entire "Monster Society of Evil" story arc fromCaptain Marvel Adventures #22–46 (1943–1945). This oversized, slipcased hardcover book was limited to 3,000 numbered copies. |
| |
| The Shazam! Archives Volume 1 | 1992 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-56389-053-4 | Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories fromWhiz Comics #2 - 15 |
| 120 pages |
| The Shazam! Archives Volume 2 | 1998 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-56389-521-8 | Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories fromWhiz Comics #16 - 20, plusSpecial Edition Comics #1 andCaptain Marvel Adventures #1. |
| 232 pages |
| The Shazam! Archives Volume 3 | 2002 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-56389-832-2 | Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories fromWhiz Comics #21 - 24,Captain Marvel Adventures #2-3, andAmerica's Greatest Comics #1 |
| 216 pages |
| Shazam! and the Shazam Family! Annual No. 1 | 2002 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-56389-832-2 | An80-Page Giant-style, square-bound paperback collection reprinting several Golden Age Marvel Family adventures fromCaptain Marvel Adventures #18,Captain Marvel, Jr. #12, andThe Marvel Family #1, 10; including the first appearances of Mary Marvel and Black Adam. |
| 216 pages |
| The Shazam! Archives Volume 4 | 2005 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-4012-0160-1 | Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories fromAmerica's Greatest Comics #2,Captain Marvel Adventures #4-5; and the origins of Captain Marvel, Jr. and Captain Nazi fromMaster Comics #21-22 andWhiz Comics #25 |
| 216 pages |
| DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories, Vol. 1 | 2005 | DC Comics | ISBN 978-1401205348 | A showcase of alternate universe "imaginary stories" that depict a series of possible futures. IncludesCaptain Marvel Adventures #66,Batman #127, 151;Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #19, 51;Superman #149, 162;Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #57,The Flash #128, andWorld's Finest Comics #173. |
| 192 pages |
| The Shazam! Family Archives | 2006 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-4012-0779-0 | This spin-off volume features the adventures of Captain Marvel Jr., fromMaster Comics #23–32 andCaptain Marvel, Jr. #1, as well as the origin of Mary Marvel fromCaptain Marvel Adventures #18. |
| 228 pages |
| Showcase Presents: Shazam! | 2006 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-4012-1089-9 | A 500-page trade paperback featuring black-and-white reprints of stories from the 1970sShazam! ongoing series, collecting only the new material that was published (and not the Golden Age reprints) in issues #1–33. |
| 500 pages |
| The Trials of Shazam!: The Complete Series | 2007, 2008; 2019 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-4012-9229-1 | ReprintsThe Trials of Shazam! #1–12 and a short story fromDCU Brave New World #1. Originally released in two halves asVolume 1 (2007,ISBN 1-4012-1331-6) andVolume 2 (2008,ISBN 1-4012-1829-6); the single-volume version was released in 2019. |
| 312 pages |
| Shazam! The Greatest Stories Ever Told | 2008 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-4012-1674-9 | A compilation featuring Captain Marvel stories collected from the Fawcett publicationsWhiz Comics #2;Captain Marvel Adventures #1, 137, 148;The Marvel Family #21, 85; and the DC publicationsShazam! #1, 14;DC Comics Presents Annual #3;Superman #276;L.E.G.I.O.N. '91 #31;The Power of Shazam! #33; andAdventures in the DC Universe. |
| 224 pages |
| DC Goes Ape | 2008 | DC Comics | ISBN 978-1401219352 | A compilation of various confrontations between superheroes and apes. CollectsSuperboy #76,Superman #138,The Flash #127 and (vol. 2) #151,Detective Comics #339 and 482,Hawkman #16,Wonder Woman #170,Strange Adventures #201,Shazam! #9, andSuper Friends #30. |
| 168 pages |
| Justice League:The World's Greatest Superheroes | 2010, 2017, 2018 | DC Comics | ISBN 978-1401202552 | A compilation of picturesque graphic novels featuring DC heroes battling societal problems. CollectsSuperman: Peace on Earth,Batman: War on Crime,Shazam! Power of Hope,Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth,JLA: Secret Origins, andJLA: Liberty and Justice. | 400 pages | |
| Superman vs. Shazam! | 2013, 2021 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-4012-3821-1 | A compilation featuring past team-ups and fights between The Man of Steel and the World's Mightiest Mortal in this collection also featuringMr. Mxyzptlk, Mr. Mind, Captain Nazi, Black Adam, and more. CollectsAll-New Collector's Edition C-58;DC Comics Presents #33–34, 49; andDC Comics Presents Annual #3. The 2021 edition includes all of the issues from the previous collection plusKingdom Come #1 and 4,The Power of Shazam! #46, andSuperman (vol. 2) #216. (ISBN 978-1779509093) |
| 192 pages |
| Shazam! Vol. 1 | 2013; 2019, 2020 | DC Comics | ISBN 978-1-4012-4244-2 | Compiles the revisedNew 52 origins of Billy Batson and Shazam from backup features originally printed inJustice League (vol. 2) #0, 7–11, 14–16, 18–21. Re-released in 2019 as theShazam! Origins trade paperback, with a photo cover from the New Line Cinema/Warner Bros. filmShazam! starringZachary Levi (ISBN 978-1401-28789-4). A hardcoverDeluxe Edition (ISBN 978-1779506849, 208 pgs) was published in 2020. |
| 192 pages |
| Shazam! A Celebration of 75 Years | 2015 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-4012-5538-8 | Expanded hardcoverShazam! anthology spanning the Fawcett and DC eras from 1939 to 2013, including essays on the history of the characters. Features stories from Fawcett publications such asWhiz Comics,Captain Marvel Adventures andThe Marvel Family, as well as DC publications such asShazam!,The Power of Shazam!,JSA, and more.[170] |
| 400 pages |
| Shazam! The World's Mightiest Mortal Volume 1 | 2019 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-4012-8839-1 | Hardcover volume featuring color reprints of the new stories of issues #1-18 of the 1970sShazam! ongoing series. |
| 352 pages |
| Shazam! The World's Mightiest Mortal Volume 2 | 2020 | DC Comics | ISBN 1-4012-8839-1 | Hardcover volume featuring color reprints of the new stories of issues #19-35 of the 1970sShazam! ongoing series; plusAll-New Collector's Edition C-58 |
| 328 pages |
| The Power of Shazam! Book One: In The Beginning | 2020 | DC Comics | ISBN 978-1401299415 | Hardcover volume collecting the 1994The Power of Shazam! graphic novel, issues #1-12 of the subsequent 1995 ongoingThe Power of Shazam! series, plus a 1994Shazam! story fromSuperman & Batman Magazine #4 |
| 408 pages |
| Shazam! and the Seven Magic Lands | 2020 | DC Comics | ISBN 978-1779504593 | Trade paperback collecting the main story from the 2018-2020Shazam! series. CollectsShazam! (vol. 3) #1-11, 13-14. |
| 344 pages |
| Shazam: The World's Mightiest Mortal Volume 3 | 2021 | DC Comics | ISBN 978-1779509468 | Hardcover volume featuring reprints of the Captain Marvel stories fromWorld's Finest Comics #253-270, 272-282 andAdventure Comics #491-492 |
| 336 pages |
| The Power of Shazam Book 2: The Worm Turns | 2023 | DC Comics | ISBN 978-1779504708 | Hardcover volume collectingThe Power of Shazam! #13-23, Annual 1;Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #4,Showcase '96 #7,Superboy Plus #1, andSupergirl Plus #1 |
| 424 pages |
Captain Marvel first came to television in 1974.Filmation producedShazam!, a live-action series, which ran from 1974 to 1976 onCBS.[185] From 1975 until the end of its run, it aired as one-half ofThe Shazam!/Isis Hour alongsideThe Secrets of Isis.[185][186]
Instead of directly following the lead of the comics,Shazam! took a more indirect approach to the character: Billy Batson/Captain Marvel, accompanied by an older man known simply as Mentor (Les Tremayne), traveled in a motor home across the U.S., interacting with people in different towns in which they stopped to save the citizens from some form of danger or to help them combat some form of evil.[187] With the wizard Shazam absent from this series, Billy received his powers and counsel directly from the six "immortal elders" represented in the "Shazam" name, who were depicted via animation: Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury.Shazam! starredMichael Gray as Billy Batson, with bothJackson Bostwick (season 1) andJohn Davey (seasons 2 and 3) as Captain Marvel. An adapted version of Isis, the heroine ofThe Secrets of Isis, was introduced into DC Comics in 2006 as Black Adam's wife.
Shortly after theShazam! show ended its network run, Captain Marvel (played by Garrett Craig) appeared as a character in a pair of low-budget, live-action comedy specials, produced byHanna-Barbera Productions under the nameLegends of the Superheroes in 1979.[188] The specials also featuredHoward Morris as Doctor Sivana, andRuth Buzzi as Aunt Minerva, marking the first appearance of the characters in film or television. Although Captain Marvel did not appear in Hanna-Barbera's long-running concurrentSaturday morning cartoon seriesSuper Friends (which featured many of the other DC superheroes), he did appear in some of the merchandise associated with the show.
Filmation revisited the character three years later inThe Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!, which aired alongsideHero High.[189] Captain Marvel and Billy Batson were both voiced by Burr Middleton.[176][179] The rest of the Marvel Family joined Captain Marvel on his adventures in this series, which were more similar to his comic-book adventures than the 1970s TV show. Dr. Sivana, Mr. Mind, Black Adam, and other familiar Captain Marvel foes appeared as enemies.[189]
Captain Marvel or Billy Batson made brief "cameo" appearances in two 1990s TV series. An unnamed reporter resembling Billy appears in theSuperman: The Animated Series episode "Obsession", while live actors portraying Captain Marvel make "cameo" appearances in both a dream-sequence within an episode ofThe Drew Carey Show, and in theBeastie Boys' music video for "Alive".
In about 1943, a radio serial of Captain Marvel was briefly broadcast (possibly by eitherMutual orNBC) initially with Burt Boyar as Billy Batson. According to Boyar's faint memories in a 2011 interview, the show was initially produced in New York but after about a month relocated to Chicago; no further details about the show or transcripts of it survived. Existence of the show was confirmed by historianJim Harmon via recollections of old-time radio fans who recalled hearing it during original broadcasts, plus locating period program listings.[208]
In 1943, C. C. Beck and writer Rod Reed prepared seven sample installments of a comic strip, but syndicates expressed no interest in it. Reed suspected that the DC lawsuit was the syndicates' reason, for fear of becoming parties in the ongoing litigation.[209]
The character was ranked as the 55th-greatest comic book character of all time byWizard magazine.[210]IGN also ranked Shazam as the 50th-greatest comic book hero of all time, stating that the character will always be an enduring reminder of a simpler time.[211]UGO Networks ranked him as one of the top heroes of entertainment, saying, "At his best, Shazam has always been compared toSuperman with a sense of crazy, goofy fun."[212]
Captain Marvel's adventures have contributed a number of elements to both comic book culture andpop culture in general. The most notable contribution is the regular use of Superman and Captain Marvel as adversaries inModern Age comic book stories. The two are often portrayed as equally matched and, while Marvel does not possess Superman'sheat vision, X-ray vision or superhuman breath powers, the magic-based nature of his own powers are a weakness for Superman.
The National Comics/Fawcett Comics rivalry was parodied in "Superduperman",[213] a satirical comic book story byHarvey Kurtzman andWally Wood in the fourth issue ofMad (April/May 1953). Superduperman, endowed with muscles on muscles, does battle with Captain Marbles, a Captain Marvel caricature. Marbles' magic word is "SHAZOOM", which stands forStrength,Health,Aptitude,Zeal,Ox (power of),Ox (power of another), andMoney. In contrast to Captain Marvel's perceived innocence and goodness, Marbles is greedy and money-grubbing, and a master criminal. Superduperman defeats Marbles by tricking him into hitting himself.
While publishing itsShazam! revival in the 1970s, DC Comics published a story inSuperman #276 (June 1974) featuring a battle between the Man of Steel and a thinly disguised version of Captain Marvel called Captain Thunder, a reference to the character's original name. He apparently battles against a Monster League, who cast a spell to make him evil, but Superman helps him break free.[214] Two years later,Justice League of America #135–137 presented a story arc which featured the heroes of Earth-1, Earth-2, and Earth-S teaming together against their enemies. It is in this story that Superman and Captain Marvel first meet, albeit briefly.King Kull has caused Superman to go mad using redkryptonite, compelling Marvel to battle him at first and subsequently restore Superman's mind with the help of lightning.
InShazam! #30 (1977), Dr. Sivana creates several steel creatures to destroy Pittsburgh's steel mills, after getting the idea from reading an issue ofAction Comics. He finally creates a Superman robot made of a super-steel to destroy Captain Marvel. They both hit each other at the same moment, and the robot is destroyed.
Notable later Superman/Captain Marvel battles in DC Comics includeAll-New Collectors' Edition #C-58 (1978),All-Star Squadron #36–37 (1984), andSupermanvol. 2, #102 (1995). The Superman/Captain Marvel battle depicted inKingdom Come #4 (1996) serves as the climax of that miniseries, with Marvel having been brainwashed by Lex Luthor and Mister Mind to turn against the other heroes. The "Clash" episode ofJustice League Unlimited, which includes Captain Marvel as a guest character, features a Superman/Captain Marvel fight as its centerpiece, Lex Luthor manipulating events so that Captain Marvel will perceive Superman as being prejudiced against Luthor's criminal past and attacking him without provokation or evidence that Luthor has actually done anything wrong. By contrast, the depiction of the pair's first meeting in theSuperman/Shazam!: First Thunder miniseries establishes them as firm friends and allies to the point of Superman volunteering to be Billy's mentor when he learns the boy's true age.[215]
The television characterGomer Pyle is known for uttering the catchphrase "Shazam!" onThe Andy Griffith Show andGomer Pyle, U.S.M.C..[216]
Al McCoy, longtime radio and TV voice of theNBA'sPhoenix Suns, would shout "Shazam!" every time the Suns made athree-point shot.[217]
InSpider-Man (2002),Peter Parker yells "Shazam!" while trying to get his powers working.[218]
InDear Becky (2020), the Boys are depicted as kidnappingtheir universe's version of Billy Batson/Shazam and cutting out his tongue to prevent him from ever using his powers again.[219]
I've always felt that it was this origin story and concept that made Shazam instantly popular, to the point that it was outselling every comic on the stands for several years throughout the '40s.
By the middle of the decade, Captain Marvel had received a self-titled comic book,Captain Marvel's Adventures [sic], which had a circulation that reached 1.3 million copies per month. Shazam's circulation numbers exceeded National's Superman title and the rivalry between the companies led National to sue Fawcett for plagiarism.
In 1953, the case was finally settled out of court when Fawcett agreed to quit using the Captain Marvel character(s) and pay DC the sum of $400,000.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)In 1944, the best-selling comic book title (Captain Marvel Adventures) sold more than fourteen million copies for the year.
With avenues of appeal still open but their outcome obvious after the first court ruled for National Periodicals, Fawcett Publications settled out of court in late 1953. Fawcett agreed to cease publication of all Captain Marvel related titles. However, Fawcett's decision to give up the legal battle came when all of the company's superhero titles were reporting greatly diminished sales was no circumstance.
In 1972, DC acquired the rights to Captain Marvel and in 1973 they launched the seriesShazam!, which re-established the Captain Marvel mythos...Responsible for resurrecting the lightning-charged champion, writer Denny O'Neil and original artist C. C. Beck together explained Cap's absence.
{{cite book}}:|last3= has generic name (help){{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)What you might not know is that in 1953, Binder and Beck tried out a newspaper comic strip starring Tawny as a solo act, completely without his superheroic pal.
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