Captain Marvel/Shazam | |
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![]() The traditional Captain Marvel; art by Alex Ross | |
Publication information | |
Publisher | Fawcett Comics (1939–1953) DC Comics (1972–present) |
First appearance | Whiz Comics #2 (Feb. 1940) |
Created by | Bill Parker C.C. Beck |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | William Joseph "Billy" Batson |
Team affiliations | Marvel/Shazam Family Squadron of Justice Justice League Justice Society of America |
Partnerships | Mary Marvel Captain Marvel Jr. Mister Tawky Tawny |
Notable aliases | Captain Thunder, Marvel |
Abilities | Magically bestowed powers include:
|
Captain Marvel Adventures | |
Series publication information | |
Publisher | Fawcett Comics |
Schedule | Monthly |
Format | Ongoing series |
Genre | Superhero/Humor |
Publication date | March 1941 – November 1953 |
Number of issues | 150 |
Main character(s) | Captain Marvel |
Creative team | |
Writer(s) | Otto Binder |
Artist(s) | C.C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby |
Captain Marvel, also known as Shazam (/ʃəˈzæm/), is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker created the character in 1939. Captain Marvel first appeared in Whiz Comics #2 (cover-dated Feb. 1940), published by Fawcett Comics. He is the alter ego of Billy Batson, a boy who, by speaking the magic word "SHAZAM" (acronym of six "immortal elders": Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury), can transform himself into a costumed adult with the powers of superhuman strength, speed, flight and other abilities.
Based on book sales, the character was the most popular superhero of the 1940s, outselling even Superman.[1][2] Fawcett expanded the franchise to include other "Marvels", primarily Marvel Family associates Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr., who can harness Billy's powers as well. Captain Marvel was also the first comic book superhero to be adapted into film, in a 1941 Republic Pictures serial titled Adventures of Captain Marvel.
Fawcett ceased publishing Captain Marvel-related comics in 1953, partly because of a copyright infringement suit from DC Comics, alleging that Captain Marvel was a copy of Superman.[3] In 1972, DC licensed the Marvel Family characters from Fawcett, and returned them to publication. By 1991, DC had acquired all rights to the characters. DC has since integrated Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family into their DC Universe and has attempted to revive the property several times, with mixed success. Due to trademark conflicts over another character named "Captain Marvel" owned by Marvel Comics,[4] DC has branded and marketed the character using the trademark Shazam! since his 1972 reintroduction.[5] This has, in turn, led many to assume that "Shazam" was the character's name. DC later officially renamed the character "Shazam" when relaunching its comic book properties in 2011.[6]
The character has been featured in two television series adaptations, one live action and one animated, by Filmation, and an upcoming New Line Cinema/Warner Bros. Shazam! feature film scheduled for release in 2019 as part of the DC Extended Universe, with Zachary Levi and Asher Angel portraying the title role. Captain Marvel was ranked as the 55th greatest comic book character of all time by Wizard magazine.[7] IGN also ranked Captain Marvel as the 50th greatest comic book hero of all time, stating that the character will always be an enduring reminder of a simpler time.[8] UGO Networks ranked him as one of the top heroes of entertainment, saying, "At his best, Shazam has always been compared to Superman with a sense of crazy, goofy fun"[9]
Publication history[]
Development and inspirations[]
Captain Marvel first appeared in Whiz Comics #2 (Feb. 1940); art by C. C. Beck.
After the success of National Comics' new superhero characters Superman and Batman, Fawcett Publications started its own comics division in 1939, recruiting writer Bill Parker to create several hero characters for the first title in their line, tentatively titled Flash Comics. Besides penning stories featuring Ibis the Invincible, Spy Smasher, Golden Arrow, Lance O'Casey, Scoop Smith, and Dan Dare for the new book, Parker also wrote a story about a team of six superheroes, each possessing a special power granted to them by a mythological figure.[10]
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".[10] Staff artist Charles Clarence "C. C." Beck was recruited to design and illustrate Parker's story, rendering it in a direct, somewhat cartoony 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 the pulp magazine, but going back to the old folk-tales and myths of classic times".[11]
The first issue of the comic book, printed as both Flash Comics #1 and Thrill Comics #1, had a low-print run in the fall of 1939 as an ashcan copy created for advertising and trademark 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 renamed Whiz Comics, and Fawcett artist Pete Costanza suggested changing Captain Thunder's name to "Captain Marvelous", which the editors shortened to "Captain Marvel". The word 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.
Inspiration[]

Whiz Comics #22 (Oct. 1941), featuring Captain Marvel and his young alter-ego, Billy Batson. Art by C.C. Beck.
Inspiration for Captain Marvel came from a number of sources. His visual appearance was modeled after that of Fred MacMurray, a popular American actor of the period,[12] though comparisons with both Cary Grant and Jack Oakie were made as well.[13] Fawcett Publications' founder, Wilford H. Fawcett, was nicknamed "Captain Billy", which inspired the name "Billy Batson" as well as Marvel's title.[14] Fawcett's earliest magazine was titled Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, which inspired the title Whiz Comics.[15] In addition, Fawcett took several of the elements that had made Superman 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".[16]
Introduction[]
In addition to introducing the main character and his alter ego, Captain Marvel's first adventure in Whiz Comics #2 also introduced his archenemy, the evil Doctor Sivana, and found Billy Batson talking his way into a job as an on-air radio reporter. Captain Marvel was an instant success, with Whiz Comics #2 selling over 500,000 copies.[2] By 1941, he had his own solo series, Captain Marvel Adventures, while he continued to appear in Whiz Comics, as well as periodic appearances in other Fawcett books, including Master Comics.
Copyright infringement lawsuit and cancellation[]
Through much of the Golden 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,[17] and was at one point being published bi-weekly with a circulation of 1.3 million copies an issue (proclaimed on the cover of issue #19 as being the "Largest Circulation of Any Comic Magazine").[2] Part of the reason for this popularity included the inherent wish-fulfillment appeal of the character to children, as well as the humorous and surreal quality of the stories. Billy Batson typically narrated each Captain Marvel story, speaking directly to his reading audience from his WHIZ radio microphone, relating each story from the perspective of a young boy.
The franchise was expanded to introduce teen spin-off characters to Captain Marvel (who, unlike Billy, remained kids in superhero form)[18] In late 1941 and in 1942, new characters were introduced with Captain Marvel's sidekick Captain Marvel, Jr. in Whiz Comics #25 (1941) and his sister Mary Marvel in Captain Marvel Adventures #18. Both Captain Marvel, Jr. and Mary Marvel were given their own eponymous books in addition to appearing as the lead features in Master Comics and Wow Comics, respectively.[18] Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., and Mary Marvel appeared together in another publication, The Marvel Family.[18]
Detective Comics (later known as National Comics Publications, National Periodical Publications, and today known as DC Comics) sued both Fawcett Comics and Republic Pictures for copyright infringement in 1941, alleging that Captain Marvel was based on their character Superman.[19] After seven years of litigation, the National Comics Publications v. Fawcett Publications case 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 their Superman daily newspaper strips, and it was decided that National had abandoned the Superman copyright.[20] As a result, the initial verdict, delivered in 1951, went in Fawcett's favor.
National appealed this decision, and Judge Learned 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 a retrial. He therefore sent the matter back to the lower court for final determination.[20]
Instead of retrying the case, however, Fawcett settled with National out of court. The National lawsuit was not the only problem Fawcett faced in regard to Captain Marvel. While Captain 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.[21] Fawcett tried to revive the popularity of its Captain Marvel series in the early 1950s by introducing elements of the horror comics trend that had gained popularity at the time.[22]
Feeling that this decline in the popularity of superhero comics meant that it was no longer worth continuing the fight,[23] Fawcett agreed to permanently cease publication of comics with the Captain Marvel-related characters and to pay National $400,000 in damages.[3] Fawcett shut down its comics division in the autumn of 1953 and fired its comic book staff. Whiz Comics had ended with issue #155 in June 1953, Captain Marvel Adventures was canceled with #150 (November 1953), and The Marvel Family ended its run with #89 (Jan. 1954).
Marvelman / Miracleman[]
In the 1950s, a small British publisher, L. Miller and Son, published a number of black-and-white reprints of American comic books, including the Captain Marvel series. With the outcome of the National 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 called Marvelman. Captain Marvel, Jr., was adapted to create Young Marvelman, while Mary Marvel had her gender 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 writer Alan Moore in the pages of Warrior Magazine. Beginning in 1985, Moore's black-and-white serialized adventures were reprinted in color by Eclipse Comics under the new title Miracleman (as Marvel Comics objected to the use of "Marvel" in the title), and continued publication in the United States after Warrior's demise. Within the metatextual story line of the comic series itself, it was noted that Marvelman's creation was based upon Captain Marvel comics, by both Moore and later Marvelman/Miracleman writer Neil Gaiman. In 2009, Marvel Comics obtained the rights to the original 1950s Marvelman characters and stories,[24] obtaining the rights to the 1980s version and those reprints in 2013.[25][26]
M. F. Enterprises[]
In 1966, M. F. Enterprises produced their own Captain Marvel: an android 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 by Carl Burgos".[27]
DC Comics revival: Shazam![]
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, DC publisher Carmine Infantino decided to bring the Captain Marvel property back into print, and in 1972 he licensed the characters from Fawcett.[28] Because Marvel Comics had by this time established Captain Marvel as a comic book trademark for their own character, created and first published in 1967, DC published their book under the name Shazam![4] Infantino attempted to give the Shazam! book the subtitle The Original Captain Marvel, but a cease and desist letter from Marvel Comics forced them to change the subtitle to The World's Mightiest Mortal, starting with Shazam! #15 (December 1974).[28] 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".[6]
The Shazam! comic series began with Shazam! #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.[29] His role was later taken over by writers Elliot S. Maggin and E. Nelson Bridwell. C. C. Beck drew stories for the first ten issues of the book before quitting due to creative differences. Bob Oksner and Fawcett alumnus Kurt Schaffenberger were among the later artists of the title.
With DC's Multiverse 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". While the series began with a great deal of fanfare, the book had a lackluster reception. 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".[30]
Shazam! was heavily rewritten as of issue #34 (April 1978), and Bridwell provided more realistic stories, accompanied by similar art; the first issue was drawn by Alan Weiss and Joe Rubinstein, and thereafter by Don Newton, a longtime fan of the character,[31] and Schaffenberger. Nevertheless, the next issue was the last one, though the feature was kept alive in a back-up position in the Dollar Comics-formatted run of World'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). Schaffenberger left the feature after #259, and the inking credit subsequently varied.
When World's Finest Comics reverted to the standard 36 pages, leftover Shazam! material saw publication in Adventure Comics (#491–492, September–October 1982). The remaining 11 issues of that run contained reprints, with Shazam! represented by mostly Fawcett-era stories (left out of Legion of Super-Heroes #500 and the final #503, where two features were doubled up to complete their respective story arcs). Limited Collectors' Edition #C-58 (April 1978) featured a "Superman vs. Shazam!" story by writer Gerry Conway and artists Rich Buckler and Dick Giordano.[32][33] With their 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths limited series, DC fully integrated the characters into the DC Universe. Prior to Crisis, the characters had appeared a few times as guest stars in the Justice League of America series (vol. 1).
Captain Marvel in the late 1980s[]
The first post-Crisis appearance of Captain Marvel was in the 1986 Legends miniseries. In 1987, Captain Marvel appeared as a member of the Justice League in Keith Giffen's and J. M. DeMatteis' relaunch of that title. That same year (spinning off from Legends), he was given his own miniseries titled Shazam!: 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, and Black Adam into the modern DC Universe with an altered origin story. 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 of Shazam! and the Justice Society of America characters.[34][35] Before the Crisis, Thomas wrote several of the DC Comics Presents stories featuring the Marvel Family.[34]
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.[36]
This revised version of Captain Marvel also appeared in one story-arc featured in the short-lived anthology Action Comics Weekly #623–626 (October 25, 1988 – November 15, 1988), in which a Neo-Nazi version of Captain Mazi was introduced.[35] At the end of the arc, it was announced that this would lead to a new Shazam! ongoing series.[35] Though New Beginning had sold well and multiple artists were assigned to and worked on the book, it never saw publication due to editorial disputes between DC Comics and Roy Thomas.[34] As a result, Thomas' intended revival of the Marvel Family with a new punk-styled Mary Bromfield/Mary Marvel (aka "Spike") who was not Billy's sister, and an African-American take on Freddy Freeman/Captain Marvel Jr., did not see print.[35] Thomas departed DC in 1989, not long after his removal from the Shazam! project.[35]
Other attempts at reviving Shazam! were initiated over the next three years, including a reboot project by John Byrne, illustrator of Legends and writer/artist on the Superman reboot miniseries The Man of Steel (1986).[37] None of these versions saw print, though Captain Marvel, the Wizard Shazam, and Black Adam did appear in DC's War of the Gods miniseries in 1991. By this time, DC had finally ceased the fee-per-use licensing agreement with Fawcett Publications and purchased the full rights to Captain Marvel and the other Fawcett Comics characters.[35]
The Power of Shazam![]
In 1991, Jerry Ordway was given the Shazam! assignment, which he pitched as a painted graphic novel that would lead into a series, rather than starting the series outright.[35] Ordway both wrote and illustrated the graphic novel, titled The Power of Shazam!, which was released in 1994. Power of Shazam! retconned Captain Marvel again and gave him a revised origin, rendering Shazam! The New Beginning and the Action Comics Weekly story apocryphal while Marvel's appearances in Legends and Justice League still counted as part of the continuity.[38]
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 a Power of Shazam! ongoing series which ran from 1995 to 1999.[39] That series reintroduced the Marvel Family and many of their allies and enemies into the modern-day DC Universe.
Captain Marvel also appeared in Mark Waid and Alex Ross's critically acclaimed 1996 alternate universe Elseworlds Kingdom Come miniseries. 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 elderly Lex Luthor. Because he is one of the most powerful beings on Earth, his mere presence unnerves many of those around him and, brainwashed, he even sets out to cause what could lead to the end of the world. However, Marvel ultimately sacrifices himself as an act of redemption and, as a figure of martyrdom, becomes the symbol of a new world order.[citation needed]
In 2000, Captain Marvel starred in an oversized special graphic novel, Shazam! Power of Hope, written by Paul Dini and painted by Alex Ross.[citation needed]
Early-mid-2000s: JSA, 52, and more[]
Since the cancellation of the Power 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 in Geoff Johns' and David S. Goyer's JSA series, which depicted the latest adventures of the Justice Society of America, with Captain Marvel also briefly joining the team to keep an eye on his old nemesis. He also appeared in Frank Miller's graphic novel Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, the sequel to Miller's highly acclaimed graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns, which culminated in his death. The Superman/Shazam: First Thunder miniseries, written by Judd Winick with art by Josh 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 2005/2006 Infinite Crisis crossover, which began DC's efforts to retool the Shazam! franchise. In the Day of Vengeance miniseries, which preceded the Infinite Crisis event, the wizard Shazam is killed by the Spectre, and Captain Marvel assumes the wizard's place in the Rock of Eternity. The Marvel Family made a handful of guest appearances in the year-long weekly maxi-series 52, which featured Black Adam as one of its main characters and introduced Adam's "Black Marvel Family" which included Adam's wife Isis, her brother Osiris, and Sobek. The series chronicled Adam's attempts to reform after falling in love with Isis, only to launch the DC universe into World War III after she and Osiris are killed. The Marvel Family appeared frequently in the 12-issue bimonthly painted Justice maxi-series by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Doug Braithwaite, published from 2005 to 2007.
The Trials of Shazam![]
The Trials of Shazam!, a 12-issue maxi-series written by Judd Winick and illustrated by Howard Porter for the first eight issues, and by Mauro Cascioli for the remaining four, was published from 2006 to 2008. The series redefined the Shazam! 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 name Marvel, while the former Captain Marvel, Jr., Freddy Freeman, attempts to prove himself worthy to become Marvel's champion under the name "Shazam."
In the pages of the 2007–2008 Countdown to Final Crisis limited series, Black Adam gives the powerless Mary 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 2008–2009 Final Crisis limited series, the now black-costumed Mary Marvel, possessed by the evil New God DeSaad, becomes a villainess, joining forces with Superman villain Darkseid and fighting both Supergirl and Freddy Freeman/Shazam.
A three-issue arc in Justice Society of America (vol. 3) undid much of the Trials of Shazam! changes. Issues 23 through 25 of Justice Society featured Black Adam and a resurrected Isis 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 2009–2010 Blackest Night saga in a one-shot special, The Power of Shazam! #48.[40] In 2011, DC published a one-shot Shazam! story written by Eric Wallace, in which the still-powerless Billy and Mary help Freddy/Shazam in a battle with the demoness Blaze. Freddy would eventually have his powers stolen by Osiris in Titans #32 the same year.[41]
The New 52 relaunch[]

Alternate cover for Justice League (Vol. 2) #0. Clockwise from bottom/front: Shazam!, Eugene Choi, Darla Dudley, Pedro Peña, Freddy Freeman, Mary Bromfield, Tawny, Black Adam, and Doctor Sivana. Art by Ivan Reis.
In 2011, DC Comics relaunched their entire comic book lineup, creating The New 52 series. One of these relaunched series, Justice League, began featuring a Shazam! backup story with issue #7 in March 2012.[42] The feature, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Gary Frank, introduces Billy Batson and his supporting cast into the new DC Universe. As part of the redesign, Captain Marvel received a new costume designed by Frank with a long cloak and hood.[43] Johns noted that the character's place in the world will be "far more rooted in fantasy and magic than it ever was before".[44] The character also was officially renamed "Shazam" at this time.[6] The Shazam! origin story, which included two full issues in Justice League #0 (2012) and #21 (2013), reintroduced Billy Batson/Shazam, the Wizard, Black Adam, Tawny the tiger and the Shazam Family to continuity. The Shazam! feature concluded with Justice League #21, preceding DC's crossover "Trinity War" storyline which heavily features the Shazam mythos.
Fictional character biography[]
Fawcett/Early DC origin[]
Whiz Comics #2 (Feb. 1940) introduces Billy Batson, a homeless 12- (later 14-) year-old newsboy[45] who sleeps in the subway station of his home city (later referred to in DC publications as Fawcett City[46]). A mysterious man in a green cloak asks Billy to follow him into the subway station, where 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, and Mercury, 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 due to 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").[47] 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.[48]
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.[47] The wizard would return - in later retellings of the origin story, immediately - as a spirit to serve as a mentor to Billy and Captain Marvel, summoned by lighting a torch on the wall of his lair.[47] As a spirit, the Wizard Shazam lives at the Rock of Eternity, a bicone-shaped rock formation situated at the nexus of time and space.[49] Later retellings of the Captain Marvel origin place Shazam's underground lair within the Rock.[50] 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.[48]
Captain Marvel's first battle was with the mad scientist Doctor Sivana, who becomes Captain Marvel's arch-enemy.[51] Billy Batson becomes a reporter and host for WHIZ Radio, his career allowing him to travel and investigate criminal activity.[52] 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.[53]
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 the Marvel Family (later referred to as the Shazam Family due to the issues DC Comics faced over the "Marvel" and "Captain Marvel" trademarks). The first members of the family, introduced in Whiz Comics #21 (Sept. 1941) and used sparingly afterwards, were the Lieutenant 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.
In Whiz Comics #25 (Dec 1941), Captain Marvel saves Freddy Freeman, a boy who had been left for dead by the evil Captain Nazi, and does for Freddy what the wizard did for him. By speaking the name "Captain Marvel," Freddy can become the superpowered Captain Marvel, Jr.. Unlike Billy, Freddy retains his 14-year-old appearance as a superhero.[45] 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 becomes Mary Marvel.[54][55] In the Fawcett and pre-1986 DC stories, Mary remained a teenager as Freddy did in Marvel form; Ordway's Power of Shazam! series made her superpowered form an adult like Billy's.[56] The Marvel Family also included non-powered honorary members such as Uncle Marvel, an old con man who pretended to be Mary's uncle, and Freckles Marvel, an honorary cousin.
Later DC origins[]
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 & Dann Thomas' 1987 miniseries Shazam! 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.[57] Jerry Ordway's 1994 Power of Shazam! graphic novel featured a ten-year-old Billy being chosen as the Wizard Shazam's champion, due to the influence of his archaeologist parents; the mysterious stranger from magic subway car is the ghost of Billy's father in this version.[46] 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 of Black 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.[58][46] Ordway's origin added the extra element of Black Adam's alter ego/descendant Theo Adam being the murderer of Billy's parents.[46]
In 2012, writer and DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns revised Billy Batson's origin for DC's New 52 universe, also renaming the character's alter-ego as "Shazam" at this time. In his new origin story, Billy Batson is an arrogant and troubled 15-year-old foster child living in Philadelphia who has gone through several foster homes.[59] At his newest foster home, he gains five foster siblings: Mary Bromfield, Freddy Freeman, Pedro Peña, Eugene Choi, and Darla Dudley.[60] When the evil Dr. Sivana unleashes the ancient magical warrior Black Adam from his tomb,[61] the Wizard of the Rock of Eternity – the last of a council of beings who once controlled magic – begins abducting candidates to assess them for the job of being his champion. He dismisses them all for not being pure of heart.[62][63]
Eventually, the Wizard summons Billy, who is another unsuitable candidate, but Billy persuades the Wizard that perfectly good people "really don't exist". In desperation and seeing the "embers of good" within Billy, the dying Wizard passes on his powers and teaches Billy they can be accessed through the magic word "Shazam" when spoken with good intentions. After saying the magic word, Billy is struck by a bolt of lightning which transforms him into Shazam, a super-powered being possessing super-strength, flight, and vast magical powers. The Wizard dies and transports Shazam back to Earth, where Billy reveals his new secret to Freddy. The two scheme to make money with Shazam's new powers, until Shazam is attacked by Black Adam.[62] Billy is saved only by sharing his powers with his foster siblings, who all become magic-powered adult superheroes (save for Darla, who remains a child).[64] Ultimately, Billy goads Adam into saying the magic word and transforming into his human form, at which time he promptly turns to dust.[64]
Commencing the "Trinity War" storyline, Billy flies to Black Adam's home nation of Kahndaq 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 of Pandora's Box, a portal to Earth-3 which brings the evil Justice League analogues of the Crime Syndicate to Earth-0.[65][66] Following the successful defeat of the Crime Syndicate, Shazam is inducted into the League.[67] While still a newcomer to the league, Billy has a number of new adventures while under the mentorship of Cyborg.[68]
Powers and abilities[]
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The character obtains powers through a transformation from a human persona into a superpowered entity. When the human persona, Billy Batson, says the magic word "Shazam!", he becomes the superpowered Captain Marvel/Shazam.
Though the link to the specific mythological figures is de-emphasized in many modern-day stories, traditionally the letters in the name Shazam each represent a specific superhuman ability:
S | for the Wisdom of Solomon | As Captain Marvel/Shazam, Billy has instant access to a vast amount of scholarly knowledge and objective, nearly infallible wisdom, including an innate understanding of most known languages and sciences. He has exceptional photographic recall and mental acuity, allowing him to read and decipher hieroglyphs, recall everything he has ever learned, and solve long mathematical equations. He also has a great understanding of divine phenomena in the mortal world. The wisdom of Solomon provides him with counsel and advice in times of need. In early Captain Marvel stories, Solomon's power also gave Marvel the ability to hypnotize people.[citation needed] |
H | for the Strength of Hercules | Hercules' power grants Captain Marvel/Shazam superhuman strength comparable to that of the legendary demigod, making him one of DC Comics' strongest characters. He is able to easily bend steel in his bare hands, do the work of several laborers in half the time, toss semi trucks high into the air, punch through walls, and lift massive objects. In the comics, this strength has been compared to that of Superman and other godlike superheroes and villains.[69] The strength of the Golden Age Captain Marvel was unlimited,[70][71] and the character was strong enough to move stars and planets.[70][72][73][74] |
A | for the Stamina of Atlas | Using Atlas' stamina, Captain Marvel/Shazam can withstand and survive most types of extreme physical assaults, and heal from them within seconds without any seeming discomfort. In some stories, the stamina of Atlas makes Captain Marvel/Shazam nearly invulnerable in the same way as Superman and similar characters in that he is almost completely impervious to harm from such things as bullets, blades, fire, chemicals, and explosions.[citation needed] The stamina of Atlas also prevents him from getting tired and provides him with a supernaturally endowed metabolism preventing fatigue, thirst and hunger.[75] |
Z | for the Power of Zeus | Zeus' power, besides fueling the magic thunderbolt that transforms Captain Marvel/Shazam, also enhances Marvel's other physical and mental abilities, and grants him resistance against all magic spells and attacks. The hero can use the lightning bolt as a weapon by dodging it and allowing it to strike an opponent or other target. The magic lightning has several uses, such as creating apparatus, restoring damage done to the hero, and providing fuel for magic spells. The current-continuity version of Shazam is able to personally generate and control lightning for various uses. He also can use it readily from his fingertips.[76] |
A | for the Courage of Achilles | This aspect is mostly psychological and spiritual in nature. The courage of Achilles gives Captain Marvel/Shazam the courage and bravery of the legendary Greek hero. This magic stems from the Styx, endowing Captain Marvel/Shazam with an omnipresent presence of good will and inner harmony that protects him from doubt, renders him impervious to intimidation or forces of personality, and comforts him even in the most hopeless of times. In one story it is claimed to also give him fighting skills.[77] In the Trials of Shazam! miniseries, this was changed temporarily to Achilles' near-invulnerability.[citation needed] It also aids the hero's mental fortitude against most mental attacks. |
M | for the Speed of Mercury | By channeling Mercury's speed, Captain Marvel/Shazam can move at superhuman speeds and fly, although in older comics he could only leap great distances. The Captain Marvel of pre-1985 stories was also able to travel to the Rock of Eternity by flying faster than the speed of light. |
In classic stories, simply saying the word "Shazam!" transformed Billy into Captain Marvel and back again,[78] a caveat that extended to accidental utterances, recording playbacks, and so forth.[79] When Captain Marvel shared his powers with his Marvel Shazam Family teammates, it 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.[80]
Captain Marvel/Shazam is not completely invulnerable. In several stories, he is shown to be susceptible to high-powered magic,[81] which can weaken or de-power him,[81] and, in some older stories, to significantly high voltages of lightning or electricity, which would revert him back to Billy Batson form.[82] Later depictions also show his childlike innocence and immaturity to be a significant weakness.[83]
In the late 2000s, when Billy replaced the wizard and took on a white costume and the name of "Marvel", he commanded the various magical abilities once owned by the wizard. However, he was required to remain on the Rock of Eternity and could only be away from it for 24 hours at a time.[84]
Since the 2011 reboot, Shazam's powers have been slightly altered. The word "Shazam" does not cause a transformation if Billy does not want it to; he is able to use and manipulate magical lightning much more readily from his fingertips; able to share his magical powers and bestow unique powers onto those he chooses, without weakening himself but disrupting the enchantments cast.[85] He also demonstrates the ability to use magic in as-yet-unexplored ways, on one occasion using it to conjure items.[68]
Powers[]
- Divine Empowerment/Calling: Billy gains his powers from six different heroes and deities: Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury/Hermes. He activates these powers by saying the magical word "Shazam" which is the first letter of each of the gods' names combined.
- Summoning Power Link or Chosen One Link / Lightning-Induced Power Summoning / Transforming Hero
- Mystical Electric Transformation / The Awesome Power of Shazam: The ability to transform from a mortal to the entity empowered by the 6 extra-dimensional beings once known as "the gods on Earth" (although one of them is the Biblical king of Israel & the others are of Greco-Roman mythology).
- "S" for the Wisdom of Solomon (3rd king of Israel who was bestowed with supernatural wisdom by the Lord God): Due to Solomon's blessings, Shazam has instant access to a vast level of scholarly knowledge. Billy describes this ability as a feeling and a moral compass.
- Clairvoyance: The wisdom of Solomon gives Billy clairvoyance and provides him with counsel and advice in times of need.
- Divine Grace: Billy has the wisdom of Solomon which allows finesse in actions and dealings with others.
- Eidetic Memory: Through Solomon's wisdom, Batson is capable of memorizing anything he sees.
- Tactics of War: Through Solomon's blessings, Billy is an accomplished tactician.
- Mathematics: Through Solomon's blessings, Billy is an accomplished mathematician.
- Multilingualism: Through Solomon's wisdom, Shazam can speak any language when transformed. He has been shown to speak decent Arabic and Japanese.
- Omni-lingual: He can speak every language known to humans as well as ancient or dead languages and is able to understand aliens
- Superhuman Knowledge/Intelligence: Captain Marvel has exceptional photographic recall and mental acuity allowing him to read and decipher hieroglyphics, recall everything he has ever learned and solve long mathematical equations. Instantaneously he can make intuitive guesses based on limited data; to the point his guesses are almost always correct; also he has a great understanding of divine phenomenon in the mortal world.
- Hypnosis: Through sheer power and magic he can hypnotize people for length of time (undetermined). Only those of great willpower can overcome this ability.
- Enhanced/Superhuman Senses: Captain Marvel could detect evil in an artifact, or feel where a bad person is.
- Enhanced Vision: He could calculate the prescription of a pair of eyeglasses, and match them to another pair, simply from casual observation.
- Science
- Metallurgy: He created Marvellium, a metal capable to binding ghosts.
- Charisma: Another facet of his intelligence is ability to talk his way out of situations, as a man with an unprecedented amount of wisdom, he prefers to talk, rather than fight. Once Captain Marvel was able to reason with the goddess Heqt and persuade her to cause no more trouble with the humanity.
- Instant Learning
- Personal Formula
- Cosmic Awareness
- "H" for the Strength of Hercules (god of strength, bravery/courage & Labor; Patron of Heroes): With the blessings of Hercules, Billy's strength is greatly increased. He is able to crack concrete, bend steel, and fight toe-to-toe with Superman. He can lift 36 quintillion to 6 sextillion tons.
- Vast Superhuman Strength
- Super-Leaping: With Hercules's blessing, Billy is able to use his strong leg muscles to leap far distances in a single bound.
- Strength Combat
- Super-breath
- Power Fists
- Strength Magic
- Flying Tank
- Raw Power
- Vast Superhuman Strength
- "A" for the Stamina of Atlas (Titan of Endurance, astronomy and navigation; Bearer of Heaven): With the blessings of Atlas, Billy can endure great physical exertion without tiring while in his empowered form.
- Self-Sustenance: Because of Atlas' blessings, Shazam is able to survive without food, water or any other sort of sustenance while in his empowered form.
- Superhuman Stamina: His incredible metabolism endows him with practically infinite endurance and inexhaustible stamina.
- Superhuman Endurance: His godly metabolism provides him with far greater than human endurance in all physical activities.
- "Z" for the Power of Zeus (The ruler of Mt. Olympus and king of the Greek Gods; Mighty God of goodness, the weather, skies, heavens, storms, thunder, lighting, law, order, justice, honor, rain, fate, magic, air, winds, clouds, dust, hospitality, celestial bodies, governance and moral conduct; Lord of the cosmos and universe; Supreme God; Patron of kings and humans): Zeus' power, besides fueling the magic thunderbolt that transforms Billy, also enhances his other physical abilities and allows for inter-dimensional travel and the casting of various mystical spells. Most notably, this power allows Shazam to manipulate and control the "living lightning".
- Advanced/Accelerated Healing: He displayed the ability to use the transformative lightning to heal others or himself instantly from wounds inflicted on his mortal form.
- Dimensional Travel: Shazam can access the Rock of Eternity whenever he wants, which sits at the center of the Multiverse. Shazam was also able to forcibly transport the Wizard to the Rock of Eternity through a bolt of his lightning.
- Electrokinesis: Shazam is able to generate and manipulate the "living lightning", which is the magical lightning that transforms him into Shazam. He can project the energy from his fingertips and even use the lightning bolt as a weapon by dodging it and allowing it to strike an opponent or other target.
- Electro-Blast: Shazam can discharge powerful blasts and arcs of electricity from his hands or his entire body, and attack foes with it.
- Lightning Bolt Projection: A mystical lightning bolt from the skies is responsible for change him to and from his alter ego; Some rare times, he used it as a destructive power against an opponent. Once Dr. Sivana measured this lightning -- more than 600 quadrillion mega-volts! This bolt has been weaponized in various ways.
- Electric Teleportation
- Electric Constructs:
- Electric Healing
- Electricity Magic / Mystic Yellow Lightning Manipulation
- Electric Shock
- Lightning Summoning/Generation
- Lightning Wizard
- Powers via Energy
- Electric Charging
- Electric Conductivity
- Electro-Blast: Shazam can discharge powerful blasts and arcs of electricity from his hands or his entire body, and attack foes with it.
- Magic: As the wielder of Shazam's power, Billy is capable of casting magic spells for various purposes. While originally not well-versed in magic, Billy eventually learned to cast precise spells from the Book of Champions.
- Power Distribution: As Shazam, Billy can share a portion of his magical powers with anyone akin to family that he so chooses, giving both similar and different powers of their own based on their personalities. The Wizard considers this "sharing spell" the greatest of Billy's powers.
- Size Alteration: Shazam has used a spell to shrink down to the size of Mister Mind, in order to fight him inside his father's head.
- Summoning: By saying "Ala-Ka-Zamm!" Shazam was able to summon a ping-pong table into the Justice League Headquarters.
- Thermal-Blast: Through a spell, Shazam was able to ignite a blast of Superboy-Prime's ice breath into flames, and redirect the blast at him.
- Magical Resistance: This boosts his Invulnerability and Endurance powers to god-like levels. Making him only affected by the most potent of spells and abilities.
- Physical Enhancement: His muscles, height increase, weight, mass and all physical properties that differ from Billy Batson's are a magical enhancement.
- Teleportation: As the champion of the wizard Shazam, Billy can exit the Rock of Eternity by mentally concentrating on another location of his choice.
- Inter-dimensional Travel: This can only be used to travel to the Rock of Eternity.
- Magical Teleportation
- Teleportation Energy Manipulation
- Verbal Teleportation
- Spell Source: He is the focal point and immediate source of Mary Marvel and Freddy Freeman's powers. Just as Shazam is the source of Billy Batson's powers.
- Sorcery: Captain Marvel is a creature of pure and ancient magic. This allows for his ability to resist and cast magic spells, Zeus's Lightning being the most notable.
- Intangibility: Shortly after Dr. Sivana developed a mathematical formula which, when recited, enabled him to become intangible, Captain Marvel deduced that formula, and used it against Sivana. He has rarely if ever used it since, but he does have an eidetic memory, so he hasn't forgotten it.
- Power Bestowal
- Spell Casting
- Mystic Metal Generation
- Symbiotic Magic
- Magic Generation
- Guardian Magic
- Energy Projection: Chosen ones can project their transforming lightning bolts as offensive weapons.
- Weather Manipulation
- Divinity
- Guardian Arts
- Energy Power Link
- "A" for the Courage of Achilles (Greek Hero of the Trojan War): This aspect is physical and partly psychological, and gives Billy superhuman amounts of inner strength to draw off from, while also making him indestructible to harm. Bullets have no effect on Billy, and conventional weaponry does nothing to his physical body as well. Only the most powerful of superhumans can topple him. He withstood a punch from an enraged Superman without any noticeable pain and injury afterwards.
- Invulnerability: Captain Marvel is virtually invulnerable, and resistant to all types of physical injuries. His resilience to damage is on par with beings such as Superman, but without the weaknesses.
- Toxic Immunity
- Energy Resistance: Chosen has immunity to all magical attacks and can take such attacks full on without sustained damage, such as; being hit with spells from magical opponents, even the magic of other chosen ones.
- Telepathic Resistance
- Superhuman Durability
- Magic Immunity/Resistance
- Energy Resistance
- Anxiety Immunity
- Indomitable Will: Because of Achilles', blessing Shazam is very strong willed in his actions.
- Immortality: As long as he remains in his empowered form he doesn't age.
- Optimism: With the Courage of Achilles combined with the Wisdom of Solomon and the boyish personality of Billy Batson this creates a certain kind of optimism of which Captain Marvel is supremely known for. Able to smile down most opponents and using his powers in special ways other than fighting, Captain Marvel will forever remain the staple "boy scout".
- Superhuman Bravery
- Invulnerability: Captain Marvel is virtually invulnerable, and resistant to all types of physical injuries. His resilience to damage is on par with beings such as Superman, but without the weaknesses.
- "M" for the Speed of Mercury/Hermes (Herald/Messenger of the gods; God of travels, boundaries, shepherds, roads, hospitality, diplomacy, trade, merchants, invention, theft/thieves/thievery, orators, wits/cunning, language, writing, measurements, astrology, astronomy, sleep, dreams, magic, fertility, athletics/athletes, speed, trickery, international trade, commerce, athletes, exploring, mail deliverers, literature, art [including useful arts], transitions, wrestling, travelers, sports, business, gymnastics, cunning wiles, communications, persuasions, messengers, transition, guides, border crossings, transition, games, borders, eloquence, literature and poetry; Patron of Merchants; Guide of the Underworld): With the blessings of Mercury, Billy can run as fast as a bolt of lightning, this means Billy can at least run at the speed of light (671,000,000 miles per hour).
- Flight: With Mercury's blessing, Billy is able to hover or out right fly at high speeds.
- Superhuman Speed: He can move at incredible speeds making him fast enough to fight beings such as Superman and Black Adam
- Superhuman Reflexes: Shazam's reflexes are heightened to superhuman levels. He has even reacted to the likes of Superman in battle.
- Superhuman Agility
- Super Dexterity
- Lightning Bruiser
- Speed Strike
- "S" for the Wisdom of Solomon (3rd king of Israel who was bestowed with supernatural wisdom by the Lord God): Due to Solomon's blessings, Shazam has instant access to a vast level of scholarly knowledge. Billy describes this ability as a feeling and a moral compass.
- Age Shifting
- Superhero Physiology Mode
- Mystical Electric Transformation / The Awesome Power of Shazam: The ability to transform from a mortal to the entity empowered by the 6 extra-dimensional beings once known as "the gods on Earth" (although one of them is the Biblical king of Israel & the others are of Greco-Roman mythology).
- Summoning Power Link or Chosen One Link / Lightning-Induced Power Summoning / Transforming Hero
Abilities[]
- Gifted intellect: Even without the Wisdom of Solomon, Billy is quite intelligent on his own - he once came up with and executed a plan to get access to the police database, which worked perfectly.
- Smooth Talker: Another facet of his intelligence is ability to talk his way out of situations, as a man with an unprecedented amount of wisdom, he prefers to talk, rather than fight.
- Photography
- Journalism
- Expert thief: Billy Batson, due to living on his own for most of his life, has become an immensely skilled thief, able to break into cars without triggering alarms.
- Skilled combatant: Billy Batson is a fairly capable combatant in both human and superhero form, able to take down two bullies harassing Freddy Freeman in moments using Freeman's crutch in his human form. In his superhero form, Billy uses his powers to swiftly overpower opponents, though his combat skills were noticeably inferior to those of Doctor Sivana, who (while empowered by the Seven Sins) rather quickly overpowered Billy in their first battle. Nonetheless, Billy managed to adjust and battled more evenly against the empowered Sivana in their subsequent fights, and personally defeated several of the Seven Sins.
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic)
- Energized Combat
- Indomitable will: Billy Batson has immense willpower and determination, being pure of heart enough to overcome difficult or dangerous situations and overcome strong emotional attachments when necessary. Hence, he tirelessly searched for his mother's whereabouts for approximately 11 years since their separation, having ran away from twenty-three foster homes across six counties and being willing to break the law on numerous occasions, without ever seeming to lose hope in his pursuit. He also stood up for Freddy Freeman when the latter was being picked on by two bullies (albeit he only did this when the Breyer brothers hit close to home by insulting Freeman for not having his mother present). After the wizard bestowed unto him his divine powers, Billy interfered in an armed robbery at a convenience store even before he learned he could not be harmed by natural means. While he was initially afraid of Sivana, even attempting to flee from the latter upon their first encounter, Billy ultimately overcame his fear of the formidable doctor and later stood up for his foster siblings after realizing that his mother did not want him, even going so far as to offer himself to Sivana in order to protect them. At the carnival, he volunteered to single-handedly take on Sivana while his empowered foster siblings fought the Sins and persisted defiantly against the supervillain until he eventually managed to gain the upper hand. Indeed, Billy showcased his incorruptible willpower by resisting the allure of the Eye of Sin without being slightly tempted (merely pretending to be enticed by it), despite generations of chosen individuals having failed to do so when tested by the wizard Shazam.
- Multilingual: Thanks to the Wisdom of Solomon, he has the ability to understand, comprehend, and speak any language on earth.
- Occultism
- Acrobatics
- Honored/Chosen Superhero
Weaknesses[]
- Inexperience: Despite possessing incredible abilities in his superpowered form, Billy still lacks skill and experience as a crime fighter. He also doesn't really understand the true extent of his mystical abilities. Both of these factors often render him overwhelmed when faced with stronger and more experienced opponents.
- Vocal reliance: The spell that allows Billy to transform into Shazam is purely vocal. Therefore, if he is prevented from speaking, such as being gagged, he will not be able to transform.
- Speech Impediment: Billy can only access his powers if he says the name 'Shazam' which can also turn him back to his human form. If he is gagged or prevented from speaking while in his human form his powers remain dormant.
- Magic immunity: Beings, creatures, and other entities that are totally immune to magic are immune to Shazam's magical and physical attacks.
- Supernatural beings: Supernatural beings can harm Billy like the Seven Deadly Sins or Thaddeus Sivana.
- High Order Magic: Only the strongest of magics can affect him in any particular way, such as those wielded by the Spectre.
- Vulnerable to Electricity: A powerful enough electric discharge can transform Captain Marvel back into Billy and vice versa. This has worked both to his advantage and detriment oftentimes.
- Human Form: In his human form Billy can have the same weaknesses as a normal human.
Equipment[]
All the mystical items belonging to Shazam.
- Historama: Shazam owned the Historama that adorns the space near his throne at the Rock of Eternity. It functions as a crystal ball, but with Incredible range and accuracy. He activates the Historama by saying, "Historama show me...". The historama has incredible material strength and provides the following abilities:
- Clairvoyance
- Clairaudience
- Remote Sensing
- Extra-dimensional Detection
- True Sight
- Dimensional Viewing
- Temporal Viewing: ability to look into the past, and functions just like Dimensional Viewing. These powers allow the Historama to "cleave through the barriers" to show the occupants of the Rock of Eternity what transpires in other dimensions and even other times.
Batson had forgone the original historama and has opted for a more up to date version and has redirected the Rock of Eternity with a multitude of different tv screens which portrays whatever he chooses, just as the original historama.
Other versions[]
A significant number of "alternate" depictions of Shazam/Captain Marvel have appeared in DC publications since the 1970s.
Captain Thunder (1974)[]
In Superman #276 (June 1974), Superman found himself at odds with "Captain Thunder", a superhero displaced from another Earth and another time. Thunder had been magically tricked by his archenemies in the Monster League of Evil into, and thus into doing battle with Superman. Captain Thunder, whose name was derived from Captain Marvel's original moniker, was a thinly veiled pastiche of Marvel—down to his similar costume, his young alter ego named "Willie Fawcett" (a reference to the publisher of the original Captain Marvel stories, 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.
At the time of Superman #276, DC had been publishing Shazam! comics for two years, but had kept that universe separate from those of its other publications. The real Captain Marvel would finally meet Superman in Justice League of America #137, two years later (although he met Lex Luthor in Shazam! #15, November/December 1974).
Captain Thunder (1982)[]
In 1983, a proposal for an updated Captain Marvel was submitted to DC by Roy Thomas, Don Newton, and Jerry Ordway.[35] 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.[35] This alternate version of the character was never used.
Captain Thunder (2011): Flashpoint[]
The 2011 Flashpoint miniseries featured an alternate timeline accidentally created by the Flash, who then helped the heroes of this timeline to restore history. One of those heroes is Captain Thunder – an alternative version of Captain Marvel who has six alter-egos, rather than one, and a scarred face as the result of a fight with Wonder Woman, who in this timeline is a villain.
The six children, collectively known as "S.H.A.Z.A.M.", each possess one of the six attributes of the power of Shazam, and must say the magic word together to become Captain Thunder. They are: an Asian-American boy named Eugene Choi, who possesses the wisdom of Solomon; an overweight Hispanic boy named Pedro Peña, who possesses the strength of Hercules; the white Mary Batson, who possesses the stamina of Atlas; Freddy Freeman, also white, who possesses the power of Zeus; Billy Batson, also white, who possesses the courage of Achilles; and an African-American girl named Darla Dudley who possesses the speed of Mercury. Pedro's pet tiger Tawny also transforms into a more powerful version of himself via the magic lightning.[86]
The six children later transform into Captain Thunder to help Flash and his allies stop the war between Aquaman's Atlantean army and Wonder Woman's Amazonian forces. Captain Thunder briefly fights Wonder Woman to a draw before being transformed back into the six children by Flash's accomplice Enchantress, who is revealed to be a traitor. Before the kids can re-form Captain Thunder, Billy is stabbed by the Amazon Penthesileia and killed.[87]
After the conclusion of the Flashpoint miniseries, the three new children from the Flashpoint timeline – Eugene, Pedro, and Darla – were incorporated into the DC Universe via the Shazam! backup strip in Justice League, appearing as Billy, Mary, and Freddy's foster siblings.[citation needed]
Elseworld's Finest[]
In the alternate universe Elseworlds book Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl (1998), the current Captain Marvel is depicted as a bald African American man; in a flashback to the older Justice Society, he appears as Captain Marvel typically has, leading to the conclusion that there were two Captain Marvels.
The Dark Knight Strikes Again[]
In the dark alternate future shown in The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Captain Marvel is visibly aged, with receding white hair and glasses. Lex Luthor, who has captured Mary Marvel, coerces him into working for him by threatening to kill her. During an alien attack on Metropolis, Marvel is trapped underneath a collapsing building with no way out, and admits that Billy Batson – here, clearly defined as a separate person from Marvel, rather than simply transforming into him – died eight years ago of unspecified health problems. As a result, when he next speaks his word, he will cease to exist, like any dream that no longer has anyone to remember it. His last words to Wonder Woman are to give everyone his best, noting that it was nice existing, before he calls down his lightning and destroys himself.
Kingdom Come[]
The graphic novel Kingdom Come depicts a possible future of the DC characters. In this version, Billy Batson is grown up, but the human hostility towards superheroes has made him uneasy, and he has not transformed into Captain Marvel for several years. Instead, he becomes a brainwashed servant of Lex Luthor, who uses Mister Mind's offspring to keep Batson in check and bend him to his will. Nevertheless, Batson's potential as a being powerful enough to rival Superman causes many others to react in fear and unease when he mingles with them, unsure whether it is Batson (whose adult appearance is identical to his Captain Marvel form) or Marvel that serves Luthor.
Events finally cause him to change back into Captain Marvel, and he unleashes a force that could destroy the world. When the authorities try to stop it by dropping a nuclear bomb, Captain Marvel – spurred by Superman telling him that due to his ties to both humanity and the superhuman community, he is the only one capable of making the choice – triggers his lightning to sacrifice himself and destroy the bomb while it is still airborne. The bomb's fallout kills a large number of heroes, but does cool the war-like attitudes of the survivors. Superman uses Marvel's cape as the symbol of a new world order in which humans and superhumans will now live in harmony.[88]
Earth-5[]
In the final issue of the maxi-series 52 (#52, May 2, 2007), a new Multiverse is revealed, originally consisting of 52 identical realities, one of which is designated Earth-5. As a result of Marvel Family foe Mister Mind "eating" aspects of this reality, it takes on visual aspects similar to the pre-Crisis Earth-S, including the Marvel Family characters.
The Earth-5 Captain Marvel and Billy Batson appeared, assisting Superman, in the Final Crisis: Superman Beyond miniseries.[89] The miniseries established that these versions of Captain Marvel and Billy are two separate beings, and that Billy is a reporter for WHIZ Media, rather than a radio broadcaster. The Earth-5 Captain Marvel reappeared in Final Crisis #7, along with an army of Supermen from across the Multiverse to prevent its destruction by Darkseid.[90] Following The New 52 Multiverse reboot, Earth-5 remains a Fawcett Comics-inspired setting, and is spotlighted in the comic book The Multiversity: Thunderworld #1 (Feb 2015), a modernized take on the classic Fawcett Captain Marvel stories from writer Grant Morrison and artist Cameron Stewart.[91][92]
Justice League: Generation Lost[]
A female version of Captain Marvel is shown as a member of an alternate-future Justice League in Justice League: Generation Lost. Little is revealed about her, other than the fact that her civilian name is Sahar Shazeen, and she is shown wielding a pair of swords during battle. She and her teammates are ultimately killed by an army of Omni Mind And Community (OMACs).[93]
Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil[]
A second Captain Marvel miniseries, Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil, written and illustrated by Jeff Smith (creator of Bone), was published in four 48-page installments between February and July 2007. Smith's Shazam! miniseries, in the works since 2003, is a more traditional take on the character, which updates and reimagines Captain Marvel's origin.[94] Smith's story features a younger-looking Billy Batson and Captain Marvel as separate personalities, as they were in the pre-1985 stories, and features a prepubescent Mary Marvel as Captain Marvel's sidekick, instead of the traditional teen-aged or adult version. Dr. Sivana is Attorney General of the United States, and Mister Mind looks more like a snake than a caterpillar.
Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam![]
An all-ages Captain Marvel comic, Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam!, debuted in July 2008 under DC's Johnny DC youth-oriented imprint, and was published monthly through December 2010. Following the lead and continuity of Smith's version, it was initially written and drawn by Mike Kunkel, creator of Herobear.[95] Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani, of Tiny Titans, took over as writers with issue #5, with Byron Vaughns as main artist until issue #13, when Mike Norton assumed his place for the remainder of the series.[96] Kunkel's version returns to the modern concept of having Captain Marvel retain Billy's personality, and also introduces new versions of Black Adam (whose alter ego, Theo Adam, is a child like Billy Batson in this version), King Kull, the Arson Fiend, and Freddy Freeman/Captain Marvel, Jr.
Mazahs[]
Mazahs is a corrupted alternate-universe version of Shazam, introduced in the 2013–14 Forever Evil DC Comics crossover event series. He is the super-powered alter-ego of Alexander Luthor of Earth-3.[97] In the story, the Crime 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's Lex Luthor and his 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 speedster Johnny Quick.[98] 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.[99]
Superwoman later gives birth to Mazahs's child in Justice League #50, and uses the baby's power-stealing abilities - inherited from his father and by her using his magic word—to remove abilities the members the Prime-Earth Justice League had inherited from their time on Apokolips after the death of Darkseid. The story ends with the orphaned baby having absorbed both the Omega Effect from Lex Luthor as well as the Anti-Life Equation from Justice League associate Steve Trevor, transforming him into a resurrected—yet still infantile—Darkseid.[100]
Injustice: Gods Among Us[]
In the prequel comic to the video game Injustice: Gods Among Us, Shazam joins Superman's Regime in establishing a new approach to ending crime. Similar to the Golden Age version, this Shazam is suggested to have two personalities: Billy Batson is a separate person from Shazam. In Year One he, like the Flash, is somewhat skeptical of Superman's intentions, as his actions are often immoral; one chapter particularly focuses on his contradicting views on the matter. Ultimately, Shazam decides to stay and support the Regime, devoted to its cause. Years Two and Three see him helping to fight, respectively, the Green Lantern Corps and the magic users that Batman recruits for his Insurgency. He becomes the object of Harley Quinn's affection, being bound and gagged by her in Year Four. He is freed by Ares to join the Regime in combating the Amazon army and Greek gods, but just when they seem to be winning Zeus strips him of his powers, reverting him to Billy permanently. He, Harley (for trying to help him), and Hippolyta are sent to Tartarus as punishment, though they escape and Billy is left out of the conflict without his powers. Eventually, Zeus is forced to return Billy's power after the Highfather intervenes in the conflict. In Year Five Shazam's relationship with Harley is complicated when she confronts him about being in the Regime despite their growing tyranny, Shazam defending his presence with the Insurgency by arguing that he acts as a moral compass to stop the others going too far.
In game, Captain Marvel appears with the Flash in Atlantis to discuss the treaty between the city and the regime with Aquaman. They are instead confronted by an alternate version of the sea king and are both defeated in the ensuing battle. Captain Marvel is later seen fighting the resistance and stops Lex Luthor from using a kryptonite laser to kill Superman, enabling the latter to kill him in retribution. Later at the Fortress of Solitude, Batson speaks out against Superman's plans to wipe out other cities, stating that the Regime has finally gotten out of hand. Superman soon kills him with his heat vision, challenging anyone else to oppose him before his body is taken away by Solomon Grundy.
Supporting cast[]
In the traditional Shazam! 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: the wizard Shazam, who empowers the team; Captain Marvel's sister Mary Marvel; and Marvel's protégé, Captain Marvel, Jr. Before the Crisis on Infinite Earths miniseries, the Marvel Family also included part-time members such as Mary's non-powered friend "Uncle" Dudley (Uncle Marvel), Dudley's non-powered niece Freckles Marvel, and a team of protégés (all of whose alter egos are named "Billy Batson") known as the Lieutenant Marvels. A pink rabbit version of Captain Marvel, Hoppy the Marvel Bunny, appeared in his own stories featuring a funny-animal cast.
Over the course of his adventures, Captain Marvel has gained an extensive rogues gallery, the most notable of whom include the evil mad scientist Doctor Sivana (and, pre-Crisis, the Sivana Family); Shazam's corrupted previous champion Black Adam, who has powers from Egyptian gods; Adolf Hitler's champion Captain Nazi; and the mind-controlling worm, Mister Mind, and his Monster Society of Evil. Other Marvel Family foes include the evil robot Mister Atom; the "World's Mightiest Immortal" Oggar, a god with magical powers who had been a former pupil of Shazam; and Ibac and Sabbac, demon-powered supervillains who transform by speaking magic words made up of beings who give them power in a manner similar to Captain Marvel.
The Marvel Family's non-powered allies have traditionally included Dr. Sivana's good-natured adult offspring, Beautia and Magnificus Sivana; Mister "Tawky" Tawny the talking tiger; WHIZ radio president and Billy's employer Sterling Morris; and Billy's girlfriend Cissie Sommerly. Jerry Ordway's Power of Shazam! series also introduced Billy's school principal Miss Wormwood and Mary's adoptive parents Nick and Nora Bromfield.
The current-continuity version of Shazam has five foster siblings, with whom he can share his powers at will: Mary Batson, Freddy Freeman, Pedro Peña, Eugene Choi, and Darla Dudley. Shazam can also share his powers with Tawny, a tiger at the local city zoo whom he considers family.[64]
Collected editions[]
Many of the character's appearances have been collected into several volumes:
- Special Edition Series: Book 1 - Whiz Comics (1974, DynaPubs). This softcover volume features Golden Age adventures of Captain Marvel from Whiz Comics #7-28 in black & white. 8 1/2-in. x 11-in., 208 pages.
- Special Edition Series: Book 3 - Captain Marvel Jr. (1975, DynaPubs). This softcover volume reprints Captain Marvel Jr. stories from Master Comics #27-42 in black & white. Four covers are featured in full color on the back cover. 8 1/2-in. x 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 1970s Shazam! series in black & white, with some color pages. Stories by Bill Parker, Otto Binder, and others; art by C.C. Beck, Marc Swayze, Mac Raboy, Kurt Shaffenberger, and others. Introduction by E. Nelson Bridwell. 352 pages.
- The Monster Society of Evil: Deluxe Limited Collector's Edition (1989, American Nostalgia Library, ISBN 0-948248-07-6). Compiled and designed by Mike Higgs. Reprints the entire "Monster Society of Evil" story arc that ran for two years in Captain Marvel Adventures #22–46 (1943–1945), in which Captain Marvel meets Mister Mind and his Monster Society of Evil. This oversized, slipcased hardcover book was strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies.
- The Shazam! Archives, Volumes 1–4 (1992, ISBN 1-56389-053-4; 1998, ISBN 1-56389-521-8; 2002, ISBN 1-56389-832-2; 2005, ISBN 1-4012-0160-1). Hardcover volumes reprinting Captain Marvel's adventures from his earliest Fawcett appearances in titles such as Whiz Comics, Master Comics, and Captain Marvel Adventures from 1940 to 1942. Stories by Bill Parker, Ed Herron, and others; art by C.C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Mac Raboy, Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, George Tuska, and others.
- The Shazam! Family Archives Volume 1 (2006, ISBN 1-4012-0779-0). This spin-off volume features the adventures of Captain Marvel, Jr., from Master Comics #23–32 and Captain Marvel, Jr. #1, as well as the origin of Mary Marvel from Captain Marvel Adventures #18. Stories by various writers; art by Mac Raboy, Al Carreno, Marc Swayze, and C.C. Beck.
- Shazam! and the Shazam Family! Annual No. 1 (2002). An 80-Page Giant-style, squarebound paperback collection reprinting several Golden Age Marvel Family adventures from Captain Marvel Adventures #18 (December 1942), Captain Marvel, Jr. #12 (October 1943), and The Marvel Family #1 (December 1945) and #10 (April 1947), including the first appearances of Mary Marvel and Black Adam. Stories by Otto Binder; art by C.C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Mac Raboy, Marc Swayze, Bud Thompson, and Jack Binder.
- Showcase Presents: Shazam! Volume 1 (2006, ISBN 1-4012-1089-9). A 500-page trade paperback featuring black-and-white reprints of stories from the 1970s Shazam! ongoing series, collecting only the new material that was published (and not the Golden Age reprints) in issues #1–33. Written by Dennis O'Neil, E. Nelson Bridwell, and Elliott Maggin; art by C.C. Beck, Kurt Schaffenberger, Dave Cockrum, Dick Giordano, and others.
- The Trials of Shazam!, Volumes 1 –2 (2007, ISBN 1-4012-1331-6; 2008, ISBN 1-4012-1829-6). Volume 1 reprints Trials of Shazam! #1-6 and a short story from DCU Brave New World #1. Volume 2 reprints #7-12.
- Shazam! The Greatest Stories Ever Told (2008, ISBN 1-4012-1674-9). A compilation featuring Captain Marvel stories collected from the Fawcett publications Whiz Comics #2; Captain Marvel Adventures #1, 137, 148; The Marvel Family #21, 85; and the DC publications Shazam! #1, 14; DC Comics Presents Annual #3; Superman #276; L.E.G.I.O.N. '91 #31; The Power of Shazam! #33; and Adventures in the DC Universe #15. An expanded anthology, Shazam! A Celebration of 75 Years, (ISBN 1-4012-5538-8) was published in hardcover format in 2015.
- Superman vs. Shazam! (2013, ISBN 1-4012-3821-1). A compilation featuring past team-ups between The Man of Steel and the World’s Mightiest Mortal in this collection also featuring Mr. Mxyzptlk, Mr. Mind, Captain Nazi, Black Adam and more. Collects All-New Collector’s Edition C-58, DC Comics Presents #33-34 and #49, and DC Comics Presents Annual #3.
- Shazam! Vol. 1 (2013, ISBN 978-1-4012-4244-2). Compiles the revised New 52 origins of Billy Batson and Shazam from backup features originally printed in Justice League Vol. 2 #0, 7–11, 14–16, 18–21. Story by Geoff Johns, art by Gary Frank.
In other media[]
Live-action films[]

DVD front cover for Adventures of Captain Marvel film serial, starring Tom Tyler in the title role.
The first filmed adaptation of Captain Marvel was produced in 1941. Adventures of Captain Marvel, starring Tom Tyler in the title role and Frank Coghlan, Jr. as Billy Batson, was a 12-part film serial produced by Republic Pictures. This production made Captain Marvel the first superhero to be depicted in film. The Adventures of Captain Marvel (for which the man-in-flight effects techniques, ironically, were originally developed for a Superman film serial that Republic never produced)[101] predated Fleischer Studios' Superman cartoons by six months.[101]
In 1950, Columbia Pictures released the comedy/mystery The Good Humor Man with Jack Carson, Lola Albright, and George Reeves. The storyline has Carson as an ice cream vendor who also belongs to a home-grown Captain Marvel Club with some of the kids in the neighborhood.[102] Fawcett released a tie-in one-shot the same year the movie appeared, Captain Marvel and the Good Humor Man.[103]
DC Extended Universe[]
New Line Cinema began development of a Shazam! live-action feature film in the early 2000s, with multiple screenplay drafts by William Goldman, the team of Alec Sokolow & Joel Cohen, Bryan Goluboff, and John August. Peter Segal[104] was attached as director and former wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was in talks to appear as Black Adam.[105] New Line Cinema was absorbed into Warner Bros. during the course of pre-production. Following the success of Warner's film noir-inspired Batman film The Dark Knight and the commercial failure of its lighter, family-friendly Speed Racer during the summer of 2008, August departed from the project after being forced to make the film's script more in line with The Dark Knight's serious tone.[106][107] In the summer of 2009, it was announced that Bill Birch and JSA/52 co-author Geoff Johns were assigned to write the screenplay, while Segal remained attached as director.[108] In August 2010, Los Angeles Times columnist Geoff Boucher reported that discussions had begun to possibly cancel the theatrical Shazam! film and do a live-action series for prime time network television instead;[109] by December 2013, Segal reported that the film would not be happening.[110] However, on April 28, 2014, The Wall Street Journal revealed an upcoming slate of Warner Bros. films based on DC Comics properties, including a Shazam! film to be potentially released in 2016.[111][112][113]
Dwayne Johnson confirmed the project and his attachment on August 20, 2014,[114] officially announcing his casting as Black Adam on September 3, 2014.[115] Shazam!, still a New Line Cinema production being released through Warner Bros,[116] is being executive produced by Toby Emmerich. Screenwriter Darren Lenke, of Jack the Giant Slayer and Turbo, was hired to write the script.[116] Emmerich told Entertainment Weekly in an interview that the film will have a tone unto itself separate from the concurrent Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice film; with a sense of fun and humor, but with real stakes and an anti-hero version of Black Adam.[117] On October 15, 2014, Warner Bros. announced Shazam! for a 2019 release as the ninth installment of the DC Extended Universe.[118][119] Actors Derek Theler and Alan Ritchson expressed interest in the role of Shazam.[120][121]
In January 2017, DC and New Line Cinema announced that the Shazam! film would be developed as two films rather than one, adding a Black Adam solo film which will star Dwayne Johnson to its development schedule.[122] As a result, neither Johnson nor Black Adam will appear in the first Shazam! film set to begin production in 2018.[123] In February, Henry Gayden announced that he is now writing the film.[124], and in July, David F. Sandberg was confirmed as director of Shazam![125] On October 27, 2017, Zachary Levi was cast in the title role.[126] On November 6, 2017, Asher Angel was cast as Billy Batson, Shazam's young alter ego.[127] The following month, Grace Fulton was cast as Mary Bromfield, while Mark Strong entered negotiations to play the film's main villain, Doctor Sivana.[128] On December 6, 2017, Jack Dylan Grazer was cast as Freddy Freeman, Billy Batson's best friend.[129] On December 12, 2017, Ian Chen and Jovan Armand were cast as Eugene Choi and Pedro Peña, respectively, two children from the same group home as Billy, with Cooper Andrews cast on December 19 as the group home kids' foster father.[130] On December 21, Faithe Herman was cast as Darla Dudley. [131]
Shazam! is scheduled to begin filming in Ontario, Canada, primarily at the Pinewood Toronto Studios, on February 5, 2018, with production continuing until May 4, 2018.[132][133] The film is scheduled to be released on April 5, 2019 by Warner Bros. Pictures.[134]
Direct-to-video animated films[]
- Captain Marvel's first appearance in Warner Bros. Animation's line of DC Universe Animated Original Movies direct-to-video films was a brief cameo in 2008's Justice League: The New Frontier. The character had a more substantial role in the 2009 animated film Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, based on a Superman/Batman comic book arc in which Marvel battles Superman under orders from United States president Lex Luthor. Captain Marvel was voiced by Corey Burton. An uncredited Rachael MacFarlane voiced Billy Batson.
- In Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths an evil Earth 3 version of Captain Marvel named "Captain Super" appears.
- Captain Marvel appears in an animated short film entitled Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam (released on the DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection DVD compilation as part of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies) with Jerry O'Connell reprising his role as Captain Marvel and Billy Batson voiced by Zach Callison.[135][136][137]
- Captain Thunder and the S.H.A.Z.A.M. kids appear in the animated movie adaptation of Flashpoint, Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox, with Pedro Peña and Billy Batson voiced by Candi Milo and Jennifer Hale, and Captain Thunder voiced by Steven Blum.
- In 2014, the character – now renamed Shazam – appeared in the animated film Justice League: War. Zach Callison reprised his role as Billy Batson, and Shazam is voiced by Sean Astin. Billy is living in a foster home and is a fan of Vic "Victory" Stone. After stealing Vic's jersey, Billy takes notice that something is lurking in his backyard. Taking a bat, he yells "SHAZAM!" and smacks the Parademon away. He heads to S.T.A.R. labs, where he is shocked to find Vic turned into Cyborg; they both join the other heroes in trying to blind Darkseid and send his troops home. Forced to use the blast of his transformation to recharge the boom tube, Billy asks Cyborg to keep his identity secret.
- Shazam appears in the animated film Justice League: Throne of Atlantis, voiced again by Sean Astin. Unlike Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern, who prefer to work solo, Shazam frequents the Hall of Justice to see Cyborg. He appears to have meddled with the sign above the door to have his goofy team name, given it was being taken down. At the end of the film, he suggests Aquaman's codename based on the gossip on the internet.
- Shazam himself does not appear in Justice League vs. Teen Titans, although his absence is mentioned by other Justice League members.
Radio[]
In about 1943, a radio serial of Captain Marvel was briefly broadcast (possibly by either Mutual or NBC) 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 historian Jim Harmon via recollections of old time radio fans who recalled hearing it during original broadcasts, plus locating period program listings.[138]
Television[]
- Captain Marvel first came to television in 1974. Filmation produced Shazam!, a live-action television show, which ran from 1974 to 1977 on CBS. From 1975 until the end of its run, it aired as one-half of The Shazam!/Isis Hour, featuring Filmation's own The Secrets of Isis as a companion program.

Jackson Bostwick as Captain Marvel on CBS' Shazam! Saturday morning TV series.
Instead of directly following the lead of the comic, the Shazam! TV show 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 US, 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. 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! starred Michael Gray as Billy Batson, with both Jackson Bostwick (season 1) and John Davey (seasons 2 and 3) as Captain Marvel.[139] An adapted version of Isis, the heroine of The Secrets of Isis, was introduced into DC Comics in 2006 as Black Adam's wife in the weekly comic book series 52.
Shortly after the Shazam! 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 by Hanna-Barbera Productions under the name Legends of the Superheroes in 1979. The specials also featured Howard Morris as Doctor Sivana, and Ruth Buzzi as Aunt Minerva, marking the first appearance of those characters in film or television. Although Captain Marvel did not appear in Hanna-Barbera's long-running concurrent Saturday morning cartoon series Super 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 for an animated Shazam! cartoon, which ran on NBC from 1981 to 1982 as part of The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! with Captain Marvel voiced by Burr Middleton. 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.
- Captain Marvel and/or Billy Batson made brief "cameo" appearances in two 1990s TV series. Billy has a non-speaking cameo in the Superman: The Animated Series episode "Obsession", while live actors portraying Captain Marvel make "cameo" appearances in both a dream-sequence within an episode of The Drew Carey Show, and in the Beastie Boys' music video for "Alive".

Captain Marvel fights Superman in the "Clash" episode of Cartoon Network's Justice League Unlimited.
- Captain Marvel's first formal appearance in a DC animated universe series, the name given to the animated DC Comics spin-off productions produced by Bruce Timm and/or Paul Dini, was as the main guest star character of the Justice League Unlimited episode "Clash", originally aired in 2005 on Cartoon Network. Captain Marvel was voiced by Jerry O'Connell, and Billy Batson by Shane Haboucha. In this episode, Captain Marvel joins the Justice League, but his positive opinions about supervillain Lex Luthor's apparent reform create a heavy strain on his relationship with Superman. This tension eventually leads to an all-out battle between Marvel and Superman, who are both unaware that Marvel is unwittingly a pawn in a plot by Luthor and Amanda Waller to damage Superman's image.[citation needed]
- Captain Marvel made seven appearances in Cartoon Network's Batman: The Brave and the Bold series, with Captain Marvel voiced by Jeff Bennett and Billy Batson by Tara Strong.[140] After first appearing in the opening teaser to the episode "Death Race to Oblivion!", Marvel appeared in two episodes dedicated to his world during the show's second season. "The Power of Shazam!" featured Captain Marvel/Billy Batson alongside the Sivana Family, Black Adam, the wizard Shazam, Aunt Minerva, and Mary Batson, while "The Malicious Mr. Mind" featured the Marvel Family, Sivana, Mr. Mind, and the Monster Society of Evil. Captain Marvel also appears in the two-episode season 2 storyline "The Siege of Starro!", and the third season episodes "Night of the Batmen!" and "Crisis: 22,300 Miles Above Earth!"
- Captain Marvel also appeared as a recurring character in the ongoing DC Comics–based Cartoon Network series Young Justice (2011–present), with Captain Marvel voiced by Rob Lowe[141] and later by Chad Lowe, while Billy Batson is voiced by Robert Ochoa. Depicted as a member of the Justice League, Marvel is introduced as the team's new "den mother" in the episode "Alpha Male" after Red Tornado's disappearance. At various times, he sometimes joins the teenage heroes of Young Justice on their missions. Billy is 10 years old in his season 1 appearances, and 15 in season 2 which takes place five years later.
- Shazam, Billy Batson, and several of their supporting characters appear in three one-minute Shazam! DC Nation cartoon shorts produced in 2014 as interstitials for Cartoon Network's Saturday morning programming.[142] Featuring designs inspired by the 1930s Fleischer Studios Popeye cartoons, the three shorts — "Courage", "Wisdom", and "Stamina" — feature Tara Strong reprising her role as the voice of Billy Batson and David Kaye voicing Shazam.
- Shazam appears as a guest character in the 2016 Cartoon Network animated TV series Justice League Action, with Shazam and Billy Batson both voiced by Sean Astin. Billy Batson first appears in "Classic Rock" where he is summoned by the Wizard to help fight Black Adam at the Rock of Eternity. In the episode "Abate and Switch," Batman brings Billy Batson to where the Justice League are fighting Black Adam and Brothers Djinn members Abnegazar, Rath, and Nyorlath.[143]
Video games[]
- Captain Marvel made his first official video game appearance as a playable character in Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, played by Stephan Scalabrino and voiced by Kevin Delaney, for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game consoles. In the story, Captain Marvel is among several DC superheroes teleported to the Mortal Kombat video game universe when the two universes merge, and characters from each franchise are forced to do battle.
- Captain Marvel also appears as a "jump-in" hero character in the Wii/Nintendo DS adaptations of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Jeff Bennett.
- Captain Marvel appears in the MMORPG DC Universe Online, in LEGO Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, available on PS3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Nintendo Wii, and Nintendo Wii U, voiced by Travis Willingham and as a playable character in Infinite Crisis, voiced by Jerry O'Connell.[144]
- As Shazam, the hero appears as a playable fighter in Injustice: Gods Among Us, voiced by Joey Naber. In the beginning, Shazam is seen fighting Black Adam. The alternate Shazam initially fights for Superman's oppressive Regime, and even saves Superman's life, but eventually publicly protests Superman's brutal tactics, leading Superman to murder him. His death, though, is not in vain, as it causes the alternate Flash to defect to the Insurgency with critical information. In the Arcade Mode, Shazam's ending has the Justice League members that fought the Regime become possessed by an alien force. Shazam must rally the Marvel Family to defeat them.[145]
- The late-alternate Shazam is later being mentioned by most of the casts in the sequel Injustice 2.
- Shazam! reappears as a playable character in LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, where he is able to change into his alter ego (Billy Batson) and back at will. This time Shazam! is instantly on the console versions without downloadable content.
Comic strips[]
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.[146]
Cultural impact[]
Captain Marvel vs. Superman in fiction[]

Superman and Captain Marvel face off in the 1996 Kingdom Come miniseries. Art by Alex Ross.
Captain Marvel's adventures have contributed a number of elements to both comic book culture and pop culture in general. The most notable contribution is the regular use of Superman and Captain Marvel as adversaries in Modern Age comic book stories. The two are often portrayed as equally matched and, while Marvel does not possess Superman's heat vision, x-ray vision or 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",[147] a satirical comic book story by Harvey Kurtzman and Wally Wood in the fourth issue of Mad (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 for Strength, Health, Aptitude, Zeal, Ox (power of), Ox (power of another), and Money. 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 its Shazam! revival in the 1970s, DC Comics published a story in Superman #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.[148] 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 red kryptonite, meaning he and Marvel battle, but Marvel restores his mind to normal with lightning.
In Shazam! #30 (1977), Dr. Sivana creates several steel creatures to destroy Pittsburgh's steel mills, after getting the idea from reading an issue of Action 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 include All-New Collectors' Edition #C-58 (1978), All-Star Squadron #36–37 (1984), and Superman vol. 2, #102 (1995). The Superman/Captain Marvel battle depicted in Kingdom 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 of the DC-based animated TV series Justice League Unlimited, which includes Captain Marvel as a guest character, features a Superman/Captain Marvel fight as its centerpiece. By contrast, the depiction of the pair's first meeting in the Superman/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.[149]
See also[]
- C.C. Beck
- Otto Binder
- Fawcett Comics
- National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc.
- Marvelman
- Comparison of Marvel and DC
References[]
- ↑ Tipton, Scott (April 1, 2003). "The World's Mightiest Mortal". Comics 101. Archived from the original on June 14, 2005. Retrieved 2005-06-17.
I've always felt that it was this origin story and concept that made Captain Marvel instantly popular, to the point that it was outselling every comic on the stands for several years throughout the '40s.
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: ; deadurl - ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Comic Book Success Stories". The Museum of Comic Book Advertising. Retrieved 2005-06-17.
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. Captain Marvel's circulation numbers exceeded National's Superman title and the rivalry between the companies led National to sue Fawcett for plagiarism.
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: - ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The World's Mightiest Mortal and Big Red Cheese". The Museum of Comic Book Advertising. Retrieved 2005-06-17.
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.
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: - ↑ 4.0 4.1 Smith, Zack (30 December 2010). "An Oral History of CAPTAIN MARVEL: The Lost Years, pt. 3". Newsarama. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
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: - ↑ Bricken, Rob. "The Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel/Shazam Clusterf*ck Explained". Retrieved 5 December 2017.
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: - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Exclusive: GEOFF JOHNS Hopes Lightning Strikes SHAZAM!". Newsarama.com. 2012-01-26. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
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: - ↑ "Wizard's Top 200 Characters". Wizard. Archived from the original on 2011-06-08. Retrieved 2011-05-18.
{{cite web}}
: ; deadurl Note: External link consists of a forum site summing up the top 200 characters of Wizard Magazine since the real site that contains the list is broken. - ↑ "Captain Marvel is number 50". IGN. Retrieved 2011-05-18.
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: - ↑ "Best Heroes of All Time". UGO Networks. Archived from the original on January 10, 2013. Retrieved 2014-08-13.
{{cite web}}
: ; deadurl - ↑ 10.0 10.1 Hembeck, Fred (June 18, 2003). "Johnny Thunder and Shazam!". The Hembeck Files. Retrieved 2005-06-22.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Tom Heintjes (2015-07-04). "An Interview with C.C. Beck | Hogan's Alley". Cartoonician.com. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Beck, C. C. (2001). Fawcett Companion: The Best of FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America). Raleigh, NC: TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 28–29. ISBN 978-1-893905-10-8. http://www.marvelfamily.com/faq/mfinspiration.aspx.
- ↑ "Marvel Family Inspiration". MarvelFamily.com. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Captain Marvel Earth's Mightiest Mortal". JLA. Loknar54.com. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
{{cite web}}
: [dead link] - ↑ "Shazam Fun Facts". Fun Facts. MarvelFamily.com. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Hamerlinck, P.C., ed. (2001). Fawcett Companion: The Best of FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America). Raleigh, NC: TwoMorrows Publishing. ISBN 978-1-893905-10-8.
- ↑ Lavinie, Michael L. (Summer 1998). "Comic Books and Graphic Novels for Libraries: What to Buy" (PDF). Serials Review 2 (24): p. 34. Archived from the original on 2005-10-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20051002164350/http://www.ugr.es/~alozano/Translations/ComicBooksinLibraries.pdf. "In 1944, the best-selling comic book title (Captain Marvel Adventures) sold more than fourteen million copies for the year."
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Sergi, Joe (2015). The Law for Comic Book Creators: Essential Concepts and Applications. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 1-4766-1733-3.
- ↑ Hand, L. (Circuit Judge) (1951). "191 F.2d 594: National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc. et al United States Court of Appeals Second Circuit. - 191 F.2d 594 Argued May 4, 1951 Decided August 30, 1951". Justia US Law. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ 20.0 20.1 Ingersoll, Bob (May 31, 1985). "The Law is a Ass (Installment #66)". Comics Buyer's Guide (602). http://www.worldfamouscomics.com/law/back20001024.shtml. Retrieved June 19, 2005. (Detailed summary of the cases and rulings related to National Comics Publications v. Fawcett Publishing.)
- ↑ Wright, Bradford W. (2001). Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins. p. 57. ISBN 0-8018-7450-5.
- ↑ Wright, p. 156.
- ↑ Gore, Matthew H. "The Origins of Marvelman". Retrieved 2016-08-12.
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.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Phegley, Kiel. "CCI: Cup o' Joe – Marvelman at Marvel". Comic Books. ComicBookResources.com. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "NYCC: Marvel to Reprint Classic Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman 'Miracleman'". Hollywoodreporter.com. 2011-11-17. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/nycc-marvel-reprint-classic-alan-648083. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
- ↑ "NYCC: Cup O' Joe Announces Miracleman's Return". Comic Book Resources. 2013-10-12. Retrieved 2013-10-15.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ .php?ID=7827 Captain Marvel (M.F.) at the Comic Book DB
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Smith, Zack (31 December 2010). "An Oral History of CAPTAIN MARVEL: The Shazam Years, pt. 1". Newsarama. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ McAvennie, Michael (2010). "1970s". In Dolan, Hannah. DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle. Dorling Kindersley. p. 155. ISBN 978-0-7566-6742-9. "In 1972, DC acquired the rights to Captain Marvel and in 1973 they launched the series Shazam!, 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."
- ↑ Benton, Mike (1989). The Comic Book in America: An Illustrated History. Dallas: Taylor. p. 77. ISBN 0-87833-659-1.
- ↑ Wilson, Bill G. (1969). "Interview with Don Newton". The Collector (17).
- ↑ Hamerlinck, P.C. (December 2012). "When Worlds Collide: The Colossal-Sized Confrontation Between Superman and Captain Marvel". Back Issue! (TwoMorrows Publishing) (61): 65–68.
- ↑ "GCD :: Issue :: All-New Collectors' Edition #C-58". Comics.org. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Thomas, Roy (2017). Shazam: A New Beginning 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition [Introduction]. Burbank, CA: DC Comics, Inc.. pp. 5-6. ISBN 1401283128.
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 35.5 35.6 35.7 35.8 Thomas, Roy; Jerry Ordway (July 2001). "Not Your Father's Captain Marvel! An Artist-by-Artist Account of a Doomed Quest for a 1980s Shazam! Series". Alter Ego (Two Morrows Publishing) 3 (9): 9–17.
- ↑ Smith, Zack (2017-09-05). "An Oral History of DC's CAPTAIN MARVEL/SHAZAM: The New Beginning Years". Retrieved 2017-12-30.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Smith, Zack (February 25, 2011). "An Oral History of Captain Marvelo: Secret Shazam". Newsarama.com. Retrieved May 24, 2015.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Cereno, Benito. "The Evolution Of Shazam: Best Captain Marvel Stories By Decade". Comics Alliance. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved August 28, 2015.
{{cite web}}
: ; deadurl - ↑ Manning, Matthew K. "1990s" in Dolan, p. 269: "Writer Jerry Ordway chronicled the further adventures of Billy Batson, the World's Mightiest Mortal, in the new ongoing effort The Power of Shazam!, alongside artists Mike Manley and Peter Krause".
- ↑ The Power of Shazam! #48 (Jan. 2010)
- ↑ Titans vol. 2, #32 (Feb. 2011)
- ↑ Rogers, Vaneta (January 27, 2012). http://www.newsarama.com/comics/first-look-curse-of-shazam-preview-120127.html
- ↑ "Gary Frank (& Geoff Johns) Try to Lift 'The Curse of Shazam'!". Newsarama.com. 2011-10-17. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Kaplan, Don (2012-03-05). "Shazam electrifies again | New York Post". Nypost.com. http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/shazam_electrifies_again_puMbHg6BYwirdrl3U9BYwL. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
- ↑ 45.0 45.1 Hamerlinck, P.C., ed. (2001). Fawcett Companion: The Best of FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America). Raleigh, NC: TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 28-29. ISBN 1-893905-10-1.
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 46.2 46.3 Ordway, Jerry (1994). The Power of Shazam!. New York: DC Comics. ISBN 1-56389-153-0.
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 47.2 Shazam! #1 (1973)
- ↑ 48.0 48.1 Whiz Comics #2 (1940)
- ↑ The Marvel Family #7 (1946)
- ↑ The Power of Shazam! #5 (1995)
- ↑ Whiz Comics #3-4 (1940)
- ↑ Whiz Comics #3 (1940)
- ↑ Whiz Comics #4-5 (1940) - note that there are two issues of Whiz Comics numbered #5, as per The Shazam! Archives, Vol. 1, due to a numbering error at Fawcett.
- ↑ Captain Marvel Adventures #18 (1942)
- ↑ Schelly, Bill (2016). Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books. pp. 89-91. ISBN 1623170389.
- ↑ The Power of Shazam! #4 (1995)
- ↑ Shazam! The New Beginning #1 (1987)
- ↑ Shazam! The New Beginning #1-2 (1987)
- ↑ Justice League Vol. 2 #7 (May 2012)
- ↑ Justice League Vol. 2 #8 (April 2012)
- ↑ Justice League Vol. 2 #9 (July 2012)
- ↑ 62.0 62.1 Justice League Vol. 2 #0 (Nov. 2012)
- ↑ Justice League Vol. 2 #2, 7 (May 2012)
- ↑ 64.0 64.1 64.2 Justice League #21 (2013)
- ↑ Justice League #22-23 (2013)
- ↑ Justice of America #6 (2013)
- ↑ Justice League #30 (2014)
- ↑ 68.0 68.1 Justice League #31 (2014)
- ↑ Cimino, John. "SUPERMAN VS CAPTAIN MARVEL The Definitive Write Up on the Greatest Rivalry in Comics". Blog Adventures. Hero-Envy.com. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ 70.0 70.1 Captain Marvel Adventures #28
- ↑ Captain Marvel Adventures #139
- ↑ Captain Marvel Adventures #95
- ↑ Captain Marvel Adventures #98
- ↑ Captain Marvel Adventures #138
- ↑ World's Finest Comics #257
- ↑ World's Finest Comics #254
- ↑ Captain Marvel Adventures #144
- ↑ Whiz Comics #2 (Feb 1940)
- ↑ Shazam! #4 (1973)
- ↑ The Power of Shazam! #5, 7 (1996)
- ↑ 81.0 81.1 Day of Vengeance #6 (2005)
- ↑ The Marvel Family #10 (1947)
- ↑ Shazam! The New Beginning #1 (1987)
- ↑ The Trials of Shazam! #8 (2007)
- ↑ Justice League #20 (2014)
- ↑ Flashpoint #1 (May 2011)
- ↑ Flashpoint #4 (August 2011)
- ↑ Kingdom Come #4
- ↑ Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1 (August 2008)
- ↑ Final Crisis #7 (March 2009)
- ↑ Rogers, Vaneta (July 28, 2014). "GRANT MORRISON on MULTIVERSITY: It's Going to 'F' People Up". Retrieved December 30, 2014.
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: - ↑ Rogers, Vaneta (December 18, 2014). "CAMERON STEWART Brings Back CAPTAIN MARVEL For THE MULTIVERSITY: THUNDERWORLD". Retrieved December 30, 2014.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Justice League: Generation Lost #14
- ↑ Warmoth, Brian (February 7, 2007). "The Strategem of Smith (cached)". Wizard. Archived from the original on 2007-02-10. Retrieved 2007-03-04.
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: - ↑ Pumpelly, Danny (August 11, 2007). "WWC: DC New Worlds Order". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2007-08-26.
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: - ↑ "Review: Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! #14". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Johns, Geoff (w), Finch, David (p), Friend, Richard (i), Oback, Sonia (col), Leigh, Rob (let). "Forever Evil Chapter Six: The Power of Mazahs!" Forever Evil 6 (May 2014), DC Comics
- ↑ Forever Evil #6
- ↑ Forever Evil #7
- ↑ Justice League #50 #7
- ↑ 101.0 101.1 Witney, William. In a Door, Into a Fight, Out a Door, Into a Chase: Moviemaking Remembered by the Guy at the Door. McFarland & Company. ISBN 0-7864-2258-0.
- ↑ "Trying to Fly Without a Crimson Cape: The Beginning of the End". Glass House Presents. February 8, 2009. Archived from the original on December 17, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
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: ; deadurl - ↑ "Captain Marvel and the Good Humor Man". Grand Comics Database. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Exclusive: Peter Segal's Shazam Gets a New Title!". IESB.net. February 23, 2008. Archived from the original on July 21, 2011. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
{{cite web}}
: ; deadurl - ↑ Lee, Patrick (November 5, 2007). "Johnson is Shazam!'s Adam". Sci-Fi Wire. Archived from the original on December 11, 2008. Retrieved December 11, 2008.
{{cite web}}
: ; deadurl - ↑ Seijas, Casey (January 6, 2009). "Shazam! Screenwriter on Film Development: 'It Won't Be Happening'". MTV News. Retrieved 2008-01-07.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Marshall, Rick (January 13, 2009). "Captain Marvel/Shazam Movie Still Alive? Producer Michael Uslan Hints at Film's Future". MTV News. Retrieved 2008-01-19.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ McNary, Dave (August 19, 2009). "Bill Birch to write 'Shazam!' reboot". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118007487.html?categoryId=13&cs=1.
- ↑ Boucher, Geoff (2010-08-05). "Captain Marvel Takes Flight But Will He Ever Reach the Big Screen". Los Angeles Times. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/08/captain-marvel-dc-shazam.html.
- ↑ Lesnick, Silas (2013-12-23). "Interview: Director Peter Segal Steps Into the Ring for Grudge Match". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Justice League, Fables, 100 Bullets, Metal Men & Shazam Films Revealed". scifinow.co.uk. 2014-04-28. Retrieved 2014-04-29.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Fritz, Ben (2014-04-27). "Warner Bros. Plans 'Justice League' Movie Directed by Zack Snyder (Exclusive)". blogs.wsj.com. https://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/04/27/warner-bros-details-plans-for-justice-league-movie-exclusive/?KEYWORDS=Warner+Bros. Retrieved 2014-04-29.
- ↑ Finke, Nikki (June 12, 2014). "What Warner Bros/DC Comics Is Planning At Comic-Con In July". Nikki Finke. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
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: - ↑ Dave McNary (2014-08-19). "‘Shazam': Dwayne Johnson Confirms Role". Variety. https://variety.com/2014/film/news/dwayne-johnson-shazam-1201286278/. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
- ↑ "'The Rock' Dwayne Johnson Confirmed For Shazam Movie". Forbes.com. https://www.forbes.com/sites/markhughes/2014/09/03/the-rock-dwayne-johnson-confirmed-for-shazam-movie/. Retrieved 2015-07-08.
- ↑ 116.0 116.1 Eisenberg, Eric (3 September 2014). "Here's Why Shazam Will Be More Fun Than Other DC Films". Cinemablend. Cinema Blend LLC. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Franich, Darren (September 3, 2014). "New Line: 'Shazam' will have 'a tone unto itself' and 'a sense of fun'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 3, 2014.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ McMillan, Graeme (October 15, 2014). "Warner Bros. Announces 10 DC Movies, 3 Lego Movies and 3 'Harry Potter' Spinoffs". The Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/warner-bros-announces-10-dc-741008. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
- ↑ Ahmed, Tufayel (August 12, 2016). "EXCLUSIVE: HOW 'SHAZAM!' MOVIE WILL BUILD ON WARNER BROS.' RECENT DC COMICS MISFIRES". Newsweek.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ McGloin, Matt (September 15, 2016). "ALAN RITCHSON SAYS HE'S PLAYING SHAZAM OPPOSITE DWAYNE JOHNSON'S BLACK ADAM". Cosmic Book News.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Alan Ritchson [@alanritchson] (15 September 2016). "@twhitt126 yup!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Kit, Borys (January 19, 2017). "Dwayne Johnson's DC Villain Black Adam Getting His Own Movie". The Hollywood Reporter.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Hood, Cooper (July 21, 2017). "Dwayne Johnson Won't Be in Shazam, Confirms Geoff Johns". Screenrant.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ [1]
- ↑ Kit, Borys (July 20, 2017). "'Shazam!' Is Next DC Movie to Shoot (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (2017-10-27). "Zachary Levi To Star In DC's 'Shazam!' For New Line". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (2017-11-06). "DC's 'Shazam!' Taps 'Andi Mack' Star Asher Angel To Play Billy Batson". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Kit, Borys (2017-11-02). "'Shazam!': Mark Strong in Talks for Villain Role". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Couch, Aaron; Kit, Borys (December 6, 2017). "'It' Star Joins DC's 'Shazam!'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (2017-12-19). "'The Walking Dead's Cooper Andrews Cast In 'Shazam!'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2017-12-30.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ http://deadline.com/2017/12/ian-chen-jovan-armand-shazam-brian-astro-bradley-jr-luce-1202225185/
- ↑ Auger, Andrew (2017-09-18). "Shazam! Will Be Filming in Canada Next Year". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2017-09-20.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ MITCHELL, BEA (September 19, 2017). "Superhero movie Shazam! to start filming in early 2018" (in en). Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/shazam/news/a838482/shazam-movie-2019-release-date-dceu-filming-2018/. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
- ↑ Fischer, Russ (October 15, 2014). "DC Comics Movies Announced: 'Suicide Squad,' 'Wonder Woman,' 'Justice League,' 'The Flash,' 'Aquaman'". /Film. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "DC Showcase Animated Shorts". Comics Continuum. July 10, 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Collura, Scott (July 25, 2010). "SDCC 10: DC Shorts Showcase". IGN. Retrieved 2010-07-25.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Harvey, James (October 29, 2010). "Main Cast, Crew Details for Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam". Worlds Finest Online. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Hamerlinck, P.C. (June 2012) "The Boy Who Was Billy Batson: The Captain Marvel Radio Show Mystery". Alter Ego (TwoMorrows Publishing) (110): 75-79.
- ↑ Shazam! at the Internet Movie Database
- ↑ "Tara Strong on 'Batman', 'Chowder', 'Drawn Together' Movie". Voiceactors.wordpress.com. July 14, 2009. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "CCI: Shazam! Rob Lowe to Voice Captain Marvel in Young Justice". Comic Book Resources. July 22, 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-15.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Reyes, Free (September 3, 2014). "SHAZAM! 3 Short Films — Courage, Stamina, and Wisdom". GeekTyrant. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "December 15, 2016: New "Justice League Action" Clip – "Shazam Slam"". Superman Homepage. 2016-12-15.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ "Shazam". Infinite Crisis. Archived from the original on 2013-06-20. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
{{cite web}}
: ; deadurl - ↑ "Shazam character art found on the Injustice: Gods Among Us website, Ed Boon confirms DLC characters on Twitter". Eventhubs.com. Retrieved 2013-06-29.
{{cite web}}
: - ↑ Beck, C.C. (2001). "The Captain Marvel Daily Newspaper Strip". In Hamerlinck, P.C.. The Fawcett Companion. TwoMorrows Publishing. pp. 46–47.
- ↑ Wright, p. 146.
- ↑ Superman #276 (June 1974)
- ↑ Cimino, John (August 2013). "Superman vs. Captain Marvel The Definitive Write-Up on the Greatest Rivalry in Comics". Back Issue! (TwoMorrows Publishing) (66): 69–77.
Further reading[]
- Beck, C.C., Bill Parker (w). "Capt. Marvel" Whiz Comics 2 (February 1940, reprinted March 2000), Fawcett Publications (reprint by DC Comics)
- Beck, C.C., Denny O'Neil (w). "In the Beginning" Shazam! 1 (February 1973), National Periodical Publications
- Thomas, Roy and Dann, Tom Mandrake (w). Shazam! The New Beginning 1–4 (January–April 1987), DC Comics
- Ordway, Jerry (1994). The Power of Shazam!. New York: DC Comics. ISBN 1-56389-153-0.
- Smith, Jeff (2009). Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil. New York: DC Comics. ISBN 1-4012-0974-2.
- Johns, Geoff; Frank, Gary (2013). Shazam! Vol. 1 (The New 52). New York: DC Comics. ISBN 1-4012-4699-0.
- Kidd, Chip; Geoff Spear (2010). Shazam!: The Golden Age of the World's Mightiest Mortal. New York: Abrams ComicArts. ISBN 0-8109-9596-4.
External links[]


- Captain Marvel at Don Markstein's Toonopedia Archived from the original on April 9, 2012.
- Captain Marvel on DC Database, an external wiki, a DC Comics wiki
- Template:Dcauw
- Captain Marvel at the Internet Movie Database
- Captain Marvel (DC Comics) at the Open Directory Project
- Captain Marvel & Shazam from DC Wikia
- Captain Marvel & Shazam from Superhero Database
- Shazam! from Lego Marvel DC Wikia
- Captain Marvel from DC Animated Universe Wikia
- Shazam/Captain Marvel (William Joseph "Billy" Batson) from Justice League Action Wikia
- Captain Marvel & Shazam! from DC Movies Wikia
- Shazam & Billy Batson from DC Extended Universe Wikia
- Captain Marvel (DC Comics) from Superheroes Wikia
- Captain Marvel from Young Justice Wikia
- Captain Marvel from DC Comics Extended Universe Wikia
- Captain Marvel from Smallville Wikia
- Shazam from Unnatural World Wikia
- Shazam from Teen Titans Go! Wikia
- Captain Marvel from SuperFriends Wikia
- Shazam from Shazam Wikia
- Captain Marvel (DC Comics) from Wikipedia
- Shazam! from Uncyclopedia Wikia
- Captain Marvel from Batman: the Brave & the Bold Wikia
- Shazam from DC Universe Online Wikia
- Shazam from Injustice Wikia
- Shazam from Injustice Mobile Wikia
- Shazam (DC) from Heroes Wikia
- Shazam from Infinite Crisis Wikia
- Shazam from DC Animated Movie Universe Wikia
- Shazam from The New 52 Batman Wikia
- Shazam from Character Profile Wikia
- Shazam from JLADF Wikia
Template:Shazam Template:Otto Binder
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Nedor Comics | American Crusader • American Eagle • Black Terror • Captain Future • Cavalier • Doc Strange • Fighting Yank • The Ghost • Grim Reaper • Judy of the Jungle • Lance Lewis, Space Detective • Liberator • The Magnet • Miss Masque • Princess Pantha • Pyroman • The Scarab • The Woman in Red | |
Quality Comics | #711 • The Black Condor • Blackhawk • Blue Tracer • Bozo the Iron Man • Captain Triumph • The Clock • Doll Girl • Doll Man • Firebrand • The Human Bomb • The Invisible Hood • The Jester • Kid Eternity • Lady Luck • Madame Fatal • Magno • The Manhunter • Merlin the Magician • Midnight • Miss America • Mouthpiece • Neon the Unknown • Phantom Lady • Plastic Man • Quicksilver • The Ray • Red Bee • Red Torpedo • The Spider • Spider Widow • Uncle Sam • Wildfire • Wonder Boy | |
Timely Comics | The Angel • Black Marvel • The Black Widow • The Blazing Skull • The Blonde Phantom • The Blue Diamond • Breeze Barton • Bucky (Bucky Barnes) • Captain America • Citizen V • The Destroyer • Dynamic Man • Father Time • Ferret • Fin • Golden Girl • The Human Torch • Jack Frost • Laughing Mask • Marvel Boy • Miss America • Mercury • Namor • Namora • The Patriot • Red Raven • Sun Girl • Toro • Thin Man • Thunderer • Venus • The Vision • The Whizzer | |
Misc. | Anglo-American Publishing (Commander Steel) • Bell Features (Johnny Canuck • Nelvana of the Northern Lights •The Brain) • Cardal Publishing (Streamline) • Columbia Comics (The Face • Skyman) • Crestwood Publications ([[Atomic-Man] • Black Owl • Green Lama) • David McKay Publications (Vulcan) • Dell Comics (Owl) • Dynamic Publications (Dynamic Man • Yankee Girl) • EC Comics (Moon Girl) • Elliot Publishing Company (Kismet, Man of Fate) • Eastern Color Printing (Hydroman) • Frew Publications (The Phantom • Mandrake the Magician) • Harvey Comics (Black Cat • Captain Freedom • Shock Gibson • Spirit of '76) • Holyoke Publishing (Cat-Man and Kitten • Miss Victory) • Lev Gleason Publications (Captain Battle • Crimebuster • Daredevil • Silver Streak) • Maple Leaf Publishing (Iron Man • Brok Windsor) • Novelty Press (Target Comics (Target and the Targeteers) • Blue Bolt • Dick Cole, The Wonder Boy • Twister) • Rural Home Publications (The Green Turtle) |