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{{Short description|Comic book superhero}}
]
{{For|the Marvel character of the same name|Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics)}}
{{pp-move|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Use American English|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox comics character
| character_name = Captain Marvel / Shazam<!--Do not change this. This is an encyclopedia, and as such it needs to acknowledge the "Shazam" name as well. Personal preferences as to what he should be called should not come into play here.--><!--If the slash divides two words, there is no space. If it divides a single word from a phrase, it requires a space before and after.-->
| image = Shazam Captain Marvel.png
| converted = y
| caption = Captain Marvel as depicted in ''Shazam!: Power of Hope'' (November 2003). Art by ].
| alter_ego = William Joseph "Billy" Batson
| publisher = ] (1942–1953)<br>] (1972–present)
| debut = '']'' #2 (February 1940)<ref name=gcdb>{{gcdb issue|id=651|title=Whiz Comics #2}}</ref>
| creators = {{Plainlist|
* ]
* ]
}}
| species = ]
| alliances = ]<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]
| partners = ]<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]<br>] <small>(mentor)</small>
| aliases = Captain Thunder<br/>World's Mightiest Mortal<br/>King Shazam<br/>Captain Shazam <br>Lightning Guy
| supports =
| powers =
*By shouting the name "SHAZAM!", Billy is bestowed the powers of divine origin, primarily of Greek-Roman origin. These powers typically include:
**Superhuman physical attributes: strength, speed, durability, etc.
**Enhanced intelligence and knowledge
**Physical and magical invulnerability
**Control over lightning and magic
* Skilled hand-to-hand combatant and natural charisma makes him an apt ].
| cat = super
| subcat = Fawcett Comics
| hero = y
| sortkey = Captain Marvel
| addcharcat1 =
}}
'''Captain Marvel''', also known as '''Shazam''' ({{IPAc-en|ʃ|ə|ˈ|z|æ|m}}), is a <!--Do not add "fictional" as it is tautological; superheroes (and characters in general) are by definition implied to be fictionalized to some extent.-->] in ]s originally published by ] and currently published by ]. Artist ] and writer ] created the character in 1939. Captain Marvel first appeared in '']'' #2 (]d 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": ], ], ], ], ], and ]), is transformed into a costumed adult with the powers of superhuman strength, speed, flight, and other abilities. The character battles an extensive rogues' gallery, most of them working in tandem as the ], including primary ] ], ] and ]. Billy often shares his powers with other children, primarily his sister ] and their best friend/foster brother ], who also transform into superheroes and fight crime with Billy as members of the ], also known as the Shazam Family or Shazamily.


Based on comic book sales, Captain Marvel was the most popular superhero of the 1940s, outselling even ].<ref name="TiptonMoviePoopShoot">{{cite web | last=Tipton | first=Scott | title=The World's Mightiest Mortal | work=Comics 101 | date=April 1, 2003 | url=http://www.moviepoopshoot.com/comics101/6.html | access-date=2005-06-17 | quote=I've always felt that it was this origin story and concept that made Shazam instantly popular, to the point that it was outselling every comic on the stands for several years throughout the '40s. | url-status= dead | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20050614004150/http://www.moviepoopshoot.com/comics101/6.html | archive-date=June 14, 2005 }}</ref><ref name="ComicSuccessMuseum">{{cite web | title=Comic Book Success Stories | work=The Museum of Comic Book Advertising | url= http://comicbookads.leafpublishing.com/hall-of-covers/cover-display2-page2.htm | access-date= 2005-06-17 | quote=By the middle of the decade, Captain Marvel had received a self-titled comic book, ''Captain Marvel's Adventures'' ,<!--the proper name of the publication is "Captain Marvel Adventures"--> which had a circulation that reached 1.3 million copies per month. Shazam's circulation numbers exceeded National's Superman title and the rivalry between the companies led National to sue Fawcett for plagiarism.}}</ref> Captain Marvel was also the first comic book superhero to be adapted to film, in a 1941 ] ], '']'', with ] as Captain Marvel and ] as Billy Batson. Fawcett ceased publishing Captain Marvel-related comics in 1953, partly because of a ] alleging that Captain Marvel was a copy of Superman.<ref name="settlement" /> In 1972, Fawcett licensed the character rights to DC, which by 1991 acquired all rights to the entire family of characters. DC has since integrated Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family into their ] and has attempted to revive the property several times, with mixed success. Owing to trademark conflicts over ] owned by ],<ref name="NRLostYearsPt3">{{cite web | url=http://www.newsarama.com/6759-an-oral-history-of-captain-marvel-the-lost-years-pt-3.html | title=An Oral History of Captain Marvel: The Lost Years, pt. 3 | work=Newsarama | date=30 December 2010 | access-date=11 September 2014 | last= Smith | first= Zack}}</ref> DC has branded and marketed the character using the trademark ''Shazam!'' since his 1972 reintroduction.<ref>{{cite web| last1= Bricken|first1=Rob|title=The Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel/Shazam Clusterf*ck Explained|date=September 4, 2013 |url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-captain-marvel-ms-marvel-shazam-clusterf-ck-explai-1251423862| access-date=5 December 2017}}</ref> This led many to assume that "Shazam" was the character's name. DC renamed the mainline version of the character "Shazam" when ] its comic book properties in 2011,<ref name="NameChange" /> and his associates became the "Shazam Family" at this time as well.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe |isbn=9781465453570 |edition= first American |location= New York |pages= 272 |oclc=936192301|last1 = Cowsill|first1 = Alan|last2 = Irvine|first2 = Alex|last3 = Manning|first3 = Matthew K.|last4 = Wiacek|first4 = Stephen|year = 2016}}</ref>
{{redirect|Shazam}}
{{Superherobox|
image=]
|caption=Captain Marvel (left), and his young alter ego, Billy Batson. Art by ], originally used for the cover of '']'' no. 22.
|comic_color=background:#8080ff
|character_name=Captain Marvel
|real_name=William "Billy" Batson
|publisher=] (1939&ndash;1953) <br />] (1972&ndash;&nbsp;)
|debut='']'' no. 2 (1940, historical)<br />'']'' graphic novel (1994, ])
|creators=]<br />]
|alliance_color=background:#ffc0c0
|status=Active
|alliances=]<br />]<br />]
|previous_alliances=]
|aliases= The World's Mightiest Mortal, The Big Red Cheese, Captain Thunder
|relatives=C.C. Batson (father, deceased), Marilyn Batson (mother, deceased), Ebenezer Batson (uncle), Mary Batson (], sister)
|powers=Magically bestowed aspects of various mythological figures which includes vast super strength, invulnerability, super-speed, flight, fearlessness, and vast wisdom/enhanced mental perception.
|}}


DC's revival of ''Shazam!'' has been adapted twice for television by ]: as a ] with ] and ] as Captain Marvel and ] as Billy Batson, and as an ]. The 2019 ]/] film '']'', an entry in the ], stars ] as Shazam and ] as Billy Batson. Levi and Angel return in the sequel, ''].''
'''Captain Marvel''' is a ] ], originally published by ] and now owned by ]. Created in 1939 by ] and ], the character first appeared in '']'' # 2 (Feb, ]). With a premise that taps into adolescent fantasy, Captain Marvel is the ] of '''Billy Batson''', a youth who works as a ] ] and was chosen to be a champion of good by the ] ]. Whenever Billy speaks the wizard's name, he is instantly struck by a magic ] bolt that transforms him into an adult superhero empowered with the abilities of six mythological figures. Several friends and family members, most notably ] cohorts ] and ], can share Billy's power and become "Marvels" themselves.


==Publication history==
Hailed as "The World's Mightiest Mortal" in his adventures (and nicknamed "The Big Red Cheese" by ] ], an epithet adopted by fans as a nickname for their hero), Captain Marvel was (based on sales) the most popular superhero of the 1940s. The ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' series sold more copies than '']'' and other competing superhero books {{ref|TiptonMoviePoopShoot}}{{ref|ComicSuccessMuseum}}. Captain Marvel was also the first superhero to be adapted into film in ] ('']''). Fawcett ceased publishing Captain Marvel and Marvel Family comics in ]. This was due to both a general decline in the popularity of superheroes and a ] alleging similarities between Captain Marvel and Superman. DC licensed the Marvel Family characters in 1972 and acquired all rights in 1980. Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family have been integrated into the "]", and DC has attempted a few revivals. Captain Marvel has not regained widespread appeal with new generations, although a 1970s '']'' live action television series featuring the character was very popular.
===Development and inspirations===
{{multiple image
| width = 200
| image1 = FlashComicsAshcan.jpg
| alt1 = Flash Comics
| image2 = ThrillComicsAshcan.jpg
| alt2 = Thrill Comics
| footer = Covers of the ] for ''Flash Comics'' #1 and ''Thrill Comics'' #1, published by ] in November 1939. Art by ]
| align = left
| total_width = 200
}}


]'' #2 (Feb. 1940). Art by ]|left]]
Due to the fact that ] trademarked their '']'' comic book during the interim between the original Captain Marvel's Fawcett years and DC years, DC Comics has to promote and market their Captain Marvel/Marvel Family properties under the title '''''Shazam!''''' (based upon the aforementioned magic word as well as the name of the wizard). As a result, Captain Marvel himself is sometimes erroneously referred to as "Shazam".
After the success of ]' new superhero characters ] and ], ] started its own comics division in 1939, recruiting staff writer ] to create several hero characters for the first title in their line, tentatively titled ''Flash Comics''. Besides penning stories featuring his creations ], the ], the ], ], ], and ] for the new book, Parker also wrote a story about a team of six superheroes. Each superhero in this team possessed a special power granted to them by a mythological figure.<ref name="JohnnyShazam"/>


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".<ref name="JohnnyShazam">{{cite web | last=Hembeck | first=Fred | title=Johnny Thunder and Shazam! | work=The Hembeck Files | date=June 18, 2003 | url=http://www.proudrobot.com/hembeck/shazam2.html | access-date=2005-06-22}}</ref> Staff artist ] was recruited to design and illustrate Parker's story, rendering it in a direct, somewhat ]y 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 ], but going back to the old folk-tales and ]s of classic times."<ref>{{cite web |first=Tom |last=Heintjes |url=http://cartoonician.com/an-interview-with-c-c-beck/ |title=An Interview with C. C. Beck &#124; Hogan's Alley |publisher=Cartoonician.com |date=2015-07-04 |access-date=2015-07-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150710202422/http://cartoonician.com/an-interview-with-c-c-beck/ |archive-date=2015-07-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Full history==

] of ''Flash Comics'' no. 1. Art by C.C. Beck.]]
The first issue of the comic book, printed as both ''Flash Comics'' #1 and ''Thrill Comics'' #1,<ref>{{gcdb issue|id=172914|title=Thrill Comics #1}}</ref> had a low print run in the fall of 1939 as an ] created for advertising and ] 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 ] suggested changing Captain Thunder's name to "Captain Marvelous", which the editors shortened to "Captain Marvel". The ]s in the story were re-lettered to label the hero of the main story as "Captain Marvel".
===Development and inspirations===

After the success of ]' new superhero characters Superman and ], Fawcett Publications decided in 1939 to start its own comics division. Writer Bill Parker was recruited to create several hero characters for the first title in Fawcett's line, then to be called ''Flash Comics''. Besides penning stories featuring ], ], ], ], ], and ] 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. 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, and Parker responded by creating a character he called "Captain Thunder" {{ref|JohnnyShazam}}. Staff artist Clarence Charles "C.C." Beck was recruited to design and illustrate Parker's story, rendering it in a direct, somewhat ]y style that became his trademark.
====Introduction====
{{further|Captain Marvel Adventures}}
''Whiz Comics'' #2 (]d Feb. 1940) was published in late 1939. ''Captain Marvel,'' the comic's lead feature, introduced audiences to Billy Batson, an orphaned 12-year-old boy who, by speaking the name of the ancient wizard ], is struck by a magic lightning bolt and transformed into the adult superhero Captain Marvel. Shazam's name was an acronym derived from the six immortal elders who grant Captain Marvel his superpowers: ], ], ], ], ], and ].

In addition to introducing the main character, his alter ego, and his mentor, Captain Marvel's first adventure in ''Whiz Comics'' #2 also introduced his archenemy, the evil ], and found Billy Batson talking his way into a job as an on-air radio reporter with station WHIZ. ''Captain Marvel'' was an instant success, with ''Whiz Comics'' #2 selling over 500,000 copies.<ref name="ComicSuccessMuseum"/> By 1941, he had his own solo series, '']'', the premiere issue of which (cover-dated March 1941) was written and drawn by ] and ].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.comics.org/issue/1178/ |title=GCD :: Issue :: Captain Marvel Adventures # |website=www.comics.org |access-date=2018-09-15}}</ref> Captain Marvel continued to appear in ''Whiz Comics'', as well as periodic appearances in other Fawcett books, including '']''.

Captain Marvel's first appearance, '']'' #2, did not have any copyright registration or renewal.<ref name=gcdb />

====Inspiration and success at Fawcett====
]]]
Inspiration for Captain Marvel came from a number of sources. His visual appearance was modeled after that of ], a popular American actor of the period,<ref name=FC1>{{cite book |last=Beck |first=C. C. |title=Fawcett Companion: The Best of FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) |year=2001 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |location=Raleigh, NC |isbn=978-1-893905-10-8 |pages=28–29 |url= http://www.marvelfamily.com/faq/mfinspiration.aspx}}</ref> though comparisons with both ] and ] were made as well.<ref name=MarFam>{{cite web |title=Marvel Family Inspiration |url= http://www.marvelfamily.com/faq/mfinspiration.aspx |publisher=MarvelFamily.com |access-date=24 October 2011}}</ref> ]' founder, Wilford H. Fawcett, was nicknamed "Captain Billy", which inspired the name "Billy Batson" as well as Marvel's title.<ref name=LN>{{cite web |title=Captain Marvel "Earth's Mightiest Mortal" |url=https://www.quirkybyte.com/blog/2019/01/captain-marvel-mightiest-mortal |work=JLA |publisher=Quirkybyte.com |access-date=24 October 2011 }}</ref> Fawcett's earliest magazine was titled ''Captain Billy's Whiz Bang'', which inspired the title ''Whiz Comics''.<ref name=MF2>{{cite web |title=Shazam Fun Facts |url= http://www.marvelfamily.com/FunFacts/funfact.aspx?FFID=8 |work=Fun Facts |publisher=MarvelFamily.com |access-date=24 October 2011}}</ref> In addition, Fawcett took several of the elements that had made ] 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."<ref name="likeSupes">{{Cite book | editor-last=Hamerlinck | editor-first=P.C. | title=Fawcett Companion: The Best of FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) | location=Raleigh, NC | publisher=] | year=2001 | isbn=978-1-893905-10-8}}</ref>

Through much of the ], 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,<ref name="ComicBooksinLibraries">{{Cite news | last=Lavinie | first=Michael L. | title=Comic Books and Graphic Novels for Libraries: What to Buy | newspaper=Serials Review | volume=2 | issue=24 | page=34 | date=Summer 1998 | url=http://www.ugr.es/~alozano/Translations/ComicBooksinLibraries.pdf | quote=In 1944, the best-selling comic book title (''Captain Marvel Adventures'') sold more than fourteen million copies for the year. | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051002164350/http://www.ugr.es/~alozano/Translations/ComicBooksinLibraries.pdf | archive-date=2005-10-02 }}</ref> and was at one point being published bi-weekly with a circulation of 1.3 million copies an issue. Several issues of ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' included a blurb on their covers proclaiming the series the "Largest Circulation of Any Comic Magazine".<ref name="ComicSuccessMuseum"/>

The franchise was expanded to introduce ] characters to Captain Marvel between 1941 and 1942.<ref name="ComicLaw"/> ''Whiz Comics'' #21 (1941) introduced the ]: three other boys named "Billy Batson" who could also become adult superheroes. ], the alter-ego of disabled newsboy Freddy Freeman, debuted in ''Whiz Comics'' #25 (1941). ], alter-ego of Billy's twin sister Mary Batson, first appeared in ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #18 (1942). In contrast to Captain Marvel and the Lieutenants, both Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. remained kids in superhero form, and were given their own eponymous books in addition to appearing as the lead features in ''Master Comics'' and '']'', respectively.<ref name="ComicLaw">{{Cite book | last=Sergi| first=Joe | year=2015 | title=The Law for Comic Book Creators: Essential Concepts and Applications | location=Jefferson, North Carolina | publisher=McFarland |pages=44–53 | isbn=978-1-4766-1733-6}}</ref> Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., and Mary Marvel appeared together as a team in another Fawcett publication, ''The Marvel Family''.<ref name="ComicLaw"/> In addition, there was a ] spin-off character, ], which was created in 1942 for Fawcett's ''Funny Animals'' comic book and later given an eponymous series as well.<ref name="ComicLaw"/>

With Bill Parker having been drafted into ], chief writing duties on the Captain Marvel-related comics stories went to ] by 1942.<ref name="Binder01">{{Cite web |url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2016-09-16/page-two-otto-binder-had-a-vision/ |title=Page Two: Otto Binder Had a Vision |last=Black |first=Louis |date=2016-09-16 |work=Austin Chronicle |access-date=2018-09-15}}</ref> C.C. Beck remained as lead artist, and he and Binder steered the Captain Marvel stories towards a whimsical tone that emphasized comedy and fantasy elements alongside the superhero action. Other artists associated with the Marvel Family at Fawcett included ], ], ], and ].<ref>{{Cite book |title=Hero gets girl! : the life and art of Kurt Schaffenberger, illustrator of Lois Lane and Captain Marvel |first=Mark |last=Voger |date=2003 |publisher=TwoMorrows Pub |isbn=1893905292 |location=Raleigh, N.C. |pages=21–26, 122 |oclc=54539249 }}</ref> Otto Binder would write over 900 of the approximately 1,790 Captain Marvel-related stories published by Fawcett.<ref name="Binder01"/> Several of Captain Marvel's enduring supporting characters and enemies—including the non-powered ], ] the talking tiger, and the villains ] and ]—were created by Binder during the mid-to-late 1940s.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://comicsalliance.com/tribute-otto-binder/ |title=Remembering Otto Binder, Comics' Forgotten Genius |last=Cereno |first=Benito |date=2015-08-26 |website=ComicsAlliance |language=en |access-date=2018-09-15}}</ref>

===Copyright infringement lawsuit and cancellation===
] was the chief artist on the character throughout its Golden Age run at Fawcett, and illustrated stories for the first 10 issues of DC Comics' 1970s ''Shazam!'' revival series.]]
{{See also|National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc.}}
Detective Comics (later known as National Comics Publications, National Periodical Publications, and today known as ]) sued both Fawcett Comics and Republic Pictures for ] in 1941, alleging that Captain Marvel was based on their character Superman.<ref name="NationalFawcettLawsuit">{{cite web | url=http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/191/594/91314/ | title=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 | work=Justia US Law | date=1951 | access-date=6 September 2014 | author=Hand, L. (Circuit Judge)}}</ref> After seven years of litigation, '']'' 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 ], and it was decided that National had abandoned the Superman copyright.<ref name="IngersollLawisAss">{{Cite journal | last=Ingersoll | first=Bob | date=May 31, 1985 | title=The Law is a Ass (Installment #66) | journal=Comics Buyer's Guide | issue=602 | url= http://www.worldfamouscomics.com/law/back20001024.shtml | access-date=June 19, 2005}} (Detailed summary of the cases and rulings related to ''National Comics Publications v. Fawcett Publishing''.)</ref> As a result, the initial verdict, delivered in 1951, went in Fawcett's favor.

National appealed this decision, and Judge ] 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 ]. He therefore sent the matter back to the lower court for final determination.<ref name="IngersollLawisAss"/>

Instead of retrying the case, however, Fawcett ] 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.<ref>{{Cite book | last=Wright | first=Bradford W. | year=2001 | title=Comic Book Nation: The Transformation of Youth Culture in America | location=Baltimore | publisher=Johns Hopkins | isbn=0-8018-7450-5 | page=57}}</ref> Fawcett tried to revive the popularity of its Captain Marvel series in the early 1950s by introducing elements of the ] trend that had gained popularity at the time.<ref>Wright, p. 156.</ref>

Feeling that this decline in the popularity of superhero comics meant that it was no longer worth continuing the fight,<ref>{{cite web | last=Gore | first=Matthew H. | url=http://www.leylander.org/intercom/marvelman/ | title=The Origins of Marvelman | access-date=2016-08-12 | quote=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.}}</ref> Fawcett agreed on August 14, 1953, to permanently cease publication of comics with the Captain Marvel-related characters and to pay National $400,000 in damages.<ref name="settlement">{{cite web | url= http://comicbookads.leafpublishing.com/hall-of-covers/whiz99.htm | title=The World's Mightiest Mortal and Big Red Cheese | work=The Museum of Comic Book Advertising | access-date=2005-06-17 | quote=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.}}</ref><ref name="RetroFan4">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9L-ODwAAQBAJ&q=fawcett%2520august%252014%25201953&pg=PA29 |title=RetroFan #4 |last=Eury |first=Michael |date=2019-03-20 |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |language=en}}</ref> Fawcett shut down its comics division in the autumn of 1953 and fired its comic book staff. Otto Binder and Kurt Schaffenberger ended up at DC, becoming prominent members of the creative team for the Superman-related comics from 1954 through the 1960s.<ref>{{cite book|last = Voger|first = Mark|author2=Voglesong, Kathy |chapter= Front Page Romance|title= Hero Gets Girl!: The Life and Art Of Kurt Schaffenberger|publisher= ]|year= 2003|location= Raleigh, North Carolina|pages= 43–45|chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8_mF5qdrMR0C&q=Front+Page+Romance+Kurt+Schaffenberger&pg=PA43| isbn = 1-893905-29-2}}</ref> Schaffenberger snuck an unauthorized cameo by Captain Marvel into a story in '']'' #42 in 1963.<ref>Voger p. 45: "'That was sort of an 'in' joke.' Kurt later told an interviewer. 'Mort knew what I was doing. We both figured at that time that Captain Marvel was a thing of the past...He was colored differently – green instead of red, I think. But then when reprinted in a ''Lois Lane Annual'' , they put the red union suit on him.'"</ref>

''Whiz Comics'' had ended with issue #155 in June 1953, ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' was canceled with #150 in November 1953, and ''The Marvel Family'' ended its run with #89 in January 1954. Hoppy the Marvel Bunny was sold to ], where a few Fawcett-era stories from that strip were reprinted as ''Hoppy the Magic Bunny'', with all references to "Captain Marvel" and "Shazam" removed.<ref name="ComicLaw"/>

===''Marvelman''/''Miracleman''===
{{Main|Marvelman}}
In the 1950s, a small British publisher, ], published a number of ] 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, ], who created a thinly disguised version of the superhero called ]. Captain Marvel Jr. was adapted to create Young Marvelman, while Mary Marvel had her sex changed to create the male Kid Marvelman. The magic word "Shazam!" was replaced with "Kimota" ("Atomik" spelled backwards). The new characters took over the numbering of the original Captain Marvel's United Kingdom series with issue number #25.

''Marvelman'' ceased publication in 1963, but the character was revived in 1982 by writer ] in the pages of '']''. Beginning in 1985, Moore's black-and-white serialized adventures were reprinted in color by ] under the new title '']'' (as ] objected to the use of "Marvel" in the title), and continued publication in the United States after ''Warrior''{{'}}s demise. Within the ] 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 ]. In 2009, Marvel Comics obtained the rights to the original 1950s ''Marvelman'' characters and stories, and later purchased the rights to the 1980s version and those reprints in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/nycc-marvel-reprint-classic-alan-648083 |title=NYCC: Marvel to Reprint Classic Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman 'Miracleman' |work=]|date=2011-11-17 |access-date=2013-10-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=48465 |title=NYCC: Cup O' Joe Announces Miracleman's Return |website=Comic Book Resources |date= 2013-10-12 |access-date=2013-10-15}}</ref>

===M. F. Enterprises===
{{Main|Captain Marvel (M. F. Enterprises)}}
In 1966, ] produced their own Captain Marvel: an ] 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 ]".<ref>{{comicbookdb |character |7827|Captain Marvel (M.F.)}} The book sold poorly, and M.F. only published four issues of ] and two issues of ''Captain Marvel Presents the Terrible Five''.</ref> ] subsequently created their own character named Captain Marvel in 1967, and ] sued Marvel for trademark infringement. Fass accepted a $4,500 settlement from Marvel, and Marvel secured the trademark of the name.<ref name="slugfest">{{Cite book |title=Slugfest : inside the epic fifty-year battle between Marvel and DC |last=Tucker |first=Reed |publisher=Da Capo Press |year=2017 |isbn=978-0306825477 |edition= first |location=New York, NY |oclc=972386162}}</ref>

===Bill Black's attempted revival===
{{Main|Captain Paragon}}
Bill Black attempted to revive Captain Marvel in 1969, but written and drawn in a more realistic ] style for his ] ''Paragon Golden Age Greats, Vol. 1, #2''. However, on the legal advice of his friend and publishing mentor ], he decided that rather than risk legal trouble with ] it would be better to destroy the entire print run except for two copies that he saved for his personal files. Black then rewrote the story using his own newly created hero Captain Paragon.<ref>''Paragon's 1969 Captain Marvel "Revival"'', ''] #150'' (2018), ]</ref>

===C.C. Beck and Rocket's Blast Comicollector===
In 1970, fanzine ] (RBCC) staffed ], ], Robert Kline, and Gene Arnold for a special issue called ''The Rocket's Blast Special 8''. The comic book focuses on Captain Marvel's origins and creation through a series of columns by the group where they also discussed their history with Fawcett Publications. Along with new and exclusive art by Beck and Newton, the issue included an opinion piece by the staff strongly criticizing the copyright infringement lawsuit by Detective Comics. The opinion piece was titled ''THE DEMISE OF CAPTAIN MARVEL'' and is found on the very last page above where the staff still credits the copyright of Captain Marvel to Fawcett Publications.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Rocket's Blast Special 8 (all pages scanned)|url=https://www.reddit.com/r/captainmarvel/comments/z6xx58/rockets_blast_special_08_by_gene_arnoldbob|website=Reddit|date=November 28, 2022 }}</ref>

===DC Comics revival: ''Shazam!'' (1972–1978)===
{{Infobox comic book title <!--Misplaced Pages:WikiProject Comics-->
| 2ndary_box=y
| title = Shazam!
| image = Shazam No 01 1973.jpg
| caption = Cover of ''Shazam!'' #1 (Feb. 1973), the first key appearance of Captain Marvel in a DC publication, and his first in 20 years following the cancellation of the Fawcett Comics line.<br/>Art by ] with ] and ]
| schedule = {{collapsible list| '''(vol. 1)'''<br/> Eight times a year: #1–11; <br/>Bimonthly: #12–21; 25–35<br/>Quarterly: #22–24 <br/> '''(vol. 2)'''<br/> One-shot<br/> '''(vol. 3)'''<br/> Monthlyt<br/> '''(vol. 4)'''<br/> Monthly}}
| format = {{collapsible list| '''(vol. 1)'''<br/> Ongoing <br/> '''(vol. 2)'''<br/> One-shot<br/> '''(vol. 3)'''<br/> Ongoing<br/> '''(vol. 4)'''<br/> Ongoing}}
| publisher = ]
| genre= {{collapsible list| '''(vol. 1)'''<br/> ]/Humor <br/> '''(vol. 2)'''<br/> Superhero <br/> '''(vol. 3)'''<br/> Superhero}}
| date = {{collapsible list| '''(vol. 1)'''<br/> February 1973 – May–June 1978<br/> '''(vol. 2)'''<br/> March 2011 <br/> '''(vol. 3)'''<br/> December 2018 – September 2020 <br/> '''(vol. 4)'''<br/> May 2023-Present}}
| issues = {{collapsible list| '''(vol. 1)'''<br/> 35 <br/> '''(vol. 2)'''<br/> 1 <br/>'''(vol. 3)'''<br/> 15 <br/>'''(vol. 4)'''<br/> 1}}
| main_char_team = {{collapsible list| '''(vol. 1)'''<br/> Captain Marvel<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]<br/> '''(vol. 2)'''<br/>Shazam (Freddy Freeman)<br/>Mary Batson<br/>Billy Batson<br/>]<br/>'''(vol. 3)''' <br/> Shazam (Billy Batson) <br/> ] (Mary, Freddy, Darla, Eugene, Pedro) <br/> Doctor Sivana <br/> Mister Mind <br/>]<br/>C.C. Batson<br/>'''(vol. 4)''' <br/> The Captain (Billy Batson)}}
| writers = {{collapsible list| '''(vol. 1)'''<br/> ]<br/>] <br/> ] <br/> '''(vol. 2)'''<br/> ] <br/> '''(vol. 3)'''<br/> ]<br/>] <br/> '''(vol. 4)'''<br/> ]}}
| artists =
| pencillers = {{collapsible list| '''(vol. 1)'''<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]<br/>]<br/> '''(vol. 2)'''<br/> Cliff Richards <br/>'''(vol. 3)'''<br/> ] <br/> Mayo "SEN" Naito <br/> ] <br/> ]<br/>]<br/>'''(vol. 4)'''<br/> Dan Mora}}
| inkers = {{collapsible list| '''(vol. 1)'''<br/>]<br/>]<br/>] <br/>'''(vol. 2)'''<br/> Cliff Richards <br/>'''(vol. 3)'''<br/> ] <br/> Mayo "SEN" Naito <br/> ] <br/> ]<br/>]}}
| colorists ={{collapsible list| '''(vol. 4)'''<br/> Alejandro Sánchez}}
| creative_team_month =
| creative_team_year =
| creators = ] <br/> ]
}}

When superhero comics became popular again in the mid-1960s in what is now called the "]", Fawcett was unable to revive Captain Marvel, having agreed to never publish the character again as part of their 1953 settlement. Looking for new properties to introduce to the DC Comics line, at the urging of ] who recently defected from ],<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ross |first1=Alex |title=Why Shazam! Used to be Marvel {{!}} The History of Captain Marvel Explained by Alex Ross |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bodRtl_3654 |website=YouTube |date=June 20, 2019 |access-date=22 March 2023}}</ref> DC publisher ] decided to bring the Captain Marvel property back into print. On June 16, 1972, DC entered into an agreement with Fawcett to license the Captain Marvel and Marvel Family characters.<ref name="RetroFan4"/><ref name="NRShazamYearsPt1"/> Because Marvel Comics had by this time established ''Captain Marvel'' as a comic book trademark for ], created and first published in 1967, DC published their book under the name ''Shazam!''.<ref name="NRLostYearsPt3"/> Infantino attempted to give the ''Shazam!'' book the subtitle ''The Original Captain Marvel'', but a ] letter from Marvel Comics forced them to change the subtitle to ''The World's Mightiest Mortal'', starting with ''Shazam!'' #15 (December 1974).<ref name="NRShazamYearsPt1">{{cite web | url= http://www.newsarama.com/6771-an-oral-history-of-captain-marvel-the-shazam-years-pt-1.html | title=An Oral History of Captain Marvel: The Shazam Years Pt. 1 | work=Newsarama | date=31 December 2010 | access-date=14 September 2014 | author=Smith, Zack}}</ref> 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".<ref name="NameChange"/>

The ''Shazam!'' comic series began with ''Shazam!'' #1 (Feb. 1973). It contained both new stories and reprints from the 1940s and 1950s. ] was the primary writer of the book.<ref>{{cite book |last=McAvennie |first= Michael | editor-last=Dolan | editor-first=Hannah |chapter= 1970s |title = DC Comics Year By Year A Visual Chronicle |publisher=] |year=2010 |isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9 |page= 155 |quote = 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.}}</ref> His role was later taken over by writers ] and ]. ] drew stories for the first 10 issues of the book before quitting because of creative differences. ] and Fawcett alumnus ] were among the later artists of the title. As per DC's agreement with Fawcett, DC paid Fawcett—and after 1977, its successor ]—a licensing fee per issue, per page for each of the Fawcett characters who appeared, either in ''Shazam!'' or crossovers in other comic series.<ref name="AlterEgo9Article"/>

With DC's ] 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".<ref name="NRShazamYearsPt1"/> The Fawcett material was still considered ], with the Marvel Family's 20-year layoff explained in the comic as time spent in ] due to Doctor Sivana.<ref name="NRShazamYearsPt1"/> While the series began with a great deal of fanfare, the book had a lackluster reception.<ref name="NRShazamYearsPt1"/> 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 stories to life no matter how hard I tried".<ref>{{Cite book | last=Benton | first=Mike | year=1989 | title=The Comic Book in America: An Illustrated History | location=Dallas | publisher=Taylor | isbn=0-87833-659-1 | page=77}}</ref>

''Shazam!'' was heavily ] as of issue #34 (April 1978), and Bridwell provided more realistic stories, accompanied by similar art; the first issue was drawn by ] and ], and thereafter by ], a longtime fan of the character,<ref>{{Cite journal | title=Interview with Don Newton | journal=The Collector | issue=17 | first=Bill G. | last=Wilson | year=1969}}</ref> and Schaffenberger. Nevertheless, the next issue was the last one, though the feature was kept alive in a back-up position in the ]-formatted run of '']'' (from #253, October/November 1978, to #282, August 1982, skipping only #271, which featured a full-length origin of the Superman-Batman team story).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newsarama.com/8783-please-reprint-these-pt-2-specific-story-wishlist.html |title=Please Reprint These! Pt 2: Specific Story Wishlist |website=Newsarama |language=en |access-date=2018-09-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.comics.org/issue/32674/ |title=GCD :: Issue :: World's Finest Comics #253 |website=www.comics.org |access-date=2018-09-22}}</ref> 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 '']'' (#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 ''Adventure Comics'' #500 and the final #503, where two features were doubled up to complete their respective ]s).

Outside of their regular series and features, the Marvel Family characters also appeared as guest stars in the '']'' series, in particular issues #135–137 (vol. 1) for the "Crisis on Earth-S" story arc in 1976.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.comics.org/issue/30279/ |title=GCD :: Issue :: Justice League of America #135 |website=www.comics.org |access-date=2018-09-22}}</ref> '']'' #C-58 (April 1978) featured a "Superman vs. Shazam!" story by writer ] and artists ] and ].<ref>{{cite journal |last = Hamerlinck |first = P.C. |title = When Worlds Collide: The Colossal-Sized Confrontation Between Superman and Captain Marvel |journal= ] |issue = #61 |pages = 65–68 |publisher = TwoMorrows Publishing |date = December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.comics.org/issue/68932/ |title=GCD :: Issue :: All-New Collectors' Edition #C-58 |publisher=Comics.org |access-date=2015-07-08}}</ref>

Captain Marvel, and often the Marvel Family, also co-starred with Superman in several issues of '']'' written by ].<ref name="ThomasIntro"/> 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 ] characters.<ref name="AlterEgo9Article"/><ref name="ThomasIntro">{{Cite book |title=Shazam: A New Beginning 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition |last=Thomas |first=Roy |publisher=DC Comics, Inc. |year=2017 |isbn=978-1401283124 |location=Burbank, CA |pages=5–6}}</ref> The Marvels also guest-starred in several issues of '']'', a series centered on the Justice Society and the other ] characters written by Roy Thomas and his wife ]. As ''All-Star Squadron'' was set during World War II, several events of the comic fell concurrent with and referenced the events of the original early-1940s Fawcett stories.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Thomas |first=Roy |date=Spring 2001 |title= Hail, Hail, The Gang's All Here! |url=http://twomorrows.com/alterego/articles/08a-ss.html |magazine=Alter Ego |volume=3 |issue=8 |access-date=2018-09-22 }}</ref> With their 1985 '']'' ], DC fully integrated the characters into the ].

===Captain Marvel in the late 1980s===
The first ]{{Broken anchor|date=2024-12-24|bot=User:Cewbot/log/20201008/configuration|target_link=Crisis on Infinite Earths#Post-Crisis|reason= The anchor (Post-Crisis) ].}} appearance of Captain Marvel was in the 1986 '']'' miniseries. In 1987, Captain Marvel appeared as a member of the ] in ]'s and ]' relaunch of that title. That same year (spinning off from ''Legends''), he was given his own miniseries titled '']''. 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 ] into the modern DC Universe with an altered origin story.

The most notable change that the Thomases, Giffen, and DeMatteis introduced into the Captain Marvel mythos was that the personality of young Billy Batson is retained when he transforms into the Captain. This change would remain for most future uses of the character as justification for his sunny, Golden-Age personality in the darker modern-day comic book world, instead of the traditional depiction used prior to 1986, which tended to treat Captain Marvel and Billy as two separate personalities.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newsarama.com/36243-an-oral-history-of-dc-s-captain-marvel-shazam-the-new-beginning-years.html |title=An Oral History of DC's Captain Marvel/Shazam: The New Beginning Years |last=Smith |first=Zack |date=2017-09-05 |access-date=2017-12-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231051645/https://www.newsarama.com/36243-an-oral-history-of-dc-s-captain-marvel-shazam-the-new-beginning-years.html |archive-date=2017-12-31 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

This revised version of Captain Marvel also appeared in one story arc featured in the short-lived ] '']'' #623–626 (October 25, 1988 – November 15, 1988), in which a ] version of Captain Marvel was introduced.<ref name="AlterEgo9Article"/> At the end of the arc, it was announced that this would lead to a new ''Shazam!'' ongoing series.<ref name="AlterEgo9Article"/> Though ''New Beginning'' had sold well and multiple artists were assigned to and worked on the book, it never saw publication owing to editorial disputes between DC Comics and Roy Thomas.<ref name="ThomasIntro"/> As a result, Thomas's intended revival of the Marvel Family with a new ]-styled Mary Bromfield/Mary Marvel (a.k.a. "Spike") who was not Billy's sister, and an ] take on Freddy Freeman/Captain Marvel Jr., did not see print.<ref name="AlterEgo9Article"/> Thomas departed DC in 1989, not long after his removal from the ''Shazam!'' project.<ref name="AlterEgo9Article">{{cite journal
| last1 = Thomas
| first1 = Roy
|first2= Jerry
|last2= Ordway
| title = Not Your Father's Captain Marvel! An Artist-by-Artist Account of a Doomed Quest for a 1980s Shazam! Series
| journal = Alter Ego
| volume = 3
| issue = #9
| pages = 9–17
| publisher = Two Morrows Publishing
| date = July 2001
}}</ref>

Other attempts at reviving ''Shazam!'' were initiated over the next three years, including a reboot project by ], illustrator of ''Legends'' and writer/artist on the Superman reboot miniseries '']'' (1986).<ref>{{cite journal |last=Sanderson |first=Peter |date=October 2005 |title=John Byrne's ''Shazam!'' |url=https://issuu.com/twomorrows/docs/back_issue__12 |journal=Back Issue! |location=Raleigh, North Carolina |publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing |issue=12 |pages=57–59}}</ref><ref name="NRSecretShazam">{{cite web | url= http://www.newsarama.com/7118-an-oral-history-of-captain-marvel-secret-shazam.html | title=An Oral History of Captain Marvel: Secret Shazam | publisher= Newsarama.com | date=February 25, 2011 | access-date=May 24, 2015 | author=Smith, Zack}}</ref> None of these versions saw print, though Captain Marvel, the wizard Shazam, and Black Adam did appear in DC's '']'' miniseries in 1991. By this time, DC had ended the fee-per-use licensing agreement with CBS Publications and purchased the full rights to Captain Marvel and the other Fawcett Comics characters.<ref name="AlterEgo9Article"/>

===''The Power of Shazam!'' (1994; 1995–1999) ===
{{Main|The Power of Shazam!}}
In 1991, ] was given the ''Shazam!'' assignment, which he pitched as a painted ] that would lead into a series, rather than starting the series outright.<ref name="AlterEgo9Article"/> Ordway both wrote and illustrated the graphic novel, titled ''The Power of Shazam!'', which was released in 1994. ''Power of Shazam!'' ] 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 '']'' and ''Justice League'' still counted as part of the continuity.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Cereno |first1=Benito |title=The Evolution Of Shazam: Best Captain Marvel Stories By Decade |url=http://comicsalliance.com/evolution-of-captain-marvel-shazam/ |website=Comics Alliance |access-date=August 28, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905133700/http://comicsalliance.com/evolution-of-captain-marvel-shazam/ |archive-date=September 5, 2015 }}</ref>

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.<ref>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".</ref> That series reintroduced the Marvel Family and many of their allies and enemies into the modern-day DC Universe.

===''Kingdom Come'' and ''Shazam! Power of Hope''===
Captain Marvel also appeared in ] and ]'s critically acclaimed 1996 alternate universe '']'' 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 ]. In 2000, Captain Marvel starred in an oversized special graphic novel, '']'', written by ] and painted by ].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newsarama.com/36353-an-oral-history-of-dc-s-captain-marvel-shazam-the-new-beginning-years.html |title=An Oral History of DC's Captain Marvel/Shazam: The Modern Years Part 1 |website=Newsarama |language=en |access-date=2018-03-21}}</ref>

===Early to mid-2000s: ''JSA'' and ''52''===
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 ]' and ]'s ''JSA'' series, which depicted the latest adventures of the world's first superhero team, the ], with Captain Marvel also briefly joining the team to keep an eye on his old nemesis. Captain Marvel also appeared in ]'s graphic novel '']'', the sequel to Miller's highly acclaimed graphic novel '']'', which culminated in his death. The '']'' miniseries, written by ] with art by ], 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 '']'' crossover, which began DC's efforts to retool the ''Shazam!'' franchise. In the '']'' miniseries, which preceded the ''Infinite Crisis'' event, the wizard Shazam is killed by the ], and Captain Marvel assumes the wizard's place in the ]. The Marvel Family made a handful of guest appearances in the year-long weekly maxi-series '']'', which featured Black Adam as one of its main characters. ''52'' introduced Adam's "Black Marvel Family," which included Adam's wife ], her brother ], and ]. The series chronicled Adam's attempts to reform after falling in love with Isis, only to launch the DC universe into ] after she and Osiris are killed. The Marvel Family appeared frequently in the 12-issue bimonthly painted '']'' maxi-series by ], ], and ], published from 2005 to 2007.

===''The Trials of Shazam!'' (2006–2008)===
{{Main|The Trials of Shazam!}}
''The Trials of Shazam!'', a 12-issue maxiseries written by ] and illustrated by ] 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 '']'' limited series, Black Adam gives the powerless ] 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 '']'' limited series, the now black-costumed Mary Marvel, possessed by the evil New God ], becomes a villainess, joining forces with Superman villain ] and fighting both ] and Freddy Freeman/Shazam.

A three-issue arc in ''Justice Society of America'' (vol. 3) undid many of the ''Trials of Shazam!'' changes. Issues #23-25 of ''Justice Society'' featured Black Adam and a resurrected Isis defeating Marvel and taking over the Rock of Eternity. Adam and Isis recruit the now-evil Mary Marvel to help them in the ensuing fight against a now-powerless Billy Batson and the Justice Society.

Billy and Mary Batson made a brief appearance during DC's 2009–2010 '']'' saga in a one-shot special, ''The Power of Shazam!'' #48.<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #48 (Jan. 2010)</ref> 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 ]. Freddy would eventually have his powers stolen by Osiris in ''Titans'' (vol. 2) #32 the same year.<ref>''Titans'' (vol. 2) #32 (Feb. 2011)</ref>

===The ''New 52'' relaunch===
]'' (vol. 2) #0 (Nov. 2012). Clockwise from bottom/front: Shazam!, Eugene Choi, Darla Dudley, Pedro Peña, ], ], ], ], and ]. Art by ]]]
In 2011, DC Comics relaunched their entire comic book lineup, creating '']'' lineup of comics. The revamp began with a seven-issue ], '']'', which features an alternate timeline in which Billy Batson, Mary Batson, and Freddy Freeman are joined by three new kids, Eugene Choi, Pedro Peña, and Darla Dudley, as the "S! H! A! Z! A! M! Family." In this concept, all six kids say "Shazam!" in unison to become an alternate version of Captain Marvel named Captain Thunder.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://comicsalliance.com/flashpoint-dc-comics/ |last=Sims |first=Chris|title='Flashpoint': Who's Who In The New DC Universe|publisher=Comics Alliance|date=2011-05-17 |access-date=2018-01-13}}</ref> While the continuity would be altered again by the conclusion of the story, creating the "New 52" multiverse, the three new Shazam! kids would be reintroduced for later appearances.<ref name="New52ShazamCAReview">{{Cite web |url=https://comicsauthority.com/2013/10/09/review-shazam/ |title=Review: "Shazam!" |date=2013-10-09 |website=Comics Authority |language=en-US |access-date=2018-02-09}}</ref>

One of these relaunched series, ''Justice League'' (vol. 2), began featuring a ''Shazam!'' backup story with issue #7 in March 2012.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newsarama.com/8999-exclusive-1st-look-johns-frank-curse-of-shazam-images.html|title=Exclusive 1st Look: Johns & Frank CURSE OF SHAZAM Images|work=Newsarama|access-date=2018-06-20|language=en}}</ref> The feature, written by ] and drawn by ], 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, and a metallic belt instead of a sash. His lightning bolt appears as an opening into his body with magical energy visibly inside of him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/gary-frank-curse-of-shazam-111017.html |title=Gary Frank (comics) (& Geoff Johns) Try to Lift 'The Curse of Shazam'! |publisher=Newsarama.com |date=2011-10-17 |access-date=2015-07-08}}</ref> Johns noted that the character's place in the world will be "far more rooted in fantasy and magic than it ever was before".<ref>{{cite news|last=Kaplan |first=Don |url=http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/shazam_electrifies_again_puMbHg6BYwirdrl3U9BYwL |title=Shazam electrifies again |newspaper=New York Post |date=2012-03-05 |access-date=2015-07-08}}</ref> The character also was officially renamed "Shazam" at this time.<ref name="NameChange">{{cite web|url=http://www.newsarama.com/comics/geoff-johns-curse-of-shazam-120126.html |title=Exclusive: Geoff Johns Hopes Lightning Strikes SHAZAM! |publisher=Newsarama.com |date=2012-01-26 |access-date=2015-07-08}}. While the main "Earth-0" version of the character was re-introduced as "Shazam!", Within DC Comics' "]", two alternate forms of the character continue to be known as "Captain Marvel" in the alternate worlds of ] and ].</ref> The ''Shazam!'' origin story, which included two full issues in ''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #0 (2012) and 21 (2013), reintroduced Billy Batson/Shazam, the Wizard, Black Adam, Tawny the tiger, and the Shazam Family (Freddy, Mary, Darla, Eugene, and Pedro) to continuity. The ''Shazam!'' feature concluded with ''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #21, preceding DC's crossover storyline "]" which heavily features the Shazam mythos.

Johns and Frank's reboot was met with both acclaim and criticism,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://comicsauthority.com/2013/10/09/review-shazam/ |title=Review: "Shazam!" |date=2013-10-09 |website=Comics Authority |language=en-US |access-date=2018-01-14}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://gaiman.jp/archive/2015.html |title=過去の受賞作品｜ガイマン賞 |website=gaiman.jp |access-date=2018-01-14 |archive-date=December 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222052812/http://gaiman.jp/archive/2015.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the renaming of the hero as Shazam brought mixed reactions.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-captain-marvel-ms-marvel-shazam-clusterf-ck-explai-1251423862 |title=The Captain Marvel/Ms. Marvel/Shazam Clusterf*ck Explained |last=Bricken |first=Rob |date=2013-09-04 |access-date=2018-01-13}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://majorspoilers.com/2012/01/27/dc-relaunch-captain-marvel-gets-name-change-to-shazam/ |title=DC Relaunch: Captain Marvel gets name change to Shazam! — Major Spoilers—Comic Book Reviews, News, Previews, and Podcasts |last=Schleicher |first=Stephen |date=2012-01-27 |website=Major Spoilers |language=en-US |access-date=2018-01-14}}</ref> Johns noted that the change was made "because that's what everyone thinks his name is anyway," owing to the inability to use the "Captain Marvel" moniker on comic book covers and merchandise.<ref name="NameChange"/> In updating ''Shazam!'', Johns and Frank skirted some controversy among long-time fans by introducing Billy Batson as a cynical foster child who comes to appreciate his potential as a hero and the concept of family, rather than starting him from that point as with earlier retellings.<ref name="JohnsOnShazam">{{cite web |url=http://www.craveonline.com/site/495761-exclusive-geoff-johns-on-trinity-war-green-lantern-shazam-more |last=Hunsaker |first=Andy |title='Shazam!' Director Reveals One Way Billy Won't Be like His New 52 Counterpart |publisher=comicbook.com |date=2017-12-12 |access-date=2018-01-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114081040/http://www.craveonline.com/site/495761-exclusive-geoff-johns-on-trinity-war-green-lantern-shazam-more |archive-date=2018-01-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="New52Billy">{{cite web|url=https://comicbook.com/dc/2017/12/12/shazam-movie-billy-batson-new-52-david-f-sandberg/
|title=Exclusive: Geoff Johns on Trinity War, Green Lantern, Shazam & More |publisher=Crave Online|date=2013-05-06 |access-date=2018-01-13}}</ref>

Following his appearances in the "Trinity War" and "]" crossover storylines, Shazam appeared as a member of the Justice League from ''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #30–50<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/geoff-johns-employs-lex-luthor-to-disrupt-justice-league/ |title=Geoff Johns Employs Lex Luthor to Disrupt "Justice League" |last=Ching |first=Albert |date=2014-01-17 |access-date=2018-01-05}}</ref> from 2014 through 2016, and also in a one-shot spinoff titled ''Justice League: The Darkseid War - Shazam'' (cover-dated January 2016).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://bamsmackpow.com/2015/11/10/steve-orlando-interview-justice-league-darkseid-war-shazam/ |title=Steve Orlando Talks Redesigning Shazam's Pantheon For His Justice League: Darkseid War One-Shot |last=Tylwalk |first=Nick |date=10 November 2015 |access-date=2018-01-05 |archive-date=January 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180114073851/https://bamsmackpow.com/2015/11/10/steve-orlando-interview-justice-league-darkseid-war-shazam/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also appeared as a supporting character in the '']'' series as the friend of Victor Stone/Cyborg. New takes on the classic Fawcett versions of Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family appeared in ]'s 2014 miniseries '']'' (which takes place on the parallel world of Earth-5)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.popmatters.com/189861-the-multiversity-thunderworld-adventures-1-2495568767.html |title=The Return of the Big Red Cheese: "The Multiversity: Thunderworld Adventures #1" |last=Reese |first=Gregory |date=2015-01-27 |access-date=2018-01-13}}</ref> and in a 2015 spin-off to the '']'' crossover event, ''Convergence: Shazam!'' (which takes place on the parallel world of Earth-S).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://comicbook.com/2015/03/26/covering-convergence-shazam-why-jeff-parker-and-doc-shaner-love-/ |title=Covering Convergence: Shazam! Why Jeff Parker and Doc Shaner Love Classic Captain Marvel |date=2015-05-10 |access-date=2018-01-13}}</ref>

===''DC Rebirth'' and beyond===
Following DC's 2016 '']'' soft-relaunch event, the ''Shazam!'' characters were largely absent from new DC continuity, though Mary Marvel of Earth-5 appeared in '']'' (vol. 4) #14–16 (2016),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.comicbookrevolution.com/superman-14-review/ |title=Superman #14 Review |date=2017-01-05 |website=Comic Book Revolution |language=en-US |access-date=2018-06-26}}</ref> and Black Adam appeared in '']'' #4–5 (2017) to battle Wonder Woman.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/dark-nights-metal-black-adam/ |title=Anti-Hero No More? Returns in Dark Nights: Metal |date=2017-12-22 |website=CBR |language=en-US |access-date=2018-06-26}}</ref> In late 2018, with the ''Shazam!'' movie in production at New Line Cinema, DC began publishing a new ongoing ''Shazam!'' series, written by ] and illustrated by ], ], and ].<ref name="ShazamComic2018">{{Cite web |url=https://www.newsarama.com/40934-johns-shazam-launches-this-november-with-dale-eaglesham.html |title=Johns' Shazam! Launches This November – With Dale Eaglesham |website=Newsarama |language=en |access-date=2018-07-20}}</ref> The series features an older and wiser Billy Batson and his foster siblings Mary, Freddy, Eugene, Pedro, and Darla exploring their powers as the Shazam Family. As the six kids venture beyond the nexus of the Rock of Eternity to explore the mysterious Seven Magic Realms, Doctor Sivana teams up with Mister Mind and a reluctant Black Adam to form the ], and Billy's long-missing father C.C. Batson returns to attempt to re-connect with his son.<ref name="DCNov2018Solicits">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/dc-comics-solicitations-november-2018/ |title=DC Comics' Complete Solicitations for November 2018 |date=2018-08-20 |website=CBR |language=en-US |access-date=2018-08-23}}</ref>

The first issue, featuring a ] backup story focused on Mary and her pet rabbit ] by Johns and ''Shazam!'' fan Mayo "SEN" Naito, was published on December 5, 2018.<ref name="ShazamComic2018"/><ref name="DCNov2018Solicits"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.newsarama.com/40312-what-geoff-johns-shazam-title-is-all-about.html |title=Geoff Johns Describes His New Shazam Title |website=Newsarama |language=en |access-date=2018-06-26}}</ref> Thirteen issues from Johns, Eaglesham, and others - along with two guest issues, #12 and 15, from writer ] and artist ] - were published between 2018 and 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 12, 2020 |first=Chris |last=Arrant |title=DC's Shazam title ending in September |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/dcs-shazam-title-ending-in-september/ |access-date=2020-09-25 |website=Newsarama |language=en}}</ref> Despite initial positive reviews, the third volume of ''Shazam!'' fell victim to several publishing delays.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Rich |date=2019-08-28 |title=Late: DC Comics Cancels Orders For Shazam! #9, #10 and #11 |url=https://bleedingcool.com/comics/dc-comics-cancels-orders-shazam-9-10-11/ |access-date=2020-09-25 |website=bleedingcool.com}}</ref> The book was cancelled with issue #15 (November 2020); Johns cited the ] and Eaglesham's desire to take a break as reasons for discontinuing the book.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRuaOMiVRrU&ab_channel=DialogosdeC%C3%B3mic |title=Dialogos de Comic 53: Geoff Johns (con subs en español) |date=2020-07-01 |type=video interview |language=en}}</ref>

In November 2022, it was announced that a new ''Shazam!'' ongoing would begin publication in May 2023, with ] writing and Dan Mora serving as artist.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-11-18 |title="Dawn of DC" Starts in January 2023 |url=https://www.dc.com/blog/2022/11/18/dawn-of-dc-starts-in-january-2023 |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=DC |language=en}}</ref> During this series, Billy becomes known as "The Captain" and his foster siblings lose their powers.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Waid |first=Mark |title=Shazam #1 |publisher=] |year=2023}}</ref>

==Fictional character biography==
===Fawcett/Early DC origin===
]
''Whiz Comics'' #2 (Feb. 1940) introduces William Joseph "Billy" Batson,<ref name="STNB">''Shazam! The New Beginning'' #1 (1987)</ref> a homeless 12-year-old (later 14-year-old) ]<ref name="CMWritingBible">{{Cite book | editor-last=Hamerlinck | editor-first=P.C. | title=Fawcett Companion: The Best of FCA (Fawcett Collectors of America) | location=Raleigh, NC | publisher=] | year=2001 | isbn=1-893905-10-1 | pages=28–29}}</ref> who sleeps in the subway station of his home city (originally ];<ref name="Shazam33">''Shazam!'' #33 (1978)</ref> later referred to in DC publications as ]<ref name="POSgraphicnovel"/>). A mysterious man in a green cloak asks Billy to follow him into the subway station. A magic subway car painted in unusual shapes and colors escorts them to an underground throne room, which is inhabited by a very old man with a long beard and a white robe. As the man in green disappears, the old man on the throne explains to Billy that he is the wizard Shazam, and has used the powers of "the gods"—], ], ], ], ], and ], hence the name "Shazam"—to fight evil for over 3,000 years. However, he has now grown too old to continue and is in need of a successor. The wizard explains that Billy was chosen because of his misfortune: he had been thrown out by a greedy uncle who stole his inheritance following the deaths of his parents (later retellings of the origin would also note that Billy was chosen for being "pure of heart").<ref name="Shazam011973"/> 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.<ref name="Whiz02">''Whiz Comics'' #2 (1940)</ref>
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.<ref name="Shazam011973">''Shazam!'' #1 (1973)</ref> The wizard would return—in later retellings of the origin story, immediately—as a ] to serve as a mentor to Billy and Captain Marvel, summoned by lighting a torch on the wall of his lair.<ref name="Shazam011973"/> As a spirit, the wizard Shazam lives at the ], a ]-shaped rock formation situated at the nexus of time and space.<ref>''The Marvel Family'' #7 (1946)</ref> Later retellings of the Captain Marvel origin place Shazam's underground lair within the Rock.<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #5 (1995)</ref> 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.<ref name="Whiz02"/>

Captain Marvel's first battle was with the mad scientist ], who becomes Captain Marvel's arch-enemy.<ref>''Whiz Comics'' #3–4 (1940)</ref> Billy Batson becomes a reporter and host for WHIZ Radio, his career allowing him to travel and investigate criminal activity.<ref name="WC03">''Whiz Comics'' #3a (1940)</ref> 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.<ref>''Whiz Comics'' #3b-10 (1940) – note that there are two issues of ''Whiz Comics'' numbered #3, as per ''The Shazam! Archives Vol. 1'', owing to a numbering error at Fawcett.</ref>

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 ] (later referred to as the ''Shazam Family'' owing 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 ]: 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 ], and does for Freddy what the wizard did for him. By speaking the name "Captain Marvel," Freddy can become the superpowered ] Unlike Billy, Freddy retains his 14-year-old appearance as a superhero.<ref name="CMWritingBible"/> ''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 ].<ref>''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #18 (1942)</ref><ref>{{Cite book | last=Schelly | first=Bill | year=2016 | title=Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary | location=Berkeley, CA | publisher=North Atlantic Books | isbn=978-1623170387 | pages=89–91}}</ref> In the Fawcett and pre-1986 DC stories, Mary remained a teenager as Freddy did in Marvel form; Ordway's 1990s ''Power of Shazam!'' series made her superpowered form an adult like Billy's.<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #4 (1995)</ref> The Marvel Family also included non-powered honorary members such as ], 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's 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.<ref name="STNB"/> Jerry Ordway's 1994 ''Power of Shazam!'' graphic novel, which became the character's definite origin through 2011, featured a ten-year-old Billy being chosen as the Wizard Shazam's champion, because of the influence of his archaeologist parents; the mysterious stranger from magic subway car is the ghost of Billy's father in this version.<ref name="POSgraphicnovel">{{Cite book | author-link=Jerry Ordway | last=Ordway | first=Jerry | year=1994 | title=The Power of Shazam! | location=New York | publisher=DC Comics | isbn=1-56389-153-0 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/powerofshazam00ordw }}</ref> 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 ], the wizard's first champion from the days of ancient Egypt who became evil and was due to escape thousands of years of banishment.<ref name="POSgraphicnovel"/><ref>''Shazam! The New Beginning'' #1–2 (1987)</ref>

Ordway's origin added the extra element of Black Adam's alter ego/descendant Theo Adam being the murderer of Billy's parents.<ref name="POSgraphicnovel"/> The subsequent ''Power of Shazam!'' ongoing series features Billy, now 14,<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #1 (March 1995)</ref> meeting his long-lost sister Mary and best friend Freddy Freeman<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #3 (May 1995)</ref> and establishing the Marvel Family as in the Fawcett comics.<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #4–7 (1995)</ref> The Marvels' home base of Fawcett City is depicted as a city full of old-fashioned traditions and architecture, later establishing that the Wizard Shazam placed a spell on the city (broken in later issues) that slowed time to a crawl in 1955.<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #11 (January 1996)</ref> This phenomenon was used to explain the Marvel Family's sometimes anachronistic approaches to life and heroism compared to many of their contemporary heroes in the DC Universe.<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #16 (June 1996), ''Formerly Known as the Justice League'' (2004)</ref>


In 2012, writer and then-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 a moody and troubled 15-year-old foster child living in ] who has gone through several foster homes.<ref>''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #7 (May 2012)</ref> At his newest foster home under Victor and Rosa Vázquez, Billy gains five foster siblings: "den mother" Mary Bromfield, trickster and pick-pocket Freddy Freeman, shy and quiet Pedro Peña, brainy Eugene Choi, and energetic Darla Dudley.<ref name="JL8">''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #8 (April 2012)</ref> When the evil Dr. Sivana unleashes the ancient magical warrior Black Adam from his tomb,<ref>''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #9 (July 2012)</ref> 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 each of them for not being pure of heart.<ref name="JL0">''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #0 (Nov. 2012)</ref><ref>''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #2, 7 (May 2012)</ref>
The first issue, printed as both ''Flash Comics no. 1'' and ''Thrill Comics no. 1'', had a low-print run in the fall of 1939 as an ] created for advertising purposes. Shortly after its printing, however, Fawcett found it could not trademark "Captain Thunder", "Flash Comics", or "Thrill Comics", because they were already in use. Consequently, the book was renamed ''Whiz Comics'', and the ]s were re-lettered to label the hero of the book's main story as "Captain Marvel". ''Whiz Comics'' no. 2 was published in late 1939 and dated February 1940. Since it was the first of that title to actually be published, the issue is sometimes referred to as ''Whiz Comics'' no. 1, despite the issue number printed on it.


Eventually, the Wizard summons Billy, who is another unsuitable candidate, but Billy persuades the Wizard that perfectly good people "really don't exist," and that, while he himself tried to be good, the world dragged Billy down to its level. 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 adult possessing super-strength, flight, and vast magical powers. The Wizard dies and Shazam is transported back to Earth, where Billy reveals his new secret to Freddy. The two scheme to make money and score beer with Shazam's new powers, but Shazam is instead led to crime scenes where he is needed as a hero. Shazam and Freddy have a falling out when Shazam refuses to change back into Billy, and as soon as Freddy heads back home, Shazam is attacked by Black Adam.<ref name="JL0"/> Billy is saved only by mending his relationships with Freddy, Mary, Eugene, Pedro, and Darla. When Adam again attacks, unleashing the Seven Deadly Sins on downtown Philadelphia and threatening to kill the other kids, Billy shares his powers with them, who all become magic-powered adult superheroes (except for Darla, who remains a child).<ref name="JL21"/> Ultimately, Billy goads Adam into saying the magic word and transforming into his human form, at which point he promptly turns to dust.<ref name="JL21">''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #21 (2013)</ref> Although he had contemplated running away, Billy decides to stay with his new family, having learned to be a better and more open person.<ref name="JL21"/>
Inspirations for Captain Marvel came from a number of sources. His visual appearance was modeled after that of ], a popular ] ] of the period. Fawcett Publications' founder, Wilford H. Fawcett, was nicknamed "Captain Billy", which inspired the name "Billy Batson" and Marvel's title as well. Fawcett's earliest magazine was titled '']'', which probably inspired the title ''Whiz Comics''.


Commencing the "]" story line, Billy flies to Black Adam's home nation of ] 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 ], a portal to ] which brings the evil Justice League analogues of the ] to Earth-0.<ref>''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #22–23 (2013)</ref><ref>''Justice League of America'' (vol. 3) #6 (2013)</ref> Following the successful defeat of the Crime Syndicate, Shazam is inducted into the League.<ref>''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #30 (2014)</ref> While still a newcomer to the league, Billy has a number of new adventures while under the mentorship of ], who becomes one of his best friends.<ref name="Justice League #31 2014">''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #31 (2014)</ref>
Marvel wore a bright red costume, inspired by both military uniforms and ]ian and ] costumes as depicted in popular ]s, with gold trim and a lightning bolt insignia on the chest. The body suit originally included a buttoned ], but was changed to a one-piece skintight suit within a year at the insistence of the editors (the current DC costume of the character has the lapel restored to it, presumably to differentiate from Superman's outfit). The costume also included a white collared ] trimmed with gold ] symbols, usually asymmetrically thrown over the left shoulder and held around his neck by a gold cord. The cape came from the ceremonial cape worn by the ], photographs of which appeared in newspapers in the 1930s.


After a year of living in the Vázquez home, Billy and his foster siblings have taken to having fun fighting crime around Philadelphia as the Shazam Family. While exploring the Rock of Eternity, Eugene finds a formerly sealed-off area of the Rock: an abandoned train station leading to the seven realms of an unexplored world known as the Magic Lands.<ref>''Shazam!'' #1 (2019)</ref>
]


==Powers and abilities==
===''Whiz Comics'' no. 2: origin story===
{{spoiler}}
Captain Marvel's origin story finds the homeless and orphaned Billy Batson making a meager living selling ]s near an old ] station, sleeping in the doorway of the station. Billy had been living with his uncle after the deaths of his parents, but the cruel old man threw the boy out into the streets and stole his inheritance. While selling papers one rainy night, a dark clothed stranger comes to the boy, and asks him to follow him down into the subway station. There, a strange subway train with no visible driver appears, which carries the pair to the secret lair of the wizard ]. There, the ancient wizard reveals that he has selected Billy to be his champion to fight for good as the "strongest and mightiest man in the world--Captain Marvel!".


=== Powers of Shazam ===
To that end, Shazam orders the boy to speak his name, which was actually an ] for various legendary figures who have agreed to grant aspects of themselves to a willing subject:
While normally having no special abilities in his human persona as Billy Batson, once he says the magic word "''Shazam!''", he transforms into a full-grown man in peak physical condition endowed with multiple superpowers that rank him amongst the most powerful entities in the DC Universe. Billy is also able to share a portion of his powers with others. Jerry Ordway's 1990s ''The Power of Shazam!'' series also gave Billy the added ability to alter Captain Marvel's appearance to his will by visualizing alterations and then saying "Shazam!".<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #6, 15 (1995)</ref> Billy uses this ability to disguise himself as his "uncle" to work and cash checks,<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #6 (1995)</ref> and to turn his Captain Marvel costume into a spacesuit for a mission in space.<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #15 (1996)</ref>


==== Traditional combination ====
{| width="500" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" border="0" style="border:0px solid grey;"
|- bgcolor="#FFFFFF" {| class="wikitable"
|'''S''' || for the wisdom of ]
|- |-
|'''S''' || ] of ] || The Wisdom of Solomon grants the individual with several abilities, including perfect memory, strategic combat skills, exceptional mathematical aptitude, charisma in interpersonal interactions, limited clairvoyance for acquiring arcane knowledge and intuitive insights, as well as a natural fluency in all languages. Unlike some other powers, this is considered an active one a champion must channel to activate.<ref name=":65">{{Cite web |last=Jaffe |first=Alex |date=October 5, 2021 |title=Shazam!: What's in a Name? |url=https://www.dc.com/blog/2021/10/07/shazam-whats-in-a-name |access-date=2023-10-05 |website=DC Comics |language=en-US}}</ref> In some stories, this power also gives him the ability to hypnotize people.<ref>''Whiz Comics'' #18 (1941)</ref> Solomon was a biblical Jewish king who was reputed to have great wisdom.
|'''H''' || for the strength of ]
|- |-
|'''H''' || ] of ] || This bestows Billy an exceptional level of superhuman strength. He gains the ability to exert immense physical power, surpassing the capabilities of ordinary individuals. With this heightened strength, they can effortlessly lift and manipulate objects of tremendous weight, overpower adversaries with ease, and deliver devastating blows in combat.<ref name=":65"/> His strength is often compared to that of ].<ref name="HE">{{cite web |last=Cimino |first=John |date=21 May 2011 |title=Superman vs Captain Marvel – The Definitive Write Up on the Greatest Rivalry in Comics |url=http://hero-envy.blogspot.com/2011/05/superman-vs-captain-marvel.html |access-date=21 October 2011 |work=Blog Adventures |publisher=Hero-Envy.com}}</ref> Golden Age Captain Marvel's strength is deemed limitless,<ref name="CMA 139">''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #139 (1952)</ref><ref name="CMA 28">''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #28 (1943)</ref> enabling him to move stars and planets with ease.<ref name="CMA 28" /><ref name="CMA 95">''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #95 (1943)</ref><ref name="CMA 98">''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #98 (1943)</ref><ref name="CMA 138">''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #138 (1952)</ref> Hercules was a divine hero in Greco-Roman mythology.
|'''A''' || for the stamina of ]
|- |-
|'''A''' || ] of ] || The stamina attribute from Atlas enables Billy to maintain his empowered state for an extended period without any time limitations. Additionally, the empowerment provides Billy with substance, eliminating the need for eating, sleeping, and even breathing. As a result, Billy can operate at peak efficiency, unaffected by the physiological requirements that typically apply to ordinary individuals. This extraordinary stamina allows him to fully focus on his heroic duties without the distractions or limitations associated with physical sustenance.<ref name=":65"/> Atlas was a titan in Greek mythlogy who was condemned to carry the heavens for eternity.
|'''Z''' || for the power of ] (usually in the form of resistance to any injury)
|- |-
|'''Z''' || ] of ] || Zeus's "power" attribute facilitates the transformation that grants Billy access to the full range of his powers, including the ability to shoot bursts of electricity and lightning. He also possesses a limited gift of teleportation, allowing him to effortlessly travel to and from the Rock of Eternity with a single thought. Notably, the Power of Zeus empowers him with the potential to use magic and cast spells. This power is considered the most difficult, requiring the most study, focus, and discipline and is considered to not be Billy's forte.<ref name=":65"/> In Greek mythology, Zeus was a sky god who ruled as king of the gods.
|'''A''' || for the courage of ]
|- |-
|'''A''' || ] of ] || The Courage of Achilles grants Billy peak physical defenses, rendering him nearly invulnerable. This heightened level of invulnerability provides significant protection against physical harm. Additionally, the empowerment grants Billy resistance to various elements, including heat, force, disease, and the effects of aging. This attribute allow him to withstand extreme conditions and maintain his health and vitality against formidable challenges.<ref name=":65"/> In some stories, it also grants him fighting prowess.<ref name="CMA 144">''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #144 (1953)</ref> Achilles was a mythological hero of the Trojan war, who was known as being the greatest of all the Greek warriors.
|'''M''' || for the speed of ] (and, by extension, the power to fly)
|-
|'''M''' || ] of ] || The Speed of Mercury grants Billy super speed, enhanced reflexes, motor skills, and flight, enabling him to move at incredible speeds, react swiftly, perform precise maneuvers, and soar through the air.<ref name=":65"/> The pre-1985 stories also let him travel to the Rock of Eternity by flying faster than the speed of light.<ref>''The Marvel Family'' #7 (1947)</ref> Mercury was a Roman god of travelers.
|-
| colspan="2" |]
|In the New 52 continuity, the character additionally possesses a range of magical abilities stemming from the Living Lightning, which is acquired through a connection to the Wizard Shazam, also known as Mamaragan. Now facilitating the Powers of Shazam, additional abilities include lightning control, amplification of spells, further enhancement of strength, and enhances healing capabilities, among others.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-06-15 |title=DC Universe Infinite Encyclopedia: Shazam |url=https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/encyclopedia/shazam/ |access-date=2024-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615095221/https://www.dcuniverseinfinite.com/encyclopedia/shazam/ |archive-date=June 15, 2021 }}</ref> Billy can also cast spell derived from the Wizard and previous members of the Council of Eternity, which are documented in the ''Book of Champions''. These spells enable him to achieve various effects, including the projection of magical energies and the ability to alter his size.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Johns |first=Geoff |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=py0MEAAAQBAJ |title=Shazam and The Seven Magic Lands |date=2020-12-08 |publisher=DC Comics |isbn=978-1-77951-159-1 |language=en}}</ref>
|} |}


==== '']'' combination ====
Billy then says the wizard's name, and is immediately struck by a magic ], which turns him into Captain Marvel, an adult superhero. He then learns that he only has to speak the word again to be instantly changed back into Billy.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|'''S''' || Strength of '''S'''<nowiki/>'ivaa || Derived from an Old God, the Strength of S'ivaa grants powers comparable to the previous Strength of Hercules although it's been claimed to be at a higher level.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last1=Manapul |first1=Francis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mBjJCwAAQBAJ |title=Justice League: Darkseid War - Power of the Gods |last2=Tomasi |first2=Peter J. |date=2016-04-26 |publisher=DC |isbn=978-1-4012-6947-0 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
|'''H''' || Fires of '''H'''’ronmeer || Derived from a Martian god, the Fires of H'ronmeer grants pyrokientic abilities connected to a force known as the "Living Fire", a counterpart to the Living Lightning.<ref name=":3" />
|-
|'''A''' || Compassion of ] || Derived from the Koryak goddess, the Compassion of Anapel seemingly grants powers similar to the Wisdom of Solomon.<ref name=":3" />
|-
|'''Z''' || Power of ] || Derived from the Old God Yuga Khan (whose true name is Zonuz, father of the villain ]), the Power of Zonuz grants the power to draw energy from the ], the energy field within all forms of life.<ref name=":3" />
|-
|'''A''' || Boldness of ] || Derived from the Greek goddess of mischief among others, the Boldness of Ate's abilities remain unknown.
|-
|'''M''' || Living Lightning of ] || The Living Lightning of Mamaragan bestows upon the character the same powers as those seen in the traditional combination while retroactively replacing the abilities typically associated with the Power of Zeus. This power also strengthens the link between Billy and the Wizard.<ref name=":3" />
|}


=== Powers of the Wizard ===
With that, Shazam is immediately killed by a large ] block that falls from above his throne, and Billy vows to fulfill his bestowed role. Whenever he needed advice, Billy could light a ] near Shazam's ], which would summon the wizard's ].
At several points in time, Billy possessed the sorcerous abilities held by the Wizard Shazam, granting him formidable mystical powers. As Marvel in the aftermath of ''Day of Vengeance'', he had the capacity to manipulate and command magical energies, and possessed a deep understanding of the supernatural, particularly during a period of shifting magical rules. However, due to the immense accumulation of magic within the Rock of Eternity, he was required to remain within its confines to maintain control over the abundance of magic. Billy could only venture outside the Rock of Eternity for a maximum of 24 hours at a time.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Winick |first=Judd |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1076504122 |title=The trials of Shazam! : the complete series |date=2019 |others=Howard Porter, Mauro Cascioli, Rob Leigh, Travis Lanham |isbn=978-1-4012-9229-4 |location=Burbank, CA |oclc=1076504122}}</ref>


In the '']'' storyline, Billy becomes tethered to the Rock of Eternity once more, gaining access to its vast magical energies and spells. This connection enables him to manipulate various magical powers, similar to those possessed by the Wizard Shazam. However, as a consequence, Billy is forcibly bound to the Rock of Eternity for a period of time. Later on, Billy takes a step further by binding the Rock of Eternity to himself, allowing him to control both his former powers and the magic within the Rock through his empowered form.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last1=Waid |first1=Mark |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gFjNEAAAQBAJ |title=Lazarus Planet |last2=Maines |first2=Nicole |last3=Pacat |first3=C. S. |last4=Johnson |first4=Phillip Kennedy |date=2023-08-08 |publisher=DC Comics |isbn=978-1-77952-395-2 |language=en}}</ref> Thus far, he has only been shown to generate duplicates of his empowered form, each possessing his abilities and has capability to summon Mamaragan, the ancient being associated with his powers, at his own volition.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Wilson |first=G. Willow |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JkrUzwEACAAJ |title=Lazarus Planet - Revenge of the Gods |date=2023 |publisher=DC Comics |isbn=978-1-77952-408-9 |language=en}}</ref>
Marvel's first call to duty was saving the world from the evil ] Dr. ], who threatened to silence radio forever unless he was paid a large sum of money. Resuming his regular form, Billy tells WHIZ radio mogul Sterling Morris that he can stop the Radio Silencer and Sivana; a disbelieving Morris offers Billy a job on the air if he can do so.


=== Weaknesses ===
Finding the crooks' hideout, Billy transforms into Captain Marvel and destroys Sivana's radio silencing machine and apprehends his henchmen. Sivana escapes, however, setting the stage for a long line of future confrontations. Marvel transforms back into Billy, who presents the captured criminals and destroyed Radio Silencer to Sterling Morris. True to his word, Sterling Morris makes Billy an on-air news reporter for WHIZ radio.
Captain Marvel is not completely invulnerable. In several stories, he is shown to be susceptible to high-powered magic,<ref name="DOJref">''Day of Vengeance'' #6 (2005)</ref> which can weaken or de-power him,<ref name="DOJref" /> and, in some older stories, to significantly high voltages of lightning or electricity, which would make him revert to Billy Batson form.<ref>''The Marvel Family'' #10 (1947)</ref> Despite possessing the courage of Achilles, the Fawcett Captain Marvel was extremely bashful and shy around attractive women, a weakness some villains came to exploit.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Lupoff |first=Richard A. |title=The Shazam! Archives (forward) |publisher=DC Comics |year=1992 |isbn=1563890534 |location=New York, N.Y. |oclc=29914254}}</ref><ref>''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #150 (1953)</ref> Most depictions following the ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' also show his childlike innocence and immaturity to be a significant weakness.<ref name="STNB" />


In classic stories, simply saying the word "Shazam!" transformed Billy into Captain Marvel and back again;<ref>''Whiz Comics'' #2 (Feb 1940)</ref> this extended to accidental utterances, recorded playbacks, and so forth.<ref>''Shazam!'' #4 (1973)</ref> When Captain Marvel shared his powers with his Marvel Family teammates in 1990s and 2000s DC publications (from ''The Power of Shazam!'' in 1995 through 2011's ''Flashpoint''), the Shazam power was depicted as a finite source which would be divided into halves, thirds, or further depending upon how many Marvels were super-powered at one time, and weakening them accordingly.<ref>''The Power of Shazam!'' #5, 7 (1995)</ref> The 2011 reboot changed the rules so that Captain Marvel could speak the magic word "Shazam" without causing a transformation.<ref name="JL0" /> This lasted until the 2023 comic event '']'', when the rule once again became that speaking the word in any fashion would trigger the lightning.<ref>''Shazam'' #1 (2023), DC Comics</ref>
Captain Marvel was an instant success, with ''Whiz Comics'' no. 2 selling over 500,000 copies {{ref|ComicSuccessMuseum2}}. By 1941, he had his own solo series, ''Captain Marvel Adventures'', while continuing to appear in ''Whiz Comics'' as well. He also made periodic appearances in other Fawcett books, including ''Master Comics''.


==Other versions==
]. From left to right, Captain Marvel, Lt. "Fat" Marvel, ], Lt. "Tall" Marvel, Lt. "Hillbilly" Marvel, and ]. ] can be seen seated at the piano in the background.]]
A significant number of "alternate" depictions of Shazam/Captain Marvel have appeared in DC publications since the 1970s.


=== Alternate versions of Billy Batson ===
===Fawcett years: the Marvel Family, allies, and enemies===
Through his adventures, he soon gained a host of enemies, including ]'s champion ], an older Egyptian renegade Marvel called ], an evil magic-powered brute named ], and an artificially intelligent ] ] called Mister Atom. The most notorious Captain Marvel villains, however, were the nefarious ] and his ], which recruited several of Marvel's previous adversaries. The "Monster Society of Evil" storyline ran as two-year story-arc in ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' no. 22&ndash;46 (March 1943&ndash;May 1945), with Mister Mind eventually revealed to be a highly intelligent yet tiny ] from the planet ].


==== Captain Thunder (1974) ====
In the early 1940s, Captain Marvel also gained allies in The ], a collective of superheroes with similar powers and/or costumes to Captain Marvel's. (By comparison, Superman spin-off character ] first appeared in 1944, while ] first appeared in 1959). ''Whiz Comics'' no. 21 (September 1941) marked the debut of the ], the alter egos of three other boys who found that, by saying "Shazam!" in unison, they too could become Marvels. In ''Whiz Comics'' no. 25 (December 1941), a friend named Freddy Freeman, mortally wounded by an attack from Captain Nazi, was given the power to become teenage boy superhero ]. The next year in ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' no. 18 (December 1942), Billy and Freddy met Billy's long-lost ] sister Mary Bromfield, who discovered she could, by saying the magic word "Shazam", become teenage girl superheroine ].
In "Make Way for Captain Thunder" from ''Superman'' #276 (June 1974), Superman found himself at odds with "Captain Thunder", a superhero displaced from another Earth and another time.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Greenberger |first1=Robert |last2=Pasko |first2=Martin |title=The Essential Superman Encyclopedia |date=2010 |publisher=Del Rey |isbn=978-0-345-50108-0 |page=50}}</ref> Thunder had been magically tricked by his archenemies in the Monster League of Evil into committing evil himself, which led to his doing battle with Superman. Captain Thunder, whose name was derived from Captain Marvel's original moniker, was a thinly veiled ] of Marvel—down to his similar costume, his young alter ego named "Willie Fawcett" (a reference to Fawcett Comics), and a magic word ("Thunder!"), which was an acronym for seven entities and their respective powers. He got his power from rubbing a magic belt buckle with a thunder symbol on it and saying "Thunder". His powers came from Tornado (power), Hare (speed), ] (bravery), Nature (wisdom), Diamond (toughness), Eagle (flight), and Ram (tenacity). Superman held him while he used his wisdom to escape the effects of the spell.


"Make Way for Captain Thunder" was written by Elliot S! Maggin and illustrated by ] and Bob Oskner. At the time of its publication, DC had been printing ''Shazam!'' comics for 18 months, 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 ] in ''Shazam!'' #15, November/December 1974).
], and the wizard ].]]
Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel, and Captain Marvel, Jr. were featured as a team in a new comic series entitled ''The Marvel Family'', published alongside the other Marvel-related titles, which now included ''Wow Comics'' featuring Mary, ''Master Comics'' featuring Junior, and both ''Mary Marvel Comics'' and ''Captain Marvel, Jr. Comics''. Non-super-powered Marvels such as the "lovable ]" ] and his niece Freckles Marvel also sometimes joined the other Marvels on their adventures. A ] character, ], was created in 1942 and later given a spin-off series of his own.


==== Captain Thunder (1982) ====
The members of the Marvel Family often teamed up with the other Fawcett superheroes, who included ], ], ], ], and ]. Among the many artists and writers who worked on the Marvel Family stories alongside C.C. Beck and main writer ] were ] & ], ], ], ], and ].
In 1983, a proposal for an updated Captain Marvel was submitted to DC by Roy Thomas, Don Newton, and Jerry Ordway.<ref name="AlterEgo9Article" /> 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.<ref name="AlterEgo9Article" /> This alternate version of the character was never used.


==== ''Superman: Distant Fires'' (1998) ====
===Captain Marvel vs. Superman===
In the dark alternate future of the ] comic ''Superman: Distant Fires'' (1998) by ], ], ], and ], most of humanity has been destroyed in nuclear war. An adult Billy Batson becomes obsessed with Wonder Woman when they become part of a small community of survivors of the holocaust, with most of the surviving superhumans having lost their powers or dealing with altered abilities. When the now-powerless Clark Kent joins their community, starting a relationship with Wonder Woman that includes them having a child together, Batson's resentment of Superman becomes insanity, as he provokes his transformation into Captain Marvel despite use of this power causing damage to Earth.
''Main entry: ]''


==== '']'' (2001–2002) ====
Through much of the ], Captain Marvel proved to be the most popular superhero character of the medium with his comics outselling all others, including those featuring Superman. Part of the reason for this popularity included the inherent wish fulfillment appeal of the character to children, as well as the ]ous and ] quality of the stories. In fact, ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' sold fourteen million copies in 1944 {{ref|ComicBooksinLibraries}}, and was at one point being published weekly with a circulation of 1.3 million copies an issue (proclaimed on the cover of issue no. 19 as being the "Largest Circulation of Any Comic Magazine") {{ref|ComicSuccessMuseum2}}.
In the dark alternate future shown in ]'s 2001–2002 comic miniseries '']'', 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 ], 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 when there is nobody left 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'' ====
Due to the alleged similarity of Captain Marvel to Superman, National Comics Publications (now DC Comics) sued Fawcett Comics for ] of ] in 1941. After seven years of litigation, the '']'' case went to trials court in 1948. The initial 1951 verdict was decided in Fawcett's favor: although the 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 DC had abandoned the Superman copyright{{ref|IngersollLawisAss}}. DC appealed this decision, and Judge ] declared in 1952 that DC's Superman copyright was in fact valid. Judge Hand maintained that Captain Marvel was an infringement {{ref|IngersollLawisAss2}}.
The 1996 miniseries '']'', written by ] with painted art by ], depicts a possible future of the DC characters. In this version, Billy Batson is an adult who now matches the appearance of his superhero identity. The human hostility towards superheroes has made him uneasy, and he has not transformed into Captain Marvel for several years. Batson has become the brainwashed servant of Lex Luthor, who uses Mister Mind's mind-controlling worm offspring to keep him 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, believing it is a non-costumed Captain Marvel that serves Luthor.<ref>''Kingdom Come'' #3 (1996). DC Comics.</ref>


Events finally cause him to transform 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 sacrifices himself to intercept it. The nuclear blast kills a large number of heroes, but cools the war-like attitudes of the survivors. Superman uses Marvel's cape as the symbol of a ] in which humans and superhumans will now live in harmony.<ref>''Kingdom Come'' #4 (1996). DC Comics.</ref>
Before damage assessment could be carried out, Fawcett decided to settle with DC out of court instead of re-appealing, feeling that a decline in the popularity of superhero comics meant that it was no longer worth continuing the fight {{ref|Marvelman}}. Fawcett shut down its comics division in the autumn of 1953, ] its comic-creating staff, and paid DC $400,000 in damages {{ref|MightyRedCheese}}. ''Whiz Comics'' had ended with issue no. 146 in June 1952, with ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' folding with no. 150 (November 1953), and ''The Marvel Family'' ending its run with no. 89 (January 1954).


==== Earth-5 ====
In the 1950s, a small ] publisher, L. Miller and Son, published a number of black and white reprints of American comic books, including the Captain Marvel series. In 1954, their supply of Captain Marvel material was abruptly cut off because of the lawsuit, and they requested the help of a British comic writer, ], who created a British copy of the superhero called ''Marvelman''. Marvelman ceased publication in ], but was revived in ] and retitled '']'' in ].
In '']'' #52 (May 2, 2007), a new ] is revealed, originally consisting of 52 identical realities, one of which is designated Earth-5. As a result of Marvel Family foe ] "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.<ref>''Final Crisis: Superman Beyond'' #1 (August 2008)</ref> The miniseries established that these versions of Captain Marvel and Billy are 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.<ref>''Final Crisis'' #7 (March 2009)</ref> Following ] Multiverse reboot, Earth-5 remains a Fawcett Comics–inspired setting, and is spotlighted in the comic book '']: Thunderworld #1'' (Feb 2015), a modernized take on the classic Fawcett ''Captain Marvel'' stories from writer ] and artist ].<ref>{{cite web |last=Rogers |first=Vaneta |date=July 28, 2014 |title=Grant Morrison on Multiversity: It's Going to 'F' People Up |url=http://www.newsarama.com/21741-grant-morrison-on-multiversity-it-s-going-to-f-people-up.html |access-date=December 30, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Rogers |first=Vaneta |date=December 18, 2014 |title=Cameron Stewart Brings Back Captain Marvel For The Multiversity: Thunderworld |url=http://www.newsarama.com/23047-vivisecting-multiversity-cameron-stewart-brings-back-captain-marvel-for-thunderworld.html |access-date=December 30, 2014}}</ref>
]


===The ''Shazam!'' revival=== ==== ''Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil'' (2007) ====
A Captain Marvel miniseries, '']'', written and illustrated by ], 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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Warmoth |first=Brian |date=February 7, 2007 |title=The Strategem of Smith (cached) |url=http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/003354486.cfm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210063430/http://www.wizarduniverse.com/magazine/wizard/003354486.cfm |archive-date=2007-02-10 |access-date=2007-03-04 |work=]}}</ref> 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 versions. Dr. Sivana is ], and Mister Mind looks more like a snake than a caterpillar.
When superhero comics became popular again in the mid-1960s (in what is now called the ]), Fawcett was unable to revive Captain Marvel because of its earlier concession. Eventually, they licensed the characters to DC Comics in 1972, and DC began planning a revival. Because ] had by this time established its own claim to the use of ''Captain Marvel'' as a comic book title, DC published their book under the name ''Shazam!''. Since then, that title has become so linked to Captain Marvel that the general public has taken to identifying the character as "Shazam" instead of his actual name, Captain Marvel.


==== ''Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam!'' (2008–2010) ====
The ''Shazam!'' comic series began with issue no. 1 in February 1973. It contained both new stories and reprints from the 1940s and 1950s. The first story attempted to explain the Marvel Family's absence by stating that they, the Sivanas, and most of their supporting cast had been accidentally trapped in ] for 20 years until finally breaking free.
An all-ages Captain Marvel comic, '']'', debuted in July 2008 under DC's ] youth-oriented imprint, and was published monthly through December 2010. Following the lead and continuity of Smith's ''Monster Society of Evil'' miniseries, it was initially written and drawn by ], creator of ''Herobear''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Pumpelly |first=Danny |date=August 11, 2007 |title=WWC: DC New Worlds Order |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=11575 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011184707/http://comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=11575 |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |access-date=2007-08-26 |work=]}}</ref> ] and ], of '']'', took over as writers with issue #5, with Byron Vaughns as main artist until issue #13, when ] assumed his place for the remainder of the series.<ref>{{cite web |date=5 April 2010 |title=Review: Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! #14 |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=user_review&id=2077 |access-date=2011-01-15 |work=Comic Book Resources}}</ref> 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), ], the Arson Fiend, and Freddy Freeman/Captain Marvel Jr.


==== ''Injustice: Gods Among Us'' (2013–2016) ====
] was the book's primary writer. C.C. Beck drew stories for the first ten issues of the book before he quit because of differences with DC Comics; Kurt Shaffenberger and ] were among the later artists of the title.
In the prequel comic to the 2013 video game '']'', 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. Ultimately, Shazam decides to stay and support the Regime, devoted to its cause. He becomes the object of Harley Quinn's affection, being bound and gagged by her in Year Four.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-05-13 |title=Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Five Chapter 21 Review |url=https://bamsmackpow.com/2016/05/13/injustice-gods-among-us-year-five-chapter-21/ |access-date=2018-09-22 |website=Bam Smack Pow |language=en-US |archive-date=September 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180923010113/https://bamsmackpow.com/2016/05/13/injustice-gods-among-us-year-five-chapter-21/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He is freed by ] 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 July 2018 |title=The Many Deaths of Injustice: Gods Among Us |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/us/books-comics/injustice-gods-among-us/256603/injustice-gods-among-us-deaths |access-date=2018-09-23 |website=Den of Geek |language=en}}</ref> He, Harley (for trying to help him), and Wonder Woman's mother ] are sent to the abyss of ] 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 ] of ] 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.{{citation needed|date=November 2018}} ''(See the ] section for the continuation of his story in this universe.)''


==== ''Future State'' (2021) ====
With DC's ] in effect during this time, it was stated that the revived Marvel Family and related characters lived on the parallel world of "Earth-S". While the series began with a great deal of fanfare, the book got lackluster reviews. ''Shazam!'' was cancelled with issue no. 35 (June 1978) and relegated to a back-up position in '']'' (from no. 254 in November 1979 to no. 282 in August 1982) and '']'' (from no. 491 in September 1982 to no. 498 in April 1983). DC Comics bought the Fawcett line of characters outright in 1980, and with their 1985 ] '']'', fully integrated the characters into the mainstream DC superhero setting.
A potential future incarnation of Billy Batson is introduced during the '']'' event. This iteration of the character shares a similar background to their DC Rebirth counterpart, following a similar history until a point of divergence during their time as a student at the Teen Titans Academy in the Infinite Frontier era. In this version, the character demonstrates enhanced magical abilities, having acquired the sorcerous skills from tutelage under Raven. He also displayed the power to manipulate the powers other prominent mystics within the DC Universe such as Johnny and Jakeem Thunder.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Sheridan |first=Tim |url=https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Tim_Sheridan_Future_State_Shazam_2021_2021_1?id=_3kTEAAAQBAJ |title=Future State: Shazam! (2021-2021) #1 |date=2021-01-19 |publisher=DC Comics |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Sheridan |first=Tim |url=https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Tim_Sheridan_Future_State_Shazam_2021_2021_1?id=_3kTEAAAQBAJ |title=Future State: Shazam! (2021-2021) #1 |date=2021-01-19 |publisher=DC Comics |language=en}}</ref>
]


Billy is among the various heroes who assists the Titans in confronting Red X and the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse. Raven succeeds in absorbing the Horsemen but become corrupted under their influence. Shazam then uses his power to seal her in the Rock of Eternity at her behest to contain her power. Becoming known as the Unkindness, she uses her limited influence to create an alliance with Neron, who uses his power to split Shazam and Billy into independent beings. As Billy maintains his position, his innocence used to ward off demons on account the Rock of Eternity has been displaced within Hell, Shazam works to fight external threats.
===''Shazam! The New Beginning''===
The first ] appearance of Captain Marvel was in the 1986 '']'' miniseries. In 1987, Captain Marvel appeared as a member of the ]. That same year, he was also given his own miniseries, ''Shazam! The New Beginning''. With the four-issue miniseries, writer ] 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. In this miniseries, both Sivana and Dudley were Billy Batson's real uncles who fought over the custody for the boy after his parents were killed (by Sivana) in a car accident. Black Adam is also present in the story as Sivana's partner in crime.


Shazam assumes the role of leader within the Justice League of America, based in Detroit. However, in the absence of Billy's inherent influence, Shazam's morality becomes increasingly corrupted. He engages in secret killings of both super-villains and heroes who oppose his views, including the Question, who is the successor to Renee Montoya and Vic Sage, known as Drake. Shazam is also responsible for the deaths of Jakeem Thunder, Johnny Thunder, and the Creeper. Eventually, the identity of the Question is revealed to be Deadman, who has taken possession of Drake's body and acted as another successor to the Question in the JLA. The Spectre intervenes upon discovering Shazam's actions. Though aware of Shazam's past heroism, the Spectre is shocked to learn that his recent behavior is partly influenced by events in Hell, of which the Spectre had no prior knowledge. In a surprising turn of events, Shazam strikes and kills the Spectre using the remaining material from the Spear of Destiny. Deadman, as the Question, reveals himself to Shazam and temporarily uses the magic word to strip him of his powers. This entire sequence of events is later uncovered as a ploy orchestrated by Raven and Neron, with the goal of redirecting Shazam's powers back to the Rock of Eternity, which Raven absorbs. Empowered by her natural abilities, the Powers of Shazam, and the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse, Raven confidently escapes her confinement, believing that with the Spectre's demise, there will be no one to oppose her. Meanwhile, Billy mysteriously disappears, and his fate remains unknown.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
The most notable change that Thomas and ''Justice League'' writers ] and ] introduced into the Captain Marvel mythos was that the personality of young Billy Batson is retained when he transforms into the Captain (classic-era comics tended to treat Captain Marvel and Billy as two separate personalities). This change would remain for all future uses of the character, as justification for his sunny, Golden-Age personality in the darker modern-day comic book world. (Captain Marvel's Justice League teammate ] often jokingly referring to the innocent, pure-hearted Captain as "Captain Whitebread").


===''The Power of Shazam!''=== ==== ''Shazam! Thundercrack'' ====
On May 27, 2021, it was announced that cartoonist Yehudi Mercado would write and draw a middle-grade graphic novel titled ''Shazam! Thundercrack'', which will take place within the storyline of the 2019 ''Shazam!'' movie. It is set for both online and print release on June 7, 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Liam |first=McGuire |date=May 27, 2021 |title=Zachary Levi's Shazam To Star in New 'Thundercrack' Graphic Novel |url=https://screenrant.com/shazam-zachary-levi-thundercrack-graphic-novel/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527160322/https://screenrant.com/shazam-zachary-levi-thundercrack-graphic-novel/ |archive-date=2021-05-27 |website=ScreenRant}}</ref>
''Main entry: ]''


=== Other versions of Captain Marvel/Shazam ===
In 1994, Captain Marvel was ]ned yet again and given a revised origin in ''The Power of Shazam!'', a painted ] by ]. This version of Marvel's origin, now considered his official DCU origin story, more closely followed his Fawcett origins, with only slight additions and changes.


==== Captain Thunder (Flashpoint) ====
]'' graphic novel. Art by ].]]
The 2011 '']'' comics miniseries, written by Geoff Johns with art by ], featured an alternate timeline accidentally created by the ], 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 ], who in this timeline is a villain.
In this version of the story, it is Black Adam who kills Billy Batson's parents (as his resurrected non-powered form of Theo Adam) while the Batsons and Adam are excavating an ancient tomb in Egypt. He also kidnaps Billy's sister Mary, who ends up missing.


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: Eugene Choi, who possesses the wisdom of Solomon; Pedro Peña, who possesses the strength of Hercules; Mary Batson, Freddy Freeman and Billy Batson, who possess the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, and the courage of Achilles, respectively; and 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.<ref name="fp1">''Flashpoint'' #1 (May 2011)</ref>
{{spoiler}}
The wizard Shazam is made aware of all of these events, and (just as in the Fawcett origin) has Billy brought before him by the dark-clothed stranger, and grants the boy the power to become Captain Marvel. As Captain Marvel, Billy takes on the form of his late father, which is how Theo Adam guesses his identity, has a revelation about the power of Shazam, and becomes Black Adam using a ] he stole from the tomb. After subduing Black Adam and his employer, the rich tycoon Dr. Sivana, Billy swears to find his sister as Captain Marvel.


The six children later transform into Captain Thunder to help Flash and his allies stop the war between ]'s ] army and Wonder Woman's ] forces. Captain Thunder briefly fights Wonder Woman to a draw before being transformed back into the six children by Flash's accomplice ], who is revealed to be a traitor. Before the kids can re-form Captain Thunder, Billy is stabbed by the Amazon Penthesileia and killed.<ref>''Flashpoint'' #4 (August 2011)</ref>
The graphic novel was a critically acclaimed success, leading to a ''Power of Shazam!'' ongoing series which ran from 1995 to 1999. The series reintroduced the Marvel Family and many of their allies and enemies into the modern-day DC Universe.


After the conclusion of the 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.<ref name="New52ShazamCAReview" />
During the publication of the series, the Marvel Family also appeared in ] and ]'s critically acclaimed miniseries '']'', with a brainwashed Captain Marvel playing a major role in the story. Captain Marvel also starred in an oversized special graphic novel, ''Shazam!: Power of Hope'', in 1999, written by ] and painted by Alex Ross.


===Captain Marvel in the 2000s=== ==== Captain Marvel ''(Elseworld's Finest)'' ====
In the alternate universe '']'' one-shot comic '']'' (1998) by Tom Simmons, Matt Haley and Barbara Kesel, the current Captain Marvel is depicted as a bald African-American man. A flashback to the older Justice Society features the traditional Caucasian Captain Marvel, leading to the conclusion that there were two Captain Marvels.
] on the cover of '']'' no. 48 (2003).]]
====Personality====
Since 1999, the characters have made appearances in a number of other comic book series. Ironically, a typical use for Captain Marvel guest appearances in current comics is as a backup for Superman when a flight-enabled, super-strong being is needed, especially in situations where Superman's special weaknesses (which Captain Marvel does not share) are involved.


==== Captain Marvel (Robert Rodgers) ====
Captain Marvel is usually depicted as pure-hearted and unwaveringly upstanding. At one point, he was described by Alex Ross as the "] of superheroes", or a representation of what kids think their dad should be &mdash; a "big, nice, noble guy without much sexuality about him". Like the classic depiction of ], Marvel is usually an amiable, friendly person. Since he is still a youth, it is harder for him to become corrupted (thus the wizard's reasoning for not choosing another adult like Black Adam as his champion). In the 1995 '']'' miniseries, Captain Marvel's soul is coveted by the demon prince ], but Marvel's soul is so pure that Neron was unable to possess it.
A one-shot alternate take on ''Shazam!'' was published as part of the '']'' comics line in 2001, which saw Marvel Comics legend ] reimagining various DC characters.


Lee reimagined the original ''Shazam!'' premise by having the hero be a mild mannered Interpol agent, Robert Rogers. Teamed with the beautiful, and much tougher, fellow agent, Carla Noral, the two of them are in India searching for the megalomaniac master criminal Gunga Kahn. Rogers is given the ability to transform into a large, winged being by saying the magic word "Shazam!" This version is co-created with Gary Frank, and is based on the Bill Parker–C. C. Beck character.
However, despite his wisdom, which most likely serves as a buffer protecting him against the traumas he witnesses, Captain Marvel is also depicted as somewhat immature. Since Billy is only a teenager, he tends to take many things for granted and is usually nervous about interacting with other superheroes, making him seem like a case of ] to other heroes who are unaware of his true form. At one point, he got the ] addicted to ] cookies.


In a backup story plotted by Michael Uslan, scripted by Lee and Uslan, and drawn by Kano, an orphaned American boy in India at the same time as the adventures of Shazam heroically saves a village from starvation with the help of a local boy named Zubin Navotny. The boy's name is Billy Marvel, and he and Zubin are made honorary captains in the U.S. Peace Corps by an Ambassador named Batson, making the boy "Captain Marvel."
====JSA membership (2003&ndash;2004)====
In 2003, Captain Marvel became a member of the revived ] and was featured prominently in that series alongside his nemesis Black Adam. Captain Marvel had originally joined the team to keep an eye on Adam, who had joined the JSA claiming to have reformed. Black Adam eventually left the JSA to instigate a takeover of his home country of Khandaq; he had a fondess for the country, and wished to see the totalitarian regime done away in what he saw as justice. Captain Marvel remained with the team. During his tenure in the JSA, Marvel dated Courtney Whitmore, a.k.a. ], which put him in an unusual position: while he could legally date Courtney as Billy Batson, it looked very strange for the grown-up Captain Marvel to be with the teenaged Stargirl. The Golden Age ], ], another JSA member, confronted Marvel about the issue, but instead of telling Garrick and the team the truth about his age, Marvel chose to follow the Wisdom of Solomon and leave the team and Courtney.


==== Captain Marvel (Sahar Shazeen) ====
In ], Captain Marvel made an appearance in Frank Miller's alternate-future mini-series "]".
A female version of Captain Marvel is shown as a member of an alternate-future Justice League in '']'', a 2010 comics maxiseries written by Judd Winick and Keith Giffen. 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 ].<ref>''Justice League: Generation Lost'' #14. DC Comics.</ref>


==== Mazahs ====
].|thumb]]
'''Mazahs''' is a corrupted alternate-universe version of Shazam, introduced in the 2013–14 '']'' DC Comics crossover event series written by ]. He is the super-powered alter-ego of ''']''' of ].<ref>{{cite comic|writer=]|penciller=]|inker=Friend, Richard|colorist=Oback, Sonia|letterer=Leigh, Rob|story=Forever Evil Chapter Six: The Power of Mazahs!|title=Forever Evil|volume=1|issue=#6|date=May 2014|publisher=]}}</ref> In the story, the ] (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 ] and ] 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 ].<ref>''Forever Evil'' #6. DC Comics.</ref> It is implied that the power of Mazahs previously belonged to Earth-3's Will Batson, before he was killed by Alexander. In the final issue of the series, it is revealed that Earth-3's Wonder Woman analogue, ], 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.<ref>''Forever Evil'' #7. DC Comics.</ref>


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 activated when she says the magic word, to remove abilities the members the Prime-Earth Justice League had inherited from their time on ] after the death of ]. The story ends with the orphaned baby having absorbed both the Omega Effect from Lex Luthor as well as the ] from Justice League associate ], transforming him into a resurrected—yet still infantile—Darkseid.<ref>''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #50. DC Comics.</ref>
====''Day of Vengeance''====
{{spoilers}}
''Superman'' #216, Captain Marvel battled ], and the wizard Shazam had to call upon the ] to stop the demon. This action broke a covenant between Eclipso and the Spectre, and set Eclipso permanently at odds against Shazam and Captain Marvel. Possessing the body of the ]'s ex-wife ], Eclipso corrupted the confused Spectre into joining forces with her, and began a war against all magic-powered beings in the DC Universe.


==Supporting cast==
In the '']'' miniseries, Shazam enlisted Marvel to keep the Spectre at bay so that the wizard could prepare to battle him. Marvel therefore threw himself into a desperate battle versus the Spectre, assisted by the newly-formed ] band of magic-based heroes, which battle ended in a draw.
{{see also|Marvel Family}}
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 empowered by the wizard ]. The main core of the Marvel Family were Captain Marvel's sister ], the alter-ego of Billy Batson's twin sister Mary Batson (adopted as Mary Bromfield), and Marvel's protégé, ], who was the alter-ego of Billy and Mary's best friend, the disabled newsboy Freddy Freeman. Before DC's '']s'' comic book miniseries in 1985, the Marvel Family also included part-time members such as Mary's non-powered friend "Uncle" Dudley (]) and three other protégés (all of whose alter egos are named "Billy Batson") known as the ]. A pink rabbit version of Captain Marvel, ], appeared in his own stories.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/dc-marvel-family-shazam-hoppy-wonder-bunny/ |title=DC's Marvel Family Just Got Its Weirdest Member Back |date=2018-12-07 |website=CBR |language=en-US |access-date=2018-12-08}}</ref>


Among the key supporting characters was '''Sterling Morris''', president of Amalgamated Broadcasting, owners of Station WHIZ, the radio (and later TV) station for which Billy worked as a reporter. Billy also had his own love interest, '''Cissie Sommerly''', who was also Sterling Morris' niece and had a recurring role in the comics. In the early Fawcett stories, Billy Batson and Captain Marvel had a sidekick named ], an ] valet character who was removed from the comics by 1945 because of protests over racial stereotyping.<ref name="YouthBuilders">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/comic-book-legends-revealed-467/ |title=Comic Book Legends Revealed #467 |date=2014-04-18 |website=CBR |language=en-US |access-date=2018-01-19}}</ref> From 1947 forward, Billy/Marvel's sidekick was Mr. ], an ] talking tiger who works as a museum curator and seeks integration into human society.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://comicsalliance.com/otto-binder-c-c-beck-mr-tawny-newspaper-strip-captain-marvel-spinoff-unreleased/ |title=Otto Binder And C.C. Beck's ''Mr. Tawny'' Captain Marvel Newspaper Strip Spinoff That Never Was |first=Chris |last=Sims |date=September 12, 2013 |publisher=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130917070808/http://comicsalliance.com/otto-binder-c-c-beck-mr-tawny-newspaper-strip-captain-marvel-spinoff-unreleased/ |archive-date=September 17, 2013 |url-status=dead |quote=What you might not know is that in 1953, Binder and Beck tried out a newspaper comic strip starring Tawny as a solo act, completely without his superheroic pal. }}</ref>
Spectre later directly confronted Shazam at the Rock of Eternity and killed him, absorbing all of his magicks and powers. The Rock of Eternity crumbled apart and exploded into "a billion pieces" above ], freeing the ] and many other demons and evil magicks into the mortal world. This leads Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family into DC Comics' current '']'', in which the stability of their powers and their very existences are uncertain because of the Spectre's rampage on magic.


JSA member Captain Marvel briefly dates '''Courtney Whitmore''' aka '''Stargirl''', and both her and Billy Batson are the same age,<ref>''JSA'' #48. In this issue, Stargirl meets a temporarily powerless Billy Batson, and each learns that the other is sixteen years old.</ref> although she was attracted to Billy in his older form in the first place, without knowing his secret identity, and even kissed him. To outsiders, however, Captain Marvel is by all appearances a fully grown-up adult, and the relationship between Marvel and Stargirl ] from ] and ] (despite these opposing views and even inappropriate ] and neo-puritanical comments from fans and readers in real life, however, even if Billy was actually older in his original form like in his "Shazam" one, ]). After Garrick confronts them, Marvel decides to leave the JSA and Courtney, instead of revealing his secret to the team. Marvel later returns to the JSA and explains that the Wisdom of Solomon prevents him from revealing his secret identity.
====Other series====
A four-issue Captain Marvel/Superman miniseries, ''Superman/Shazam: First Thunder'', is currently being published by DC, and began with issue no. 1 on ]. The miniseries, written by ] with art by ], depicts the first meeting between the two heroes and officially establishes that Captain Marvel has the inate advantage of being far more resistant to magical attacks than the Kryptonian.{{ref|ShazamSuperman}}


The current-continuity version of Shazam has a Shazam Family made up of his five foster siblings, with whom he shares his powers: Mary Bromfield, Freddy Freeman, Pedro Peña, Eugene Choi, and Darla Dudley.<ref name="JL21"/> The latter three children were introduced in the ''Flashpoint'' miniseries as three of the six children sharing the powers of "Captain Thunder", and introduced into regular DC continuity with ''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #8 in 2012. Tawny was initially depicted as a magically-charged zoo tiger in the ''Justice League'' backup stories. In the 2018–present ongoing ''Shazam!'' series, a more traditional version of Tawny is a resident of The Wildlands, a magical realm inhabited by anthropomorphic animals.
A new take on Captain Marvel is expected in the future, written and drawn by popular independent comic artist ], best known for his epic series '']''.


The Marvel Family's other non-powered allies have traditionally included Dr. Sivana's good-natured adult offspring, Beautia and Magnificus Sivana. The 1970s ''Shazam!'' series also included Sunny Sparkle, the "nicest boy in the world." Jerry Ordway's 1990s ''Power of Shazam!'' series also introduced Billy's school principal, Miss Wormwood, and Mary's adoptive parents, Nick and Nora Bromfield. The ''New 52'' reboot of ''Shazam!'' introduced the Shazam kids' foster parents, Victor and Rosa Vázquez.<ref name="JL8"/>
==Supporting cast==
].]]
===Marvel Family===
Captain Marvel often fights evil as a member of a superhero team known as the ], made up of himself and several other heroes:


==Collected editions==
* ''The Wizard ].'' Although he is killed, as prophesied, after giving Billy the power to become Captain Marvel, Shazam's spirit remains as the vigilant caretaker of the Rock of Eternity. In current continuity, Shazam does not die after granting Billy his powers, and was a much more active character than he was during the classic Marvel Family adventures. He attained godhood after the 1998 ''Genesis'' crossover, and was ultimately defeated and murdered by the Spectre in the 2005 ''Day of Vengeance'' miniseries.
Many of the character's appearances have been collected into several ]:
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Collected editions
!width="20%"| Title
! Year of release
! Publisher
!width="11%"|ISBN
!width="30%"|Details
! Writers and artists
! Format
|-
| ''Special Edition Series: Book 1 – Whiz Comics''
| 1974
| ]
|
| This softcover volume features Golden Age adventures of Captain Marvel from ''Whiz Comics'' #7–28 in black and white.
|
* Stories by ], ], and others
* Art by ], ], ], ], and others.
| {{frac|8|1|2}} in. × 11 in., 208 pages
|-
| ''Special Edition Series: Book 3 – Captain Marvel Jr.''
| 1975
| DynaPubs
|
| This softcover volume reprints Captain Marvel Jr. stories from ''Master Comics'' #27–42 in black & white. Four covers are featured in full color on the back cover.
|
* Stories by Ed Herron and others
* Art by C. C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Marc Swayze, Mac Raboy, and others
| {{frac|8|1|2}} in. × 11 in., 208 pages
|-
| ''Shazam! From the Forties to the Seventies''
| 1977
| ]
| {{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 and white, with some color pages.
|
* Stories by Bill Parker, ], and others. Introduction by ]
* Art by C. C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Marc Swayze, Mac Raboy, ], and others
| 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 ]. Reprints the entire "Monster Society of Evil" story arc from ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #22–46 (1943–1945). This oversized, slipcased hardcover book was limited to 3,000 numbered copies.
|
*Stories by Otto Binder
*Art by C. C. Beck & Pete Costanza
|
|-
| ''The Shazam! Archives Volume 1''
| 1992
| ]
| {{ISBN|1-56389-053-4}}
| Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories from ''Whiz Comics'' #2 - 15
|
*Stories by Bill Parker
*Art by C. C. Beck
| 120 pages
|-
| ''The Shazam! Archives Volume 2''
| 1998
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-56389-521-8}}
| Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories from ''Whiz Comics'' #16 - 20, plus ''Special Edition Comics'' #1 and ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #1.
|
*Stories by Bill Parker, Ed Herron, and others
*Art by C. C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Mac Raboy, ], ], ], and others
| 232 pages
|-
| ''The Shazam! Archives Volume 3''
| 2002
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-56389-832-2}}
| Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories from ''Whiz Comics'' #21 - 24, ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #2-3, and ''America's Greatest Comics'' #1
|
*Stories by Ed Herron and others
*Art by C. C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Mac Raboy, George Tuska, and others
| 216 pages
|-
| ''Shazam! and the Shazam Family! Annual No. 1''
| 2002
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-56389-832-2}}
| An '']''-style, square-bound paperback collection reprinting several Golden Age Marvel Family adventures from ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #18, ''Captain Marvel, Jr.'' #12, and ''The Marvel Family'' #1, 10; 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 ]
| 216 pages
|-
| ''The Shazam! Archives Volume 4''
| 2005
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-4012-0160-1}}
| Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories from ''America's Greatest Comics'' #2, ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #4-5; and the origins of Captain Marvel, Jr. and Captain Nazi from ''Master Comics'' #21-22 and ''Whiz Comics'' #25
|
*Stories by Ed Herron and others
*Art by C. C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Mac Raboy, George Tuska, and others
| 216 pages
|-
| ''DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories, Vol. 1''
| 2005
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|978-1401205348}}
| A showcase of alternate universe "imaginary stories" that depict a series of possible futures. Includes ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #66, ''Batman'' #127, 151; ''Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane'' #19, 51; ''Superman'' #149, 162; ''Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen'' #57, ''The Flash'' #128, and ''World's Finest Comics'' #173.
|
* Stories by various writers
* Art by various artists
| 192 pages
|-
| ''The Shazam! Family Archives''
| 2006
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-4012-0779-0}}
| This spin-off volume features the adventures of Captain Marvel Jr., 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
| 228 pages
|-
| ''Showcase Presents: Shazam!''
| 2006
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-4012-1089-9}}
| A 500-page trade paperback featuring black-and-white reprints of stories from the 1970s ''Shazam!'' ongoing series, collecting only the new material that was published (and not the Golden Age reprints) in issues #1–33.
|
*Written by ], E. Nelson Bridwell, and ]
*Art by C. C. Beck, Kurt Schaffenberger, ], ], and others
| 500 pages
|-
| ''The Trials of Shazam!: The Complete Series''
| 2007, 2008; 2019
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-4012-9229-1}}
| Reprints ''The Trials of Shazam!'' #1–12 and a short story from ''DCU Brave New World'' #1. Originally released in two halves as ''Volume 1'' (2007, {{ISBN|1-4012-1331-6}}) and ''Volume 2'' (2008, {{ISBN|1-4012-1829-6}}); the single-volume version was released in 2019.
|
*Written by ]
*Art by ] and Mauro Cascioli
| 312 pages
|-
| ''Shazam! The Greatest Stories Ever Told''
| 2008
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-4012-1674-9}}
| A compilation featuring Captain Marvel stories collected from the Fawcett publications ''Whiz Comics'' #2; ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #1, 137, 148; ''The Marvel Family'' #21, 85; and the DC publications ''Shazam!'' #1, 14; ''] Annual'' #3; '']'' #276; ''] '91'' #31; ''The Power of Shazam!'' #33; and '']''.
|
*Various
| 224 pages
|-
| ''DC Goes Ape''
| 2008
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|978-1401219352}}
| A compilation of various confrontations between superheroes and apes. Collects '']'' #76, ''Superman'' #138, '']'' #127 and (vol. 2) #151, '']'' #339 and 482, '']'' #16, '']'' #170, '']'' #201, ''Shazam!'' #9, and '']'' #30.
|
*Various
| 168 pages
|-
| ''Justice League: ]''
| 2010, 2017, 2018
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|978-1401202552}}
| A compilation of picturesque graphic novels featuring DC heroes battling societal problems. Collects '']'', '']'', '']'', ''Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth'', ''JLA: Secret Origins'', and ''JLA: Liberty and Justice''.
|
* Stories by ]
* Art by ]
| 400 pages
|-
| ''Superman vs. Shazam!''
| 2013, 2021
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-4012-3821-1}}
| A compilation featuring past team-ups and fights between The Man of Steel and the World's Mightiest Mortal in this collection also featuring ], Mr. Mind, Captain Nazi, Black Adam, and more. Collects ''All-New Collector's Edition'' C-58; ''DC Comics Presents'' #33–34, 49; and ''DC Comics Presents Annual'' #3.


The 2021 edition includes all of the issues from the previous collection plus '']'' #1 and 4, '']'' #46, and '']'' (vol. 2) #216. ({{ISBN|978-1779509093}})
* '']''. Billy's once-lost twin sister Mary Batson (adopted as Mary Bromfield), who found she could say the magic word "SHAZAM!" and become a female Marvel. The classic-era Mary Marvel remained a teenager after saying her magic word, with a yellow on red short sleeve and ] costume, while the modern version is transformed into an adult like her brother, with a yellow on white costume. During the run of the series ''The Power of Shazam!'', Mary shared the title of "Captain Marvel" with Billy. In the '']'' miniseries, Mary became part of the "]," a group consisting largely of former ] members, after Captain Marvel turned down his invitation.
|
*Various
| 192 pages
|-
| ''Shazam! Vol. 1''
| 2013; 2019, 2020
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|978-1-4012-4244-2}}
| Compiles the revised '']'' origins of Billy Batson and Shazam from backup features originally printed in ''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #0, 7–11, 14–16, 18–21.


Re-released in 2019 as the ''Shazam! Origins'' trade paperback, with a photo cover from the New Line Cinema/Warner Bros. film ''Shazam!'' starring ] ({{ISBN|978-1401-28789-4}}). A hardcover ''Deluxe Edition'' ({{ISBN|978-1779506849}}, 208 pgs) was published in 2020.
* '']'' Attacked and left for dead by Captain Nazi, Freddy Freeman was given the power to become a Marvel to save his life. Whenever he speaks Captain Marvel's name, Freddy becomes a teenage version of Captain Marvel with a sharply contrasting yellow on blue costume. This created the odd problem that he could not identify himself without changing back to his regular form. The modern-day Junior at one time went by the alias ''CM3'' (short for "Captain Marvel Three", "CM1" being Billy and "CM2" being Mary) so that he could identify himself without transforming. He was a member of the ] during the late-1990s. Junior has recently joined the most recent incarnation of the ], after teaming up with them once on an early mission to stop ].
|
*Story by ]
* Art by ]
| 192 pages
|-
| ''Shazam! A Celebration of 75 Years''
| 2015
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-4012-5538-8}}
| Expanded hardcover ''Shazam!'' anthology spanning the Fawcett and DC eras from 1939 to 2013, including essays on the history of the characters. Features stories from Fawcett publications such as ''Whiz Comics'', ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' and ''The Marvel Family'', as well as DC publications such as ''Shazam!'', ''The Power of Shazam!'', ''JSA'', and more.<ref>Features stories from ''Whiz Comics'' #2, 21; ''Captain Marvel Adventures'' #18, 38-29, 137, 148; ''Captain Marvel, Jr.'' #12; ''The Marvel Family'' #1; ''Hoppy the Marvel Bunny'' #6; ''Superman'' #276, ''Shazam!'' #1, 29; ''World's Finest'' #275; ''DC Comics Presents'' #49; ''L.E.G.I.O.N.'' #31; ''The Power of Shazam!'' #1-2, 33; ''Action Comics'' #768; JSA #48; ''Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil'' #2; and ''Justice League'' (vol. 2) #21.</ref>
|
*Various
| 400 pages
|-
| ''Shazam! The World's Mightiest Mortal Volume 1''
| 2019
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-4012-8839-1}}
| Hardcover volume featuring color reprints of the new stories of issues #1-18 of the 1970s ''Shazam!'' ongoing series.
|
*Written by Dennis O'Neil, E. Nelson Bridwell, and Elliot S. Maggin
*Art by C. C. Beck, Kurt Schaffenberger, Dave Cockrum, and Dick Giordano
| 352 pages
|-
| ''Shazam! The World's Mightiest Mortal Volume 2''
| 2020
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|1-4012-8839-1}}
| Hardcover volume featuring color reprints of the new stories of issues #19-35 of the 1970s ''Shazam!'' ongoing series; plus ''All-New Collector's Edition'' C-58
|
*Written by Dennis O'Neil, E. Nelson Bridwell, and Elliot S. Maggin
*Art by Kurt Schaffenberger, Dave Cockrum, Dick Giordano, and ]
| 328 pages
|-
| ''The Power of Shazam! Book One: In The Beginning''
| 2020
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|978-1401299415}}
| Hardcover volume collecting the 1994 ''The Power of Shazam!'' graphic novel, issues #1-12 of the subsequent 1995 ongoing ''The Power of Shazam!'' series, plus a 1994 ''Shazam!'' story from ''Superman & Batman Magazine'' #4
|
*Written by ]
*Art by Jerry Ordway, ], ], ], and ]
| 408 pages
|-
| ''Shazam! and the Seven Magic Lands''
| 2020
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|978-1779504593}}
| Trade paperback collecting the main story from the 2018-2020 ''Shazam!'' series. Collects ''Shazam!'' (vol. 3) #1-11, 13-14.
|
*Written by Geoff Johns
*Art by ], ], Marco Santucci
| 344 pages
|-
| ''Shazam: The World's Mightiest Mortal Volume 3''
| 2021
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|978-1779509468}}
| Hardcover volume featuring reprints of the Captain Marvel stories from '']'' #253-270, 272-282 and '']'' #491-492
|
*Written by E. Nelson Bridwell
*Art by Don Newton, Kurt Schaffenberger
| 336 pages
|-
| ''The Power of Shazam Book 2: The Worm Turns''
| 2023
| DC Comics
| {{ISBN|978-1779504708}}
| Hardcover volume collecting ''The Power of Shazam!'' #13-23, Annual 1; ''Superman: The Man of Tomorrow'' #4, ''Showcase ‘96'' #7, ''Superboy Plus'' #1, and ''Supergirl Plus'' #1
|
* Written by Jerry Ordway
* Art by various
| 424 pages
|}


==In other media==
*'']''. During the classic era, an old man named Dudley claimed that he was not only a relative of the Marvels but also a Marvel himself (although neither was true). The Marvels took a liking to him and decided to humor him, and "Uncle" Dudley became Uncle Marvel, the Marvel Family's manager. In modern continuity, Dudley is simply a ] at Billy's school who finds himself involved in Marvel Family adventures. His niece ''Freckles Marvel'' was an irregular companion of Mary Marvel's in her classic-era solo adventures.
{{multiple image
| direction = vertical
| width = 200
| image1 = Adventures of captain marvel.jpg
| caption1 = DVD front cover for the 1941 '']'' ], starring ] in the title role
| image2 = Zachary Levi as Shazam.jpg
| caption2 = ] (right) as Shazam in the 2019 film ], with ] (left) as ]
| align =
}}


===Live-action films===
* ''The ]''. Three other boys named "Billy Batson" (nicknamed "Tall Billy", "Fat Billy", and "Hill Billy"&mdash;the latter because he was from ]) who learned that, because they also were named Billy Batson, they could draw on the power of Shazam. They vowed only to use their power if asked by Captain Marvel, and only if all three were to say the magic word, "SHAZAM!", in unison. They have not appeared in Marvel Family stories since the early 1980s, having been retconned out of existence during the ''Crisis on Infinite Earths''.


* Captain Marvel appears in '']'', portrayed by ], while Billy Batson is portrayed by ].<ref name="witney">{{cite book |last=Witney |first=William |title=In a Door, Into a Fight, Out a Door, Into a Chase: Moviemaking Remembered by the Guy at the Door |date=2005-03-24 |publisher=McFarland & Company |isbn=0-7864-2258-0}}</ref>
*'']''. A spin-off character generally confined to his own series, the pink ] ] version of Captain Marvel periodically assisted the human Marvels in their adventures.
* Captain Marvel appears in '']'', which stars ] as an ice cream vendor and member of a Captain Marvel fan club.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.glasshousepresents.com/crimson_cape_review.htm |title=Trying to Fly Without a Crimson Cape: The Beginning of the End |work=Glass House Presents |date=February 8, 2009 |access-date=2011-01-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101217080149/http://glasshousepresents.com/Crimson_Cape_Review.htm |archive-date=December 17, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.comics.org/series/29645/|title=''Captain Marvel and the Good Humor Man''|work=Grand Comics Database|access-date=2011-01-15}}</ref>
* Shazam appears in films set in the ] (DCEU), portrayed by ], while Billy Batson is portrayed by ].<ref>{{multiref2|{{cite web |last=Billington |first=Alex |date=February 28, 2008 |title=It's Official – New Line Cinema is Dead! |url=http://www.firstshowing.net/2008/02/28/its-official-new-line-cinema-is-dead |publisher=FirstShowing.net}}|{{cite news |last=McNary |first=Dave |date=August 19, 2014 |title=Dwayne Johnson Says He'll Play Role in ''Shazam'' |url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/dwayne-johnson-shazam-1201286278/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709151459/http://variety.com/2014/film/news/dwayne-johnson-shazam-1201286278/ |archive-date=July 9, 2015 |access-date=August 20, 2014 |work=Variety |df=mdy-all}}|{{cite web |last=Hood |first=Cooper |date=July 21, 2017 |title=Dwayne Johnson Won't Be in ''Shazam'', Confirms Geoff Johns |url=https://screenrant.com/dwayne-johnson-no-black-adam-shazam-geoff-johns/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170725000644/http://screenrant.com/dwayne-johnson-no-black-adam-shazam-geoff-johns/ |archive-date=July 25, 2017 |access-date=September 20, 2017 |website=Screenrant |df=mdy-all}}|{{Cite web |last=N'Duka |first=Amanda |date=2017-10-27 |title=Zachary Levi To Star In DC's ''Shazam!'' For New Line |url=https://deadline.com/2017/10/zachary-levi-dc-shazam-new-line-1202196486/ |access-date=2017-12-30 |website=]}}|{{Cite web |last=N'Duka |first=Amanda |date=2017-11-06 |title=DC's ''Shazam!'' Taps ''Andi Mack'' Star Asher Angel To Play Billy Batson |url=https://deadline.com/2017/11/dc-shazam-andi-mack-asher-angel-1202202880/ |access-date=2017-12-30 |website=]}}|{{cite magazine |last=N'Duka |first=Amanda |date=December 6, 2017 |title=''It'' Actor Jack Dylan Grazer Joins ''Shazam'' |url=https://deadline.com/2017/12/it-jack-dylan-grazer-shazam-dc-movie-1202221613/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207013228/http://deadline.com/2017/12/it-jack-dylan-grazer-shazam-dc-movie-1202221613/ |archive-date=December 7, 2017 |access-date=December 6, 2017 |magazine=Deadline |df=mdy-all}}|{{cite web |date=June 11, 2018 |title=Geoff Johns to Expand Creative Role Becoming a Full-Time Writer/Producer for Film, Television and More; Exclusive to DC and Warner Bros. |url=https://www.warnerbros.com/studio/news/geoff-johns-expand-creative-role-becoming-full-time-writerproducer-film-television |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180614151940/https://www.warnerbros.com/studio/news/geoff-johns-expand-creative-role-becoming-full-time-writerproducer-film-television |archive-date=June 14, 2018 |access-date=June 12, 2018 |work=Warner Bros. Entertainment |df=mdy-all}}|{{Cite web |last=Bentley |first=Jean |date=March 6, 2019 |title=Surprise! Your Fav ''OC'' & ''Riverdale'' Alums Are In ''Shazam'' |url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/04/228836/who-is-the-superhero-family-in-shazam-brothers-sisters |access-date=2019-04-06 |website=www.refinery29.com |language=en}}|{{cite web |last=Fuster |first=Jeremy |date=April 7, 2019 |title=''Shazam!'' Surges to $53 Million Box Office Opening |url=https://www.thewrap.com/shazam-surges-to-53-million-box-office-opening/ |access-date=April 20, 2019 |website=]}}|{{cite web |title=''Shazam!'' (2019) |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=untitledmovieiv.htm |access-date=July 8, 2019 |website=]}}
}}</ref><ref>{{multiref2|{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=2019-04-08 |title=''Shazam!'' Scribe Henry Gayden To Pen Sequel |url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/shazam-sequel-henry-gayden-screenwriter-returning-1202591584/ |access-date=2019-07-12 |website=]}}|{{Cite web |last=Dominguez|first=Noah |date=2021-09-01 |title=''Shazam! Fury of the Gods'' Wraps Filming |url=https://www.cbr.com/shazam-2-production-wrap/ |access-date=2021-10-20 |website=CBR |language=en-US}}|{{Cite web |last=Aquilina |first=Tyler |date=July 17, 2021 |title=Dwayne Johnson celebrates as ''Black Adam'' finally wraps filming: 'This has been one for the ages' |url=https://ew.com/movies/dwayne-johnson-marks-end-of-filming-black-adam/ |access-date=2021-10-20 |website=EW.com |language=en}}
}}</ref>


===Animated films===
]
* Captain Marvel makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in '']''.
* Captain Marvel appears in '']'', voiced by ],<ref name="btva2">{{cite web |title=Captain Marvel / Shazam Voices (Captain Marvel / Shazam) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Captain-Marvel-Shazam/Captain-Marvel-Shazam/ |access-date=April 3, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref> while Billy Batson is voiced by an uncredited ].
* '''Captain Super''', an alternate universe version of Captain Marvel who is a member of the ], appears in '']'', voiced by ].<ref name="btva5">{{cite web |title=Captain Super Voice - ''Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths'' (Movie) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/movies/Justice-League-Crisis-on-Two-Earths/Captain-Super/ |access-date=April 3, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
* Captain Marvel appears in ''],'' voiced again by ], while Billy Batson is voiced by ].<ref>{{multiref2|{{cite web |date=July 10, 2010 |title=DC Showcase Animated Shorts |url=http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/1007/10/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804224257/http://www.comicscontinuum.com/stories/1007/10/ |archive-date=August 4, 2010 |access-date=July 10, 2010 |work=Comics Continuum}}|{{cite web |last=Collura |first=Scott |date=July 25, 2010 |title=SDCC 10: DC Shorts Showcase |url=http://bluray.ign.com/articles/110/1108411p1.html |access-date=2010-07-25 |work=IGN}}|{{cite web |last=Harvey |first=James |date=October 29, 2010 |title=Main Cast, Crew Details for ''Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam'' |url=http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/news.php/news.php?action=fullnews&id=884 |access-date=2010-10-30 |work=Worlds Finest Online}}
}}</ref><ref name="btva2" /><ref name="btva3">{{cite web |title=Billy Batson Voices (Captain Marvel / Shazam) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/characters/Captain-Marvel-Shazam/Billy-Batson/ |access-date=April 3, 2024 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
* The Flashpoint timeline counterparts of the Shazam family appears in '']'', with Billy Batson voiced by ], Pedro Peña by ], and Captain Thunder by ].
* Shazam appears in films set in the ] (DCAMU), voiced by ], while Billy Batson is voiced again by Zach Callison.<ref name="btva2" /><ref name="btva3" />
** The character is introduced in '']'', where he becomes a founding member of the Justice League as they fight Darkseid.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://nerdist.com/review-justice-league-war |title= Review: Justice League: War |date= 2014-02-05 |website= Nerdist |language= en |access-date= 2018-03-21 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180322015419/https://nerdist.com/review-justice-league-war/ |archive-date= 2018-03-22 |url-status= dead }}</ref>
** Shazam appears in '']''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://lylesmoviefiles.com/2015/01/29/justice-league-throne-of-atlantis-review-aquaman-gets-the-throne-not-spotlight/ |title=Justice League:Throne of Atlantis review |date=2015-01-29 |website=Lyles Movie Files |language=en-US |access-date=2018-03-21}}</ref>
** Shazam appears in '']''. Here, he is revealed to have lost a leg during a battle on Apokolips, and replaced it with a magical one. He is later killed sacrificing himself to fend off a horde of ].
* Billy Batson appears in '']'', voiced again by Zach Callison.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dar |first=Taimur |date=2019-05-08 |title=LEGO BATMAN: FAMILY MATTERS Blu-ray Release Details Announced |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/lego-batman-family-matters-release-details/ |access-date=2024-04-03 |website=The Beat |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="btva3" />
* Shazam appears in '']'', voiced again by Sean Astin, while Billy Batson is voiced again by Zach Callison.<ref>{{Cite web |last=OIler |first=Jacob |date=April 2, 2020 |title=Embrace your inner child with this first look at LEGO DC: Shazam-Magic & Monsters |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/lego-dc-shazam-magic-monsters-trailer |access-date=April 3, 2024 |website=SYFY Official Site |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="btva2" /><ref name="btva3" />
* Shazam appears in '']'', voiced by ].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Couch|first=Aaron|date=2021-07-21|title=DC's 'Injustice' Sets Cast for Animated Movie (Exclusive)|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/injustice-gods-among-us-movie-dc-1234985568/|access-date=2021-07-21|website=The Hollywood Reporter|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="btva2" />


===Rogues gallery=== ===Television===
] as Captain Marvel on CBS' ''Shazam!'' Saturday morning TV series]]
Through his adventures, Captain Marvel gained a host of enemies, including the following:


====1970s–1990s====
*''] (and the Sivana Family)''. Captain Marvel's very first and primary foe. Sivana, a bald, diminutive ], often attempts to take over the world or destroy the Marvels using his inventions. In classic-era continuity, Sivana's teenage children ''Georgia'' and ''Sivana, Jr.'' often joined their father in his evil schemes; the three of them were collectively known as the ''Sivana Family''. In current DC Universe continuity, Sivana heads the ] team of supervillians, which have fought both the ] and the ], who include Captain Marvel, Jr.
Captain Marvel first came to television in 1974. ] produced '']'', a live-action series, which ran from 1974 to 1976 on ].<ref name="Shazam1974TV">{{Cite book |title=Total television : the comprehensive guide to programming from 1948 to the present |last=McNeil |first=Alex |date=1996 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=0140249168 |edition= 4th |location=New York |pages=748 |oclc=33898297}}</ref> From 1975 until the end of its run, it aired as one-half of ''The Shazam!/Isis Hour'' alongside '']''.<ref name="Shazam1974TV"/><ref name="Isis1975TV">{{Cite book |title=Total television : the comprehensive guide to programming from 1948 to the present |last=McNeil |first=Alex |date=1996 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=0140249168 |edition= 4th |location=New York |pages=413 |oclc=33898297}}</ref>


Instead of directly following the lead of the comics, ''Shazam!'' took a more indirect approach to the character: Billy Batson/Captain Marvel, accompanied by an older man known simply as Mentor (]), traveled in a motor home across the U.S., interacting with people in different towns in which they stopped to save the citizens from some form of danger or to help them combat some form of evil.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/05/movies/shazam-history-captain-marvel.html|title=Shazam Is Back. Wait, Who Is He Again?|first=Devin|last=Fuller|date=5 April 2019|access-date=30 April 2019|work=The New York Times}}</ref> 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 ] as Billy Batson, with both ] (season 1) and ] (seasons 2 and 3) as Captain Marvel.<ref>{{IMDb title|0071050|Shazam!}}</ref> An adapted version of Isis, the heroine of ''The Secrets of Isis'', was introduced into DC Comics in 2006 as Black Adam's wife.
*'']''. An older Egyptian renegade protégé of the wizard Shazam, who was the first to be granted superpowers by the wizard. He eventually grew to abuse his power and seized power to become a tyrant. Shazam returned to punish him with either exile (classic version) or death (modern version). He returns to Earth (or life) after Shazam appoints Captain Marvel his new successor, and was soon established as Captain Marvel's most powerful foe. In current DCU continuity, Black Adam, claiming that he and his murderous host Theo Adam are separate personalities, joined the ], claiming to be a hero as he had once been in Egypt. Adam eventually turned on the JSA, wanting to be a hero on his own terms. He later forcefully overthrew the tyrannous government of his old homeland of Khandaq, appointing himself ruler.


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 ] under the name '']'' in 1979.<ref>{{cite news|title= A History of Batman on TV|work= ]|url= http://uk.tv.ign.com/articles/891/891807p6.html|access-date=2010-08-15}}</ref> The specials also featured ] as Doctor Sivana, and ] as Aunt Minerva, marking the first appearance of the characters in film or television. Although Captain Marvel did not appear in Hanna-Barbera's long-running concurrent ] series '']'' (which featured many of the other DC superheroes), he did appear in some of the merchandise associated with the show.
*'']''. Adolf Hitler's champion, created through science as the "perfect specimen" of a soldier. Obviously inspired by the events of ], Nazi continued to appear in classic-era Marvel Family stories into the 1980s. In the ''Power of Shazam!'' series, Nazi was brought back into action after having been in ] for fifty years, and quickly became an enemy of the Marvel Family.


Filmation revisited the character three years later in '']'', which aired alongside '']''.<ref name="KidSuperpower">{{Cite book |title=Total television : the comprehensive guide to programming from 1948 to the present |last=McNeil |first=Alex |date=1996 |publisher=Penguin Books |isbn=0140249168 |edition= 4th |location=New York |pages=450 |oclc=33898297}}</ref> Captain Marvel and Billy Batson were both voiced by Burr Middleton.<ref name="btva2" /><ref name="btva3" /> 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.<ref name="KidSuperpower"/>
* '']''. A frail thug named "Stinky" Printwhistle who was empowered by ] himself with the powers of four of the most evil men to walk the face of the earth. When he says the name "IBAC", he becomes a large, muscular brute with super-strength. Saying his name again transforms him back into Printwhistle (therefore, like Captain Marvel, Jr., Ibac also cannot say his own name).


Captain Marvel or Billy Batson made brief "cameo" appearances in two 1990s TV series. An unnamed reporter resembling Billy appears in the '']'' episode "Obsession", while live actors portraying Captain Marvel make "cameo" appearances in both a dream-sequence within an episode of '']'', and in the ]' music video for "Alive".
* '']''. Arguably the most notorious classic-era Captain Marvel villain, the at-first unseen Mister Mind started and headed a supervillain team known as the ]. After two years of masterminding tyranny with a team of hundreds of villains and criminals (including several previous Marvel Family adversaries like Captain Nazi and Ibac), Mister Mind was revealed to be a two-inch, ], mind-controlling ] from another planet. The evil worm was placed on trial, convicted of killing 186,744 people, and placed in the electric chair. Mind survived his execution and escaped; he would go on to battle Marvel Family many other times until the ''Crisis on Infinite Earths''. In the ''Power of Shazam!'' series, Mind was reimagined as the leader of a race of millions of mind-controlling Venusian worms, who irregularly appear across the DC Universe attempting to control potential human hosts.


====2000s–present====
*''Mister Atom''. An artificially intelligent nuclear-powered robot created by Dr. Charles Langley. In the ''Power of Shazam!'' series, Mister Atom, under the control of Mister Mind, destroys Fairfield, a town near Fawcett City where Mary Bromfield lived with her adoptive parents, with a nuclear explosion.
]'' episode "Clash".]]


* Because of licensing issues and the development of the ''Shazam!'' feature film at New Line Cinema, Captain Marvel and characters related to him could not appear in the ].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://jl.toonzone.net/shazam/shazam.htm |title=Captain Marvel |website=jl.toonzone.net |access-date=2018-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160907142113/http://jl.toonzone.net/shazam/shazam.htm |archive-date=2016-09-07 |url-status=dead}}. Features quotes from interviews by Bruce Timm, ], and others on using Captain Marvel in their series.</ref> A planned appearance in '']'' went unproduced, as did a proposed ''Shazam!'' series for ] pitched by Paul Dini and Alex Ross around the same time.<ref name="Finest">{{cite web|url=http://www.worldsfinestonline.com/WF/sections/backstage/abandoned/|title=The DC Animation Resource|publisher=The World's Finest}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |title=Mythology: the DC Comics art of Alex Ross |last=Ross |first=Alex |date=2005 |publisher=Pantheon Books |isbn=0375714626 |location=New York |oclc=62321583}}</ref>
*'']''. Only present in the modern-day Marvel Family stories, the demoness Blaze and her brother Lord Satanus, originally appearing in the ''Superman'' books, are the illegitimate children of the Wizard Shazam, who was bewitched by their mother during his superhero days in ] ]. Blaze has attempted to spread her evil influence throughout Fawcett City since the 1940s, requiring Shazam and his allies to work together to stop her.
* Captain Marvel appears in the '']'' episode "Clash", voiced by ], while Billy Batson is voiced by Shane Haboucha.<ref name="btva2" /><ref name="btva3" /> This version is initially a member of the Justice League, before leaving after his conflicting opinions with Superman cause them to fight and destroy Lex Luthor's Lexor City. At the end of the episode, it is revealed that the clash between the two superheroes was part of a plot organized by Lex Luthor and ] to discredit Superman.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sava |first=Oliver |date=May 12, 2014 |title=Justice League Unlimited: "Clash" |url=https://www.avclub.com/justice-league-unlimited-clash-1798180494 |access-date=2018-03-21 |website=] |language=en-US |archive-date=March 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322020336/https://tv.avclub.com/justice-league-unlimited-clash-1798180494 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Captain Marvel appears in '']'', with Captain Marvel voiced by ] and Billy Batson by ].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://voiceactors.wordpress.com/2009/07/14/tara-strong-batman-chowder-drawn-together/ | title=Tara Strong on 'Batman', 'Chowder', 'Drawn Together' Movie | work=Voiceactors.wordpress.com | date=July 14, 2009 | access-date=2011-01-15}}</ref><ref name="btva3" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/batman-the-brave-and-the-bold-the-malicious-mr-mind-1798167910 |title=Batman: The Brave And The Bold: "The Malicious Mr. Mind!" |last=Abrams |first=Simon |website=TV Club |date=April 9, 2011 |language=en-US |access-date=2018-03-21 |archive-date=March 22, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322020619/https://tv.avclub.com/batman-the-brave-and-the-bold-the-malicious-mr-mind-1798167910 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Captain Marvel appears in ''],'' voiced by ]<ref>{{cite web | url=http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2010/07/22/cci-shazam-rob-lowe-to-voice-captain-marvel-in-young-justice/ | title=CCI: Shazam! Rob Lowe to Voice Captain Marvel in Young Justice | work=Comic Book Resources | date=July 22, 2010 | access-date=2011-01-15 | archive-date=July 24, 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100724020355/http://spinoff.comicbookresources.com/2010/07/22/cci-shazam-rob-lowe-to-voice-captain-marvel-in-young-justice/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="btva2" /> and later by ], while Billy Batson is primarily voiced by Robert Ochoa, with ] voicing him in the episode "Teg Ydaer!".<ref name="btva3" /> This version is a member of the Justice League who temporarily becomes the ]'s supervisor following ]'s disappearance.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/10/08/young-justice-alpha-male-review |title=Young Justice: "Alpha Male" Review |last=Collura |first=Scott |date=2011-10-07 |website=IGN |language=en-US |access-date=2018-03-21}}</ref> At various times, he joins the Team on missions.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/03/05/young-justice-misplaced-review |title=Young Justice: "Misplaced" Review |last=Collura |first=Scott |date=2012-03-05 |website=IGN |language=en-US |access-date=2018-03-21}}</ref>
* Captain Marvel appears in '']''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z69PoyXn60s&list=UUiifkYAs_bq1pt_zbNAzYGg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/Z69PoyXn60s| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=DC Nation Animated Short "MAD Presents Shazamwich"|work=YouTube|date=March 15, 2012 }}{{cbignore}}</ref>
* Shazam appears in a self-titled series of ], voiced by ], while Billy Batson is voiced again by Tara Strong.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://geektyrant.com/news/shazam-3-short-films-courage-stamina-and-wisdom |title=SHAZAM! 3 Short Films — Courage, Stamina, and Wisdom |work=GeekTyrant |first=Free |last=Reyes |date=September 3, 2014 |access-date=February 1, 2015}}</ref>
* Shazam appears in '']'', with Shazam and Billy Batson both voiced by Sean Astin.<ref name="btva2" /><ref name="btva3" /> The series premiere, "Shazam Slam", sees Billy recruited by the Wizard and becoming Shazam to help him stop Black Adam. Subsequently, he appears throughout the series as a member of the Justice League.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.avclub.com/justice-league-action-does-right-by-dc-superheroes-with-1798189855 |title=Justice League Action does right by DC superheroes with a joyful premiere |last=Sava |first=Oliver |website=TV Club |date=December 16, 2016 |language=en-US |access-date=2018-03-21 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.supermanhomepage.com/december-15-2016-new-justice-league-action-clip-shazam-slam/ |title=December 15, 2016: New "Justice League Action" Clip – "Shazam Slam" |date=2016-12-15 |website=Superman Homepage}}</ref>
* Shazam appears in '']'', voiced by ],<ref>{{cite news |last=Dar |first=Taimur |date=February 27, 2019 |url=https://www.comicsbeat.com/shazam-embraces-his-inner-elvis-on-teen-titans-go/ |title=Shazam Embraces His Inner Elvis on Teen Titans Go!|newspaper=The Beat |publisher=ComicsBeat.com |access-date=April 14, 2019}}</ref><ref name="btva2" /> with Tara Strong once again voicing Billy Batson.<ref name="btva3" />
* The DC Extended Universe version of Shazam makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the '']'' episode "Dude, Where's My Gar?".<ref>{{cite news |title=Titans Cameo Proves DC Really Didn't Care About Shazam 2 |url=https://screenrant.com/titans-shazam-cameo-dc-not-care/ |work=]}}</ref>


===Video games===
*''Oggar''. The self styled "World's Mightiest Immortal", he was a major recurring enemy of the Marvels in the Pre-Crisis DC stories. His magic enabled him to do nearly anything, but it cannot be directly cast against a female target. Thus Mary Marvel was usually called upon to deal with him.
* Captain Marvel appears in '']'', voiced by ].<ref name="btva2" />
* Captain Marvel appears in '']'', voiced by ].<ref name="btva2" />
* Captain Marvel appears as an assist character in '']'', voiced again by ].
* Captain Marvel appears as a playable character in '']'', voiced by ].
* Captain Marvel appears as a playable character in '']'', voiced again by ].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.infinitecrisis.com/en/champions/shazam |title=Shazam |publisher=Infinite Crisis |access-date=2013-06-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620150549/http://www.infinitecrisis.com/en/champions/shazam |archive-date=2013-06-20 }}</ref>
* Shazam appears as a playable character in '']'', voiced by Joey Naber.<ref>{{cite web |date=5 February 2013 |title=Shazam character art found on the Injustice: Gods Among Us website, Ed Boon confirms DLC characters on Twitter |url=http://www.eventhubs.com/news/2013/feb/05/shazam-character-art-found-injustice-gods-among-us-website/ |access-date=2013-06-29 |publisher=Eventhubs.com}}</ref> An alternate universe version also appears, who is a member of Superman's Regime before being killed by him for questioning his plans. His death prompts the ] to defect to the Insurgency, giving the heroes the information they need to stop the Regime.
* Shazam appears as a character summon in '']''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eisen |first=Andrew |date=October 4, 2013 |title=DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/scribblenauts-unmasked/DC_Characters_and_Objects |access-date=April 3, 2024 |website=IGN}}</ref>
* Shazam appears as a playable character in '']'', voiced by ].<ref name="btva2" />
* Shazam appears as a playable character in ''DC Unchained''.
* Shazam appears in '']'', voiced by ], while Billy Batson is voiced by Zach Callison.<ref name="btva2" /> His Earth-3 counterpart Mazahs is also a playable character as well, voiced by ]. The DC Extended Universe version of the character appears in ], with ] reprising the role.<ref name="btva2" />
* Shazam appears in ''DC Battle Arena'', voiced by P. M. Seymour.<ref name="btva2" />


===Radio===
*'']''. Like Ibac, Sabbac is another magical being powered by the forces of demons. Sabbac gets his powers from six demons (], Any, ], ], ] and ]), who give him powers proportional to those of the Marvels. The original Sabbac, the alter ego of Freddy Freeman's foster brother Timothy Barnes, first appeared in 1943 as a humanoid figure. In the early 2000s '']'' comic book, Barnes was murdered and his Sabbac powers stolen by a Russian mobster named Ishamel Gregor. When Gregor becomes Sabbac, he transforms into a hulking demon with red skin, horns, fire breath, and a scent of brimstone.
In about 1943, a radio serial of Captain Marvel was briefly broadcast (possibly by either ] or ]) 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 ] via recollections of old-time radio fans who recalled hearing it during original broadcasts, plus locating period program listings.<ref>Hamerlinck, P.C. (June 2012) "The Boy Who Was Billy Batson: The Captain Marvel Radio Show Mystery". ] (TwoMorrows Publishing) (110): 75–79.</ref>


===Other characters=== ===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.<ref>{{Cite book | last=Beck | first=C. C. | contribution=The Captain Marvel Daily Newspaper Strip | editor-last=Hamerlinck | editor-first=P.C. | title=The Fawcett Companion | publisher=TwoMorrows Publishing | year=2001 | pages=46–47}}</ref>
*''Beautia and Magnificus Sivana''. Dr. Sivana's beautiful adult daughter Beautia shared her father's passion for world domination until meeting, and falling for, Captain Marvel. She has an unrequited crush on the shy Captain, not realizing that he is actually only a young boy. Her brother Magnificus is also generally depicted as a Marvel Family ally, although in his only Golden Age appearance, Magnificus had super powers and fought Captain Marvel hand-to-hand.


==Cultural impact and legacy==
*''Mister "Tawky" Tawny''. A humanoid sapient ] who, in classic-era continuity, wishes to live among the humans in civilization instead of in the wild or the ]. As such, he is typically dressed in a tweed business suit and usually carries himself in a formal dignified manner. The modern-day Tawky Tawny was a stuffed tiger ] who was animated by Lord Satanus to assist the Marvel Family in their battle against Satanus's sister Blaze. He only appeared as an animate being to Billy, Mary, and later Dudley at first (''a la'' Hobbes in '']''), but later was made permanently real by the power of Ibis the Invincible.
=== Critical response ===


The character was ranked as the 55th-greatest comic book character of all time by '']'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://herochat.com/forum/index.php?topic=170859.0 |title=Wizard's Top 200 Characters |work=Wizard |access-date=2011-05-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110608020121/http://herochat.com/forum/index.php?topic=170859.0 |archive-date=2011-06-08 }} 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.</ref> ] also ranked Shazam as the 50th-greatest comic book hero of all time, stating that the character will always be an enduring reminder of a simpler time.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ign.com/top/comic-book-heroes/50 | title=Captain Marvel is number 50 | work=IGN | access-date=2011-05-18 | archive-date=October 24, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024092050/http://www.ign.com/top/comic-book-heroes/50 | url-status=dead }}</ref> ] ranked him as one of the top heroes of entertainment, saying, "At his best, Shazam has always been compared to ] with a sense of crazy, goofy fun."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ugo.com/games/best-heroes-of-all-time?page=4 |title=Best Heroes of All Time |work=] |access-date=2014-08-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110033228/http://www.ugo.com/games/best-heroes-of-all-time?page=4 |archive-date=January 10, 2013 }}</ref>
*''Mr. Sterling Morris''. The president of WHIZ radio and Billy's employer.


===Captain Marvel vs. Superman in fiction===
*''Miss Wormwood''. In modern-era comics, Billy's schoolteacher (and later principal), presented as the typical "mean teacher" stereotype. Her name is another reference to the ] ''Calvin and Hobbes'', where Calvin's schoolteacher was also named Miss Wormwood.
]]]


Captain Marvel's adventures have contributed a number of elements to both comic book culture and ] in general. The most notable contribution is the regular use of Superman and Captain Marvel as adversaries in ] comic book stories. The two are often portrayed as equally matched and, while Marvel does not possess Superman's ], X-ray vision or superhuman breath powers, the magic-based nature of his own powers are a weakness for Superman.
*''Cissie Sommerly''. Billy's girlfriend in classic-era continuity.


The National Comics/Fawcett Comics rivalry was parodied in "]",<ref>Wright, p. 146.</ref> a satirical comic book story by ] and ] in the fourth issue of '']'' (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 '''S'''trength, '''H'''ealth, '''A'''ptitude, '''Z'''eal, '''O'''x (power of), '''O'''x (power of another), and '''M'''oney. 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.
*''Nick and Nora Bromfield''. In modern continuity, Mary Batson's adoptive parents, who adopted her through illegal means after their maid, Sarah Primm, brought the child to them (Primm saved Mary from her kidnapper, Primm's brother Theo Adam). Nora Bromfield was a cousin of Billy and Mary's mother, but chose not to tell Mary about her real family. The Bromfields would eventually gain the rights to legally adopt both Mary and Billy, giving the children a traditional family structure again. The couple was named after Nick and Nora Charles of the '']'' film series.


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.<ref>''Superman'' #276 (June 1974)</ref> 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. ] has caused Superman to go mad using red ], compelling Marvel to battle him at first and subsequently restore Superman's mind with the help of lightning.
==Cultural influences==
Captain Marvel's adventures have contributed a number of elements to both ] culture and ] in general. The most notable of these is the regular use of Superman and Captain Marvel as adversaries in ] comic book stories. The Superman/Captain Marvel rivalry has its origins in a popular comics story in '']'' no. 4 from 1953, entitled "Superduperman", which was inspired by the Fawcett/DC legal battles. In the story, Superduperman (an obvious Superman doppelganger) does battle with the Captain Marvel-esque Captain Marbles. Marbles' magic word was not "SHAZAM", but "SHAZOOM", which stood for '''S'''trength, '''H'''ealth, '''A'''ptitude, '''Z'''eal, '''O'''x&mdash;power of, '''O'''x&mdash;power of another, and '''M'''oney. After DC revived Captain Marvel in the 1970s, they followed ''MAD's'' cue and often pitted Captain Marvel and Superman against each other for any number of reasons, but usually as an inside joke to the characters' long battles in court; they are otherwise staunch allies who get along very well with each other. Notable Superman/Captain Marvel battles in DC Comics stores include ''All-New Collectors' Edition'' no. C-58 (1979), '']'' no. 37 (1984), ''Superman'' no. 102 (1995), the final issue of the ''Kingdom Come'' miniseries (1996), and, most recently, ''Superman'' no. 216 (2005). The "Clash" episode of '']'', which included Captain Marvel as a guest character, featured a Superman/Captain Marvel fight as its centerpiece.


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 '']''. 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.
Captain Marvel was the first major comic book hero to have a young alter ego. Although kid superheroes had generally been neglected before Marvel's introduction, kid sidekicks soon became commonplace shortly after Marvel's success: ] was paired with ] in May 1940, and ] was introduced with sidekick ] in March 1941. The idea of a young boy who transformed into a superhero proved popular enough to inspire a number of superheroes who undergo similar transformations, including ]' ], ]' ], and animated/] superheroes such as ]'s ] and ], ]/]'s ], and ]'s ]. Other heroes, including ]' ], undergo similarly magical transformations from a weak human form to a god-empowered form.


Notable later Superman/Captain Marvel battles in DC Comics include '']'' #C-58 (1978), '']'' #36–37 (1984), and '']'' ], #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 '']'', which includes Captain Marvel as a guest character, features a Superman/Captain Marvel fight as its centerpiece, Lex Luthor manipulating events so that Captain Marvel will perceive Superman as being prejudiced against Luthor's criminal past and attacking him without provokation or evidence that Luthor has actually done anything wrong. By contrast, the depiction of the pair's first meeting in 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.<ref>{{cite journal |last = Cimino |first = John |title = Superman vs. Captain Marvel The Definitive Write-Up on the Greatest Rivalry in Comics |journal= Back Issue! |issue = 66 |pages = 69–77 |publisher = TwoMorrows Publishing |date = August 2013}}</ref>
In pop culture, Billy Batson/Captain Marvel's magic word, "Shazam!", became a popular ] from the 1940s on, often used in place of an ]. The most notable user of the word "Shazam!" in this form was ] from the 1960s ] '']''. ] was a fan of ''Captain Marvel, Jr.'' comic books as a child, and later styled his hair to look like Freddy Freeman's and based his stage jumpsuits and TCB lightning logo on Captain Marvel Junior's costume and lightning-bolt insignia. Actor ] said that some of his younger fans told him they thought he bore an uncanny resemblance to Captain Marvel.


===In popular culture===
Even more than ten years after the character first disappeared, the superhero was still used for jokes, such as in '']'' when ] tried to escape the ropes he was tied up in by yelling "Shazam!", only to magically break a mirror and sheepishly note that it's seven years bad luck for Captain Marvel. Several other episodes of ''The Monkees'' had Captain Marvel references, including using the name "Freddy Freeman" in dialogue. Captain Marvel also made a cameo in ] song "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill". Another catchphrase popularized by Captain Marvel was his trademark exclamation, "]"
The television character ] is known for uttering the catchphrase "Shazam!" on '']'' and '']''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Breunig|first=John|title=Shazam's origins rooted in Greenwich|url=https://www.greenwichtime.com/local/article/Shazam-s-Greenwich-origins-13745742.php|access-date=October 18, 2020|work=]|publisher=]|date=April 7, 2019}}</ref>


], longtime radio and TV voice of the ]'s ], would shout "Shazam!" every time the Suns made a ].<ref>{{cite web|last=Scheessele|first=Keith M.|title=Legendary Suns announcer Al McCoy explains where 'Shazam' originated|url=https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/2016/9/14/12919946/legendary-phoenix-suns-announcer-al-mccoy-explains-where-shazam-originated-three-pointer-comic-book|website=Bright Side of the Sun|publisher=Vox Media, LLC|access-date=October 18, 2020|date=September 14, 2016}}</ref>
In the ] ] '']'', Steve's favorite t-shirt has Captain Marvel's signature lightning bolt insignia on it (although he repeatedly refers to it as a "]" shirt, which is technically incorrect). Additionally, Captain Marvel made a cameo appearance in an episode of '']'', as part of a dream sequence.


In '']'' (2002), ] yells "Shazam!" while trying to get his powers working.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/spider-man-movie-2002-shazam-reference|title=Sam Raimi's Spider-Man Had A Hilarious Shazam! Reference Back In 2002|website=]|date=March 31, 2019}}</ref>
== Appearances in film and television ==
]'', starring ] in the title role.]]
The first filmed adaptation of Captain Marvel was produced in 1941. '']'', starring ] in the title role of Captain Marvel and Frank Coglan, Jr. as his alter ego, Billy Batson, was a twelve-part ] ] produced by ] in 1941. Often ranked among the finest examples of the form, its release made Captain Marvel the first superhero to be depicted in film.


In '']'' (2020), the Boys are depicted as kidnapping ]'s version of Billy Batson/Shazam and cutting out his tongue to prevent him from ever using his powers again.<ref>{{cite web|last=King|first=Alexander|url=https://www.cbr.com/billy-butcher-kill-twice-the-boys-dear-becky-dynamite|title=''The Boys: Dear Becky'' Explores Why Billy Butcher Had to Kill Becky a Second Time|website=]|date=August 24, 2022}}</ref>
]'s '']'' television show.]]
Over thirty years later, ] produced '']'', a live-action ] which ran from 1974 to 1977 on ]. From 1975 until the end of its run, it aired as one-half of ''].'' The ''Shazam!'' TV show was a more indirect approach to the character; it told of Billy Batson/Captain Marvel making road trips, instead of flying across the USA to combat evil. Michael Gray portrayed Billy Batson in the series, with both Jackson Bostwick (season 1) and John Davey (seasons 2 and 3) as Captain Marvel. Shortly after the ''Shazam!'' show ended its network run, Captain Marvel appeared as a character in the low-budgeted comedy special, ''Legends of the Superheroes'', in 1978.


=== Accolades ===
]'']]
* Shazam was included in '']'' "Top 50 DC Characters".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cronin |first=Brian |date=2023-11-13 |title=Top DC Characters 20-16 |url=https://www.cbr.com/top-dc-characters-20-6/ |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref>
Three years later, Filmation revisited the character for an animated ''Shazam!'' cartoon, which ran on ] from 1981 to 1982 as part of the '']''. 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.

]''.]]
In 2005, Captain Marvel guest starred in the ] ] '']'', in an episode entitled "Clash". Captain Marvel was voiced by ], with ] as Billy Batson. In the episode, Marvel joins the Justice League, but soon finds himself in a battle with Superman over the perception of ] ]'s credibility and a perceived nuclear threat. A fight sequence between Captain Marvel and Superman, during which the dueling heroes level much of Luthor's prototypical Lexor City, contains references to the '']'' mini-series. "Clash" aired in May 2005 in ] and aired on ] ] in the ].

Currently, ] has plans for a ''Shazam!'' live-action feature film, with Michael Uslan as producer. The film is scheduled for release in late 2006 or early 2007.
<br clear="all">


==See also== ==See also==
{{Portal bar|United States|Television|Animation|Cartoon|Film|Comics|Toys|Speculative fiction|1950s|1960s|1980s|1990s}}
*'']''


==Explanatory notes==
==Notes==
{{Notelist}}
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# {{note|TiptonMoviePoopShoot}} Tipton, Scott (] ]). "" ''Moviepoopshoot.com''. Retrieved ] ]. Excerpt: "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."
# {{note|ComicSuccessMuseum}} "". ''The Museum of Comic Book Advertising''. Retrieved ] ]. Excerpt: "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."
# {{note|JohnnyShazam}} Hembeck, Fred (] ]). "". The Hembeck Files. Retrieved ] ].
# {{note|ComicSuccessMuseum2}} Ibid. Excerpt: "The first issue of ''Whiz Comics'', introducing Captain Marvel, sold over 500,000 copies."
# {{note|ComicBooksinLibraries}} *Lavin, Michael L. (Summer 1998) "". ''Serials Review''. No. 24, Vol. 2., p. 34. Excerpt: "In 1944, the best-selling comic book title (''Captain Marvel Adventures'') sold more than fourteen million copies for the year."
# {{note|ComicSuccessMuseum2}} "". ''The Museum of Comic Book Advertising''.
# {{note|IngersollLawisAss}} Ingersoll, Bob (] ]). "The Law is an Ass" Installment no. 66. Comics Buyer's Guide issue #602. Retrieved from http://www.worldfamouscomics.com/law/back20001024.shtml on ] ]. Detailed summary of the cases and rulings related to ''National Comics Publications v. Fawcett Publishing''.
# {{note|IngersollLawisAss2}} Ibid.
# {{note|Marvelman}} Gore, Matthew H. ''''. Retrieved ] ]. Excerpt: "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."
# {{note|MightyRedCheese}} "". ''The Museum of Comic Book Advertising''. Retrieved ] ]. Excerpt: "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."
# {{note|ShazamSuperman}} . Six-page preview of and news information on upcoming miniseries.


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}}
*Beck, C.C. and Parker, Bill (February 1940, reprinted March 2000). "Capt. Marvel" ''Whiz Comics'' no2. New York: Fawcett Publications (reprint by DC Comics).

*Beck, C.C. and O'Neil, Denny. (February 1973). "In the Beginning" ''Shazam!'' no. 1. New York: National Periodical Publications.
==Further reading==
*Grogan, Walt. ''''. Retrieved ] ].
* {{Cite book | last1=Beck | first1=C. C. | author-link1=C. C. Beck | author-link2=Bill Parker (comics) | last2=Parker | first2=Bill | author-link3=Kurt Schaffenberger | last3=Schaffenberger | first3=Kurt | author-link4=Roy Thomas | last4=Thomas | first4=Roy | author-link5=Jerry Ordway | last5=Ordway | first5=Jerry | author-link6=Geoff Johns | last6=Johns | first6=Geoff | author-link7=Gary Frank (comics) | last7=Frank | first7=Gary |editor-last=Wildman |editor-first=Robin | title=Shazam!: A Celebration of 75 Years | year=2015 | isbn=978-1-4012-5538-1 |location=New York |publisher=DC Comics | oclc=889523096 | display-authors=3}}
*Markstei, Donald D. (2000 - 2004). "". ''Don Markstein's Toonopedia''. Retrieved ] ].
* Carlinsky, Dan (January 7, 1973). "Return of the World's Mightiest Mortal". '']'' pp.&nbsp;10–11, 44. On DC's revival of Captain Marvel.
*Ordway, Jerry. (1994). The Power of Shazam! New York: DC Comics. ISBN 156-389153-0.
* {{Cite book | last1=Johns | first1=Geoff | author-link1=Geoff Johns | author-link2=Gary Frank (comics) | last2=Frank | first2=Gary | year=2013 | title=Shazam! Vol. 1 (The New 52) | location=New York | publisher=DC Comics | isbn=978-1-4012-4699-0 | oclc=834422607}}
*Thomas, Roy and Mandrake, Tom. ''Shazam! The New Beginning'' no. 1&ndash;4. New York: DC Comics.
* {{Cite book | last1=Kidd | first1=Chip | author-link=Chip Kidd | last2=Spear | first2=Geoff | year=2010 | title=Shazam!: The Golden Age of the World's Mightiest Mortal | location=New York | publisher=Abrams ComicArts | isbn=978-0-8109-9596-3 | oclc=505419579}}
* {{Cite book | last=Ordway | first=Jerry | author-link=Jerry Ordway | year=1994 | title=The Power of Shazam! | location=New York | publisher=DC Comics | isbn=1-56389-153-0 | oclc=30626559 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/powerofshazam00ordw }}
* {{Cite book | last=Smith| first=Jeff | author-link=Jeff Smith (cartoonist) | year=2009 | title=Shazam! The Monster Society of Evil | location=New York | publisher=DC Comics | isbn=978-1-4012-0974-2 | oclc=314839739}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=Roy | author-link=Roy Thomas | last2=Mandrake | first2=Tom | title=Shazam!: The New Beginning—30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition | publisher=DC Comics | year=2017 | isbn=978-1-4012-8312-4 |location=New York}}


==External links== ==External links==
* at ] from the original on April 9, 2012.
===Comics===
* {{DCDP|William Batson (New Earth)|Captain Marvel}}
*'s "Secret File" at dccomics.com.
* {{Dcauw|Captain Marvel}}
===Fan sites===
*
*. Extensive information, images, and more on all Captain Marvel-related comics
{{Shazam|state=expanded}}
*. Dedicated to Captain Marvel; includes detailed synopses of each issue of ''The Power of Shazam!''
{{Otto Binder}}
*. Dedicated to Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel; includes information, images, and more.
{{Justice League}}
*
{{Justice Society of America}}
*, news, Links, DC Comics/Fawcett Publications Timeline and History.
{{Justice League International}}

{{All-Star Squadron}}
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{{Authority control}}
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Latest revision as of 18:52, 25 December 2024

Comic book superhero For the Marvel character of the same name, see Captain Marvel (Marvel Comics).

Comics character
Captain Marvel / Shazam
Captain Marvel as depicted in Shazam!: Power of Hope (November 2003). Art by Alex Ross.
Publication information
PublisherFawcett Comics (1942–1953)
DC Comics (1972–present)
First appearanceWhiz Comics #2 (February 1940)
Created by
In-story information
Alter egoWilliam Joseph "Billy" Batson
SpeciesHuman
Team affiliationsJustice League
Justice Society of America
Justice League International
Marvel / Shazam Family
Squadron of Justice
Teen Titans
PartnershipsMary Marvel
Captain Marvel Jr.
Tawky Tawny
The Wizard
Raven (mentor)
Notable aliasesCaptain Thunder
World's Mightiest Mortal
King Shazam
Captain Shazam
Lightning Guy
Abilities
  • By shouting the name "SHAZAM!", Billy is bestowed the powers of divine origin, primarily of Greek-Roman origin. These powers typically include:
    • Superhuman physical attributes: strength, speed, durability, etc.
    • Enhanced intelligence and knowledge
    • Physical and magical invulnerability
    • Control over lightning and magic
  • Skilled hand-to-hand combatant and natural charisma makes him an apt radio personality.

Captain Marvel, also known as Shazam (/ʃəˈzæm/), is a superhero in American comic books originally published by Fawcett Comics and currently 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), is transformed into a costumed adult with the powers of superhuman strength, speed, flight, and other abilities. The character battles an extensive rogues' gallery, most of them working in tandem as the Monster Society of Evil, including primary archenemies Black Adam, Doctor Sivana and Mister Mind. Billy often shares his powers with other children, primarily his sister Mary Batson and their best friend/foster brother Freddy Freeman, who also transform into superheroes and fight crime with Billy as members of the Marvel Family, also known as the Shazam Family or Shazamily.

Based on comic book sales, Captain Marvel was the most popular superhero of the 1940s, outselling even Superman. Captain Marvel was also the first comic book superhero to be adapted to film, in a 1941 Republic Pictures serial, Adventures of Captain Marvel, with Tom Tyler as Captain Marvel and Frank Coghlan, Jr. as Billy Batson. 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. In 1972, Fawcett licensed the character rights to DC, which by 1991 acquired all rights to the entire family of characters. DC has since integrated Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family into their DC Universe and has attempted to revive the property several times, with mixed success. Owing to trademark conflicts over other characters named "Captain Marvel" owned by Marvel Comics, DC has branded and marketed the character using the trademark Shazam! since his 1972 reintroduction. This led many to assume that "Shazam" was the character's name. DC renamed the mainline version of the character "Shazam" when relaunching its comic book properties in 2011, and his associates became the "Shazam Family" at this time as well.

DC's revival of Shazam! has been adapted twice for television by Filmation: as a live-action 1970s series with Jackson Bostwick and John Davey as Captain Marvel and Michael Gray as Billy Batson, and as an animated 1980s series. The 2019 New Line Cinema/Warner Bros. film Shazam!, an entry in the DC Extended Universe, stars Zachary Levi as Shazam and Asher Angel as Billy Batson. Levi and Angel return in the sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

Publication history

Development and inspirations

Flash ComicsThrill ComicsCovers of the ashcan copies for Flash Comics #1 and Thrill Comics #1, published by Fawcett Comics in November 1939. Art by C. C. Beck
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 staff writer Bill Parker to create several hero characters for the first title in their line, tentatively titled Flash Comics. Besides penning stories featuring his creations Ibis the Invincible, the Spy Smasher, the 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 superhero in this team possessed a special power granted to them by a mythological figure.

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". 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."

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".

Introduction

Further information: Captain Marvel Adventures

Whiz Comics #2 (cover-dated Feb. 1940) was published in late 1939. Captain Marvel, the comic's lead feature, introduced audiences to Billy Batson, an orphaned 12-year-old boy who, by speaking the name of the ancient wizard Shazam, is struck by a magic lightning bolt and transformed into the adult superhero Captain Marvel. Shazam's name was an acronym derived from the six immortal elders who grant Captain Marvel his superpowers: Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury.

In addition to introducing the main character, his alter ego, and his mentor, 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 with station WHIZ. Captain Marvel was an instant success, with Whiz Comics #2 selling over 500,000 copies. By 1941, he had his own solo series, Captain Marvel Adventures, the premiere issue of which (cover-dated March 1941) was written and drawn by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Captain Marvel continued to appear in Whiz Comics, as well as periodic appearances in other Fawcett books, including Master Comics.

Captain Marvel's first appearance, Whiz Comics #2, did not have any copyright registration or renewal.

Inspiration and success at Fawcett

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, though comparisons with both Cary Grant and Jack Oakie were made as well. Fawcett Publications' founder, Wilford H. Fawcett, was nicknamed "Captain Billy", which inspired the name "Billy Batson" as well as Marvel's title. Fawcett's earliest magazine was titled Captain Billy's Whiz Bang, which inspired the title Whiz Comics. 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."

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, and was at one point being published bi-weekly with a circulation of 1.3 million copies an issue. Several issues of Captain Marvel Adventures included a blurb on their covers proclaiming the series the "Largest Circulation of Any Comic Magazine".

The franchise was expanded to introduce spin-off characters to Captain Marvel between 1941 and 1942. Whiz Comics #21 (1941) introduced the Lieutenant Marvels: three other boys named "Billy Batson" who could also become adult superheroes. Captain Marvel Jr., the alter-ego of disabled newsboy Freddy Freeman, debuted in Whiz Comics #25 (1941). Mary Marvel, alter-ego of Billy's twin sister Mary Batson, first appeared in Captain Marvel Adventures #18 (1942). In contrast to Captain Marvel and the Lieutenants, both Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. remained kids in superhero form, and were given their own eponymous books in addition to appearing as the lead features in Master Comics and Wow Comics, respectively. Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., and Mary Marvel appeared together as a team in another Fawcett publication, The Marvel Family. In addition, there was a talking animal spin-off character, Hoppy the Marvel Bunny, which was created in 1942 for Fawcett's Funny Animals comic book and later given an eponymous series as well.

With Bill Parker having been drafted into World War II, chief writing duties on the Captain Marvel-related comics stories went to Otto Binder by 1942. C.C. Beck remained as lead artist, and he and Binder steered the Captain Marvel stories towards a whimsical tone that emphasized comedy and fantasy elements alongside the superhero action. Other artists associated with the Marvel Family at Fawcett included Pete Costanza, Mac Raboy, Marc Swayze, and Kurt Schaffenberger. Otto Binder would write over 900 of the approximately 1,790 Captain Marvel-related stories published by Fawcett. Several of Captain Marvel's enduring supporting characters and enemies—including the non-powered Uncle Marvel, Tawky Tawny the talking tiger, and the villains Mister Mind and Black Adam—were created by Binder during the mid-to-late 1940s.

Copyright infringement lawsuit and cancellation

Beck wearing a suit and holding a stylized lightning bolt, like on Captain Marvel's suit
Captain Marvel co-creator C. C. Beck was the chief artist on the character throughout its Golden Age run at Fawcett, and illustrated stories for the first 10 issues of DC Comics' 1970s Shazam! revival series.
See also: National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc.

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. After seven years of litigation, National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc. went to trial in 1948. Although the presiding judge decided that Captain Marvel was an infringement, DC was found to be negligent in copyrighting several of their Superman daily newspaper strips, and it was decided that National had abandoned the Superman copyright. 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.

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. 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.

Feeling that this decline in the popularity of superhero comics meant that it was no longer worth continuing the fight, Fawcett agreed on August 14, 1953, to permanently cease publication of comics with the Captain Marvel-related characters and to pay National $400,000 in damages. Fawcett shut down its comics division in the autumn of 1953 and fired its comic book staff. Otto Binder and Kurt Schaffenberger ended up at DC, becoming prominent members of the creative team for the Superman-related comics from 1954 through the 1960s. Schaffenberger snuck an unauthorized cameo by Captain Marvel into a story in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #42 in 1963.

Whiz Comics had ended with issue #155 in June 1953, Captain Marvel Adventures was canceled with #150 in November 1953, and The Marvel Family ended its run with #89 in January 1954. Hoppy the Marvel Bunny was sold to Charlton Comics, where a few Fawcett-era stories from that strip were reprinted as Hoppy the Magic Bunny, with all references to "Captain Marvel" and "Shazam" removed.

Marvelman/Miracleman

Main article: Marvelman

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 sex changed to create the male Kid Marvelman. The magic word "Shazam!" was replaced with "Kimota" ("Atomik" spelled backwards). The new characters took over the numbering of the original Captain Marvel's United Kingdom series with issue number #25.

Marvelman ceased publication in 1963, but the character was revived in 1982 by 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, and later purchased the rights to the 1980s version and those reprints in 2013.

M. F. Enterprises

Main article: Captain Marvel (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". Marvel Comics subsequently created their own character named Captain Marvel in 1967, and Myron Fass sued Marvel for trademark infringement. Fass accepted a $4,500 settlement from Marvel, and Marvel secured the trademark of the name.

Bill Black's attempted revival

Main article: Captain Paragon

Bill Black attempted to revive Captain Marvel in 1969, but written and drawn in a more realistic Marvel Comics style for his fanzine Paragon Golden Age Greats, Vol. 1, #2. However, on the legal advice of his friend and publishing mentor Martin L. Greim, he decided that rather than risk legal trouble with Fawcett Publications it would be better to destroy the entire print run except for two copies that he saved for his personal files. Black then rewrote the story using his own newly created hero Captain Paragon.

C.C. Beck and Rocket's Blast Comicollector

In 1970, fanzine Rocket's Blast Comicollector (RBCC) staffed C.C. Beck, Don Newton, Robert Kline, and Gene Arnold for a special issue called The Rocket's Blast Special 8. The comic book focuses on Captain Marvel's origins and creation through a series of columns by the group where they also discussed their history with Fawcett Publications. Along with new and exclusive art by Beck and Newton, the issue included an opinion piece by the staff strongly criticizing the copyright infringement lawsuit by Detective Comics. The opinion piece was titled THE DEMISE OF CAPTAIN MARVEL and is found on the very last page above where the staff still credits the copyright of Captain Marvel to Fawcett Publications.

DC Comics revival: Shazam! (1972–1978)

Shazam!
Cover of Shazam! #1 (Feb. 1973), the first key appearance of Captain Marvel in a DC publication, and his first in 20 years following the cancellation of the Fawcett Comics line.
Art by C. C. Beck with Nick Cardy and Murphy Anderson
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
Schedule List
  • (vol. 1)
    Eight times a year: #1–11;
    Bimonthly: #12–21; 25–35
    Quarterly: #22–24
    (vol. 2)
    One-shot
    (vol. 3)
    Monthlyt
    (vol. 4)
    Monthly
Format List
  • (vol. 1)
    Ongoing
    (vol. 2)
    One-shot
    (vol. 3)
    Ongoing
    (vol. 4)
    Ongoing
Genre List
  • (vol. 1)
    Superhero/Humor
    (vol. 2)
    Superhero
    (vol. 3)
    Superhero
Publication date List
  • (vol. 1)
    February 1973 – May–June 1978
    (vol. 2)
    March 2011
    (vol. 3)
    December 2018 – September 2020
    (vol. 4)
    May 2023-Present
No. of issues List
  • (vol. 1)
    35
    (vol. 2)
    1
    (vol. 3)
    15
    (vol. 4)
    1
Main character(s) List
Creative team
Created byBill Parker
C.C. Beck
Written by List
Penciller(s) List
Inker(s) List
Colorist(s) List
  • (vol. 4)
    Alejandro Sánchez

When superhero comics became popular again in the mid-1960s in what is now called the "Silver Age of Comic Books", Fawcett was unable to revive Captain Marvel, having agreed to never publish the character again as part of their 1953 settlement. Looking for new properties to introduce to the DC Comics line, at the urging of Jack Kirby who recently defected from Marvel Comics, DC publisher Carmine Infantino decided to bring the Captain Marvel property back into print. On June 16, 1972, DC entered into an agreement with Fawcett to license the Captain Marvel and Marvel Family characters. 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!. 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). 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".

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. His role was later taken over by writers Elliot S. Maggin and E. Nelson Bridwell. C. C. Beck drew stories for the first 10 issues of the book before quitting because of creative differences. Bob Oksner and Fawcett alumnus Kurt Schaffenberger were among the later artists of the title. As per DC's agreement with Fawcett, DC paid Fawcett—and after 1977, its successor CBS Publications—a licensing fee per issue, per page for each of the Fawcett characters who appeared, either in Shazam! or crossovers in other comic series.

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". The Fawcett material was still considered canon, with the Marvel Family's 20-year layoff explained in the comic as time spent in suspended animation due to Doctor Sivana. 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 stories to life no matter how hard I tried".

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, 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 Adventure Comics #500 and the final #503, where two features were doubled up to complete their respective story arcs).

Outside of their regular series and features, the Marvel Family characters also appeared as guest stars in the Justice League of America series, in particular issues #135–137 (vol. 1) for the "Crisis on Earth-S" story arc in 1976. Limited Collectors' Edition #C-58 (April 1978) featured a "Superman vs. Shazam!" story by writer Gerry Conway and artists Rich Buckler and Dick Giordano.

Captain Marvel, and often the Marvel Family, also co-starred with Superman in several issues of DC Comics Presents written by Roy Thomas. 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. The Marvels also guest-starred in several issues of All-Star Squadron, a series centered on the Justice Society and the other Earth-2 characters written by Roy Thomas and his wife Dann. As All-Star Squadron was set during World War II, several events of the comic fell concurrent with and referenced the events of the original early-1940s Fawcett stories. With their 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths miniseries, DC fully integrated the characters into the DC Universe.

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.

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.

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 Marvel was introduced. At the end of the arc, it was announced that this would lead to a new Shazam! ongoing series. Though New Beginning had sold well and multiple artists were assigned to and worked on the book, it never saw publication owing to editorial disputes between DC Comics and Roy Thomas. As a result, Thomas's intended revival of the Marvel Family with a new punk-styled Mary Bromfield/Mary Marvel (a.k.a. "Spike") who was not Billy's sister, and an African-American take on Freddy Freeman/Captain Marvel Jr., did not see print. Thomas departed DC in 1989, not long after his removal from the Shazam! project.

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). 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 ended the fee-per-use licensing agreement with CBS Publications and purchased the full rights to Captain Marvel and the other Fawcett Comics characters.

The Power of Shazam! (1994; 1995–1999)

Main article: 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. 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.

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. That series reintroduced the Marvel Family and many of their allies and enemies into the modern-day DC Universe.

Kingdom Come and Shazam! Power of Hope

Captain Marvel also appeared in Mark Waid and Alex Ross's critically acclaimed 1996 alternate universe Elseworlds miniseries Kingdom Come. Set 20 years in the future, Kingdom Come features a brainwashed Captain Marvel playing a major role in the story as a mind-controlled pawn of an elderly Lex Luthor. In 2000, Captain Marvel starred in an oversized special graphic novel, Shazam! Power of Hope, written by Paul Dini and painted by Alex Ross.

Early to mid-2000s: JSA and 52

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 world's first superhero team, the Justice Society of America, with Captain Marvel also briefly joining the team to keep an eye on his old nemesis. Captain Marvel 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. 52 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! (2006–2008)

Main article: The Trials of Shazam!

The Trials of Shazam!, a 12-issue maxiseries 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 many of the Trials of Shazam! changes. Issues #23-25 of Justice Society featured Black Adam and a resurrected Isis defeating Marvel and taking over the Rock of Eternity. Adam and Isis recruit the now-evil Mary Marvel to help them in the ensuing fight against a now-powerless Billy Batson and the Justice Society.

Billy and Mary Batson made a brief appearance during DC's 2009–2010 Blackest Night saga in a one-shot special, The Power of Shazam! #48. 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 (vol. 2) #32 the same year.

The New 52 relaunch

Alternate cover for Justice League (vol. 2) #0 (Nov. 2012). 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 lineup of comics. The revamp began with a seven-issue miniseries, Flashpoint, which features an alternate timeline in which Billy Batson, Mary Batson, and Freddy Freeman are joined by three new kids, Eugene Choi, Pedro Peña, and Darla Dudley, as the "S! H! A! Z! A! M! Family." In this concept, all six kids say "Shazam!" in unison to become an alternate version of Captain Marvel named Captain Thunder. While the continuity would be altered again by the conclusion of the story, creating the "New 52" multiverse, the three new Shazam! kids would be reintroduced for later appearances.

One of these relaunched series, Justice League (vol. 2), began featuring a Shazam! backup story with issue #7 in March 2012. 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, and a metallic belt instead of a sash. His lightning bolt appears as an opening into his body with magical energy visibly inside of him. Johns noted that the character's place in the world will be "far more rooted in fantasy and magic than it ever was before". The character also was officially renamed "Shazam" at this time. The Shazam! origin story, which included two full issues in Justice League (vol. 2) #0 (2012) and 21 (2013), reintroduced Billy Batson/Shazam, the Wizard, Black Adam, Tawny the tiger, and the Shazam Family (Freddy, Mary, Darla, Eugene, and Pedro) to continuity. The Shazam! feature concluded with Justice League (vol. 2) #21, preceding DC's crossover storyline "Trinity War" which heavily features the Shazam mythos.

Johns and Frank's reboot was met with both acclaim and criticism, and the renaming of the hero as Shazam brought mixed reactions. Johns noted that the change was made "because that's what everyone thinks his name is anyway," owing to the inability to use the "Captain Marvel" moniker on comic book covers and merchandise. In updating Shazam!, Johns and Frank skirted some controversy among long-time fans by introducing Billy Batson as a cynical foster child who comes to appreciate his potential as a hero and the concept of family, rather than starting him from that point as with earlier retellings.

Following his appearances in the "Trinity War" and "Forever Evil" crossover storylines, Shazam appeared as a member of the Justice League from Justice League (vol. 2) #30–50 from 2014 through 2016, and also in a one-shot spinoff titled Justice League: The Darkseid War - Shazam (cover-dated January 2016). He also appeared as a supporting character in the Cyborg series as the friend of Victor Stone/Cyborg. New takes on the classic Fawcett versions of Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family appeared in Grant Morrison's 2014 miniseries The Multiversity (which takes place on the parallel world of Earth-5) and in a 2015 spin-off to the Convergence crossover event, Convergence: Shazam! (which takes place on the parallel world of Earth-S).

DC Rebirth and beyond

Following DC's 2016 DC Rebirth soft-relaunch event, the Shazam! characters were largely absent from new DC continuity, though Mary Marvel of Earth-5 appeared in Superman (vol. 4) #14–16 (2016), and Black Adam appeared in Dark Nights: Metal #4–5 (2017) to battle Wonder Woman. In late 2018, with the Shazam! movie in production at New Line Cinema, DC began publishing a new ongoing Shazam! series, written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Dale Eaglesham, Marco Santucci, and Scott Kolins. The series features an older and wiser Billy Batson and his foster siblings Mary, Freddy, Eugene, Pedro, and Darla exploring their powers as the Shazam Family. As the six kids venture beyond the nexus of the Rock of Eternity to explore the mysterious Seven Magic Realms, Doctor Sivana teams up with Mister Mind and a reluctant Black Adam to form the Monster Society of Evil, and Billy's long-missing father C.C. Batson returns to attempt to re-connect with his son.

The first issue, featuring a manga backup story focused on Mary and her pet rabbit Hoppy by Johns and Shazam! fan Mayo "SEN" Naito, was published on December 5, 2018. Thirteen issues from Johns, Eaglesham, and others - along with two guest issues, #12 and 15, from writer Jeff Loveness and artist Brandon Peterson - were published between 2018 and 2020. Despite initial positive reviews, the third volume of Shazam! fell victim to several publishing delays. The book was cancelled with issue #15 (November 2020); Johns cited the COVID-19 pandemic and Eaglesham's desire to take a break as reasons for discontinuing the book.

In November 2022, it was announced that a new Shazam! ongoing would begin publication in May 2023, with Mark Waid writing and Dan Mora serving as artist. During this series, Billy becomes known as "The Captain" and his foster siblings lose their powers.

Fictional character biography

Fawcett/Early DC origin

Captain Marvel, art by C.C. Beck and published by Fawcett Comics.

Whiz Comics #2 (Feb. 1940) introduces William Joseph "Billy" Batson, a homeless 12-year-old (later 14-year-old) newsboy who sleeps in the subway station of his home city (originally New York City; later referred to in DC publications as Fawcett City). A mysterious man in a green cloak asks Billy to follow him into the subway station. A magic subway car painted in unusual shapes and colors escorts them to an underground throne room, which is inhabited by a very old man with a long beard and a white robe. As the man in green disappears, the old man on the throne explains to Billy that he is the wizard Shazam, and has used the powers of "the gods"—Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, 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 because of his misfortune: he had been thrown out by a greedy uncle who stole his inheritance following the deaths of his parents (later retellings of the origin would also note that Billy was chosen for being "pure of heart"). 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. 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. 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. 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. Later retellings of the Captain Marvel origin place Shazam's underground lair within the Rock. 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.

Captain Marvel's first battle was with the mad scientist Doctor Sivana, who becomes Captain Marvel's arch-enemy. Billy Batson becomes a reporter and host for WHIZ Radio, his career allowing him to travel and investigate criminal activity. 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.

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 owing 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. 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. In the Fawcett and pre-1986 DC stories, Mary remained a teenager as Freddy did in Marvel form; Ordway's 1990s Power of Shazam! series made her superpowered form an adult like Billy's. 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's 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. Jerry Ordway's 1994 Power of Shazam! graphic novel, which became the character's definite origin through 2011, featured a ten-year-old Billy being chosen as the Wizard Shazam's champion, because of the influence of his archaeologist parents; the mysterious stranger from magic subway car is the ghost of Billy's father in this version. 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.

Ordway's origin added the extra element of Black Adam's alter ego/descendant Theo Adam being the murderer of Billy's parents. The subsequent Power of Shazam! ongoing series features Billy, now 14, meeting his long-lost sister Mary and best friend Freddy Freeman and establishing the Marvel Family as in the Fawcett comics. The Marvels' home base of Fawcett City is depicted as a city full of old-fashioned traditions and architecture, later establishing that the Wizard Shazam placed a spell on the city (broken in later issues) that slowed time to a crawl in 1955. This phenomenon was used to explain the Marvel Family's sometimes anachronistic approaches to life and heroism compared to many of their contemporary heroes in the DC Universe.

In 2012, writer and then-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 a moody and troubled 15-year-old foster child living in Philadelphia who has gone through several foster homes. At his newest foster home under Victor and Rosa Vázquez, Billy gains five foster siblings: "den mother" Mary Bromfield, trickster and pick-pocket Freddy Freeman, shy and quiet Pedro Peña, brainy Eugene Choi, and energetic Darla Dudley. When the evil Dr. Sivana unleashes the ancient magical warrior Black Adam from his tomb, 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 each of them for not being pure of heart.

Eventually, the Wizard summons Billy, who is another unsuitable candidate, but Billy persuades the Wizard that perfectly good people "really don't exist," and that, while he himself tried to be good, the world dragged Billy down to its level. 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 adult possessing super-strength, flight, and vast magical powers. The Wizard dies and Shazam is transported back to Earth, where Billy reveals his new secret to Freddy. The two scheme to make money and score beer with Shazam's new powers, but Shazam is instead led to crime scenes where he is needed as a hero. Shazam and Freddy have a falling out when Shazam refuses to change back into Billy, and as soon as Freddy heads back home, Shazam is attacked by Black Adam. Billy is saved only by mending his relationships with Freddy, Mary, Eugene, Pedro, and Darla. When Adam again attacks, unleashing the Seven Deadly Sins on downtown Philadelphia and threatening to kill the other kids, Billy shares his powers with them, who all become magic-powered adult superheroes (except for Darla, who remains a child). Ultimately, Billy goads Adam into saying the magic word and transforming into his human form, at which point he promptly turns to dust. Although he had contemplated running away, Billy decides to stay with his new family, having learned to be a better and more open person.

Commencing the "Trinity War" story line, 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. Following the successful defeat of the Crime Syndicate, Shazam is inducted into the League. While still a newcomer to the league, Billy has a number of new adventures while under the mentorship of Cyborg, who becomes one of his best friends.

After a year of living in the Vázquez home, Billy and his foster siblings have taken to having fun fighting crime around Philadelphia as the Shazam Family. While exploring the Rock of Eternity, Eugene finds a formerly sealed-off area of the Rock: an abandoned train station leading to the seven realms of an unexplored world known as the Magic Lands.

Powers and abilities

Powers of Shazam

While normally having no special abilities in his human persona as Billy Batson, once he says the magic word "Shazam!", he transforms into a full-grown man in peak physical condition endowed with multiple superpowers that rank him amongst the most powerful entities in the DC Universe. Billy is also able to share a portion of his powers with others. Jerry Ordway's 1990s The Power of Shazam! series also gave Billy the added ability to alter Captain Marvel's appearance to his will by visualizing alterations and then saying "Shazam!". Billy uses this ability to disguise himself as his "uncle" to work and cash checks, and to turn his Captain Marvel costume into a spacesuit for a mission in space.

Traditional combination

S Wisdom of Solomon The Wisdom of Solomon grants the individual with several abilities, including perfect memory, strategic combat skills, exceptional mathematical aptitude, charisma in interpersonal interactions, limited clairvoyance for acquiring arcane knowledge and intuitive insights, as well as a natural fluency in all languages. Unlike some other powers, this is considered an active one a champion must channel to activate. In some stories, this power also gives him the ability to hypnotize people. Solomon was a biblical Jewish king who was reputed to have great wisdom.
H Strength of Hercules This bestows Billy an exceptional level of superhuman strength. He gains the ability to exert immense physical power, surpassing the capabilities of ordinary individuals. With this heightened strength, they can effortlessly lift and manipulate objects of tremendous weight, overpower adversaries with ease, and deliver devastating blows in combat. His strength is often compared to that of Superman. Golden Age Captain Marvel's strength is deemed limitless, enabling him to move stars and planets with ease. Hercules was a divine hero in Greco-Roman mythology.
A Stamina of Atlas The stamina attribute from Atlas enables Billy to maintain his empowered state for an extended period without any time limitations. Additionally, the empowerment provides Billy with substance, eliminating the need for eating, sleeping, and even breathing. As a result, Billy can operate at peak efficiency, unaffected by the physiological requirements that typically apply to ordinary individuals. This extraordinary stamina allows him to fully focus on his heroic duties without the distractions or limitations associated with physical sustenance. Atlas was a titan in Greek mythlogy who was condemned to carry the heavens for eternity.
Z Power of Zeus Zeus's "power" attribute facilitates the transformation that grants Billy access to the full range of his powers, including the ability to shoot bursts of electricity and lightning. He also possesses a limited gift of teleportation, allowing him to effortlessly travel to and from the Rock of Eternity with a single thought. Notably, the Power of Zeus empowers him with the potential to use magic and cast spells. This power is considered the most difficult, requiring the most study, focus, and discipline and is considered to not be Billy's forte. In Greek mythology, Zeus was a sky god who ruled as king of the gods.
A Courage of Achilles The Courage of Achilles grants Billy peak physical defenses, rendering him nearly invulnerable. This heightened level of invulnerability provides significant protection against physical harm. Additionally, the empowerment grants Billy resistance to various elements, including heat, force, disease, and the effects of aging. This attribute allow him to withstand extreme conditions and maintain his health and vitality against formidable challenges. In some stories, it also grants him fighting prowess. Achilles was a mythological hero of the Trojan war, who was known as being the greatest of all the Greek warriors.
M Speed of Mercury The Speed of Mercury grants Billy super speed, enhanced reflexes, motor skills, and flight, enabling him to move at incredible speeds, react swiftly, perform precise maneuvers, and soar through the air. The pre-1985 stories also let him travel to the Rock of Eternity by flying faster than the speed of light. Mercury was a Roman god of travelers.
Living Lightning In the New 52 continuity, the character additionally possesses a range of magical abilities stemming from the Living Lightning, which is acquired through a connection to the Wizard Shazam, also known as Mamaragan. Now facilitating the Powers of Shazam, additional abilities include lightning control, amplification of spells, further enhancement of strength, and enhances healing capabilities, among others. Billy can also cast spell derived from the Wizard and previous members of the Council of Eternity, which are documented in the Book of Champions. These spells enable him to achieve various effects, including the projection of magical energies and the ability to alter his size.

Darkseid War combination

S Strength of S'ivaa Derived from an Old God, the Strength of S'ivaa grants powers comparable to the previous Strength of Hercules although it's been claimed to be at a higher level.
H Fires of H’ronmeer Derived from a Martian god, the Fires of H'ronmeer grants pyrokientic abilities connected to a force known as the "Living Fire", a counterpart to the Living Lightning.
A Compassion of Anapel Derived from the Koryak goddess, the Compassion of Anapel seemingly grants powers similar to the Wisdom of Solomon.
Z Power of Zonuz Derived from the Old God Yuga Khan (whose true name is Zonuz, father of the villain Darkseid), the Power of Zonuz grants the power to draw energy from the Source, the energy field within all forms of life.
A Boldness of Ate Derived from the Greek goddess of mischief among others, the Boldness of Ate's abilities remain unknown.
M Living Lightning of Mamaragan The Living Lightning of Mamaragan bestows upon the character the same powers as those seen in the traditional combination while retroactively replacing the abilities typically associated with the Power of Zeus. This power also strengthens the link between Billy and the Wizard.

Powers of the Wizard

At several points in time, Billy possessed the sorcerous abilities held by the Wizard Shazam, granting him formidable mystical powers. As Marvel in the aftermath of Day of Vengeance, he had the capacity to manipulate and command magical energies, and possessed a deep understanding of the supernatural, particularly during a period of shifting magical rules. However, due to the immense accumulation of magic within the Rock of Eternity, he was required to remain within its confines to maintain control over the abundance of magic. Billy could only venture outside the Rock of Eternity for a maximum of 24 hours at a time.

In the Lazarus Planet storyline, Billy becomes tethered to the Rock of Eternity once more, gaining access to its vast magical energies and spells. This connection enables him to manipulate various magical powers, similar to those possessed by the Wizard Shazam. However, as a consequence, Billy is forcibly bound to the Rock of Eternity for a period of time. Later on, Billy takes a step further by binding the Rock of Eternity to himself, allowing him to control both his former powers and the magic within the Rock through his empowered form. Thus far, he has only been shown to generate duplicates of his empowered form, each possessing his abilities and has capability to summon Mamaragan, the ancient being associated with his powers, at his own volition.

Weaknesses

Captain Marvel is not completely invulnerable. In several stories, he is shown to be susceptible to high-powered magic, which can weaken or de-power him, and, in some older stories, to significantly high voltages of lightning or electricity, which would make him revert to Billy Batson form. Despite possessing the courage of Achilles, the Fawcett Captain Marvel was extremely bashful and shy around attractive women, a weakness some villains came to exploit. Most depictions following the Crisis on Infinite Earths also show his childlike innocence and immaturity to be a significant weakness.

In classic stories, simply saying the word "Shazam!" transformed Billy into Captain Marvel and back again; this extended to accidental utterances, recorded playbacks, and so forth. When Captain Marvel shared his powers with his Marvel Family teammates in 1990s and 2000s DC publications (from The Power of Shazam! in 1995 through 2011's Flashpoint), the Shazam power was depicted as a finite source which would be divided into halves, thirds, or further depending upon how many Marvels were super-powered at one time, and weakening them accordingly. The 2011 reboot changed the rules so that Captain Marvel could speak the magic word "Shazam" without causing a transformation. This lasted until the 2023 comic event Lazarus Planet, when the rule once again became that speaking the word in any fashion would trigger the lightning.

Other versions

A significant number of "alternate" depictions of Shazam/Captain Marvel have appeared in DC publications since the 1970s.

Alternate versions of Billy Batson

Captain Thunder (1974)

In "Make Way for Captain Thunder" from 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 committing evil himself, which led to his doing battle with Superman. Captain Thunder, whose name was derived from Captain Marvel's original moniker, was a thinly veiled pastiche of Marvel—down to his similar costume, his young alter ego named "Willie Fawcett" (a reference to Fawcett Comics), and a magic word ("Thunder!"), which was an acronym for seven entities and their respective powers. He got his power from rubbing a magic belt buckle with a thunder symbol on it and saying "Thunder". His powers came from Tornado (power), Hare (speed), Uncas (bravery), Nature (wisdom), Diamond (toughness), Eagle (flight), and Ram (tenacity). Superman held him while he used his wisdom to escape the effects of the spell.

"Make Way for Captain Thunder" was written by Elliot S! Maggin and illustrated by Curt Swan and Bob Oskner. At the time of its publication, DC had been printing Shazam! comics for 18 months, 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. 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. This alternate version of the character was never used.

Superman: Distant Fires (1998)

In the dark alternate future of the Elseworlds comic Superman: Distant Fires (1998) by Howard Chaykin, Gil Kane, Kevin Nowlan, and Matt Hollingsworth, most of humanity has been destroyed in nuclear war. An adult Billy Batson becomes obsessed with Wonder Woman when they become part of a small community of survivors of the holocaust, with most of the surviving superhumans having lost their powers or dealing with altered abilities. When the now-powerless Clark Kent joins their community, starting a relationship with Wonder Woman that includes them having a child together, Batson's resentment of Superman becomes insanity, as he provokes his transformation into Captain Marvel despite use of this power causing damage to Earth.

The Dark Knight Strikes Again (2001–2002)

In the dark alternate future shown in Frank Miller's 2001–2002 comic miniseries 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 when there is nobody left 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 1996 miniseries Kingdom Come, written by Mark Waid with painted art by Alex Ross, depicts a possible future of the DC characters. In this version, Billy Batson is an adult who now matches the appearance of his superhero identity. The human hostility towards superheroes has made him uneasy, and he has not transformed into Captain Marvel for several years. Batson has become the brainwashed servant of Lex Luthor, who uses Mister Mind's mind-controlling worm offspring to keep him 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, believing it is a non-costumed Captain Marvel that serves Luthor.

Events finally cause him to transform 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 sacrifices himself to intercept it. The nuclear blast kills a large number of heroes, but cools 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.

Earth-5

In 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. The miniseries established that these versions of Captain Marvel and Billy are 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. 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.

Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil (2007)

A Captain Marvel miniseries, Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil, written and illustrated by Jeff Smith, 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. 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 versions. 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! (2008–2010)

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 Monster Society of Evil miniseries, it was initially written and drawn by Mike Kunkel, creator of Herobear. 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. 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.

Injustice: Gods Among Us (2013–2016)

In the prequel comic to the 2013 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. Ultimately, Shazam decides to stay and support the Regime, devoted to its cause. 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 Wonder Woman's mother Hippolyta are sent to the abyss of 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 of New Genesis 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. (See the video games section for the continuation of his story in this universe.)

Future State (2021)

A potential future incarnation of Billy Batson is introduced during the Future State event. This iteration of the character shares a similar background to their DC Rebirth counterpart, following a similar history until a point of divergence during their time as a student at the Teen Titans Academy in the Infinite Frontier era. In this version, the character demonstrates enhanced magical abilities, having acquired the sorcerous skills from tutelage under Raven. He also displayed the power to manipulate the powers other prominent mystics within the DC Universe such as Johnny and Jakeem Thunder.

Billy is among the various heroes who assists the Titans in confronting Red X and the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse. Raven succeeds in absorbing the Horsemen but become corrupted under their influence. Shazam then uses his power to seal her in the Rock of Eternity at her behest to contain her power. Becoming known as the Unkindness, she uses her limited influence to create an alliance with Neron, who uses his power to split Shazam and Billy into independent beings. As Billy maintains his position, his innocence used to ward off demons on account the Rock of Eternity has been displaced within Hell, Shazam works to fight external threats.

Shazam assumes the role of leader within the Justice League of America, based in Detroit. However, in the absence of Billy's inherent influence, Shazam's morality becomes increasingly corrupted. He engages in secret killings of both super-villains and heroes who oppose his views, including the Question, who is the successor to Renee Montoya and Vic Sage, known as Drake. Shazam is also responsible for the deaths of Jakeem Thunder, Johnny Thunder, and the Creeper. Eventually, the identity of the Question is revealed to be Deadman, who has taken possession of Drake's body and acted as another successor to the Question in the JLA. The Spectre intervenes upon discovering Shazam's actions. Though aware of Shazam's past heroism, the Spectre is shocked to learn that his recent behavior is partly influenced by events in Hell, of which the Spectre had no prior knowledge. In a surprising turn of events, Shazam strikes and kills the Spectre using the remaining material from the Spear of Destiny. Deadman, as the Question, reveals himself to Shazam and temporarily uses the magic word to strip him of his powers. This entire sequence of events is later uncovered as a ploy orchestrated by Raven and Neron, with the goal of redirecting Shazam's powers back to the Rock of Eternity, which Raven absorbs. Empowered by her natural abilities, the Powers of Shazam, and the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse, Raven confidently escapes her confinement, believing that with the Spectre's demise, there will be no one to oppose her. Meanwhile, Billy mysteriously disappears, and his fate remains unknown.

Shazam! Thundercrack

On May 27, 2021, it was announced that cartoonist Yehudi Mercado would write and draw a middle-grade graphic novel titled Shazam! Thundercrack, which will take place within the storyline of the 2019 Shazam! movie. It is set for both online and print release on June 7, 2022.

Other versions of Captain Marvel/Shazam

Captain Thunder (Flashpoint)

The 2011 Flashpoint comics miniseries, written by Geoff Johns with art by Andy Kubert, 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: Eugene Choi, who possesses the wisdom of Solomon; Pedro Peña, who possesses the strength of Hercules; Mary Batson, Freddy Freeman and Billy Batson, who possess the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, and the courage of Achilles, respectively; and 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.

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.

After the conclusion of the 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.

Captain Marvel (Elseworld's Finest)

In the alternate universe Elseworlds one-shot comic Elseworld's Finest: Supergirl & Batgirl (1998) by Tom Simmons, Matt Haley and Barbara Kesel, the current Captain Marvel is depicted as a bald African-American man. A flashback to the older Justice Society features the traditional Caucasian Captain Marvel, leading to the conclusion that there were two Captain Marvels.

Captain Marvel (Robert Rodgers)

A one-shot alternate take on Shazam! was published as part of the Just Imagine... comics line in 2001, which saw Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee reimagining various DC characters.

Lee reimagined the original Shazam! premise by having the hero be a mild mannered Interpol agent, Robert Rogers. Teamed with the beautiful, and much tougher, fellow agent, Carla Noral, the two of them are in India searching for the megalomaniac master criminal Gunga Kahn. Rogers is given the ability to transform into a large, winged being by saying the magic word "Shazam!" This version is co-created with Gary Frank, and is based on the Bill Parker–C. C. Beck character.

In a backup story plotted by Michael Uslan, scripted by Lee and Uslan, and drawn by Kano, an orphaned American boy in India at the same time as the adventures of Shazam heroically saves a village from starvation with the help of a local boy named Zubin Navotny. The boy's name is Billy Marvel, and he and Zubin are made honorary captains in the U.S. Peace Corps by an Ambassador named Batson, making the boy "Captain Marvel."

Captain Marvel (Sahar Shazeen)

A female version of Captain Marvel is shown as a member of an alternate-future Justice League in Justice League: Generation Lost, a 2010 comics maxiseries written by Judd Winick and Keith Giffen. 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 OMACs.

Mazahs

Mazahs is a corrupted alternate-universe version of Shazam, introduced in the 2013–14 Forever Evil DC Comics crossover event series written by Geoff Johns. He is the super-powered alter-ego of Alexander Luthor of Earth-3. 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. It is implied that the power of Mazahs previously belonged to Earth-3's Will Batson, before he was killed by Alexander. In the final issue of the series, it is revealed that Earth-3's Wonder Woman analogue, Superwoman, is in a relationship with Alexander and tricked her teammates into bringing him with them. She also reveals she is carrying his child, who is prophesied to bring an end to the world. Exploiting his ability to use the powers of those he has killed, Mazahs easily takes down both the Syndicate and Luthor's team, but Prime Earth Lex Luthor (having the same voice as Mazahs) manages to call down the lightning, using a lightning-rod that Batman had retrieved to try and use against Johnny Quick based on his planned defense against the Flash, and transform Mazahs into his human form. Sealing Alexander's mouth, Lex stabs him with a knife, killing him.

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 activated when she says the 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.

Supporting cast

See also: Marvel Family

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 empowered by the wizard Shazam. The main core of the Marvel Family were Captain Marvel's sister Mary Marvel, the alter-ego of Billy Batson's twin sister Mary Batson (adopted as Mary Bromfield), and Marvel's protégé, Captain Marvel Jr., who was the alter-ego of Billy and Mary's best friend, the disabled newsboy Freddy Freeman. Before DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths comic book miniseries in 1985, the Marvel Family also included part-time members such as Mary's non-powered friend "Uncle" Dudley (Uncle Marvel) and three other protégés (all of whose alter egos are named "Billy Batson") known as the Lieutenant Marvels. A pink rabbit version of Captain Marvel, Hoppy the Marvel Bunny, appeared in his own stories.

Among the key supporting characters was Sterling Morris, president of Amalgamated Broadcasting, owners of Station WHIZ, the radio (and later TV) station for which Billy worked as a reporter. Billy also had his own love interest, Cissie Sommerly, who was also Sterling Morris' niece and had a recurring role in the comics. In the early Fawcett stories, Billy Batson and Captain Marvel had a sidekick named Steamboat, an African-American valet character who was removed from the comics by 1945 because of protests over racial stereotyping. From 1947 forward, Billy/Marvel's sidekick was Mr. Tawky Tawny, an anthropomorphic talking tiger who works as a museum curator and seeks integration into human society.

JSA member Captain Marvel briefly dates Courtney Whitmore aka Stargirl, and both her and Billy Batson are the same age, although she was attracted to Billy in his older form in the first place, without knowing his secret identity, and even kissed him. To outsiders, however, Captain Marvel is by all appearances a fully grown-up adult, and the relationship between Marvel and Stargirl draws criticism from Jakeem Thunder and Jay Garrick (despite these opposing views and even inappropriate ageist and neo-puritanical comments from fans and readers in real life, however, even if Billy was actually older in his original form like in his "Shazam" one, the relationship between the two would have been legally possible). After Garrick confronts them, Marvel decides to leave the JSA and Courtney, instead of revealing his secret to the team. Marvel later returns to the JSA and explains that the Wisdom of Solomon prevents him from revealing his secret identity.

The current-continuity version of Shazam has a Shazam Family made up of his five foster siblings, with whom he shares his powers: Mary Bromfield, Freddy Freeman, Pedro Peña, Eugene Choi, and Darla Dudley. The latter three children were introduced in the Flashpoint miniseries as three of the six children sharing the powers of "Captain Thunder", and introduced into regular DC continuity with Justice League (vol. 2) #8 in 2012. Tawny was initially depicted as a magically-charged zoo tiger in the Justice League backup stories. In the 2018–present ongoing Shazam! series, a more traditional version of Tawny is a resident of The Wildlands, a magical realm inhabited by anthropomorphic animals.

The Marvel Family's other non-powered allies have traditionally included Dr. Sivana's good-natured adult offspring, Beautia and Magnificus Sivana. The 1970s Shazam! series also included Sunny Sparkle, the "nicest boy in the world." Jerry Ordway's 1990s Power of Shazam! series also introduced Billy's school principal, Miss Wormwood, and Mary's adoptive parents, Nick and Nora Bromfield. The New 52 reboot of Shazam! introduced the Shazam kids' foster parents, Victor and Rosa Vázquez.

Collected editions

Many of the character's appearances have been collected into several volumes:

Collected editions
Title Year of release Publisher ISBN Details Writers and artists Format
Special Edition Series: Book 1 – Whiz Comics 1974 DynaPubs This softcover volume features Golden Age adventures of Captain Marvel from Whiz Comics #7–28 in black and white. 8+1⁄2 in. × 11 in., 208 pages
Special Edition Series: Book 3 – Captain Marvel Jr. 1975 DynaPubs This softcover volume reprints Captain Marvel Jr. stories from Master Comics #27–42 in black & white. Four covers are featured in full color on the back cover.
  • Stories by Ed Herron and others
  • Art by C. C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Marc Swayze, Mac Raboy, and others
 8+1⁄2 in. × 11 in., 208 pages
Shazam! From the Forties to the Seventies 1977 Harmony Books ISBN 0-517-53127-5 Hardcover collection reprinting 37 Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., Mary Marvel, and Marvel Family stories from the original Fawcett comics and DC's 1970s Shazam! series in black and white, with some color pages. 352 pages
The Monster Society of Evil: Deluxe Limited Collector's Edition 1989 American Nostalgia Library ISBN 0-948248-07-6 Compiled and designed by Mike Higgs. Reprints the entire "Monster Society of Evil" story arc from Captain Marvel Adventures #22–46 (1943–1945). This oversized, slipcased hardcover book was limited to 3,000 numbered copies.
  • Stories by Otto Binder
  • Art by C. C. Beck & Pete Costanza
The Shazam! Archives Volume 1 1992 DC Comics ISBN 1-56389-053-4 Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories from Whiz Comics #2 - 15
  • Stories by Bill Parker
  • Art by C. C. Beck
 120 pages
The Shazam! Archives Volume 2 1998 DC Comics ISBN 1-56389-521-8 Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories from Whiz Comics #16 - 20, plus Special Edition Comics #1 and Captain Marvel Adventures #1. 232 pages
The Shazam! Archives Volume 3 2002 DC Comics ISBN 1-56389-832-2 Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories from Whiz Comics #21 - 24, Captain Marvel Adventures #2-3, and America's Greatest Comics #1
  • Stories by Ed Herron and others
  • Art by C. C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Mac Raboy, George Tuska, and others
 216 pages
Shazam! and the Shazam Family! Annual No. 1 2002 DC Comics ISBN 1-56389-832-2 An 80-Page Giant-style, square-bound paperback collection reprinting several Golden Age Marvel Family adventures from Captain Marvel Adventures #18, Captain Marvel, Jr. #12, and The Marvel Family #1, 10; 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
 216 pages
The Shazam! Archives Volume 4 2005 DC Comics ISBN 1-4012-0160-1 Hardcover volume collecting Fawcett Captain Marvel stories from America's Greatest Comics #2, Captain Marvel Adventures #4-5; and the origins of Captain Marvel, Jr. and Captain Nazi from Master Comics #21-22 and Whiz Comics #25
  • Stories by Ed Herron and others
  • Art by C. C. Beck, Pete Costanza, Mac Raboy, George Tuska, and others
 216 pages
DC's Greatest Imaginary Stories, Vol. 1 2005 DC Comics ISBN 978-1401205348 A showcase of alternate universe "imaginary stories" that depict a series of possible futures. Includes Captain Marvel Adventures #66, Batman #127, 151; Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #19, 51; Superman #149, 162; Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #57, The Flash #128, and World's Finest Comics #173.
  • Stories by various writers
  • Art by various artists
 192 pages
The Shazam! Family Archives 2006 DC Comics ISBN 1-4012-0779-0 This spin-off volume features the adventures of Captain Marvel Jr., 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
 228 pages
Showcase Presents: Shazam! 2006 DC Comics ISBN 1-4012-1089-9 A 500-page trade paperback featuring black-and-white reprints of stories from the 1970s Shazam! ongoing series, collecting only the new material that was published (and not the Golden Age reprints) in issues #1–33. 500 pages
The Trials of Shazam!: The Complete Series 2007, 2008; 2019 DC Comics ISBN 1-4012-9229-1 Reprints The Trials of Shazam! #1–12 and a short story from DCU Brave New World #1. Originally released in two halves as Volume 1 (2007, ISBN 1-4012-1331-6) and Volume 2 (2008, ISBN 1-4012-1829-6); the single-volume version was released in 2019. 312 pages
Shazam! The Greatest Stories Ever Told 2008 DC Comics ISBN 1-4012-1674-9 A compilation featuring Captain Marvel stories collected from the Fawcett 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.
  • Various
 224 pages
DC Goes Ape 2008 DC Comics ISBN 978-1401219352 A compilation of various confrontations between superheroes and apes. Collects Superboy #76, Superman #138, The Flash #127 and (vol. 2) #151, Detective Comics #339 and 482, Hawkman #16, Wonder Woman #170, Strange Adventures #201, Shazam! #9, and Super Friends #30.
  • Various
 168 pages
Justice League: The World's Greatest Superheroes 2010, 2017, 2018 DC Comics ISBN 978-1401202552 A compilation of picturesque graphic novels featuring DC heroes battling societal problems. Collects Superman: Peace on Earth, Batman: War on Crime, Shazam! Power of Hope, Wonder Woman: Spirit of Truth, JLA: Secret Origins, and JLA: Liberty and Justice. 400 pages
Superman vs. Shazam! 2013, 2021 DC Comics ISBN 1-4012-3821-1 A compilation featuring past team-ups and fights between The Man of Steel and the World's Mightiest Mortal in this collection also featuring Mr. Mxyzptlk, Mr. Mind, Captain Nazi, Black Adam, and more. Collects All-New Collector's Edition C-58; DC Comics Presents #33–34, 49; and DC Comics Presents Annual #3.

The 2021 edition includes all of the issues from the previous collection plus Kingdom Come #1 and 4, The Power of Shazam! #46, and Superman (vol. 2) #216. (ISBN 978-1779509093)

  • Various
 192 pages
Shazam! Vol. 1 2013; 2019, 2020 DC Comics 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.

Re-released in 2019 as the Shazam! Origins trade paperback, with a photo cover from the New Line Cinema/Warner Bros. film Shazam! starring Zachary Levi (ISBN 978-1401-28789-4). A hardcover Deluxe Edition (ISBN 978-1779506849, 208 pgs) was published in 2020.

192 pages
Shazam! A Celebration of 75 Years 2015 DC Comics ISBN 1-4012-5538-8 Expanded hardcover Shazam! anthology spanning the Fawcett and DC eras from 1939 to 2013, including essays on the history of the characters. Features stories from Fawcett publications such as Whiz Comics, Captain Marvel Adventures and The Marvel Family, as well as DC publications such as Shazam!, The Power of Shazam!, JSA, and more.
  • Various
 400 pages
Shazam! The World's Mightiest Mortal Volume 1 2019 DC Comics ISBN 1-4012-8839-1 Hardcover volume featuring color reprints of the new stories of issues #1-18 of the 1970s Shazam! ongoing series.
  • Written by Dennis O'Neil, E. Nelson Bridwell, and Elliot S. Maggin
  • Art by C. C. Beck, Kurt Schaffenberger, Dave Cockrum, and Dick Giordano
 352 pages
Shazam! The World's Mightiest Mortal Volume 2 2020 DC Comics ISBN 1-4012-8839-1 Hardcover volume featuring color reprints of the new stories of issues #19-35 of the 1970s Shazam! ongoing series; plus All-New Collector's Edition C-58
  • Written by Dennis O'Neil, E. Nelson Bridwell, and Elliot S. Maggin
  • Art by Kurt Schaffenberger, Dave Cockrum, Dick Giordano, and Don Newton
 328 pages
The Power of Shazam! Book One: In The Beginning 2020 DC Comics ISBN 978-1401299415 Hardcover volume collecting the 1994 The Power of Shazam! graphic novel, issues #1-12 of the subsequent 1995 ongoing The Power of Shazam! series, plus a 1994 Shazam! story from Superman & Batman Magazine #4 408 pages
Shazam! and the Seven Magic Lands 2020 DC Comics ISBN 978-1779504593 Trade paperback collecting the main story from the 2018-2020 Shazam! series. Collects Shazam! (vol. 3) #1-11, 13-14. 344 pages
Shazam: The World's Mightiest Mortal Volume 3 2021 DC Comics ISBN 978-1779509468 Hardcover volume featuring reprints of the Captain Marvel stories from World's Finest Comics #253-270, 272-282 and Adventure Comics #491-492
  • Written by E. Nelson Bridwell
  • Art by Don Newton, Kurt Schaffenberger
 336 pages
The Power of Shazam Book 2: The Worm Turns 2023 DC Comics ISBN 978-1779504708 Hardcover volume collecting The Power of Shazam! #13-23, Annual 1; Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #4, Showcase ‘96 #7, Superboy Plus #1, and Supergirl Plus #1
  • Written by Jerry Ordway
  • Art by various
 424 pages

In other media

DVD front cover for the 1941 Adventures of Captain Marvel film serial, starring Tom Tyler in the title roleZachary Levi (right) as Shazam in the 2019 film of the same name, with Jack Dylan Grazer (left) as Freddy Freeman

Live-action films

Animated films

Television

Jackson Bostwick as Captain Marvel on CBS' Shazam! Saturday morning TV series

1970s–1990s

Captain Marvel first came to television in 1974. Filmation produced Shazam!, a live-action series, which ran from 1974 to 1976 on CBS. From 1975 until the end of its run, it aired as one-half of The Shazam!/Isis Hour alongside The Secrets of Isis.

Instead of directly following the lead of the comics, Shazam! took a more indirect approach to the character: Billy Batson/Captain Marvel, accompanied by an older man known simply as Mentor (Les Tremayne), traveled in a motor home across the U.S., interacting with people in different towns in which they stopped to save the citizens from some form of danger or to help them combat some form of evil. 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. An adapted version of Isis, the heroine of The Secrets of Isis, was introduced into DC Comics in 2006 as Black Adam's wife.

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 the 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 in The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!, which aired alongside Hero High. Captain Marvel and Billy Batson were both 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 or Billy Batson made brief "cameo" appearances in two 1990s TV series. An unnamed reporter resembling Billy appears 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".

2000s–present

Captain Marvel fights Superman in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Clash".
  • Because of licensing issues and the development of the Shazam! feature film at New Line Cinema, Captain Marvel and characters related to him could not appear in the DC Animated Universe. A planned appearance in Superman: The Animated Series went unproduced, as did a proposed Shazam! series for Cartoon Network pitched by Paul Dini and Alex Ross around the same time.
  • Captain Marvel appears in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Clash", voiced by Jerry O'Connell, while Billy Batson is voiced by Shane Haboucha. This version is initially a member of the Justice League, before leaving after his conflicting opinions with Superman cause them to fight and destroy Lex Luthor's Lexor City. At the end of the episode, it is revealed that the clash between the two superheroes was part of a plot organized by Lex Luthor and Amanda Waller to discredit Superman.
  • Captain Marvel appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, with Captain Marvel voiced by Jeff Bennett and Billy Batson by Tara Strong.
  • Captain Marvel appears in Young Justice, voiced by Rob Lowe and later by Chad Lowe, while Billy Batson is primarily voiced by Robert Ochoa, with Eric Lopez voicing him in the episode "Teg Ydaer!". This version is a member of the Justice League who temporarily becomes the Team's supervisor following Red Tornado's disappearance. At various times, he joins the Team on missions.
  • Captain Marvel appears in Mad.
  • Shazam appears in a self-titled series of DC Nation Shorts, voiced by David Kaye, while Billy Batson is voiced again by Tara Strong.
  • Shazam appears in Justice League Action, with Shazam and Billy Batson both voiced by Sean Astin. The series premiere, "Shazam Slam", sees Billy recruited by the Wizard and becoming Shazam to help him stop Black Adam. Subsequently, he appears throughout the series as a member of the Justice League.
  • Shazam appears in Teen Titans Go!, voiced by John DiMaggio, with Tara Strong once again voicing Billy Batson.
  • The DC Extended Universe version of Shazam makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Titans episode "Dude, Where's My Gar?".

Video games

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.

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.

Cultural impact and legacy

Critical response

The character was ranked as the 55th-greatest comic book character of all time by Wizard magazine. IGN also ranked Shazam as the 50th-greatest comic book hero of all time, stating that the character will always be an enduring reminder of a simpler time. 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."

Captain Marvel vs. Superman in fiction

Captain Marvel vs. Superman on the cover of Superman Giant #4 (2018)
Art by Andy Kubert

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 superhuman breath powers, the magic-based nature of his own powers are a weakness for Superman.

The National Comics/Fawcett Comics rivalry was parodied in "Superduperman", 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. 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, compelling Marvel to battle him at first and subsequently restore Superman's mind with the help of 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 Justice League Unlimited, which includes Captain Marvel as a guest character, features a Superman/Captain Marvel fight as its centerpiece, Lex Luthor manipulating events so that Captain Marvel will perceive Superman as being prejudiced against Luthor's criminal past and attacking him without provokation or evidence that Luthor has actually done anything wrong. By contrast, the depiction of the pair's first meeting in 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.

In popular culture

The television character Gomer Pyle is known for uttering the catchphrase "Shazam!" on The Andy Griffith Show and Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C..

Al McCoy, longtime radio and TV voice of the NBA's Phoenix Suns, would shout "Shazam!" every time the Suns made a three-point shot.

In Spider-Man (2002), Peter Parker yells "Shazam!" while trying to get his powers working.

In Dear Becky (2020), the Boys are depicted as kidnapping their universe's version of Billy Batson/Shazam and cutting out his tongue to prevent him from ever using his powers again.

Accolades

  • Shazam was included in CBR's "Top 50 DC Characters".

See also

Portals:

Explanatory notes

References

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