Captain Marvel , also known as Shazam ( ), is a fictional superhero that appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker created the character in 1939. Captain Marvel first appeared in Whiz Comics # 2 (cover-dated February 1940), published by Fawcett Comics. He is the alter ego Billy Batson , a boy who, by saying the magic word " SHAZAM " (an acronym of six "eternal elders": S olomon, H ercules, A tlas, Z eus, A chilles and M ercury), can transform itself into a costumed adult with superhuman strength, speed, flight, and other abilities.
Based on book sales, his character was the most popular superhero in the 1940s, even surpassing Superman. Fawcett expanded the franchise to include other "Marvels", particularly Marvel Family colleagues Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr., who can harness the power of Billy as well. Captain Marvel is also the first comic book superhero to be adapted into the film, in the 1941 Republic Pictures series titled Adventures of Captain Marvel .
Fawcett stopped publishing comics related to Captain Marvel in 1953, partly due to a copyright infringement suit from DC Comics, alleging that Captain Marvel was a copy of Superman. In 1972, DC licensed the Marvel Family character from Fawcett, and returned it to the publication. In 1991, DC had acquired all rights to the characters. DC has since integrated the Captain Marvel and Marvel Family into their DC Universe and has tried to revive the property several times, with varying success. Due to a trademark conflict over another character named "Captain Marvel" owned by Marvel Comics, DC has branded and marketed characters using the trademark of Shazam! since reintroduction in 1972. This, in turn, led many to assume that "Shazam" is the name of the character. DC then officially changed the name of the character "Shazam" - and his colleagues "The Shazam Family" - while relaunching the comic book property in 2011. Captain Marvel/Shazam and his family fought with a broad band of thieves, especially the sworn enemy. Sivana and Black Adam.
This character has been featured in two television adaptation series, one live action and one animation, by Filmation, and the upcoming movie New Line Cinema/Warner Bros. Shazam! is scheduled for release in 2019 as part of DC Extended Universe, with Zachary Levi and Asher Angel describing the title role. Captain Marvel was ranked 55th as the greatest comic book character of all time by the Wizard magazine. IGN also put Captain Marvel as the 50th greatest comic book hero of all time, stating that the character will always be a lasting reminder of a simpler time. UGO Networks placed him as one of the top entertainment heroes, saying, "Best of all, Shazam is always compared to Superman with joy, silly pleasure"
Video Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Publishing history
Development and inspiration
After the success of Super Superman and Batman National Superheroes, Fawcett Publications started its own comic division in 1939, recruiting writer Bill Parker to create some hero characters for the first title in their line, while titled Flash Comics. I. In addition to writing stories featuring the Invincible, Spy Smasher, Golden Arrow, Lance O'Casey, Scoop Smith, and Dan Dare for new books, Parker also writes stories about a team of six superheroes, each having special powers given to them. by a mythological figure.
Fawcett Comics Executive Director Ralph Daigh decided that it would be better to combine a six-man team into a hero that would embody six strengths. Parker responded by creating a character he called " Captain Thunder ". Staff artist Charles Clarence "C. C." Beck was recruited to design and illustrate the story of Parker, transforming it directly, the cartoon style that characterized him. "When Bill Parker and I started working on Fawcett's first comic book in late 1939, we both saw how badly writing and illustrating the superhero comic book was," Beck told an interviewer. "We decided to give our readers a real comic book, drawn in a comic style and tell an imaginative story, not based on the obsolete formula of a pulp magazine, but back to the old tales and myths about the classical period."
The first edition of the comic book, printed as Flash Comics # 1 and Thrill Comics # 1, had a low print in the fall of 1939 as ashcan copies made for advertising and trademark purposes. Shortly after printing, however, Fawcett found it could not be trademarked "Captain Thunder", "Flash Comics", or "Thrill Comics", because all three names were already in use. As a result, the book was renamed Whiz Comics , and Fawcett artist Pete Costanza suggested changing the name of Captain Thunder to "Captain Marvelous", whose editor shortened to "Captain Marvel". The word balloon in the story was rewritten to label the heroine of the main story as "Captain Marvel". Whiz Comics # 2 (cover-dated February 1940) was published in late 1939.
Inspiration
The inspiration for Captain Marvel comes from a number of sources. His visual appearance was modeled after Fred MacMurray, a popular American actor of the period, although comparisons with Cary Grant and Jack Oakie were also made. The founder of Fawcett Publications, Wilford H. Fawcett, was nicknamed "Captain Billy", who inspired the name "Billy Batson" as well as the Marvel title. Fawcett's first magazine was titled Captain Billy's Whiz Bang , which inspired the title Whiz Comics . In addition, Fawcett took some elements that made Superman the most popular comic book superhero (super power and speed, science fiction, alter ego reporter fine) and put it in Captain Marvel. Fawcett's director of circulation, Roscoe Kent Fawcett, told the staff, "Give me Superman, the only other identity is boys 10 or 12 years old than men".
Introduction
In addition to introducing the main character and alter ego, Captain Marvel's first adventure at Whiz Comics # 2 also introduced his great enemy, the evil Dr. Sivana; his mentor, the ancient wizard Shazam (whose name comes from the same magical acronym); and found Billy Batson speaking in a job as an on-air radio reporter. Captain Marvel was an instant success, with Whiz Comics # 2 selling over 500,000 copies. In 1941, he had his own solo series, Captain Marvel Adventures, while he continued to appear on Whiz Comics, as well as periodic appearances in other Fawcett books, including > Master Comics .
Copyright infringement and cancellation
Through most of the Golden Age of Comic Books, Captain Marvel proved to be the most popular superhero character in the media, and his comics beat the others. Captain Marvel Adventures sold fourteen million copies in 1944, and at one time published twice a week with a circulation of 1.3 million copies of an issue (proclaimed on the cover of # 19 as the "Greatest" Circulation of Every Magazine Comics "). Part of the reasons for this popularity include the appeal of the fulfillment of the desire that is attached to the character for children, as well as the cute and surreal story quality.Billy Batson usually narrates each of Captain Marvel's stories, speaking directly to his audience's audience from a radio microphone WHIZ, connecting each story from the perspective of a boy.
The franchise expanded to introduce the spin-off teen character to Captain Marvel (who, unlike Billy, remained the kids in superhero form) In late 1941 and in 1942, the new character was introduced with Captain Marvel's sidekick Captain Marvel, Jr. at Whiz Comics # 25 (1941) and his sister Mary Marvel at Captain Marvel Adventures # 18. Both Captain Marvel, Jr. and Mary Marvel were given their own eponymous books in addition to appearing as a featured feature in Master Comics and Wow Comics , respectively. Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr., and Mary Marvel appeared together in another publication, Marvel Family .
Detective Comics (later known as the National Comics Publications, National Periodical Publications, and now known as DC Comics) sued Fawcett Comics and Republic Pictures for copyright infringement in 1941, alleging that Captain Marvel was based on their Superman character (see National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc.). After seven years of litigation, the case of National Publication v. Fawcett Publications was adjudicated in 1948. Although the presiding judge ruled that Captain Marvel was a violation, DC was found negligent in copying several strips of their Superman newspaper, and it was decided that National had abandoned Superman's copyright. As a result, the original ruling, delivered in 1951, favored Fawcett.
The National appealed this decision, and the Hand Study Judge declared in 1952 that the National Superman copyright was in effect. The Judge of Hands did not find that the character of Captain Marvel itself was a violation, but rather a specific story or super achievement could be a violation, and this should be determined in a retrial. Therefore he sent back to the lower court for final determination.
Instead of trying to return the case, however, Fawcett settled with National out of court. The national lawsuit is not the only problem facing Fawcett with respect to Captain Marvel. While Captain Marvel Adventures became the best-selling comic series during World War II, it experienced sales decline every year after 1945, and, in 1949, it sold only half the rate of its war. Fawcett tried to revive the popularity of the Captain Marvel series in the early 1950s by introducing elements of the horror comic trends that had gained popularity at the time.
Feeling that the decline in the popularity of this superhero comic meant that it was no longer feasible to continue the fight, Fawcett agreed to permanently stop the publication of comics with characters associated with Captain Marvel and pay $ 400,000 in damages. Fawcett closed his comic division in the fall of 1953 and fired his comic book staff. Whiz Comics ended with issue # 155 in June 1953, Captain Marvel Adventures was canceled with # 150 (November 1953), and The Marvel Family ended its operation with # 89 (January 1954).
Marvelman / Miracleman
In the 1950s, the small British publisher, L. Miller and Son, published a number of black and white prints of American comic books, including the Captain Marvel series. With the result of the lawsuit National v. Fawcett , L. Miller and Son find their Marvel Captain's inventory cut off suddenly. They enlisted the help of a British comic writer, Mick Anglo, who created a thinly camouflaged superhero version called Marvelman. Captain Marvel, Jr., was adapted to create Young Marvelman, while Mary Marvel changed her gender to create Kid Marvelman's men. The magic word "Shazam!" replaced with "Kimota" ("Atomic" spelled backwards). The new character takes over the numbering of the original Captain Marvel UK series with the # 25 issue number.
Marvelman stopped publishing in 1963, but its character was revived in 1982 by author Alan Moore on Warrior Magazine page. Beginning in 1985, the adventure of the Moore black and white series was reprinted in color by Eclipse Comics under the new title Miracleman (because Marvel Comics objected to the use of "Marvel" in the title), and continued publication in the United States after < i> Warrior ' collapsed. In the metathexual storyline of the comic series itself, it is noted that Marvelman's creations are based on the Captain Marvel comics, by Moore and later Marvelman/Miracleman writer Neil Gaiman. In 2009, Marvel Comics acquired the rights to Marvelman's original 1950s character and story, acquired rights to the 1980s version and reprinted it in 2013.
M. F. Company
In 1966, M. F. Enterprises produced their own Marvel Captain: the super android hero of another planet whose primary characteristic is the ability to divide his body into sections, each of which can move on its own. He triggered the farewell by shouting "Split!" and rearranging himself by shouting "Xam!" He has a young human ward named Billy Baxton. The short-lived Captain Marvel is considered a comic "based on the character made by Carl Burgos". Legal issues with Marvel Comics over the use of "Marvel" in the title led to M.F. stop publication after five issues, and receive a $ 4500 settlement from Marvel.
DC Comic Awakening: Shazam!
When the superhero comics became popular again in the mid-1960s in what is now called Silver Age of Comic Books, Fawcett could not revive Captain Marvel, having agreed to never publish any more characters as part of their 1953 settlement. Looking for a new property to introduce to DC Comics line, DC publisher Carmine Infantino decided to bring the Captain Marvel property back into print, and in 1972 he licensed the character from Fawcett. Since Marvel Comics has now set Captain Marvel as a trademark comic book for their own character, created and first published in 1967, DC publishes their book under the name Shazam! Infantino is trying to give Shazam! subtitle book The Original Captain Marvel , but the stop and stop letters from Marvel Comics forced them to change the subtitle to The World Mightiest Mortal , beginning with Shazam ! # 15 (December 1974). Because all the next toys and merchandise featuring characters have also been asked to use "Shazam!" labeled with little to not name the "Captain Marvel", the title became so related to Captain Marvel that many people took to identify the character as "Shazam" instead of "Captain Marvel".
The comic series Shazam! starts with Shazam! # 1 (February 1973). It contains new stories and reprints from the 1940s and 1950s. Dennis O'Neil is the lead author of this book. His role was later taken over by writers Elliot S. Maggin and E. Nelson Bridwell. C. C. Beck made the story for the first ten editions of the book before quitting because of creative differences. Bob Oksner and Fawcett alumnus, Kurt Schaffenberger, is one of the artists who later became the title. As per DC agreement with Fawcett, DC pays Fawcett a license fee per issue for each of the featured Fawcett characters, both at Shazam! Or crossover at Justice League of America, DC Comics Presents, and other comic series.
With the DC Multiverse concept applicable during this time, the revived Marvel Family and related characters live in the DC Universe in the "Earth-S" parallel world. While the series begins with a lot of fanfare, the book has an uninspired reception. The creators themselves feel anxious. Beck said, "As an illustrator, I could, in the past, make a good story better by animating it with pictures, but I can not bring the new [Captain Marvel] story to life no matter how hard I try."
Shazam! was rewritten in issue # 34 (April 1978), and Bridwell gave a more realistic story, accompanied by similar art; the first edition was drawn by Alan Weiss and Joe Rubinstein, and subsequently by Don Newton, an old fan of characters, and Schaffenberger. However, the next edition is the last, though the feature remains alive in a back-up position in Comics-formatted Dollar format from World's Finest Comics (from # 253, October/November 1978, to # 282, August 1982, just skip # 271, featuring a complete Superman-Batman team story.Schaffenberger leaves the feature after # 259, and the ink credits then vary.
When World's Finest Comics returns to the 36-page standard, the rest of Shazam! material viewing publications at Adventure Comics (# 491-492, September-October 1982). The remaining 11 issues of the run contain reprints, with Shazam! is represented by most Fawcett-era stories (excluding the # 500 and # 503 Hero's Super Heroes , where two features are duplicated to complete each story arc). Collector's Limited Edition # C-58 (April 1978) featured "Superman vs. Shazam!" story by author Gerry Conway and artists Rich Buckler and Dick Giordano. With their 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths limited series, DC fully integrates the character into the DC Universe. Before Crisis, the character has appeared several times as a guest star in the Justice League of America series (vol 1).
Captain Marvel in the late 1980s
The first post-Crisis appearance of Captain Marvel is in miniseries 1986 Legends . In 1987, Captain Marvel appeared as a member of the League of Justice at Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis' re-launched the title. In the same year (spinning from Legends ), she was given her own miniseries entitled Shazam!: The New Beginning . With these four edition miniseries, writers Roy and Dann Thomas and artist Tom Mandrake are trying to relaunch Captain Marvel's myth and bring the wizard Shazam, Dr. Sivana, Uncle Dudley, and Black Adam into the modern DC Universe with the origin of the altered story. Roy Thomas, an author and editor of a veteran comic book, has been captivated from Marvel Comics to DC in 1981 with a specific contractual obligation that he will become the lead author of Shazam! and the character of Justice Society of America. Prior to Crisis, Thomas wrote several stories of DC Comics Presents featuring the Marvel Family.
The most important change made by Thomases, Giffen, and DeMatteis in the myths of Captain Marvel is that the young personality of Billy Batson was retained when he transformed into Captain. This change will remain in effect for most future character uses as a justification for his bright Golden-Age personality in the darker world of modern comic books, rather than traditional depictions used before 1986, which tend to treat Captains Marvel and Billy as two separate personalities.
This revised version of Captain Marvel also appeared in a single story-bow presented in a short anthology of Action Comics Weekly # 623-626 (October 25, 1988 - November 15, 1988), in which a Neo Version-nazi from Captain Mazi was introduced. At the end of the arc, it was announced that this would lead to a new series of Shazam! is in progress. Although New Begin has sold well and many artists are assigned and working on his book, it has never seen a publication because of an editorial dispute between DC Comics and Roy Thomas. As a result, Thomas wants to revive the Marvel Family with Mary Bromfield/Mary Marvel (aka "Spike") punk style that is not Billy's sister, and an African-American take Freddy Freeman/Captain Marvel Jr., not see print. Thomas left DC in 1989, shortly after he was removed from the Shazam project! .
Another attempt to revive Shazam! has been started for the next three years, including a reboot project by John Byrne, Illustrator Legends and writer/artist on reboot miniseries Superman The Man of Steel (1986). None of these versions saw the print, although Captain Marvel, Wizard Shazam, and Black Adam did appear in the DC miniseries of War of the Gods in 1991. At this time, DC has finally stopped cost per use agreement license with Fawcett Publications and buy full rights to Captain Marvel and other Fawcett Comics characters.
The power of Shazam!
In 1991, Jerry Ordway was given the task of Shazam! , which he aired as a painted graphic novel that will lead to the series, rather than starting the series live. Ordway writes and illustrates a graphic novel, titled The Power of Shazam! , released in 1994. The power of Shazam! rewind Captain Marvel again and give him a revised origin, rendering Shazam! The New Beginning and Action Comics Weekly apocryphal stories while Marvel's appearance on Legends and Justice League is still counted as part of continuity.
Ordway's story closely follows the origins of Captain Marvel's Fawcett, with a few additions and changes. The graphic novel is a critically acclaimed success, leading to the series of The Power of Shazam! that lasted from 1995 to 1999. The series reintroduces the Marvel Family and its many of its allies and enemies into modern times. DC Universe.
Captain Marvel also appeared in Mark Waid and Alex Ross who were critically acclaimed as the alternative universe in 1996 Elseworlds Kingdom Come . A set of 20 years in the future, Kingdom Come featuring brainwashed Captain Marvel plays the lead role in the story as a mind-controlled pawn of the aged Lex Luthor. Since he is one of the most powerful creatures on Earth, his presence only makes many people around him uncomfortable and, brainwashing, he even causes what can cause the end of the world. However, Marvel ultimately sacrificed himself as an act of redemption and, as a martyr, became a symbol of a new world order.
In 2000, Captain Marvel starred in a large-sized special graphic novel, Shazam! Power of Hope, written by Paul Dini and painted by Alex Ross. Beginning in the middle of the 2000s: < i> JSA
, 52 , and more
Since the cancellation of the title of Power of Shazam! in 1999, the Marvel Family has made appearances in a number of other DC comic books. Black Adam became the main character in the Geoff Johns' series and David S. Goyer JSA , describing the latest adventures of the Justice Society of America, with Captain Marvel also briefly joining the team to keep an eye on his arch-enemies. He also appeared in graphic novel Frank Miller Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, the sequel to The Globe's most famous graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns, culminating 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, describes the first post-Crisis meeting between Superman and Captain Marvel.
The Marvel family played an integral part in the 2005/2006 DC Crossover Infinite Crisis, which embarked on DC efforts to retool the Shazam franchise! . In Miniseries Day, which preceded the Infinite Crisis, the wizard Shazam was killed by the Specters, and Captain Marvel assumed the wizard's place in the Rock of Eternity. The Marvel family made several guest appearances in the weekly weekly maxi series 52 , featuring Black Adam as one of his main characters and introduced Adam's "Black Marvel Family" which included the wife of Adam Isis, his brother Osiris, and Sobek. This series records Adam's attempt to reform after falling in love with Isis, only to launch the DC universe into World War III after he and Osiris were killed. The Marvel family often appears in the 12th edition painted twice the maxi-series Justice by Alex Ross, Jim Krueger, and Doug Braithwaite, published from 2005 to 2007.
Shazam Exam!
The Trials of Shazam! , 12-issue maxi series written by Judd Winick and illustrated by Howard Porter for the first eight editions, and by Mauro Cascioli for the remaining four, published from 2006 to 2008 This series redefines the Shazam property! with a stronger focus on magic and mysticism. Shazam Exam! featuring Captain Marvel, now in white costumes and long white hair, takes over the role of the wizard Shazam under the name Marvel, while former Marvel Captain Jr., Freddy Freeman, tries to prove himself worthy of becoming champion Marvel under the name "Shazam."
In the 2007-2008 series of Countdown to Final Crisis, Black Adam gave the helpless power of Mary Batson, turning it into a super aggressive, less honorable figure than the old Mary Marvel.. At the end of the series, as well as in the limited series DC 2008-2009 Final Crisis , the black Marvelman now, owned by the evil DeSaad New God, became a criminal, joined the Superman Darkseid Criminal and fought against Supergirl and Freddy Freeman/Shazam.
A three-issue arc in the Justice Society of America (volume 3) opens many changes Shazam Exam! . Issues 23 to 25 of the Justice Society show Black Adam and Isis raised to take over the Rock of Eternity. Adam and Isis recruited the now-evil Mary Marvel to help them in the battle against the current defenseless Billy Batson and the Justice Society.
Billy and Mary Batson made a brief look during the 2009-2010 Blackest Night saga in a special one-shot, The Power of Shazam! # 48. In 2011, DC published a one-shot story Shazam! written by Eric Wallace, where Billy and Mary are still helpless to help Freddy/Shazam in battle with Blaze Devils. Freddy will eventually have his power stolen by Osiris at the Titans # 32 in the same year.
New Release 52
In 2011, DC Comics relaunched their entire comic book series, creating the New 52 line of comics. The update begins with a seven-edition miniseries,
One of these relaunched series, Justice League , started showing backup stories of Shazam! with edition # 7 in March 2012. Features written by Geoff Johns and drawn by Gary Frank, introduced Billy Batson and his supporters to the new DC Universe. As part of the redesign, Captain Marvel received a new costume designed by Frank with a robe and long hood. Johns notes that the place of character in the world will be "much more rooted in fantasy and magic than ever before". The characters are also officially renamed "Shazam" at this time. The Shazam! The origin of the story, which includes two full issues in Justice League (2012) and # 21 (2013), reintroduced Billy Batson/Shazam, Wizard, Black Adam, Tawny the Tiger and The Shazam family (Freddy, Mary, Darla, Eugene, and Pedro) leads to sustainability. Features Shazam! ends with Justice League # 21, precedes the crossline of DC Trinity War which highlights the Shazam myth.
The reboots of Johns and Frank were met with praise and criticism, and the renaming of heroes as Shazam brought a mixed reaction. Johns noted that the change was made "because that's what everyone thought of his name," because of the inability to use the "Captain Marvel" moniker on comic book and merchandise covers. In updating Shazam !, Johns and Frank circled some controversy among old fans by introducing Billy Batson as a cynical coward who came to appreciate his potential as a hero and family concept, rather than starting him from that point like retweet earlier.
Following his appearance in the Trinity War and Forever Evil show, Shazam appeared as a Justice League member of Justice League # 30 to # 50 of 2014 to 2016, and also in a one-shot spin-off titled Justice League: The Darkseid War: Shazam (cover-date January 2016). He also appeared as a supporting character in the Cyborg series as a friend of Victor Stone/Cyborg. New takes on the classic version of Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family appearing in the 2014 Grant Morrison miniseries The Multiversity (which takes place in the parallel world of Earth-5) and in 2015 a spin-off to the event Convergence event crossover, Convergence: Shazam! (which occurs in the Earth-S parallel world)
Maps Captain Marvel (DC Comics)
Fictional character biography
Fawcett/Home DC origin
Whiz Comics # 2 (February 1940) introduced William Joseph "Billy" Batson, a 12-year-old bum (14 years old) who slept in a subway station in his hometown (originally New York City, then referred to in DC publications as Fawcett City). A mysterious man in the green robe asked Billy to follow him to the subway station, where the magic substrate portrayed in unusual shapes and colors led them to the underground throne, inhabited by a very old man with long beard and white robes. As the man in the green disappears, the old man on the throne explains to Billy that he is the Shazam Witch, and has used the power of "god" - S olomon, H ercules, A eus, A chiles, and M ercury, then the name "Shazam" - to fight evil for over 3,000 years. However, he is now too old to continue and needs a replacement. The wizard explains that Billy was chosen because of his accident: he had been banished by a greedy uncle who stole his legacy after the death of his parents (then retardings of the origin) would also note that Billy was chosen for "pure heart"). Ordered by a witch to pronounce the name "Shazam," Billy was hit by a lightning suddenly and turned into a super-powerful adult with a red costume with gold ornaments.
The Wizard Shazam declared a new hero "Captain Marvel" and ordered him to continue his work, as a stone block hanging over his throne fell upon it, killing him as prophesied. The magician will return - in retrospect to his original story, soon - as a spirit to serve as a mentor to Billy and Captain Marvel, summoned by lighting a torch on the wall of his nest. As spirits, the Shazam Wizard lives in Rock of Eternity, a bicone-shaped stone formation located in the nexus of time and space. Then the retellings of Captain Marvel from Shazam's underground nest in Stone. Saying the word "Shazam" allows Billy to summon the magic lightning and become Captain Marvel, while Captain Marvel can say his magic word to be Billy again.
The first battle of Captain Marvel was with a mad scientist, Doctor Sivana, who became the main enemy of Captain Marvel. Billy Batson became a reporter and host for WHIZ Radio, his career enabling him to travel and investigate criminal activity. An adult daughter of Sivana's, Beautia, became an unconscious flower of love for the shy Captain Marvel, despite his loyalty overshadowing his evil father.
While most of Billy's adventures feature him as a solo hero, he also fights against evil regularly accompanied by several other children who share his power to form a superhero team called the Marvel Family (later referred to as Family Shazam because of problems faced by DC Comics on the trademarks "Marvel" and "Captain Marvel"). The first family member, introduced at Whiz Comics # 21 (Sept. 1941) and used shortly thereafter, was Lieutenant Marvels: three other boys from different parts of the United States who were also named "Billy Batson" and find it, if they all say "Shazam!" in unison, they can become super adult heroes too.
In Whiz Comics # 25 (December 1941), Marvel Captain saved Freddy Freeman, a boy who was left to die by an evil Nazi Captain, and did it for Freddy what the witch did for him. By pronouncing the name "Captain Marvel," Freddy can be the powerful Marvel Captain, Jr. Unlike Billy, Freddy maintained his 14-year-old appearance as a superhero. Captain Marvel Adventures # 18 (Dec. 1942) introduced Billy and Freddy to Mary Bromfield, a wealthy girl who turned out to be Billy's twin sister. By saying the magical word "Shazam," Mary Bromfield became Mary Marvel. In Fawcett and the pre-1986 DC story, Mary remained adolescent when Freddy was in the form of Marvel; Ordash's 1990s Power of Shazam! series makes it a super power of forming adults like Billy. The Marvel family also includes members of honor who are not powerful as Uncle Marvel, the old deceiver pretending to be Mary's uncle, and Freckles Marvel, an honorary cousin.
Later DC
The basic elements of Billy Batson's original story and Captain Marvel remain intact during 2012, with little change over the years. Roy & amp; Miniseri Dann Thomas' 1987 Shazam! The New Beginning has a 15-year-old Billy forced to move with Doctor Sivana, who in this version is a cruel uncle throwing Billy out onto the street. Jerry Ordway's 1994 Power of Shazam! The graphic novel, which became the origin of a definite character until 2011, features a ten-year-old Billy selected as Wazard's champion Shazam, due to the influence of his archaeologist's parents; The mysterious stranger from a magic subway car is the ghost of Billy's father in this version. Both Thomase and Ordway's re-reading of the origin directly attributes the need for the Shazam Wizard to composing a younger replacement for the re-emergence of Black Adam, the wizard's first champion from ancient Egypt who became evil and for escaping thousands of years of expulsion.
The origin of Ordway adds an additional element of the Black Adam alter ego/descendants of Theo Adam to the murder of Billy's parents. The Next Power of Shazam! Billy's ongoing series feature, now 14, met his long-lost sister, Mary and Freddy Freeman's best friend and founded the Marvel Family as in the Fawcett comic. The Marvels home base of Fawcett City is described as a city full of ancient traditions and architecture, then establishing that the Shazam Wizard puts a spell in the city (broken down later on) that slows down the time to crawl in 1955. This phenomenon is used to explain the Marvel family approach which is sometimes outdated to life and heroism compared to many of their contemporary heroes at the DC Universe.
In 2012, the author and Chief Creative Officer of DC Geoff Johns revised the origin of Billy Batson for the DC universe New 52 , also renamed the character alter-ego as "Shazam" at this time. In his new origin story, Billy Batson is a 15-year-old troubled child living in Philadelphia who has been through several orphanages. At the newest orphanage under Victor & amp; Rosa VÃÆ'¡zquez, Billy got five adoptive siblings: "mother den" Mary Bromfield, fraud and buffer Freddy Freeman, shy and quiet orange Pedro Pea, clever Eugene Choi, and energetic Darla Dudley. When Dr. The evil Sivana unleashes the ancient magical warrior Black Adam from his tomb, the Wizard of the Rock of Eternity - the last of the creature council that once controlled the magic - began kidnapping candidates to assess them for the task of becoming champion.. He fired each of them for not being pure in heart.
Finally, the Wizard calls Billy, who is another unsuitable candidate, but Billy persuades the Wizard that very good people "really do not exist," and that, while he himself tries to be good, the world drags Billy to level. In desperation and seeing the "burning good" in Billy, the dying Witch goes through her powers and taught Billy they are accessible through the magic word "Shazam" when speaking in good faith. After uttering the magic word, Billy was struck by a lightning strike that turned him into Shazam, a super-powered adult who possessed supernatural powers, flying, and enormous magical powers. The Wizard dies and Shazam is transported back to Earth, where Billy reveals his new secret to Freddy. Two schemes to make money and print beer with Shazam's new powers, but Shazam even leads to the scene where he is needed as a hero. Shazam and Freddy fall when Shazam refuses to change back into Billy, and as soon as Freddy returns home, Shazam is attacked by Black Adam. Billy is only saved by improving his relationship with Freddy, Mary, Eugene, Pedro, and Darla. When Adam attacked again, releasing Seven Deadly Sins in downtown Philadelphia and threatening to kill other children, Billy shared his powers with them, all of whom became super-powerful magic heroes (except Darla, who was still a child). In the end, Billy led Adam to say the magic word and turn it into a human form, at which point he immediately turned to dust. Though he thought of running away, Billy decided to stay with his new family, after learning to become a better and more open person.
Starting the "Trinity War" storyline, Billy flies to Adam's home country in Kahndaq to bury Adam's body. The entry of Shazam into the country was interpreted by the locals as an illegal US entry into their territory. This leads to run-ins with both independent Justice League and 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 that carries the evil Justice League. analogue from Crime Syndicate to Earth-0. After the successful defeat of the Crime Syndicate, Shazam was inducted into the League. While still a newcomer to the league, Billy has a number of new adventures while under the guidance of Cyborg, who became one of his best friends.
Strength and ability
The character gains power through the transformation of the human persona into a superpowered entity. When the human persona, Billy Batson, uttered the magic word " Shazam! ", he became the ruling Marvel/Shazam Captain.
Although the association with certain mythological figures is emphasized in some modern stories, traditionally the letters in the name Shazam each represent the special super-human abilities:
In the classic story, just say the word "Shazam!" turning Billy into Captain Marvel and back again, a warning extended to unintentional speech, playback recordings, and so on. When Captain Marvel shares his strength with his Marvel/Shazam Family team mates, it is described as a limited source that will be divided into two parts, three, or more depending on how many Marvel are super-powered at one time, and weaken it.
Captain Marvel/Shazam is not completely immune. In some stories, he proved vulnerable to high-power magic, which could weaken or lower his power, and, in some older stories, to extremely high lightning or electric voltages, which would return him back to Billy Batson. Then the depiction also shows innocence and immaturity as a child becomes a significant weakness.
In the late 2000s, when Billy replaced the wizard and took the white costume and the name "Marvel", he commanded the magical abilities that the magician once possessed. However, he was asked to remain at Rock of Eternity and could only be away from it for 24 hours at a time.
Since the 2011 reboot, Shazam's strength has been slightly altered. Speaking the magic word "Shazam" does not cause a transformation if Billy does not want it, and can be used to cast a magic spell other than a transformation. Shazam is able to use and manipulate the magic of lightning much more easily from his fingertips. He can share his magical powers and give his family a unique strength, the "family" in this case expands to choose and foster relationships, without undermining itself. Shazam also demonstrated the ability to use magic in uncharted ways, on one occasion using it to juggle items.
Other versions
A large number of "alternative" depictions of Shazam/Captain Marvel have appeared in DC publications since the 1970s.
Captain Thunder (1974)
In Superman # 276 (June 1974), Superman finds himself at loggerheads with "The Thunder Captain", a super hero who fled from another Earth and another time. Thunder was miraculously deceived by his arch-rivals in the Monster League of Evil, and thus did battle with Superman. The Thunder Captain, whose name comes from the original moniker Captain Marvel, is a veiled pastiche from Marvel - to his similar costumes, his youthful alter ego named "Willie Fawcett" (a reference to the publishers of Captain Marvel's original stories, Fawcett Comics), and the word magic ("Thunder!"), which is an acronym for seven entities and each strength. He gets his power from rubbing the magic belt buckle with a thunder symbol on it and says "Thunder". Its power comes from Tornado (power), Rabbit (speed), Uncas (courage), Nature (wisdom), Diamond (toughness), Eagle (flying), and Ram (tenacity). Superman detained him as he used his wisdom to avoid the effect of the mantra.
At Superman # 276, DC has published comics Shazam! for two years, but has kept the universe separate from other publications. The actual Marvel captain will eventually meet Superman at Justice League of America 137, two years later (though he met Lex Luthor at Shazam! 15/November/December 1974).
Captain Thunder (1982)
In 1983, a proposal for an updated Marvel Captain was sent to DC by Roy Thomas, Don Newton, and Jerry Ordway. This version of the character, to become a resident of the Earth-One DC universe, and not the Fawcett-based Earth-S universe, will feature an American-African version of Billy Batson named "Willie Fawcett" (as in 1974). story), who utter the magic word "Shazam!" to become the Lightning Captain, Earth-One's Mightiest Mortal. An alternative version of this character is never used.
Captain Thunder (2011): Flashpoint
The 2011 Flashpoint miniseri displays an alternate timeline deliberately created by Flash, which then helps the heroes of this timeline to restore history. One of the heroes is the Lightning Captain - an alternative version of Captain Marvel who has six alter-egos, not one, and scars from a fight with Wonder Woman, who at this time was a villain.
The six children, collectively known as "S.H.A.Z.A.M.," each have one of the six attributes of Shazam's power, and must utter the magic word together to become the Thunder Captain. They are: an Asian-American boy named Eugene Choi, who has the wisdom of Solomon; an overweight Hispanic boy named Pedro PeÃÆ' Â ± a, who has the power of Hercules; the Caucasian Mary Batson, Freddy Freeman and Billy Batson, who have Atlas stamina, Zeus powers, and Achilles bravery, respectively; and an African-American girl named Darla Dudley who has Mercury speed. Tiger's pet Pedro Tawny also transformed into a stronger version of himself through the magical lightning.
The six children later changed to Captain Guntur to help Flash and his allies stop the war between Atlantika Aquaman soldiers and Amazon Wonder Woman troops. Captain Guntur briefly fought the Wonder Woman to draw before being transformed into six children by the entourage of Flash Enchantress, who was revealed to be a traitor. Before the children could reshape Captain Thunder, Billy was stabbed by Amazon Penthesileia and killed.
After the conclusion of the Flashpoint miniseries, three new children from the Flashpoint time line - Eugene, Pedro, and Darla - are inserted into the DC Universe via Shazam! backup strips in Justice League appear as Billy, Mary, and Freddy's adoptive brother.
Elseworld's Finest
In the alternative universe of Elseworlds book Elseworld's Best: Supergirl & amp; Batgirl (1998), Captain Marvel is currently described as a balding African American man; in a flashback to the older Justice Society, he appears as Captain Marvel usually, leading to the conclusion that there are two Captain Marvels.
The Dark Knight Strikes Again
In the dark future shown in The Dark Knight Strikes Again, Captain Marvel looks old, with white hair and receding glasses. Lex Luthor, who had arrested Mary Marvel, forced him to work for him by threatening to kill him. During an alien attack on Metropolis, Marvel is trapped beneath a collapsed building without a way out, and admits that Billy Batson - here, is clearly defined as a person separate from Marvel, not just turning into himself - died eight years ago from a health that did not specified problem. As a result, when he next utters his words, he will cease to exist, like a dream that no longer has anyone to remember. His last words to Wonder Woman were to give the best to everyone, noting that it was good, before he summoned the lightning and destroyed himself.
Superman: Fire Away
In the dark future of Superman's successor: Far Fire, where most of humanity has been destroyed in nuclear war, Billy Batson became obsessed with Wonder Woman when they became part of a small community of Holocaust survivors, with some large surviving human beings have lost their power or are dealing with a changing ability. When Clark Kent is now powerless to join their community, Batson's resentment towards Superman becomes madness, as he provokes his transformation into Captain Marvel even though the use of this power causes damage on Earth.
Kingdom of Came
Graphic novel Kingdom Come describes the future possibilities of DC characters. In this version, Billy Batson is an adult who now matches the appearance of his superhero identity. The human hostility to the superhero has made him uneasy, and he has not turned into Captain Marvel for several years. Batson has been a waiter for Brainwashed Lex Luthor, who used the offspring of Mister Mind to keep him checking and bending it to his will. However, Batson's potential as a force strong enough to rival Superman caused many others to react in fear and anxiety as he mingled with them, believing that it was an unfurnished Captain Marvel who served Luthor.
The event eventually causes him to transform into Captain Marvel, and he releases the forces that can destroy the world. When the authorities tried to stop him by dropping a nuclear bomb, Captain Marvel - encouraged by Superman who told him that because of his relationship with humanity and the super human community, he was the only one able to make a choice - triggered his lightning to sacrifice himself and destroy the bomb while still in air. The nuclear explosion still kills a large number of heroes, but cools the attitude of the victims' wars. Superman uses Marvel's robe as a symbol of a new world order in which humanity and super man will now live in harmony.
Earth-5
In the last edition of the series-maxi 52 (# 52, 2 May 2007), the new Multiverse is revealed, originally composed of 52 identical realities, one of which is the designated Earth-5. As a result of the Marvel Family foe Mister Mind "eating" this aspect of reality, it takes a visual aspect similar to pre-Crisis Earth-S, including the Marvel Family character.
The Earth-5 Captain Marvel and Billy Batson appear, helping Superman, in the Final Crisis: Superman Beyond miniseries. Miniseri determined that this version of Captain Marvel and Billy are two separate creatures, and that Billy is a reporter for WHIZ Media, rather than a radio announcer. The Earth-5 Captain Marvel reappears in Final Crisis # 7, along with Supermen troops from across Multiverse to prevent its destruction by Darkseid. After rebooting 52 New Multiverse, Earth-5 remains a Fawcett Comics-inspired setting, and highlighted in The Multiversity: Thunderworld # 1 comic book (Feb 2015), a modern look at the classic Fawcett Captain Marvel story from author Grant Morrison and artist Cameron Stewart.
Justice League: Missing Generation
The female version of Captain Marvel is featured as a member of the future Justice Justice in Justice League: Generation Lost. Little is revealed about him, other than the fact that his civil name is Sahar Shazeen, and he is shown holding a pair of swords during battle. He and his comrades were eventually killed by Omni Mind And Community (OMACs) forces.
Shazam!: Monster Society of Evil
A second Captain Marvel miniseries, Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil , written and illustrated by Jeff Smith (creator of Bone ), was published in four 48-page installments between February and July 2007. Smith's Shazam! Miniseri, in works since 2003, is a more traditional take on character, a renewal and a new concept of the origins of Captain Marvel. Smith's story features Billy Batson and younger Marvel Captain as a separate person, as well as pre-1985 stories, and features a prehistoric Mary Marvel as a sidekick of Captain Marvel, not a traditional version of a teenager or an adult. Sivana is the US Attorney General, and Mister Mind is more like a snake than a caterpillar. Billy_Batson_and_the_Magic_of_Shazam.21 "> Billy Batson and Magic of Shazam!
Comic Captain Marvel of all ages, Billy Batson and Magic of Shazam! , debuting in July 2008 under DC's youth DC-oriented youth trail, and published monthly through December 2010. Following the leadership and continuity of the Smith version, originally written and drawn by Mike Kunkel, creator of Herobear i>. Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani, from Tiny Titans , took over as writers with problem # 5, with Byron Vaughns as the lead artist until issue # 13, when Mike Norton took the place for the rest of the series. The Kunkel version back to the modern concept has Captain Marvel retaining Billy's personality, and also introduces a new version of Black Adam (whose alter ego, Theo Adam, is a child like Billy Batson in this version), King Kull, Arson Fiend, and Freddy Freeman/Captain Marvel, Jr.
Mazah
Mazah is a defective version of Shazam's alternate universe, introduced in the DC Comics 2013-12 series of crossover comics Forever Evil. He is alter ego super-powered Alexander Luthor of Earth-3. In the story, the Crime Syndicate (the evil Earth-3 analog of the League of Justice) has brought Alexander Luthor, their prisoner, with them to the Main Earth where the Justice League and other heroes are. Lex Luthor Prime Earth and his team sneaked into the League Watchtower where Syndicate had Alexander's hostage, and removed the tape in his mouth, allowing Alexander to pronounce the magic word "Mazah!" and turned into his muscular and very powerful alters. While Shazam Prime Earth is known to share his powers with others, Mazah kills other superbeings and takes their power to himself, just as he quickly kills Johnny Speedy's Syndicate. In the final edition of this series, it was revealed that the Wonder Woman Earth-3 analogue, Superwoman, established a relationship with Alexander and deceived his comrades to take him with them. He also revealed that he brought his son, who is prophesied to end the world. Utilizing his ability to use the power of those he had killed, Mazah easily depressed the Syndicate and Luthor teams, but Prime Earth Lex Luthor (having the same sound as Mazah) managed to summon lightning, using the lightning rod that Batman had taken to try and use against Johnny Quick based on the planned defense against Flash, and turning Mazah into a human form. Sealing Alexander's mouth, Lex stabs him with a knife, kills him.
Superwoman later gave birth to Mazah's son in Justice League, and used the ability to steal baby's powers - inherited from his father and by using his magic word - to remove the ability of members that Earth Justice League had inherited from their time in Apokolips after Darkseid's death. The story ends with an orphaned baby having absorbed both the Omega Effect of Lex Luthor as well as the Anti-Life Equation of the Justice League associate, Steve Trevor, turning it into a resurrected baby - yet still childish - Darkseid.
Injustice: God Between Us
In the pre-run comics for video game Injustice: God Among Us , Shazam joins the Superman Regime in building a new approach to ending evil. Similar to the Golden Age version, Shazam is advised to have two personalities: Billy Batson is a separate person from Shazam. In the First Year he, like Flash, was somewhat skeptical of Superman's intentions, because his actions were often immoral; one chapter specifically focuses on his contradictory view of the problem. In the end, Shazam decides to stay and support the Regime, which is intended for his cause. Year Two and Three saw him help to fight, respectively, the Green Lantern Corps and the magic user recruited by Batman for his Rebellion. She became the object of Harley Quinn's affection, bound and gagged by her in Year Four. He was released by Ares to join the Regime in the fight against the Amazon army and the Greek gods, but when they seem to win, Zeus disarms his power, returning him to Billy permanently. He, Harley (for trying to help him), and Hippolyta were sent to Tartarus as punishment, though they escaped and Billy was left out of conflict without his strength. Finally, Zeus was forced to restore Billy's power after Highfather intervened in the conflict. In the Five Year Shazam relationship with Harley complicated when he confronts him about being in the Regime despite their growing tyranny, Shazam defends his presence with the Rebellion by declaring that he acts as a moral compass to stop others from going too far.
In the game, Captain Marvel appears with Flash in Atlantis to discuss the agreement between the city and the regime with Aquaman. They were instead confronted with an alternative version of the sea king and both lost in the ensuing battle. Captain Marvel then looks against the resistance and stops Lex Luthor using a kryptonite laser to kill Superman, allowing the latter to kill him in retaliation. Later at the Fortress of Solitude, Batson spoke out against Superman's plan to wipe out other cities, stating that the Regime was ultimately out of control. Superman soon kills him with his hot vision, challenging others to fight him before his body is taken by Solomon Grundy.
Support player
In the traditional story of Shazam! Captain Marvel often fights crime as a member of the superhero team known as the Marvel Family, made up of himself and several other heroes: the wizard Shazam, who empowers the team; Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel; and the Marvel protagonist, Captain Marvel, Jr. Prior to the miniseries of Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985, the Marvel Family also included part-time friends like Mary's "Uncle" Dudley (Uncle Marvel) and the protà © à © gÃÆ' © s (all alter ego named "Billy Batson") is known as Lieutenant Marvels. Captain Marvel's rabbit version, Hoppy the Marvel Bunny, appears in his own story featuring a cute animal cast.
The current version of Shazam's continuity has a Shazam Family composed of five foster brothers, with whom he can share his strengths at will: Mary Batson, Freddy Freeman, Pedro Peeble, Eugene Choi, and Darla Dudley. Shazam can also share his power with Tawny, a tiger at a local city zoo that he considers family.
The non-power ally of the Marvel Family has traditionally included the adult offspring of Dr. Good Sivana, Beautia and Magnificus Sivana; Mr. "Tawky" Tawny the tiger who spoke; WHIZ radio president and Billy company, Sterling Morris; and boyfriend Billy Cissie Sommerly. Series 1970s Shazam! also includes Sunny Sparkle, "the most fun kid in the world." Jerry Ordway's 1990s Power of Shazam! series also introduced Billy's principal, Miss Wormwood and adoptive parents Mary, Nick and Nora Bromfield.
Enemy
During his adventures, Captain Marvel has gained a broad band of thieves, the most famous of which includes mad mad scientists, Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana; The Sivana family consisting of two young Sivana, Georgia and Sivana Jr. children; Shazam who had previously been the champion of Black Adam, who had the power of the Egyptian gods; Champion Adolf Hitler, Captain of the Nazis; and mind-controlling worms, Mister Mind, and his Monster Society of Evil.
Other Marvel family enemies include the evil Mister Atom robot; Oggar "The World's Largest Eternal God", a god of supernatural powers who is a former Shazam pupil; Aunt Minerva, a bank robbery and a female gangster inspired by Ma Barker; King Kull, an intelligent and immortal cave man; and Ibac and Sabbac, the energetic supervillains of the devil who transformed by uttering magical words consisting of creatures that gave them power in a manner similar to Captain Marvel.
Editions edited
The first adaptation of the Captain Marvel film was produced in 1941. The Captain Marvel Adventure , starring Tom Tyler in the title role and Frank Coghlan, Jr. as Billy Batson, is a 12-part film series produced by Picture Republic. This production makes Captain Mar
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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