When it comes to Shazam!, one cannot overlook its historical significance in the superhero genre. Last year, Shazam! was originally titled Captain Marvel when this character was under Fawcett Publications. At that time, DC had sued Fawcett due to the character’s similarities to Superman. Consequently, Fawcett sold the rights to Captain Marvel back to DC, and to avoid confusion with Marvel’s superhero, DC completely changed the character’s name to Shazam!.
Shazam!’s Unique Universe
Shazam! is one of the few superheroes that has its own distinct universe for development. Given the character’s strong resemblance to Superman, DC decided to place Shazam! in a “separate universe” to avoid collisions with the hero from Krypton. Shazam!’s unique universe is known as Earth-S, and after the significant event Crisis on Infinite Earths, Shazam! officially entered the main DC universe.
The Divine Superhero
A unique aspect of Shazam! is that he is both a boy and a god. While Billy Batson is just an ordinary kid, Shazam! embodies the powers of six ancient gods, making him extraordinarily powerful. This is why Shazam! can possess multiple abilities, such as super strength, super speed, flight, and even share his powers with others.
The Connection to Superman
When the Crisis on Infinite Earths event occurred, DC decided it was time for Shazam! to join the main universe. To secure this position, Shazam! had to battle and overcome the formidable Superman. However, at that time, Superman was under the identity of Captain Thunder, who shared about 90% of Shazam!’s abilities. Ultimately, Captain Thunder and Shazam! became one character.
The Foster Family of Heroes
In the original Captain Marvel comics, Billy Batson befriends an incredibly intelligent talking tiger named Tawky Tawny, who later becomes his sidekick. When it comes to DC, this story has changed little, with Tawky Tawny transformed into a real magical tiger, and only Shazam! and the Shazam! family are ever seen.
Shazam!’s Transformation
As a character of divine origin with extraordinary abilities, Shazam! has a unique point. He simply needs to speak the word “Shazam!” to transform back into the ordinary boy Billy Batson. In the animated film The Flashpoint Paradox, Wonder Woman has even used a magical lasso to turn Shazam! back into a child and eliminate him.
The First Superhero Family
Shazam! has utilized his powers to recruit siblings into his superhero family. He is also the first superhero to form a superhero family of his own. Even in the late 1940s, every member of the Shazam family had their own unique origin stories.
Inspired by Real People
Shazam! is one of the superheroes that draws inspiration from real-life individuals 100%. Artist C. C. Beck had distinctively shared that he created the character based on the likeness of renowned actor Fred MacMurray.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is set to premiere on March 17, 2023, in various formats including 2D, IMAX, 4DX, and ScreenX.
