Captain Marvel Jr.

Fictional character biography

In the current DC origin, Freddy Freeman was born in a New England fishing village and lived with his parents and foster brother Timothy Karnes. After his parents drowned, Freddy lived with his maternal grandfather Jacob, while Karnes later became the villain Sabbac. Freddy, an all-star student and athlete in Fawcett City, was a friend of Billy Batson. After winning a baseball game, Freddy and his grandfather went fishing in Fawcett Bay, where Captain Marvel battled Captain Nazi.

As in the earlier origin, a punch knocks Nazi into the lake near the boat, and Freddy and his grandfather are attacked when they try to save the villain. Captain Marvel takes them to a hospital; Jacob falls into a coma and Freddy suffers a severely injured spine and broken leg, leaving him unable to walk. After a second attack by Captain Nazi, the wizard Shazam, along with Captain Marvel and Mary Marvel, grants Freddy the power to become Captain Marvel Jr. Jacob dies, and Junior goes on a rampage against Captain Nazi.

Junior becomes a key member of the Marvel Family until he makes a pass at Mary, causing conflict that leads him to leave Fawcett City for New York, where he joins the Teen Titans. His name briefly changes to CM3. He later returns to Fawcett and reconciles with Captain Marvel.

Other versions

In April 1950, the Belgian comic Bravo published its own version of Capitaine Marvel Jr, drawn by Albert Uderzo. In this version, Freddy Freeman tries to save Doctor Satano, whose machine gives superpowers and blue Captain Marvel outfits to both, making them enemies. An adult version appears in the 1996 Kingdom Come miniseries as King Marvel, resembling Elvis Presley, with Mary Marvel as Lady Marvel and their son the Whiz.

In another future, an adult Freddy Freeman takes the Captain Marvel mantle and is a member of Titans East, implied to have competed with Superman for Wonder Woman's love. An unidentified similar character appears in the final issue of 52. In another version, Freddy Freeman, crippled and in a wheelchair, witnesses the Batsons transform and tells Theo Adam the magic word, then transforms into Black Adam Junior and attacks the Marvels.

In other media

Freddy Freeman, also known as Captain Marvel Jr., has appeared in several animated series, with Barry Gordon voicing him in The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam! and John DeVito in Batman: The Brave and the Bold. In the DC Extended Universe, Jack Dylan Grazer plays the young Freddy in Shazam!, while Adam Brody portrays his adult superhero form. Freddy is the first to discover Billy Batson is Shazam and assists in testing his powers. Doctor Sivana kidnaps Freddy from the foster home after the foster parents leave to lure Billy out.

During the final battle, Shazam shares his powers with his foster siblings by having them touch the Wizard’s staff, and Freddy helps fight the Seven Deadly Sins. In Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Freddy embraces his role, often going on solo missions against Billy’s wishes, calling himself “Captain Everypower” and Billy “Captain Everypower Jr.” He also dates Antheia, one of the Daughters of Atlas, and battles her sisters Hespera and Kalypso. A parallel earth version named Captain Super Jr. appears in Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, voiced by an uncredited Bruce Timm.

Freddy makes a non-speaking appearance in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox and a cameo in Justice League: War, voiced by Georgie Kidder. He also appears in Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths. The character is a summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked and a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains via Shazam! DLC. As Lieutenant Marvel, Freddy appears in Young Justice: Targets.

Did You Know?

• Captain Marvel Jr. transforms by saying 'Captain Marvel'—a deliberate reminder to readers to buy Captain Marvel Sr. books.
• Amon Tomaz (known as Osiris) was created in inspiration of Freddy's character.
• In the 1970s Shazam! revival, Captain Marvel Jr. discovers that fellow superhero Kid Eternity is his long-lost brother, Christopher Freeman.
• Mac Raboy designed Captain Marvel Jr. using a more realistic style, parting with C.C. Beck's cartoony artwork for Captain Marvel stories.