Wizard Shazam

Publication history

Created in the 1940s by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck for Fawcett Comics, the Wizard is an ancient being (Whiz Comics #2 gives his age as 3,000 years) who gives young Billy Batson the power to transform into Captain Marvel. Despite the comic's popularity, Captain Marvel was similar enough to Superman that a court ruled against Fawcett in 1952. Two decades after gaining the rights to Captain Marvel, DC Comics began publishing new stories under the title Shazam!.

This became a problem for DC's lawyers, as the company had abandoned any rights to the Captain Marvel name, now owned by rival Marvel Comics. At New York Comic Con on October 15, 2011, it was announced that Billy Batson would be featured in a backup story, "The Curse of Shazam!" beginning in Justice League (vol. 2) #7 in March 2012. Geoff Johns confirmed that Billy Batson's alter ego would be called "Shazam" rather than "Captain Marvel" from now on.

In DC's 2012 Free Comic Book Day offering, it was revealed that seven wizards representing seven different mythologies occupied the Rock of Eternity at the dawn of time in The New 52. A younger version of the Wizard is part of this group. The Wizard later revealed that "Shazam" is an adopted name, and that his original name is Mamaragan.

Characterization

In his Fawcett Comics background, the Wizard Shazam was an Egyptian wizard who fought evil for centuries; his magic name was originally "Shazamo", an acronym for the gods who supported him (Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, Mercury, and Oggar). After Oggar turned to evil, he was cast out, dropping the "O" and making the wizard's name "Shazam". Since his merger into DC Comics, he has several revisions: he was a young orphaned boy named Jebediah born over 9,000 years ago in Canaan who was empowered by the gods to fight evil, taking the name "Champion".

As Champion, Jebediah faced the Three Faces of Evil, a three-headed demonic dragon (named Terror, Sin, and Wickedness). He also fathered Blaze and Satanus through a hellhound demoness. Centuries later during the 19th Dynasty of Egypt (1295 - 1186 BC), now known as "Shazam", he seeks a young successor. After encountering Teth-Adam as a famous wizard in Egypt, he makes him his champion, but when his champion proves corrupted centuries later by killing the reigning Pharaoh, he is forced to deal with him.

During the 18th Dynasty of Egypt, he made Queen Pharaoh Hatshepsut one of his champions known as "Isis". Eventually in the early 20th century, he resurrected Ibis the Invincible and his wife to aid in World War II, battled his own daughter who posed as Fawcett City's most prominent mob boss, and suffered amnesia until his memories were restored by C.C. Batson. Finding C.C. Batson kind and compassionate, he originally sought to empower him as his champion but he was killed before he could do so, murdered by Theo Adam.

He decides to enlist C.C. Batson's young son, Billy, as the successor to his power. Following the New 52, the character's true origin is revealed: he is Mamaragan, a Kunwinjku deity whose songlines guided him to a seat on the Circle of Eternity, where he adopted the title of "Wizard" and the magical name "Shazam".

Other versions

In the Kingdom Come universe, Shazam sits on the Quintessence council and is unhappy that Lex Luthor has corrupted Billy Batson. During the Flashpoint timeline, the six Elders' powers are split among six kids who say "Shazam" together to become Captain Thunder, claiming they found a subway car to the Wizard's lair. After Infinite Crisis, Billy takes over as the wizard, now called Marvel, while Freddy Freeman tries to prove himself worthy of the Shazam powers.

In the Trials of Shazam!, Sabina, helped by the Council of Merlin, gains some Shazam powers and kills Atlas. Freddy and Marvel briefly carry Atlas's burden, and Freddy convinces Apollo to take over, but Apollo spitefully shares his powers with Freddy and Sabina. Sabina and the Council attack New York City, the Justice League steps in, and Freddy sacrifices himself. Zeus judges Freddy the most worthy and gives him the full Shazam power; Sabina dies and the demons vanish.

Later, Black Adam, Isis, and a corrupted Mary Marvel seize the Rock of Eternity. Billy and Mary's father gets Jay Garrick to rescue Shazam's spirit from the Rock of Finality. Shazam returns, strips Isis and the Marvels of their powers, turns Adam and Adrianna to stone, cuts off Billy and Mary's access to his power, and mentions dealing with Freddy before sealing the Rock of Eternity.

In other media

The original Golden Age incarnation appeared in the live action serial Adventures of Captain Marvel, portrayed by Nigel De Brulier. He appeared in animated features such as Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam, voiced by James Garner.

Djimon Hounsou portrayed the character in DC Extended Universe films Shazam! (2019), Black Adam (2022), and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023), in which the character's appearance and portrayal is inspired by his The New 52 incarnation.

In the 2019 film Shazam!, this version considered Doctor Sivana his successor but rejected him after Sivana was corrupted by the Seven Deadly Enemies of Man. Years later, Sivana freed the Enemies and defeated Shazam, who then chose Billy Batson as his successor before crumbling to dust. In Black Adam, Shazam and the Council of Wizards empowered Hurut as Kahndaq's champion. After Teth-Adam killed the other wizards in rage, Shazam was the sole survivor and imprisoned Teth-Adam in a tomb that also held the Crown of Sabbac.