| Shazam | |
 | |
| General Information | |
| Real name: | Unknown |
| First Appearance: | Whiz Comics #2 (February 1940) |
| Created by: | C. C. Beck Bill Parker |
| Affiliations: | Marvel Family |
| Abilities: | Nigh-omnipotent mastery of magic and mysticism Omnipresent and omniscient Telepathy Formerly: Magically bestowed superhuman strength, speed, stamina and courage Invulnerability |
| Portrayed by: | None |
Shazam is an ancient sorcerer and the keeper of the Rock of Eternity. After fighting evil for centuries, Shazam grew old and chose Billy Batson as his successor. Gifting Billy with the power to transform into Captain Marvel, Shazam died when a large granite rock fell over him. However, his spirit remains the Rock of Eternity and can be summoned by Captain Marvel through the use of a special brazier, in case Captain Marvel needs his guidance.
History[]
Origins[]
9000 years ago, Shazam was a young shephered, until he was chosen by six gods (Voldar, Lumiun, Arel, Ribalvei, Elbiam, Marsosh) to wield their powers and be their champion against evil and injustice. The gods developed a magic word formed from the first letters of their respective names, "Vlarem". and when Shazam spoke the word, he was transformed into a powerful adult man, the Champion.
For centuries, the Champion fought against the forces of evil until he became an old name. At that point, the Vlarem gods had become forgotten and the Champion had chosen six new gods (Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury) to be their representative on Earth, taking the name "Shazam." Also, Shazam had become the keeper of the Rock of Eternity and imprisoned the Seven Deadly Enemies inside.
Failure with Black Adam[]
Shazam decided to pass his powers to a worthy successor, and chose an Egyptian prince named Teth-Adam. Shazam gifted Teth-Adam with the power of the gods, transforming him into Mighty Adam. However, Mighty Adam was corrupted by his own power and became a ruthless tyrant. Shazam, naming his corrupt champion "Black Adam," was unable to take back the powers he had given him, so he banished him to the farthest star of the universe.
Creation of Captain Marvel[]
After Black Adam's corruption, Shazam spent thousands of years searching the world for a worthy sucessor. Unwilling to make the same mistake he did with Black Adam, Shazam decided that the next champion would be a young boy, much like what had happened to him. He also prophisied that he would die shortly after choosing the next champion. Shazam finally found a worthy successor, Billy Batson, in the modern age. Shazam bestowed on Billy the power to transform into Captain Marvel. Shortly after the rise of Captain Marvel, Shazam was killed when a large granite rock fell upon him, fulfilling the prophecy. However, his spirit remained in the Rock of Eternity, and could be summoned by Captain Marvel with a special brazier, in case the new hero needed his guidance.
Post-modern[]
Shazam became Captain Marvel's mentor in his long superhero career. Also, many heroes would join Captain Marvel in upholding the legacy of Shazam, including Captain Marvel, Jr., Mary Marvel and the Lieuteant Marvels.
Eventually the Marvel Family was trapped by the evil Dr. Sivana in a sphere of Suspendium. This Suspendium trapped the Marvels and the evil Sivanas in suspended animation for twenty years.
Shazam waited patiently for the Suspendium to wear off, so that the Marvel Family could regain their title as the protectors of the world. When the Marvels were freed from the Suspendium, they resumed their superhero duties, once again under Shazam's guidance.
Shazam was erased from existance during the Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
Keeper of the Rock of Eternity: As the Guardian of the Rock of Eternity, Shazam is one with the Rock as it is a part of him. He channels the combined powers of the Greco-Roman gods through the Rock of Eternity. As such, he is infused with the duty to keep the power and the magic of Earth in balance. As keeper of the Rock of Eternity, he also holds the dark forces at bay.
- Inherent Omnipresence: Shazam possesses the power to be everywhere, at all times (i.e. multiple dimensions and places in time.
- Inherent Omniscience: Shazam possesses the power to know anything that he chooses to know and can be known .
- Inherent Omnipotence: Shazam possesses a virtually unlimited mastery over the mystic arts, allowing him to do anything he wants.
- Immortality: Shazam is immortal and cannot die of natural causes.
Former Powers[]
Power of Vlarem: The Power of Vlarem is the collective magic power of the six ancient gods of Earth. Shazam wielded the Power of Vlarem during his time as the Champion. To transform into the Champion, Shazam needed the speak the word "Vlarem," summoning the power of the gods.
V for the Strength of Voldar: Shazam has incredible amounts of super strength, able to easily bend steel, punch through walls and lift massive objects.
- Superhuman Strength:The Champion can lift and/or press volumes of mass far in excess to that normally possible for a human being functioning in Earth gravity.
L for the Wisdom of Lumiun: As The Champion, Shazam has the wisdom of Lumium, patron of Wisdom. He instant access to a vast amount of scholarly knowledge. The Wisdom of Lumiun also gives Shazam clairvoyance and provides him with counsel and advice in times of need. He has knowledge of all languages, ancient and modern, and could hypnotize people as well, through this power.
- Superhuman Knowledge:The Champion has exceptional photographic recall and mental acuity allowing him to read and decipher hieroglyphics, recall everything he has ever learned and solve long mathematical equations. Instantaneously he can make intuitive guesses based on limited data; to the point his guesses are almost always correct; also he has a great understanding of divine phenomenon in the mortal world.
A for the Speed of Arel: The Champion had the speed of Arel, messenger of the ancient Gods. By channeling Arel's speed, the Champion can fly and move at supersonic speeds and, in space, supersolar speeds.
- Supersonic Speed: The Champion can run at incredible speeds, making him one of the fastest beings on Earth.
- Flight: The Champion can use the speed of Arel to fly across the lower atmosphere.
R for the Power of Ribalvei: The Champion has the power of Rivalbei, most powerful of the gods. Ribalvei' power, besides fueling the magic thunderbolt that transforms the Champion, also enhances the Champion's other physical abilities, provides physical invulnerability and resistance against most magic spells and attacks, and allows for interdimensional travel. The Champion can use the lightning bolt as a weapon by dodging it and allowing it to strike an opponent or target. The magical lightning has many uses, including creating apparatus, restoring damage done to Shazam, or acting as fuel for magical spells.
- Magical Resistance: The Champion can endure any kind of physical or magical harm.
- Physical Enhancement: Ribalvei's power also enhances the Champion's physical traits.
- Sorecery: The Champion can channel Ribalvei's power to perform spells.
- Advanced Healing: The Champion can summon Ribalvei's thunderbolt to heal himself from any kind of injury.
E for the Courage of Elbiam: The Champion has the courage of Elbiam, lord of Courage. Like the wisdom of Lumiun, this aspect is primarily psychological, and gives Shazam superhuman amounts of inner strength from which to draw.
- Superhuman Inner Strength: The Champion has an incredibly powerful force of will.
M for the Stamina of Marzosh: Marzosh, god of stamina, blessed the Champion with unlimited stamina and endurance. Using Marzosh' endurance, the Champion can withstand and survive most types of extreme physical assaults.
- Superhuman Endurance: The Champion has practically unilimited endurance, allowing him to remain active for days.
- Self-Sustenance: The Champion does not need without eating, sleeping or breathing.
In other Media[]
Appears in Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!, Batman The Brave and the bold, Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam.
Shazam appears in Lego DC Super Hero Girls: Super-Villain High, voiced by Khary Payton.
Appears in Lego DC: Magic and Monsters. In this version he is a mix of the original version of the character with the current one, because he looks like and uses the name Shazam, but has a stick with a lightning embellishment like the current version of the character that is only referred to as The Wizard.
Shazam appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super Villains. He is one of the bosses in the level “Fight at the Museum”, where after The Joker, Harley Quinn, Clayface and Sinestro use an ancient artifact at Gotham Museum to revive Black Adam from his sarcophagus, Shazam, and Mazahs appear to stop them and fight Black Adam and Sinestro, but are defeated. There is also a downloadable content version of the character who is supposed from the 2019 Shazam! (film), and has the exact same powers as the regular Shazam, but has a different design as Billy Batson.
Appears in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure