The Wizard Shazam

Ancient Times

9,000 years ago six gods chose a boy named Shazam to weild their powers to battle evil. When he said the magic word "Vlarem," he changed in a flash of lightning to the Champion. The spell was an anagram for the gods' names: from Voldar he received strength, wisdom from Lumiun, speed from Arel, power from Ribalvei, courage from Elbiam and stamina from Marzosh.

Operating from Eternity, at the center of the universe, the Champion was commanded to oppose the ancient entity of Evil, which manifested in three equally mighty forms: Sin, Terror and Wickedness. But the gods also realized he would need help, so they sent the Champion far in the future to recruit another super-champion — Captain Marvel.

Together, they imprisoned Evil within his own lair, a pit in Eternity, and erected a mighty stone to seal it from above. This became Shazam's home, the Rock of Eternity, a place which could "only be reached by a speed faster than light." Before Marvel returned home, the Champion transformed and revealed that he too was a boy — known to Billy as the wizard himself! Shazam performed this role for 3,000 years, until those gods were forgotten. (World's Finest Comics #262) Note: Evil first appeared in The Marvel Family #7 (Dec. 1946).

Egypt

For some 3,000 years Shazam continued to battled Evil, until his gods were forgotten by all save himself.

By about 3,000 BCE, he had become a great wizard in Egypt and resolved to create a successor. He chose Teth-Adam, a seemingly good man, and imbued him with the powers of six Egyptian gods:

1. the stamina of Shu
2. the strength of Hershef (Harsaphes)
3. the power of Amon
4. the wisdom of Zehuti (Thoth)
5. the speed of Anpu (Anubis)
6. and the courage of Menthu (Mont)

Teth-Adam became the Mighty Adam, promptly killed the pharaoh and seized his throne, thus earning the name Black Adam. Shazam banished Adam to the farthest star in the universe. (The Marvel Family #1)

Greece

Why Shazam left Egypt is not certain, but he sojourned in Greece during its Heroic Age and curried the favor of its gods: Zeus, Mercury (Hermes), the Titan Atlas and the heroes Herakles and Achilles. Later, in Israel, he met the wise King Solomon.

Shazam became a leader of sorts among this pantheon, directing their good deeds. And with the addition of a younger apprentice named Oggar, the wizard's name was "Shazamo" for a time. Oggar turned out to be greedy and evil, so he was banished; the wizard struck the "O" from his name. Oggar would wander the Earth for 3,000 years until the time of Captain Marvel. (Captain Marvel Adventures #61–62)

20th Century

The next time, the wizard resolved to do the same as the old gods and choose a boy to take on his powers. Shazam watched the orphan Billy Batson from the moment of his birth and in 1940, when Billy had reached his teens, Shazam lured him to the Rock of Eternity. Billy boarded an enchanted underground train that whisked him away to the wizard's chambers.

Shazam was now an ancient figure with a long white beard. He sat on a marble throne beneath a massive block of granite, held aloft by a single fraying thread.

Shazam explained how he had used his magic powers to battle evil on Earth for thousands of years. Now he was nearing his end and it was time to select a successor to carry on his fight. At the wizard's command, Billy spoke his name, "Shazam!" and the boy was transformed in a blinding flash of mystic lightning. He had become Captain Marvel, a super-powerful adult clad in a gold-and-crimson costume. The wizard explained that Billy now possessed of the powers of six legendary Greek elders.

The wizard then sat back on his throne and his physical body was crushed to death by the falling granite block — Shazam's spirit remained "alive," in a certain sense. (Whiz Comics #2 [1])

Once Cap was off and running, Shazam mostly remained unseen. But one day Billy returned to the Rock of Eternity, desperate to save the life of another boy, Freddy Freeman. Billy lit a brazier to summon the wizard, who granted his wish: upon saying the name "Captain Marvel," Freddy would be similarly transformed, into Captain Marvel Junior. (Whiz Comics #25)

After 5,000 years, Black Adam found his way back to Earth, arriving in the 1940s. He was met by the wizard's new champions, Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel, Jr. and Mary Marvel. The Marvel Family tricked Adam into saying "Shazam," which changed Adam back into the mortal Teth-Adam. His ancient, mortal body then crumbled to dust. (The Marvel Family #1)

When Shazam was unresponsive to their call, his three champions went to his lair and learned how to travel into Eternity. They arrived to discover that Evil had escaped from the Rock. Key to their victory was there being three Marvels (which Shazam claimed to have engineered on purpose) in order to fight Evil's three selves. (The Marvel Family #7)

Captain Marvel Jr. implored Shazam to intervene when the goddess/"Witch" of Winter became angry with Zeus. After years of neglect, Winter imprisoned her sister seasons and unleashed cold on the Earth. Junior turned her around in the end. (Captain Marvel Jr. #63)

When the local museum received a shipment of ancient Egyptian artifacts, Billy witnessed the unpacking of a giant urn. A mystic figure arose from inside and claimed to be the son of the wizard, Shazam! This "Shazam Jr." accused his father of being evil and after 'summoning' him, ordered Captain Marvel about. Cap quickly deduced that this man was a fraud: the magician called Magico the Great in disguise. (Whiz Comics #105)

Shazam called upon Captain Marvel to help when his tomb in Egypt was breached by the raider Marcus Eyon. He mined the wisdom found in the "Book of All Knowledge," but it led to his own demise. (Captain Marvel Adventures #93)

Billy introduced the man-cat called Tawky Tawny to the wizard and they inquired how he was able to manifest his ghostly form. Shazam explained that he'd invented "Shazamium," an element worn around his wrist that maintained his link to the world and enabled him to traverse realities. Dr. Sivana overheard this exchange and tricked Shazam into handing over the Shazamium. Cap defeated Sivana by trapping him inside a chamber made of another new element, "Marvelium," the world's mightiest. (#100)

Shazam once temporarily granted Cap Junior a special power, he allowed him to become a ghost in order to defeat a ghost. (Captain Marvel Jr. #71)

Twenty Years Later

Shazam was reintroduced to DC Comics along with the rest of the Marvel Family, in Shazam! #1 (1973). Shortly thereafter, they appeared in a crossover that united heroes from Earth-S (the home of Fawcett characters in the DC multiverse) with the Justice League (Earth-One) and Justice Society (Earth-Two).

Shazam and his emissary, the god Mercury, called upon Bulletman, Bulletgirl, Spy Smasher, Ibis, Mister Scarlet and Pinky to mobilize against King Kull. Kull had imprisoned the Olympian Gods, thus decommissioning the power source of Captain Marvel and his "family." Note: King Kull's first appearance was Captain Marvel Adventures #125 (1951).

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Post-Crisis

In Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985), Earth-S ceased to exist. Now there was only one Earth and a single continuity. Captain Marvel's post-Crisis story was created by Jerry Ordway, whose narrative in the Power of Shazam! series blended elements from original tales with new.

Shazam's origin bore similarities to the original. He was empowered by the same gods but began life in ancient Canaan. After the murder of his parents, he appealed to the gods for power and became a champion. One of his greatest feats was to imprison "the three faces of evil" (Terror, Sin and Wickedness) inside two giant opposing rocks. This became his new home, the Rock of Eternity, where he was commanded to watch over this evil.

Despite his good nature, he was seduced by a demon in human form and this entity bore two children, Blaze and Satanus.

Later, he became a great wizard and lived in Egypt during the reign of Ramses II. He brokered an arrangement with the Egyptian gods to similarly power Teth-Adam, a brave son of the pharoah. After Shazam left Egypt, Adam was corrupted by Blaze and was known as Black Adam. (Power of Shazam! #10)

Shazam came to Fawcett City in the winter of 1940, also bearing the mummy of Ibis with the intention of secreting himself away. Soon, however, the threat of Axis forces around the world forced Shazam to awaken Ibis and call Fawcett City's heroes to gather and fight. The heroes would team repeatedly throughout the war. (#12)

The Fawcett heroes remained active well into the 1950s, when they are known to have aided Shazam in trapping the Seven Deadly Enemies of man in stone statues. These statues he then hid inside a secret lair, accessible only by magic. Also, Ibis helped cast a spell over Fawcett City which warded off demons and slowed the march of time. Soon after this, Shazam fell prey to a common hoodlum and wandered amnesiac for years. He was later found and recognized by an archaeologist, C.C. Batson. (#12)

After Batson's death, Shazam silently watched over his children, Billy and Mary. He coaxed Billy into the subway and onto a special train. There he bestowed the powers of six gods, transforming the boy into Captain Marvel. The new hero soon met the new incarnation of Black Adam, a man named Theo Adam, who was responsible for the deaths of Batson's parents. (Power of Shazam! graphic novel)

Infinite Crisis

The trajectory of the Marvel family was dramatically altered by the events leading up to the so-called "Infinite Crisis."

When the supernatural force called the Spectre was manipulated by Eclipso, its mission became the eradication of all magic on Earth. Shazam saw the signs and asked Captain Marvel to buy him time to prepare to face the Spectre. Cap joined forces with a ragtag group of mystics called the Shadowpact, who assembled to subdue him. (Day of Vengeance #1)

They had some success, but it came down to Shazam to end the Spectre's rampage. (#5) The Spectre made his way to the Rock of Eternity, where he destroyed the Wizard and his stronghold. The destruction of the Rock released the-Seven Deadly Enemies of Man and weakened the fundamental power of magic, destroying ages of carefully crafted spells. (#6)

The Shadowpact and Nabu (the former Dr. Fate) gathered the world's remaining mystics to reassemble the Rock of Eternity and end Eclipso's influence, but much damage was done. Captain Marvel would soon learn that a very different, "tenth Age of Magic" had begun. (Day of Vengeance: Infinite Crisis Special)

Billy Batson became the resident of the Rock of Eternity, possessor of much of Shazam's knowledge. (Trials of Shazam #1) Freddy Freeman went on a quest to earn back the six powers of the gods. He succeeded in this — and in the wizard's name — becoming Shazam (II). (#12)

Powers

The wizard Shazam has been empowered by various groups of gods and heroes. He was originally given powers of great strength, wisdom, speed, power, courage and stamina. The powers granted him extended longevity and he also became a great adept at magic. At times, his powers were virtually godlike.

After 9,000 years he became depleted. He gave up his mortal form and used passed his divine powers onto young mortals. Shazam retained enough power to be able to dispatch magic thunderbolts and to manifest himself in a spiritual form.

From his timeless home, the Rock of Eternity, he and his champions could reach any other time period or dimension.