Billy Batson lives the dream of every kid and adult.
Some know him as Captain Marvel, but most refer to the now DC Comics hero, Shazam, but by this time next year everyone will know him.
Before we move on to our hero of the month, we do have to share our thoughts on the Shazam trailer for 2019. We were excited to see the direction they took and it is going to be an improvement upon Justice League.
Enough of that, on to our insight into this unique hero.
Brief History
He first appeared as Captain Marvel in 1940 in Whiz Comics # 2 which was published at the end of 1939. Writer, Bill Parker, and artist C.C. Beck under the Fawcett Comics umbrella. The ten year old Batson encountered a wizard who bestowed the powers on him by saying the simple word of Shazam.
The word came from the six immortal elders who grant Captain Marvel his superpowers: Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury.
The success of him had some hard times, when Detective Comics sued them for the similarities with Superman. Though the lawsuit was a draw, they ended up ceasing their comics division in 1953.
In 1972, DC Comics brought Captain Marvel back into their ranks but then had to deal with the developed Captain Marvel character from the Marvel Universe. To move around it, they went with naming him Shazam and his story eventually took off despite some criticism.
The success of the movie may go along way with keeping the series revived and going in the right direction.
Positives
Shazam has plenty of powers that could be added here, but the best attribute is his true form as Billy Batson. Sure it can cause problems, which we will discuss later, but this is one of his better traits. This is what makes him endearing to fans.
Negatives
While we do like the thought of a 10 year old boy with powers, this can and does cause problems every so often. Sure he has learned from experience, but there is still so much he has to learn to make himself a better hero.
Best Villain
He may not be known by all but he is the first and the best opponent for our hero, Dr. Silvana. This super villain appeared in the very first issue with the hero and has remained a thorn in his side.
We have seen his genius intellect and even discovered a mathematical formula where he could pass through solid objects like walls. Makes him pretty hard to catch and imprison.
Overall
On the surface, there does not appear to be anything special about Shazam. In reality, there is a uniqueness to Shazam that makes him stand out i given the chance.
Let us know what you think of Shazam.
