Fawcett Comics history

Originally, the wizard's name was Shazamo, the last letter standing for the hero of magic Oggar. However, Oggar became corrupt and tried to take power from Shazamo. The wizard defeated Oggar and cursed him to live in the world of mortals. He was given cloven hooves as a sign of his inner evil, and could cast each magic spell only once. Shazamo then dropped the last letter of his name.^[10]

Shazam informs Billy that he is an ancient Egyptian wizard who has been using his powers for many centuries to fight the forces of evil, but that he is now old and not long for this world. He therefore passes along part of his power to Billy, who shouts his name– "SHAZAM!"– to transform into Captain Marvel/Shazam. He also then explains to Billy that his name: is an acronym for six ancient heroes. Each letter empowers him with certain attributes:

S The wisdom of Solomon;

H The strength of Hercules;

A The stamina of Atlas;

Z The power of Zeus;

A The courage of Achilles;

M The speed of Mercury.

Although Shazam is killed, as prophesied, by a giant granite block falling on him, Billy/Captain Marvel/Shazam can summon the ghost of Shazam for guidance by lighting a special brazier in Shazam's lair (the Rock of Eternity). More superheroes soon joined the superhero Shazam in carrying on the legacy of the wizard Shazam, including Shazam Family members Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. Shazam tells that once, 5,000 years before, he gave powers to Black Adam, but Black Adam was killed while turning back to his regular self. He died due to his advanced age. +In the Marvel Family series, he was shown in some early issues carving the Marvel Family adventures into the Rock of Eternity.

Post-Crisis origin and early history.

In a story written by E. Nelson Bridwell for World's Finest Comics #262 (cover date April/May 1980), his gave him a backstory in which he was a young shepherd who becomes the Champion, one of the world's first superheroes in ancient Canaan, over 5,000 years ago. By speaking the magic word "VLAREM!" (an anagram of "Marvel"). This background is later explored further in the Power of Shazam! series, in which detailed during his tenure as a Champion, At one point, the Champion is seduced by a demoness disguised as a beautiful woman, and the two of them conceive two half-demon offspring, Blaze and Satanus, much to the displeasure of the gods. The Champion later creates the Rock of Eternity from two large rock formations – one from Heaven and one from Hell – to hold the Three Faces of Evil, a dragon-like demon whose mother is the same demoness as the one who bore his children, captive. Shazam also later trapped demons of the Seven Deadly Sins in statues of themselves and imprisoned them at the Rock of Eternity.

Many centuries later, the Champion, now going by the name of "Shazam", feels the need to pass along his powers to a successor. He selects the pharaoh's son Teth-Adam to receive the power to become the superpowered Mighty Adam by speaking the word "SHAZAM!" However, Blaze interferes with this succession and Adam is given powers from the Egyptian deities instead. As her mother did, Shazam's daughter Blaze takes on the form of a beautiful woman and seduces Adam, convincing him to kill the pharaoh and take over the kingdom. An angry Shazam draws Mighty-Adam's powers out of him and into a large jeweled scarab, thereby killing Adam as he ages to death. Shazam then seals his remains and the amulet in a tomb. A wicked reincarnation of Teth-Adam named Theo Adam would steal the scarab many centuries later and use the power of Shazam to become Black Adam. Shazam was upset by this and did not consider passing on his powers for millennia. The wizard resurfaces as an aide on the 1940 Malcolm Expedition, one of many archaeological expeditions into the tombs and pyramids of ancient Egypt. The sarcophagi of Ibis the Invincible and his mate Princess Taia are uncovered and brought to the United States. Shazam follows the sarcophagi. Once they are on display at the Fawcett City Museum, Shazam uses ancient spells to resurrect Ibis. Ibis then joins Bulletman, Spy Smasher, Minute-Man, and others to fight evil during the World War II era. In 1955, a thug knocks a weakened Shazam across the head with a crowbar and causes him to lose his memory. A clueless Shazam wanders around Fawcett for the next forty years until C.C. Batson, a young man Shazam had met on the Malcolm Expedition, recognizes the old man and brings him to the museum to restore his memory. Shazam feels that he has truly found his successor in the upstanding Batson, but before he can act on this, a possessed Theo Adam murders Batson and his wife Marilyn for the magic amulet. He therefore decides to enlist C.C. Batson's young son, Billy, as the successor to his power.

Day of Vengeance

In Superman (vol. 2) #216, Shazam calls upon the Spectre to free Superman from being controlled by the demon Eclipso. This action breaks a covenant between Eclipso and the Spectre and sets Eclipso permanently at odds with the wizard. Possessing the body of Jean Loring, the Atom's ex-wife, Eclipso corrupts the confused Spectre into joining forces with her, and begins a war against all magic-powered beings in the DC Universe.

Because of his previous action, Shazam is one of the duo's primary targets. In the Day of Vengeance mini-series, Shazam enlists Captain Marvel to keep the Spectre at bay while the wizard gathers all of his power to battle him. With the assistance of the newly formed Shadowpact, a band of magic-based heroes, Captain Marvel fights the Spectre nearly to a standstill, but the Spectre escapes and makes his way to the Rock of Eternity to confront Shazam directly. While Shazam is preparing for his bout with the Spectre, he is confronted by Mordru who has just escaped the Rock of Eternity. Mordru and the wizard fight for a short time while the Spectre begins to approach, despite being delayed by fighting Captain Marvel. More concerned with escaping and staying out of the Spectre's way, Mordru leaves a slightly wounded and tired Shazam to fight the Spectre, who is already more powerful than him at full power.^[11] The Spectre overpowers the wizard, absorbs his magics, and kills him. As a result, the Rock of Eternity disintegrates above Gotham City into "a billion pieces" and explodes, freeing the Seven Deadly Sins along with many other demons and sending a depowered Billy Batson falling into the city.^[12]

In Infinite Crisis #1, Billy finds he is still able to transform into the Captain before he strikes the ground by saying the wizard's name as usual. It is also revealed that the entire affair was orchestrated by Alexander Luthor Jr. and the Psycho-Pirate to reduce magic to its raw form, the death of Shazam turning his name into a tether for the rest of the raw magic that Alexander could harness to power his tower by acquiring one of Shazam's champions, eventually forcibly 'enlisting' Black Adam for that purpose after failing to capture any of the other Marvels.

In Day of Vengeance: Infinite Crisis Special, the Shadowpact teams up with the majority of the DC Universe's surviving magical characters to rebuild the Rock of Eternity and reseal the Seven Deadly Sins. The final piece of the reconstruction, revealed by Zatanna, is that a new wizard has to be appointed to guard the Rock. Billy, as the only real candidate, is chosen to succeed Shazam as the Rock's new caretaker.

In the comic series 52, Captain Marvel is revealed to be currently headquartered at the Rock of Eternity, acting in Shazam's stead. He has already imprisoned the Sins again, although he claims they cause trouble at the full moon.

Earlier history

Since the character's reintroduction in the New 52, there have been multiple origins that give the character different backgrounds. However, notable events and elements involving the Wizard prior to Flashpoint have been incorporated into the modern version of the character over time. Within the comics, he is initially portrayed as a powerful wizard named "Shazam" hailing from the Middle Eastern/African kingdom of Kahndaq, giving the character an Egyptian-related background. He flees the kingdom prior to its turbulent history and subsequently becomes a member and leader of the Council of Eternity.^[13] However, his background was later retconned to reveal that he is actually the Aboriginal (Kunwinjku) deity known as Mamaragan. According to this retcon, Mamaragan's songlines guided him to a seat on the Council of Eternity, where he adopted the title of "Wizard" and later Shazam.^[14] Efforts have been made by other sources to reconcile the inconsistencies by suggesting that both origins exist within the DC Universe, but the latter is considered to be the character's true origin whereas the other is false.^[15] Another source indicates that Mamaragan was once a Kahndaq-born wizard whose magic eventually became powerful enough to become a divine being, making the character have both Kahndaqi and Aboriginal ties.^[4]

Eventually ascending to leadership of the Council of Eternity, the Wizard would adjudicate on Earth's mystical matters alongside peers he considered family. Noteworthy actions included punishing the Phantom Stranger, whose character is portrayed as an interpretation of Judas Iscariot, for his betrayal of Jesus Christ on behalf of the Presence. The Wizard also punished Pandora, based on Greek mythology, by granting her immortality and scars that constantly burn as a consequence of unleashing the Seven Deadly Sins upon humanity.^[4][16] In a turn of events, the Council and the Wizard experience a betrayal by Teth-Adam, a former hero who had previously killed the original champion in secret. Despite serving the Council for an extended period, Teth-Adam ultimately turns against them, leaving the Wizard as the sole survivor. In response, the Wizard makes the decision to seal Teth-Adam away, aiming to prevent further harm.^[4]

Shazam! (2013)

Many years later, the Wizard appeared before Pandora. He is very weak and tells her that he has just given his power to a new champion of magic who will take his seat on the now destroyed council. The Wizard says that he has come to tell Pandora that he and the council were wrong for punishing her. He says that the other two members of the Trinity deserved their punishment but she was just a curious girl and he asks for her forgiveness. He then tells her that she can no longer open the box and that what had been released could not be put back. But there was still power within the box and it would take the strongest of heart or the darkest to open it. Then the vision disappears before Pandora can find out who that person might be.^[17]

When Doctor Sivana opens Black Adam's tomb and frees Black Adam, the Wizard begins abducting people one by one via magic and bringing them to the Rock of Eternity to assess them for the job of inheriting his powers only to dismiss each of them for not being pure of heart.^[18] The Wizard then summons Billy to the Rock of Eternity as his last candidate, but upon meeting him sees how rotten a child he is and dismisses him as well until Billy argues that perfectly good people "really don't exist" and that the Wizard may never find what he is looking for. Agreeing with Billy and aware that he is dying, the Wizard sees that Billy has the potential to be good and passes on his powers to the boy by asking him to speak the magic word "Shazam" with "good intentions" as merely saying the word has no effect. After saying the magic word, Billy is struck by a bolt of lightning which transforms him into Shazam, a super-powered being possessing super-strength and flight. The Wizard then passes away and transports Shazam back to Earth.^[17]

Justice League: Darkseid War - Power of the Gods

After Darkseid's death, Billy Batson found his powers disrupted, forcing the formerly deceased Wizard to return to life and hastily brokering deals with other new entities. This later puts him in conflict with Zonzsu, who is revealed to be Darkseid's father Yuga Khan, as he sought a god whose acronym started with the letter "Z" per the "SHAZAM" acronym. The Old God attempts to steal the Wizard's power but is stopped by Billy Batson using the new powers he gained from the newly associated gods that patron his power and his knowledge of how the Magic of Shazam works. The Wizard then reveals that the final god who empowers him is none other than himself, Mamaragan, who explains his origin and state the two will now be closer to one another than ever, even If he comes to regret it. The two then set off to a new adventure, with Billy empowered by a new set of gods.^[14]

DC Rebirth

In the DC Rebirth relaunch, Mamaragan is depicted as an important member of The Immortals, a group established by Hawkman and Hawkgirl to delve into the mysteries of the Dark Multiverse. Mamaragan and the group provide guidance to Lady Blackhawk/Kendra Saunders, suggesting the use of the brain of the Anti-Monitor to eliminate the Dark Multiverse. Additionally, his knife is acquired by Batman and later by Talia al Ghul, as they prepare for the impending threat of Barbatos.^[19]

Shazam! and the Seven Magiclands (2018-2020)

Mamaragan later appears in the Gamelands part of the Magiclands where he picks up Pedro and Eugene. He teleports them to the Wozenderlands where he saves the White Rabbit from the winged monkeys that work for the Wicked Witches of the North, South, East, and West. Then he asks the White Rabbit where Alice is. As the White Rabbit comes along with them to meet up with Alice and Dorothy Gale, Mamaragan explains that all will be explained shortly. But right now, the trees are listening. While roasting apples and cucumbers at their campfire with the White Rabbit learning about Pedro and Eugene's experiences in the Funlands and the Gamelands, Mamaragan explains that the disruption in the transformation is on Billy's part as the seventh's champion needs to be found.^[3]

Mamaragan later teleports Billy, Mary, and C.C. away from Black Adam and the Seven Deadly Sins and brings them to the Wozenderlands. He then teleports the rest of Billy's foster family after Billy and Mary fought off the Cheshire Cat. After explaining that he needed Billy to believe that he passed away after their first meeting, Mamaragan explains that the error in the power-sharing spell is because of the conflict of his foster family and the return of C.C. where it can be remedied by sharing it with those that he deems family. Billy was able to remedy this by declaring that he'll share his powers with anyone he considers family. After the Shazam Family defeated King Kid, Billy brings Mamaragan the dinner that Tawky Tawny made. When asked about King Kid, Mamaragan states that King Kid has been returned to the Funlands where the adults will decide how to deal with him. He sends Billy on his way so that he can uncover the latest disturbance in the Magiclands. After seeing what he has to do later that night, Mamaragan strikes down C.C. as he states that he can't have him interfering.^[3]

Billy investigates what happened and asks Mamaragan why he struck down his father. Mamaragan claims that C.C. is corrupting the magic which will interfere in stopping the upcoming threat while claiming that he chose poorly with Billy like he did with Black Adam. The rest of the Marvel Family join in the fight and suspect that he is not the real Mamaragan. As C.C. regains consciousness, he informs Victor, Rosa, and Tawky about a vision he had about the Magic War where Mamaragan slaughtered creatures throughout the lands and sealed them off from one another. Billy and C.C. use their powers to send Mamaragan back to the Rock of Eternity just as Black Adam arrives. Shazam figures out that Mamaragan attacked C.C. because he is the actual host of Mister Mind and not Doctor Sivana as they have freed the Monster Society of Evil. When Mamaragan witnesses the spell that Doctor Sivana cast to bring the Book of Champions out of the Rock of Eternity, Mamaragan comments that he made a big mistake. Mamaragan watches the fight between Shazam and Mister Mind from the Rock of Eternity. Following the defeat of Mister Mind and Superboy-Prime, Mamaragan has left the Rock of Eternity. From an unknown location, Mamaragan states that he is proud of Billy and that he would eventually lead Black Adam to a full redemption.^[3]

Shazam! (2021)

Although the character does not make an appearance in the story, he is mentioned by Billy and an alternate version of Black Adam, known as Black Adam Jr. The simultaneous existence of the character leads to the events of Future State affecting the present time. In this altered reality, the Wizard is defeated by the Unkindness, a future version of Raven who has taken the Powers of Shazam from an alternate version of Shazam and additional powers from the Seven Horsemen of Apocalypse. The Wizard sends the future Black Adam back in time to prevent Raven from becoming the Unkindness, resulting in a cosmic cataclysm that displaces the Rock of Eternity from the center of the Multiverse to the depths of hell, causing disruption to the powers of the Shazam Family. As Billy teams up with the future Black Adam, it is implied that the Wizard had foreseen these events and that Black Adam Jr. was meant to protect the Rock from falling into the wrong hands. The transformation and shared nature of the power further complicate Billy's attempts to use his powers. Billy also mentions his familiarity with Hell, having previously encountered Blaze and Satanus, referencing events from the Power of Shazam! comics and restoring aspects of the Wizard's history from the Golden Age version of the character.^{[20][21][22][23]}

Infinite Frontier

During the Infinite Frontier event, the Wizard appears alongside other members shortly after the defeat of the Batman Who Laughs at the hands of Wonder Woman, who was chosen to ascend and was offered a position as a member of the Quintessence. Wonder Woman was wary the request, as she was informed of a grave threat appearing as a consequence of restoring the multiverse from the Batman Who Laugh's damage to it. The Quintessence claims they sensed no kind of threat but Wonder Woman nevertheless kindly rejected it to experience the new direction of the Multiverse herself. However, despite their claims, the group was later seemingly killed by an empowered Darkseid.^[24]

Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (2022)

Later, it was revealed that the Quintessence was under the control of the Great Darkness (namely Pariah's manipulation of a fraction of its power), eventually leading to the seemingly death of the core members of the Justice League. At the end of the event, after Pariah's defeat and restoration of the Justice League members, the Quintessence, including the Wizard, was revived by the Spectre.

Black Adam: East of Egypt (2022)

In the Black Adam limited ongoing series. The "East of Egypt" storyline includes the Wizard in flashbacks set thousands of years before the present day, in which the events depicted are an altered version of the flashbacks depicted in Marvel Family #1 (December, 1945). These flashbacks also explore Black Adam's history as Mamaragan's champion, Mighty Adam, with several changes made to previous accounts expressed earlier in the New 52 and DC Rebirth, including the methodology of how Black Adam was sealed away. After killing his nephew Aman, Black Adam deceived the Wizard and kept the truth hidden although he remained suspicious. He later betrayed the Council of Eternity, eliminating the others but sedates Mamaragan through magical potions. As pharaoh under the name "Userkare," Black Adam was confronted by his vizier, Mereruka, who employed Ibac to force him to step down. Black Adam prevailed, but Ibac freed the Wizard and he banished Black Adam from Earth after a confrontation over Aman's fate, sent among the stars.^[25]

Lazarus Planet: Revenge of the Gods (2022)

In the Lazarus Planet crossover, the Wizard is unexpectedly ousted from his role as Keeper of the Rock of Eternity and believes Billy to be responsible. He aligns himself with Hera, who plans to depose Zeus and seek revenge on mortals. Billy and Yara Flor unite to stop Hera, but are surprised to find the Wizard on her side and Billy is subsequently depowered and captured. The Wizard is later summoned by Hera to enhance her powers against Wonder Woman, but when Hera's agenda becomes unpopular, he doubts her and abandons her. Billy later calls upon the Wizard through the Rock of Eternity, where it is revealed that the Wizard initially believed Billy had betrayed him. However, witnessing Mary sacrifice her powers to aid Wonder Woman, the Wizard realizes his mistake and deems Mary worthy to be the Champion. Despite his intention to empower both Billy and Mary, Hippolyta intervenes and chooses to bless Mary's powers through her and seven other gods. Both Billy and Mary regain their powers, with Mary's connection maintained through the blessings of the seven goddesses instead of the Wizard's magic, despite still utilizing the "SHAZAM" method.^[26]

Dawn of DC (2023 - Current)

In the Shazam! 2023 comic book series, the Wizard makes a brief appearance and is mentioned by Billy Batson as he recalls his transformation into Shazam. The series reaffirms Billy's previous origin of falling asleep in a subway, but with some subtle changes. These changes include acknowledging Billy's status as a foster child from his New 52 origin and expressing reluctance regarding the Wizard's intentions. It is revealed that the character eventually entrusts Billy with the Rock of Eternity, hoping that he will treat it with reverence.^[27]

Animated

• Shazam appears in the short film Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam, voiced by James Garner.^[57][58] This version is regretful for giving Black Adam his powers, and as such imprisoned himself in a cave after empowering Billy Batson.
• Shazam appears in Lego DC Super Hero Girls: Super-Villain High, voiced by Khary Payton.
• Shazam is featured in the LEGO films Lego DC Batman: Family Matters and n Lego DC: Shazam!: Magic and Monsters, voiced by Ralph Garman.

Live-action

• Shazam appears in the film serial Adventures of Captain Marvel, portrayed by Nigel De Brulier.
• Shazam appears several films set in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), portrayed by Djimon Hounsou. Originally, Ron Cephas Jones was intended to play the character, but had to step down due to scheduling conflicts.^[59] This version of the character is inspired based upon the earlier New 52 version.^[60]
  • The character is introduced in the 2019 film Shazam!. This version considered Doctor Sivana to be his successor, but rejected him after he was corrupted by the Seven Deadly Enemies of Man. Years later, Doctor Sivana returns to Rock of Eternity, frees the Enemies, and defeats Shazam using their power. Subsequently, Shazam chooses Billy Batson as his successor before seemingly dying as he crumbles to dust.
  • Shazam makes a cameo appearance in Black Adam.^[61] He and the Council of Wizards were responsible for empowering Hurut to be Kahndaq's champion until he was killed by King Ak-Ton's assassins while reviving his father Teth-Adam with his power. Shazam was the sole survivor of the Council of Wizards after Teth-Adam attacked them in rage when they deemed him unworthy of his power following his massacre of King Ak-Ton and his followers. He imprisoned Teth-Adam within what would become the tomb for both Adam and the Crown of Sabbac.
  • Shazam returns in Shazam! Fury of the Gods.^[62] Here, he is revealed to be alive, but imprisoned in the God Realm of the Daughters of Atlas, Hespera and Kalypso. They recover his staff in the Acropolis Museum and force him to repair it so they can regain their powers. Shazam then enters Billy's dream to warn him about the Daughters of Atlas, later learning that he broke the staff to separate the God's Realm from Earth. Later, the Wizard meets Freddy Freeman, who is also a prisoner, and the two escape with the help of Atlas's third daughter, Anthea, and reunites with Billy and the Shazam Family. After escaping and Billy's brothers (except him) losing his powers to Kalypso, the Wizard tells him that he chose Billy because of his selflessness and concern for his family and that he must accept himself as a true hero. Later, before a monster attack in the city, the Wizard helps the children to ride unicorns to scare them away. After Kalypso and her monsters were defeated by the Shazam Family and Billy, who also sacrificed his life, he was brought into the God's Realm to attend his funeral with the depowered staff. After Wonder Woman appears and restores the staff's power with her residual power of Zeus, this act revived both Billy and the powers once lost in the God's Realm, including Anthea. The Wizard gives the staff, and Billy uses the staff to restore the powers of his foster siblings. In the aftermath, the Wizard, now dressed elegantly, visits Billy's family and Anthea. He reclaims the staff and leaves to travel the world.