CAPTAIN MARVEL 85
to do is speak the Wizard’s name,
Shazam, which is an acronym for
six biblical and mythological char-
acters: Solomon, Hercules, Atlas,
Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury, and
he will be granted the heroes’ abili-
ties and transformed into a mus-
cular adult. To return to the form
of Billy Batson, Captain Marvel
must repeat the magic word and
is changed back in a fl ash of light-
ning. Billy soon thereafter found
employment as a radio reporter.
Captain Marvel’s success was im-
mediate as young comics readers
favorably responded to the adven-
tures of the resourceful boy who
could instantly transform into
the jovial, sometimes naïve, adult
hero. When Bill Parker left for the
army, Beck was teamed with Otto
Binder, a science fi ction author.
Th e pair continued their partner-
ship, producing stories of “Th e
World’s Mightiest Mortal” for the
next 12 years.
Unlike the more serious and science fi ction-based Superman comics, the tone of
Captain Marvel’s adventures was more lighthearted and innocent. In many ways they
were like fairy tales in which anything could happen. Th e demand for Captain Marvel
was so great in the early 1940s that Fawcett introduced numerous allies, who collectively
came to be known as the “Marvel Family,” to assist the captain. In Whiz Comics #25
(1941), crippled teenager Freddy Freeman was given some of Captain Marvel’s pow-
ers after he was mortally wounded by a villain’s attack. Whenever he said “Captain
Marvel” the boy became the teen superhero Captain Marvel, Jr. who wore a blue ver-
sion of the Marvel costume. Captain Marvel Adventures #18 (1942) saw the debut of
Mary Bromfi eld, Billy Batson’s long-lost twin sister. She discovered she shared Billy’s
magical ability and became known as the teenage superheroine Mary Marvel when she
uttered the magic word. Mary’s appearance was based on that of singer Judy Garland.
By 1943 the trio was so popular that the combined sales of their various comic book
titles were almost three million copies a month. In 1945, Captain Marvel’s solo title was
selling 1.3 million copies per issue, making him the most successful superhero on news-
stands. Other additions to the Marvel Family followed, such as the stalwart Lieutenants
John Davey as Captain Marvel and Michael Gray as Billy
Batson, in the CBS television series Shazam!/Isis Hour,
(1976–1977). CBS/Photofest
