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Wizard Shazam, also known Shazam () or The Wizard, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Fawcett Comics and DC Comics, first appearing in Whiz Comics #2 (February, 1940) created by C.C. Beck and Bill Parker. A major supporting character in Shazam!-related comic book titles, he often serves as a wise old man archetype who empowers champions to fight evil.
The original version of the character was Jebediah, a young boy of Egyptian and Canaanite origin who served as the Champion, gaining his power through Canaanite gods. In his later years, he forgoes their powers and learned magic before seeking a successor to empower. A revised version of the character is introduced after The New 52. At first introduced as a Kahndaq native who ascended to godhood, this origin was retconned and he is revealed to be Mamaragan, a Mamaragan in Kunwinjku people culture. Justice League-Darkseid War-Shazam #01 (2015) This version served as a adjudicator on Earth's supernatural matters as leader of a cabal of six other wizards, making up the Council of Eternity until a betrayal forces him to seek a successor to both his power and that of the fallen Council. Although the characters’ motivations and background histories differ, they are intended to be the same character.
The character is an ancient sorcerer who battled the forces of evil for centuries until the betrayal of Black Adam, one of his earliest champions and proposed successors. Shazam was forced to magically imprison Black Adam and seek another champion to take his place. This would eventually come in the form of Billy Batson, who becomes the hero known as Captain Marvel (later also known as Shazam) and subsequently the rest of the Marvel Family (currently known as the Shazam Family). He often serves as a mentor to the group and is a notable member of the Quintessence, a powerful group of beings who watch over events unfolding in the universe.
The Shazam character has been featured in various media. The original Golden Age incarnation appeared in the live action serial, Adventures of Captain Marvel, portrayed by Nigel De Brulier. He also appeared in animated features such as , voiced by James Garner. Notably, Djimon Hounsou portrayed the character in DC Extended Universe films Shazam! (2019), Black Adam (2022), and Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) in which the character’s appearance and portrayal is inspired by The New 52 version of the character.
While not part of the first wave of DC's The New 52 2011 line wide relaunch, it was announced at New York Comic Con on October 15, 2011, that Billy Batson would be featured in a backup story, "The Curse of Shazam!" beginning in Justice League (vol. 2) #7 in March 2012. It was confirmed by Geoff Johns, DC Comics' chief creative officer and the author of the story, that Billy Batson's alter ego would be called "Shazam" rather than "Captain Marvel" from now on. In DC's, 2012 Free Comic Book Day offering called The New 52 FCBD Special #1, it was revealed that seven wizards representing seven different mythologies occupied the Rock of Eternity at the dawn of time in The New 52. They harnessed the power of magic to cast out a "Trinity of Sin", which acted as a precursor to the 2013 Trinity War crossover event. A younger version of the Wizard is part of this group of wizards.
Both the wizard and his champion shared the name "Shazam" in the comic book stories published from then until June 2013, Justice League (vol. 2) #20 (June 2013) but the Wizard later revealed that "Shazam" is an adopted name, and that his original name is Mamaragan.
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 explains to Billy that his name is an acronym for six ancient heroes. Each letter empowers him with a certain attribute:
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 archaeology expeditions into the tombs and pyramids of ancient Egypt. The Sarcophagus 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.
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. JSA #78 (December 2005). DC Comics. 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. Day of Vengeance #6 (November 2005). DC Comics.
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.
During his tenure as leader of the Council, the character would be responsible for numerous incidents such as being the one to punish Phantom Stranger, an interpretation of Judas Iscariot, for his betrayal of Jesus Christ on behalf of the Presence and Pandora, Pandora, by granting her immortality and scars that constantly burn as a consequence of unleashing the Seven Deadly Sins upon humanity. In the latter case, he later believed his and the Council's punishment was too harsh. Justice League (vol. 2) #0 (September 2012). DC Comics. He was also responsible for empowering the young Aman as his champion, who shared his with his uncle, Teth-Adam. Teth later killed his nephew to consolidate his power and became the Wizard's primary champion. Teth eventually betrays the Council and kills them off save Shazam, who seals him away in a tomb.
Following DC Rebirth, aspects of his prior incarnation has also been implied in his history, having once more fathered Blaze and Satanus due to his parenthood playing a role in the previous Reign in Hell that allowed the pair to ascend to Hell's rulers. However, Black Adam was claimed to have been a disciple of a Lord of Chaos, implying Mamaragan having once served as such. A silhouette of Mamaragan supposedly depicts him as, alongside Nabu, being one who once opposed Xanadoth at a time frame long before Teth's time.
A flashback during the "Endless Winter" storyline showcases a younger Mamaragan in the 10th Century having been request by Hippolyta and Viking Prince to allow Black Adam to help stop the Frost King. He frees him but due to his actions in attempting to stop the Frost King using his family, he finds him unworthy and re-seals him in a tomb.
During the Black Adam "East of Egypt" storyline, various flashbacks establish a similar versions of events depicted in Marvel Family #1 (December, 1945) while consolidating previous stories; retaining Aman's being his chosen champion and Adam slaying him, it's revealed Adam deceived Mamaragan although he was always suspicious and when Adam defeated the Circle of Eternity, he kept Mamaragan sedated for thousands of years through potions until he was freed by Ibac to pit him against Adam, who ascended to pharaoh under the name "Userkare" as part of the Circle of Crow's plot to usurp the throne. Confronting Adam over his lies and apparent evil, he sends him away "among the stars" for a thousand years.
He later appears in the Darkseid War, where he replaces Billy's collection of god following Darkseid's supposed death, which disrupted his connections to his old gods. Both Mamaragan and Billy come into conflict with Yuga Khan (known as Zonzu) when he wishes to usurp the Powers of Shazam. After his defeat, the wizard makes him part of Billy's new pantheon as pentice for his crimes and reveals his aboriginal ties and being among Billy's new set of empowered gods.
In Infinite Frontier, Shazam is shown as a member of a reintroduced incarnation of the Quintessence and appears alongside other members shortly after the defeat of the Batman Who Laughs at the hands of Wonder Woman, whom is invited as a member. The heroine rejects it and shortly after taking her leave, the group is seemingly an empowered Darkseid. 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.
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 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.
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.
In appearance, he would sometimes appear similarly to his prior incarnation during his time as a Quintessence member albeit with darker skin. In flashbacks, the character alternate between having a dark afro or short hair with a muscular build. He is also erroneously depicted as being elderly during the time of ancient Egypt in flashback. The current version is also depicted to be more reluctant in choosing Billy due to his age and personality although he recognizes his potential. Steve Orlando described their relationship as initially antagonistic but evolving into a "pseudo father-and-son relationship", making him a parental figure alongside the Vasquez family. Aspects of Billy's relationship parallels to relationship with Black Adam, whom he once mentored but was later betrayed and has, also referred to him as a fatherly figure.
Unlike his prior incarnation, the character is intrinsically tied to a magical force of his creation known as the Living Lightning, allowing him to generate and control lightning, spell-casting, enhance the power of other's spells, enhance strength, and other healing abilities. Such abilities are also shared among his empowered champions. In order to deter people usurping his powers, the magic also has safeguards that results in a slow demise of those who manage to steal it's powers while in use. The Rock of Eternity acts as a conduit of the magic and is connected to his life, as his death would result in the and disruption or cessation of these powers for any chosen empowered champion lest he has chosen a new heir to bear the power.
In recent publication, the Powers of Shazam is also retroactively connected to the Living Lightning, granting champions directly empowered by Mamaragan power associated with seven divine entities. This empowerment comes with a caveat, being that each champion empowered by Mamaragan cannot be rescinded (until the events of Lazarus Planett). Each champion empowered by him is able to also share their powers through a "sharing spell" although each person a champion empowers takes from their pool of power and can empower up to seven people whom they're close to at a time.
| Strength | Voldar, Hercules, Amon, Hipployta, S'ivaa | Commonly bestows an exceptional level of superhuman strength. |
| Wisdom | Lumian, Solomon, Zehuti, Minerva | Commonly grants perfect memory, strategic combat skills, exceptional mathematical aptitude, charisma in interpersonal interactions, limited clairvoyance for acquiring arcane knowledge and intuitive insights, as well as a natural fluency in all languages. This is considered an active power a champion must channel to activate. |
| Power | Zeus, Aton, Ribavel, Zonzu | Typically grants lightning control, spell-casting, teleportation, and travel to the Rock of Eternity. It is considered the most difficult attribute to master, requiring the most significant study, discipline, and focus to use. Aton's power grants a connection to a type of magic known as Living Magic, enhancing magical capabilities. (2025). 9781401217891 ISBN 9781401217891 Zonzu's power grants the ability to draw energy from the Source, the energy field within all life. |
| Speed | Heru, Mercury, Arel | Commonly grants super speed, enhanced reflexes, motor skills, and flight, enabling them to move at incredible speeds, react swiftly, perform precise maneuvers, and soar through the air. |
| Courage | Achilles, Mehen, Elbiam | Commonly grants peak physical and magical defenses as well as invulnerability, providing significant protection against physical harm, resistance to various elements, heat, force, disease, and the effects of aging. |
| Stamina | Shu, Atlas, Marzosh, Artemis | Commonly grants ability to sustain mystic transformation indefinitely and eliminating the need for eating, sleeping, and breathing, allowing a champion to operate at peak efficiency, unaffected by the physiological requirements that typically apply to ordinary individuals. |
| Fire | H'rommer | Grants pyrokinetic abilities connected to a force known as the "Living Fire". |
| Compassion | Anapel | Seemingly grants powers similar to those associated with the Wisdom attribute. |
| Mystic Lightning | Mamaragan | Grants spell-casting enhancements, enhancing specific powers, enhanced healing capabilities, and more. |
| Invulnerability | Aurora | Grants powers similar to the courage attribute. |
| Flight | Zephytus | Grants power similar to those of the speed attribute. |
| Agility | Selene | Specific powers granted under this attribute are unknown. |
| Grace | Selene | |
| Beauty | Aphrodite |
During the Trials of Shazam!, Sabina gains some Powers of Shazam with the help of the Council of Merlin. She kills Atlas, leading Freddy and Marvel to temporarily shoulder Atlas's burden. Freddy convinces Apollo to take on Atlas's burden, but Apollo shares his powers with Freddy and Sabina out of bitterness. Sabina and the Council of Merlin plot to assault New York City to disrupt the magical balance. The Justice League intervenes, and Freddy battles Sabina. Freddy sacrifices himself and is deemed the most worthy by Zeus, who grants him the full power of Shazam. Sabina is killed, and the demons disappear. Later, Black Adam, Isis, and the corrupted Mary Marvel take control of the Rock of Eternity. Billy and Mary's father recruits Jay Garrick to retrieve Shazam's spirit from the Rock of Finality. Shazam is restored, removes powers from Isis and the Marvels, and turns Black Adam and Adrianna to stone. Shazam cuts off Billy and Mary's access to his power, returns Stargirl to Earth, and mentions dealing with Freddy before closing the Rock of Eternity. Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #23 (January 2009). DC Comics. Justice Society of America (vol. 3) #25 (April 2009). DC Comics.
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