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Shazam! Fury of the Gods hits theaters connected March 17. The archetypal Shazam!, which was released successful 2019 and starred Zachary Levi arsenic the titular hero, was 1 of DC’s amended received movies, adjacent if the character’s comic publication origins are a small confusing. If you’re looking to work immoderate Shazam comics earlier seeing the movie, I’ve rounded up a fewer recommendations for you.
But first, a speedy mentation of the character’s name. The quality we present cognize arsenic Shazam is Billy Batson, a young lad who transforms into the World’s Mightiest Mortal erstwhile helium speaks the magic connection “Shazam!” However, erstwhile Billy debuted successful 1939, helium was published by a institution called Fawcett Comics, and saying the connection “Shazam!” turned him into the superhero Captain Marvel.
Cap rapidly became the biggest superhero of the 1940s, outselling adjacent Superman, truthful of people DC promptly sued, claiming copyright infringement. While DC and Fawcett tied the quality up successful the courts, Marvel snuck successful and published their own, wholly unrelated Captain Marvel — and secured the trademark, meaning that nary substance however the suit panned out, lone Marvel could people comics nether the marque “Captain Marvel.”
Fawcett yet went retired of concern and DC purchased the rights to Billy Batson, but they could nary longer people him successful comics with the rubric “Captain Marvel,” truthful each DC comics starring Billy Batson arsenic Captain Marvel utilized the connection “Shazam” successful the rubric instead. That is, until 2011, erstwhile they gave up and conscionable changed the character’s sanction to Shazam.
All this means that immoderate of the characters beneath are Captain Marvel comics astir Captain Marvel, immoderate are Shazam comics astir Captain Marvel, and immoderate are Shazam comics astir Shazam. But they’re each the aforesaid guy, and he’s a existent sweetheart.
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Also, like truthful galore different long-running comic publication characters, Shazam has overwhelmingly been written and drawn by lone achromatic men. That is slowly, incrementally changing, but DC inactive has important enactment to bash successful this regard. While Billy catches up, cheque retired these comics by creators of color and these comics by women.
Shazam!: A Celebration of 75 Years by Bill Parker, C.C. Beck, et al
As noted above, Shazam has a agelong and storied history, and his earliest comics, though dated successful the accustomed ways, are immoderate of the champion the Golden Age of Comics has to offer. If you privation an overview of the quality from his earliest beginnings to the modern instrumentality the movies are drafting on…well, it’s each determination successful the title.
Superman/Shazam!: First Thunder by Judd Winick and Joshua Middleton
Superman and Captain Marvel person been compared countless times — that’s what the DC vs. Fawcett suit was astir — truthful you mightiness expect this miniseries astir their archetypal gathering to statesman and extremity with the bushed aged comic publication question of who would triumph successful a fight. But the archetypal gathering of Clark Kent and Billy Batson is the existent psyche of this story, and Clark’s compassion and Billy’s sweetness marque it 1 of the champion pieces of characterization successful either character’s history. Prepare to person your heartstrings tugged.
Shazam! Vol. 1 (The New 52): From the Pages of Justice League by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank
Oof, what a title. I’m going to beryllium honest: I americium not a instrumentality of this instrumentality connected Billy Batson, which changes him from a sweet, earnest kid to a selfish, opportunistic brat. Gary Frank’s painstakingly realistic creation besides seems similar an unusual acceptable for a quality who transforms via magic connection and is friends with a talking tiger. But it was the New 52 Shazam that introduced Billy’s extended foster household extracurricular of longtime characters Mary Batson and Freddy Freeman, truthful if you privation to spot wherever the movie formed came from, commencement here.
Shazam!: To Hell and Back by Tim Sheridan, Clayton Henry, Eduardo Pansica, and Julio Ferreira
Want to drawback up connected wherever Billy is presently successful the comics? Start with this 2021 miniseries. Billy’s hunt for answers astir wherefore his powers are acting up leads him connected a quest to Hell, alongside a mysterious caller person named Dane and a time-displaced mentation of 1 of his top enemies. It’s technically a spinoff from Teen Titans Academy, but you tin (and should) disregard that. This is simply a amusive small broadside quest that stands connected its own.
The New Champion of Shazam! by Josie Campbell and Evan Shaner
This precocious completed miniseries picks up straight aft To Hell and Back, but present it’s Billy’s duplicate sister Mary who holds each the magic of Shazam, portion Billy is [SPOILER]. Mary conscionable wants to spell to assemblage and unrecorded a mean life, but a bid of disappearances, positive a talking rabbit, won’t fto her. Mary has ever been my favourite subordinate of the Marvel Family (the Shazam Family? the Shazamily?), Josie Campbell writes stellar superpowered women, and I’m not definite there’s anyone connected this Earth who draws Shazam characters arsenic exquisitely arsenic Evan Shaner, truthful you fundamentally can’t miss with this book.
Shazam! and the Monster Society of Evil by Jeff Smith
At the extremity of the day, Shazam is simply a child’s powerfulness fantasy: a kid who tin accidental a magic connection and go the toughest, strongest grownup of all, past instrumentality to the state of puerility whenever helium wants. That means Shazam is astatine his champion successful children’s comics, and this 1 is the champion of the best. The Monster Society of Evil is an out-of-continuity root communicative that introduces readers to the cardinal players successful Billy’s satellite — his long-lost duplicate Mary, the Wizard, the evil Dr. Sivana — via the astir charming creation you’ve ever seen successful your life. If you lone work 1 Shazam comic, marque it this one.
Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam! by Mike Kunkel and Art Baltazar
This kids’ comic is simply a spiritual sequel to The Monster Society of Evil. The creators are different, but the tone, accessible cartoony art, and updated takes connected the characters are precise similar. Plus, it introduces much important characters similar Captain Marvel Jr. and Black Adam. It’s a cleanable follow-up to Jeff Smith’s work, particularly if you’re speechmaking with kids.
There are hundreds much Shazam comics retired there, but these should get you started! And if you privation to cognize much astir the franchise, cheque retired the archetypal quality of marquee Shazam villain Black Adam, oregon the past of the Shazam quality who was the archetypal pistillate superhero with her ain TV show.
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