SHAZAM SUPERHERO SERIES

After the 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths miniseries, Captain Marvel's origin was rebooted in the Shazam: The New Beginning miniseries in 1987. The comic book was canceled by 1978, and the Shazam! stories were relegated to the back pages of World's Finest Comics (from 1979 to 1982) and Adventure Comics (from 1982 to 1983). According to Shazam #1 the Sivanas had put the Marvel family into suspended animation for 20 years, along with themselves (by mistake) and much of the supporting cast. Mary, Cap, and Junior appeared in both new stories and reprints of their classic stories.

SHAZAM SUPERHERO SERIES

In 1972, DC Comics licensed the rights to the Marvels, and revived them in a new comic series called Shazam!. After that, Mary and her teammates went unseen for years.

Beck on page 33 of Mysteries of Unexplored World issue 1 ( Charlton Comics August 1956). After Fawcett canceled their superhero comics line because of a copyright infringement lawsuit with National Comics (later DC Comics), Mary Marvel hosted a puzzle page drawn by C. Just before the Marvel Family's adventures ceased publication in 1953, Mary Marvel's costume and appearance were altered: the neckline of her blouse was lowered slightly, her hair was shortened, and she now wore yellow slippers instead of the customary Marvel Family yellow boots. Uncle Marvel was eventually made the Marvel Family's manager, and also served as Mary's guardian. In her solo adventures, Mary soon gained sidekicks in her kindly Uncle Marvel, who was not actually her uncle nor a Marvel, and his similarly nonpowered niece, Freckles Marvel. She also appeared in The Marvel Family book with Captain Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. Soon after her introduction, Mary Marvel headlined Wow Comics, and by 1945 had her own Mary Marvel book. Rather than give his young heroine the questionable powers of a Greek poet from the isle of Lesbos, Reed suggested that Selene, goddess of the moon, might be a more wholesome choice. Rod Reed, the executive editor of Fawcett comics at the time that Mary Marvel was created, recalled that, originally, the letter 'S' in Shazam was to have stood for Sappho.

In Superhero Comics of the Golden Age, Mike Benton writes: Mary was introduced in Captain Marvel Adventures #18 as Mary Bromfield, a girl who discovers she is the long lost sister of Captain Marvel's alter ego Billy Batson. Artist Marc Swayze based Mary Marvel's design and personality upon American actress Judy Garland. Mary Marvel was introduced into Fawcett Comics' Marvel Family franchise a year after a young male counterpart, Captain Marvel Jr., made his debut. The first appearance of Mary Marvel, from Captain Marvel Adventures #18 (1942). Fulton is set to return for the sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, in 2023. Mary Bromfield and her superhero alter-ego both made their cinematic debut in the DC Extended Universe film Shazam!, played by Grace Fulton and Michelle Borth, respectively. Mary can share Billy's power by saying 'Shazam' to become an adult superhero ( Lady Shazam) similar to the traditional Mary Marvel (the 'Marvel' monikers having been retired with the reboot). In current continuity following DC's 2011 New 52 reboot, Mary Bromfield appears as the eldest of Billy Batson's foster siblings. Two limited series from 2007 to 2009, Countdown and Final Crisis, feature an evil version of Mary Marvel having acquired powers from first Shazam Family archenemy Black Adam and further from Apokoliptian supervillain god Desaad. Mary Marvel was one of the first female spin-offs of a major male superhero, and predates the introduction of Superman's female cousin Supergirl (also created by Otto Binder) by more than a decade.įollowing DC's licensing of the Marvel Family characters in 1972, Mary Marvel began appearing in DC Comics, co-starring in DC series such as Shazam! (1973–1978) and The Power of Shazam! (1995–1999). Like her brother, Mary has been granted the power of the wizard Shazam, and has but to speak the wizard's name to be transformed into the superpowered Mary Marvel. In the traditional Shazam! concept, Mary Marvel is the alter ego of teenager Mary Batson (adopted name Mary Bromfield), twin sister of Captain Marvel's alter-ego, Billy Batson. The character is a member of the Marvel / Shazam Family of heroes associated with the superhero Shazam / Captain Marvel. Created by Otto Binder and Marc Swayze, she first appeared in Captain Marvel Adventures #18 ( cover-dated Dec. Mary Marvel is a fictional character, a superheroine originally published by Fawcett Comics and now owned by DC Comics. Superhuman stamina and near-invulnerabilityĬontrol over magic lightning, near-immortality, and spell-casting 1942)Įnhanced intellect, knowledge, and focus of the gods Mary Marvel on the cover of The Power of Shazam #4 (May 1995) by Jerry Ordway.Ĭaptain Marvel Adventures #18 (Dec.

Shazam superhero