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Shazam

Shazam
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Creation & Design

Shazam was created during the Golden Age of Comics and was originally published by Fawcett Comics. The character was designed to appeal to children, featuring a young boy who could transform into a powerful superhero.

Early Years

Shazam quickly became one of the most popular superheroes of the 1940s, rivaling Superman in sales and popularity. His adventures often involved battling villains and protecting the innocent.

Character Development

Over the years, Shazam has evolved from a simple children's hero to a complex character with rich backstories and relationships, often exploring themes of family, responsibility, and the balance between childhood and adulthood.

Cultural Reception

Shazam has been well-received by audiences, praised for his unique premise and the blend of humor and heroism in his stories.

Character Details

Real Name:
Billy Batson
Aliases:
Captain Marvel, The Big Red Cheese
Species:
Human
Gender:
Male
Affiliations:
Justice League, Marvel Family
Abilities:
Superhuman strength, Speed, Flight, Magic
Equipment:
Magic lightning bolt, Shazam's powers
Weight:
100lbs
Height:
5' 3"
Eye Color:
blue
Hair Color:
black
Fawcett Jan 1940

Flash Comics #1

Ashcan
Flash Comics #1
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$1.4K
Mid
$5.5K
High
$18.5K
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12-page black and white Ashcan, a way to establish copyright by printing small-quantities and distributing to show proof of intellectual property ownership
1st appearance of Captain Thunder (Billy Batson), renamed Captain Marvel to avoid more copyright issues from Fiction House's character Captain Terry Thunder
Fawcett couldn't use the title Flash Comics due to All-American Comics (DC) already having secured the rights
8 copies were printed in 1940 but prior to 1986, collectors were unaware of its existence
High value is from a 2008 sale of a 9.4 graded copy
Fawcett Jan 1940

Thrill Comics #1

Thrill Comics #1
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$4K
Mid
$12K
High
$20.3K
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12-page black and white Ashcan, a way to establish copyright by printing small-quantities and distributing to show proof of intellectual property ownership
1st appearance of Captain Thunder (Billy Batson), renamed Captain Marvel to avoid more copyright issues from Fiction House's character Captain Terry Thunder
Fawcett was forced to select the name Whiz Comics after Better Publications acquired the title Thrilling Comics
3 copies were printed in 1940 but prior to 1986, collectors were unaware of its existence
High value is from a 2008 sale of a 9.0 graded copy
Fawcett Feb 1940

Whiz Comics #1

Whiz Comics #1
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Low
$34K
Mid
$106K
High
$301K
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1st appearance and origin of Captain Marvel, later renamed Shazam
1st appearance of the Wizard Shazam
1st appearance of Dr. Sivana, a scientific genius and the archenemy of Captain Marvel
1st appearance of Ibis the Invincible and Spy Smasher
1st team appearance of the Seven Deadly Enemies of Man, later renamed the Seven Deadly Sins
While not a precise swipe of Action Comics #1 artwork, this cover and other aspects of Captain Marvel led to DC (formerly National) filing a lawsuit against Fawcett for Captain Marvel too closely resembling Superman
Premiere issue of the series though the copyright notes read issue #2
There exists a scarce Ashcan edition of this issue
Fawcett Mar 1940

Whiz Comics #2

Whiz Comics #2
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$1.1K
Mid
$4.2K
High
$12.5K
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2nd appearance of Captain Marvel, later becomes Shazam
2nd appearance of Dr. Sivana
2nd appearance of Spy Smasher
This is the second issue of the series although the copyright notes indicate this is issue #3
Fawcett Apr 1940

Whiz Comics #3

Whiz Comics #3
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$230
Mid
$875
High
$2.3K
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3rd appearance of Captain Marvel
1st appearance of Beautia, the daughter of Dr. Sivana
Cover correctly reads issue #3, interior notes read #4
Fawcett Mar 1941

Captain Marvel Adventures #1

Captain Marvel Adventures #1
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$10K
Mid
$35K
High
$110K
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Premiere issue of Captain Marvel's first ongoing series
Captain Marvel's costume was inspired by military officer-uniforms that had similar attributes to the ornate half-cape affixed by braided rope at the neck and slung over the shoulder
Fawcett Mar 1941

Whiz Comics #15

Whiz Comics #15
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$160
Mid
$500
High
$1.9K
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Origin of Dr. Sivana
1st appearance of Magnificus Sivana, the son of Dr. Sivana
Revealed that Beautia is the daughter of Dr. Sivana
Fawcett Dec 1941

Whiz Comics #25

Whiz Comics #25
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$850
Mid
$2.8K
High
$8.5K
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1st appearance and origin of Captain Marvel Jr., Freddy Freeman, a boy who Billy Bastion shared his power with in order to save his life
Quality Jul 1943

Hit Comics #28

Hit Comics #28
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$50
Mid
$150
High
$500
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1st appearance of Solomon, an adaptation of the biblical figure who also provided the 'S' in Shazam, and when spoken, lent his wisdom to the hero
Fawcett Oct 1943 Vol 2

Wow Comics #18

Wow Comics #18
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$50
Mid
$150
High
$550
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1st appearance of Uncle Marvel, a member of the early Marvel family who didn't actually have powers
Fawcett Nov 1943

Spy Smasher #8

Spy Smasher #8
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Low
$80
Mid
$225
High
$915
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1st appearance of Atlas, a titan from Greek mythology condemned to carry the world on his shoulders
The 'A' in Shazam represents Atlas who provides stamina to the hero when the magic word is spoken
Fawcett Dec 1945

Marvel Family #1

Marvel Family #1
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$3.3K
Mid
$9.8K
High
$33K
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1st appearance and origin of Black Adam, an Egyptian prince named Teth-Adam who was first granted powers by the wizard Shazam though it corrupted him
Origin of The Marvel Family: Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Junior, Mary Marvel and Uncle Marvel
DC Jul 1963

Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #42

Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #42
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$15
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$50
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$150
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Unofficial appearance of Captain Marvel in DC Comics in the story 'Monkey's Paw'
The artist on this issue Kurt Schaffenberger was previously the artist on Captain Marvel (later Shazam) but lost his job after DC, National at the time, successfully sued Fawcett for copyright infringement which eventually led to the publisher to go bankrupt
DC Feb 1973

Shazam #1

Shazam #1
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Low
$6
Mid
$20
High
$75
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DC begins publishing Shazam after licensing the Captain Marvel character from Fawcett who they had successfully sued 20 years earlier for copyright infringement due to the character's similarities to Superman
1st appearance of Captain Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr. and Mary Marvel since the Golden Age
1st appearance of Doctor Sivana and family since the Golden Age
Origin of Captain Marvel retold
DC Jun 1974

Superman #276

Superman #276
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$2
Mid
$8
High
$18
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1st modern appearance of Captain Thunder, an alternate timeline version of Captain Marvel who made very few appearances
Reference to the Fawcett Ashcan version of Captain Thunder
DC Dec 1974

Shazam #15

Shazam #15
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$4
Mid
$12
High
$45
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First crossover of a DC character, Lex Luthor, in a Shazam story
Prior to this issue, Shazam was written in a separate universe than other DC characters
DC Mar 2012 Vol 2

Justice League #7

Justice League #7
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$1
Mid
$2
High
$3
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New origin of Shazam told as back-up stories over the course of 13-issues, beginning here
New origin of Black Adam
DC officially renames Captain Marvel, Shazam
1st team appearance of A.R.G.U.S., a government agency
DC Mar 2019 Vol 3

Shazam #1

C2E2
Shazam #1
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$2
Mid
$8
High
$20
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Given away at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo 2019 to promote the Shazam movie
DC Jul 2021 Vol 4

Shazam #1

1:25
Shazam #1
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$1
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$5
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$15
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Variant cover art by Steve Lieber
Cover art inspired by an etching titled ‘The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones’ by Gustave Dore

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