Billy Batson is one of the strangest superheroes to talk about. With just a word, he can transform from a normal young man to an adult empowered by the gods, with strength to rival or even succeed Superman’s. That word is, of course, Shazam. Originally, this was just the name of the Wizard who granted Billy his powers, while Billy’s heroic persona was Captain Marvel. However, trademark conflicts with Marvel, the company, meant that DC couldn’t publish comics titled Captain Marvel. Thus, they usually named his comics something with Shazam, and, with the New 52 relaunch, decided they wanted the hero and title to match and officially changed his superhero name to Shazam.
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That smoothed over the logistical side of things, but complicated the character’s lore quite a bit. After all, that was the Wizard’s name and quite literally the one word Billy couldn’t say without becoming a kid again. That aspect actually varies between writer and storyline, but the main point is that the name change wasn’t a perfect solution. DC must think so, too. As of Justice League Unlimited #18, DC has looped all the way back around. Billy Baston is officially Captain Marvel once again, but how long do we think this will last?
Oh Captain, My Captain of Confusion
Billy’s superheroic persona has had a very strange history with his name. He’s one of the more popular DC heroes in mainstream media, sitting somewhere between Aquaman and Martian Manhunter in terms of notoriety. Most people who know anything about superheroes would at least recognize him if they saw him. He’s iconic, and screaming Shazam and transforming are obviously the most striking details about his character. Changing his name to Shazam seems like a no-brainer, especially considering the competition. Marvel’s own Captain Marvel is not only probably better-known right now, but also from the company with that name.
People are obviously going to associate Captain Marvel with Marvel Comics. A DC character named Captain Marvel might be weird to new fans, and as dumb as it sounds, sometimes that gut feeling is the difference between someone getting into a character or not. This problem is only exacerbated by DC’s decision to change to Shazam in 2011. Since then, Billy has starred in two live-action movies, while Marvel Comics’ own Cap has skyrocketed in popularity thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The current generation of fans has practically grown up on Shazam, and DC has pushed for this to be in public consciousness. Basically, Billy is competing with an arguably more popular character with an easier claim to his name, and that’s bad.
Believe it or not, but this isn’t the first time that Billy’s name has changed in the last few years. In Shazam (2023), he was officially renamed the Captain. Looking back, this can be seen as DC testing the waters to see if anyone would make a fuss about him not being called Shazam. Fans seemed pretty ambivalent overall, which gave them the signal to commit fully to Captain Marvel. It’s worth noting that Shazam (2023) and Justice League Unlimited were both written by Mark Waid. He’s a well-known fan of the Silver Age and Billy, so he’s likely the driving force behind this name reversion.
The Captain’s Pros and Cons
Beyond the logistical issues, there are clear wins and losses DC takes by calling him Captain Marvel once again. For starters, it appeases all the older fans who were never on board with the change and those who just preferred his original name. It also smooths out Billy saying the magic word in character. Billy and the extended Shazamily and Black Adam often face challenges based on their saying or not saying the word in specific circumstances. Tricking or forcing them to say it is a common trope, after all. This means those stories are back on the table without the caveat of Billy being able to say it whenever he wants.
Of course, this also smooths over the mythos strangeness. The Wizard can once again go by Shazam, and Billy can go back to not being able to say the word without transforming. The pros are cleaner in-universe situations and older recognizability, while the cons, as explored above, are confusion for newer and more casual fans. Billy’s name is always changing. He was Captain Marvel for seventy-one years, Shazam for twelve, the Captain for three, and is Captain Marvel once again. Here’s hoping that this name change actually sticks, and DC doesn’t reverse it in about three years.
What do you prefer Billy’s superhero name to be? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
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Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures -
Image courtesy of Marvel Studios
