If ever there was a reason to shout the word “Shazam!” it was when DC Comics finally introduced a new version of Billy Batson’s hero who had a name more suited to his powerset and gravitas than the oft-derided “Shazam.” As a hero who possesses the powers of six different Greek Gods, bestowing him with superhuman strength, intelligence, and endurance, along with magical abilities and the ability to control the “living lightning,” Shazam is one of comics’ most powerful heroes. Even so, his name does not reflect this, as it has been a source of controversy and jest for decades.
Shazam wasn’t the original name Fawcett Comics had for this hero, who was introduced as Captain Marvel in 1939. He suffered his most devastating attack at the hands of a rival comic company rather than any villain on the page. National Comics (which became DC Comics) was fiercely protective of Superman’s popularity and its associated marketing frenzy, claiming copyright infringement over the character’s similarities to Superman. A 12-year legal battle ensued, ultimately finding in DC’s favor, causing Fawcett to retire the hero. Marvel Comics later entered the fray by developing and trademarking its own Captain Marvel character, meaning that DC could not use the name when trying to revive Fawcett’s superheroes in 1972. Instead, DC opted to name him after the phrase that transformed Batson from a child into an unstoppable adult superhero.
Though each of the individual letters in Shazam is meaningful and represents one of Batson’s powers in his hero form, it still feels like the character has been named after an exclamation of excitement, not dissimilar from “huzzah!” or “oh boy!” There are even hints that some would still prefer to call Shazam Captain Marvel. In Flashpoint #1 by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, a version of the Shazam character called Captain Thunder arrives like a bolt from the heavens, offering a perfect alternative name. In addition to being central to the story and introducing an interesting new character mechanic where Shazam is an amalgamation of six children, each with one of the superhero’s powers, Captain Thunder has a name that reflects his strength and importance. Calling him Captain Thunder evokes the “living lightning,” one of Shazam’s most awe-inspiring powers and the spark that causes the initial transformation.
Sadly, Captain Thunder only appears for a few issues. This moniker deserves to live on as more than a flash in the pan, however, existing as a multi-pronged solution to any unintentional woes from the Shazam name. To begin, it certainly commands more authority than the name Shazam, making it excellent for a superhero whose forgotten superpower is intuitively perceiving danger and responding to it in a sincere, serious fashion. It also honors Batson’s origins as Captain Marvel by only changing one word but doing so in a meaningful way.
As an exclamation after a mic drop or a feat of incredible skill, “Shazam!” has worked as a great catchphrase for Billy Batson for decades. As the name of a legitimate superhero who possesses the power to knock Superman out in a single punch, however, it leaves something to be desired. DC Comics have been sitting on the perfect name for Shazam since Flashpoint and this is a spark of creative genius that shouldn't be wasted.