At the recent New York Comic-Con, producer Michael Uslan commented on the upcoming "Shazam" motion picture, featuring DC comic book character 'Billy Batson', who can magically change into supernaturally powerful 'Captain Marvel'.The property has gone through numerous creative changes over the years, but Uslan confirmed Peter "Anger Management" Segal will direct "Shazam", from a screenplay by Bryan Goluboff and William Goldman.
Created in 1940, by artist CC Beck and writer Bill Parker for comic book publishers Fawcett Publications, the premise of 'Captain Marvel' focused on homeless young newspaper seller 'Billy Batson', confronted by a stranger who leads him into the New York subway system, carrying them both to the lair of the wizard 'Shazam'.
The wizard reveals Billy has been chosen to be 'the world's mightest mortal' and commands the boy to say his name 'SHAZAM':
'S' for Solomon (wisdom), 'H' for Hercules (strength), 'A' for Atlas (stamina), 'Z' for Zeus (invulnerability), 'A' for Achilles (courage) and 'M' for Mercury (the ability to fly).
Saying the name, Billy is suddenly struck by a clap of lightning, transforming him into a 6' 4", 250 lb superhero. Saying the name again reverses him back into Billy Batson.Having passed on the 'blessing', the old wizard dies with Billy vowing to fulfill his destiny.
He confides in his sister 'Mary Batson' who becomes 'Mary Marvel', a disabled friend 'Freddie Freeman' becomes 'Captain Marvel Jr.' and Billy's 3 cousins, saying "SHAZAM" simultaneously change into 'Lieutenant Marvels'.
Throughout the 1940's, "Captain Marvel" was an easily accessible comic book fantasy and a popular 15-part feature film serial, starring stunt man/western star Tom Tyler. The comic book itself began outselling industry leader "Superman", published by National Periodicals (DC). DC sued Fawcett for plagiarism, stating similiarities between the two characters. After years of litigation, Fawcett went into receivership and DC was awarded the Captain Marvel catalogue, reviving the character in the early 1970s. Because of a similarity in names to rival comics giant 'Marvel', the character's adventures were published under the "SHAZAM" title (Marvel since creating their own 'Captain Mar-vell' character.)
DC eventually introduced the entire Fawcett line of characters into their 1980's comic book mini-series "Crisis on Infinite Earths", fully integrating "Shazam" into the DC comic book Universe ...
