Billy Batson was always the best choice Shazam could have made for his powers.
Billy Batson is easily dismissable as simply "the kid who turns into Shazam/the Captain," but this is mostly due to contemporary reworking of his original persona. Billy is presented in DC's New 52 remake of Justice League #0 as a somewhat self-centered child who happens to be the Wizard's only choice by the time he reaches the Rock of Eternity. Shazam! 2019 followed somewhat closely this interpretation, and its popularity confirmed Billy's widespread zeitgeist origin narrative of powers.
Billy is more than simply a lucky child who happens to come upon the Rock of Eternity by accident in the original Shazam premiere, 1940's Whiz Comics #2. Rather, the Wizard has been observing him and has chosen him specifically as his successor; Billy is expressly informed that "everything has been arranged" as he first is being escorted to the Rock of Eternity. Although the notion of the Wizard looking for someone "pure of heart" would be introduced later, the original comic reminds viewers that Billy was always meant to use Shazam's power—from the very beginning and very purposefully.
Shazam Lore Corrects the Path Modern Stories Deviated From His Origin
Though fans may remember Shazam, sometimes known as "The Captain," as a goofier, less mature version of Superman, one crucial quality of the character Billy Batson offers is usually overlooked. Billy tries to do the right thing and is sometimes overshadowed by his sister; nonetheless, a disclosure regarding the very source of his talents helps viewers to understand why he was selected to be Champion in the first place.
Shazam! #12 by Josie Campbell, Mike Norton, and Emanuela Lupacchino clarifies the unusual blackouts Billy has been experiencing over the run of the story. As it happens, his heroic alter-ego has been taking over to try and protect Billy from the knowledge that his negligent birth mother had another kid, a truth that has obvious (and negative) emotional ramifications for the young Billy.
Shazam Lore Neatly Marries Old and New Stories.
The disclosure that Billy has a particular relationship to the Rock of Eternity deftly blends his old and new origin narratives. Whether Billy was pure of heart or not, it now makes logical that he would have been chosen; the suggestion is that his relationship to the Rock of Eternity positioned him in the Wizard's path to acquire Shazam's powers. Although this most recent Shazam! title emphasizes that Billy's noble heart won him the Wizard's blessing, his relationship to the Rock of Eternity indicates that Billy is not some child who merely got lucky: he was always going to be deserving Shazam's powers.
Now available from DC Comics is Shazam! #12.
A man from Billy Batson's life reappears and threatens to flip everything upside down, just as the Shazam Family is about to go on an incredible journey.
As the Captain explains, Billy's powerful emotions lead the magic held inside the Rock of Eternity (the source of all magic) to destructively flare outward, jeopardizing reality. Billy has a special relationship with the Rock of Eternity, which supports his being selected by the Wizard to host Shazam's powers.
The New 52's Justice League #0 is by Geoff Johns, Gary Frank, Brad Anderson, and Nick J. Napolitano. Bill Parker, Pete Costanza, C.C. Beck, Bob Kingett, and Gregor Duncan launched the first form of the modern Shazam character in Whiz Comics #2.
SHAZAM! #12 (2024).
