Prepare for Fury of the Gods with These 6 Shazam! Comics

Posted on March 13, 2023

by Eric S

Shazam (or “Captain Marvel,” if you’re old) has a rather interesting place in comic book history. Created by C.C. Beck and Bill Parker for Fawcett Comics in 1939, Shazam first appeared in Whiz Comics #2. While today he is outshined by his rival and inspiration, Superman, Shazam not only sold more comics than Superman in the 1940s but was the first superhero to get adapted to film with the 1941 serial, The Adventures of Captain Marvel. After a lengthy copyright infringement lawsuit (turns out Shazam is really similar to Superman) and declining sales, all comics featuring Shazam would be cancelled by the mid-1950s. Ironically, DC Comics (owners of Superman) would become the publisher of Shazam 20 years later after entering a licensing agreement with Fawcett, and they continue to publish his comics to this day. Although Shazam has not had the lasting popularity of Superman, his early adventures embody the sense of wonder and creativity that are possible in the comic book medium—not to mention a refreshing sense of sincerity that is rarely (if ever) found in contemporary superhero books. If Shazam is a character who has slipped past your radar, now is the perfect time to catch up with one of comics’ most underrated heroes.

For more great comics, make sure to check out the offerings of your local Library branch, the hoopla app, and our other favorite Shazam! and Black Adam books.