Although Captain Marvel sometimes physically looks to be a large and imposing adult, there is no denying that he always remains a 10-year-old boy in mentality. Energetic, happy-go-lucky, and easily excitable, Captain Marvel is easily the least stiff member of the Justice League. Still, even though he doesn't have the control and maturity of his fellow leaguers, Marvel is surprisingly intelligent, tactful and insightful, due in large part to the Wisdom of Solomon that he receives as part of his powers.[8]
Billy Batson.
Although he is a member of the Justice League, he seems to prefer hanging out with the Team, whom he deems "so cool". This is largely because he feels he can relate to them better than to the adults.[9] Due to the fact the Team is also technically older than him, he can't help but idolize them, doing all he can to make sure they like him. However, since they at first did not know Captain Marvel's true nature, they were often confused by his excitable demeanor until he revealed his true identity. He has a habit of spending time in the Cave even when not on den-mother duty, and has a desire to be one of them rather than to order them around. The Team mistakenly assumed that he was attempting to keep a close and controlling eye on them,[8] when in truth he merely wants to "hang out" with friends closer in age to him.[9]
Captain Marvel's youthful nature unfortunately makes him naive, easily confused and manipulated, which the Team has done at least once.[10]
Physical appearance
Captain Marvel takes the appearance of a young, muscular, black-haired Caucasian male with blue eyes. His costume is mostly red with gold accents like his thunder bolt logo, sash, and boots. He also has a white and gold cape over one shoulder.[11] In his true form, he is a 10-year-old boy who wears a red hoodie over a white shirt and blue jeans.[8] By 2016, Billy has grown into a 15-year-old with his attire changing very little. He now wears a red short-sleeved shirt over a long-sleeved white one. His hair also seems to have gotten longer.[12][13]
History
Early life
Billy Batson became Captain Marvel in 2007, at age 7;[14]he joined the Justice League a year later.[15]Superman purportedly supported his admission based on the hope that he might be Kryptonian (a fact that Captain Marvel later regarded as "cool").[1] During his early days in the League, Captain Marvel was repeatedly bossed around by Batman, though he never disobeyed an order.[9]
On September 23, after the abrupt defection of Red Tornado, Captain Marvel volunteered and Batman appointed him as the Team's temporary supervisor. Captain Marvel accompanied the Team on a mission to Northern India, an action that prompted Robin to believe that the man did not trust them. However, it was more likely that Captain Marvel simply wanted to "hang out" with the Team.[9]
While in Northern India, team in-fighting caused the group to split up to get away from Aqualad, leaving Captain Marvel with the young Atlantean. The pair encountered a small "team" of Kobra-Venom-enhanced elephants who wore inhibitor collars similar to the ones used at Belle Reve Penitentiary.
Though the elephants proved to be hard to beat, Aqualad realized that the collars were causing them to attack and called to Captain Marvel to remove them. After doing so, the elephants returned to the jungle.
Realizing that the rest of the Team would be in danger, Aqualad attempted to call them but their communicators were jammed and Miss Martian did not establish a telepathic link. Captain Marvel pointed out that he did not take command effectively and he was in charge of the Team. Fortunately Miss Martian contacted Aqualad. At that moment, Captain Marvel spotted a tiger he had seen earlier and ran after it.
He attempted to remove its collar but was ambushed and captured by Monsieur Mallah.
When Captain Marvel awakened he was in the lab of the Brain, who attempted to literally steal his brain for the wisdom of Solomon that Captain Marvel possessed. Fortunately, the tiger prevented this by attacking the Brain, giving the Team enough time to storm the base and free Captain Marvel.
Captain Marvel freed the tiger from its collar in thanks for saving his life and later named it Mr. Tawny, promising to visit someday. He then took leave of the Team for the night and returned home to his uncle in Fawcett City, where he transformed back into young Billy Baston, excited from his day's adventure with the Team.[9]
The League analyzed the Team's information about Brain's Kobra-Venom experiments in India, and found similar criteria in Bwunda. Batman sent the Team to investigate, but stopped Captain Marvel from coming along. He questioned the Captain's motives for joining the mission.[17]
When the Injustice League attacked major cities with plant creatures, Captain Marvel aided the League in bringing them down. He managed to throw one plant into the sun. He had originally wanted to go with the Team to stop the Injustice League itself, but Batman did not want that.[8]
Captain Marvel waited on Wally (Kid Flash) after his arm was broken in the fight against the Injustice League. He took Wolf out for some exercise while the Team gave Zatanna a tour of the Cave. What he did not know was that this was meant as a distraction, as the Team left in search of Red Tornado. He didn't realize it until the end of the day.[10]
After a telepathic training exercise went horribly wrong because Miss Martian's emotions took over Martian Manhunter's telepathy, Captain Marvel did his best to console her.[18]
Captain Marvel dressed up as a zombie for Halloween and mistakenly thought he was invited with the Team to the party at Happy Harbor High School. He left slightly distraught to go trick-or-treating on his own[3]in Fawcett City.[20]
Shortly after fighting Ibac and Sabbac, Billy returned home to watch the news with his uncle. However, all of a sudden, Dudley and every other adult disappeared. Billy reasoned that he could not change into Captain Marvel, as he would disappear as well.[7]
Instead, he headed to his secret Zeta-Tube. The computer did not recognize him as Captain Marvel, so that way was shut. He walked through the streets, seeing children lost without their parents, wondering what to do exactly. As he came past an electronics store, he saw the broadcast of the Team. Realizing he had to get to Happy Harbor, he headed to an airfield, where he convinced Amber, the only person present, to fly him to Happy Harbor.
Amber took him about a small prop plane, and they made their way to the East coast.[7]
However, Amber was seventeen—and turned eighteen at midnight. She promptly disappeared. Suddenly without a pilot, Billy tried to regain control of the flight, but couldn't manage. He decided to change into Captain Marvel after all.
He didn't disappear-but the plane did. Still a bit surprised, he heard Amber's desperate cry as she fell to the ground. He caught her in time, and made his way to Mount Justice. He did not find the Team there, but Batman and Zatara. Captain Marvel was elated to see grownups, but after being informed that all children were missing, he realized that there were actually two worlds—one for adults and one for children. Realizing he could travel between the dimensions by changing back and forth, Captain Marvel worked as a relay for Batman and Aqualad to form a plan. They would all attack Roanoke Island, which Zatara had determined was the source of the dimension splitting magic.[7]
The League encountered four sorcerers at the island. Captain Marvel fought off Wizard, who threw large chunks of rock at him. Undazed, Marvel smashed them all. Zatara informed him of the gem in the middle of the sorcerers' pentagram, which was the source of the magic and had to be taken. Captain Marvel first relayed this message to the Team, and then changed back to get it on the adult side. He used his speed and power to tunnel under the pentagram, and rise through the middle. He got the gem, and threw it to Zatara, who merged it by speaking a spell in conjunction with his daughter on the other end. When the worlds merged, the sorcerers were defeated.
Billy returned home, where he embraced his uncle.[7]
Captain Marvel attended the Justice League meeting to vote on potential members. During the discussion he objected to Doctor Fate having inherited Zatara's seat. However, Captain Marvel soon found himself on the defensive; after Captain Marvel laughed about Atom and Plastic Man, the others questioned both his age and the fact that he deceived them about it. While Batman spoke in his defense, both Captain Marvel and Doctor Fate were put on the ballot to have their membership reevaluated.[1] It was eventually decided that Billy could stay.[22]
The moment the trio made it back to the Watchtower, the Team ambushed them with cure-tech. Doctor Fate was tagged, but Icon managed to destroy the other two chips. Zatanna defeated him by making him blurt out "Shazam!". Since the starro-tech was specific to one body, Billy Batson was not under its thrall. He stayed with Zatanna as she tried to remove the Helmet of Fate from her father.[23]
After being acquired by Kylstar as an asset, Captain Marvel was stored in a crystalline prison cell with all captured heroes and villains. An inhibitor orb blocked his powers.[24]
The Moon December 1, 15:52UTC
Captain Marvel came to, and pondered escape. He summoned the lightning, hoping it would shatter the prison. It didn't work; it only changed him into Billy Batson. He wasn't affected by the inhibitor anymore, but as Billy, he was not strong enough to break free. Captain Atom saw this, and did the same. He freed Superman, Superboy, Wonder Woman and eventually Captain Marvel.[24]
The heroes decided what to do next. Captain Marvel proposed freeing Major Force, but Captain Atom overruled the idea. The newly elected leader of the League decided they needed more about their captor first.[24]
The heroes came to a window and discovered, to their dismay, that they were being held captive on the Moon.[12]
The Moon December 1, 19:36UCT
The heroes had difficulty getting their bearings in the crystalline corridors. Captain Marvel came up with a plan to find the teleporters that brought them to the Moon, but the next moment the group was teleported inside a cell. They were addressed by Orb-One, providing translation for First Leader Kylstar, who told them they would remain where they were during their journey. Kylstar's ship then lifted off from the surface of the Moon and headed into space. Despite the gravity of the situation, Captain Marvel was impressed by Kylstar's "convertible"–aside from the cell, the ship's top deck was exposed to space.[12]
Failing to convince First Leader Kylstar that they do not want to accompany him on his journey, the heroes pummeled the ground beneath them, and ventured their way through the vessel. The heroes were immediately teleported to a new destination in the vessel, along with Kylstar and Orb-One.[25]
Captain Marvel came to, and rallied behind Wonder Woman. She suggested a change in tactics.[26]
Kylstar's Vessel December 1, 23:27UTC
The heroes went for a team effort, the West Maneuver. While Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman restrained Kylstar, Superman and Captain Atom hit him in the jaw.
It brought him down, but with Orb-One's help, Kylstar immediately recovered. New orbs arrived, and this time, they were finetuned to everyone's abilities.[26]
Kylstar's Vessel December 1, 23:32UTC
Miss Martian arrived and liberated the heroes from their controlling orbs.[27]
Kylstar's Vessel December 1, 23:58UTC
Having seen the prowess of his acquisitions, Kylstar decided to explain his actions to all of them. He had all the captives released, and explained how he needed them to save his people. A few chose to join him; the rest were returned to Earth.[27]
The Collector's Ship December 1, 19:01EST
The heroes and villains were teleported straight into the control room whare Alpha Squad was fighting the Collector of Worlds. The Bio-Ship's weapons made quick work of the coludroid.[27]
Metropolis December 1, 19:03EST
Just as they were planning to regroup, dozens more coludroids showed up and surrounded the heroes and villains. At Atom and Nightwing's insistence, the Collector shut down his shrinking beam, as someone below was attempting to shut down the force field.[27]
Metropolis December 1, 22:03EST
Captain Marvel gathered with the other Leaguers, and watched as Nightwing, Captain Atom, Superman and others discussed the coincidence of two alien incursions on he same day. He discussed the disappearance of the villains with Lagoon Boy and Miss Martian, theorising the Collector teleported them elsewhere to prevent their arrest. M'gann noted they had no reason to arrest Grodd, who was in fact telepathically cloaking the villains in the heroes' midst.[27]
After Gamma Squad saved hostages from the Kroloteans, Captain Marvel arrived on the scene with the rest of the Justice League members and the Team.[28]
As L-Ron and Despero traveled through the Milky Way, L-Ron showed images of several of the Justice League members, but told Despero they were not on Earth but on Rimbor. He then showed images of other members, specifically citing Captain Marvel as a worthy adversary.[13]
Captain Marvel was with Zatanna, Bumblebee, Superboy, M'gann and Mal Duncan at the Hall of Justice, as the latter three gathered belongings salvaged from Mount Justice. A noise prompted Marvel and Zatanna to head outside the Hall, where L-Ron declared everyone was his prisoner. Marvel thought it was an April Fool's joke by Plastic Man, but then L-Ron generated an energy field around the Hall and Despero appeared, attacking Marvel.
None of the heroes' efforts to stop Despero worked, prompting Marvel to grab Despero and use his transformation powers. That tactic failed and L-Ron, seeing that Marvel was really 15-year-old Billy Batson, declared him an unworthy opponent for Despero, who opened his third eye and left Batson's mind blindfolded.
M'gann ultimately established telepathic contact with Batson, Zatanna and Bumblebee—the latter two also having succumbed to Despero's powers—and Zatanna was able to use her magic spells to help Superboy take down Despero. L-Ron prepared to attack Superboy, M'gann, Bumblebee and Mal Duncan, but Batson jumped L-Ron and used his transformation powers, turning back into Captain Marvel and taking out L-Ron. But L-Ron initiated a self-destruct sequence as Marvel quickly moved to protect the others. L-Ron's tactic caused the Hall of Justice to crumble to the ground, but Zatanna was relieved to find that Marvel has saved the Team members.
Captain Marvel and Captain Atom each tried to bring down the force field with no luck. Zatanna said her magic didn't work either, but then the Reach ambassador arrived and used a device to remove the field.[13]
After Mongul brought the Warworld to destroy Earth, Captain Marvel took part in a joint League-Team assault on the satellite. Captain Marvel, Captain Atom and Green Beetle emerged from a portal created by Doctor Fate to assault the Warworld's surface, while Fate defended Earth from its weapons, and Rocket protected Fate. The assault was primary a distraction to allow the Team to infiltrate and shut down the vessel.
When Mongul launched a saturation missile attack, Marvel and the others began destroying as many missiles as they could.[29]
The Warworld May 26 post-12:40, UTCTime Zone
The Reach sent their fleet to help deal with the missiles, keeping Earth safe for the time being. Marvel and the Leaguers resumed their attack on the Warworld, until the Team succeeded in shutting down the satellite's power core.[29]
When Magnetic Field Disruptors planted by the Reach threatened the Earth, Captain Marvel joined 39 other heroes of Earth in a briefing in Metropolis. The heroes would use a computer virus provided by Lex Luthor to safely disable the disruptors. The heroes were paired off with another into twenty squads: one member would run interference against weapons guarding the disruptors, allowing the other to get close enough to plant the virus.[32]Captain Marvel was assigned to Iota Squad, and worked alongside Green Arrow.[33]
Within thirty minutes, all squads had succeeded in their mission.[32]
Captain Marvel joined Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Hal Jordan, and Superman in escorting the Reach flagship away from the United Nations building and into space. Upon leaving the Earth's atmosphere, the Green Lanterns accompanied the Reach fleet remnants towards Oa, where they would stand trial before the Guardians of the Universe.[32]
Billy and Barry Allen, both working undercover, were transporting Brick and an unnamed meta-human to a Star City Stateville Penitentiary. En route, an explosive javelin flipped the armored car onto its back, and the attacker was revealed to be Sportsmaster. Flash immediately attacked Sportsmaster while Shazam prevented the upside-down car from hitting the ground. Cornered, Sportsmaster held up a hockey puck, which emanated a sonic attack that incapacitated both of the heroes, enabling his escape.
Sportsmaster called out to Abra Kadabra, who broke into the armored car and liberated both prisoners and deactivated their power dampening collars. The heroes then revealed their reinforcements, Rocket and Aquaman.[34]
Captain Marvel was not originally a DC character, but instead created by Fawcett Comics. He was notable for many things, including the first to gain a whole family of associated characters (a concept that Otto Binder would later reuse for Superman when he moved from Fawcett to DC) and a mad scientist archnemesis (Doctor Sivana) who knew the hero's secret identity.
After Fawcett lost a court case to DC, which claimed he was too similar to Superman, the Marvel Family of characters ended up in copyright limbo. DC gained control of the characters in the 1970s.
Captain Marvel's comic series have been called "Shazam!" since the 1970s, because during his stay in limbo, Marvel Comics claimed the title "Captain Marvel".
Young Justice marks Captain Marvel's seventh animated appearance. Previous versions of Captain Marvel were shown in Filmation's Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!, Justice League Unlimited, Justice League: New Frontier, Superman/Batman: Public Enemies, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and Superman/Shazam!: Return of Black Adam.
