Why Shazam is Awesome
By batmannflash 44 Comments
Tonight I'm writing about Billy Batson, known as Shazam or formerly Captain Marvel for part of my blog: Why ____ is Awesome.
1. Childlike Heart
Shazam is a kid, as you should probably know by now. He possesses the pure heart of a child, to love and care for all. He has the idealism and boy scout attitude to have hope and fight for justice. He's not power hungry or corrupted by this. Billy isn't selfish and does things just because "it's the right thing to do." I think that it's great that in Trinity War, Billy specifically flew to Kahndaq to bury his enemy, Black Adam's, ashes.
2. SHAZAM!
It's everyone's dream to simply say some magic word and become this powerful superhero. Billy feels real to me because he's not just some superhuman with immense powers, but he has a dimension of awe to him. I don't really know to explain this (I guess the picture on the right would be a better explanation), but I guess what I'm saying is that he has the joy that we would have if we had powers. It's harder to connect with heroes who look at their powers as something common or nothing spectacular. When I see Billy smile as he soars in the air, I know he's someone that I can connect with. Just think of Superman's flight scene in "Man of Steel." His reaction and joy from flying make him human and this is something that Billy always brings to the scene.
3. Black Adam/Supporting Cast
Black Adam is one of my favorite villains. I like Billy because of his clashes with Black Adam. They are similar in powers but they are so different from each other. It's fun to read about Shazam because you always know that Black Adam is always nearby, and you know that they're going to end up fighting. Among his Black Adam, Billy has the entire Shazam family. You can probably create story after story focusing solely on Shazam's family, along with his villains+Black Adam's family. A strong supporting cast makes for a strong character, which is yet another reason why I like him. Plus, he has a freaking tiger.
4. Kingdom Come (Spoilers)
Maybe the most memorable scene of Billy Batson in DC Comics, is his fight against Superman in "Kingdom Come," beautifully drawn by Alex Ross. Superman said it best when you stated that Billy was both superhuman and man, living in both worlds and should be the one making the decisions for both. After fighting hard against Superman, he ultimately overcomes the brainwashing of Lex Luthor, and sacrifices himself in the bomb. It's such a great moment because it shows the potential he has as a hero. He's both human and superhuman, with a caring personality. He should represent humanity.
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