It is born of magic and doesn't necessarily look like it is from a particular time.Īre you also getting a chance to redesign supporting cast and extended Shazam family members like Tawky Tawny or Mary? Whereas the JLA makeovers have consistent and common elements, the Shazam! costume comes from nowhere. We're not ditching the muscles and doing Gandalf in a red leotard.

Well, this goes back to the first question, really. The two collaborated on 'Action Comics' and 'Superman: Secret Origin' in the mid-2000s, and later this year DC is releasing the duo's graphic novel, 'Batman: Earth One.' On the creative side of the backup, 'The Curse of Shazam' is not the first time Frank and Johns have come together for a project.

However, the legal wrangles over the character had been going on just as long DC originally sued Fawcett in the 1940s for copyright infringement over the character's similarity to Superman, and the possibility of legal disputes with Marvel Comics over the name led DC to publish further Captain Marvel adventures under the title 'Shazam!' leading many unfamiliar with the character to believe that was his name - and pointed to as one of the reasons for the name change by Johns in a recent New York Post article. Licensed to DC by Fawcett in the 1970s, Captain Marvel was purchased by DC in 1991. Chosen by the wizard Shazam as the champion of good, when shouting the words 'Shazam!' - an acronym for the mighty heroes and gods of the past - Billy transforms into the adult superhero Captain Marvel. Originally published by Fawcett Comics, Captain Marvel was the magical alias of teenager Billy Batson.

Shazam geoff johns gary frank