9000 years ago

When Shazam was a young boy, some 9000 years ago, he was chosen by six long-since forgotten Gods to become their Champion!

The six Gods were:

• Voldar

• Lumiun

• Arel

• Ribalvei

• Elbiam

• Marzosh

These gods developed a magic code word formed from the first initial of their respective names.

At one point, Vlarem is seduced by a Demoness disguised as a beautiful woman, and the two of them conceive two half-demon offspring, Blaze and Satanus, much to the displeasure of the gods. Vlarem later creates the Rock of Eternity fro two large rock formations-- one from Heaven and one from Hell-- to hold the "Three Faces Of Evil", a dragon-like Demon, captive.

6000 Years Ago

Shazam spent the next 3000 years battling evil but he grew weary and needed to choose a successor. Because the gods tat he had relied on for his power had been long forgotten, Shazam petitioned and choose gods, who would grant their powers to Shazam's successor. Shazam choose a worthy man named Teth-Adam. Adam merely had to speak Shazam's name and he was granted the power of six Egyptian gods. But Adam's power soon corrupted him, and he became less benevolent. Shazam renamed him, Black Adam but unable to strip him of his powers, Shazam banished Adam to the farthest star for his crimes.

Captain Marvel

Shazam once again waited to find a new successor.Unwilling to make the same mistake twice, Shazam decided to bestow his powers on a boy, much like what had happened to him. Ages past until Shazam discovered a boy worth enough to be granted those mighty powers! Shazam choose young Billy Batson to receive the powers of the six mightiest gods and mortals. When Billy Batson says the name "Shazam", he is transformed into an adult version of himself-- The worlds mightiest mortal... Captain Marvel!

Although Shazam is killed-- as prophesied-- by a giant granite block falling upon him, Billy/Marvel can summon the ghost of Shazam for guidance by a lightning a special wall scone in Shazam's lair, the Rock of Eternity, more superheroes soon joined Marvel in carrying on the legacy of Shazam, including the Marvel Family members Mary Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr. and the Lieutenant Marvels.

Billy had many adventures as Captain Marvel but was eventually trapped by the evil Dr. Sivana in a sphere of Suspendium. This Suspendium trapped Captain Marvel his friends, and the evil Sivanas in suspended animation for twenty years!

Shazam waited patiently for the Suspendium to wear off, so that Captain Marvel could regain his title as the champion of the world. It was revealed at this time that Shazam and the Marvels lived in a parallel universe to Superman, Batman and the other Earth-One heroes. Captain Marvel's original earth was referred to as Earth-S.

Post-Crisis

A cataclysmic multi-universal crisis occurred which merged the earths of Superman with Captain Marvel's and other heroes. It was during this time that Shazam and the Marvel's history was in flux. For a short time, while the newly formed universe was trying to realign itself, Billy Batson had a different set of parents, Shazam himself has a bit less caring "Uncle" and Dudley became Billy's real uncle!

This flux soon corrected itself and Shazam and his origin became similar to his pre-crisis one. Shazam took up residence on the Rock of Eternity (a temporal spot in space/time) where he records the adventures of the Marvel family.

Shazam has regained corporal form and for a brief time lived with Billy Batson so he could regain understanding of humanity. Sometime later Shazam joined Godhood and joined Zeus, Ganthet, Highfather and the Phantom Stranger, to form the Quintessence-- a group of all powerful beings who kept tabs on the order of the universe.

It seems that Shazam has gone back to the Rock of Eternity and still watches over his charges.

Day of Vengance

Shazam called upon the Spectre to free Superman from being controlled by the demon Eclipso. This action broke a covenant between Eclipso and the Spectre, and set Eclipso permanently at odds against the wizard. Possessing the body of the Atom's ex-wife Jean Loring, Eclipso corrupted the confused Spectre into joining forces with her, and began a war against all magic-powered beings in the DC Universe.

Because of his previous action, Shazam was one of the duo's primary targets. In the Day of Vengeance miniseries, Shazam enlisted Captain Marvel to keep the Spectre at bay, while the wizard gathered all of his power to battle him. With the assistance of the newly-formed Shadowpact, a band of magic-based heroes, Marvel fought the Spectre nearly to a standstill, but the Spectre escaped and made his way to the Rock of Eternity to confront Shazam directly. The Spectre overpowered the wizard, absorbed his magicks, and killed him; and the Rock of Eternity disintegrated above Gotham City into "a billion pieces" and exploded, freeing the Seven Deadly Sins and sending a de-powered Billy Batson falling into the city.

Billy found he was still able to transform into the Captain before he struck the ground by saying the wizard's name as usual.

Captain Marvel has been revealed to be currently headquartered at the Rock of Eternity, acting in Shazam's stead.

Powers

• V

  • For the strength of Voldar

  • The Champion has incredible amounts of super strength, and is able to bend steel easily, punch through walls and lift enormous objects.

• L

  • For the wisdom of Lumian

  • As the Champion, Shazam has instant access to a vast pool of scholarly knowledge.

• A

  • For the speed of Arel

  • With Arel's speed, the Champion can achieve flight and movement at great speeds.

• R

  • For the power of Ribalvei

  • Ribalvei's power, other than fueling the magic thunderbolt that transformed the Champion, also enhances the rest of the Champion's physical and mental abilities, provides physical invulnerability and gives him magic resistance against most magic spells and attacks as well as allowing for inter-dimensional travel.

• E

  • For the courage of Elbiam

  • Like wisdom, this aspect is primarily psychological and allows the Champion to draw upon superhuman amounts of inner strength.

• M

  • For the stamina of Marzosh

  • Using Marzosh's endurance, the Champion can withstand and survive most all types of extreme physical assaults. Additionally, he does not need to eat, sleep, or breathe and can survive unaided in outer-space when in he is the Champion.

In addition to these powers Shazam is has nigh-omnipotent mastery of magic and mysticism, is omnipresent and omniscient and has telepathy.

The Trials of Shazam!

Marvel

Currently Captain Marvel, now under the name Marvel, has taken up the mantle of the wizard Shazam. Captain Marvel is now clad in a white costume and sports long white hair. At present a powerless Freddy Freeman is attempting to prove himself worthy of Shazam's power