Shazam's Darkest Form Flipped the Idea of His Superhero Family
In DC's infamous Flashpoint reality, readers met a dark version of Shazam, one that flipped the script on the family aspect so integral to the character. This version of Shazam, referred to as “Captain Thunder,” skewered the traditional concept of the Shazam Family by merging its individual members into one — a la Captain Planet - as opposed to the individual members being granted powers by Shazam.
Family has been an important part of the Shazam mythos from its earliest days; indeed, Shazam was one of the first characters to have a “Family,” with characters such as his sister Mary Marvel and his best friend Freddy Freeman, who went by the name Captain Marvel Junior (and was a direct inspiration for Elvis Presley's stage persona.) Then there was Uncle Dudley, Tawky Tawny and the Lieutenant Marvels. Many of these characters also derived their powers from the wizard Shazam, a concept that has stayed true in every reboot of the concept, ranging from Jerry Ordway’s seminal Power of Shazam to Geoff Johns’ reinvention of the character during the New 52 era.Flashpoint (written by Geoff Johns, drawn by Andy Kubert, inked by Sandra Hope, colored by Alex Sinclair and lettered by Nick J. Napolitano) helped usher in the New 52, but before it did, it presented dark visions of some of DC’s most beloved heroes, including Shazam!
Related: The Future King of DC's Shazam Family Is a Hilarious Easter Egg
In Flashpoint #1, readers encounter a reality created when the Flash accidentally breaks the timeline. There, they meet Captain Thunder, the broken timeline's version of Shazam. The children comprising the family: Billy, Mary, Freddy, Darla, Eugene and Pedro, along with Tawny the Tiger, are each imbued with an aspect of Shazam’s power; that
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