Spider-Man Joined DC's Shazam Family in a Heartwarming Tribute
In a touching tribute to Spider-Man, Alex Ross pulled from some of his earliest memories to create a new character for the Shazam Family. The series Kingdom Come featured a distant future where a new generation of heroes emerged to join classic DC heroes. Not only was the son of Freddy Freeman and Mary Marvel a reference to the family's humble beginnings, but a personal tribute by Ross to the beloved web-slinger.
Kingdom Come is a DC Elseworlds story by Mark Waid and Alex Ross that shows an older version of the DC Universe grappling with the newest era of heroes and the differences that set them apart. Among the rising generation are the offspring of several notable characters, such as Nightwing and Starfire's daughter, Nightstar. One particular hero showed what the future of the Shazam Family could look like, while also honoring a childhood hero of Ross'.
Related: The New Shazam Confirmed: Mary Marvel, Billy Batson's Sister
Occasionally seen in Kingdom Come is the Whiz, the future child of Freddy Freeman and Mary Marvel. While his costume bears the familiar lightning bolt sigil of Shazam, his design has a few elements borrowed from Spider-Man. Alex Ross is the first to admit it in the hardcover Kingdome Come: Revelations, in which the artist discusses the inspiration behind The Whiz. Ross writes:
«The Whiz — This truly is one of my earliest super-hero designs. Originally called „The Spider“ (obvious design origins), he appears almost identical to the way I drew him at age 8. „The Whiz“ is the child of Freddy and Mary with a suggested genetic link to the power of Shazam, and, of course, his name is a reference to Whiz Comics.»
There is quite a lot to unpack from Ross' admission. First, it's a novel idea for a Shazam
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