Watch This Before You See Shazam!

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Who is Shazam? What makes him unique? And in an era with so many superhero movies, why did it take so long to bring him to the big screen? Let's take a look at The World's Mightiest Mortal with all the stuff you need to know before you see Shazam!
A secret identity is at the core of nearly every superhero. Some, like Spider-Man, keep it secret to protect their loved ones. For Shazam, it's more because when he's not being a superhero, he's literally a child. Comics can be weird.
Unbeknownst to the DC Universe at large, Shazam is actually Billy Batson, played in the movie by Asher Angel. After a fateful brush with mystical forces, Billy gains the ability to transform into Shazam, "The World's Mightiest Mortal."
Decades before Stan Lee rocked the comic book landscape with the idea that kids could relate to teenage heroes like Peter Parker, Billy Batson was the first mainstream kid protagonist on the comic book scene. That might have been part of the reason that his stories sold better than any other character's in the 1940s, including Superman, at one point moving over 2 million copies per month. And it makes sense. What kid wouldn't want to transform into an unstoppable magical superhero?
With a single magic word, Billy Batson becomes Shazam, a lightning-powered hero played in the movie by Zachary Levi. Exactly what that means, however, usually depends on who's writing the comic. While he always turns into a pile of altruistic super muscle with an A+ jawline, Shazam himself has been a number of different things. Sometimes, like in the movie, he retains Billy's childlike mind in a superpowered adult body. In other iterations, he's a completely separate entity who magically changes places with the kid. Either way, he's got a pretty impressive set of super-powers.
The magic word "SHAZAM" is actually an acrostic listing the names of the legendary figures from whom he draws his considerable powers. He has the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the courage of Achilles, the vaguely defined power of Zeus, the stamina of Atlas, and the fantastic speed of Mercury, which is usually used to explain how he can fly.
Luke had an Obi-Wan, Harry had a Dumbledore, and Shazam has… Shazam. Yes, Shazam's mentor is also called Shazam, and yeah, it's always awkward working with someone who has the same name as you. Wizardly superhero exploits are sort of a specialized field; you have to play the cards you're dealt. Make sure you watch this before you see Shazam so you know the full story!
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Billy Batson | 0:13
Shazam | 1:03
The other Shazam | 1:52
The Rock of Eternity | 3:02
The Seven Deadly Sins | 3:57
Freddy Freeman | 4:47
Doctor Sivana | 5:46
Black Adam | 6:38
Billy's foster family | 7:26
The original Marvel family | 8:20
Captain Marvel | 9:20