When should SHAZAM! enter the picture in DC continuity?

[Buried Alien]

One question that seldom gets discussed, but presents an interesting dilemma, is when the SHAZAM! franchise should make its first entry in DC continuity.

Pre-COIE, it was relatively easy: the Golden Age Fawcett Comics SHAZAM! adventures took place on Earth-S during the 1940s, as originally published, but had no contact with the rest of the DC Multiverse until the 1970s, when Captain Marvel and his cohorts first began crossing over with the DC heroes of Earth-One and Earth-Two, etc.

Post-COIE, it appears as if the SHAZAM! franchise was entirely absent/nonexistent until shortly before LEGENDS: in other words, Captain Marvel, et. al., would not have participated in the First Crisis or any adventures that took place before that point in the Post-COIE timeline. Like the Wonder Woman of that continuity, Captain Marvel was a newcomer during the timeframe of LEGENDS and had never encountered Barry Allen's Flash (who had died before Billy Batson gained the Power of Shazam) or Dick Grayson's Robin (who was already Nightwing).

With the New 52 and REBIRTH, the waters have become muddied. What is the status of SHAZAM! in current continuity? When did Shazam's career begin relative to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash (Barry), etc.? Did he begin when they did (highly improbable, because Billy and his friends remain children/adolescents) or just recently (more likely, but this pretty much keeps Shazam awkwardly stuck in a perpetual status quo of being a newbie hero)?

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Cmbmool]

If I were DC I would put Shazam right around the time Robin started the New Teen Titans and Have Billy be a bit young like 10-12 range as I’m NOT a fan of teenage Billy of the new 52 or as I call him Punk Billy.

Also have Shazam be his ideal adult self and not a kid in an adult body.

[DebkoX]

If I were DC I would put Shazam right around the time Robin started the New Teen Titans and Have Billy be a bit young like 10-12 range as I’m NOT a fan of teenage Billy of the new 52 or as I call him Punk Billy.

Also have Shazam be his ideal adult self and not a kid in an adult body.

New 52 Shazam felt odd.

[Adekis]

New 52 Shazam felt odd.

I'm always kind of a classicist regarding Captain Marvel. I always kind of think that Captain Marvel should be a liiittle bit of a different person from Billy, so to me most versions of the character since the Crisis feel odd on some level. It's a preference I've just come to accept will probably never be in the mainstream view of the character again though. It's just life.

[Buried Alien]

I'm always kind of a classicist regarding Captain Marvel. I always kind of think that Captain Marvel should be a liiittle bit of a different person from Billy, so to me most versions of the character since the Crisis feel odd on some level. It's a preference I've just come to accept will probably never be in the mainstream view of the character again though. It's just life.

I've always liked the separate personas for Billy and Marvel too. I also favor the costume without the button over the shoulder.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Güicho]

... in DC continuity.

There is DC continuity?

[Buried Alien]

There is DC continuity?

I think they're still trying...though they seem to get worse and worse at it by the month.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Lee]

He has to be one of the newer heroes by necessity, because Billy Batson is a kid.

As far as I can tell, Rebirth Shazam! is just picking up where the New 52 version left off.

[Flash Gordon]

Shazam! should have it's own continuity.

[Buried Alien]

Shazam! should have it's own continuity.

Bring back Earth-S!

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Adekis]

Shazam! should have it's own continuity.

Total agreement. Thunderworld is where Captain Marvel and his Family belong, and whenever Billy's had to share a universe with Kal, he's had to play seventh-to-twelfth fiddle to him. I love Superman, and I'm emphatically not saying that Captain Marvel should outrank Superman in terms of importance in the main DCU. No, I'm saying that he should have his very own universe where he's top dog.

Also, Freddy Freeman should get more attention, in all his Nazi-killing glory. I love how much that boy hates Nazis, let me tell you.

[dswynne]

He has to be one of the newer heroes by necessity, because Billy Batson is a kid.

As far as I can tell, Rebirth Shazam! is just picking up where the New 52 version left off.

Actually, the YOUNG JUSTICE animated series has done a good job in dealing with SHAZAM!/Captain Marvel. For one, Captain Marvel is still called "Captain Marvel", two, Billy started his career three years after Dick Grayson became "Robin" (and became a Justice League member with Batman's approval, who knew of Billy's secret identity), and three, Billy has aged in real time (in the latest season of the show, Billy is 17 years old and bit more seasoned). So, in terms of a timeline, I would use the Young Justice continuity.

[Lee]

Actually, the YOUNG JUSTICE animated series has done a good job in dealing with SHAZAM!/Captain Marvel. For one, Captain Marvel is still called "Captain Marvel", two, Billy started his career three years after Dick Grayson became "Robin" (and became a Justice League member with Batman's approval, who knew of Billy's secret identity), and three, Billy has aged in real time (in the latest season of the show, Billy is 17 years old and bit more seasoned). So, in terms of a timeline, I would use the Young Justice continuity.

Actually, he has to be one of the newer heroes by necessity, because Billy Batson is a kid.

As far as I can tell, Rebirth Shazam! is just picking up where the New 52 version left off.

[Digifiend]

He has to be one of the newer heroes by necessity, because Billy Batson is a kid.

As far as I can tell, Rebirth Shazam! is just picking up where the New 52 version left off.

Yeah, they explicitly said one year had passed since Billy got his powers. In the post-Superman Reborn merged continuity, Shazam remained entirely the newer version. Nothing pre-Flashpoint is canon any more for any members of the former Marvel Family. I think there's three reasons for this. One, is that the movie was already in development and was based on the New 52 comic. Two, is that the current comic was also planned long before it started being published. But the third reason is the biggest. If Billy was around for events published in the 90s, then he, Freddy, and Mary would already be adults by now.