Shouldn't Billy Batson be in his early twenties/ late teens by now?

[Timothy Hunter]

Captain Marvel/Shazam integrated into the DC Universe in 1987 in a miniseries by Roy Thomas. I have not had the luxury to read this miniseries, but I assume that Billy Batson was around 10 to 13 when that occured. Flash forward to the "A Lonely Place of Dying" storyline in the Batman and New Teen Titans books and you see the first appearance of Tim Drake who was also in a similar age range.

Roughly thirty years later and a lot has changed for the character of Tim Drake. Pre Flashpoint during Fabien Nicieza's Red Robin run Drake was college age. If Tim Drake and Billy Batson are similar ages then shouldn't Pre-Flashpoint Billy Batson also be college age? This kinda defeats the purpose of the character.

Obviously in New Fifty Two-Rebirth continuity, Tim Drake got slightly de-aged, but Billy Batson being in his late teens still is incredibly awkward considering the entire appeal of the Captain Marvel-Billy Batson dynamic is the contrast between the childishness of Batson and the adult characteristics of the Captain persona.

What's the explanation for this? What's the solution to this? How can you explain Captain Marvel being around when Wally West started his tenure as the Flash when he's basically been portrayed as a little kid all his history?

[Fromper]

It's been 20+ years since I read it, but I think this was actually explained in The Power of Shazam series from the 90s. Apparently, there's something magical about Fawcett City that makes time move more slowly there, which is why Billy Batson didn't grow up as fast. Of course, having AN ENTIRE CITY where kids take decades to grow up seems a little weird. I don't remember exactly what the details were - maybe it just affected him, Mary, and Freddie more than most kids because of their magical ties to Shazam. But it was also used to explain why the city seemed very old fashioned compared to the rest of the country.

[manwhohaseverything]

Shouldn't most people come to terms with fact that age is just a number for these characters by now? Seriously, who cares!!!

[Aahz]

Pre Flashpoint as Red Robin Tim was only 17.

When Billy dated Stargirl in JSA (iirc before One Year Later) both were 16, like Tim was at that time. So at least untill that point he was Tims age.

[Restingvoice]

Aren't both Billy and Tim around 16 at present? New 52 Billy started at 15 and Tim got a scholarship to college because he's a genius but he still counts as high schooler.

As for Post Crisis, when Batman found Billy after their battle in Superman/Batman Public Enemies, he said he's around Robin's age, which at that time was Tim, so they're still the around same age, at least at that point.

Pre Flashpoint as Red Robin Tim was only 17.

When Billy dated Stargirl in JSA (iirc before One Year Later) both were 16, like Tim was at that time. So at least until that point he was Tims age.

Okay yeah, so they only have one year difference at most.

[kingaliencracker]

Shazam: A New Beginning was more or less retconned out of continuity with Ordway's Power of Shazam GN.

[Jon Clark]

It's been 20+ years since I read it, but I think this was actually explained in The Power of Shazam series from the 90s. Apparently, there's something magical about Fawcett City that makes time move more slowly there, which is why Billy Batson didn't grow up as fast. Of course, having AN ENTIRE CITY where kids take decades to grow up seems a little weird. I don't remember exactly what the details were - maybe it just affected him, Mary, and Freddie more than most kids because of their magical ties to Shazam. But it was also used to explain why the city seemed very old fashioned compared to the rest of the country.

Actually it was only used to explain why Fawcett seemed a little out of time. The Wizard had put some kind of spell in effect to keep the city closer to a 1940's feel. The series didn't last long enough for anyone to wonder why Billy didn't age- in comic time maybe a year went by from the Graphic Novel til the last issue. After that Marvels were infrequent guest stars rather than characters appearing monthly- so Billy's age wasn't an issue. If he appeared this month after a 3 year real time absence you didn't know how much comic time passed and when he appeared again next year the same thing.

[Jekyll]

No, because it's comics.

[DrNewGod]

Applying real world logic to any part of The SHAZAM-verse is like walking a cat on a leash.

[KangMiRae]

Shouldn't most people come to terms with fact that age is just a number for these characters by now? Seriously, who cares!!!

No, because it's comics.

The true answers are here!

[dswynne]

Captain Marvel/Shazam integrated into the DC Universe in 1987 in a miniseries by Roy Thomas. I have not had the luxury to read this miniseries, but I assume that Billy Batson was around 10 to 13 when that occured. Flash forward to the "A Lonely Place of Dying" storyline in the Batman and New Teen Titans books and you see the first appearance of Tim Drake who was also in a similar age range.

Roughly thirty years later and a lot has changed for the character of Tim Drake. Pre Flashpoint during Fabien Nicieza's Red Robin run Drake was college age. If Tim Drake and Billy Batson are similar ages then shouldn't Pre-Flashpoint Billy Batson also be college age? This kinda defeats the purpose of the character.

Obviously in New Fifty Two-Rebirth continuity, Tim Drake got slightly de-aged, but Billy Batson being in his late teens still is incredibly awkward considering the entire appeal of the Captain Marvel-Billy Batson dynamic is the contrast between the childishness of Batson and the adult characteristics of the Captain persona.

What's the explanation for this? What's the solution to this? How can you explain Captain Marvel being around when Wally West started his tenure as the Flash when he's basically been portrayed as a little kid all his history?

Billy Batson was depicted as being in his early twenties during the "Future's End" series (2014-15), and was depicted as being 19 years old as recent as Young Justice: Outsiders (Season 3). However, with the reboot of the DCU (52, Nu-52, Rebirth, etc), Billy is back at being 16 years old now, as seen in the recent SHAZAM! series. And as some have already commented, the concept of SHAZAM! works better as a "kid power-fantasy", where a boy (teenager or otherwise) can say a magic word and become a "Superman". Personally, such a series featuring such a character would work only as a kid power fantasy, and would end with Billy grown up, and ready to become the new guardian/wizard of the Rock of Eternity while appointing someone else as his "champion" (which happened in "Trials of SHAZAM!", when Billy became the new guardian/wizard, while Freddy Freeman became his champion).

However, the more hardcore fans wouldn't like such a progression, so Billy must remain a child, and must remain champion of the guardian/wizard of the Rock of Eternity. Go figure.