(Spoiler) is going to restore Captain Marvel's true name, calling it now.

[Montressor]

I've missed the last few issues of the book--still on my phone, waiting to be read, so I don't know how much, if any, of this has been dealt with in the books-- but I'm almost certain that at some point SBP will make a fourth-wall-breaking comment about the legalities surrounding Captain Marvel's name, and how he's forced to call himself something else. From little images and scans I've seen it appears as if Billy is at least aware that some version of him was called 'Captain Marvel', and I think SBP mentioning that is one of the things will finally push Billy into taking back that name. SBP is DEFINITELY going to refer to Billy by his true name when they meet.

[Godlike13]

They legally can’t I believe.

[DrNewGod]

They legally can’t I believe.

They legally can't title a comic by that name. I'm not so sure about an in-comic character. They certainly got away with it from the 1970s through the mid-1990s.

[Robotman]

They legally can't title a comic by that name. I'm not so sure about an in-comic character. They certainly got away with it from the 1970s through the mid-1990s.

Like you said, they can’t legally put the name on a comic (movie, tv show, etc.) title but the character can be called that in the book itself.

I hope they bring the name back. Or even call him Captain Thunder. Having him just be Shazam has hampered his supporting cast. They still don’t even have superhero names because it’s hard to tack something on to SHAZAM. Shazam Girl? Shazam Boy? Shazam Man? No thanks.

[SiegePerilous02]

Just give him his real name back.
I don't care if this obnoxious little turd has to be the one to do it. It's so stupid we can't even call Mary by "Mary Marvel" anymore.

[Güicho]

This has been brought up in the main SHAZAM appreciation thread; Sadly many don't know the history of the Thrill comics Captain Thunder ashcan copy.

But the movie does something weird and interesting that mostly solves the problem for me. It calls Billy's alter ego "Red Cyclone" at multiple points. ... Still, nobody ever calls him that, and the credits just call the adult versions of the other family members "Super Hero Freddy," "Super Hero Pedro" and so on, which is just clunky.

The movie had more than just Red Cyclone...
Of course Captain Sparkle Fingers! And More!
When Freddy uploads all SHAZAMS! deeds to Youtube, you see many of his alternate name suggestions:
*Captain Thunder! (actually his original Thrill Comics ashcan name (See image above), often invoked by DC, and one of the most popular alternatives)
Champion
Thundercrack!
Sir Zaps-Allot!
Mr. Philadelphia (both the new book and film take place in Philly)
Power Boy
Red Cyclone
Maximum Voltage
ZAP-tain America!
Human Powerstorm
Chosen One
So-called Perfect Man
And many more...



And that's not just the movie, the book has allot of fun with alternate names too. -
Captain Sparkles
The Lightning League
The Thunder Squad
The Sparkly Friends
The Super Sorcerers
The Philadelphia Wizards
The Magic Men
https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post4275443

And also made several similar suggestions going way back...; )

As far as the names made a few suggestions way back when - https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post3869352
https://community.cbr.com/showthread...=1#post3567255

If Freddy is King (besides the Kingdom Come Elvis nod) they could all go by Chess designations: King, Queen, Bishop Knight, Rook.

Although they are not using Marvel, there is no reason they can't still use Captain, and by extension expand on this with the others whimsically all taking Military rank designations, Billy obviously still be Captain, the others different ranks; Lieutenant, Major, General, Admiral, etc... I can see kids having fun with this.

Combine the Rank with their respective power attributes: Power, Courage, Wisdom, Strength, Stamina, Speed.

Another suggestion was just easily referencing their respective Deity Namesakes: Hercules, Zeus, Mercury, etc..

Or even further (to the horror of some here) fully embrace the Power-Rangers motif using their color designations: Red, Green, Blue, ... etc. Or again the rank or attribute combined wit their color .
All fun!

Also Johns so far is having great fun with it: and the kids debating what name to go by, pretty much their own discussions mirror several ones we had here.
Although I can't remember anyone suggesting Captain Sparkles! Or the Sparkly Friends ! LOL

They kind of already played with this the first few issues.
Billy: "I just want something I can say, how about Captain Marv--"
Even if teased again, and they'll always have fun with it, I doubt it'll be permanent.
They are way past using the name they can't market, sell merchandise under, and more importantly brand their Movie$$$ with.

[Mr.B]

Captain Whiz.

[DrNewGod]

Like you said, they can’t legally put the name on a comic (movie, tv show, etc.) title but the character can be called that in the book itself.

I hope they bring the name back. Or even call him Captain Thunder. Having him just be Shazam has hampered his supporting cast. They still don’t even have superhero names because it’s hard to tack something on to SHAZAM. Shazam Girl? Shazam Boy? Shazam Man? No thanks.

I'd love for them to go with a modern version of Roy Thomas' vision of an African American Captain Thunder. CC Beck's (very great) character belongs to a different time and place.

d6fae270d3712fbb2796cfd284314221-captain-marvel-shazam-jerry-oconnell.jpg

[Holt]

The ship has sailed.

[DragonPiece]

What's the point? Shazam is already a household name because of the film and captain marvel is obviously a household name for another character. It just seems redundant to go back to that besides to please old school fans.

[Digifiend]

Yeah. Just call them by colour like the Power Rangers. Simple.

[Eto]

What's the point? Shazam is already a household name because of the film and captain marvel is obviously a household name for another character. It just seems redundant to go back to that besides to please old school fans.

True. Sadly, the film franchise will decide his name's fate I think. Then again, not every movie-goer is a comic reader so what does the film have to do with the comic (yeah, I know there's synergy at times, but still).

[9th.]

Like you said, they can’t legally put the name on a comic (movie, tv show, etc.) title but the character can be called that in the book itself.

I hope they bring the name back. Or even call him Captain Thunder. Having him just be Shazam has hampered his supporting cast. They still don’t even have superhero names because it’s hard to tack something on to SHAZAM. Shazam Girl? Shazam Boy? Shazam Man? No thanks.

Wait so why didn't they just do that then? I don't get the point in renaming him if they can legally call him that in the book, I'm sure people wouldn't get confused with the Shazam title.

[9th.]

What's the point? Shazam is already a household name because of the film and captain marvel is obviously a household name for another character. It just seems redundant to go back to that besides to please old school fans.

This is also true, I thought Shazam was his name when I was growing up

[astro@work]

Like you said, they can’t legally put the name on a comic (movie, tv show, etc.) title but the character can be called that in the book itself.

I hope they bring the name back. Or even call him Captain Thunder. Having him just be Shazam has hampered his supporting cast. They still don’t even have superhero names because it’s hard to tack something on to SHAZAM. Shazam Girl? Shazam Boy? Shazam Man? No thanks.

Agree. I just wish they'd replace "Marvel" with "Thunder", put Shazam on the cover, and get on with it.
Mary Marvel = Mary Thunder, etc.

Shazam as the hero name only works if there's only ONE member of the Shazam fam. They've been playing coy with the name for almost ten years now, and it frankly doesn't work.