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

[Mr.B]

Dr.Marvel.

[Digifiend]

They wouldn't dare do that!

No, they wouldn't. Even if they settle on new names going forward, they're not going to change reprints to use the new names instead of Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel, and Captain Marvel Junior. I wouldn't even expect them to change the original 70s Shazam #1 cover, which refers to Billy as The Original Captain Marvel.

[DragonPiece]

And that's the reason people always thought he was called Shazam. His toys are called that, his TV show was called that, his comic has been called that since the 1970s. The horse has bolted, his name now has to be Shazam or something that includes that word.

The best compromise is just to call him Captain Shazam - CC did call Billy Captain in issue 10, I wonder if that'll stick and be used by the other kids? The team name (there's a running gag of different ones being used) should settle on Shazam Family. Use colours for the other kids and you have a way for everyone to call each other something without either using their real names or accidentally untransforming.

Y'know, I like the idea behind this name. That could work, especially to seperate him from the rest of his family.

[Ascended]

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.

From what I understand, DC thought it was dividing the brand's recognition. "Shazam" on the cover, "Captain Marvel" in the pages, and a Captain Marvel over at that other company on top of everything else. That's why they changed it, and in my opinion they should've done that decades ago when they bought the Fawcett catalog.

And I wouldn't doubt that DC was right; there are fans here who thought Billy's hero name was Shazam, long before it was actually changed in the books. So if uber nerds like us were confused, then its far worse for the general audience.

As I understand it, someone else owns the rights to Captain Thunder too. Flashpoint had me thinking they were going to change Billy's name to that, but I'm guessing they discovered the copyright was already held and ended up going with Shazam just for a lack of better options.

It doesn't do DC any favors to have a hero who's name can't be put in the merchandise. It sucks that Billy can't be Captain Marvel, but this deal was signed back in the 60's when Marvel got their hands on the name and all the decades sine that DC tried to have it both ways hasn't done anyone any favors.

It will be fun if Prime pokes some fun at the situation though.

[The Darknight Detective]

And that's the reason people always thought he was called Shazam. His toys are called that, his TV show was called that, his comic has been called that since the 1970s. The horse has bolted, his name now has to be Shazam or something that includes that word.

Actually, as someone who watched the show back in the '70s, I don't recall anybody calling him Shazam. He was always referred to as Captain Marvel on the show. Having said that, I agree it's not coming back.

[Digifiend]

I didn't say he was called Shazam on the show, I said the show was called Shazam.

[The Darknight Detective]

I didn't say he was called Shazam on the show, I said the show was called Shazam.

Right, but I was referring to this: And that's the reason people always thought he was called Shazam. My point was that they didn't, at least then.

[DrNewGod]

I will never refer to Shazam! as "Captain Marvel". I even hope that when DC finally reprints the Golden Age Shazam stories they errata all mentions of his old name to his new one.

Out of curiosity, what is it that inspires this militant stance?

[Artemisfanboy]

I'd use Captain instead the colour for Billy, which leaves Red for Mary. And Eugene would be Silver.

Mary should change her costume color back to white.

[Pinsir]

Out of curiosity, what is it that inspires this militant stance?

I really only started reading comics in 2011 when the name change occurred. So the name change was really no biggy for me. As for my militarism, well, though I do love being needlessly partisan, I don't see my behaviour on this subject itself as that different than most of the people saying, "Not my Captain Marvel!"

I should also clarify that my comments concerning older books being errata-ed to reflect the new name was, probably, a joke.

[Vampire Savior]

It would seem counter intuitive to change his name back after the movie established him as Shazam.

[Scott Taylor]

Captain Fawcett!

[Holt]

Sounds like he has to take a leak.

[Mr.B]

Captain Shazam.

[Sandy Hausler]

From what I understand, DC thought it was dividing the brand's recognition. "Shazam" on the cover, "Captain Marvel" in the pages, and a Captain Marvel over at that other company on top of everything else. That's why they changed it, and in my opinion they should've done that decades ago when they bought the Fawcett catalog.

And I wouldn't doubt that DC was right; there are fans here who thought Billy's hero name was Shazam, long before it was actually changed in the books. So if uber nerds like us were confused, then its far worse for the general audience.

As I understand it, someone else owns the rights to Captain Thunder too. Flashpoint had me thinking they were going to change Billy's name to that, but I'm guessing they discovered the copyright was already held and ended up going with Shazam just for a lack of better options.

It doesn't do DC any favors to have a hero who's name can't be put in the merchandise. It sucks that Billy can't be Captain Marvel, but this deal was signed back in the 60's when Marvel got their hands on the name and all the decades sine that DC tried to have it both ways hasn't done anyone any favors.

It will be fun if Prime pokes some fun at the situation though.

1. I don't think DC was worried about "dividing the brand's requisition." They had been using Shazam for the name of the book and calling the character Captain Marvel since the 1970s. I think the problem was that Marvel was putting out a Captain Marvel movie, which would make it difficult, if not impossible, for them to put out a movie based on DC's Captain Marvel.

2. Captain Thunder was a trademark that belonged to someone other than DC, HOWEVER, a quick check at the PTO website shows that the trademark has been abandoned, and DC could use it as a replacement name for Captain Marvel.