Shazam! #1
(February 1973)

DC, 1973 Series
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Volume
1
Price
0.20 USD
Pages
36
Indicia Frequency
monthly, (with the exception of Jan., March, July and Nov.)
On-sale Date
1972-12-14
Publisher's Age Guidelines
Approved by the Comics Code Authority
Indicia / Colophon Publisher
National Periodical Publications Inc.
Brand
DC [circle]
Editing
Julius Schwartz (credited) (editor); E. Nelson Bridwell (credited) (assistant editor)

Issue Notes

On-sale date from Comic Reader #91.
Keywords
first issue

The Original Captain Marvel (Table of Contents)

Captain Marvel / Shazam! / cover / 1 page (report information)

Script
?
Pencils
C. C. Beck (signed); Nick Cardy (Superman figure)
Inks
C. C. Beck (signed); Nick Cardy (Superman body); Murphy Anderson (Superman face)
Colors
?
Letters
C. C. Beck (signed)

Job Number
S-1397
First Line of Dialogue or Text
Billy Batson, say the magic word...
Genre
superhero
Characters
Superman [Clark Kent]; Captain Marvel [Billy Batson]
Synopsis
Superman introduces Captain Marvel to the Bronze Age audience.
Reprints
Keywords
character revival

Indexer Notes

Credits for pencils and inks confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics. Superman (drawn by Cardy, with Anderson face) reintroduces Captain Marvel/Billy Batson (drawn by original artist C.C. Beck). The Schwartz credits don't include Anderson's input, but Bob Bailey confirmed it with the artist and The Comic Reader #90 noted it at the time of original publication.

...In the Beginning ... (Table of Contents: 1)

Captain Marvel / Shazam! / comic story / 6 pages (report information)

Script
Denny O'Neil (credited)
Pencils
C. C. Beck (credited)
Inks
C. C. Beck (credited)
Colors
?
Letters
C. C. Beck

Job Number
S-1363
First Line of Dialogue or Text
After 20 years... The Triumphant return of the World's Mightiest Mortal... The original Captain Marvel
Feature Logo
Shazam! [tilting letters; lightning exclamation point]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Captain Marvel [Billy Batson]; Otto O. Binder; The Mysterious Stranger; The Seven Deadly Enemies of Man [Pride; Envy; Greed; Hatred; Selfishness; Laziness; Injustice]; Shazam
Synopsis
After missing for 20 years, Captain Marvel returns to Earth. Origin retold.
Reprints
Keywords
character revival; origin retold

Indexer Notes

Credits for script, pencils and inks confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics.

Part 1. Retells Captain Marvel's origin. Otto O. Binder, who appears briefly in the story, was a prolific writer and wrote the majority of Marvel Family stories published by Fawcett Publications.

The World's Wickedest Plan (Table of Contents: 2)

Captain Marvel / Shazam! / comic story / 10 pages (report information)

Script
Denny O'Neil (credited)
Pencils
C. C. Beck (credited)
Inks
C. C. Beck (credited)
Colors
?
Letters
C. C. Beck

Job Number
S-1371
First Line of Dialogue or Text
It's been only seconds since we left young Billy Batson, but in those few moments, he has heard the sound of gunshots!
Feature Logo
Shazam! [tilting letters; lightning exclamation point]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Marvel Family [Captain Marvel [Billy Batson]; Mary Marvel [Mary Batson] (flashback); Captain Marvel, Jr. [Freddy Freeman] (flashback)]; Sivana Family [Dr. Sivana; Georgia; Sivana, Jr.] (villain); Uncle Marvel [as Uncle Dudley] (cameo); Miss Joan Jameson (cameo); Sterling Morris (cameo); Cissie Sommerly (cameo); Pa Potter (cameo); Ma Potter (cameo); Professor Edgewise (cameo); Beautia Sivana (cameo); Mr. Tawky Tawny (cameo); Charlie (crook); Julie (crook); Mr. Mind (cameo in "next issue" blurb)
Synopsis
Captain Marvel escapes the trap that Dr. Sivana had created that caused the Marvel Family to be placed in suspended animation for the last 20 years.
Reprints
Keywords
escape; outer space setting; robbery; rocket ship; suspended animation

Indexer Notes

Credits for script, pencils and inks confirmed from Julius Schwartz's editorial records, provided by DC Comics.

Part 2.

Page two: Captain Marvel captures two crooks named "Charlie" and "Julie", for artist Charles Clarence (C.C.) Beck and editor Julius Schwartz.

Shazam & Son (Table of Contents: 3)

Captain Marvel / Shazam! / text article / 1 page (report information)

Script
E. Nelson Bridwell (credited)
Pencils
?
Inks
?
Colors
?
Letters
typeset

Job Number
S-1405
First Line of Dialogue or Text
"You are my son, Captain Marvel!" So old Shazam said once, in a story in Whiz Comics.
Genre
non-fiction; superhero
Reprints
Keywords
background information; editorial feature

Indexer Notes

The story of the World's Mightiest Mortal. Includes a key to the characters at the bottom of page 8 in this issue's second story.

The Endless String! (Table of Contents: 4)

Captain Marvel / Shazam! / comic story / 7.67 pages (report information)

Script
Otto Binder
Pencils
Pete Costanza
Inks
Pete Costanza
Colors
?
Letters
?

Job Number
S-1374
First Line of Dialogue or Text
Billy Batson sits at ease one day in the park, absorbing sunshine.
Feature Logo
Shazam! [tilting letters; lightning exclamation point]
Genre
superhero
Characters
Captain Marvel [Billy Batson]; old man (string collector); King of Zoozland; King's guards; Dr. Grenn
Synopsis
While collecting a ball of string, an old man finds a stray string that leads through a dimensional portal to the kingdom of Zoozland.
Reprints
Keywords
abounding oddities; dimensional portal; strange land; string

By Popular Demand! Big News from DC (Table of Contents: 5) (Expand) /

DC Comics; 100-Page Super Spectacular / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.33 page (report information)

Editing
Related Scans
Series Information
Table of Contents
  1. 0. The Original Captain Marvel
    Captain Marvel / Shazam!
  2. 1. ...In the Beginning ...
    Captain Marvel / Shazam!
  3. 2. The World's Wickedest Plan
    Captain Marvel / Shazam!
  4. 3. Shazam & Son
    Captain Marvel / Shazam!
  5. 4. The Endless String!
    Captain Marvel / Shazam!
  6. 5. By Popular Demand! Big News from DC
    DC Comics; 100-Page Super Spectacular
This issue was modified by, among others
  • Mark Boyer
  • CTGarry
  • Merlin Haas
  • Jan Roar Hansen
  • Matthew Head
  • Bob Hughes
  • Lou Mazzella
  • John Monagle
  • Mike Nielsen
  • Joe Torcivia
  • Jim Van Dore