Warning: Spoilers for Shazam #16!An early ally of DC Comics hero Shazam, known as Captain Marvel Jr., was depicted in rock legend Elvis’ biopic as being an influence on the future star – and now the character has made a triumphant return, taking on a new persona for a new era, “the Commander”, reflecting Shazam’s evolution into “the Captain.”
Shazam #16 – written by Josie Campbell, with art by Dan McDaid – introduces the hero’s latest codename, settling decades of dispute over the character’s name by officially dubbing him the Commander, in a move that will hopefully inaugurate a new era Elvis’ underappreciated favorite.
Many people might not realize that Elvis Presley, who helped make rock ‘n’ roll a household staple in America between the 1950s and ’70s, was a comic book fan and collector – and he had a particular affinity for the hero known as “Captain Marvel Jr.” at the time.
Elvis Presley’s Favorite Hero “Captain Marvel Jr.” Officially Becomes THE COMMANDER
Shazam #16 – Written By Josie Campbell; Art By Dan McDaid, Roberto Poggi, & Trish Mulvihill; Cover Art By Gleb Melnikov
DC is in the midst of reinvigorating the Shazam character for the modern era of the DC Universe, first beginning during the Dawn of DC and now heading into the All-In era. Along with making the central hero and his Billy Batson secret identity into separate and conflicting personalities, another massive change has been renaming Shazam into the Captain. This was the culmination of a long, tumultuous legal battle at DC over the right to use his name, which spanned decades.
Shazam #6 reminds readers that by extension, the Captain’s legal problems regarding his original
Captain Marvel name also meant legal trouble for the character of Captain Marvel Jr. The namesake refers to the superhero alter ego of Billy’s friend, Freddy Freeman. After suffering a serious injury, he was taken to the wizard Shazam, who offered Freddy powers of his own, with the boy subsequently adopting the Captain Marvel Jr. name. Now, though, Freddy declares to a news reporter that he will now be going by the pseudonym of The Commander.
The Tricky Legal History Of The “Captain Marvel” Codename, Explained
Marvel vs. DC – In The Courtroom
The legal troubles surrounding the Captain Marvel name date back to the creation of the Shazam character in 1940 for Fawcett Comics. During this time, believe it or not, Captain Marvel’s popularity overtook Superman’s, making Shazam the biggest superhero comic book character of the era, at least for a brief span. Ironically, a lawsuit over the similarities between Captain Marvel and Superman led the rights to the Captain Marvel name, likeness, and character to be transferred over from Fawcett Comics to DC Comics.
[The] Freddy Freeman character has been reintroduced to DC Comics continuity…something Elvis Presley would be thrilled about.
Unfortunately for DC, they gained the rights to Captain Marvel at a time when Marvel Comics had already created a character named Captain Marvel under their banner. This created a whole new legal battle, surrounding which company should have the right to the “Captain Marvel” name. It’s a feud that both Marvel and DC poke fun at now, but it was a serious matter for both parties at the time. Ultimately, Marvel won in court, and as a result DC could no longer use the name Captain Marvel for their Captain Marvel character.
This led DC’s Captain Marvel to be renamed “Shazam,” after the phrase that protagonist Billy Batson uttered to become a superhero. In his current ongoing series, titled Shazam, the hero has taken to using the moniker “the Captain,” – a nod to his origins. This makes it fitting that the Freddy Freeman character has been reintroduced to DC Comics continuity and given a similar new name, the Commander, opening the door to a grand return to prominence for the character – something Elvis Presley would be thrilled about.
Elvis Presley’s Love For Captain Marvel Jr., Explained
An Insight Into His Collection
Elvis Presley was an avid comic book reader, with his comic book collection still preserved at his home in Graceland. Notable among his collection are issues from the Captain Marvel Jr. series. Even in Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie, the musician’s adoration for the character is expressed in a scene where as a young boy, Elvis is depicted casually reading an issue of Captain Marvel Jr., a character who not everyone knows how important it was to Elvis finding his identity. More than just being a fan, Captain Marvel Jr. was a major source of inspiration for Elvis.
To whatever extent Elvis was influenced by Captain Marvel Jr., his fandom is a potent example of how intertwined rock music and comics have been since the beginnings of both forms of entertainment.
Captain Marvel Jr’s influence on Elvis is evident from the moment readers lay eyes on Freddy’s alter ego, as both entertainers sport a similar appearance. Elvis would adopt a signature jumpsuit, elaborately designed with a red cape, not unlike Captain Marvel Jr. One can also note similarities between Elvis’ and Freddy’s slicked-back jet-black hair with a signature curl. Elvis never officially confirmed Captain Marvel Jr.’s influence on his aesthetic on record, but the similarities are strong enough that astute observers can identify the parallels.
The crossover between rock ‘n’ roll and comic books is a fascinating intersection of American pop culture history, and to whatever extent Elvis was influenced by Captain Marvel Jr., his fandom is a potent example of how intertwined rock music and comics have been since the beginnings of both forms of entertainment. DC bringing the character back and repackaging him under a new, legally-sound name shows that they recognize the character’s importance, and believe that he can find a renewed popularity among readers.
The Significance of Captain Marvel Jr’s New Role As “The Commander”
The Dawn Of A New Era
In the midst of previous legal battles, Captain Marvel Jr. followed suit with his counterpart and became Shazam Jr. The junior moniker was never the easiest way for Freddy’s superhero identity to carve out a path for himself. Of course, he’ll always be connected to the Captain as a member of the Shazam family, but there’s something about the original hero’s best friend taking his name and calling himself junior that reads as, at best, lazy, and at worst, demeaning to Freddy’s hero journey. The junior adage practically suggests that he’s somehow lesser than, compared to the original.
It’s also just a little strange for someone who is not Shazam’s son to call himself Shazam Jr. when that’s not his son and the same logic was accurate when he was still Captain Marvel Jr. As The Commander, though, it gives him an identity beyond just being related to Shazam, opening the door for a new era of storytelling for The Commander to proves himself as more than just a Shazam Family member. This could be the start of something fresh for The Captain’s friend, and a way to modernize Elvis’ favorite comic character.
Shazam #16 will be available October 2, 2024 from DC Comics.
Shazam
The Shazam! franchise is a superhero film series based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It follows the adventures of Billy Batson, a teenager who transforms into an adult superhero by uttering the magic word “Shazam.” The franchise blends elements of action, comedy, and family-friendly storytelling, focusing on Billy’s journey of responsibility and self-discovery alongside his foster family.