Captain Marvel I

Captain Marvel (I)

Secret Identity: Clarence Charles (“C.C.”) Batson

Aliases: None

First DC2 Appearance: Adventures of Superman #2

Status: Hero

Base of Operations: Fawcett City

Occupation: Archaeologist

HT: 6’3’’

WT: 210 lbs

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Black

Powers and Abilities: The wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury

History: While on an archaeological dig in the desert nation of Khandaq in 1937, partners C.C. Batson and Theo Adam unearthed the tomb of the ancient, wicked king, Khem-Adam. Seduced by the whisperings of the Seven Deadly Enemies of Man, Theo Adam released the sacred scarab of the dead mummy, and became the infamous Black Adam. It was at that time that the ancient wizard Shazam appeared to C.C. and granted to him the power to match the evil Black Adam, simply by calling down the magic lightning.

Thus was born the first and greatest superhero, Captain Marvel! It was a dangerous time, and the Seven Deadly Enemies of Man were abroad in force. The Axis Powers rose up to engulf the world in fire and war, and villains of every stripe appeared to work their nefarious plans. And Captain Marvel was there to oppose them all: Captain Nazi, Thaddeus Bodog Sivana, King Kull the Beast Man and Mister Mind, the Venusian Conquering Worm!

Other heroes followed in Cap’s wake, and he joined with them in the Justice Society of America to battle the biggest menaces of the age, like Vandal Savage, the Dragon King and Solomon Grundy.

The year C.C. Batson became Captain Marvel, he also married the love of his life Marilyn, and a year later, the two had a son they named Billy. Billy grew up idolizing his father, a hero all the world adored as a paragon of virtue. For an idyllic span of years, the little family knew great happiness. Then came 1951. That year, the JSA was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee and given the ultimatum to unmask. Rather than expose themselves and their families to the risks involved, the chairman, Hawkman disbanded the team, and all but Captain Marvel went into retirement. But then came the worst blow of that awful year. In an effort to lure Captain Marvel into a trap, Dr Sivana kidnapped a newsboy he had noticed the hero was fond of--- Billy Batson! In the battle that ensued, Billy was struck by the weapon that Sivana meant for Cap, sending him hurtling through the time stream!

C.C. and Marilyn were inconsolable at the loss of their only child, and could only live in hope that one day Billy would reappear. C.C. carried on as Captain Marvel, because the world needed him, protecting Fawcett City from the likes of the Arson Fiend, IBAC and the atomic killer robot Mister Atom, and while he wielded the power of Shazam, time could not touch him. He aged much slower than his beloved Marilyn due to the time he spent as the immortal Captain Marvel, inspiring a new generation of heroes--- particular a young boy growing up on a Kansas farm, rocketed to Earth from the planet Krypton…

When Superman first appeared in the skies over Metropolis, it was his hero Captain Marvel who aided him on his first mission. That was a fateful day for C.C. Batson, for he had at last found the heir to his heroic legacy, a new protector of Earth, and he could retire to enjoy his last years with his beloved wife.

Marilyn was tragically taken from him soon after, and even more tragically, C.C. himself began to succumb to a wasting senility, and an ailment that confined him to his bed, with no one but his younger brother Dudley to care for him.

But then, in the early years of the 21st century, a boy stepped out of the time stream! Billy had returned, and was called by the ancient wizard Shazam to take up the legacy of his father! Seeing his son alive and wielding the power of Shazam has restored C.C. to much of his former self, and the two are dedicated to making up for lost time!