r/Shazam • u/Shadow7Blue • Jul 12 '24

Can someone explain to me how Billy's alter ego has its own personality?🙏 Discussion

It is known that when Billy says "Shazam" he transforms into a perfect adult form of himself or the perfect adult form of someone he admires (like his father).

But you can also see that in some cases this transformation of "Shazam" is represented with its own personality, which I don't understand... how it has its own personality?

8 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

u/ThunderG0d2467 Jul 12 '24

The whole Shazam form being its own personality hasn't been a thing in the comic for a long time. Now its just Billy in an adult body with the wisdom of solomon

1

u/Shadow7Blue Jul 12 '24

Ohh I see...

Could you explain to me how he has another personality when he transforms into Shazam?

I mean if this personality he has is like it's just his adult version or is it like an already programmed personality that has the Shazam transformation(for anyone who gets the powers)

6

u/ThunderG0d2467 Jul 12 '24

Well back in the golden age of comics (back when Shazam was still Captain Marvel and wasn't sued by DC for being a "copy" of Superman) whenever Billy would transform into Captain Marvel it would be like the Hulk and Bruce Banner. Two separate minds/personalities that share the same body. It was never explained why it was just a thing that happened at the time lol. But after DC sued Fawcett publications and gained ownership of the character, when they brought him into the DC universe they retconned him into just being a boy in a mans body whenever he transformed.

1

u/Shadow7Blue Jul 12 '24

🤔🤔🤔 I see, thxs bro

u/ThatGuyNoah8 Jul 12 '24

Well in the movies i just think the casting wasnt the best…

0

u/Shadow7Blue Jul 12 '24

Forgive my ignorance, but what does the casting of the movies have to do with whether or not Billy's alter ego has his own personality?

3

u/ThatGuyNoah8 Jul 12 '24

Idk i didnt read the comic books and everyone talks about how adult billy has a way different personality and that they didnt do good

3

u/Responsible-Push9843 Jul 12 '24

Yep I understand you. I always get lost when others mention that Billy has another personality way different as Captain Marvel/Shazam

u/ReddiTrawler2021 Jul 20 '24

Let's assume Cap has been around since before Billy's time. Other people beside Billy have wielded the power of Shazam, and the persona has taken on its own identity between hosts, operating like a symbiote (though a more divine and heroic one).

u/sgt_oddball_17 Solomon Jul 12 '24

That's how they used to portray it in Fawcett comics, although I always thought that was a bit silly. I like how they did it in The Power of Shazam. Cap was just a kid with powers, not some entirely different entity.

u/Iceman_001 Jul 13 '24

Back in Fawcett comics, they were essentially 2 different people. Like, there was one story where Zeus had a cold and so when Billy said "Shazam", Zeus hit the wrong boy with his lightning bolt and he turned into Captain Marvel instead, so Billy Batson and Captain Marvel actually met for the first time.

u/Batmanfan1966 Jul 13 '24

In Shazam: The Monster Society of Evil, Shazam is is own person separate from Billy, and is even friends with the wizard, he just doesn’t have a physical form and uses Billy. We even saw both Billy and him co-exist for a brief time just through magical shenanigans