# Superman vs Captain Marvel **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 13, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297 "2006-11-13T20:50:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/21 "2006-11-14T14:25:55Z")
[QUOTE=Terrifel] –I seem to recall that in the comics these days, the Marvel Family draws off some sort of shared power source, so that Captain Marvel is weakened somewhat if Mary Marvel or Cap Jr. are using their abilities. [/QUOTE] I don’t think this is correct. When Freddy originally became CM Jr Shazam said that CM would “share” his powers but there was never to my knowledge any reduction in Cap’s powers as a result. Mary calls on a different pantheon so technically she wouldn’t be using a shared power source regardless. Same goes for Hoppy the Marvel Bunny. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/22 "2006-11-14T14:47:12Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] I don’t think this is correct. When Freddy originally became CM Jr Shazam said that CM would “share” his powers but there was never to my knowledge any reduction in Cap’s powers as a result. [/QUOTE] During Jerry Ordway’s run in the 90s, there was indeed a reduction in Cap’s powers. I thought this was an interesting twist. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/23 "2006-11-14T15:43:36Z")
Of course, now Billy’s the Wizard (and no doubt has MORE than enough power to ace Clark), Freddy’s going to be the new agent of the Wizard (poor schmuck…he’s getting his power by saying Shazam! now, and Billy’s saying he’ll be CALLED Shazam…I don’t think Billy likes him too much, really. ‘Say your name! Wait, you can’t? HAHAHAAAA!’), and who knows what Mary’s status will be once she’s out of the coma she’s in. ---
**Author:** ![mazinger\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mazinger\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazinger_z)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/24 "2006-11-14T18:45:01Z")
[QUOTE=Tengu] Of course, now Billy’s the Wizard (and no doubt has MORE than enough power to ace Clark), Freddy’s going to be the new agent of the Wizard (poor schmuck…he’s getting his power by saying Shazam! now, and Billy’s saying he’ll be CALLED Shazam…I don’t think Billy likes him too much, really. ‘Say your name! Wait, you can’t? HAHAHAAAA!’), and who knows what Mary’s status will be once she’s out of the coma she’s in. [/QUOTE] Please spoil me. How did Mary get put into a coma? ---
**Author:** ![mazinger\_z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@mazinger\_z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazinger_z)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/25 "2006-11-14T18:49:15Z")
Since we’re sort of talking about Kingdom Come, why was Billy so feared? The other two Marvels existed Elvis and Mary (Elvis was grown up Captain Marvel, Jr.) Surely these other Captains Marvel could have been a match for Superman (or those two could have matched up against Billy). ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_Prize](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d2c977/32.png) [@Sir\_Prize](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_Prize)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/26 "2006-11-14T20:39:02Z")
[QUOTE=mazinger\_z] Please spoil me. How did Mary get put into a coma? [/QUOTE] DC’s universe has entered a new era of magic. During the transition Mary and Freddy lost their powers while fighting demons. In Mary’s case she was in mid-flight. Freddy is on quest to get his powers back. So far he’s got Solomon’s wisdom again. They seem to define wisdom as knowledge of magic, which isn’t out-of-line with how Solomon has been portrayed, especially in Islamic tales. However, this is the first time that Solomon has been portrayed as a god as far as I know. ---
**Author:** ![Menocchio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@Menocchio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Menocchio)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/27 "2006-11-14T21:02:44Z")
[QUOTE=Sir Prize] DC’s universe has entered a new era of magic. During the transition Mary and Freddy lost their powers while fighting demons. In Mary’s case she was in mid-flight. Freddy is on quest to get his powers back. So far he’s got Solomon’s wisdom again. They seem to define wisdom as knowledge of magic, which isn’t out-of-line with how Solomon has been portrayed, especially in Islamic tales. However, this is the first time that Solomon has been portrayed as a god as far as I know. [/QUOTE] It’s a reasonable enough conceit to explain why a Jewish king is in the same club as Zeus and Hercules. Oh, to give more detail on the Shazam Spasm, the Wizard Shazam was slain by the Spectre. Billy, now albino and calling himself “Marvel” has taken his place in the Rock of Eternity. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/28 "2006-11-14T21:59:52Z")
[QUOTE=Tengu] (poor schmuck…he’s getting his power by saying Shazam! now, and Billy’s saying he’ll be CALLED Shazam…I don’t think Billy likes him too much, really. ‘Say your name! Wait, you can’t? HAHAHAAAA!’). [/QUOTE] Well, you know, he’s probably used to it, since his name used to be “Captain Marvel Jr” and his power word was “Captain Marvel”. ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/29 "2006-11-14T22:16:35Z")
[QUOTE=JThunder] Batman joke? What Batman joke? Batman doesn’t joke. [/QUOTE] “Jingle bells, Batman smells Robin laid an egg The batmobile lost a wheel and the Joker ran away!” Thank You, one and all. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/30 "2006-11-14T22:29:48Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] Well, you know, he’s probably used to it, since his name used to be “Captain Marvel Jr” and his power word was “Captain Marvel”. [/QUOTE] That was kind of the point of my joke, actually. \<\_\< Billy gives him powers by saying ‘Captain Marvel’, then he ends up named Captain Marvel jr. Then Billy lets him have Shazam as his power word, and gives him the name Shazam. I can just imagine the thoughts going through Freddy’s head after he says ‘Shazam’ that first time. ‘Whoo! I have the same power word as Billy and Mary, now! I can say my own name!’ ‘Hello, Freddy. You will be the hero Shazam from now on.’ ‘WTF? Screw you, Billy Batson, screw you!’ ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/31 "2006-11-14T23:06:48Z")
[QUOTE=Tengu] That was kind of the point of my joke, actually. \<\_\< [/quote] Oh, sorry, didn’t realize it was supposed to be a joke. > [@Tengu](#): > > Billy gives him powers by saying ‘Captain Marvel’, then he ends up named Captain Marvel jr. > > Then Billy lets him have Shazam as his power word, and gives him the name Shazam. > > I can just imagine the thoughts going through Freddy’s head after he says ‘Shazam’ that first time. ‘Whoo! I have the same power word as Billy and Mary, now! I can say my own name!’ > > ‘Hello, Freddy. You will be the hero Shazam from now on.’ > > ‘WTF? Screw you, Billy Batson, screw you!’ And just imagine how awful it must be for Freddy when he’s getting boned by CM and the Big Red Cheese starts in with the “say my name!” stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/32 "2006-11-14T23:24:29Z")
[QUOTE=Love Rhombus] Unless you count him admitting that “Crimes and Misdemeanors” was his favorite Woody Allen flick. [/QUOTE] Woo hoo, another Starman reader! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2006, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/33 "2006-11-14T23:43:55Z")
[QUOTE=shizaru] The lightning changed him back to Billy Batson and Supes prevented him from saying “Shazam” again. [/QUOTE] I’m getting an ugly mental picture of Superman punching a little boy in the mouth. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/34 "2006-11-15T00:09:40Z")
[QUOTE=Ukulele Ike] I’m getting an ugly mental picture of Superman punching a little boy in the mouth. [/QUOTE] Grown-up Billy Batson. Fully adult in body, if brainwashed and kept mentally and emotionally about 8 years old by Luthor. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297/35 "2006-11-15T00:18:37Z")
[QUOTE=Jake] “Jingle bells, Batman smells Robin laid an egg The batmobile lost a wheel and the Joker ran away!” [/QUOTE] “Well that’s what I heard.” - Flash, JLU [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/superman-vs-captain-marvel/380297.md?page=1)