| “ | I'm quite capable of taking care of myself. Without, I might add, resorting to hair pulling! | „ |
| ~ New-Earth's Mary Marvel. |
| “ | SHAZAM! | „ |
| ~ Mary saying the magic word to transform. |
Lady Shazam, also known as Mary Marvel, is a fictional character, a comic book superheroine, originally published by Fawcett Comics and now owned by DC Comics. Created by Otto Binder and Marc Swayze, she first appeared in Captain Marvel Adventures #18 (cover-dated Dec. 1942). The character is a member of the Shazam/Marvel Family of heroes associated with Shazam/Captain Marvel.
She is the alter ego of teenager Mary Batson (adopted name Mary Bromfield), older twin sister of Captain Marvel's alter-ego, Billy Batson. The Wizard Shazam granted Mary the speed of Selene, the strength of Hera, the fighting skills of Artemis, the plant control of Zisa, the intelligence of Athena and the fire of Mahuea. All she has to do is to speak the wizard's name to be transformed into the superpowered Mary Marvel. After the events of Flashpoint, Mary is no longer biologically related to Billy Batson.
Biography[]
Early Life (Earth-S)[]
Before the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Mary was the daughter Merrill and Jocelyn Batson, and was the twin-sister to Billy. The two were nursed by Sarah Primm, and the two would later be orphans after their father's death, with Mary being sent to another family. A decade later, Sarah was dying, and revealed to Billy that he had a twin-sister, and had the other piece of the locket he had.
Billy realized that Mary was one of the contestants he was reporting for the quiz bowl, and he and his friend, Freddy Freeman, decided to follow Mary in her limousine while they were in their super-powered forms. Before making it home, Mary was kidnapped and taken for ransom, but Shazam and Captain Marvel Jr. came to the rescue, defeating her kidnappers. Learning that Mary had the other piece of the locket, Billy and Freddy revealed their secret identities, and revealed to her that they were twins.
Mary wondered if she could become a Marvel herself by saying the magic word, but Billy responded that "Old Shaz—er—you know who—wouldn't give his powers to a girl!" Just as they was happening, the kidnappers awoke and gagged Billy and Freddy. Mary exclaimed that "Billy can't say 'Shazam!'" before being transformed into a Marvel herself, being struck by a magic lightning bolt. Mary defeated the thugs herself, freeing Billy and Freddy, and was given the name "Mary Marvel" by her brother. According to the Wizard Shazam, Mary could transform into a Marvel because her powers came from a set of female benefactors.
Mary would become one of the notable members of the Marvel Family, doing many greats acts of heroism through her career. Despite this, this incarnation of Mary Marvel was erased due to the Crisis on Infinite Earths, causing the collapse of the Multiverse.
The Power of Shazam![]
Mary was reintroduced in Jerry Ordway's graphic novel, with some things remaining the same, but being altered. She is still the twin-sister to Billy, but their parents' name are C.C. and Marilyn Batson, and were archeologists. Mary accompanied her parents on an expedition to Egypt while Billy remained home, and she met Theo Adam, an associate of their parents. C.C. and Marilyn were killed by Theo Adam, and he kidnapped Mary before returning to the United States.
Adam's sister was a maid named Sarah Primm, and took care of Mary upon learning of what he did, having the young girl illegally adopted to her employers, Nick and Nora Bromfield. Mary would grow up as Mary Bromfield, living an idyllic life in a wealthy family, but would dream of another family she had never seen. Billy would learn that his sister is still alive, but he and the Wizard Sham failed to find her for four years. Mary would enter a reginal spelling bee in her teenaged years, and would meet Billy after being saved from kidnappers twice.
Billy had an undercover named "Muscles" McGinnis follow Mary, as she reminded him a lot of his sister, and had him retrieve her forged adoption record. Billy only memory of Mary's favorite thing in his childhood, the old "Tawky Tawny" doll transforms into a full sized tiger (being animated by Lord Satanus, the son of Shazam), and instructs him to take the doll to her. As Captain Marvel, Billy delivers the doll and adoption papers to Mary, having flown to the Bromfeild's hometown of Fairfield.
Billy is kidnapped upon delivering the package, but the criminals are the ones who helped Primm forge Mary's adoption records. Mary opens the package, seeing the records and the doll, which comes to life, telling her to say the magic "Shazam" to save her brother. Mary does so, and is transformed into a superhero, and saves Billy, but fails to save Primm, who is murdered by one of the thugs. She takes on the title of Captain Marvel like Billy, and was given the same powers from the same benefactors, and eventually give Freddy the power to turn into Captain Marvel, Jr. (or CM3 for short).
Prime Earth[]
On Prime Earth, Mary is no longer the twin-sister to Billy, and is not a orphan turned foster child to the Bromfield family (instead, being their biological daughter).
Mary lived in an abusive household, prompting her to run away at a young age, but was picked up by the authorities and sent to an orphanage. She was adopted by a couple named Victor and Rosa Vasquez, and met her other adopted siblings, the disabled Freddy Freeman, and later Eugene Choi, Darla Dudley, and Pedro Peña. In addition, Mary and Freddy would steal rabbit who was going to be sold to a lab for cosmetic research, and they named it Hoppy.
Billy was eventually adopted into the Vasquez family, but was originally hostile towards them until he saved Mary from the Bryers. Mary and the family would learn that Billy was the superhero Shazam, and that the villain Black Adam was looking for him by Freddy. Mary and the foster siblings found Billy at the zoo, and he decided the key to defeat Black Adam was finding the Rock of Eternity in the Wizard's fortress.
Portrayals[]
Films[]
- In the DC Extended Universe, Mary Bromfield is portrayed by Grace Fulton as her avatar form is portrayed by Michelle Borth.
- In Lego DC: Shazam!: Magic and Monsters, she is voiced by Jennifer Hale, who also voiced Commander Shepard in Mass Effect, Bastila Shan in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Sam in Totally Spies!, and Naomi Hunter in the Metal Gear series.
Television[]
- In The Kid Super Power Hour with Shazam!, she was voiced by Dawn Jeffory.
- In Batman: The Brave and the Bold, she was voiced by Tara Strong, who also voiced Timmy Turner and Poof in The Fairly OddParents, Ben Tennyson in Ben 10, and Harley Quinn in numerous media.
Quotes[]
Earth S
| “ | It happened! I changed! I feel strong... powerful... my, what a lovely costume too! | „ |
| ~ Mary Marvel upon her first transformation. |
| “ | Roses are red, violets are blue. But your eyes will be black. When I'm through with you! | „ |
| ~ Mary Marvel's rhyme. |
New Earth
| “ | Mary Marvel's back in black and better than ever! | „ |
| ~ Mary Batson. |
| “ | I am so much faster than you it's not even funny! | „ |
| ~ Mary to her brother, Billy. |
| “ | I tried so hard not to change after we beat Darkseid, but... I kept hearing it scream in my head. The wisdom, strength, stamina, power, courage and speed of the Black Marvels. | „ |
| ~ Mary after Darkseid's defeat. |
| “ | You despicable slug! You killed my mother and father! You murdered them in cold blood, and now I'm going to do the same to you! | „ |
| ~ Mary Marvel to Black Adam. |
| “ | Mmm, you're hot. Wanna be bad? With a dirty magic word like mine? | „ |
| ~ Mary to Freddy while possessed by Desaad. |
Prime Earth
| “ | Freddy was right. This is sweet. | „ |
| ~ Mary upon using her powers. |
| “ | I know. I'm breathtaking. | „ |
| ~ Mary Marvel. |
| “ | Long story short... ... we're all superheroes. | „ |
| ~ Mary on the Shazam Family. |
Gallery[]
.png "Mary Marvel in DCSHG (G1).png (181 KB)")
Trivia[]
- She is lactose-intolerant.
- Otto Binder named Mary Marvel after his daughter Mary.
- In New Earth, she changed the color of her costume to a white-gold to distinguish herself from Billy. She began to wear the new costume in The Power of Shazam ! # 28.
- Mary Marvel's original incarnation (Earth-S) was erased due to the collapse of the Multiverse on Crisis on Infinite Earths. However, Earth-S was eventually restored during the events of Convergence.
