Whiz Comics is an anthology comic book series that was published by former American comic book publishing company, Fawcett Publications between February 1940 until June 1953. It is widely known for being the comic run in which hugely popular superhero character Captain Marvel (Shazam) made his debut.
Shazam (/ʃəˈzæm/), also known as The Captain and formerly known as Captain Marvel, is a superhero in American comic books originally published by Fawcett Comics and currently published by DC Comics. Artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker created the character in 1939. Shazam first appeared in Whiz Comics #2 (cover-dated Feb. 1940), published by Fawcett Comics. Shazam is the alter-ego of William Joseph "Billy" Batson, a young boy who is granted magical powers by the Wizard by speaking the magic word "SHAZAM!", an acronym of six "immortal elders": Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury, and transforms into a costumed adult superhero with various superpowers derived from specific attributes of the aforementioned elders.
The character battles evil in the form of an extensive rogues' gallery, most of them working in tandem as the Monster Society of Evil, including primary archenemies Black Adam, Doctor Sivana and Mister Mind. Billy often shares his powers with other children, primarily his sister Mary Batson and their best friend/foster brother Freddy Freeman, who also transform into superheroes and fight crime with Billy as members of the Marvel Family (also known as the Shazam Family or Shazamily). The character also serves as a notable member of several teams, including the Justice League and various other derivatives, Justice Society of America, and the Teen Titans.
Doctor Sivana is the name of two fictional, related characters appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original Doctor Sivana's alter-ego is Thaddeus Bodog Sivana, a recurring enemy of the superhero Captain Marvel created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck and first appeared in Whiz Comics #2 (cover-dated February 1940) by Fawcett Comics. A mad scientist and inventor bent on world domination, the character was established as Captain Marvel's main archenemy during the Golden Age, appearing in over half of the Fawcett Captain Marvel stories published between 1939 and 1953. Thaddeus has kept his role as one of the key archenemies of Captain Marvel (now Shazam) throughout the character's appearances in DC Comics, which eventually acquired the rights to Fawcett's superhero characters. In 2009, Doctor Sivana was ranked as IGN's 82nd-greatest comic book villain of all time.
The second character known as Doctor Sivana is Georgia Sivana, P.h.D, the daughter of Thaddeus who first appeared in Mary Marvel #1, created by Otto Binder. Georgia was originally portrayed as an underling of her father who takes after her father in appearance and skills, both possessing keen scientific minds although the character is instead an arch-nemesis for Mary Marvel. Years following "The New 52" reboot and during the "Infinite Frontier" initiative, Georgia's character is revamped into an older professor, archaeologist, and estranged daughter of Thaddeus whose reputation is tarnished due to her father's obsession with magic in the scientific community and seeks to improve it at any cost.
Captain Marvel Jr., also known as Shazam Jr. (Frederick Christopher "Freddy" Freeman), is a superhero appearing in American comic books formerly published by Fawcett Comics and currently published by DC Comics. A member of the Marvel/Shazam Family team of superheroes associated with Captain Marvel/Shazam, he was created by Ed Herron, C.C. Beck, and Mac Raboy, and first appeared in Whiz Comics #25 in December 1941.
In the original Fawcett Comics and DC continuity, Captain Marvel Jr.'s alter-ego was Freddy Freeman, a disabled newsboy saved by Captain Marvel from the villainous Captain Nazi. To save the dying boy's life, Captain Marvel shares his powers with Freddy. By saying the name "Captain Marvel", Freddy is transformed into Captain Marvel Jr., a blue costumed version of himself possessing powers of superhuman strength, speed, wisdom, and more. Junior derived his powers from Captain Marvel himself, while the other Marvels derived their powers from the wizard Shazam. Unlike Captain Marvel, Junior remained a teenager in his transformed state.