The Power of Shazam!

The Power of Shazam!
The Power of Shazam! original hardcover graphic novel, cover art by Jerry Ordway.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
Schedule	Vol. 1: One shot Vol. 2: Monthly
Format	Vol. 1: Graphic novel. Vol. 2: Standard U.S., 4 color, ongoing.
Publication date	Vol. 1: 1994 Vol. 2: March 1995 - March 1999, 1996 (Annual)
Number of issues	Vol. 1: 1 Vol. 2: 48, +1 (Annual)
Main character(s)	Both Captain Marvel Shazam Doctor Sivana Black Adam Vol. 2 Captain Marvel, Jr. Mary Marvel Mister Mind
Creative team
Writer(s)	Jerry Ordway
Artist(s)	Jerry Ordway
Penciller(s)	Peter Krause Jerry Ordway
Inker(s)	Mike Manley Dick Giordano Jerry Ordway
Colorist(s)	Glenn Whitmore

The Power of Shazam! is a 1994 hardcover graphic novel, written and painted by Jerry Ordway for DC Comics. The 96-page story, depicting the revamped origins of former Fawcett Comics superhero Captain Marvel, was followed by an ongoing series, also titled The Power of Shazam!, which ran from 1995 to 1999.

After a previous retcon by Roy Thomas and Tom Mandrake in 1987 with the Shazam! The New Beginning miniseries, Captain Marvel was again given a revised origin in the 1994 graphic novel The Power of Shazam!. Captain Marvel's origin would also be retold in Jeff Smith's Shazam!: The Monster Society of Evil limited series in 2007, though this origin takes place outside of DC continuity.

As The Power of Shazam! graphic novel opens, ten-year-old Billy Batson's parents, both archeologists, are working in Egypt, excavating the tomb of Ramses II with their associate Theo Adam. Murdering the elder Batsons, Adam also kidnaps their young daughter Mary and steals a scarab necklace once attached to one of the sarcophagi in the tomb. Billy had been left behind at home in Fawcett City because of poor school grades. As in the Fawcett Comics origin story from Whiz Comics #2 (1940), Billy is abandoned by his cruel uncle Ebenezer, and becomes a paperboy to earn a living. One night, Billy meets a dark-clothed stranger outside of a subway tunnel, and follows the stranger onto a magic subway car. The subway car leads Billy to the realm of the Wizard Shazam, who assigns the boy as his successor. By speaking Shazam's name, Billy is struck by a bolt of magic lightning and transformed into Captain Marvel, an adult superhero.