Shazam is the wielder and bestower of the powers of the gods to his champions when they shout his name, and founder of a heroic legacy he began in remote times.
Originally a boy from Canaan named Jebediah, he received from some ancient (and long forgotten) gods, the magic word VLAREM (acronym of MARVEL), that when pronounced receives the strength of Voldar, the wisdom of Lumian, the speed of Arel, the power of Ribalvei, the courage of Elbiam, and the stamina of Marzosh. Using these powers, Jebediah becomes Champion, defender of the weak, as he begins his quest for justice for a long time.
Using these abilities, Champion lived in Egypt for more than two thousand years. During the 19th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt, an aged Jebediah looks for a champion to pass the legacy of the powers of the gods. Looking among the royalty of the land of the pharaohs, the former Champion, chooses one of the many princes named Teth-Adam, granting him the abilities of a new mystic sextet, who gave him the name by which he was known since ancient times: SHAZAM.
In this period, Shazam is betrayed by his daughter, Blaze (sister of Zatannus), result of his mating with a demoness in the past. After Shazam left Egypt, Teth-Adam became evil, making Shazam to battle him and punished him. After this bad experience, the Wizard decides to elect a boy as a successor in his quest for justice.
After this period, not much is known of what Shazam did, but we could assume that he met some gods, when his original sextet dissappear in the mists of time. Among the gods and heroes he met, one impresses him, namely, King Solomon of Israel, who shares his idea of a champion for the world, it's not clear if influenced by the past of the wizard.
During this dark period, it is said that Shazam made a pact not with 6 gods, but with 7, although this legend isn't very clear at all, since apparently this last deity seemed that have betrayed him. Among some other little known facts, it seems that the very same Wizard had something to do in the little known origin of Ibis the Invincible and some avatars of Isis.
During the next centuries, Shazam looks forward to the day he is going to pass on the legacy, following closely the developments that will make possible this resurgence, the Wizard learns that it will happen in the city known as Fawcett in America. To protect this place, Shazam, casts a spell of protection to the entire city, that made the city and its inhabitants, to seem younger than they really were.
Finally, the time comes when he decides he has found his successor, in the persona of the late C.C. and Marilyn Batson, who lives in Fawcett. Presenting himself to Billy, Shazam explains and gives him the magic word to a first reluctant boy, who later, decides to keep the powers to bring justice to the world and with them, try to find his lost sister. After his first introduction, Shazam seems to die when a big block of granite buries him, in reality this do not happens.
Shortly, Shazam decides to experience the 'human' life, and comes to the Earth to live with Billy pretending to be his grandfather, truly, the Wizard do not finds himself comfortable and returns to the Rock of Eternity, the place where he lives, that incidentally is the nexus to all points and realities, and bury site of the Three Faces of Evil, an incredibly powerful beast that was stopped by the Wizard eons ago.
Some time later, Shazam decides to go to live among the gods of New Genesis. First experiencing some problems in transforming into Captains Marvels, because the godwave, and then because the absence of Shazam, The Highfather of New Genesis gives both Billy and Mary (who later receives the power of Shazam by shouting his name), a Mother Box, to channel the energies of the gods, as it is revealed that the source of the powers of all gods in the DCU, emanate from The Source. Ibis The Invincible watches over the Rock of Eternity while the wise Wizard is absent.
Shazam is also part of the Quintessence of the DC Universe, along with Phantom Stranger, Highfather, Zeus, and Ganthet, apparently, as one (if not the) highest tribunal of the DC Universe.
Even though, the wizard Shazam spents the most of the time in the Rock of Eternity.
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