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Warning : SPOILERS for Shazam !
It was a cosmic happenstance that DC’sShazam!movie would arrive just weeks afterCaptain wonder . But as substantiation that the rivalry between the heroes of the same name is far from over , Shazam!ignores the macrocosm of Carol Danvers totally … to make aCaptain Americajoke , instead .
Nobody can begrudge the Maker ofShazam!for their selection , since Captain America remains the poster boy ofMarvel’sAvengersmovie universe . Still , there are n’t many chances for both Marvel and DC to throw eachother a wink – and two superheroes who became celebrated as " Captain Marvel " is as respectable an chance as they ’ll ever get . The best fan can hope for isShazam ’s potential nod to Carol Danvers , before Billy Batson ’s superhero alter self is formally make in protection to Steve Rogers .
The pic is filled withShazam!and Captain Marvel Easter Eggs , many of which make for on the mix-up besiege the fictional character ’s name . Billy does n’t actually receive or self - assign a superhero name in the film , which leaves his foster brother ( and superhero chum ) Freddy Freeman to come up with multiple edition . When Freddy uploads video after video of Billy ’s superhero breeding and solar day - saving , audiences can see how wide-ranging his YouTube picture titles actually get . Referring to Billy ’s sorcerous soma as " Red Cyclone " and " Thundercrack , " are believable proxy … but one moniker stand apart:“ZAP - tain America . "
The name makes sense since it ’s only given after the boys give away the rightful nature of Shazam ’s power , directly link him to the " live lightning " that in reality strikes him to pass on its magic . But the paronomasia of"ZAP - tain America"only makes sense if"Captain America"is a superhero name make out around the world . Which raises a question with , as we see it , two possible root . TheJustice League world in whichShazam!is setunofficially include Marvel heroes struggle their own struggle away from the like of Batman , Superman , Wonder Woman , and Aquaman . Or Captain America , the Avengers , and the rest of the MCU is but their real , risible rule book selves being read by superhero enthusiast .
Since there are sure to be some MCU fans who will call the move petit larceny on DC ’s part , there is an literary argument to be made that it wasCaptain Marvelwhich first passed on the hazard to pay obedience to Carol ’s predecessor . After all , Billy Batson first look as " Captain Marvel"all the way back inWhiz Comics # 2 , released in 1939 less than two years after Superman kicked off the superhero musical genre . Marvel ’s version of the submarine sandwich – the original , Mar - Vell – didn’t appear until 1967 , and Carol Danvers one effect later .
Still , it would have been skillful if Freddy touch on to Billy as"Zap - tain Marvel"to throw the fan a split second . But even if starZachary Levi supportsCaptain Marvel , it ’s not hard to see why Warner Bros. would take against spare advertising for the contention . Fans will just have to be slaked with the existent comics , where it ’s been hinted thatCaptain Marvel and Shazam are the same hero , just lay out in two parallel existence .
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