History: (Power of Shazam II #11 (fb)) - <circa 3,000 B.C.> Egypt; Infant prince Amentep was attacked by a cobra at the River Nile, but Thoth, god of wisdom, sent his avatar, an ibis, to protect him. This signaled Thoth choosing the boy to wield the Ibis-stick, a powerful talisman, and act as his agent on Earth as Ibis the Invincible. The boy grew up and became pharaoh, married to his queen Taia, and used the Ibis-stick to keep peace in his land. He was a beloved king, but he craved excitement, so he asked the Ibis-stick to put him and his wife to sleep for ages until they could awake in more interesting times. They were put in a deathlike trance, and buried in sarcophagi.

(Power of Shazam II #11 (fb)) - <February, 1940> The mummies of Ibis and Taia ended up in Fawcett City, California in a museum. Fawcett was in desperate times, so the wizard Shazam located them, and cast a resurrection spell to wake them from the grave to act as champions for justice.

(Whiz Comics #37 (Fawcett)) - Ibis and Taia were returning from a trip to Egypt when they saw an American bomber shot down over Iceland. After saving the passengers they went to an American garrison and learne the Flying Dutchman was terrorizing the skies over Iceland. The Dutchman commandeered a radio station and called in American ships so they would be ambushed by nazi forces. Ibis and Taia attacked the Dutchman but were defeated. The Dutchman’s curse would only be ended by the love of a woman, so Taia used the Ibistick to turn homely nurse Sarah Primm, who’ fallen for the Dutchman, but was rejected because of her looks, into a beauty. Sarah and the Dutchman expressed their love for each other, ending the devil’s hold over the Dutchman. Ibis and the Dutchman fought off the nazis ready to ambush the Allies.

(Whiz Comics #100 (Fawcett)) - Ibis and Taia heard a boy crying for help near the forbidden pool, and discovered the leader of the Fish-Men was attacking him. Ibis drove him off, and remembered that eons ago the gods destroyed the Fish-Men for rebelling, but their leader was immortal and couldn't be destroyed. He returned for another battle with the Fish-Man, who beat Ibis and took his Ibistick. He tried to call down Jove to strike down Ibis, but no one could wield the Ibistick except Ibis without its' magic backfiring. Jove defeated the Fish-Man and cast him into an underwater prison.

(Whiz Comics #102 (Fawcett))  - Ibis slew the vampire Baron, drawing the wrath of the Baron’s sister Maryani. Ibis and Taia attended Maryani’s lounge act, and Maryani slipped a potion in Ibis’ drink, turning him into a vampire. To make the transformation complete Ibis would have to slay an innocent, so Maryani took him hunting. Taia followed them, and Maryani snatched the Ibistick away from her. She commanded it to turn Ibis to dust, but it turned against her, ending her evil existence. Taia used the Ibistick to turn Ibis back into a human, and then Ibis use it to destroy Maryani’s demonic master, the Bat.

(Whiz Comics #103 (Fawcett)) - Ibis went to a circus where the human performers were forced by the animals, led by Lo-Kar the gorilla, to perform dangerous stunts. Lo-Kar stole Ibis’ Ibistick and forced him to walk a high wire. Ibis nearly fell to his death, but snatched a platform rope, and landed on Lo-Kar, retrieving his Ibistick. He defeated the animals, and learned that the animals only rebelled because they were sick of risking their lives performing for the circus. Ibis made the owner promise to treat them better.

(Whiz Comics #109 (Fawcett)) -  Ibis and Taia were in the Middle East visiting their friend Afra Sheym when he was called away to find travelers who'd been lost in the Graja Desert. Many had disappeared in the Graja, and Afra worried about the safety of his people. When he failed to return Ibis and Taia went to the Graja only to discover Avernus, a gate to the underworld that claimed lives before their time was up. In the underworld Ibis evaded Cerberus and confronted the guardian of the netherworld. After defeating him in personal combat Ibis made him promise to return to life those he'd unfairly taken and to never again use the Avernus to snare lives.

(Power of Shazam II #12 (fb, BTS)) - <1955> Blaze unleashed the Seven Deadly Sins on Fawcett. Shazam combated them with his heroes Spy Smasher, Minute Man, Mr. Scarlet, Bulletman and Bulletgirl. Shazam used a spell of containment to trap the Sins inside ridiculous statues, and he kept them for safekeeping at the Rock of Eternity. Ibis had lost Taia, and was eager to return to his sleep, so Shazam agreed to put him back in his sarcophagus. As his rest began, Shazam had Ibis cast a spell of protection over Fawcett City to keep all demonic influence out.

(Power of Shazam II #11) - Shazam was kidnapped by the demoness Blaze, but before being dragged to Hades, he managed to open his spell book to a resurrection spell for the Marvel Family to find. Mr. Tawky-Tawny, an animated doll, guided Mary Marvel and Uncle Dudley to Ibis’ tomb inside of Shazam‘s subway hq, and told her to bring back the magician. Black Adam followed the heroes, and ripped the Tawny doll to shreds, Blaze was under the impression that Tawny was helping them, but his good nature only let him aid the Marvel Family. Mary cast Shazam’s resurrection spell, bringing Ibis back to life. Ibis knew things were serious if he was being awakened, and after being annoyed by Adam’s crudeness he banished him to Hades. Ibis started to relate his history when the heroes had to respond to an attack on Fawcett by the Seven Deadly Sins. Captain Marvel, newly returned from the Underworld Unleashed affair, lured the Sins into leaving the civilians alone, and taking residence in his powerful body. Ibis managed to free Captain Marvel of their influence, and make them solid, but he knew they’d need help to drag the Sins back to the Rock of Eternity. He gave life back to Tawky-Tawny, gave Shazam powers to Uncle Dudley, and summoned Captain Marvel, Jr. and Bulletman to their side. After an intense battle they returned the Sins to their prisons, and the heroes asked for Ibis’ help in freeing Shazam from Blaze. Just then the Rock of Eternity shook, as Blaze was trying to free Shazam’s old enemy the Three Faces of Evil.

(Power of Shazam II #12) - Ibis, already tiring of being awake, made a plan to end Blaze’s villainy. He sent Captain Marvel and Mary to Hades to free Shazam, and sent Cap Jr. and Bulletman outside the Rock of Eternity to delay her from freeing the Three Faces. The Marvels freed Shazam, and Sarah Primm, breaking Blaze’s hold over Black Adam. Shazam and Ibis cleaved the Rock, freeing the Three Faces, and at Shazam’s command Black Adam battled it. The Marvel Family forced the Rock back together, trapping Blaze alongside the Three Faces and Adam. Ibis took pity on Adam, and sent him to a distant star. Shazam had lost his zeal for guarding the Rock, and Ibis agreed to take his place while Shazam would live in Fawcett among the people. Ibis liked the idea od being a recluse and resting from the bus6tle of life.

Comments: Created by Bill Parker & C.C. Beck

Ibis was originally published by Fawcett Comics, which DC obtained the rights to in 1972.

In the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths DCU Ibis lived on Earth-S.

All characters mentioned or pictured are ™  and © DC Comics, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Please visit The Official DC Comics Site at: http://www.batman.com