MARY MARVEL

Real Name: Marry Willow Batson

Class: Human magic-user

Occupation: Student, superherp

Group Affiliation: Marvel Family

Known Relatives: Billy Batson (Shazam, brother), C.C. Batson (father, deceased), Ebenezer Beck (uncle),  Marilyn Batson (mother, deceased), Sinclair Batson (cousin, deceased), Nick Bromfield (adoptive father), Nora Bromfield (adoptive mother)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Fawcett City, formerly Queens, New York

First Appearance: Power of Shazam I #1 (March, 1994)

Powers: When Mary spoke the name of the wizard Shazam she was transformed by a bolt of magic lightning into Mary Marvel. As Mary Marvel she possessed the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury. Saying Shazam again turned her back into Mary Batson.

History (Power of Shazam II #4 (fb, BTS), 5 (fb, BTS)) - <4 years ago> Mary and Billy Batson were orphaned when their archaeologist parents were killed by their assistant Theo Adams. After her parents death, Black Adam gave Mary to his sister Primm. Out of guilt Primm had Mary “Smyth” adopted by the wealthy Bromfields and given everything she could ever ask for. Miss Primm served as her nanny, and was devoted to her, but harbored a secret guilt knowing her brother murdered her parents.

(Power of Shazam II #3) - Mary's brother Billy looked for her the world over as the hero Captain Marvel, but came up empty handed. By chance of fate Mary won a local spelling bee, and competed in the state championship in Fawcett City, handled by Billy’s snobbish relative Sinclair Batson. She lost the contest, but Billy thought she looked awfully familiar. Supervillain IBAC kidnapped her, and Billy changed into Captain Marvel to save her. She was enamored with Captain Marvel, and as she drove off with Primm, Marvel wondered if fate had delivered him his sister.

(Power of Shazam II #4) - Mary had a session with her therapist, and told her of a dream about her childhood. She remembered her father looking like Captain Marvel, and playing with a Mr. Tawky-Tawny doll with her brother, but she had still repressed the memory of her parent’s dire fate. Captain Marvel dug up the adoption records of his sister, and confirming that Mary was a Batson, he changed into Billy and went to the opulent Bromfield house to present her with his old Tawny doll to jog her memory. He was greeted by Miss Primm before Curly and his gang, who were still intent on kidnapping Mary, knocked him out. Mary wandered out of her room, and after seeing the Tawny doll she had a vision of Tawny telling her to remember her childhood, and say the magic word Shazam. Mary turned into Mary Marvel, gaining Captain Marvel’s god derived powers, and although she was confused about becoming a magically powered adult, she made the most of it. Miss Primm freed Billy, he changed into Captain Marvel, and they went after Curly’s gang. Captain Marvel found that his powers were diminished now that Mary was sharing his magic. They rounded up the criminals, but not before the villains shot Miss Primm. She revealed that they had been blackmailing her because she was the sister of Theo Adam, the man that killed her parents. Captain Marvel told his sister she had to stay strong for Primm, and they had a lot of catching up to do, but first they were going to visit the wizard Shazam.

(Power of Shazam II #5) -Mary went to get Miss Primm’s crucifix that she’d recently pawned, so she could be buried with it. Mary encountered a mob, and after turning into Mary Marvel, she met the woman responsible, Madame Libertine, a villain who mind-controlled others by removing their moral constraints. She used her power against Mary, who, suddenly fueled by hatred for the man that killed her parents, broke into the nearby penitentiary, and confronted Theo Adam. Shazam had taken away his voice and ability to become Black Adam, but that wasn’t enough for Mary, and she threatened violence before her head cleared. She apologized to the prison guards, and flew off, ignoring their protests that she couldn’t simply leave after what she’d done. Mary attended Primm’s funeral, and was disappointed that Billy never showed up. Mary was at home dealing with her feelings when Tawky-Tawny came to life. She guessed that Shazam was responsible, and that Tawky must have helped Billy when he started. Tawky wouldn’t exactly confirm this, and told her she was smart, but shouldn’t tell Shazam what she’d figured out. He told her to go find her brother, and when Mary Marvel went into action she had another encounter with Libertine, who used her powers to make a man commit suicide. Mary was frustrated that she’d already seen two deaths, and wasn’t able to use her powers to prevent such tragedy. Libertine gave her the slip, leading to more frustration, but just then Shazam summoned her to the Rock of Eternity. She admitted that she just wanted to be plain old Mary Bromfield again, but Captain Marvel insisted it was a good thing that she was a hero like him now. Shazam told them that they shared the power of Shazam, so when they went into action simultaneously, their powers would be halved, and he told them not to take this lightly.

(Power of Shazam II #6) - Freddy Freeman was crippled by the super villain Captain Nazi, and after Captain Marvel got to the hospital with his friend, he changed into Billy, and called the only person who’d understand, Mary. She comforted him, and assured him Freddy would have died if Billy hadn’t bravely fought Captain Nazi.

(Power of Shazam II #7) - Marvel and Mary visited Shazam, telling him about their recently crippled friend Freddy, and asked him to share his powers with their friend. Shazam reminded them that his powers were not infinite, and that he had no idea how Mary realized to say the magic word to make herself a Marvel. They revealed that their stuffed toy Mr. Tawky-Tawny guided them along, and Shazam denied using an anthropomorphized tiger to do his will. The Marvels were confused, but Captain Marvel was sure that whoever sent Tawny, Mary was meant to share his power. Shazam urged them to find a solution for themselves, which Captain Marvel thought was an unfeeling gesture, and they left. Billy went back to his radio show, and Mary visited Freddy in the hospital. His previous visitors were cheerleaders that used to swoon over him, but now saw him as pathetic. After giving them the cold shoulder, mary used her upbeat personality to inspire Freddy, telling him he had to get well to help his grandfather run his newsstand. Captain Nazi attacked Freddy in the hospital, flying off with him, and Mary and the Captain responded. Mart changed back into Bromfield, relinquishing her powers to Captain Marvel, who defeated Captain Nazi. The heroes used their Shazam lightning to get Freddy’s heart started, and took him back to the Rock of Eternity, where they finally realized that Shazam had given his blessing, but they had to be the ones to share their power with Freddy. By saying the name Captain Marvel Freddy turned into an idealized version of himself, tentatively named Captain Marvel, Jr. Shazam told him he now had the responsibility to fight injustice, like the other members of the newly formed Marvel Family. Although he was a demigod with Shazam’s powers, he’d return to being a cripple as Freddy. Freddy understood the drawbacks, and what was expected of him, and in his civilian identity Captain Marvel returned him to the hospital.

(Power of Shazam II #8, 9) -Mary was visiting Freddy in the hospital when he got news of his grandfather’s death. He changed into Captain Marvel, Jr. and sought out the recently escaped Captain Nazi for revenge. When Mary tried to restrain him he belted her. He battled Nazi, who, losing the battle, set a fire during rush hour traffic. Jr. realized that although vengeance was his first instinct, he was indeed a hero, and had to rescue civilians from the inferno. The Marvel Family caught up to Nazi on Miami Beach, where he’d procured a cryogenic chamber from the sunken La Paloma, a Nazi freighter sunk in the 1940s. It was supposed to contain Hitler, but when he opened it all that was left was a skeleton dressed in Nazi garb. The Marvel Family weren’t particularly interested in Nazi’s scheme, and simply told him he was going to face justice. The fight was taken out of Nazi, but Freddy attacked him anyway. Captain Marvel told him they worked for justice, and they’d see Nazi tried for his war crimes, but Freddy was intent on a revenge killing. The Marvels calmed Junior down, and after cuffing Nazi, they flew toward Crowley Prison. They were attacked by Black Adam, whose powers and memory had been restored by the demon Blaze. With their shared powers, they were no match for Black Adam’s might, and after snapping Captain Marvel’s arm he flew off to finish the hero. Junior battled the reinvigorated Nazi, who tried to flee. Mary realized Cap would need all his powers, so she tried to change back into Mary Bromfield, but her powers weren’t working because Shazam had been dragged into Hades by Blaze. Madame Libertine appeared, and after loosing Mary’s inhibitions, she realized that she’d only made Mary stronger, and the hero prevailed. Mary told Junior he had to relinquish his powers to save Cap. Cap was being buried alive under construction material by Black Adam, and Adam railed against Shazam, telling Cap he was doing him a favor by killing him, preventing Shazam from betraying him. Adam flew off satisfied, but once Cap’s powers returned he dug himself free, and vowed to find Shazam in Hades.

(Power of Shazam II #10, 11) - With Captain Marvel fighting Neron during the Underworld saga, Mary took it upon herself to find Shazam. She hoped Mr. Tawky-Tawny could help, and when she returned home to retrieve him she heard her parents talking to the police, worried about nice, innocent Mary out all night. She understood the seriousness of the situation, but giggled when her dad suggested she was with her “boyfriend” Billy. Tawky came to life, and guided her to the subway that accessed the Rock of Eternity. Using the wisdom of Solomon she found the entrance, but Tawny couldn’t enter the magical realm and turned back into a toy. Mary found Shazam’s Rock a mess, and a spell book open to a spell of resurrection. Tawny was found by Billy’s friend Uncle Dudley, and he sent him to help Mary. Dudley showed Mary an icon of an ibis, and told her it was what she was looking for. She smashed it, revealing a sarcophagus hidden inside. Black Adam followed Mary, Dudley and Tawny into the subway, and Ibis’ tomb. He 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 the Invincible, a powerful magician under Shazam’s protection, back to life. He banished Black Adam to Hades, and 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. He warned Cap and Mary not to trust anything they saw in Hades, as it was full of lying demons. Cap found himself in school taking a history test, but realized it was an illusion cast by demons. Mary was greeted by her deceased parents, but this too was a trap. After battling the demonic forces Cap freed Shazam, who told him he must explain their predicament, and how he knew Cap’s father. He told of how he’d battled his daughter Blaze through the ages, and how C.C. Batson, who he met during the Batson’s Malcolm Expedition of the 1940s, was his original choice of champion. Since Ibis was the one to contain the recent escape of the Seven Deadly Sins, Shazam had more power to share with his Marvel Family. Blaze and Black Adam defeated Cap Jr. and Bulletman. Dudley and Tawny joined the fight, but were soon overwhelmed. Mary found Sarah Primm in Hades, and freed her with the help of Satanus, sending her to Heaven. Black Adam no longer had a reason to be loyal to Blaze, and told Mary he owed her one. 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. The Marvels returned home, and found Sinclair Batson burned to a crisp, yet still alive. Sinclair was a demonic construct created for Ebenezer, who dearly wished for a son, by Blaze. Mary saw an odd caterpillar crawling toward Sinclair’s ear, and stepped on it.

(Final Night #1, 3) - Superman organized a summit of superheroes, including Mary Marvel, to listen to an alien named Dusk. She'd seen the Sun-Eater snuff out the sun of countless planets, and she was there to warn the heroes that the Sun-Eater was headed towards Earth. The heroes discussed different ways to deal with the menace. The Eater engulfed the sun, causing chaos and panic on the ground. Booster met with other heroes at Warriors, which Guy Gardner had converted into a command center and hospital.

(Green Lantern III #81) - Coast City; Mary was among the heroes who attended a memorial service for Green Lantern Hal Jordan.

(JLA #39, 41) - Mary was among the legion of heroes summoned by the JLA to quell worldwide outbreaks of warfare that were incited by Mageddon.

(JSA #33-37) - The Ultra-Humanite used Johnny Thunder’s Thunderbolt to conquer the world, and imprisoned Mary Marvel and virtually every superhuman on Earth in stasis tubes, only reviving them when he needed mind-controlled slaves to serve in his personal guard the Thunderfront. Mary served as a member of the Thunderfront when they attacked the JSA, the only heroes not under the Humanite’s control. The JSA used a device that disrupted the braincaps Humanite used to control the Thunderfront, leaving them unconscious but freed from Humanite’s mental domination. The JSA later defeated the Humanite. Mary and the JSA attended the funeral of Johnny Thunder, whose body gave out after he was freed from the Humanite’s control.

(JLA / JSA: Virtue and Vice) - Mary and Captain Marvel Jr. confronted Plastic Man, who was under the influence of Greed and robbing the wealthy citizens of Fawcett blind. Captain Marvel, under the influence of Gluttony attacked Mary and Jr. and stole their thunder, leaving them powerless. Shazam, the JLA and JSA later defeated the Sins, and Mary and Jr.’s powers were restored.

(Identity Crisis #1) - Mary Marvel was among the number of heroes who attended Sue Dibny’s funeral.

(JSA #73) - Billy talked to Mary about how much he missed the JSA, especially his relationship with Stargirl. Their talk was interrupted by Shazam, who summoned Billy to the Rock of Eternity.

(Day of Vengeance: Infinite Crisis Special #1) - The Shadowpact summoned Mary Marvel and a number of other magical entities to Gotham City so they could reconstruct the shattered Rock of Eternity and capture the Seven Deadly Sins that had been freed because of the Rock's destruction.

(52 / WWIII Part One: A Call to Arms #1) - <Week 50, Day 1> Black Adam declared war on humanity after the death of his family, starting WWIII. Mary Marvel and the Marvel Family confronted Adam, but he defeated them.

Comments: Created by Otto Binder & Mac Swayze.

Mary Marvel received a profile in Sins of Youth Secret Files #1 under the Marvel Family entry.

Mary Marvel had cameos in Power of Shazam II #2 and Tales of the Sinestro Corps: Superman-Prime #1.

Bizarro-Superman wrote and illustrated “The Clubhouse of Solitude” comic book featuring Mary Marvel in Bizarro Comics #1.

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.