Shazam Timeline
This timeline is designed to detail the exploits of Shazam (Billy Batson) throughout different eras of comic book history. These summaries are here to help make reading about Shazam easier. For more information regarding our timeline project, see our about page here.
This timeline is heavily based on our “Shazam Reading Order“. Non-indented sections correspond with Shazam’s “Essential” storyline while indented sections correspond with his “Extra” storyline. Make sure to check out our reading order here for more information.
New 52
With the beginning of the New 52, the DC Universe’s continuity was restarted. Shazam’s history is completely wiped out, meaning he was never a hero in this timeline. He starts the New 52 as an orphan ready to be adopted and becomes a full-fledged hero soon after.
Also be sure to view the New 52 era of our “Shazam Reading Order“.
Shazam!
Billy Batson is a disagreeable boy who has already been through four foster families. He is adopted by the Vasquez family, who already have five other adopted children: Mary, Freddy, Eugene Choi, Darla Dudley, and Pedro Peña. Though the other children welcome Billy to the family, he treats them with hostility and lets them know that he does not consider them to be family. Despite this, Billy stands up for his new siblings when they are being bullied at school.
The next night, Billy runs off to the Zoo to visit Tawny the tiger, who is one of his first memories. Later in the night, he enters the subway and is teleported to the magical Rock of Eternity, where a wizard blesses him with the power of the Living Lightning. Upon saying the word “Shazam”, Billy is transformed into an adult superhero with various magical powers. To celebrate, he and Freddy go around town and stop numerous crimes.
While all of this is happening, Doctor Sivana is unearthing the tomb of Black Adam, the last person to have the power of the Living Lightning. He sets Black Adam free and the villains immediately begin looking for Shazam, who they need to kill so that Black Adam can have access to the Rock of Eternity. However, when Black Adam fights Shazam, Shazam turns back into Billy and runs away.
Though initially reluctant to fight Black Adam again, Billy is inspired when his new siblings offer him encouragement. He returns to fight Black Adam and learns that the villain used to be Teth-Adam, a slave in the country of Kahndaq. When Adam’s nephew was chosen to wield the Living Lightning, Adam killed him and stole his powers. Now he plans to do the same to Billy.
Billy is only able to survive his fight due to help from his new siblings. As Shazam, Billy is able to give his new siblings temporary powers, allowing them to fight by his side. However, Black Adam is still able to beat them all. Billy transforms back into his child form and challenges Adam to a fight without powers. Adam agrees and transforms back into a normal human. However, the passing of decades have withered his human body, which immediately crumbles to dust.
The storyline ends by showing that Billy is happy with his new family and they are happy with him. However, Doctor Sivana is able to reach the Rock of Eternity and make contact with the villainous Mister Mind.
This storyline extends through the Shazam stories in issues #0, 7–11, 14–16, and 18–21 of Justice League Vol. 2. These issues are collected in Shazam! (Review).
Trinity War
Shazam flies to the county of Kahndaq to spread Black Adam’s ashes. Once he arrives there, he is immediately approached by the Justice League (Timeline), who tell him that access to Kahndaq is forbidden. A fight breaks out, which is further intensified by the arrival of the Justice League of America (Timeline). Eventually, something goes wrong and Superman kills Doctor Light. He demands that the fighting stop and that the Leagues take him into custody.
When the heroes split up to investigate what caused Superman to kill Doctor Light, Shazam goes with John Constantine. Constantine tells Shazam that he knows something about Shazam’s real family but this turns out to be a lie. Instead, Constantine steals Shazam’s powers. Billy is eventually able to get his powers back but is disgusted that Constantine would try to steal them in the first place.
When Shazam returns to the other heroes, he finds them fighting over Pandora’s Box, which has driven everyone insane. Shazam takes the Box for himself, in an attempt to calm things down. However, he is also quickly corrupted by its powers and ends up joining the fight.
The fight ends when the Outsider arrives and uses the Box to open up a portal to Earth-3, where an evil version of the Justice League resides. This Crime Syndicate instantly attacks the heroes.
This storyline extends through issues #22-23 of Justice League Vol. 2, issues #22-23 of Justice League Dark Vol. 1, issues #6-7 of Justice League of America Vol. 3, and issue #5 of Constantine Vol. 1. These issues are collected in Trinity War (Review). See our “Trinity War Reading Order” or our “Trinity War Timeline” for more information.
Survivors of Evil
Almost all of the heroes from Trinity War (Review) are locked in a mental prison within the Firestorm Matrix. Shazam’s prison appeals to his childish nature by allowing him to destroy buildings and fight robots without any repercussion. Stargirl and Martian Manhunter find him but are unable to free him.
Shazam’s involvement in this storyline is told in issues #8-9 of Justice League of America Vol. 3. These issues are collected in Justice League of America Vol. 2: Survivors of Evil (Review).
Forever Evil
Shazam does not play a part in the majority of the Forever Evil (Review) event. However, the event’s finale shows how he, and the rest of the Justice Leagues, are freed from the Crime Syndicate’s prison.
Shazam’s involvement in this storyline is told in issues #7 of Forever Evil Vol. 1. This issue is collected in Forever Evil (Review).
Injustice League
At some point after the events of Forever Evil (Review), Lex Luthor decides to be a hero instead of a villain. He builds the Justice League (Timeline) a new Watchtower and asks them if he can join the League. He also brings Shazam with him and asks if Shazam can join as well. Though the League is initially resistant, they eventually let both heroes join.
This storyline extends through issues #30-34 of Justice League Vol. 2. These issues are collected in Justice League Vol. 6: Injustice League (Review).
Darkseid War Part 1
The Anti-Monitor reveals that he wants to break free of his current path and that Darkseid’s daughter, Grail, is helping him do so. The duo launch an attack on the Justice League and force the Justice League (Timeline) to regroup in the only place they cannot be found, Shazam’s base in the Rock of Eternity. Most of the League learns of the Anti-Monitor’s plans from Mister Miracle and Metron, though Superman and Lex Luthor are stuck on Apokolips. While interrogating Metron, Batman wrests control of his chair and takes over as God of Knowledge. Meanwhile, Grail summons Darkseid on Earth, where he instantly engages the Anti-Monitor in war.
The two beings fight for a while, with the League (Timeline) unsure which outcome is preferable. During the fight, Darkseid summons an aspect of Death, but the Anti-Monitor binds it with the Flash. He uses this newly bound form of Death to kill Darkseid. The Anti-Monitor also reveals that the anti-life equation, Darkseid’s ultimate goal, flows within him. At the same time, Superman has become corrupted by the fires of Apokolips and now wants to kill Lex Luthor.
This storyline extends through issues #40-44 of Justice League Vol. 2. These issues are collected in Justice League Vol. 7: Darkseid War Part 1 (Review) or Justice League: The Darkseid War Saga Omnibus.
Darkseid War: Power of the Gods
It turns out that Shazam’s powers are derived from six different gods, giving him Solomon’s wisdom, Hercules’ strength, Atlas’ stamina, Zeus’ power, Achilles’ courage, and Mercury’s speed. Darkseid’s death sent ripples through the multiverse and destroyed Shazam’s connection to these gods. In response, the old wizard worked from beyond the grave to connect Shazam to a brand new pantheon of gods. Accessing this pantheon teleported Billy to the Source Wall, where all of this is explained to him.
While there, he meets each god in his new pantheon and learns about their powers. He also is forced to fight Darkseid’s father, Zonuz. Eventually, Shazam is able to defeat Zonuz and he returns to Earth with a brand new slate of powers.
This story is told in Justice League: Darkseid War: Shazam. This issues is collected in Justice League: Darkseid War- Power of the Gods (Review) or Justice League: The Darkseid War Saga Omnibus.
Darkseid War Part 2
In preparation for more war, the Justice League (Timeline) teams up with the remaining three members of the Crime Syndicate. Grail also prepares for further conflict by stealing the anti-life equation from the Anti-Monitor, who is currently resting. She uses the equation to power Steve Trevor and bind him to her will. This leads to another battle where Ultraman is killed by the Anti-Monitor but the Anti-Monitor is killed by Grail.
The fight now switches to one against Grail. Superwoman gives birth to her child and uses it to steal everyone’s god-powers, including Shazam, but Grail kills her and steals her child. She then uses the child to form a new Darkseid, one that is bound to her will. Everyone fights Grail and the new Darkseid but it is Grail’s mother, Myrina, that ends the battle. Myrina convinces Grail to unleash her power and end the entire war, which defeats Darkseid and kills Myrina. Over the course of this entire battle, all of the heroes are returned to their normal power levels and Jessica Cruz ditches her old Power Ring for a new Green Lantern Corps Ring.
As a result of these events, Shazam’s new powers were stolen by Superwoman’s child. However, he appears to still retain his old powers.
This storyline extends through issues #45-50 of Justice League Vol. 2 and Justice League: Darkseid War Special. These issues are collected in Justice League Vol. 8: Darkseid War Part 2 (Review) or Justice League: The Darkseid War Saga Omnibus.
Cyborg: Enemy of the State
Shazam and Cyborg team up to take down Zookeeper, a minor villain who they have little trouble defeating. While fighting him, the two joke around and reference movies that they saw together recently. They are clearly good friends.
Shortly after defeating Zookeeper, government agents arrive to arrest Cyborg. He is forced to fight both Shazam and the agents but is eventually overpowered and brought to a lab for testing. The government agent in charge of the operation reveals that he is working for alien creatures who intend to destroy both Cyborg and Earth. Cyborg then reveals that his fight with Shazam was fake and was only done so that Shazam would be able to accompany the agents to the lab. Together, the two heroes beat the bad guys and save the day.
Shazam’s involvement in this storyline extends through issues #8-10 of Cyborg Vol. 1. These issues are collected in Cyborg Vol. 2: Enemy of the State (Review)
Rebirth
Coming Soon