Shazam Coloring Page: Free Printable PDF Sheet

Shazam: History & Fun Facts

Whiz Comics #2 and the Original Captain Marvel

Shazam was created by writer Bill Parker and artist C.C. Beck for Fawcett Comics, debuting in Whiz Comics #2 in February 1940 — two years after Superman launched the superhero genre. The character was originally called Captain Marvel, and his core conceit set him apart from every other hero of the era: he was secretly a 10-year-old orphan named Billy Batson, who could transform into a fully grown adult superhero by speaking the magic word given to him by an ancient wizard. The kid-becomes-hero premise made him an instant favorite with young readers, and at his 1940s peak Captain Marvel actually outsold Superman.

The Wizard and the Six Powers

The wizard's name is the source of the magic word. Each letter of Shazam stands for a legendary figure whose power transfers to Billy when he speaks the word: S for Solomon's wisdom, H for Hercules' strength, A for Atlas' stamina, Z for Zeus' power and lightning, A for Achilles' courage, and M for Mercury's speed. The transformation is triggered by a lightning bolt that strikes Billy and turns him from a small boy into the muscular adult shown on this coloring page. The contrast between the child mind inside an adult body has fueled the character's stories for over eighty years — he is the only top-tier hero whose secret identity is a literal child.

The Marvel Trademark Battle

DC Comics, which published Superman, sued Fawcett in 1941 for copyright infringement, arguing Captain Marvel was a Superman ripoff. The case dragged on through years of motions and appeals before Fawcett settled in 1953 and stopped publishing the character entirely. By the time DC bought the rights in 1972 and revived Captain Marvel in their own books, Marvel Comics had registered the name for their own different character. DC could publish the hero but had to title the books with the magic word: Shazam! By 2011 DC simply renamed the character Shazam, ending decades of confusion.

The Marvel Family

Billy is not alone. Over the decades writers added the Marvel Family: his twin sister Mary Marvel, transformed by the same word and powered by goddesses instead of gods; Captain Marvel Jr., who shouts 'Captain Marvel!' rather than Shazam to transform; Uncle Marvel, who has no powers but pretends he does; and Hoppy the Marvel Bunny, a Funny Animal Comics version. The 2019 film and its sequel modernized the concept by giving Billy a found-family of foster siblings who all gain transformation powers when they speak the word together. The current comic version follows that model — multiple Shazams, all kids, all sharing the magic.

The 2019 Film and Why Kids Love Him

Shazam, the 2019 DC film starring Asher Angel as Billy and Zachary Levi as the transformed adult hero, earned $366 million worldwide and was praised specifically for capturing the kid-becomes-hero wish fulfillment that comic readers had loved since 1940. The film leaned into the comedy of a 14-year-old in an adult superhero body — trying to buy beer with his new fake-ID looking face, testing his powers by jumping off buildings, picking the dumbest possible name. The coloring page version of Shazam is meant for the audience the character was always built for: kids who can imagine being the hero themselves.