Whiz Comics

Whiz Comics was Fawcett Publications’ first comic title. It starred the original Captain Marvel (known in modern times as “Shazam!” due to trademark squabbles). Captain Marvel was the alter-ego of Billy Batson, an orphan who made his living selling newspapers. One day, a mysterious stranger appeared to show Billy into a dark hall at the end of an unlisted subway track. There Billy met the old mage known as Shazam. Shazam (whose name is an acronym formed from the names of heroes Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury) gave these powers of these heroes to Billy. Now whenever Billy shouts “Shazam!” he becomes transformed into Captain Marvel.

This series also featured Spy Smasher (later Crime Smasher), Ibis the Invincible, Golden Arrow, as well as the first appearance of Captain Marvel Jr., a boy named Freddy Freeman who received some of Captain Marvel’s powers after being wounded by Captain Nazi.

Jump to issue:

#67

Sep 1945

Cover: $0.10

W: Otto Binder · A: C.C. Beck, Harry Parkhurst

Captain Marvel; Golden Arrow; Ibis the Invincible; Spy Smasher

1 copy for $63.75
#103

Nov 1948

Cover: $0.10

W: Otto Binder, Frank Little · A: Pete Costanza, Louis Cazeneuve, Frank W. Bolle

Captain Marvel; Freshman Freddie; Golden Arrow; Ibis the Invincible; Lance O’Casey

1 copy for $100.00